Relying on luck during the coming zombie invasion is a recipe for disaster. As the fabric holding civilization together begins to unravel, only those who come prepared will survive. Stack the odds in your favor with this zombie apocalypse survival kit, and you just might make it through alive.

In preparation for the zombie apocalypse, I’m giving away a survival kit over at Take Our Stuff. Make sure to sign up for your chance to win!

You can also buy your very own kit right here. Here’s what’s included:

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE SURVIVAL TRAINING 

• 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive by Cody Lundin. Millions of thousands will be consumed during the zombie invasion, but you don’t have to be one of them. The ultimate book to help you survive.

• Knot-tying primer: This portable, waterproof knot book has 17 all-purpose knots for any survival situation.

• 10 feet of emergency cord to build shelter and repair your gear on the fly.

• Map compass to help you navigate to safety. Knowing where you’re going and how to get there could be the difference between life and (un)death.

FOR BURYING THE DEAD

• Tri-fold shovel with carrying case. A serrated edge on one side cuts through packed dirt, roots and zombie corpses

• Alcohol towels: Clean up zombie blood and other grime with 24 of these  9”X11” suckers. Leaves no residue.

BASIC SURVIVAL

• Arctic canteen: A battle-tested double-walled vacuum-sealed flask will keep your water from freezing so you don’t die.

• MRE: This artificial pork rib MRE has a shelf life of 5+ years, with no refrigeration required. Comes with its own flameless ration heater…as well as a side dish, dessert, crackers, coffee (with cream and sugar), beverage powder, utensils, and a condiment pack.

• Red Bull: Battling exhaustion while staring at the face of death? Put some pep back in your step.

• First aid supplies: Wound closure strips for zombie bites, safety pins for shelter construction and a surgical blade for gear repair, in a reusable zip lock bag

• Space blanket: this emergency 50” X 80” lightweight blanket reflects up to 90% of your body heat. Stay warm and toasty no matter where you’re stranded.

• Waterproof matches and match safe: Start fires, even in wet conditions, and keep your matches dry in this waterproof storage container.

FOOD PROCUREMENT

• Fishing line (50’), Fish hooks (4) and sinker weights (4). Because momma’s gotta eat.

• Snare wire: 8’of this will help you catch small game and build shelter.

• 36’ duct tape: No zombie apocalypse survival kit would be complete without duct tape.

GETTING RESCUED

• Emergency whistle: It’s not all fun and games during doomsday, but at least this emergency whistle will inform rescuers of your location

• LED flashlight (40 lumen): Light your way to safety without tripping over zombie parts.

BUG-OUT BAG

•  Store all your supplies in a sleek black bag, so you can have ‘em on the go. All this for just $79, plus shipping and handling.

For hardcore survivalists, get the upgrade-everything listed above, plus the following bonus items to keep your entire party safe.

• 85-piece first aid kit. Fighting zombies is messy business, but with this first aid kit, you’ll be up to the task. Vinyl gloves, wound closure strips, combine dressing, scissors, tweezers, adhesive tape, conforming gauze, sterile gauze pads, knee and elbow bandages, knuckle bandages and more–plus 10 wound closure strips to patch up your mates after battle.

• All-purpose leather gloves. Because the best way to treat zombie bites is to avoid them altogether.

• 50 feet of 7-strand nylon paracord, made by a certified U.S. Government contractor. For when twine and floss won’t do the trick.

• Topographical map of your region–to help you get to safety.

• Jumbo light stick–a 15″ X 3/4″ jumbo neon snap and shake light stick for the younglings in your party (age 6 and up). Glows for up to 12 continuous hours.

• 4 packs of waterproof matches with extra-large waterproof heads and a waterproof striking surface. 40 per box. Because matches are worthless if they’re too wet to work

• DuctSheetz–10 of these and you can handle anything.

• 2 bonus emergency whistles so you can find your mates.

• Campbell’s Go soup: your choice of golden lentil with madras curry or coconut curry with chicken & shitaake spices. First food, then the revolution.

The Zombie Exterminator kit is yours for $149 plus shipping.

Good luck! Stay safe out there!

Please allow 2-4 weeks for processing. International orders, contact for shipping rates. As outpost supplies dwindle during the zombie apocalypse, both survival and exterminator kit items may be replaced with others of equal or higher value. Batteries not included. Adding weapons to kits is highly recommended.

Imagine leaving your native country for the promise of opportunity elsewhere. You hear that in another country like the U.S., you can find the education and employment that is inaccessible and unavailable to you at home. You’ll miss your family, but plan on returning, or moving them out to your new home eventually.

