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294th Friday Blog Roundup

So, now that we are about to pass into July, this is the annual Who-Is-Going-to-BlogHer-from-the-ALI-Community list.  If you’re going, let me know in the comment section below and I’ll compile a list.  Yes, I still want to have an ALI get together while we’re all up there since it sounds like a lot of people will be able to drive into NY for the day even if they’re not going to the conference.  So I need those people who live in the area to leave a note too.

To simplify: if you are going or are in the area, write your blog name (and url) in a comment with either (BlogHer) or (area) in parentheses after your blog name so we can get a sense of who will be thereWrite (BlogHer) if you will be at the conference and write (area) if you will not, but are willing to drive in on Sunday morning.

The list will be added to constantly and can be found right here (plus, there is a link under On-Going Projects).

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I have been away on holiday, and got back last night.  It’s a hard landing into reality and I don’t really want to be home.  I feel very out-of-sorts and it’s always hard to play catch-up after being away.  I apologize if you’ve sent me an email this week.  I’m getting around to answering them this weekend.

Thank you for the blogoversary wishes.  Today is my actual blogoversary–the 25th.  Four years feels like quite the milestone.

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The video store in town is closing, a sad fact following on the heels of JJ’s recent post about the difference between Netflix and actually perusing a video store.  My high school job was at a video store which I loved because I could rent movies for free.  The original video store has since been converted into a fish market and a new one by different owners has popped up around the corner, though I fear that store is also not long for this world.

Apropos of nothing except for a desperate need to tell this story, there was a man who came in every single day I worked.  I need to repeat that–I saw him every single time I worked.  Every morning, he would come in right when the store opened and rent three porn videos.  We had a binder on the counter that had the box top in a sleeve and you could flip through the video choices and then tell the clerk the number for the video.  Most men would quietly mutter their choice, “1984, please” but Mr. D would flick through the book as if he already had it memorized (which he probably did) and then call out to one of us, “let me have 1887, 2034, and 1651–is that a good one?  I can’t even remember anymore.”

But that’s not even the remarkable part.  Every single day, he also returned at noon and returned one movie and checked out one more.  Why the hell did he do this?  Why didn’t he just check out four in the morning and return four the next day?  He always came in, checked out three, brought back one midday, checked out one more, and then returned three the next morning.

We all were dying to know why he came back–even when it was all guys working, he did the same thing–but none of us had the ovaries to ask him.

Poor Mr. D.  I’ve always wondered how the advent of Internet porn changed his morning (and midday) rituals.

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The Weekly What If: what if you could spend the day within Disney World with any Disney character (the real deal–not a person in a costume).  Who would it be and what would you do?

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I am still participating in Crystal Light’s Pure Fitness Challenge and I’m giving away a $100 gift card on my review blog.  Read and leave a comment to enter.

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And now, the blogs…

Circus Children has a post about Midsummer and celebrating it as a child.  I love the idea of picking seven flowers and trying to predict your future partner.  And this line made me smile: “I may never have dreamt about who my husband would be, but every day I wake up next to him I know he’s The One. ”  It’s a lovely post about a holiday I knew little about.

Hope Springs Eternal has a very moving post about a counseling session she had with her husband and the different way they process the idea of having prior information about their infertility.  She writes, “I’m glad that we didn’t know, because I’m glad every day that I gave him a chance, I’m glad every day that I fell in love with him, and I’m glad every day that he felt the same way.  I am thankful every day that he loves me.  I don’t know that I tell him that enough.”  Her post is brutally honest and reflective and it creates an interesting what if in the mind about how knowing the future has the possibility to lead you away from wonderful things.

Lil Family Blog has a brief and sweet post about how we choose our family.  It is more that blood and legal contracts.  It is “familiarity, intimacy, love, forgiveness, and respect.”  Go over and add what you have learned about family.

Lastly, Tales from the Rat Race has a lovely twist on her own desire for parenthood.  Stronger than her need to be a mother is her wish that she could make her husband a father.  The post, coming on Father’s Day weekend, is about looking ahead and trying to hold onto hope.

The roundup to the Roundup: add yourself to the list if you are attending BlogHer this summer or will be close enough to the area for a get together.  I’ve been away, but now I’m back and it’s my Blogoversary.  What was up with Porn Man?  Answer the Weekly What If.  Still doing the Crystal Light Challenge.  And lots of great posts to read.

30 comments

1 chickenpig { 06.25.10 at 12:50 pm }

Congratulations on 4 years Mel! This blog is awesome. I’m so glad you’re here, and still going strong 🙂

2 Kim { 06.25.10 at 12:56 pm }

Last American Girl Standing
http://lastamericangirlstanding.blogspot.com
(area)

3 Lori Lavender Luz { 06.25.10 at 1:25 pm }

Weebles Wobblog
http://weebleswobblog.com
(BlogHer)

Can’t wait!

