Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Turning a Bad Day Into a B.A.D. Day

If you happen to follow me on Twitter, you may know that this has been a rough week for me and John. In a nutshell: we were supposed to be on a cruise this week with my family. Due to an expired passport, we're not - although my family is.

So, Sunday was a day of two long drives (one to the port, one back) and lots of tears.


However, that's not what I want to focus on here. Epbot is my joy, my 'get-away-from-Cake-Wrecks-stress' happy place, and I intend to keep it that way. So here's the not-so-awful part:

While John and I were sitting at the port, waiting for our luggage to be brought back off the ship so we could drive back home, I flipped open my laptop. I needed a distraction to stop me from crying, since the port security seemed to find a loitering weepy girl carrying a big metal box (it's my make-up case, I swear) a wee bit suspicious. So, the laptop came out. Fortunately, the port had free wifi.

I immediately went to Super Punch, my favorite blog. I scrolled and sniffled for a few minutes. Then I got to this post, and followed the link to read the entire "Disguised Weapons" e-mail exchange. (NSFW due to language.)
And here's the crazy thing: I laughed. Out loud.

John was sitting stoically next to me, squinting at the far wall. I turned the laptop around to show him the post, and within a few seconds HE was laughing out loud. We laughed together for several seconds, and suddenly, the crushing awfulness wasn't so crushing anymore. I didn't remember my mom's tears from a few moments before quite so vividly. I didn't think about the months of wasted planning, or the long drive home ahead. I just laughed.

Five hours later, we staggered into our house, dropped our luggage, and greeted the cats morosely. It was late, and we were exhausted, but I knew I had to e-mail John at Super Punch, just to say thanks.

With Cake Wrecks, I'm fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of these kinds of e-mails fairly often. People tell me the most amazing stories - stories that put my own to shame. From bedside vigils to financial hardships to lifelong, debilitating pain, my readers have and do face trials I've never even imagined. The fact that they then want to thank *me* is both humbling and hugely encouraging. Now that I've had my own little taste of a blogger rescuing me from the doldrums - however briefly - I can appreciate even more how these folks felt while writing to me. This is different than just telling someone their blog is great. It's more personal. It's sharing the fact that you were hurting, and they somehow helped the hurt. It takes a little bit of vulnerability, a little bit of guts.

Ok, so, to wrap all this up, I have a little homework assignment for you. Actually, for all of us, myself included. Here 'tis:

The next time we have a bad day, let's turn it into the redundantly named B.A.D. day - or, "Blogger Appreciation Day (day)." In other words, write a note of thanks to a blogger who made you happy when you were sad. Bonus points if you don't personally know the blogger, and/or have never written to him/her before. Don't expect a reply, or feel like you have to write a novel; a simple "You made me laugh when I needed it" is really all it takes.

Funnily enough, I think you'll find that sending an e-mail like that is just as gratifying as getting one. I can say that now with some experience, in fact.

So, who's ready to have a B.A.D. day?



Who rescues you from your bad days, guys? Share your links in the comments!

93 comments:

  1. My bad day hero other than your blogs have been Rhett and Link. They aren't bloggers, they're internetainers and mythical beasts ;)
    They just make me stupid happy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My pick-me-up blogs (other than this one--I love your posts and your voice!) are Brave Girls Club and my good friend Jessica's blog Points for Creativity. Brave Girls is usually uncannily spot on with just what I needed to hear, and Jessica is a beautiful warm soul with a fun and uplifting voice.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cake wrecks has put a smile on my face on some pretty terrible days. I'm the Remy G. who submitted the "wreckiest grad cap ever" (btw, on top of the wreckage of a malformed ccc grad cap, it was in the school colors of UCLA, at a store only 3 blocks from USC's main campus).

