I used to play a lot of computer games. Ever since Free Cell. I played too much. My dentist noted that my teeth look worn – did I grind them in my sleep? he asked. Uh, well… no.
More than the physical harm, there was the shameful realization of the time wasted.
I considered myself a writer. But I didn’t have much to show for it.
Until retirement and a move to Northern Ontario.
And the publication of a book!
This is the NEW me. Maggie Wilson, Author.
I was born in Kitchener, and lived my working life in several communities in Southern Ontario. I met my husband, a geologist, who introduced me to rocks and minerals and the Town of Cobalt. In 2016 we retired to the historic mining community and could not be happier with the decision.
In 2017, I accepted the position of President of the Cobalt Historical Society. So began my interest in the fascinating history of the area. Besides mineral collecting, I enjoy research and writing, and I look forward to sharing new stories about Cobalt and its mining heritage. The work is like a treasure hunt and the discoveries are just as exciting as stumbling upon a nugget of silver.
*** *** *** *** ***
Hot off the presses: Airy Somethings, the Extraordinary Life of the Aviation Pioneer, Horatio Barber.
Civ is by no means “the lame game.” I rarely play it anymore though. It’s one of those games where a few minutes turns into an hour turns into three. I’d have to make sure I’d get a babysitter.
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Hi Janna! – oh, you can imagine the hairy eyeball I’d give the kids. Loved that game. I don’t play it anymore either, mostly because of an upgrade in computer hardware. Now it’s Plants Vs. Zombies. Thanks for your message. I look forward to reading more of your work! Ciao.
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Girlfriend, the stories I could tell of wasted time… oh, wait I have. I started way back… way way back… probably before you were born… with PacMan… and Pong before that. (Have I mentioned, I’m old?) Can’t wait to explore your blog. :>
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Thanks for your comments! I think we are cohorts, to borrow a term from my statistics course. Confession: I left out the period before Free Cell – Pong and other Atari Games – River Raid? Something about a silly fly, too… The new technology was literally enchanting. I MUST make some time to read your blog from top to bottom today. Thanks again for joining my blog!
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I totally agree we are cohorts… I forgot to mention, you had me at “Zombie” — although mine are more of the Walking Dead variety than game variety. ;>
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I am glad to report that I did not play my Zombies game for the first time yesterday. It’s possible that I am trading out one addiction for another… but surely writing and making connections is the better way to go, no?
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Yes. Absolutely. I’ve gotten much less candy crushed these past couple of days while I catch up on Z2H myself. Now, if I could just get back to the voracious reading I used to do… ;>
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i * have * FOUND * my * TWINS * from * Utha * Muthas * at * last! ❤ ❤ ❤
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😀 does that make us triplets?
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that depends…. “All of my Twins, please stand and say ‘Aye’!”….
we’ll just wait and see how many i have…. 😉
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Thanks for visiting my blog, Maggie… another thumbs up for Atari 2600 references! River Raid by Activision for the Atari 2600 VCS is a great game.
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Hi! Most welcome. I found M.R.’s blog yesterday and she suggested yours. I like the fact that you read the comments, too. I find sometimes that the comments are better reading than the post! By the way, I recalled the name of the Atari game that featured a fly – Yar’s Revenge. Happy blogging!
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Ahhh, Yars’ Revenge… I remember that one, too. Imagine my surprise finding out many years later that I’d stumbled on the easter egg several times (which displays the programmer’s initials forwards and backwards) when I thought I’d broken the game somehow.
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Thumbs up right there for references from the Golden Age of Arcade Games!
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Golden age, eh? Sigh, if the shoe fits… 😉
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I’m just old enough to remember classmates bringing those Buckner and Garcia tunes to music class in elementary school, especially Pac-Man Fever.
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Best About Me photo ever. Must follow this blog title. It has the word “zombies” in it.
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Hee hee! Awesome! Glad to have you aboard!
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Maggie, thanks for visiting my site and choosing to follow along. Obsessions. I understand.
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Look forward to reading more!
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My kind of writer!
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Well, howdy, Trucker! I thank you for the smiles!
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When I clicked on this page this wasn’t what I was expecting. I love starting my days with something unexpected. And Zombies!
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Better than caffeine, eh? Well, maybe not. There aren’t many things better than coffee! Enjoy your day! And thanks for stopping by!
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I don’t play games online, I love The Walking Dead, and thanks for the follow!
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I look forward to the time I can say the same. About playing online games. AND I look forward to reading from you! Thanks!
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-:)
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So happy to connect with you! Believe me, I’ve tried the online games but just couldn’t get into it. My hubby and daughters love it…LOL
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I’ve enjoyed my visit here and look forward to following your posts. Also – thanks for visiting my blog , commenting, and following! I really appreciate it. 😀
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Thank you Jackie!