You arrive at your destination and realize that the job set up for you is much different than what you’d been told. You thought you’d be working as a caterer or hotel clerk, as a bartender at a night club, as a model or an au pair.  Instead you find yourself in a strange room in a strange building that feels like death. You can’t shake the feeling of coldness, even before your passport and identification papers are confiscated. You are beaten and locked in a room for days, with little access to water or food. You are promised your freedom, but only after you earn your purchase price, as well as your travel and visa costs. The dark building you’re in is a brothel, and the job you unwittingly got signed up for was prostitution.

Imagine that you’re just twelve years old when this happens. You may have been sold off by your parents, who receive a sum of money in exchange for you. Maybe somebody promised your parents they’d adopt you, but had something else in mind. Or maybe you wound up in the hands of a kidnapper.

You have nowhere to turn. The thought of escaping is overshadowed by the threat of physical violence, and the realization that you’d be homeless if you left. You have nowhere to go. You are a refugee in a strange country where you don’t know the rules.

You’ve been forced to prostitute right here in the U.S. You work out of motels and truck stops. You find yourself in and out of detention centers where you are pressured to testify against your attacker, but you don’t want to because then you’d have nowhere else to go.

Children of the Night is a non-profit organization that gives children in these dire circumstances a place to go. The  Children of the Night home gives these kids who have been through so much a chance to be a child, sometimes for the first time in their lives. They can attend school in a safe environment, have access to safe living arrangements, they have their medical and psychological needs met.

Children of the Night provides taxi or airfare transportation to their home, and then provides victims of child sex trafficking with food, fresh clothing, hygiene items and a shower. Each child is assigned a bedroom which has two single beds, a private bathroom, a clothing closet and drawers. The children have access to an on-site school, medical appointments and counseling. They also have the opportunity to attend evening activities such as yoga, poetry, arts and crafts or acting. They may attend supervised trips on Friday evenings, which include the circus, the zoo, restaurants, movies, museums, amusement parks or other events. On Saturdays, these kids get to watch TV and rented movies, play video games, do arts and crafts, work on their homework and listen to music. On Sundays, the children who voluntarily wish to go are accompanied to a local church in the morning. Evenings include a softball or kickball game and a family-style barbecue.

Providing all these services isn’t cheap, and that’s why Children of the Night needs our help. Please consider making a donation to help child victims of human trafficking get out of these exploitative situations and into safe environments where they can thrive and grow.

Donate here: http://www.causes.com/actions/1680864

Yesterday, I told you about how I’m running a fundraiser for Children of the Night in memory of Chris McBride. Today, I want to tell you a little bit about Chris.

I met Chris at a pub in Oxford in the fall of 2001, where I studied abroad my senior year. He was bartending and I was looking for some beer I’d had in Scotland, which had a higher alcohol content than anything I could get in the States. When he quietly told me they didn’t serve that, I asked for a cup of tea. I was aware that most people would have laughed at the change of request, and was struck by his kindness, and the follow-up questions he had were asked with only curiousity. England isn’t the easiest place for Americans to make friends with strangers, but Chris had that warmth about him that made me instantly feel comfortable.

I was a bit of an activist in college, and ran into Chris at various protests around town. He was a tireless advocate for change, and we quickly became friends, then started dating. When I think of him, I remember his selflessness and the amount of time he spent discussing ways to create social change. He was open-minded, willing to entertain various perspectives even if he didn’t always agree.  He was also incredibly patient, and spent hours explaining the subtleties of nuances in British expressions I’d come across, and why expressions I used matter-of-factly (such as “go figure”) may come across differently than I’d intended. Chris is also solely responsible for me graduating college, as he’d let me work on my thesis on his computer in the evenings while he would meet with friends for drinks, so I could work in the wee morning hours and actually get things done.

I can think of hundreds of small examples of Chris’ thoughtfulness, but it’s really the combination of the many simple things he did and the way he lived his life that made him so cherished by those around him. But these small personal anecdotes are from the totality of Chris’ kindness. He lived his entire life in the spirit of selfless service. Whether he was working on the Make Poverty History campaign, fighting tuition hikes or writing letters in support of human rights, Chris was constantly putting himself aside to help others. You may not have known Chris, but surely you know people like him.

I left England in the summer of 2002, and only e-mailed Chris intermittently. One day his sweet face crossed my mind, and I entered his name in Google to find out what he might have been up to. It was then that I learned Chris had been  killed. A pacifist, Chris did not retaliate when he was attacked without provocation, as he sat quietly reading a newspaper and drinking a pint in a Liverpool pub.

