Last week sometime (I think it was last week…), Ryan was setting up Google Reader for himself. Of course his is full of Slashdot and CNN and stuff. News feeds, mostly. And I was telling him that I haven’t used Google Reader yet, and was kind of scared to. I had heard horror stories about people with 200 unread messages, and it would totally stress me out to have something like that, I thought. But the next day, I succumbed. I went through and added almost all of the blogs I read regularly to my Google Reader. And at first it was really overwhelming. There were well over 200 entries. But I had read most of them, so it wasn’t too bad. But now, there are like 20-30 new entries every day. A lot of them I can skim through, and I do like having them all in one place, but God forbid I ever have to go without internet for a few days….it will not be good. On the other hand, I don’t have to worry about forgetting which blogs I’ve checked, which I haven’t, and which one was linked from where. As Monty Python says, “Always look on the bright side of life.” Or something like that.

Do you all read a lot of blogs (Adrienne, I know your answer to that one!)? Do you use Google Reader or some other method of tracking them all? Or do you bookmark/link from others/remember the sites?

EDIT: Just after I posted this, Lifehacker (one the blogs I read) came out with an entry about how Monty Python is sick of rip offs and stuff on youtube, so they created their own youtube channel. I have updated the link to direct to that video, which is apparently higher quality, and is Monty Python approved. Thank goodness for Google Reader, huh?

On to more serious matters.

I don’t really know how to write this entry. Mostly because it is such a deeply personal issue for so many people, but also because there are some people in my life that I’m afraid that I will offend. But I still feel like I need to say this, because it is important to me.

I’m not “pro-choice” per se. But I think that identity was developed using what the conservative right has defined being pro-choice as. Believing that it meant you were for abortion, without reservation. And I am not. I’ve identified myself as “pro-life” since I can remember, although I try to always make the distinction that I’m not “pro-life” like some people are, who are really anti-abortion but don’t appear to care about all the other ways life is abused in our nation and in our world. The wider pro-life view is a big part of why I will be voting for Obama this year. But that is my choice, and I know other people need to make their choices based on their personal research and priorities.

Where am I going with this?? I don’t really know, other than my point was to direct you all to a few entries that I think anyone who thinks the abortion issue is black and white should read. These are real stories by real women. And I have to agree with one of them in particular, who said in reference to McCain’s air quotes when talking about the health of the mother and late term abortions, ”I don’t see any way a thinking person can look at those air quotes and see anything but pandering, contempt, and a dangerous willful ignorance.” (For those who didn’t watch: he put air quotes around “health” and said that the pro-abortion ((sidenote – is ANYONE really pro-abortion???)) movement has stretched the term “health” so that women could get abortions basically whenever they wanted.)

Before you comment, please read the entries. And if you still think the issue is black and white, well then I guess we’ll just have to disagree. And that’s fine. I just wanted you to think about it.

A Little Bit Pregnant

Uppercase Woman - On National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day and her personal story
Uppercase Woman – On John McCain

Flotsam

Thank you for your time. And if you have nothing productive to say, save it and say a prayer for my soul instead.

I have to say that at least from my perspective I think this Pay It Forward contest was a huge success! I found a whole lot of blogs that I want to go back and check out, and as a bonus we got some excellent questions and such! So, let’s get on with the answering, shall we? This will have to be in a couple installments, because God knows I can’t just give short one-word answers. I’m not Ryan, for goodness sakes! ;-) (Love you, honey!)

MzEll asked what books are on my (our?) to read list/shelf/table. First of all, let me just say that I LOVE to read. And I very often get recommendations for books off of other people’s blogs. But right now I’m reading Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books. They are pretty amusing – they remind me of Douglas Adams, who I love. I think there’s a couple Stephen King books out there that I haven’t read yet, and those are always on my list. Plus there’s a list of books that people recommended to me on my last blog (I recently moved over from xanga) that I have yet to get to. An ambitious list, I know. Ryan’s list is just as long if not longer…and in between everything else he wants to read I’m trying to convince him to finish the Stephen Kind Dark Tower series, since he’s really into fantasy books.

Sara asked what I think the biggest problem is in the world and why, and how would I suggest fixing it. This is a hard one. The world has a lot of problems. But I think that I would have to say that most of them stem from people not caring about other people. Or not caring enough. If people cared more they would share what they have with the people that need. And they would be more tolerant of people that are different than they are. To use a cliche, can’t we all just get along? How to fix it is the real issue. I just heard the people on the radio talking about how they think Minnesota Nice is falling by the wayside…I feel like the whole world is kind of going that direction. People are so concerned about themselves and their own welfare they don’t stop to think about the people they could be helping (or at least not hurting). And I’m included in that group that doesn’t think enough. It’s sad, really.

Aunt Lois (no blog, but she should definitely start one! ;-)) asked 2 questions technically. To answer the first about entering the contest - that is correct. All you have to do is comment. So good job! She also asked what I would buy if I was putting together my own care package from Target. I would have to say that it would include a book – probably a light beach read, but whatever caught my attention would work. There would also be snacks, obviously. Oh, and chapstick and a pair of cheap sunglasses, because I couldn’t survive without my chapstick, and I lose a pair of sunglasses about once a month, so it’s always good to have extras. And maybe a deck of cards. Not that I need more decks of cards, but I LOVE playing card games and so it would be appropriate, I think. So yah…that’s it.