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Thank you for your dedicated consumption of the posts on my blog and the decision to follow! I’m not crazy about the zombie digesting your brains, but how could I not follow you now, and not urge you onwards? Write (and maybe change your illustration?) — and you shall be read! That’s how it works. 🙂 262 followers? You’re doing fine already!
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I know [sheepish grin]. It’s such a cornball illustration, but it’s a form of penance until I outgrow the bad habit of playing computer games so much. (Notice the qualifier there?) Thanks for the follow, Nina!
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Civ is a great game!! I play it quite a bit while watching TV. Lots of other games too. They don’t do much for my physical activity but I’m convinced they keep my brain and reactions sharp. (I play action-adventure, RPGs, and FPSs.)
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You know, I found Civ to be a real education in terms of politics and policy. I logged many, MANY hours on that game. Mostly during the quiet hours at work while I was waiting for customers to come by.
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You are one prolific lady. Your posts are always interesting, and because you post so frequently, that is a pain in the rear. Who has the time to keep up, darn you?
Then you have to go and read everything I’ve written, and read all of ’em in an hour, just to show me up. Okay, already. I’ll brush up on my Evelyn Wood…
(Seriously, thank you. How flattering! Thank you, thank you!)
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You are most welcome, and your blog should have more readers. You are a firecracker. Sorry about the pain in the rear thing. I’m a noob and still caught up in the honeymoon phase of the blogmobile. Now, to give you some relief, please note that I started to read your blog a month ago, or so, after Michelle from the Green Study mentioned you. I like to read chronologically, so that I don’t miss any detail. I’m kinda lowercase ocd that way.
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re: firecracker–golly–thank you! this cracker does show pattern of burning out and going silent for long periods. re: more readers–silent periods don’t help, but–I don’t know why I have many 2-hit days. It is discouraging to see spanking-new blogs out writing “Hi world! Here’s what I had for breakfast! Oh–and I got 12 new followers today! Isn’t that NEAT!”. Guess I just ain’t favored cup of tea for most. Glad to be a flavor you like.
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I have nominated you for an award, Maggie. Hope you don’t mind.
http://truckerturningwrite.com/2014/03/21/thank-you-lita/
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I do not mind at all! I am pleased, and I thank you. Whether I accept the duties that come with, though, remains to be seen! Thanks again, Frankie. I appreciate the mention!
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I don’t think there is any panic. Which is good.
You are welcome Maggie.
Top quality blogger!
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People are so different from one another. I suppose that’s what makes life on this one planet with billions of other people interesting. We are free spirits. I’ve been involved with the personal computer when they were invented and started being sold back in 1978. I owned the first IBM PC running DOS 1.0.
I never could become interested in computer games. I suppose my creative, artistic side couldn’t cope with the brain numbing repetitive nature of Space Invaders. That was over 30 years ago now and I don’t have a single game on my computer. To each his/her own.
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Hi Bob! I’m glad you wrote. My husband is the same – he’s used computers in his work (geology) for as along as they’ve been available, but doesn’t use them for games. I think you’ve hit on a key aspect, the mind numbing nature of some games. That, for me, has some appeal. And that is the danger point, too.
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My biggest complaint is that the vast majority of games include violence. I don’t want to sound one of those purist right wing Christians but entertainment without violence is hard to find.
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You are right, there. Mom taught us card games when we were old enough to manage a deck. Solitaire, Hearts, Crazy Eights… and War.
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Canasta, Spades, Pinochle & Bridge
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Played so many I’ve lost count. But blogging has put paid to them. Score! 🙂 x
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Really? There’s hope? That’s the best news I’ve heard all day! Thanks so much!
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Hi Maggie, I guess you could be the person that I confess to that I’m on level 357 on Candy Crush. My daughter says that it’s nothing to be proud of, but I feel like you might understand my need to beat the darn game!! My Bejeweled skills are right up there, too!
Thanks for following me and visiting my blog. I’ve just followed you, too, so maybe we can share some time-wasting computer gaming hints from time to time! 🙂 Have a great day!
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Well, hello and thanks for such a lovely comment! I have given up on Candy Crush. I’m stuck on 207. Instead, I kill time on Bejeweled and Papa Pear and Farm Saga. I am far, far from ready to close the door on the games. I look forward to reading more about your journey, and I thank you for joining mine! 😀
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They’re just too much fun! I usually play them when I can’t sleep at night with hot flashes and such, so I guess I’m not wasting too much time! 🙂 Have a nice day!
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thanks for the follow, Maggie. One of my favorite games was Little Computer People on the Commodore 64. Yes, old as dirt but I loved making that little guy smile! 🙂
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Hi! That one I am not familiar with, but that’s OK. I am familiar with more than enough! Glad you could stop by!
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Hi Maggie and thanks for visiting and following my blog. I only play Candy Crush on an iPad when I am bored or hit the writer’s block wall, but my husband loves Solitaire on the PC. He’s addicted when he has time to sit down and play it.
