Congratulations, Mary Beth!
You are the winner of the Patchwork Denim Apron or Bag (let me know which you would prefer). Now you're ready to start collecting your very own Highlowaha Patches!
T.G.I.F. I love the feeling of Fridays. If I was going to an office today, I would be looking forward to dressing down - a turtle neck and a warm sweater to celebrate the arrival of fall and Thanksgiving. I love this time of year!
I look forward to Friday's on our blog, because it is Free For All Friday. This is the day of the week when we open the floor to whatever you want to talk about or brainstorm. I have a few agenda items of my own, but I'll be brief, so we can open the floor to you and your interests.
A final topic I want to cover, before completely turning over today's blog to "free-for-all-ing" is the use of technology in staying better connected to our friends. The irony... I know NOTHING about technology (I'm still patting myself on the back for learning how to create files in my email). I'm no dummy, though. It is precisely the reason why I waited until today to bring up the topic. I set the scene and all of you share what you know (which is inevitably more than what I know). Already this week, Skype and Facebook were touted as useful tools. What else is out there?
I do have one contribution on the subject. Virtual Parties have become somewhat of a tradition at highlowaha. Our first was a virtual dinner party to celebrate the opening of Olympics. Readers ordered Chinese food and watched the Olympics in their respective homes. Throughout the night, blog readers made posts and celebrated with one another. We did something similar on Talk Like a Pirate Day, while we played an interactive, but virtual, game of Pirate Bingo. Prizes were won (and stolen) and we had fun, fun, fun.
Announcement! Get out your calendars! Our next Virtual Highlowaha party is scheduled for...
Sunday, December 14
8:00 p.m.
Join us for...
The Highlowaha Festival of Lights &
First Annual Highlowaha Ornament Exchange
Rules of participation are easy. Submit two photos to Katie Kolkmeier at kkolkmeier@g.mail.com, by Friday, December 12 at 5:00 p.m. The two photos should include (1) a picture of your decorated Christmas tree, menorah, or other holiday decoration, and (2) a picture of a wrapped ornament, that you are willing to exchange with another highlowaha reader. More details to come as the party gets closer. For now, SAVE THE DATE! P.S. This is a patch yielding event!!!
How about you? Do you have a virtual party idea for you and your friends? Or, one that we can use on highlowaha? Let us know.
Pen Pal Match-Up: While on the subject of friends and correspondence... a favor for a good friend. I am in search for a young girl who would like to have a smart, loyal, and conscientious pen pal from the state of Georgia. She is in the fifth grade and turned eleven years old in September. If I could hold interviews to find her a pen pal who would reciprocate her enthusiasm, I would. Instead, I am turning my request over to the most reliable people I know - my friends at highlowaha. Incidentally, if there seems to be a lot of interest, I would not mind coordinating a Pen Pal Match-Up. Have a lead? Either post a comment telling me so or send me an email at cbeeny@lslog.com.
Secret Ingredient: Highlowaha is partnering with Struble Suds, a "resident" Green Bay Packer Bar, to host the Super Bowl Snack Throw Down. Fourteen creative and courageous highlowaha readers are participating. Each week, two readers face off in throw down by submitting a food entry and allowing the Struble Suds bar flies to judge them on flavor and use of the secret ingredient. Winners advance to the next round, ultimately competing for a spot in the Super Bowl. The prize for which participants are competing? The ultimate hand painted Super Snack Bowl! Guaranteed to make you the envy of all your friends and family.
Today we must vote on next week's Secret Ingredient. Chefs have been consulted and ingredients have been narrowed. The two ingredients between which you are voting are:
Lemon Juice or Maple Syrup
Heather and the Snow Flakes... we are nearing the end of our first Highlowaha Party. You all have set the bar high, with great participation and countless creative contributions. We are better and more fun because of your involvement. The good news... unlike other parties that actually end... this one doesn't have to! Feel free to continue joining us, even after tomorrow. We hope you will.
Remember to tune in tomorrow, for our final post on the subject of staying connected with friends who live at a distance. There will be a fun giveaway and, more importantly, a tribute to Heather and one of her dear friends. It will be a nice way to end the week and to start your weekend.
Signing off until tomorrow...
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24 comments:
Maple Syrup and Lemon juice?!?!?
You have GOT to be kidding me!!!!!!!
Others have the options of nutmeg, honey mustard, GARLIC, and a variety of other staple ingredients and my week draws maple syrup and lemon juice?!?!?
I guess if I must I'll go with maple syrup.
As far as free for all'ing it on technology:
Here are my few meager attempts.
#1: Our family keeps a website...a simple, easy to update site that maybe gets attention bi-weekly in 10 minute intervals. It is fast and easy but anyone who wants to see an updated picture or video of Lily knows just where to go...it has been a key to staying connected to family since our move in July.
