Shut the Duck Up!!

Literally. That wasn't a typo or some somewhat lame, somewhat clever way of avoid the 'f' word in a subject line.

Nope, it's because I'm introducing you guys to the site "Shut the Duck Up" which is about shutting up those duck rides tourists go on. Here's their blurb:

We the undersigned do hereby call for respect from the Philadelphia Ride the Ducks Tour Company. The Ride the Ducks Tours are loud, noisy, obnoxious and an ear sore to local citizens of the Philadelphia area. By blasting music, shouting over a loud PA system, and encouraging the tooting of “quackers,” the Ride the Ducks Tours consistently disrupt the life of the average Philadelphian and are violating a number of noise pollution laws. We ask for Ride the Ducks Tours to work for a better relationship with Philadelphia residents and by agreeing to three guidelines:

And then they list their guidelines. It's not an incredibly active blog, but I met the creator on a blogging forum long, long ago and bookmarked the site because the energy and enthusiasm was so high. It's an interesting concept, too, and I love the name!

Want a free .com domain?

No really. Completely free from GoDaddy just for signing up for a newsletter. I thought there'd be some sort of catch, too, but I did it last night and didn't even have to put in credit card information. If you already have a GoDaddy account it's even easier because you don't have to register....sign in, pick your domain, put in the source code it sends you, and voila!

It covers registration for one year ($9.99) plus the ICANN fee. After a year, you'd have to renew, but hey, if you no longer want it or you didn't ever get around to using it, no big deal...let it expire and you still don't have to pay anything. There's no harm in snatching up your domain now, though, so you might as well grab it -- at least that was my reasoning and I didn't need any more domains than I already have! Lol.

Here's the link.

It'll ask you to put in a friend's email address, too, but you can simply put in another email address of yours if you don't want to share. They can get a free domain or other discounts, too, though, so if you know anyone who is interested, pass it on. There's also IndyCar discounts (which is what this promotion is all about....IndyCar Series), so you might want to check out the link regardless of your domain desires.

And just so you know, I don't get anything out of giving you the link other than being excited about new domain names because I was thrilled to get a free one myself. There's no affiliate link, no spamming, no extra bonus for me. I just think it's really cool and I know some people are hesitant about getting their own domains or putting out the upfront money....but it's like a free year trial here, so I'm sharing the wealth, hehe. Enjoy! And let me know if you run into any problems or need help.....and especially let me know about your new sites so I can come check them out once they're up and running!

Special thanks to Kat for mentioning it in the first place. :)

Sign Generator

Yep, the title says it all. I wasn't very creative with it, so no secrets here. It's a sign generator so all you do is upload a picture and then let your wild thoughts run free on it.

From adding thought bubbles like the one up top to throwing in funky characters and props to turning it into a scrapbook page or a magazine cover, the site offers a ton of fun options to play with. Care to share your creations?

Lolinator--turn your site into an LolCat

Yep, type in your website and it'll take your base template, turn it into LolCat format, and change your text into lolz and iz's, etc.

And of course it adds a few pictures chosen just for you....like the one above. How did it know I was so obsessed with food!?!

Try it out!

~Edit~ I almost forgot! This was found by someone over on Bloggeries a long time back (at this point, more than 6 months ago, ha!) and I still had it saved. I wanted to throw her name out there for everyone because she's pretty cool....and hey, if she discovers things like this, she deserves some linky love, hehe. You can find Eve over at Confessions of a Housewife or Caffeine-Overload.

Traveling the world by skateboard (14 degrees)

(Picture from day 662 when he accidentally ran into another famous traveler)

And by world, that's exactly what I mean -- he's on day 664ish and while he began on a bike, he's now on a skateboard and attempting to break the world record of skateboarding distance. Lots of people say they're going to try things like this, but this guy has actually been doing it....and is continuing on. I won't say much more, though, because he has an incredibly comprehensive site with regular posts about his journey, including pics, and sections of general FAQs to read through. Here's the description he has (I know it's a large copy/paste, but compared to how much info is there overall, this is tiny....and it might entice you to check him out, hehe):

TIME TO GO HOME - From England to New Zealand the long way. 10,000km overland by skateboard, 4,000 miles over the sea by boat.