I love the Zombies theme, and look forward to reading more of your blog. I will be reading. 🙂
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Excellent news, thank you!
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You’re very welcome! 🙂
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Hi again! I nominated you for the Liebster Award, although you may already have been nominated. I’m still new at this. I chose the blogs I read the most but had a lot of trouble with the “under 500” rule. 🙂
http://goinroguedotnet.com/2014/03/31/saying-thanks-to-frankie/
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Hi Anna! Thanks so kindly! I won’t have much time this week to attend to it, so I may have to defer responding, or drop out altogether, but I do appreciate the thought behind the nomination!
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You’re welcome. It does take some thought. Frankie told me to take my time. I needed it. It was a wild weekend to say the least.
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Hope “wild” in a good way!
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Thank you for liking a recent post of mine. I will admit to being a computer game addict myself. Love, Love, Love them and I would be happy to play all day!!
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Hi Deb! Very nice of you to visit here, thank you. Glad, too, to find another who enjoys the computer games!
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Hi Maggie! Thanks for reading and responding to my blog. I have nominated you for the Wonderful Team Reader Membership Award. If you don’t have time, I completely understand. 🙂
http://goinroguedotnet.com/2014/04/08/thank-you-coach-muller/
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Thanks so much, Anna! I appreciate the thought.
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I think adequate therapy could be The Longest Journey, or Syberia even. (Come to the other side! There’s Inventory!) Well, that’s MY therapy, anyway. Your writing style is very much like my own. Shockingly so. Must say, I like your style.
(Does that make me a narcissist?)
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Nope, that makes you a GENIUS! 😉 found you via Gunmetal Geisha on her Liebster post, btw.
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Well it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Maggie. :0) I’m studying to be a probation officer (so I can stay connected to the REAL world, right? haa) but really, I’ve been an avid gamer since the BBS (sysop) days when Monkey Island and Hitchhikers’ Guide (text only, of course) were all the rage. By the way, my tooth enamel isn’t up to par as it should be either. :0)
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Sounds like we do share considerably more than tendency toward genius! Thanks for stopping by. The pleasure is mine.
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Love your blog, you’re definitely a writer!
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Thank you, Deb! 😀
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You’re funny. So… I don’t really know if this is your kind of thing, but I have become a fan of you and your page so I decided to nominate you for a Liebster Award… Check it out on my page at tamzentemple.com.au where I have shared a link to your page.thanks.
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Thank you, Tamzen! I appreciate the sentiment and the follow!
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Hi from one Maggie to another. I used to play Candy Crush but got stuck in the 100’s my son was nearly up to 400. At the moment, I’m hooked on Pearl’s Perils which is a Hidden Object game with mini games In between and a jigsaw every day. Thank goodness I didn’t have access to computers when I was young. The first computer my children had was a Commodore 64 ( I still have it in the shed) and my favourite game was trying to land a plane by bombing the high rise buildings. We also had the old tennis games, so simple compared to the sophiscated ones today. I was born just before the war so didn’t have access to vouchers though I do remember taking bottles back to get money.
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Hi Maggie! Delighted to read your comment! I think that I share the same sentiment about not having access to computers when I was a girl. TV was addictive enough with cartoons and game shows. Dad used to come into the living room and snap of the set and say, “Go outside and get the stink blown off you!” In a nice way. But firm.
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It’s so nice to meet another soul that has interacted with zombies. The zombie apocolypse is upon us. I believe it started in Washington D.C. and spread from there. Apparently they eat your brain the moment you attend your first session in the Congress or Senate, and it’s all down hill from there. In the mean time, I enjoy your blog. 🙂
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Is that how it works..? Huh. Good to know! Thanks for reading and the delightful comment!
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Thanks for the follow – looking forward to the stuff that spills out from your brains.
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Just want to say thank you for the follow. Hope you are entertained. I much agree. Only my obsession is to do the laundry, clean house, paint the porch, mow the lawn, etc. The etc. stands for anything but writing. Seems to work since the writing doesn’t always get done.
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Hi Don! Thank you for your follow. I appreciate your industrious nature. Those household maintenance things need doing. But I do understand how when you sit at the computer terminal and suddenly notice the dust that has accumulated on the monitor and before you know it, you are in a flurry of emergency wipe-downs. Happy blogging!
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Brain? Lol. The ones I know usually grabs the hands or feet right away.
I guess yours must be some considerate zombies.
At least we can’t be seeing them doing it that way. 😀
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Very considerate and rated for children are these zombies! Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi, Maggie! You were kind enough to follow my blog today – glad you found something there that you liked well enough to sign on 🙂 So, I came over here to visit you, and I am just loving what I am reading — and I haven’t even gotten off your terrific about me page 🙂 If the rest of your blog is anything like this page, then I’m going to have a blast reading everything.. Sign me up. I’m on board!