I wasn’t there in that pub that night, so I don’t know what happened, but I know that nobody stepped in to help him.

Chris went home that night and never woke up.

He was rushed to the hospital in the morning and put on life support.

He died of head injuries 9 days later.

Even after his death, Chris was still selflessly serving others. He was an organ donor, and his liver saved a 21-year-old man and a 10-month-old girl. His kidneys were also donated to two men.

It’s not often that someone leaves such an impression on us that we remember them fondly and think of them quite often so many years later, but Chris really was one of a kind. I’ve thought him a lot over the past 10 years, and especially the past 7 years since he died. I’ve really wracked my brain trying to think about what I could do to honor his memory. His untimely death left his countless friends and his loving family shattered. When I think of Chris, I think of innocence… and how someone so selfless and kind could be the victim of such a horrible, tragic event.

Chris was only 25 years old when he died. He was so smart and so full of hope and dreams, which were tragically cut short.

When I was listening to an NPR story about Children of the Night, I thought of Chris. The charity helps child victims of human trafficking. ”The worst things you can imagine happen to these girls. I mean, continuous rapes and beatings and branding,” Haniah Cardenas of the Los Angeles County Probation Department told NPR in the interview. When I think of the issues I had growing up, they really pale in comparison to the loss of innocence and the abuse these children go through.

Talking about trafficking isn’t exactly fashionable. Nobody wants to think about girls being traded for commercial sexual exploitation, and trying to drum up support for the cause isn’t easy. But with our donations, we can help these children regain their dignity, have an alternative to the streets and get a chance for a normal life.

The Children of the Night home, located in California, is open to child prostitutes throughout the U.S., and their hotline is ready and able to rescue these children 24 hours a day. Hotline staff works closely with law enforcement to rescue children from vile, dominating pimps. The organization’s home features an on-site school and college placement program. After youngsters complete a rigorous and comprehensive program of academic and life-skills education, caseworkers are available to provide ongoing case management to hundreds of graduates.

Helping innocent people escape brutal violence isn’t easy. If we could go back in time, I’m sure each and every one of us would do just that for Chris, but unfortunately, it is far too late. But it’s not too late to help these innocent children have a chance for a normal life. Will you join me in making a donation to Children of the Night? We can’t right the wrongs of the past, but we can sure change the future.

Nobody gives money to charity for an incentive, but as a gift from the heart. However, a small group of caring individuals have contributed some gifts for donors to say thank you and support this fundraiser. There’s a very detailed description in yesterday’s post, and I’m including a shorter summary after the jump. (Some people have mentioned that they don’t like the idea of making a charitable donation and receiving a gift, so just wanted to clarify that you have the option of either donating anonymously–which makes you ineligible for obvious reasons– or simply choosing not to accept a gift.) Here’s the link to donate: http://www.causes.com/actions/1680864. Thank you so much for helping me honor Chris’ memory with your contributions.

[Read more...]

On September 20, 2005, my friend Chris McBride was the victim of an unprovoked attack, as he sat in a Liverpool pub quietly reading a newspaper. He died in the hospital 9 days later. Chris was a tireless advocate for those in need. You can read more about him here.

This month is the 7th anniversary of Chris’ death, an injustice that left his friends and family shattered. No amount of grieving can right this wrong. But Chris’ legacy lives on through acts of kindness, and now you can make a donation in his memory.

Join me in raising $7000 for Children of the Night, a privately funded non-profit organization established in 1979 and dedicated to rescuing America’s children from the ravages of prostitution. Through your generosity, children who have been traded for commercial exploitation will have an alternative to the streets and a chance for a normal life. The Children of the Night home, located in California, is open to child prostitutes throughout the U.S., and their hotline is ready and able to rescue these children 24 hours a day. Hotline staff works closely with law enforcement to rescue children from vile, dominating pimps. The organization’s home features an on-site school and college placement program. After youngsters complete a rigorous and comprehensive program of academic and life-skills education, caseworkers are available to provide ongoing case management to hundreds of graduates. (For more information on Children of the Night, please listen to this NPR piece.

Not only will your donation help victims of the worst kind of violence, a donation of any amount will make you eligible for some amazing prizes, generously donated by some amazing people who stepped up in force to help with this fundraiser. Prizes will be given to randomly selected donors, and some will be given to EVERYONE who donates specific amounts (details below). Winners will be determined on September 29th and contacted via facebook, from the account “Fundraiser Prizes” at http://www.facebook.com/inmemoryofchrismcbride. Please make sure you can accept facebook messages from strangers, and check the “other” section of your inbox. All prizes will be disbursed in late September or early October.