    When I lost a friend to suicide a few months later, I made a habit of visiting your site as the last thing I did before leaving the house. It made sure I always had at least a little something to smile about through the day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. hyperbole and a half, and the oatmeal.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hyperbole and a Half never fails to make me laugh out loud. Allie (and no, I don't know her) is incredibly funny and insightful. It's worth sitting for a few hours and going through her backlog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so sorry about your missing the cruise! Cake wrecks is really my favorite go to blog, I checked it almost religiously during the years of fertility treatments I had, during the horrible time after my sister's fiance (and my life long best friend) was killed by a drunk driver a few weeks before their wedding, and "the story of Amber" cheered me up every day when I was in the hospital for a several weeks. I must have shown that post to a hundred nurses and doctors and, when I was finally discharged, Everyone brought me a cake with the inscription "Amanda' good luck with your porn career"!! You've made such a difference in so many lives, you and your amazing personality can cheer people up during the hardest times in their lives from a thousand miles away :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://catalogliving.net/
    is always good for a laugh when your feeling crappy!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I will have to admit that I am not a big blog follower. But I follow Cake Wrecks and EPBOT daily. You make me smile, think, and laugh out loud. You have turned my bad days into B.A.D's. So thank you. Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love cakewrecks, (obviously) and epbot. But I newly discovered a blog that has been known to make me cry from laughing so hard. And because I can't remember how to embed links... http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/
    It's great. Anecdotal with ridiculous pictures and just general awesomeness. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mine are yours (both Epbot and Cake Wrecks) and Hyperbole and a Half. Both have made me laugh until I cry. I also love The Pioneer Woman. While she doesn't always make me laugh out loud (although she often does), she does always make me smile.

    So sorry you had to miss your cruise, but I hope you get enough Blogger Appreciation to take the sting out.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love B.A.D! Gotta go spread that around. I'm all over the place, but I love my buddy Ruth's cute little Cthulhu's at Cthulhu Chick!

    Rosalind
    Girls Are Geeks

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love CakeWrecks and Epbot (check here every day!). Other favs are Attack of the Redneck Mommy. I'm also addicted to Penny Arcade (not really a blog, it's a comic...but funny!). One of the reason's I love Epbot is it leads me to other blogs that are terrific to read! (Great White Snark, etc) Keep that up...I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the idea of turning a BAD day into a B.A.D. day. One of my favorite funny bloggers is The Bloggess and a post of her that made me spew iced tea all over my poor suffering keyboard was about chupacabras, dead squirrels, and W.C. Fields.

    I also absolutely adore almost anything and everything written by Aunt Becky of Mommy Wants Vodka.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just reading blogs in general helps me. In fact, that's why I'm here now on this very rainy, somewhat depressing day.

    My favorites are Pioneer Woman, your two blogs (of course!), Sleep Talkin' Man, the comics at xkcd.com and several photography blogs. The photography ones are more for their relaxation factor instead of the humor factor.

    For real zaniness, I like to read The Butler and Bagman Chronicles

    Hanging out with my friends on Facebook is also a good cure... but I can't do that from work. :(

    ReplyDelete
  15. bawwww, sad robots :( This blog makesme happy every day when I see it updated, because I know something will make me laugh! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Here's another vote for Hyperbole and a Half! http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

    P.S. I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've had some really crappy years lately...all capped off by the fact that the man of my dreams turned out to be the shit on the bottom of my shoe. Even worse is that I let him, make me feel like I was right there with him on the bottom of my shoe.
    One day I happened upon a site about cakes (I think I was looking for decorating options for a birthday cake).
    I haven't been the same since.
    I check CakeWrecks every single day.
    Even better, it makes me smile every single day.
    Even cooler, my name is Jennifer, I'm a geek, and people have accused me of sarcasm on occasion.
    I often wondered if I were actually YOU in the dreamworld because the things you 'say' on your blog...sound like they are coming from my sassy lips!
    (I swear I'm not a stalker)
    And when you started Epbot I could not have been happier!
    The things you write about are things that I love!
    It makes me feel better about feeling weird 'cause I now know that there are other people in this world who feel the same way I do about things.
    I am not alone.
    Now...there are other bloggers who bring me joy. (but secretly I love you best!)
    Daddy Likey
    Barefoot Foodie
    and Post Secret are other go-to blogs that bring me joy.
    Hyperbole and a Half is another but since everyone else mentioned it, I wont.
    ;)
    Happy B.A.D Day!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wild timing. I actually just sent you an e-mail yesterday before you did this post! I saw some steampunk I thought you might like. (And I don't know you!) I love Hyperbole and a Half, The Yarn Harlot, Crazy Aunt Purl, and The Panapticon. (Yes, I knit.) And, of course, your blogs!

