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Look into my Eyes ...

by C.L. (Cindy) Beck



Photo © Cindy Beck

Have a happy, Wordless Wednesday!




I've Been Liebstered!

by Cindy Beck



Normally I wouldn't have a clue what being "Liebstered" means, and would quickly call the CDC to find out if it's infectious. Luckily for me, though, when Leisha Maw gave me the Liebster Award she also explained it wasn't a disease.

Whew (flinging sweat off brow), I'm sooo glad!

Thanks go to the awesome Leisha Maw for the award, and here are the rules:

Bestow the Liebster Award to awesome bloggers who, at the moment, have less than 200 followers. Then ...

1.) Show thanks to the blogger who gave the award by linking back to them.
2.) Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3.) Post the award on your blog.
4.) Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the Internet – other writers.
5.) And best of all – have fun and spread the karma!

So, without further cause for alarm, (and while trumpets herald in the distance) here are my five picks for awesome writers:

My Rich and Random Life (Langley Cornwell)

Cathy Witbeck - Story Painter
Shirley Bahlmann Biz
Inksplasher (Karlene Browning)
On the Couch (Russ Beck) Okay, so we're related, but that doesn't mean I can't give him an award, right?

Have fun, y'all!



5 Rules to Remember

Posted by my alter-ego, Cindy Lynn
Tags: humor, happiness, Associated Content



5 Rules to Remember in Life


1. Money cannot buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

2. Forgive your enemy but remember the so-and-so's name.

3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will remember you when they're in trouble again.

4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.

5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then, neither does milk.

~ Author unknown


And now that you've had a laugh ... if you're looking for other fun or interesting thoughts, check out my articles at Associated Content.

Until next time ...

~ Cindy Lynn
Author, Poet, and Philosopher at Associated Content


Sam's Club Giveaway and Box Tops for Education WINNER

By C.L. (Cindy) Beck
Tags: giveaway, contest, freebies, Sam's Club, box tops for education


Oh yes, it's time to announce the Sam's Club Gift Card Giveaway winner. After putting the entries into the random generator at Random.org, the winner is ....

LANGLEY CORNWELL!

(Sorry about the shouting, but Langley lives a long ways away and I wanted her to hear me.)


Langley, please contact me with your full name, complete mailing address, and telephone number. I need all those to submit for your prize. It should arrive at your place within two weeks after it's submitted.

Thanks again to General Mills and MyBlogSpark for sponsoring the giveaway!


It Ain't No Picasso ... by C.L. Beck

Stories and Humor to Make You Laugh by C.L. (Cindy) Beck
Tags: Mythbusters, art, humor


Image by Ali Goksel.com


"Hey, look," I said, waving the newspaper under my hubby's nose. "There's an art competition at a local gallery. Should we enter a photo?"

Corky Porky Pie barked his agreement, but Russ continued watching Mythbusters. What is it that's so interesting about that show? After all, how many times can a guy watch Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman shoot chickens out of a cannon before figuring out that a frozen chicken can not fly under its own power?

I tried again in a dulcet tone, "HEY, CHICKEN BOY, DO YOU WANT TO ENTER THE ART SHOW?"

Oh, all right ... I'll admit it ... I hollered.

Apparently, my dulcet tone startled him. Russ jumped out of the chair like he'd been stung, and the Porky Pie ran around Russ's ankles, barking loud enough to pop balloons. Or at least ear drums.

I'd like to suggest that what followed happened in slow motion, but then Russ would probably submit the idea to Mythbusters so they could test the reality of slow motion by shooting chickens from a Howitzer. Which would probably only work with tiny, live chickens flying backwards as they're shot out of the cannon.

But, I digress. Unable to take a full step without killing the dog, Russ stumbled around, arms flailing, looking very much like ... dare I say it? ... a chicken with its head cut off. That is, until he finally managed to trip and land face down on the couch.

I raised my eyebrows. "So, did that little dance mean yes or no?"

"Brsghgtrxwvbpxuumph."

I reached over and patted Russ on the back. "Sorry, but I can't translate 'Brsghgtrxwvbpxuumph.' Maybe if you take your face out of the cushions it would help."

Russ raised his head, and for a minute I thought he might turn it completely around, like that chick (oh yes, another chicken reference; we are replete with them today) in The Exorcist. Instead, he blinked his eyes and replied, "I was asking which picture you wanted to enter."

The Porky Pie cocked his head and looked at Russ, then cocked it the other way and looked at me. Sometimes I think he's smarter than I give him credit.

I would've cocked my head in question, too, but didn't want to mimic the dog, so I scrunched my eyebrows instead. Something Corky Porky Pie is incapable of doing ... so far.

Giving it a significant pause, I said, "It is my considered opinion that we have a number of blue ribbon quality photos that are certain not to win. So let's find something strange, manipulate it in PhotoShop to make it stranger, and submit it."