Because causes.com has a word count limit, I’m including detailed information in this post about all the amazing prizes you can win.  Thank you in advance for honoring Chris’ memory through your generous donations, and helping rescue children from the ravages of human trafficking.

Donate $20 or more, and you will receive a Kindle or PDF copy of Tim Brownson and Jon P. Strelecky’s book, How To Be Rich and Happy. (retail value: $19) Have you ever been envious of someone’s “dream job” or “dream lifestyle?” Ever thought it was impossible to do something you loved AND made you Rich and Happy? If someone could show you a way to spend your days doing whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted AND be happy, would you want to know how? This book contains a powerful formula that shows you how to build your unique picture of happiness, and demonstrates in a straight talking style, how to achieve it. This book is your guide on the exciting journey to doing whatever you want, whenever you want.

Donate $52 or more, and you will receive Connection Revolution’s 52 Weeks To Awesome e-course (retail value: $52.) Know yourself, trust yourself, understand others, and take meaningful action. These are the keys to living an awesome life. Being awesome isn’t a far-off unreachable goal, it’s just a whole bunch of small steps strung end-to-end. This course, which will be gifted to anyone who donates $52 or more, was designed by Pace and Kyeli and includes 52 weekly lessons available in e-mail, audio ot downloadable workbook form. 52 weeks, 52 missions, 52 baby steps, 52 weeks… end result: awesome.

Donations can be made at http://www.causes.com/actions/1680864.

There’s more! With your donation, you’re eligible to win over $8000 worth of prizes, including books, e-books, videos, fitness programs, online coaching, video coaching, handmade jewelry, a comprehensive SEO audit, and much more. Check out this list of amazing prizes you can be randomly selected to win with any size donation. 

(1 ticket) World Domination Summit. Join a small army of remarkable people with big plans to create meaningful adventure in the 3rd annual World Domination Summit–a 3-day event which sells out in minutes. Founded by author and world traveler Chris Guillebeau, the World Domination Summit is an incredible weekend of inspiring speakers, small-group workshops, events, city tours and community building with some of the most creative, unconventional people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. It will take place in Portland, Oregon on July 5-7, 2013.

(1 e-course) Heart of Money Transformational Journey Homestudy Course (Retail Value: $395). Have your finances been caught in the same place for what seems like forever? Have “3 a.m. money worries” been keeping you up at night? Do you wonder if there is a way to actually shift your money reality without betraying your values or beating yourself up? Learn why it can be so hard to have a financial breakthrough, and what to do about it with the Heart of Money Transformational Journey course. You’ll receive  mp3 recordings of eight 90-minute classes, a digital workbook  of teachings, and bonus audio classes and digital workbooks.

(1 program) Gold Medal Bodies: Focused Flexibility (Retail value: $45). A customized online flexibility program, designed by Jarlo Ilano, featuring detailed exercise tutorials, a self-diagnostic process, application videos and a course reference manual.

(1 copy) Perception Studios: Boring Change Kit (Retail value: $47). Shannon Wilkinson teaches you a five-minute process for changing habits that’s so easy, it’s boring. The kit comes with a downloadable 17-page guidebook, a 30-minute audio to teach you the process, plus bonus cheat sheets, worksheets, a getting started guide, and more.

(1 complete set) Move With Me: Scooter & Me Kids Fitness, Yoga, and Exercise DVD Videos (Retail value: $129.95). Liz Bragdon’s video classes and accompanying materials support children age 3-7 in being physically fit, emotionally stable and learning able. The full set includes 9 video classes which combine story, creative movement, yoga, pretend play, chi gong and self-regulation techniques to enhance physical development, cognitive growth, learning and self-regulation.

(1 program) Roman Fitness Systems: Final Phase Fat Loss (Retail value: $134). Incredible fat-burning workouts developed by fat loss expert and fitness model John Romaniello. You’ll get a comprehensive training manual, log sheets, a results journal, an exercise training library, a supplement guide, bonus audio and a quick-start checklist to get you on your way.

(1 program) Roman Fitness Systems: Super Hero Workout (Retail value: $47). Shed fat, gain muscle, build endurance and enhance your athletic performance with the Super Hero workout training manual, complete with an exercise database, quick-start guide, supplement guide, worksheets and more. Comes with a special comprehensive, ladies-only training guide for the female superheroes amongst us.

(1) LeadPlayer (retail value: $107). Attract an audience, build a list and generate revenue through your videos with LeadPlayer. Designed from the ground up to build an audience for you, LeadPlayer can help you get more income from your business. It allows you to simply add opt-in boxes to video in lightning speed, even to pre-existing videos on YouTube, and to create calls to action for your audience.