    Sorry to hear about the cruise. Hang in there.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Regretsy! Ahaha-- what are people thinking?!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your blogs make me super happy along with all my foodie blogs
    PioneerWomanCooks being my fav. I think my most important pick me up blog though would have to be mine. I am a happy person, I don't do sad well so I made my own blog for the sole purpose of making myself happy. Every day I write down something that made me smile...
    KeepingMyCupFull

    I hope i did that right, it was the first time I ever used your code tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  21. You know it's you, right?
    I linked to you at http://storiesandfaith.blogspot.com/2010/09/its-bad-day.html
    and I hope BAD days catch on.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I was just emailed this link today. After reading your post I thought that this may give you another laugh.

    http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html

    ReplyDelete
  23. Cake wrecks (of course) and PeopleofWalmart.com. It is oddly reassuring to know how many freaks are walking around with absolutely no self-awareness. It always makes me laugh and makes me feel better about life.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm so sorry that you guys missed your cruise! Although, I love the story of both of you laughing out loud in public over that post...I think we can all relate to that quick and manic change in mood. :)

    And I must say that Cake Wrecks makes me laugh all the time!! Seriously, it's one of those blogs I must visit every day! I also enjoy Tom & Lorenzo over at projectrungay.blogspot.com. Their reviews of Project Runway ALWAYS crack me up.

    And then there's Dinosaur comics: http://qwantz.com/index.php

    Ryan North can make me laugh all the time. :)

    Thanks for birthing this wonderful idea out of a terrible situation. Seriously, I think it's fabulous. And I will celebrate my next bad day by appreciating a blogger who made me laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Cake Wrecks was the first blog I ever read and the first one I followed. However, EPBOT is my must-see-daily-or-I-might-explode blog because 1) I am the token nerd of my family and 2) I love steampunk and am decorating my house in it and never realized there were so many other people into it until you began posting so much here. Your blogs as well as The Blogess have gotten me through a lot of tough times. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh, I forgot to add Dr. McNinja, I LOVE COMICS!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hyperbole and a Half always kills me. The Bloggess is generally good for a laugh - heck her commenters are almost as funny as she is!
    I love CW and Epbot - even if I'm not quite a geek, I love all the photos and your steampunk stuff. Really cool stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I have to second everybody who has mentioned hyperbole and a half. Allie Brosch is a comical goddess. I litterally laugh out loud when I read her blog. If you haven't checked her out, please do!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I read Cake Wrecks while helping my Mom take care of our Aunt who was dying from cancer. Seriously a bad day. I pulled it up on her tiny mini-laptop and MADE her read it. We were both laughing so hard that tears were running down our faces and we couldn't catch our breath.

    I also like Hyperbole and a Half, Project Rungay and a website called MotherTalkers. Also I follow some seriously funny people on Twitter, that can be a very good pick-me-up.