So what started as a 12,000km cycle journey across the Eurasian continent has now become a very different kind of challenge.

Traveler Rob Thomson has cycled 12,000km from Japan to Switzerland across some of the most remote and hostile environments on the planet. He has endured -23 degrees Celcuis daytime temperatures, cycled over 4,600m high passes, and has put up with some of the most challenging bureaucracies on the continent.

However, on the 25th of June 2007, almost a year since he set out from Japan on his recumbent bicycle, he sent his bicycle home and started out again on a longboard skateboard.

He is doing what has never been attempted before; skateboarding solo and unassisted across Europe, North America, and China. Having already skated 1,500km through Europe from Switzerland to England, he is now ready to skateboard 5,000km across North America, and follow up with a 5,000km warm-down across China before flying home to New Zealand.

So there you have it. Go, go, go: 14degrees

More Lady Language Contests

Yep, you should really check out the Lady Language blog and enter the contests (by commenting and/or subscribing) if you haven't already. I've talked about them before (and even won one!), so scuttle your way over there and jump in on the fun. You've got a chance at winning free clothes and even if you don't, you'll get a kick out of the place anyway!

Txt Ts for Teens

(iyd="in your dreams," by the way)

I was tempted just to make the title: TTT

A snippet from an intro page says:

Who really wants to look like everyone else, that is absurd! Wear it on your shirt, and say it shorter, with txt ts.

So why not make it shorter, right? I'm listing these as for teens because I really don't think most people want their 8 year olds wearing LMAO across their chests....unless, of course, they have no idea what the A stands for. If so, then maybe the ^urs would be appropriate as well (up yours, if you didn't catch that).

Although the point of this post was to enlighten you to the world of tee-shirts being made with texting "code" on them, the site also offers other varieties of t-shirts, such as a Blondie shirt for Mom or guitar booties for your latest addition to the family.

Meet me (and all the other bloggers) at Bloggeries

Bloggeries

I really meant to get this posted sooner guys and the delay has been for the simple reason that I wanted to put an in-depth review and reasoning for posting it.

But that hasn't happened and I'm never going to get this out here if I don't just write something up and post it.

I previously posted about a forum and later on, decided that I didn't want to support it after all. I'm not one to make the same mistakes twice, so I've given this one plenty of time before endorsing it.

And by "endorse," I mean, "give free linky love because I can't offer much else," lol.

So what is Bloggeries? The main site is a blog directory, but it's the behind-the-scenes forum that really has my attention. I've been posting there for months and met a lot of great people while gather tons of helpful information. It's one of those places where it doesn't matter how new or old to the world you are (in this case, the "blogging world"), you still have a blast and get something out of it.
Rob is running a contest this month for referrals and while I don't usually jump in on referral contests, I figured it was perfect timing to let my blogging friends here know about it. The idea is to get people to sign up and make at least 10 posts, which is easy to do once you get in there because there's tons of stuff to post on and you won't even notice you're doing it. The 10 posts is so you can post in the section to "show off your blog" and avoid those spammers.

You'll get hooked before you know it anyway because it's not one of those forums where it's all about spamming your link all over the place. If you're into making money tips, it's there. If you'd rather learn the basics of blogging, that's there. Considering podcasting or selling your blog? There are sections for those, too.

The best part is, I'm there, hehe. Okay, so maybe that's not the best part, but it's a perk, right? Please say yes, lol. Within a few weeks of actually posting there, I earned the name "resident smiley queen" because I add in quirky smileys where ever I deem appropriate around there, so I've got the fun and games part covered, too. If you're into just hanging out and getting to know other bloggers (like me!) in an atmosphere different than blog posts or following around comments, head on over.