(1 e-course) Reclaim Your Dreams course (Retail value: $47). We all want to live out our dreams and create the life we want, but it can be scary to think about what will happen if we follow our hearts, and to give up the safe, predictable existence of the 9 to 5. Reclaim your personal power and freedom and resurrect your dreams. Jonathan Mead’s 22,000+ word e-book, will help you define your dreams, overcome uncertainty, break free from limiting beliefs, learn how to deal with naysayers, create a roadmap and reignite the fire.

(3 copies) Cameron Conaway: (print book) Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet(Retail value: $14.95). Cameron Conaway’s award-winning book is the true story of a young man who overcomes a family background and his own inner torment by learning to channel his frustrations into the physical world of mixed martial arts fighting and the cerebral world of poetry and writing. Caged shows how the pursuit of two seemingly disparate passions helped a struggling boy blossom into a simple man. The result is a literary and lyrical philosophical journey into the heart and mind of a modern-day warrior.

(1 copy) Zen Habits’ The Effortless Life: A Manual for Contentment, Happiness & Flow (Retail value: $35-50). This full digital package includes Leo Babauta’s The Effortless Life ebook, as well as PDF copies of of The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life, Thriving on Less, and The Simple Method for Creating Habits. Also included is The Effortless Life Q+A, a 31-minute video answering common reader questions.

(3 CDs) Anton Emery: Noone Lasses CD (Retail value: $15). A beautiful CD with a mixture of Irish, Scottish and Welsh tunes Anton Emery arranged for solo guitar. The tunes include, jigs, reels, an O’Carolan piece, as well as lesser known material.

(1 lesson) 30-minute Memory Lesson via Skype with U.S. Memory Champion Nelson Dellis. Names, dates or numbers slipping your mind? U.S. memory champ Nelson Dellis is your man–he’s memorized the orders of decks of playing cards while climbing Mt. Everest (without oxygen, no less!) and can teach you some brain-training tricks of the trade in a personal 30-minute Skype session.

(1 pendant) Hand-made silver and copper pendant, with gemstones (Retail value: $40). An anonymous donor has designed this piece from a line she calls “sticks and stones.” She takes pieces of 16-gauge sterling wire and 16-g copper wire, melts the tips into balls, and arranges the sticks into an interesting pattern, adding gemstones as a finishing touch. The center of the piece has a blue topaz cabochon, and the corner has a faceted blue topaz stone.

(1 course) Ethical Selling That Works (Retail Value: $97). Pam Slim’s digital course  teaches the fundamentals of ethical selling, geared toward new entrepreneurs who want to make sales without selling their soul. Ethical Selling that Works includes 4 complete audio lessons, beautiful visual maps of each module’s content, supplementary videos and handouts with clear homework assignments so you can apply what you’ve learned.

(3 e-books) Robb Wolf’s 30 Day Total Transformation PDF (Retail Value: $19.99). Have you heard about the Paleo diet and were curious about how to get started? Or maybe you’ve been trying Paleo for a while but have questions or aren’t sure what the right exercise program is for you? Or maybe you just want a 30-day meal plan and shopping list to make things easier? If you want to lose weight, have more energy, feel better, reduce inflammation and pain, reverse diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, lupus, autism, diabetes, and obesity, and look, feel, and perform at your best ever, this 60-page interactive multimedia guide from New York Times bestselling author Robb Wolf is for you. It includes true stories of people whose lives have been transformed by the Paleo diet, a primer on the diet itself, audio files of Robb Wolf explaining why the diet works, an exercise matrix, a 4-week meal plan, a shopping list, some troubleshooting information and a comprehensive resource list.

(1 session) 90-minute values coaching session (Retail Value: $199). Life coach Tim Brownson has a wealth of experience that has helped hundreds of clients from all over the world tap into their true potential and achieve their hopes and dreams. This 90-minute coaching session will help you get rapidly unstuck and gain clarity on your values. A call recording is available via Skype, so you can review your session at any time and don’t need to worry about taking notes.

(1 set) 4 books (Retail value: $70). Looking for an eclectic mix of reading material? You’ll receive a package including radical feminist theologian Mary Daly’s Beyond God the Father, The Birds–Camille Pagila’s discussion on Hitchchock’s classic film, David Mayer’s Einstein’s Potemkin–a  vivid account of the mutiny of Russian sailors on a Czarist battleship in 1905, and Thomas S. Kuhn’s Copernican Revolution,which discusses planetary astronomy in the development of Western thought.