    You reschedule that cruise and go with your sweet John, my MOST relaxing vacay ever was on a cruise, and who knows, maybe it will be really nice to be just the 2 of you. :) ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  30. Other than Cake Wrecks, when I need a guaranteed smile I'll check Regretsy, It Made My Day, LOL Dogs and LOL Cats. :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. So sorry about your cruise! I can sort of empathize, as I've had a couple of trips nearly missed for similar reasons. Almost missed a Mediterranean cruise because my passport still had my maiden name, and my MIL had booked my plane tickets in my married name. I got lucky, and it was all worked out just in the nick of time at the airport, but I sure do know that horrible sinking feeling you get when you think everyone's going to leave without you because of one stupid little detail missed. Just so you know, EPBOT and Cake Wrecks are the ONLY blogs I check faithfully everyday. I hope all the fan adoration here will carry you through your non-vacation. You bring a lot of laughter and joy to folks all over the world.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I don't know if it'd be considered a "blog", but whenever I'm having a horrible day I go and read some of Fern Withy's writing and it really helps make things better. She writes some of the best fanfic I know of, and her characters are people I wish I could know.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love Amusing Planet and Gizmodo.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Mine's a bit specialized - but if you're getting married (like I am in 24 days - eep!) I highly recommend A Practical Wedding" . It's kept my head from spinning 360 degrees on days when the wedding stress has threatened to make something in my brain e'splode.

    ReplyDelete
  35. blogging saves the world again!

    sorry about the cruise. happy you found something to make you laugh.

    I love the endless list of blogs I read. the make me laugh. they make me aw.

    ReplyDelete
  36. TLo & Project Rungay. And I'm off to thank them just now. Of course, aside from you, Jen!

    ReplyDelete
  37. My bad day heroes depends some on what type of bad day I'm having. Cake Wrecks and EPBOT are both on my cheer up list, of course. There's also:
    Questionable Content, which is a webcomic. I actually wrote the author of it, Jeph Jacques, the other day to tell him he was missed at DragonCon. I wore one of his shirts on that Friday and got many comments from other readers.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Clearly your blogs cheer me up, but the other day I was having a very bad day, with all kinds of cultural conflict issues. I have started "reading" Icanhascheezburger.com recently -- at first even IT didn't cheer me up, but alas, there was finally a great picture that did. I'm sure it's a "been there, done that blog," but my gosh... sometimes it hits the spot. Cheer up!!! At least you have your husband with you!

    ReplyDelete
  39. When I'm utterly miserable (usually due to some kind of social anxiety - ever have days when you wish you were Will Smith in I Am Legend?) I visit several blogs, including yours, Evil Mad Scientist, and Cute Overload.

    Once I've read the latest there, I play about a dozen rounds of Robot Unicorn Attack. Never fails to have me grinning - I'm not sure if it's the rainbows or the sparkly 90's pop soundtrack :3

    ReplyDelete
  40. Again, I'm so sorry for you cruddy experience.
    Earlier this year, my boyfriend got our car repo'd (and we live in the middle of no-where and there are no busses), and I think that your blog and some of the others I read (FML, IMMD, Clients from Hell, Regretsy) really helped me get through the mad stress. You bloggers are superheroes.

    ReplyDelete
  41. EPBOT is one of my go-to blogs... It's hilarious and I love the steampunk stuff you work into it. :)

    Cake Wrecks... Must I say more?

    My sister's blog is the other one I go to quite frequently. She always knows when I'm feeling depressed, so she posts about how to cheer me up. (and works some sarcasm in there as well. :) )

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hey Jen,

    I am so sorry about the cruise I am still kinda stunned and I willsay I check both of your blogs everyday and always laugh and I have been telling people that just to stop by cake wrecks anytime to make you chuckle so thanks for keeping up the funny for all of us!

    I also am wondering is it normal for me to be balling my eyes out while finding out about this trip since I do not know either of you personally? Just curious should I be this attached to my favorite bloggers or should I take a break! Seriously so sorry about the trip and hope wish you much happiness this week and your parents too! Take Care!

