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Bitter Hag - More than just a name - it's a lifestyle

West Virginia Surf Report

Bitchypoo

Weekly Web Site Picks for 2003

for the week of December 14 through December 20, 2003:

q-creative Christmas Calendar.... it's a flash calendar with a little something new for each day.  Excellent fun.  Unfortunately, I don't have a "flashy" little picture link to hyperlink back to her site.  Just trust me - try it!  She said she started this "little" project as a self-imposed way to learn Flash 3.0 back in 1998.  It has since become a hit on the internet and now it's a labor of love for her.  Gee, I started this site as a way to learn Frontpage back in 2001 (or was it 2000).  I'm not sure.  But I do know that my little effort is not what I would call an internet 'hit'.  I am suffering from a creative block.  However, I have not given up on myself and neither should you!  Who knows?  One day I may be struck down by inspiration.  Keep tuning in! 

For the weeks of November 17 through December 13, 2003:

Martha Stewart Living... I don't know what it is but I really like to watch Martha Stewart's show on Food Network.  And besides all that, I think she's getting the short end of the stick.  I'm not saying that she's a nice person and we would be best friends - far from it.  When I was at Ron and Linda's a couple of weeks ago, I picked up Martha Stewart's Living magazine from October.  Two words - loved it!  I think I might get a subscription.  After all, I'm down to four magazines - Oprah, National Geographic, People and Rolling Stone - oh wait, there's Shape and I'm about to subscribe to Hers - Muscle and Fitness (Jaye, my personal trainer, thinks it's the best magazine out there for exercises and contents).  So maybe another magazine is not required for me!  But I do like her cooking show and I love her Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook book - the boys have it and I "borrowed" it for her crab cakes!  I even made the homemade mayo for those crab cakes!

for the week of November 9 through November 16, 2003:

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation... Apparently I can not use the official logo to link to their site.  I looked for a pink ribbon - I can use that but alas, I could not find one.  This week I just found out that a sorority sister has an aggressive form of breast cancer - she's got two kids still in school.  Last year, a friend of mine from high school died from breast cancer - her daughter is still in high school.  And then this week I get a certified letter from the lab where my mammograms were done earlier this year.  I had not made the follow up appointment (I am supposed to have another mammogram within 6 months of the first and I'm overdue for that appointment - apparently, I have fibrocystic lumps that the doctor wants monitored).  Please get checked!

For the weeks of September 29 through October 19, 2003

I can't quite figure this out, but the concept intrigues me.  All consuming is a website that watches weblogs for books they are talking about and displays the most popular ones on an hourly basis.  I just registered and listed that I'm reading Three Junes.  Next week, I'll add it to my website somewhere to keep track of what I'm reading.  If I can figure out how the thing works in conjunction with my web site, this could be pretty cool. I hate it when I feel so technically inept.  I shudder with the magnitude of my ignorance.

for the week of September 22 through September 28:

The Knights Templar... I just finished 'reading' (okay I listened to the audio book) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.  It was great!  Loved it!  Highly recommend it.  But what does that have to do with my selection for Web Site of the Week?  Let me tell you.  The story about the quest for the Holy Grail as presented in The Da Vinci Code has got me fascinated with the whole mystique around the Knights Templar.  I just ordered a book, The Templars and the Grail: Knights of the Quest by Karen Ralls.  I am a neophyte in my interest in the subject and am setting out to learn more.  I do wish I had known about Rosslyn Chapel before I went to Scotland.  Now I'm going to have to go back and see it!

 for the weeks of September 1 through September 21:

Well, that says it all.  Diana Gabaldon - one of my favorite authors of all time.  I've selected this as my web site of the week because there is an announcement of her soon to be published book, Lord John and the Private Matter.  While it is not a continuation of the Jamie and Claire saga, it is another historical novel.  While it involves a character that is despicable in the other Jamie and Claire novels, I love the way Diana writes.  And the most amazing thing to me is that she's never been to Scotland!  If you've never read Outlander, run, do not walk to your nearest bookstore and grab a copy - an excellent escape!  And it has all sorts of historical reference to the Battle of Culloden and other Scottish history.  Trust me.  You may actually learn something!

for for the week of August 25 through August 31:

As recommended by Jen at All About Jen (a great wit, if I may say so myself!), we have CareerFish, and since I can never say it was well as the creators, here you have it in a nutshell:

Conducting a job search?  With the multitude of fragmented Internet job sites and postings, job-seekers cannot rely on any individual site for the complete view of the employment opportunities out there.  CareerFish™ solves this dilemma by offering you one site that searches numerous job websites – featuring all major job boards – in real-time to maximize all of your opportunities.

for the week of August 18 through August 24, 2003:

100% Pure New Zealand... As my faithful reader would know, I've recently gotten back in touch with a great friend from my college days who is now living in New Zealand.  And that started me thinking I need to go visit her while I'm young (it's all relative folks!) and able.  So I've decided that either next year or in 2005, I'm heading to New Zealand.  That means not only do I have to save for my five year plan but I need to save for my trip to New Zealand because I plan on doing it up right because who knows when or if I'll make it back down there again.  So I'm starting the research now and attempting to get a ballpark figure on what it would cost for a three weeks to a month - don't worry, Elizabeth, I wouldn't infringe upon you the entire time!  Just take a look at this web site and see if the bug doesn't bite you, too!

for the week of August 11 through August 17, 2003:

Bawdy Language... a sexual reference book like no other. Featuring a wide-ranging survey of rude, profane, dirty, naughty and taboo language, dirty sex talk and toilet humor to help you express the inexpressible. Learn to talk dirty, yet command respect!

