And how do we celebrate Blogtober? There are lots of ways!

The important thing is to celebrate being a blogger and take pride in your semi-geeky hobby! All month long, I will be posting some of the things that I have learned about or while blogging, blogs that I particularly enjoy, Deep Thoughts about the meaning of blogging, and so on. So now it’s your turn - take part in Blogtober!

Yeah, the title of the post is pretty cool because it starts with the letter V and ends with the letter X. Tell me where you can find any other entry on any other blog with THAT spiffy feature! Uh-huh, I thought not.

So…speaking of the Vernal Equinox, here it is: the first day of Autumn, aka Fall! Oh, how I love Autumn! The crispness in the air…the chill that creeps closer every day…the darkness slowly overtaking the sunlight…the holidays just around the corner…the majestic colors on display…the smell of furnaces and chimneys…ain’t it great?

And to celebrate the beginning of Autumn, there’s a new header up on top - take a look and tell me what you think. Happy Vernal Equinox, Everybody!

I found out a few days too late about it this year, but next year I plan to attend the “Napoleon Dynamite” festival in Preston, Idaho…it’s only about a four-hour drive. Cool stuff on the agenda, such as a tater-tot eating contest, a “moon-boot” dance contest, and a tour of the Rex Kwon karate studio. If I can’t wait until next year’s festival, maybe I’ll buy some sweet swag to get my Napoleon fix (here’s my favorite). EDIT: oops - Jen is correct - according to Google Maps, it’s about 473 miles from here to Preston…surely longer than a 4-hour drive!

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I’ve lived here in Great Falls for nearly four years, and all this time I thought that the Farmer’s Market, which happens every Saturday morning during the summer, was strictly an event for fresh fruits and vegetables, and you know how I feel about vegetables (and, to a lesser degree, fruit). On Thursday, however, I was informed that there is much more to it than that, so yesterday me and the Better Living Wife headed down there, and now I’m kicking myself for not having gone sooner — it was GREAT! The artisans are incredible: tye-dye shirts, trinkets & jewelry galore, wood crafts & furniture, baked goods, coffee, and so much more! There was also some live music, tasty little “Porkies On A Stick,” and as promised, pony rides! I considered asking if I could ride a pony, but the Wife gave me a glance that was somewhere between “disapproving” and “disappointed.”

Babs has some good news to share about a significant achievement in her household, but is curious about whether or not she will have to address her husband as “Master” now. Heh. And in other good news, Dan and his wife are the proud parents of an adorable lil’ baby boy (what a great pic!)! And speaking of parenthood, WonderGirl has some raves about her new community.

So. Any good news going on in your world?

Actually, the site is called “Get Rich Slowly,” and it’s chock-full of tidbits and advice on saving money, earning money, and investing money. Lots of good stuff and links.
There is an occasional quibble, however, such as in the entry that excerpts a book about how to live better, fuller, wiser, etc. Practical suggestions, to be sure, but the capitalist in me cringes at this:

Support what other people do; spend your time and money on things done for something other than profit.

Dang it. I support what other people do whenever I buy groceries, fill up my gas tank, pay my utility bills, donate to a worthy charity, and buy new furniture. What on earth does the “…for something other than profit” line mean? Sounds like a throwaway line to support local musicians, artists, and such, which is fine, but it sends the wrong message by equating profit with something “bad” or otherwise than ideal.

A trip down memory lane…here is a book that I read several times back in grade school in the 70s. It’s stuck in my mind all these years. The title is “Lizard Music,” by Daniel Pinkwater, and the name is an accurate description, and the book is absolutely bizarre - in a very cool way. A young lad is left home alone, and while staying up late and watching TV, he finds a channel that features a jazz band made up of lizards. Yes, real lizards. Seriously. He goes in search of said lizards, encounters an odd old man who has a chicken in his hat, and embarks on a journey to an invisible island inhabited by lizards who all share the same name. I re-read it about 10 years ago and was amused, both at the novelty of the book so many years later, as well as the “dated” aspect of it. I still recommended it for young readers.

I’ve learned, since arriving in Montana, that there are only three types of vehicles that are acceptable by the locals: SUVs, trucks, and Subarus. And I have long wanted an SUV of some sort: my dream-vehicle is a Ford Escape, white with black trim. Those are a bit out of my price range right now; the least expensive used Escape that I can find is about $11K. So back in reality, I may be getting close to trading in my Ford Taurus. Now, given the following limited bits of information, do any of you have wisdom to impart about choosing one of these vehicles?

1. 1998 Isuzu Rodeo; 96K miles, 4×4, V6 - $8700
2. 1996 GMC Jimmy SLT; 105K miles, 4×4 - $7900
3. 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited; 150K miles; don’t know about 4×4 - $6900
4. 1990 Toyota 4-Runner SR5; 166K miles, 4×4 - $4900

If you plan on having a New Year’s Eve party - or attending one - you may be able to pick up some good tips from this site. It even has all of the lyrics to “Auld Lang Syne!”

One of my favorite movies is “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Probably on your list, too, right? Ever wonder what it might look like if the character of George Bailey was portrayed not by Jimmy Stewart, but rather by the wondrous creation we call the Internet? Wonder no more! (via)

*bump to top* I’m addicted to the mini-video capability of my new phone…just can’t stop taking those wonderful little 15-second clips! Here’s a little something that I grabbed off the TV earlier today to express my feelings towards my blog-buddies… (more…)

Enjoying my new phone immensely; been poking around to find resources for tips, tools, and stuff. First up: the Howard Forums for LG phones; chock full of advice and helpful threads. Some skins for the phone, which I probably won’t use, but seem cool to some degree. Info about hooking up your VX-8100 to your computer, which I likely will do this weekend. GMail for your mobile - woohoo! And I read that the Opera mini-browser works well on the phone, but not sure I have the guts to try it yet.