Weekend in Numbers

Okay, now we can talk about this weekend - you know, the one that just passed.  But first, let's enjoy a little tangent about discovering your "voice" in blogging.  It's one of the most important things, they say, in encouraging your blog to develop.  If you have a consistent voice, one that is completely you, your blog will flourish because readers will get to know you through your writing style and, ideally, will come back day after day to connect.

I'm comfortable with my voice, for the most part.  It's true that I can get a little professorial even when I'm not throwing essays at you, but I'm secure in my love for well-crafted sentences.  (This definitely isn't to say that bloggers who have a more casual voice don't write properly - though the number of times I see basic grammatical mistakes appear on blogs written by people who call themselves professional writers drives me crazy - but you all know that I get excited about opportunities to toss in semicolons.)  However, one of my very favorite bloggers has the most amazing informal voice; I know that I'd sound totally contrived if I tried to imitate Beantown Prepster, but I love her writing style.  Her parentheticals and colloquialisms crack me up, and when I first met her in real life I imagined could actually see her emphasizing words by bolding them even as she spoke.  Melissa's voice is totally and completely her, and I think that's why we all love her blog so much - because her spirit shines through her writing.

My favorite examples of her blog voice are in her Weekend in Numbers posts.  If you need some levity, go back and read the archives.  They're [expletive] hilarious.  And so I dedicate today's Weekend in Numbers to the funniest blogger I know: MVB.

via

10: number of pictures of Charlie I took at yesterday's Lab Rescue picnic

(Multiply by 3749)

(He was just the handsomest boy there!  I'm totally not biased or anything.)

9: number of times I said, while at the picnic, "No, Charlie, that's people food!"

(Also, 9 was the number of times Charlie ignored me.  I think he ate more honey-baked ham than I did.)

8: number of times Dad told us "It's really raining" during Saturday's epic storm

(Hello, Captain Obvious.)

7: number of times I sang "Hail to the Redskins" yesterday while I watched the season opener.

(I watched alone.)

(The lack of company did not dampen my enthusiasm)

(We won, by the way.)

6: number of fantastic guest bloggers I lined up for while I'm gone next week

(They're all going to be a surprise - you'll have to check back!)

(Aren't I the sneakiest?) 

5: number of miles I ran with Megan on Sunday morning

(Technically, it was 5.22 miles, which I ran in 1h19m,

which is the same time it took me to run 5 miles flat last weekend.)

(Rockstar.)

4: number of hours I spent at work on Saturday night

(I guess that's what happens when you work at a theater...

nights and weekends and other duties as assigned.)

3: number of courgettes used in last night's dinner of kolokithopitta

(No, I can't pronounce that either.  It's Greek.  But stay tuned for the recipe tomorrow!)

2: number of dresses I ordered from J Crew to bring to London

for Ellie, Jon's sister and my bridesmaid, to try on

(The plan is that they'll arrive at my house before I fly, and I'll take them over

so she can see which size fits and then I'll bring them back to DC with me and return them.)

(The wedding consultant at the Georgetown store actually suggested this.

I'm not being devious or anything.)

1: number of weeks until I see Jon again

(Actually, it's .57 of a week until we're reunited.  But who's counting?)

(This girl.)

(Duh.)