    Sincerely, Stephanie
    sandsmcgregor@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  43. I always look forward to Cakewrecks, though I get a little giddy when EPBOT pops up! One that can ALWAYS make me laugh and I share a lot is thecustomerisnotalwaysright.com
    People are SO stupid! And sometimes the workers are very witty. :D

    ReplyDelete
  44. This blog post, and especially commentator Tiffany have made my day for suggesting "Sleep Talkin' Man" I'm laughing so hard I'm crying here.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Not a blog but Simon's Cat always makes me laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Well Jen, between CW and Epbot you certainly have picked me up on some awful days. I rarely write bloggers or leave comments (this is one of two I've left for you), but I think I can rise to your challenge.

    I didn't know of your crushing disappointment until this post. I don't participate in Twitter since I don't have one of those fancy schmancy smart phones, and the website seems to really cater to that technology. Anyway, keep your head up, there's always next year.

    ReplyDelete
  47. I blog, but I'm not a hugely active blog reader. Cakewrecks and Epbot are on my list of daily visits, and I always leave smiling. Today, I was feeling down and the Super Punch post that you linked made my day!

    My other go to is The Pioneer Woman! She's so genuinely funny about real life.

    ReplyDelete
  48. You got to experience what your blog does for me on a daily basis! You and John have a place in my heart and I feel as if I know you! I'm not a stalker, honest! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  49. My favorite list is always, PostSecret, EPBOT (I'm not a suck up), CakeWrecks (Really I swear I'm not shooting for brownie points), and my all time, always makes me laugh, The Big Fat Gini Blog
    . She always brings a smile to my face and helps me remember that someone else in the world thinks people are just as dumb as I do :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Here's yet another vote for hyperbole and a half! The "How a fish almost destroyed my childhood"story made me laugh until I about peed my pants.

    http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-fish-almost-destroyed-my-childhood.html

    On another note, I am sorry about your cruise. I think you guys should make your own vacation... go paddle boating and have a nice picnic (a mini cruise!) or something! I like traveling better without my crazy family anyways ;)

    ReplyDelete
  51. How it Should Have Ended Not a blog but hilarious!!!! (especially, I think, Spiderman, POTC, Willy Wonka, Terminator, Inception, and Twilight). Cakewrecks helped save my sanity last year and the lolcats live up to their name.
    And check out that link. Just like you taught us ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  52. Why Women Hate Men - The Blog!
    Hilarious and sooo inappropriate, what more could you want? NSFW though!

    http://www.whywomenhatemen.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  53. I love tomatonation.com. Not always laugh out loud stuff, but always interesting, witty, and good.

    ReplyDelete
  54. YOU make me happy, both with CW and with this site. Not only are you funny as hell but I really love all the people who comment on this site. It was in the comments for an earlier post on this site that your readers introduced me to Hyperbole and a Half (THANK YOU whoever was the first person to mention it) and Neatorama which I check every day. I'm not much of a Dragon*Con or steampunk fan (my taste runs more to "hard" science fiction) but I love the enthusiasm and friendliness that this community shows every day. So thank YOU and so many of your loyal readers who post positive and helpful comments. I love you all even though we'll probably never meet!

    ReplyDelete
  55. What a great story. I've done the same thing, only with authors. I read a book recently called Master of None and I immediately wrote the author afterwards to tell her how much I enjoyed her book. It was a random find at Walmart, and I am SO glad I picked it up! (It's a book about djin, in case anyone wants to know.)

    My BAD day blogs are:

    Epbot - because it's nice to be reminded that my infatuation with toys, Trek, and now steampunk isn't weird.
    Simon's Cat - I agree with someone else who says even though it's not a blog, it's still hilarious and SO accurate when it comes to cats.
    I Can Has Cheezburger - Some of the stuff on there just puts me in stitches.
    People of Walmart - Because it helps to know I'm not the only one who will just go braless to Walmart...although I at least wear a shirt that actually COVERS everything.

    Thanks for your blogs, Jen, and thanks for making us feel like we're a part of what you do!