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Howdy Stacy! What a wonderful thing to read, thanks! I came your way via another chap I follow – he had submitted a before and after shot for your Friday After-Before Friday Forum. Thought I’d check it out. Might have something to contribute from my mineral photography. I’m a notch above novice and a rank, with a capital BOTTOM RUNG, amateur in the photography biz, so I may lurk for a while.
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Ha! I’m fairly new to photography myself, but it’s amazing what post-processing can do to otherwise less-than-stellar photos 🙂 Seriously, so glad you stopped by, and lurk away — we’ll be ready whenever you are!
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Thanks for the follow! I absolutely love the title of your blog. It is totally irresistible to click on a blog with “zombies” in the title bar. 🙂
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Hey, thank you for YOUR follow, too.
I have my interview speech all ready for the day when someone from WordPress asks me how I chose the title for my blog. Yes, it’s partly because I want to tear myself away from playing computer games that feature zombies, but it’s also the “flavour of the month”. (It’s been a very long month) Let’s face it, The Lego ate My Brains doesn’t have quite the same zip, now, does it?
Happy blogging!
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Hmm…legos…maybe not the same “zip” but it would definitely be worth a click just to answer the question, “the…what ate your brains???” 🙂
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You’re funny. 😀
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Maggie I passed along an award. I know you probably don’t do them. But it was an award for giving thanks to readers so relax…it’s just a thank you. 🙂 don’t worry about all the rules.
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You are a sweetheart and make me smile and make make my WordPress world a very pleasant place indeed. Thank you. 🙂
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Well, I can see lots of reading ahead for me, here. I love the way you have organized your blog and the huge dollop of humor. Now off to read more about you, look at photos and confirm my similar decision not to seek or bestow awards. 🙂
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I’m delighted that you think so. Enjoy your stay!
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Shoot me an email if you’re interested in guest authoring. =)
My username (as one word, at gmail).
Diana
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What a treat, Diana! Sorry for the delay in responding – I’ve been offline for the Labour Day long weekend. I shall email you in a day or so.
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Thanks for liking “From God’s Mouth to Daddy’s Ear”. Have you ever had the pleasure of living with a domineering man?
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Oh my good lord, yes. You might like to read Howard or better yet, An Acquired Taste.
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Excellent. I’ll read them both.
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A long way down to get to Your Thoughts! I’ll go back to read all 100+ comments. But first, I’ve got to tell you I love Zombies and your Zombie Guy! Thank you for visiting my blog site. Notice the Zombies Sell post! Look forward to reading more about you and your writing!
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Yeah, the zombie guy and I go way back. I was musing aloud just yesterday that it would appear that blogging has done nothing to limit my game playing. 🙄
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In all honesty, because I keep going from one browser to another, one tab to another, one site to another, I dunno anymore how i got to your page. That said, I’m glad I found your page. Haven’t really read any posts yet, but this About Me page already won me. Actually, you had me at “zombie,” he he. You would have liked my posts last year when the whole office “became” zombies and plants, he he…
I’ll be stalking–er–FOLLOW-ing you!
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Well, J. Gi, that’s just fine. Stalk away, and thanks! 😀
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I too….am a victim of “Plants vs Zombies”
I too…hate the disco zombies.
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Howdy, stranger! Nice to hear from you!
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An award for you!
I know you’re a lot busier lately, and you may not want to do this, but I do want you to know that I enjoy your blog, and its variety of topics. I learn a lot from you 🙂
http://jolenemottern.com/2015/03/12/creative-blog-award/
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I accept with pleasure. Thanks, sweety!
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Maggie, I came across your blog through Victo’s. It seems that we have some of the same frustrations when it comes to healthcare, although I am not in Canada. I enjoyed reading through many of your posts so far, and your title is wonderful. Such a great excuse for the loss of brain cells. I may have to borrow the zombie concept when I have those moments of forgetfulness. I look forward to reading more.
Deb
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Hi Deb – I have just finished reading YOUR about page and I’m delighted to say, I shall follow you, too! Thanks! By the way, if you are every looking for more excuses for forgetfulness, there’s always Mercury Retrograde!
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I love the title of your blog. At least they didn’t eat your sense of humor. 🙂
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Your comments make me smile. Thank you!
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I think we’re all in a quandary about where our blogs are going! Looks like you’re doing just fine!
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Thanks, Jan! Yeah, I decided in short order that I’ll make this my own space. Seems to be working out just fine!
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So fun to see your references to Civ III here (as Civ VI has recently rolled out). I just saw your insightful comment of Ally’s blog and had to come over to say hi.
I hope you don’t mind, but I’d love to stick around for awhile. This feels like a fun new addition to my daily WordPress reading routine.
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Welcome, Gabe! I hope you enjoy the visit!
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