Russ hefted himself off the couch and poked me lightly in the forehead with his finger. "You've heard of the movie, A Beautiful Mind? Well, you have a devious mind. Tell me, did I know that about you before we married?"

"Umm, I'm thinking not, but welcome to marital bliss, Chicken Boy."

For the next few minutes we discussed which strange photos we had that were suitable. We finally settled on one taken by Russ of an old guy in New Orleans, dressed in a woman's hat decorated with chicken feathers (well, okay, maybe it was plastic flowers), wearing lots of beads, a purple shirt with orange pants, and playing a ukelele-type instrument.

"He's considered to be local color in the French Quarter, plays the ukelele for money and is known all over the country. I paid him to let me take his picture." Russ's voice reflected pride in his artistic accomplishment.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Really? Local color? He looks more like a nut. Who wears beads and a flowered hat after Labor Day? I hope you didn't pay him much."

Turns out Russ didn't, but I'm not going to tell how much he paid because it might make him look cheep ... er ... cheap.

On the day of the deadline, we gathered two other unusual pictures, along with the one of the ukelele-man-who-thought-he-was-a-woman that I'd weirded up ("weirded up" ... is that a real phrase?) and submitted them.

Several weeks later, we received an invitation to attend an "Artist's Open House" to view the winning entries. We dressed in nice clothes, because the press was scheduled to attend.

When we arrived, imagine our surprise to find a bearded gallery curator wearing jungle shorts and sandals. I whispered to Russ, "I don't think I weirded that photo up enough."

To make a long story short, our ukelele-man-who-thought-he-was-a-woman won third place. We were tickled until we saw the first place photo.

Russ stared at it for a long time, while trying not to look like he was staring. "Wow, I didn't know you were allowed to enter naked people."

"Me either," I said. "And that photographer might have taken the grand prize, instead of just first place in photography, if he'd gone to the trouble to weird up that woman and give her three of something. After all, it worked for Picasso."

------

[Note: Although I've posted humor articles here for quite some time for YourLDSNeighborhood.com, clicks on their newsletter indicate a demographic that's more interested in serious topics. For that reason, I'll no longer post humor articles for them here, and will post serious articles twice a month for them at my other blog, Cindy Beck: Meandering Thoughts. If you're interested, stop by there and click to follow through Google Friend Connect, or to follow by email. Thanks for reading my humor articles in the past!]



------ "It Ain't No Picasso" © C.L. (Cindy) Beck, 2011------



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Sam's Club Giveaway and Box Tops for Education

By C.L. (Cindy) Beck
Tags: giveaway, contest, freebies, Sam's Club, box tops for education


I'm so excited because I haven't had a giveaway in quite a while, and this is a cool one. So ... ta-da! It's time once again for the Sam's Club $25 gift card giveaway. (Don't you just love the chance for a free gift card?)

What Sam's Club Says

It seems like just yesterday when the kids came home from school, threw their back-packs on the floor and chanted, "It´s summer!" But as the hustle and bustle of back-to-school quickly approaches, Sam´s Club wants to remind you that it´s never too early to start collecting Box Tops. This year, Sam´s Club and Box Tops for Education can help you prepare for the fall when you shop their back-to-school event.

Earn more cash for your local school at Sam´s Club this August with the 6 Box Tops on a Pack promotion.



When you purchase participating Box Top items, you can collect even more Box Tops on some of your favorite General Mills brands such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, Totino´s Pizza Rolls, and more!

Sam´s Club has your favorite back to school items from computers to clothing, and at the best values.

Plan ahead and take advantage of the savings made simple at Sam´s Club. Your wallet - and your local school - will be thanking you! To learn more about the Box Tops Education Program and how you can help contribute to your school, visit BoxTops4Education.com

A Few Links

Sam´s Club Website http://bit.ly/samsclubbtfe
Sam´s Club Facebook http://on.fb.me/samsclubfacebook
Sam´s Club Twitter http://bit.ly/samsclubtwitter
Box Tops for Education Website http://bit.ly/samsclubboxtops


Giveaway Rules (Aug 1-7, 2011)

Leave a comment on this blog article from now until midnight, MDT, Aug. 7, 2011. If you can't think of anything to say, try sharing which General Mills´ products you might be most excited to see featured in the "6 Tops on a Pack" offer at Sam´s Club! (As for me, I like to see them on Rice and Corn Chex, because I love to use those two cereals to make Party Mix and Mexican Munchies!)

If I don't already have your address, please leave your email, Twitter or Facebook address so I can contact you. The winner will be announced on Monday, Aug 8.

(Thanks for entering! Disclosure: The Sam´s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. However, my opinions of the event, of the companies involved, or the quality of the products mentioned are my own. If for some reason there is no winner, or I can not get in contact with the winner, I will redraw or give the prize to charity, at MyBlogSpark's and my discretion.)