Let me know you're there, too, so I can bring a quirky smiley just for you. ;-)

Play Pacman Online!

http://www.playpacman.net/

Yep, you got it. Arcade sound and all.

Check out Ferox

Ferox and I cross paths on a couple of sites, but I don't think I've ever linked to her blog here before. After seeing the image above, though, I couldn't put it off any more. Isn't that amazing? She has a couple different blogs (including one she writes as a vet student and another on D&D) and writes for Associated Content, so be sure to look around and explore all she has to offer. You won't be disappointed. :)

~Edit~ I had this postdated for today, but it looks like Ferox is the first guest blogger over at BlogEngage now, too. Perfect timing, I suppose.

PJC--Smile-My-Day

SmileMyDay is a site that is posting a new smile each day. There's a huge variety and it's hard not to smile back at many of them. Go join in on the contagious smiling....it'll brighten your day. :)

Oh, and check out this video of quadruplets all laughing at once, along with both parents, lol. :D

PJC--Adult Sheep Finder (for you sheep shaggers out there)

Adult Sheep Finder

For all you Kiwis out there. ;-)

My Brand New Brand--Having Trouble Coming Up with a Domain Name?

Having trouble coming up with a site name or just wanna see how many variations a keyword comes up with? My Brand New Brand seems to have it all. If you're interested in the domain part of things, you can also quickly check to see if each name suggestion is available. It's a UK based site, so the price quotes aren't right for many of you readers, but you get the idea. I wish I would've seen this site before because I probably would've used some of the names instead of quirkyjessi. So many choices!! (200 suggestions using the word "quirky"....I never would've been able to decide!)

Stick People Attack Windows--Who Will Win?

Attack!

Another really fun video and amazingly done. There's no frame-by-frame flipbook here...it's live action stick figures fighting back against Windows and using all its features against it. Pretty cool!

Crocheted Meat Patty and More!

Is that not the most pitiful little meat patty you've ever seen?? I've had my fair share of pathetic tv dinners with sad meat-wannabes, but that thing is pitiful...and adorable at the same time! Lol.

Check out other crocheted food here. You'll be delighted to find happy hamburgers, cute cannolis, a hot dog, and even a couple other non-food items. Who knew you she could come up with such thing? Hehe. You can find tons of her other creations and keep up on her new discoveries at her blog.

*Pats the meat patty* I'll be okay, hun. It'll be okay.....

When I'm an Old Lady--Robin's Nest

From Robin's Nest:

When I'm an Old Lady

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness...just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
.......

And that's where you get to linky click your way on over to her Nest and read the rest of it. It's worth it...spilled milk, crossed eyes, and a cute ending, hehe.

This site is certified 67% Good, 33% Evil

I don't generally pay much attention to these little things, but it wasn't the end result of "how much percent good or evil" that caught my attention.

It was their analysis.

It breaks it down into how many vowels, consonants, etc, and how many times I've used the words and phrases. It also pulls the most random phrases out of my blog to "analyze," such as "Isn't that crazy?" and "giggle-worthy" (I can't for the life of me find the quoted phrases I wanted to mention earlier, heh).

Check it out here: Germatriculator (I typed "germalator" first....it's the terminator gone germ-powered :P). I'll give you the head's up now that you won't come up with the same exact analysis or even percentage each time, so who knows how accurate this thing really is, hehe. ;-)

Test Your Musical Skills--Are You Tone Deaf?

Are You Tone Deaf?

In the fast paced world today....and especially in the speed frenzy of internet life, 6 minutes can seem like an eternity to spend on something like this. Well, at least for me it can, lol. I actually got distracted several times and ended up spending like half an hour tabbing back into it once I remembered to hear the next set of notes. Oops! My fault!

Really though, it shouldn't even take 6 minutes. No worries.