    ReplyDelete
  56. Robin McKinley ALWAYS makes me laugh. I love the funny sites like Oddly Specific and Not Always Right but her simple descriptions of her days hurtling hellhounds and taming wild roses makes me smile in a different way. She clearly loves life and it shines through (and if you haven't read any of her books, do yourself a favor and pick one up - Sunshine is my favorite of her more recent novels.).

    It goes without saying (but I guess I'll say it anyway...) but I love reading Epbot too. I love your crafty ideas and your cool geek cred.

    ReplyDelete
  57. I am having a bad day today as well. I am a freshmen in college and having a rough time with chem. Thanks for always providing links and laughs. I also liked the cakes you used to tell the story on CW. Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. dr. grumpy in the house and sleep talking man :)

    ReplyDelete
  59. Jen Lancaster rescues me, shes a riot!

    ReplyDelete
  60. My partner of 13years had an affair and I ended up a single mum with four 4 children. cake wrecks would cheer me up. I wouldnt log in for days. I would wait until I was having a sad day and then read all the posts I had missed. these days I log in all the time just to enjoy the freaky cakes. Though I am surprised about the negative comments people leave. If people dont like your humour, the geek cakes etc then why do they keep coming back and spoiling it for everyone with their bitchy comments.
    Since discovering epbot, then the Steampunk home I am inspired to make a Steampunk themed study. When that is eventually done I will proudly share photos.

    ReplyDelete
  61. You are one of my bad day, cheer me up blogs...and today was a bad day.

    I'm so sorry about the cruise. What a drag!

    ReplyDelete
  62. Funnily enough, your blog for today really put smile on my face after spending most of the day in the ER (gall bladder)

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I love www.27bslash6.com, especially his email exchanges. I have emailed him in the past to thank him, but I should probably do it again.

    ReplyDelete
  64. If I am having a bad day, I turn it around by loving on my dogs, Attilla the Hound (AKA Tillie) and Leiua (short for Hallelujah). Failing that, I try to visit one of the kids on my caseload (Child Welfare custody kids). Usually one of the two works like a charm!

    ReplyDelete
  65. I just wanted to join everyone else in telling you that your blogs have gotten me through some very hard times. I was feeling very down after losing my father just days before christmas last year, I was talking to a friend who linked me to Cake Wrecks, specifically the Baby Carrot Jockeys post to start, I laughed so hard until I was laughing funny tears instead of sad ones. Every since that first visit I have been following you religiously on both blogs and I wanted to thank you for the uplifting moments in the sad hard times and tell you that what you do touches so many people in so many different ways. Your sense of humor and your point of view are very relatable and I look forward to seeing what else you have to say and share. I have learned so many things since I started reading Epbot, you even inspired me to want to finish some of my own craft projects, thanks again Jen!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Aside from Cakewrecks (which I check daily) and Epbot, which have both gotten me out of a slump, (Thank you, Jen, John, and #1) I also check Gives Me Hope and Operation Beautiful. They are both inspiring sites to visit and even post to!

    Thanks again, Jen. Your wit gets me through many a hard day.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Hi Jen! I'm so sorry to hear about your cruise, I'd look just like that little robot if it happened to me! Your blog is either the first thing I check in the morning, and then usually I'm checking Epbot a few times a day to see if there is anything new! Both of them make me laugh out loud (which is often accompanied by wierd stares from my boyfriend until he figures out I'm on one of your sites, and then he gets it), and fill my day with joy. Thank you for being a bright spot in my day!

    But when I have a really bad day, and need some extra encouragement, I always turn to www.givesmehope.com. It always makes me cry happy tears seeing the generousity and compassion of others, and makes my problems seem so small.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  68. I agree with so many others here: Hyperbole and a Half makes me laugh until I cry...it's gotta be the drawings!

    ReplyDelete
  69. Well, yeah, obviously CW and Epbot are two of my favorites, and I also love Hyperbole and a Half (which I heard about right here on Epbot) but one more that has definitely lifted me out of a bad day is The Fug Girls(its a really funny celebrity fashion blog).