(1 program) Cressey Performance Systems: Show & Go Training (Retail value: $77-127). Gain strength, improve your performance and finally have the lean, athletic body you’ve always wanted with Eric Cressey’s Show and Go Training System. This 4-phase program includes a comprehensive training manual, an online video database with over 175 exercises, 5 supplemental metabolic conditioning programs, plus training templates, soft-tissue strategies and more.

(20 subscriptions) 1-year subscription to the Performance Menu: Journal of Health and Athletic Excellence (Retail value: $29.95). The Performance Menu: Journal of Health & Athletic Excellence is a monthly digital magazine that contains articles exploring Olympic weightlifting, strength training, athletic strength & conditioning, fitness training, CrossFit, nutrition—including recipes—for athletes, coaches and trainers.

(1 copy) Print copy of Next Time I Move, They’ll Carry Me Out In A Box by Michele Wojciechowski (Retail value: $14.95). Hot off the presses is a new humor book by award-winning writer and humorist Michele Wojciechowski. Next Time I Move, They’ll Carry Me Out in a Box shares the universal misadventures associated with moving. If you have ever moved, you will surely relate to all of the stressful, annoying, and hilarious things that can happen. If you’ve never moved, consider this a primer for things that could happen, and how to deal with them as they come up. Wojo will have you laughing out loud as you learn how to get your house on the market looking “livable” but not “lived in,” how to endure get-out-of-the-house-so-it-can-be-shown weekends, how to cultivate a love for cleaning supplies like the Magic Eraser, and how to survive the actual hellish act of relocating yourself…and all of your stuff.

(1 copy) Signed copy of Math for Grownups by Laura Laing (Retail value: $14.95). Ever wish you’d paid more attention in math class? From third grade to senior year of high school, it went in one ear and out the other, didn’t it? But now you’re staring at the new washer and dryer, trying to figure out the percentage of sales tax on the purchase price. You multiply something by something, right? Or you’re scratching your head, wondering how to compute the odds that your football team will take next Sunday’s game. You’re pretty sure that involved ratios. The problem is, you can’t quite remember. Here you get an adult refresher and real-life context—with examples ranging from how to figure out how many shingles it takes to re-roof the garage to the formula for resizing Mom’s tomato sauce recipe for your entire family. Forget higher calculus—you just need an open mind. And with this practical guide, math can stop being scary and start being useful.

(1 package) Beast Skills Month-Long Online Training Package with Jim Bathurst. (Retail value: $500). This package will begin with a consultation between Jim and the athlete. During this time, it will be determined what goals you’ll focus on for the next month–muscle-up? handstand? front lever? After the consultation, you’ll submit requested videos of your current training level. Jim will then advice you as to the proper form and intelligent programming for the following week. A video review will then be held every week for the rest of the month (4 video reviews total). During that time, you’ll have unlimited email access to ask any clarifying questions.

(1 copy) Signed copy of Airbrushed Nation: The Lure & Loathing of Women’s Magazines by Jennifer Nelson (Retail value: $17). The message that women should be wary of what women’s magazines are feeding them is a smart but often unspoken one. Women want to trust the magazines they plunk down on their coffee tables each month–even if that trust may be misplaced. Airbrushed Nation takes a peek into the women’s glossies for every woman who loves or hates these magazines and asks the question: Do chick slicks perpetrate a hoax on readers? Do they portray an unattainable standard of beauty and body image, skewed sexual advice and a warped view of aging? Do advertisers influence the articles and do the fear mongering stories, the anorexic-looking models, and the unaffordable fashions serve only to make women feel inadequate? Airbrushed Nation takes you inside the sweet scented, ad-filled pages of the chick slicks for the lure and loathing of women’s magazines. (Note: This book will be mailed after it is released at the end of October.)

May 25th is Geek Pride Day, the 35th anniversary of the release of the first Star Wars film, Towel Day (for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fans) and Glorious 25 May (for fans of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld).

Unfortunately, I have no local friends (that I know of) to LARP or play AD&D with. Instead, I will be celebrating by reading science and tech blogs on Wired.com, looking through my comic book collection, and perhaps re-watching some sci-fi favorites. Feel free to join in!

Want to rank your geekdom? Take the Geek Test online.

Modis is hosting the Geekstakes 2012 sweepstakes, and giving out prizes from Thinkgeek each day through June 1st. Just visit the Modis Facebook page and click on the “Geekstakes” tab to enter. (In the interest of true geekdom, though, I’ll let you find it yourself.

Enjoy the day.