Basically, it gives you two little sets of notes. You don't have to name them or mimic them or anything like that. You simply have to say whether they're the same....or different. Easy peasy. It 'does' get tough, so if you're not trained in musical stuff, then you may be clueless on some of them, but it's not like an incredibly horrid test or anything.

Just music. :D

(Another Bloggeries find via Fashion-Unplug)

Animals Need Help--A Blog About Stopping Animal Cruelty

Before the new year, I was introduced to this blog via a member on Bloggeries forum. The title pretty much sums up what the blog is about.....stopping and preventing animal cruelty. I think it's a great cause and I don't get the chance to support these types of things much any more, so this is my own little shout out to the blog.

For those of you interested, go check it out. It's still in its early stages, but has plenty of room for growth, so keep an eye on it. It's both serious....and fun, surprisingly enough. One post covers top ten ways to prevent animal abuse....while her most recent post is a compilation of funny animal pictures and a "how many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?" joke, complete with pictures and cute descriptions of how various dog breeds would answer the question, hehe.

Winning a Contest, Lady Language, and the First Picture of Quirky Jessi Ever Posted!!

*Deep breath*

Okay, so this post keeps getting pushed further into my folder of "things to blog." It keeps getting ignored on my lists of "things to do today." It keeps getting dropped from my mental agenda of things I want to get taken care of this week, month, year....and to put it simply, I'm tired of something so simple getting shoved to the side, as with so many other things I've tossed aside in the last few months.

Except this is different. This isn't some random link that can wait a year and still be relevant to my blog. It's not some useless meme that makes no difference if I ever respond to.

No. This is personal. And Quirky Jessi doesn't really do "personal" here. I don't avoid it either, of course, because I don't have anything that I'm trying to hide, lol....but this blog swayed away from 'my' life after the first couple months....even though shockingly enough, I've stuck with the blog title of "The Quirky World of Jessi."

