LEAVE YOUR MARK By Morgan Mandel

Rascal leaves her mark. What about you?

Leaving your mark is not only a dog thing. We authors strive to do it also. Why else do we have such a strong urge for people to read our words? Or do we have OCD?

Okay, I confess. I do have some tendencies towards obsessive compulsive disorder. I must check the stove and make sure the doors are locked before I go to bed each night. Even worse, at the casino, I have a terrible time tearing myself away from the slot machines whether I'm winning or losing.

Still, deep down I know the real reason I write is to share and leave my mark. I don't want my existence to go unnoticed. Somehow I want people to know I'm here.
Those are the deep meanings for why I write.

Now, let's apply this to blogs. I've been writing quite a few lately in the hopes of getting myself noticed. In fact, I'm trying my hardest to do one a day at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com. It's not easy with my busy schedule, but I'm proud to say I've got three up this week, which is a lot for me. I plan to continue on and see how far I can go without missing a day.

Today and most Wednesdays except when I'm on vacation, I also do my blog here at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com and also at http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com.

There's a little spot at the end of the blog for comments. I, like so many other bloggers I know, like to check that area to see if anyone leaves a comment. Too often we're disappointed.

When you read a blog, do you just finish it and go on to something else? If so, you're wasting a great opportunity not only to make a blogger feel happy, but also to leave your mark on the Internet. When you leave a comment for a blog, you may think it is buried in obscurity but you're wrong. That comment goes into Google! When you're Googled, your comment in many instances will show up. The more Googles you have, the better it looks, especially if you're an author establishing your identity on the Internet.

So consider leaving your mark here and at other blogs. I'd be very happy if you'd leave a comment, even if it's about how cute Rascal is. If you're very determined to get noticed, consider visiting my now daily blog at http://morganmandel.blogspot.com and leave another comment.

Thanks,
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
www.morganmandel.com

The Boob Tube

Hah, if you were expecting pictures of something, or, uh, two somethings, sorry to disappoint you.

Instead, it's time for a rant blog!

Yay!!!

We all love rant blogs, don't we?

Today's rant ... television.

(clap, clap, clap)

Over the last week, I've been really noticing them in weird places. In line at the grocery store, while pumping gas, in the back seat of a mini-van. Not to mention (okay fine,... I'm mentioning) airplanes, banks, malls and you can even bring them camping. You, not me, I hate ticks.

Televisions, wherever you are, they are. Where don't they have them? Wait, don't answer that, because you might give them ... Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, GE ... more ideas. HD, flat screen, plasma, LCD, digital, micro, macro, mini, mousy...

Heck, go to a live sporting event. If you miss the touchdown cuz you're scoping out the cheerleaders, never fear, there's a Jumbo Tron with all of the highlights. Gotta tinkle? No problem, you won't miss a minute. There are a bank of TV's all of the way down the hall, next to the bathroom and, dare I say, in the restroom itself. Believe me, unless you go in the stall you won't miss a thing.

And never fear... even if you missed the action, your TIVO will pick it all up and you can see everything after you get home.

Frankly, I think I'm overdosing on TV's. Okay, okay, maybe the five in my house add to the IV, er, TV infusion. Never mind the three Tivos, plethera of DVD-players, DVD- recorder, and let's not get into all of the computers with YouTurn, er, YouTube capabilities.

Is it any wonder that people would rather watch TV than read a book? Heck, you can read books on your computer... some books get made into movies. In fact, are you too busy to read? Then get a book on tape.

I was watching the forth, er, fourth Bruce Willis Die Hard DVD last night with my wife, and part of the plot involved a plot to wipe out the country's electricity.

And it occurred to me. If that happened, it would wipe out my TV's. Think about it, no more reality show, no ESPN, no reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond...sob... I mean, sure, I could run the generator for awhile, so I could still play my DVD collection, but sooner or later I'd run out of gas. And if there were ... was ... whatever... no electricity, they couldn't run the gasoline pumps.

So it wouldn't be long before there would no longer be television... nothing... no shows...

Boo-hoo!

Why, whatever would we do without the boob-tube? No distractions, getting to spend more time with the family learning what they think rather than simply watching something next to them ... why we'd just ...

(um, wait a second... I'm watching the Santa Clause III... hang on...need to see what Jack Frost does next ...)

Okay, I'm back, sorry about that.

Anyway ...

Can you imagine a world without television?

Hmm ...

What's this I'm sitting on? The remote. And look, it actually has an 'off' button.

Hmm, again ... wonder what would happen if I pushed it?

(click)

And what's this? A book? With pages?

Ah...


Norm
www.normcowie.com
The Adventures of Guy ... written by a guy (probably)
The Next Adventures of Guy ... more wackiness