Every May, I participate in Michelle Rafter’s blogging challenge, where a group of bloggers diligently blog every single day for a month. Blogathon manager Jan Udlock painstakingly compiled each and every blogger participating in this year’s blogging challenge, which Michelle posted. Here they are–all 250 of them! (I put asterisks next to health, wellness, food, and fitness-related blogs.)

A

Abra Cole – The Magical Miss, The pursuit of photography and pie.

Akanksha Garg - Smiling Mystic Cloud, A mirror that reflects the experiences of life.

Alana Mautone - Ramblin’ With AM, Living in upstate New York.

Aleksandra Milcic Radovanovic - Linguist Blog, Writing about translation and applied linguistics.

Alison Preston Baldyga – Lady Moxie, On a constant search for wellness.

Amanda Steinhaus – Ms. Panda’s Blog, Poetry, children’s stories, playwriting and more.

Andria – Find me Frugal(er) , Helping people cut costs and save money without taking it all too seriously.

Angela Aboulnaja - DMV Art, A comprehensive view into the art scene in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Anna Murphy – Murphy Baby, Wife and mama to baby Ronan. Recorded words because I never want to forget what this feels like.

Annabelle – Shopping Detox, Where retro style meets personal finance.

Anne Noble – Mac’s Musings, My hopefully intelligent and coherent ramblings.

Anne Wainscott-Sargent – The Writing Well, Celebrating excellence in writing and storytelling.

Annette Gendler - Memoir, Writing & Life, Writing, teaching and publishing memoir and creative nonfiction.

Annie Logue - Ann Logue, Financial and current events, from author of four Dummies books on investing.

Anyes - Far Away in the Sunshine, Stories of a woman pursuing her creative dreams.

Ariel -Nuestro Contrapunto, A husband and wife writing about theology, literature, culture, actuality and more.

Aron Mturi -Aron Creativity, International celebrity news, current affairs, music and articles, especially from East Africa.

Aundra Weissert – Chestertown Fit for Life, Adventures in homesteading and personal fitness.

Ayesha Usman – Mommy First, Juggling a professional career and motherhood.

B

Barb Freda - Babette Feasts, Feast with me.

Barbara McDowell Whitt – WCHS, MPHS and Park College…Diary Writing 1960-1965, An Iowa farm
girl’s view of high school and college life in the 1960s.

Beth – Chasing My Joy, My journey to becoming an Ironman.

Beth Zare – Beth Zare, Personal thoughts about life.

Bill Lascher – Lascher at Large, Telling the true story of a young foreign correspondent’s adventures during World
War II.

Billie Noakes – The Billie Gram, Observations about life from a freelance writer and storyteller with a slightly bent sense of humor.

Brian Mann – Brian P. Mann, Rants, raves…that’s about it.

C

Cariann McCready – Unionvale Mom’s Spot, Rural life with family, food, crafts and books.

Carolina -Sew Carolina Knits, Running, quilting and knitting.

Carrie Schmeck – Bizzi Writer, Business copywriting that makes a difference.

Cathleen McCarthy – Save on Cities, Travel, entertainment and family fun along the Northeast Corridor: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.

Cathy Canaceli – Periwinkle Confessions, It’s fun to be a godly girl.

Cathy Morton – Cathy’s Voice Now, Mother, grandmother and alcoholic/addict in long term recovery.

Caylie Price – Better Business Better Life, Blast your business to success, live the life you want!

Cheryl Wright – Cheryl Wright, Life, writing, interior design and more.

Chris Lowe – Blue Oregon, Contributing blogger at Oregon Progressive.

Christianne Cook – A Day in my Mind

Christina - Lazy Bones Running, Ramblings from an obsessed runner.

Christine Calvin - Inspired Life, Whatever strikes my fancy.

Christine Heinrichs - Poultry Bookstore, Information on heritage breed poultry.

Claudia Neely – Social Skills Success, Teaching parents of special needs teens, pre-teens and young adults how to mainstream their kids into successful peer groups and more.

Cody Ray – The Home of Challenge Pissing, Movies, music and whatever else I think is cool.

Connie Ong – Unbirthday Escapades, A look at memories past and present.

Cristina Santiestevan – Outlaw Garden, Breaking the rules by growing vegetables even when HOA says no.

Cynthia Pelcher – Cynthia Banessa, Sharing gardening, crafts and dishes.

D

Daisy – Compost Happens, Taking care of family, garden and coffee.

Dania Bianchi – The Health Nut, Health reports and news for the average mom; and Dania Bianchi, Content marketing for small businesses.

Danielle – Porridge Report, Digital doses for the modern family as seen by a distracted mother and writer.

Daphne – My Distant Husband, We are together; yet, living apart.