To top it off, I knew I was going to take a while to write the post. No, not going back to fine tune every word I said....in fact, I won't even go back over this to nip typos in the butt because I know I'll end up deleting, altering, and screwing up the post if I do, hehe. The main time sucker will be once I start linking. And I know I'm going to ramble because uh, I already am. :P

~~~Intermission: Great. I've already said "nip, shoved, butt, and sucker" all in the same post. I can't wait to see what kind of random searchers I end up with now. *Rolls eyes....and then hides*~~~

So right....my point. Almost 2 months ago to the day, I stumbled across Lady Language. I couldn't have even told you how if it weren't for the comment I left them that day (I was fumbling through the NaBloPoMo randomizer, commenting on random blogs I found).

A fashion blog.

Actually, one step worse/better. A fashion blog there because of the store they own/run. Great, I thought. <--Sarcasm at that point. You see, not only was my intent that day to comment on other blogs in hopes of them following me home back to Quirky Jessi (of which I didn't think a fashion blog/store owner would be interested), I also don't keep up with fashion. As if you haven't noticed by my randomness here, I tend to march to the beat of my own....well, I can't play the drums, but you get the idea, hehe.

I can tell you what looks good on a persona....and I can tell you what looks bad...but I'm certainly not going to tell you what's "in fashion" right now because it doesn't make much difference to me at all. I wear what suits my body and what I *feel* like wearing.

And I've been on "fashion blogs" before......those that cling to the every item of clothing that drapes from one celebrity's body or another. No thanks.

So why the heck am I blogging about Lady Language? Because this blog *wasn't* like that. And because the top post was about this hot little red dress that read "Holiday Sweepstakes" Okay, so I took a deep breath and opened the comments. I was going to find *something* to say if it killed me because I'd already spent more than my allotted 10 second time deadline pondering whether to click the "randomize" button to pass to the next blog.

But it was a sweepstakes...and there weren't that many commenters. And even though I don't wear dresses with Christmas right around the corner, I thought it could be a nice little surprise gift for someone I knew if I happened to win. So I tossed out a comment about how gorgeous the dress was (because well, it was, lol....but I don't wear dresses and haven't since I was little, so it also made me envious of those with bodies to pull off dresses, heh)....and moved on.

A while later, I had a message in my inbox showing me someone else had replied to the blog post, and she made a relevant point....the point that was going through my head, but mine was in not-nearly-as-nice words:

Any body type, you say? I'd like to see that. I've had no luck finding flatering dresses, of late.

Exactly. This dress was a fiery red plunging v-neck halter top dress:


At a mere 4'11", that dress would not only swallow me, but it'd make me look like a bright red penguin. It would hang to my knees, the v-neck would show my belly button, the back would dip to my waist line, and that flowy, care-free fabric blow that screamed "wide load" at the waist-line already? Oh yeah, it'd show that my hips were twice the width of my top half that would 'not' be flattered by such a gaping neckline. Heck, I'm lucky to find split pieces to fit various parts of my body appropriately...trying to find a one-piece to cover all proportions? Ha!

As I said before, I don't pay attention to fashion, but I'm not going to go outside dressed in something that makes me look awful unless I'm proving a point, lol. And to put myself into a dress after convincing everyone that I'd wear blue jeans to my wedding instead of a wedding dress? Psh. No thanks.

But the dress 'was' nice. And it's not like I was going to win anyway, right? And I knew other people that might love it 'and' have places to wear it (because well, I don't have that either...the occasion to wear a dress like that to). So I just watched. And I waited. And I kept going back to the site to see what else their store offered. And I read through blog posts to see what else they talked about....because it wasn't a normal fashion blog. This was 'real' people, talking about 'real' clothes, and selling 'real' items at 'real' affordable prices.

Pretty cool if you ask me.

And then lo and behold, I got the email. Don't tell me you're surprised. I wouldn't have this kind of build-up if I was going to be drastically disappointed by my loss at a random blog that was talking about something that interests me little and gives away something I don't wear.

But I won. Yeah, me, QuirkyJessi, non-winner of anything ever, non-wearer of dresses, non-buyer of things that make me look like enlarged penguins. I won.

And I was giddy.

The site was new, though, so maybe this was all a gimmick for page hits. Maybe they weren't really going to send anything out, I'd get the run around, and if I tried to question it, my IP address would be blocked? It certainly wouldn't be the first time it's happened in the internet world.

But then the follow-up emails guiding me through picking a size that would fit me best and congratulating me personally. This wasn't a gimmick. I'd really won something...and a dress at that!!

And I wasn't going to give it away either. It was MINE. And a few days later, it arrived promptly, safely, and perfectly....right before I had to leave for work and I had no time to try it on, lol. What a way to prolong the excitement! (And well, the fear of it being a disappointment, not fitting, etc).

The next day I tried it on and it actually fit...and didn't look half-bad really. I made a few alterations....experimented with how tight to tie the halter-top because it would create totally different looks, tossed on heels so I didn't look so frumpy, and paired it with a strapless, half-corset underneath to add a twist of covered comfort, contrast, and decreased sloppiness. And it 'was' comfy! The fabric was so soft and breezy and because it didn't cling in all the wrong spots like many things do, I wasn't nearly as scared of the dress as I had been.

Yeah, that might work.

So after all this rambling of avoiding the picture (I've never posted a picture of myself here and I'm still not going to really because the face isn't there), here it is:
Judging from that photo, you'd never guess that I struggle to find clothes to fit me (although the length 'is' still too long for that style of dress, but hey, I'm short...'everything' is too long unless it's kids clothes, and even then, kids are getting so tall these days!!)....and you'd never guess that I was scared to death of a dress, lol.

If you've stuck with me this long (hey, we all skim....it's okay if it only took you 20 seconds to get down here), Lady Language is still doing give-aways even now that the holidays have past. There's even a $250 shopping spree give-away going on right now, so better hurry. Prizes or not, though, the chicas over there are pretty cool and it's not your average "fashion blog." But if you 'are' into fashion, well, so are they....and their store offers great deals on a variety of clothing.