Michelle wanted to know what my favorite thing to do in the cities is. Aside from visiting family and friends, which is a total cop-out answer, I really like going to see shows down there. My mom, sisters, aunts and a couple cousins went to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Orpheum this May, and it was totally fabulous. The same guy that played Jesus in the movie was playing him in the show, and his voice still sounds just as amazing. I can tell you right now that Ryan’s favorite thing to do is go to Twins games. We don’t make it to very many of them since we don’t live down there, but he loves the Twins and really likes going to games, and I like going too (I’m not as much a fan of watching them on TV). I think we might go this weekend actually! Woo hoo!

NotAMeanGirl didn’t technically ask a question, but I had to comment anyway that my nephew/godson’s birthday is the 4th of July too! He turned 9 this year. It’s crazy. I have decided that if you have to have your birthday on a holiday that one is the way to go – everyone has it off work and is celebrating anyway, but it’s not a typical present holiday so it’s not like Christmas where it all gets combined. Plus, FIREWORKS!!

Missy wants to know what blog I would read if I could only read one for the rest of my life, and OMG is this the hardest question I’ve ever answered. It is interesting, because I’ve been blogging for a few years now (or 4 or 5…whatever), and I only really got into reading other blogs within the last year or so. And I’m hooked. But I’ve noticed that my favorites to read change with what’s going on in my life. When I was planning my wedding I LOVED any blog that had anything to do with weddings. People planning their own, instructions on DIY projects, anything. Before I was in a serious relationship, I really liked blogs about other singles around the country. Now I find myself reading blogs written by a lot of newlyweds, although I have to admit that I really like a lot of the mom-blogs I’ve found out there too (NO MOM, I’M NOT PREGNANT, AND I WON’T BE FOR SOME TIME). To choose just one for the rest of my life…wow. I don’t know. I really really like Jess from Duwaxloolu, and Swistle (would I get to read the other blogs she writes on too???), Shauna from Pickles & Dimes and Tessie from Messing With Texas lately, and now I’ve got about 40 other blogs that I hadn’t yet checked out to start looking at. I don’t think I would choose anyone that I know in real life, because I could just talk to them to get updates…I’ll have to think about this one and come back….

And 4 days later (I started this entry last week) I still can’t decide. Probably either Duwaxloolu or Pickles & Dimes, because I’ve been reading them the longest of my current favorites, and they seem like nice, down-to-earth but still very funny women.

Fiona Picklebottom (who has an awesome online name, btw) asked how many 5-pound sacks of potatoes would you have to stack on the top of the downward-leaning side of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to completely topple it. I would have to say 429. Minus 1 medium sized potato. Actually, I have no idea, but it sounded like a good guess, don’t you think?

That is all the questions I can answer for now – work calls, and I need to get this posted so that I can notify Maggie that she won! I will be back to answer more questions later this week. Also, next weekend is a wedding in my very-small-hometown-next-to-Canada, which should result in some good stories and maybe some photos! Yay photos! All of my sisters will be there, so it should be fabulous!

 Sorry for the random updates to the entry. I saw a typo…then I saw something I wanted to rephrase…then I saw that I was missing one of my favorite blogs from my list of favorites…and on and on…

In other exciting news, I’m going to be joining in the awesome Pay It Forward contest craziness being organized by Swistle. I’m very excited, as this is my first attempt at doing something with the blog other than just commenting on other blogs and rambling. Check out her post for an explanation of what this is and how it works. Also, I know I only have like 4 readers and half of you don’t have your own blogs. We’ll figure it out. It’s all good. :-)

Well, that’s all I have to say for now. No big plans for the weekend – we may be heading down to the Reef bar tonight (yay for a bar within walking distance!)…depends on the weather. And tomorrow we have a high school grad party for my cousin in Pine City. That should be fun. I always like visiting family!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and I’ll see you back here on Monday for the contest!

I’m sure that as time goes by this blog will develop. Maybe we will get ambitious and do some awesome formatting. Maybe it will become popular (but probably not). Who knows.

For those that are wondering, the totally serial name is kind of an inside joke around our house (although it was a very public show that first used the phrase). To keep the explanation simple and short, let’s just say that we are fans of South Park, and Al Gore was parodied on the show and kept saying “totally serial” instead of “totally serious.” For some reason, Ryan, Sam and I have picked it up as a joking way to say that we are telling the truth or are serious about something. When Ryan and I were thinking about titles for a website (we are hoping to have more than just the blog, eventually), the phrase occurred to us. We liked the double-meaning (get it; “serial” – like blog entries?? We are dorks, we know.), and we like the funny aspect. Plus it was available (no small thing, that is).

So, that is the story of the site. And now, here we are.

And after all that, I need some ice cream. Doesn’t DQ deliver? ;-)