    ReplyDelete
  70. Reading the Fan Favs on the Cake Wrecks site is all it takes. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  71. The blogs I turn to when I'm having a rough day, are both of yours (you are seriously a riot woman, and have on many occasions turned my frown upside down), and Pioneer Woman. She is also a hoot, and always makes me smile and laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  72. I love Cake Wrecks, and have been coming here now and then since my friend Rana introduced me to it. I wanted to swing by and comment because this was kind of cool. I post the type of blog that is, as my fiance' calls it, me "tooting off a clown horn every thirty seconds". I made a rare post about finding happiness in simple things when you are down, or sad, or things just aren't going your way. When I saw that Points For Creativity was getting a bunch of views, I checked back and saw your post about B.A.D. Days. It was a moment of serendipity that I found funny and rather charming. I have since, as a result, pimped out the B.A.D concept here: http://pointsforcreativity.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/point-34-pimping-a-bad-day/. I hope you get a chance to read it, but if not, thanks for providing a really neat moment. I am a teeny weeny blogger and you are a big successful one, but it's cool to me that we were kinda thinking similar things that day. I am sorry about the cruise. It just plain sucks, and I won't offer any platitudes to try to change that.
    -Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  73. BIG FAT OH CRAP, Jen...my heart bleeds for this cruise situation. I don't know if I'll ever plan one, but it won't be with Celebrity. Anyway, wish I could do more to cheer you than to say that your two blogs are my favorites (along with I Can Has Cheezburger). You bring a lot of joy into the world, girl!

    ReplyDelete
  74. Check out mykidisajerk if you're not offended by colorful language.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Terrell (aka NiteNurse)September 16, 2010 at 10:32 AM

    You/Zoo/You/Zoo/You/Zoo/You/Zoo -- Let me explain. I come home from the hospital each morning and while I love my work, I am exhausted and in great physical pain. I used to read the news before I went to sleep but then I tossed and turned. My best friend introduced me to CW because she knows I truly believe in the pain fighting force of laughter. Now, each day I take my meds with a good dose of your writing on both sites and I can rest. I even got my NP at the Pain Clinic turned on to CW ( hi Molly!).

    As for Zoo--it's not really a blog I guess but I really enjoy zooborns.com. There's something about baby animals that just makes me smile; sweet without being saccharine
    (sp?). If wanna see the "vort" in cavort--go look at the YouTube under the rhino listing called "it's a girl--a really big girl"

    Also, I am sincerely sorry about your lost vacation;got a little teary with you. May the trip that you do finally take be filled with joys and good surprises that you couldn't have experienced at a different time.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Super sorry about the cruise. That sucks so much. We had a similar experience when we went on out Alaska Cruise in August. Not with Celebrity, they were great, but with Delta Airlines. It was supposed to take us 12 hours of travel time to get from michigan to alaska. It took us almost 40.

    As for how I get over a bad day, I read a lot of wedbcomics such as Questionable Content, Johnny Wander, and Blip. I also, obviously read both Cake Wrecks and Epbot, as well as visit sites like Oddee (I like strange things) and dump.com which is just cool pictures posted everyday.

    After my grandmother committed suicide I developed an insane obsession with baking blogs, and baking itself. When I am upset, angry, or whatever, I bake now.

    ReplyDelete
  77. I read Epbot all the time, I love each and every post and the general geekiness of it all. I swoon at every steampunk post!
    I do have a major thank you to throw your way - My brother is notoriously difficult to buy gifts for and I had no idea what to get him for christmas this year (Not that I would have ever been thinking of it yet) and then I read your post about the Weenicons slimed Bill murray! My brother has a major man-crush on all things Ghostbusters and Bill murray related and so I had to have it and set about finding it. Eventually I found it on e-bay!!! I spent a ridiculous amount of money on it but it will be well worth it to have gotten my brother something he will love so much!! So thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Actually, this one. it's my little cutie/geek, steampunk, all 'nerds together and don't we love it' corner of the internet. Makes me feel all snuggly and happy when I come here. Also, the con pics always take my mind off the world outside!