More than just a catalogue of dirty words and phrases, more than just a comprehensive dictionary of sexual slang, it's several books in one - a history of sex, the origins of curse words, sexual satire and parody, a personal body manual, a collection of dirty poems and quotes, a social commentary, and a tasteful but biting editorial statement against the forces of restraint and convention.

Granted its a little risqué but oh, so informative.  In fact I learned a word that I thought was rather benign is actually quite rude!  I know I will be more careful just whom I use the word upon and where!

for the week of August 4 through August 10, 2003:

Clumsy Crooks... I just love this story: A Few Bucks For Yard Work:  Annette Montoya, 11, of Belen, New Mexico, and her parents were arrested for forgery after Annette, in the company of her father, attempted to open a bank account with a $900,000 check. The girl told sheriff's deputies that she earned the money doing "some yard work." During her interrogation she crossed her heart and said, "Hope to die if I'm Lying."  There's not that much content but what is there is hilarious!  I wonder how often it's updated.  With all the stupid people in the world, there should be plenty of fodder!

for the week of July 28 through August 3, 2003:

We are Robots... it is truly amazing what some people are capable of creating!  I've been chuckling all week over this site!  Brian Fisk productions - the man is a genius.  I relate to the Tenderbot - well, there are times when I relate to Angrybot!  Which one do you relate to the most?  There are times when I wonder if I have any creativity at all in my mind.  I'm just about over the scrapbooking phase - I never have an original idea - it's rather draining to always have to copy someone else's pages.  And then mine never turn out to be even close!

for the weeks of July 14 through July 27, 2003:

Tree House Animal Foundation... Chicagoland's Largest, Cageless, No-Kill Cat Shelter...Over 30 years of Feline Care.  Good Mews, the no-kill, no-cage cat shelter where I volunteer my monies and time (I would say talent but even I would be hard pressed to say that scooping cat litter and playing with kittens takes any talent!) is based on this cat shelter in Chicago.  As everyone knows by now, I'm going to Chicago next weekend and I'm trying to figure out how I can go visit this shelter.  Good Mews is desperately seeking funding for our move to another location.  So if you feel the urge to help innocent animals have a better life, please feel free to contribute.  Anyway, I would love to see this shelter and envision what Good Mews could be one day!  It's not that I think money will solve all the issues - though it would help! - we need people who care and want to get involved!  Our president, Joan, was telling me that it's an old house with lots of rooms and floors.  Our (Good Mews) long term vision is a free standing structure.  I wonder if they will just let me wander through.  I do swear that I will not adopt another cat!  Four is my limit.

for the weeks of June 30 through July 13, 2003:

Okay, I'll come clean.  I really like to do origami.  This is such a cool site - it's hosted/created by Yamaha Motors.  I'm in the process of attempting to print the patterns (complete with color) to create a Bengal Tiger.  I recently bought some origami paper to use with this book I bought at a second hand book store.  Yup, you are so correct in assuming that this is yet another thing that I want to do but it seems to fall by the wayside while I toil away at my life.  I really am in awe of people that seem so well rounded - I just never seem to find the time to prevail at anything longer than 30 minutes.  I had on my list of 100 things to do in my lifetime, to learn origami. 

for the weeks of May 2 through May 25, 2003:

allaboutjen.com ... now this is what I call humor.  One of my biggest fears these days is becoming unemployed.  I, of course, deal with it by playing the lottery.  You know, you can't win if you don't play.  Jen has a rather positive way of dealing with it, if you ask me.  This is laugh out loud kind of stuff.  I, personally, can not believe that someone with her obvious talents, that include but are not limited to, writing and creating web sites has not been snatched up by someone!  I find myself checking back at least once a week to see if she has updates on the employment front.  I have great hopes her novel is snapped up and she makes her livelihood writing great sarcastic tomes on life.  She speaks for me!  You go, girl!  Besides she's an ex-sorority girl and if nothing else, we must stick together in good times and bad!  I think my initiation had something along those lines - just so long as she is not a Pi Phi.  I still bear the emotional scars from rooming with one my freshman year!  Like I said, go visit and see sarcasm at its finest!  (plus, I think she feels the same way I do about Jo Lo - just-jennie-from-the-block... (yeah, right, I'd like to be from that block!)

for the week of April 21 through the week of April 28, 2003:

Weight Loss Friends ... how timely was this!?  I've been struggling with keeping up the momentum on my quest to lose weight.  Then today, the Cool Site of the Day's choice was www.weightlossfriends.com.  So then I looked around and I changed my mind - there really wasn't a lot of content - at least nothing that motivates me - there seemed to be a lot about quick weight loss - aided by supplements (read like Phen-Fen).  So then I go to Dottie's Weight Loss Zone (www.dwlz.com).  Too bad I can't copy any of her banners.  She's prevented that.  Oh well.  Back to the content - excellent content.  Thanks to her I now know the grande nonfat caramel macchiato is 4 points (around 200 calories) and since I'm all about cutting corners, I'm asking for sugar-free vanilla - I figure that should bring the grande caramel macchiato down to 3 points.  There is so much great information on her web site!  I highly recommend a visit there!

for the week of April 7 through April 13, 2003:

As sad as I am that this is the last season of Dawson's Creek - in fact, as of Friday, April 4, there are 39 days until the series ends - I'll really miss the music that was played on the show.  I 'discovered' some really good music and musicians.  I was still in the know (well, at least in my circle!).  First Felicity bit the dust last year and now it's Dawson's Creek!  I discovered this from the Dawson Creek Newsletter I get (yes, that is embarrassing!).  In fact I was going to work on my web site some last week but I found this web site and spent almost three hours listening to music snippets and putting together my Dawson Creek CD.  I ordered it and it should be here sometime this weekend! Oh boy!

for the week of March 24 through March 31, 2003:

Terrorism forces us to make a choice, don't be afraid, be ready ... For the paranoid inside all of us... reading about the steps to take during a nuclear blast, make me shake my head.  I can remember the classroom drills that we had to practice when I was in elementary school.  Put your head between your legs and under the desk.  Upon the order from your teacher, file orderly out of the room single file to middle of the hallway.  Yeah, right, as if that would happen.  Chaos!

for the weeks of March 10 through March 23, 2003:

Cirque du Soleil ... Okay, this week's selection was not just because I saw the new show in Atlanta, Varekai.  If you must know, I selected this site to honor something that is so rare in the world.  Cirque du Soleil has the best portable facilities, hands down, over any traveling show ever.  period. Every woman to a woman exclaimed upon exiting the facility, "Oh, my gosh!  There's water to flush the toilet!"  The area was so clean.  Those French Canadians sure know how to put on a traveling show!  The show itself was quite good - it appears that the majority of the performers were Russian.  The boys seemed to really the Russian twins!

for the week of March 3 through March 9, 2003:

Christine Kane ... this is a singer-songwriter that I came across one night when I went to Eddie's Attic in Decatur.  I really enjoyed her show.  She seems like a real down to earth person as witnessed by her web site.  I really enjoy her scrapbook page - especially her petNotes section (well, what can I say, once an animal lover always an animal lover!).  I gave one of her CDs to Scott and apparently he didn't care for her music.  It can be a little bit country sounding at times so I thought he might like it.  But once again, a gift I gave to him did not make the grade.  I'm not even sure he said thanks.  I would have settled for a half hearted semi-sincere sounding thanks.  But no.  Anyway, don't let Scott's opinion sway you.  Even if you don't like her music, you'll like her web site.  I wish more artists had a web site like hers - she's very personable.

for the week of February 24 through March 2, 2003:

Totally off the record... Okay, I'll admit it, I've heard some of the stories elsewhere but they still bring a smile to my face!  I really like the Qantas Maintenance Stories!  I've looked for some stories about the Pink Palace but could find nothing - but I'll keep looking.  Of course, I'm sure that everyone feels they work in Dilbert land, but in my case I swear it's true!

for the weeks of February 10 through February 24, 2003:

 Cause - Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email... great idea!  I stumbled across this site when I was reading someone's web log (Robyn's - Bitchypoo).  She had a link to ECM - Email Countermeasures.  As soon as I can figure out what he's saying, I'm going to try it!  I innocently asked the boys if they get a lot of junk email.  I made the statement I get about 10 emails a day either for penis enlargement or Viagra.  All they really cared about was what porn sites I visited to get on those mailing lists!  I do not go to porn sites!  I figure I was just on some list that got sold to someone who sold to someone and so on and so on.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

for the week of February 2 through February 9, 2003:

Ticketstubs... Ticket stubs are everywhere, one of the many receipts in our daily lives - but we all save some from time to time. The Ticketstub project is a place where you can upload scanned images of your saved stubs, and tell a story about that night, that concert, that movie, what happened on that date; basically, ask yourself why you saved the stub as a reminder.  What's yours?  Mine would be my N'Sync Celebrity Tour!

for the week of January 4 through January 12, 2003:

Vote smart ... yet another aspiration in my life.  Last year, right around November 5, I was bemoaning the fact that I was basically uneducated in my voting choices and where could I find a web site that possibly educate me!  And now - here it is!

In case you're interested, here's the Favorite Web Sites from 2001 and here's the Favorite Web Sites from 2002.