January | 2014 | BulgingButtons

January 20, 2014
by BulgingButtons 15 Comments

Blog Bombing B and N

On days when the number of visits to BulgingButtons seems to stagnate, in spite of the sparkling gem of a post I have just shared with the world, I start to get a little peevish.

“Is anybody out there?” I wonder. “Am I irrelevant?”

I wonder if I’ve missed something. Some way of reaching out to people who might learn from or at least enjoy reading something I’ve written. In my heart I know they’re out there. People who want to make positive changes in their lives, but feel stuck for some reason. People who are not severely damaged, but may have a few dings and dents. People whose overall outlook on life is positive, but who still need a boost now and then. People like me.

I want those people to join the 500 or so others who have already discovered my little corner of the internet. I want them to read my words and shake their heads, and post their own thoughts and experiences. I want to draw them into the conversation. We’ve got a pretty cool little community over here, and I would love to see it grow.

With that outreach in mind, my brain started thinking about ways to share the blog, short of walking up to strangers on the street and handing them this web address. That would be weird, right? Yes, it would, in case you weren’t sure. My brain went back to the days of my life as a candle lady. Back in the day I wanted to expand my client base and grow my business so I read a few books and learned a few things. One thing that stuck was to go where the clients are.

So, where do people like me go? Well, everywhere, but one of my favorite places is the bookstore. You know, the giant one with the comfy chairs and the Starbucks inside? I love that place, and lots of other people do too. What if I printed up a few cards with a catchy phrase and my web addy and placed them strategically inside selected books? You know, kind of like what people do with their secrets in the PostSecret books? By the way, I look for those secrets. Haven’t found one yet.

I could put them in cookbooks, in Yoga for Dummies, in “Yes, You’re a Good Enough Mom” books, in “Get Creative” books, and in so many others. I think it would be fun to spend some time at the bookstore, slipping in “bookmarks” with the BulgingButtons addy on it. But honestly, I don’t know that I would get a single hit from the effort. Perhaps if I had something to gain from the exercise, aside from a couple of curiosity clicks, I might run with the idea. It does tickle me to think of putting my mark all over the bookstore, though. Maybe some lonely day when there are crickets chirping on my stats page I will actually follow through on this guerilla marketing plan. In the meantime, I would love to hear any crazy schemes you have for getting your content out there.

January 19, 2014
by BulgingButtons 10 Comments

Daily Prompt: Captive’s Choice

You’ve been kidnapped and given a choice: would you rather be stranded on an island, dropped into an unknown forest, or locked in a strange building?

Oh no! I’ve been kidnapped by a most unusual kidnapper. My kidnapper is giving me options. Where would I like to be delivered? This bizarre kidnapper is going to take me to said place and leave me, presumably to my own devices. Where, oh where, shall I go?

Option One: Island

Well, this depends a great deal upon the island, doesn’t it? If it’s Oahu or Hawai’i, then yes, please. But let’s assume they mean a deserted island. I’m thinking along the lines of Gilligan’s Island or Robinson Crusoe or the Swiss Family Robinson. That might not be so bad, at least for a while, but I think I would miss my family and I’m not much for a) boat building, or b) sailing away on a raft. Besides, they all had company, I’m assuming I wouldn’t, of if I did it would be more along the lines of Lord of the Flies. Jeez, in that case I hope I would be alone. Now I’m thinking Castaway and frankly, I don’t think I have it in me to live on bugs.

Option Two: Unknown Forest

This one might be a bit better. After all, presumably the forest is connected to some form of civilization somewhere, right? I could make a lean to and snare rabbits. I read My Side of the Mountain. Young Sam did it, so can I. I read Hatchet too, and the whole Hunger Games trilogy. People survive in the forest all the time, right? Or do they? And what about Big Foot? Or bears? Or worse? I saw The Blair Witch Project. And I wouldn’t even have a tent. Or a map. Or a sleeping bag. Ok, so maybe the woods aren’t the best choice either.

Option Three: Locked in a Strange Building

How locked are we talking? And what kind of building? Does it have working plumbing? Because that’s important to me. How about some sort of meal delivery system? At least out in the woods or on the island I assume there would be something to eat. In this locked building I’m not so sure. The whole food and water thing is really important to me. Even more important than the bathroom, and that’s saying a lot.

Ok, Mr. Kidnapper (not to be sexist, but that’s what I imagine in this scenario… a woman might have thought it out a bit better, just saying), I’m ready to pick. The building is out, too many variables. The island, while it might be great for a short vacation, is out too. Too far from civilization. So that leaves the forest. Can I least pack a sleeping bag and some granola bars? And if you don’t mind, would you please let my family and the police know where I am? Thanks bunches.

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January 18, 2014
by BulgingButtons 13 Comments

Deferred Maintenance

It’s early Saturday morning, the start of a three day weekend. I should be nestled under the covers, snoozing away, but instead I’m here, checking on the service hours of my auto shop. I should have done that ahead of time. They opened an hour ago. I should have been there at that time. I was asleep.

You see I’ve been driving with a “check engine” light on for the past week or more and I need to take the car in. I know it’s just for an overdue oil change, but those oil changes are important. I understand that, and yet I keep driving that poor car and telling myself that it’s just a few more miles, and I’ll get the oil changed soon. Wrong approach. I know this. Now I’m up earlier than I would like and I’m about to head out on this chilly morning to finally take care of business. Still, I’m procrastinating, telling you all about this exciting event rather than just doing it. Why do I do this?

It’s not just the poor car, either. Right next to me on the desk are two cards that I received in the mail. The first is from the dentist’s office. They miss me. The second is from the vet. They miss my dog. Again, just routine stuff, a cleaning, some vaccinations, basic maintenance issues. I must make those appointments.

I wonder why I do this. I would never deliberately damage my car, harm my dog, or wreck my teeth, but by not maintaining them properly that’s what I’m doing. I do it with my health too. I’m overdue for a lab appointment, and I’m dreading going in.

I think I know what’s going on here. I blame it on being busy, and honestly I AM busy, but that’s not the whole story. I think I’m afraid of bad news. I don’t want to know that there’s a huge repair that needs to be made to the car, or that my cholesterol level has gone back up, or that I have a new cavity. I’m like the ostrich with its head in the sand. What I don’t know won’t hurt me. However, as we all know, that’s a lie.

It’s time to get going and face the music. Or the Muzak as the case may be. I think that’s what they play in the waiting room of the auto service center.