4 HereWeGoAJen { 06.25.10 at 1:37 pm }

Not going to BlogHer, but very jealous.

Can it be Walt Disney?

5 electriclady { 06.25.10 at 2:33 pm }

City Girl Tales
http://citygirltales.blogspot.com/
(area)

and I bought a party pass too, so I’ll hopefully see you all at the parties!

6 Dora { 06.25.10 at 3:37 pm }

Happy Blogiversary! Can’t wait to meet you f2f. Oooh, Lori, too!

http://mypreconceivednotion.blogspot.com/ (area)

7 JessPond { 06.25.10 at 3:39 pm }

Congrats on your blogoversary!

8 Kir { 06.25.10 at 3:40 pm }

HI Mel..welcome home.

I think I’d like to spend the day with all the toys from Toy Story, they seem like a Happy Bunch. 🙂

I will be in the area

http://piccinigirlcorner.blogpsot.com

9 Heather { 06.25.10 at 4:21 pm }

after being a character for years, I have no desire to ever hang out with another Disney character ever again. Thankyouverymuch.

😉

Smooch

10 Kristin { 06.25.10 at 10:20 pm }

Dragondreamer’s Lair
http://thefertileinfertile.blogspot.com/ (BlogHer)

Hmmm, could I hang out with Lightning McQueen and drive really, really fast all day?

11 Rachel { 06.25.10 at 10:59 pm }

Longdistanceinfertility.blogspot.com (area)

12 Calliope { 06.26.10 at 8:40 am }

Is there a Disney location not near humidity?? I can’t get past that in my head.

Creating Motherhood
http://creatingmotherhood.com
(BlogHer)

13 edenland { 06.28.10 at 6:00 am }

Eden from Edenland
http://edenriley.blogspot.com/

BlogHer.

Bring it.

14 niobe { 06.28.10 at 9:59 am }

niobe @ dead baby jokes

BlogHer (though totally regretting it in advance for a whole bunch of reason that I’m not even going to even attempt to get into)

15 Nycphoenix { 06.28.10 at 10:04 am }

In the area trying to gate crash. Someone grab some swag for me LOL

16 Aunt Becky { 06.28.10 at 11:30 am }

I will totally be at BlogHer and I’m not QUITE an ALI blogger, but I am close with many of you. AND I am going to meet with many of you and love up on you. xoxo CANNOT WAIT.

17 Briar { 06.28.10 at 8:11 pm }

I live here and I am going to BlogHer!

18 christina { 06.28.10 at 9:56 pm }

Happy Blogaversary!

I guess I’d have to choose one of the princesses. I really have no clue–DH says I was incredibly deprived because we never watched disney movies when we were kids. But I could certainly handle a castle!!

19 Ivy { 06.29.10 at 11:36 pm }

The conference is only going to be a block from my office…I would never miss it!

20 Baby Smiling In Back Seat { 07.03.10 at 2:32 pm }

Baby Smiling In Back Seat
http://babysmiling.wordpress.com
(area)

21 T Lee { 07.04.10 at 12:31 am }

If Pixar counts, either Sully or Wilbur Robinson… Genie if we’re sticking to oldschool style Disney.

Infertili- T & A (area)
http://infertili-tanda.blogspot.com

22 AmyBlam { 07.09.10 at 2:51 pm }

I’ll be at blogher!

23 Eva { 07.13.10 at 4:13 pm }

Hey! Eva from the Egg Drop Post will be at BlogHer ’10. Can’t wait to meet some of you gals!

24 Eva { 07.13.10 at 4:14 pm }

And Happy Blogeversary! Four years is quite an accomplishment!

25 Sara { 07.19.10 at 10:02 am }

So glad I found you through the BlogHer site. Who doesn’t love pomegranate? I’ll be at the conference. I hope our paths cross.
-Sara from http://www.saucydipper.com

26 Lawyer Mama { 07.19.10 at 6:04 pm }

Well, I’m new to IF blogging, but I’ll be at BlogHer!

27 dana { 08.02.10 at 12:47 pm }

I’m Dana — it will be my first BlogHer conference.
http://www.feastafterfamine.com
I look forward to meeting you.

28 magpie { 08.02.10 at 9:47 pm }

I’ll be at BlogHer! Hope to see you there.

29 Liza { 08.03.10 at 4:37 pm }

I will be at BlogHer and am trying to sort out flight changes to stay and see you guys at breakfast, and of course some of the IVP peeps in the afternoon.

30 Kasey { 08.06.10 at 1:42 pm }

Hi, I’m not an ALI blogger, but I am starting the journey of TC with PCOS and have started reading many of the blogs here. I am an NYC local and at BlogHer. Would love to meet up.

(c) 2006 Melissa S. Ford
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