#2: I must again tout Walgreens as a fun way to order your pictures online. It takes five minutes, you can pay online, and you can have pictures sent ANYWHERE in the United States. I often send the to my Mom and my in laws but I could just as easily see sending a pack of photos to a great friend. The benefit is that they also send great deals via email so I often have free pictures as well. (shhh..don't tell I have three accounts set up so that I can use the codes multiple times...one for myself, one for my in laws, and one for my mom).
That's all I've got as I'll leave facebook, myspace, skype and others to my friends who I know are more versed than I.
This has been fun this week to see what everyone is up to...makes me even more anxious to return to KY in just a few weeks.
Lemon Juice or Maple Syrup????? What???
I guess I'll vote for lemon juice.
Lemon juice is my vote but wow...that is hard to imagine a "mailable" item with either lemon juice or maple syrup. Scares me for what lies ahead for the next competitions! Happy Friday All!
Now that I am official back at work from maternity leave, I will participate a little bit more on this site. It looks like you all have been up to lots of great things.
I pick lemon juice.
As for techonology, a great site for making photo collages for your blog is photobucket.com and you can get free backgrounds to change things up at www.thecutestblogontheblock.com
My blog features a great Thanksgiving background right now courtesy of that site. Check it out www.wheresmomma.blogspot.com
Claudia, if you are still looking for a pen pal, I am interested. I am one of the few people left in the world that actually likes letter writing.
Happy Friday!
Lemon juice has my vote.
Technology... I think it's funny in our house... we send emails to each other....when we had 'free' texting, we texted each other, and we use our cell phones to call each other. My mom of the 'old' school asks if we are all still living in the same house if that is the way we communicate! Just go talk to them, she says! Ha!
Secret Santa, White Elephant, Wrapped ornament exchange? Cool, I'm in...
There is also a new site called Twitter that allows for people to "follow" each other. "People follow the sources most relevant to them and access information via Twitter as it happens—from breaking world news to updates from friends" (that's from their website).
For those of you on facebook, it is like updating your facebook status, but that's all there is on this site. It is a way to easily track status updates and see what friends are up to. I also used it during the election campaigning to "follow" Barack Obama and see where he was on the campaign trail.
Hmm - interesting- I vote lemon juice. I think that there are more options.
Remember too - the Struble Suds owners are willing to go to the store and prep items for you. Just let us know what you need in advance and we'll make it happen.
Best of luck everyone.
PS - we love our website & blog for keeping up with people. www.strublesuds.com & www.strublesuds.blogspot.com
Do I smell a patch? You know I'm in. :)
I have a myspace account that I don't visit much anymore. I have a facebook account that has been getting me in touch with some REALLY OLD friends that I lost touch with. I have a blogspot page that I created so my family could keep up with us when I lived in Utah. Email, Instant messaging, text messages... I'm up to my ears in it all. And, I love it! But, there is something so great about receiving a real piece of snail mail and not just a piece of junk mail.
Oh my! Lemon juice or maple syrup?? I think you'll have more options with lemon juice so I'm going to vote for maple syrup. And, I like a good underdog. :)
Happy Friday everyone.
Oh, and my vote is for maple syrup!
I am going to have to keep a list of all of the great highlowaha ideas and contests....I am only 1 week in and cannot keep it all in my head.
I must admit I prefer Facebook and have long ago abandoned my MySpace page. Frankly, I am too old for MySpace.
Anyway, I like to use WalMart.com for picture sharing, although I am perpetually behind. They store your photos for free and you can create groups so you can share with specific people. You can also order prints and have them shipped anywhere. I also have pictures printed at my Mom's store in FL and she can pick them up there for no additional shipping cost.
An alumni group that I am in has an online discussion board where we all keep in touch and talk smack to each other. That keeps it fun and you get to stay in touch with people you have a common interest with.
I vote for lemon juice because I think maple syrup is the most disgusting condiment on the planet. :)
Ok I vote maple syrup. I guess its because I cant for the life of me figure out what to do with the lemon juice.
As for the pen pal.... Melissa is in the 6th grade and just turned 11 in October. She would love to have a pen pal. Let me know the outcome.
Maple syrup I guess.
I also am in to Facebook and MySpace...moreso FB.
I'm a HUGE texter and it drives me NUTS when my friends aren't texters.
I will have to go with maple syrup as the secret ingredient mainly because it will force to competitors to be more creative. I can think of several recipes that call for lemon juice off the top of my head (Amber's Lemon Bars!!) but I think that the maple syrup would be more interesting...
I love technology on most days. I do sometimes long for the days of not stressing if you forget your cell phone. I have to admit, I am also a huge fan of facebook, it is so nice to write a quick note on a friends page so they know you are thinking of them. I agree with others that MySpace caters to a younger crowd, I hardly check my account.
I also upload my photos on to WalMart.com so we can share our pictures with friends and family members.
I have several friends that keep daily blogs, I love the idea, but I don't have anything exciting to post on a daily basis. I can't give an update on my kid(s) since I don't have any and my life isn't too exciting. So perhaps one day I can start a blog to people can read all about it.