    ReplyDelete
  79. I have to admit, this and cake wrecks are where I go every day. You never fail to amuse me! Every time I read your blog, I have at the minimum, a smile on my face. For laugh out loud fascination though, I go to poorlydressed.com. There's no place else that can make my mind forget absolutely everything else in the "WTF?!?!" kind of way that blog does!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Well, I'm mortified cause when I saw the cruise ship cakewrecks thing I thought it was a joke, made up, and my comments reflected that. Sorry Jen,and John, and thanks for this wonderful post.

    ReplyDelete
  81. Last summer I spent 2 months in Ann Arbor, MI away from home (KS) because my daughter had major open heart surgery. We were expecting to stay 2 weeks but she had some serious complications. It was a very difficult time and the only time I laughed was in the evening when I would go online and read Cakewrecks. I would read back through the archives until I had a "LOL" moment and then would go to bed. Thanks for those moments of hilarity when most of the time I just wanted to cry. My daughter pulled through and we went home, but I still check Cakewrecks every day.

    ReplyDelete
  82. I'm a big fan of LOLCats. There is nothing like a cute cat with a funny caption to cheer me up!

    ReplyDelete
  83. Cake Wrecks and Hyperbole and a Half!! Hands down the best blogs in the UNIVERSE!!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Today was the first day for chemo for me. Thanks for the laughs here and at Cake Wrecks!

    ReplyDelete
  85. I think it's funny that you mentioned dontevenreply.com, just today I saw your book in a store for the first time ever and it was safely nestled between Emails From An A**hole and Zombie Survival Guide....

    ReplyDelete
  86. I've been thinking about you two ever since I read the post on Cake Wrecks about your canceled cruise...the whole thing just sucks. :(

    Other than CW and Epbot, and various blogs people have already mentioned, I have to add Not So Humble Pie and Patrick Rothfuss' blog to the list. Not So Humble Pie for the *yummy* food, and Patrick for the simple hilarity.

    Oh, and I really should add: for the truly niche nerds...NCBI ROFL, "in which two prone-to-distraction grad students post real scientific articles with funny subjects." Yeah. You sort of have to have a weeeeeird brain to find it funny, I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
  87. After reading your blog post yesterday I visited some of the sites mentioned by the lovely commenters. I got through only a few of them but was laughing histerically the whole way. I lost a good three hours! I'll have to visit those sites in moderation I think. Otherwise I'll get nothing done!

    ReplyDelete
  88. Totally too late - (been on the nights and only just catching up on my blogs) - but this has been the biggest pick-me-up for the last few months

    http://markreadsharrypotter.buzznet.com/user/journal/

    If you've not been there, go there. It's amazing. And, inspired by you, I'm going to write him an email to say thank you.

    Thank you too!

    ReplyDelete
  89. I went to the link and personally, think the next ad about the carpet is HILARIOUS!!!! I may now have TWO blogs to read! lol Thanks Jen.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Greetings from Storm the Klingon Bride, your fellow Nerdgirl! Besides Cake Wrecks of course, I'd have to say the blog that consistently brings the funny for me every single day is SleepTalkinMan. Not only does he says THE MOST hilarious, crazy things in his sleep, but he says them *with an English accent*, which by its very nature makes it exponentially funnier. And they're both lovely people as well.
    REALLY enjoying this side-blog, darling! You and I have so much in common, it actually kinda weirds me out. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  91. A bit late chiming in here but I'm sorry your vacation plan turned into such a bummer.

    You might like Kawaii Not - it can usually make me smile.

    Oh, and I love Wookiee the Chew and his buddies. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Please be respectful when commenting; dissenting opinions are great, but personal attacks or hateful remarks will be removed. Also, including a link? Then here's your html cheat sheet: <a href="LINK ADDRESS">YOUR TEXT</a>