Retirement is a week filled with Saturdays and Sundays interrupted only occasionally by a holiday.

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Monday, July 9, 2007

I'm Awake Again

I'm back after deciding to take a blog snooze this weekend. To be honest, I seem to have taken a life snooze since we got back from our trip two weeks ago. I'm not sure if it's the need to decompress after such a whirlwind journey or if I'm just bored after 11 days of non-stop adventuring. Whatever it is, I'm bound and determined to get on with life and all its little chores.

The "highlight" of my weekend was being dragged by Hubby over to the cell phone store to shop for new phones. Our two year contract has recently expired with our wireless network and I'm entitled to $100 off a new phone...oh goody. We won't change carriers since sister Lynn just signed a new contract with the one we have and there is no way we're going to be on different networks so we were just looking over all the new phones available. I thought I had everything figured out but then Hubby decided I should take a serious look at some of the high end phones that do just about everything...photos, video, music, Internet, email...oh yea...and phone calls. I'm not sure why he thinks I need such a sophisticated instrument but now I'm more confused than ever so we left the store without new phones in hand. I'm sure I will eventually decide to go "middle tech" but I want a few days to think about it.

When I finally got back to BlogLand late last night, I discovered a really nice surprise...Linda over at Are We There Yet? has awarded me the Schmoozer Award. Haven't heard of the Schmoozer Award? I hadn't either but, thanks to Linda, I now know its formal name is the Power of Schmooze Award and was created over at the blog Ordinary Folk. "Borrowing" from Linda who borrowed from award creator Mike, here is what it is:

Schmoozing as defined by Dictionary.com is the ability "to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection." When it comes to blogging, schmoozing is your ticket to making new friends, getting yourself noticed and building a reputation. Some bloggers are gifted with the ability to effectively schmooze and others not so much. My new friend Danielle and I would like to recognize those bloggers who exhibit strong schmoozing skills. In order to do so we've created the new Power of Schmooze award!


I'm so excited to add this new badge to my sidebar. In keeping with tradition, it's now my turn to present this award to five more bloggers who have schmoozed their way into my life...and heart:

Lynn @ A Tired Mama
Empress bee @ muffin53
Patti @ Late Bloomer Boomer
Michele @ The Rocky Mountain Retreat
Rosemary @ Rosemary's Attic

These five bloggers have certainly earned this new award and I hope they will continue their schmoozing ways for years to come!

There's not much else happening. Rick continues his blogging story of our trip to Ireland (who knew it would take a vacation to get his writing juices flowing) so I've actually had to take out my hardly used laptop because he's been monopolizing our desktop with his postings. I know I shouldn't complain...I'm the one who nagged and nagged him about resurrecting his blog after so many months. Oh well...it's making him happy so that makes me happy and isn't that what marriage is all about!

21 comments:

Patti said...

thank you for the honor, Joan!

And thanks for explaining what marriage is all about. ;-)

Susie said...

Congratulations on your award! I haven't seen this one before!!
hugs!

Michele said...

Oh shucks Joan [blush]... thanks... I'm tickled pink that you thought about me. You can guarantee that I will be schmoozing for many many more years. Thanks so much!

Bethany said...

Oh that is really great to give awards. I got to your blog via the comment page on rosemarys attic. This is how I hop around and find blogs by checking out the comments on peoples blogs and then jump to other blogs by who leaves comments on the blogs. Wow did that make sense then. well now I can check out some others by your awards. thanks

Lynn said...

Wow...you like me...you really, really like me. (oh no, I can't believe I just channelled Sally Fields). Thanks for the award :~)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your award!

the moose buyer said...

Lynn, you are so funny!!

Patti said...

I just proudly put the award on my blog. Thanks again, Joan.

(Off to do a story now. Running late because I had blog stuff to attend to)

Kelly said...

I haven't been plugged into things either. I finally got to work on cleaning up the house this week. I don't even have the vacation excuse : )

Special K ~Toni said...

Congrats on your award!

I hate shopping for anything with my hubby~ he makes it complicated. This year I just told him, make sure the phone is red and I can make and receive phone calls. It does other stuff, but I could careless!

Carole Burant said...

Woohoo! Congrats on the Schmooze award...never heard of it but looks like a fun award:-) Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean about being confused with the new cell phones available now...I just bought a new one just over a month ago and when I was shopping for it, the salesman kept showing me all these cell phones with this and that gadget...I told him all I want is a cell phone to make and receive calls...THAT'S IT!! lol xox

Linda said...

Glad you liked your award and looks like you have passed it on to some very deserving Schmoozers!

I keep thinking I might take a blog-break at some point but I just haven't decided when. So many of my blog friends have been going on these really great vacations and even though I don't have one planned, I could take a break and tell people I was going on a holiday! Heck, I bet I could even come up with some believable pictures! It could be a cyber-vacation!

I'm due for a new cellphone, too, but like yourself I'm very confused as to what's out there these days. Do I want a camera? Do I want an MP3 player? Do I want video? Do I want to go crazy???

Joan said...

Patti: You're very welcome...glad you like being called a schmoozer!

Susie: Thanks for the congrats!

Michele: I'm glad to read you're planning to keep on blogging...me too!!!

Bethany: Welcome to my blog. As soon as I'm done, I'll be visiting yours 'cause I love discovering new bloggers.

Lynn: Who knew my sibling was actually an Academy Award winner...teh heh, teh heh.

Rhea: Thanks so much!!

The moose buyer: Yes she is!!!

Myutopia: Cleaning house? What's that???

Toni: Ooooh...a red phone. I guess I need to add that to my list of things I want in a new cell phone.

Pea: I never thought I'd want a camera phone but I'm thinking it would be a good way to capture photos for my blog...it will always be with me!!!

Linda: Thanks again for the award!!! I do like the idea of a cyber-vacation. Everyone deserves a break although I'd miss you while you were gone.

Patti said...

I need a new phone too but I think I just want a regular one.
No extras.

Mom said...

Welcome back. Missed your writing. You do schmooze well.
I want a phone that just makes phone calls. I just get confused with anything more complicated.

Joan said...

Patti: I wanted just a plain ol' cell phone too until Rick started confusing me!

Mom: A phone with a camera is about all I can handle...and I'm not too sure about the camera part!

Bethany said...

Great you stopped by. I have 5 blogs because I have different things to post and didn't want them all on the same one. I usually don't say much about myself, not much to say really, I just post pictures mainly and things I find interesting.

Renee Nefe said...

Other than not having any phone service when we were at the wedding I like my very cheap only makes phone calls phone. I don't use it for much of anything else and don't make that many calls anyway. I use my land line whenever possible. I'm too cheap. LOL!

congrats on the award. Looking forward to that one going around.

rosemary said...

Thank you, Joan. I am honored, pleased and blushing. What a dear you are to give me this award. May we schmooze together and with all of our other friends for a long, long time.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

thanks honey, i got this from comedy plus already. do you want to nominate someone else? this is quite an honor! i just posted mine a few minutes ago...

smiles, and thanks, bee

jaded said...

Separate computers contribute to a happier marriage.