I agree with Cheryl about the excitement of getting a piece of snail mail!
I done have many other electronic ways of staying in touch....
I use Facebook, primarily. I'm not a texter - sorry Tera - primarily because I use my commute time to catch up with people on the phone. While talking on the phone and driving isn't the safest - there is no way I could text and drive!
My vote is Maple syrup.
Growing up in the
Pennsylvania hardwoods, my vote goes to maple syrup. . .yummm.
snapfish.com is another great way to share photos and order some really great gifts for friends and family. I had some calendars made up of pics from Yellowstone (my unbelieveable summer job) lasat year for Christmas. It went over great and was fairly inexpensive. The down side. . .all snapfish users have to create an account, even if you simply want to view someone else's pics.
I better vote ont eh secret ingredient- I will go with lemon juice, no particular reason why.
and I also have a facebook account and enjoy connecting with old friends (high school and college). I prefer to text over talking on the phone and wonder what I did before we had cell phones at all.
Maple Syrup is in the lead... 8 votes to 6. The day is not over, though so come on out and vote!
Lots of picture sharing ideas. Works for me, because I love photographs.
Maybe a future blog post can be about creative ways to use/display all these pictures we get from family and friends. How long do you keep it displayed? How do you know when to replace it? Do you toss them or put them in your...Scrap Journal? Blah, blah, blah...
Update... Thanks to Montana Kelly, our tally is now Maple Syrup = 8; Lemon Juice = 7. It's close!
im checkin in super late today because i was a substitute teacher at my old high school...those who know me prolly cannot believe it- and neither can i! LOL
lets make it a tie! i vote for lemon juice!!! :-D
im sure ill be in for the ornament exchange...i saved the date!
gotta run and go babysit! bye for today HLA!
maple syrup
there was a time, a few years ago, when i religiously kept a LiveJournal blog... but I lost interest in it, mostly because I just ran out of steam.
I religously use Facebook to keep up with everyone and to let everyone know what I'm up to... All one needs to do is check out my gazillion photo albums to keep tabs on my life. I upload tons of photos.
I have one friend that I share reciprocal e-mails with pretty regularly, but that's not the case with most other friends.
This sounds sort of funny, but the art of e-mails are even losing their "modernness," don't you think? Now, it's all about Facebooking, texting, etc...
Thanks, to Brian... Maple Syrup is currently winning by one vote.
The voting pole closes at midnight.
Okay, it's after midnight, so I guess I am too late again to post today...although, I think in Texas it's only 11:30! Sweet! Anyway, as far as technology goes, everyone has already mentioned Facebook and MySpace - I, too, use both, though nothing like most college-aged kids - yowsa, who has that kind of time?! I like to cyber stalk people online, though - it's great for keeping tabs on ex-boyfriends, old sorority sisters, the girls I loved and hated in high school, and even my husband's ex-girlfriends! Don't know that it counts as keeping in touch with friends, but I am twisted, so I like it! :)
Since I missed yesterday, I would just like to add that songs hold especially strong memories and attachments for me of people in my life...
Heather - the Menomena song (as she mentioned)
My mom - Oye Como Va (because she didn't know the words and always sang "Binko binko ba!"), also the Applebottom Jeans song, and Cupid Shuffle
My dad - Drop it Like It's Hot (aka Drop it like a dog!)
My grandparents - Who Let the Dog Out (they woof right along!)
My brother - Lean on Me
My sister - Walk Like an Egyptian
Mary Beth - Tomorrow & the movie Annie in general (we used to act it out - and Sound of Music - in her basement when we were kids)
Mandy & Jenny - there are too many...Finally, MMC songs, the Sister Act song, Nature Smiled, Runaway Train...and many more!
When I hear those songs I feel connected to my friends and family, and sometimes when I feel nostalgic I go searching for them on iTunes or through my CD collection, just to help take me back!
I can't believe I won! I have so many people to thank. Claudia, I couldn't have done it without you. My mom, my husband, God... :)
La - don't forget the Monkees! Hello!
I don't text, and I'm really bad about checking my Facebook (though I do love it). I have my own blog as well, and eventually I'd like to split it into a professional site. Right now it's mostly a personal site about what's going on - with a few photographs and portraits interspersed. I guess I do my best keeping up via old-fashioned e-mail.
I need to get better, though! A New Year's resolution in the works.
Your pen-pal idea is a great one - something that I want to initiate even with my young students. I think pictures and drawings can be exchanged even before actual letters. The art of mailed correspondence should be preserved for future generations. Like reading an actual book, it's so much more satisfying to have an actual letter in your hands. Laura, Jenny and Mandy established that appreciation for me when we lived so far apart. Thanks, ladies!
This has been so much fun! You've been a terrific host, and the conversations have been inspiring (and have unfortunately added to my "to-do" list). Many thanks for your time and hospitality! Love and blessings to all.
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