Darlene Peltz - Everything Relationships, Exploring ways to improve how we talk, treat and deal with each other.

Darling Sookie – Darling Sookie, Fictional telepathic barmaid who tweets too much and enjoys being a role player.

David Allen – Mac 20Q, Mac technology blog.

Dayle Fraschilla - I Shall Be a Toad, Everything that means anything to me.

Debbie Kaplan – Frisco Kids, Your guide to kid-friendly events and trips around the San Francisco Bay area.

Discorunner – Discorunner, Running, biking, swimming, and blogging in the nation’s capital.

Don Gonzalez – Joe Catholic, Where men can get to know, share and defend their Catholic faith.

Doña Bumgarner - Aubergine, Musings of a midlife mama.

Dylan Fogle – East Nashville Jugglers Club, Experience juggling.

E F

Ed Borasky – Borasky Research, Computational and data journalism.

Ejila Makangu – Ejimak, French-English translator

Elise Ventura – Skipping Stones, Current events, atheism, pop culture and more.

Elizabeth King Humphrey – The Write Elizabeth, A round-up of reading, writing, editing and parenting.

Elyse Grau - My Garden to Table, Growing what you eat, eating what you grow.

Emily Taylor – Southerners in So Cal, A Southern girl in surfer country.

Estelle Sobel Erasmus - Musings On Motherhood, Midlife and Other Forms of Madness, My transformative journey through motherhood.

Eva Schweber – Tech Whisperer, Helping you select, use and integrate your gadgets.

G

Gabryyl Pierce -Gabryyl Pierce, Writer of words, purveyor of awesome.

Glenneth Redd - Let’s Talk and Walk, Getting healthy through walking, better eating and having fun.

Gloria Marie – Gloria Marie, Inspiration for creatives and other people who desire to live an incredible life.

H

Harry Marks - Curious Rat, A technology blog combatting stupidity from wherever it comes.

Heather Craik – Shades of a Dream, Writing, marketing and design in business.

Heather Williams – This Blog Will Give You Cancer, “I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about.” – Oscar Wilde.

Hillah Culman – The One Ingredient, Cooking with one main ingredient.

Holan Kerrick – Gadget Girl Tips, Tips, tricks and humorous stories about technology for the everyday person.

Holly Swanson - State College Mom, Being a mom, Penn State, and whatever else I deem blog-worthy.

J

J. Audrey Miller – Romance in the Writing, Romance and writing: a perfect match.

J9 – J9 Style, Channel Your Inner Fabulous.

Jackie Dishner - Bike with Jackie, Your guide to inspiration, encouragement, quirky stories, laughs and life-changing adventures.

Jackson Zeiner – Word Waves, A blog about literature in its various forms and how it’s changing.

Jan Roberts Culpepper – Simply Jan, A simple look at a not-so-simple life.

Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom, Professional writer, parenting expert, mom of five.

Jane Boursaw - Reel Life with Jane, Syndicated family movie and TV reviews.

Jane Neff Rollins – Kitchen Sink Genealogy, Family history of all 4 branches of my family.

Javier Cabral – The Glutster, Food, angst, punk rock and a really fast metabolism.

Jeannette Vancio – Charity Heart, Encouragement for lovers and dreamers.

Jenn - Wordzopolis, Financial services marketing.

Jenn Maxwell – Jenn Maxwell, Writer, designer, dreamer.

Jenni Derryberry Mann - Mamahhh, Navigating the labyrinth of motherhood one breath at a time.

Jennie Phipps – Detroit on the Cheap, Living well is the best revenge.

Jennifer Eckert – Pregnant at Forty, Pregnant for the first time at 40.

Jennifer Fink – Blogging About Boys, All about boys.

Jennifer Patrick - Still Living the Dream, Raising two young kids in my 40s.

Jennifer Walker - My Morning Chocolate, Delicious inspiration for people who wake up thinking about food.

Jennifer Willis - Jennifer Willis, Journalist, writer, author, and essayist.

Jessica – Pink Rose, Gen-Y writer who loves to garden, craft and write.

Jessica Quinn - Northern Front, The sweet life in Northern BC.

Joan Lambert Bailey - Popcorn Homestead, Exploring Japan one vegetable at a time.

Joanna Yuen – Slow-poke Posts, Fiction writing.

Joe Wilcox – Queer Joe, Adventures in finding my passion…knitting.

Jodi Rosenberg – 100 Smile Challenge, Simple ideas to help you find more smiles in your life.

Jodi Torpey – Write Better Faster, Changing the way you think about your business writing – one reader at a time.

Joel Whitaker – Catholic Faith and Fitness, Helping Catholics become spiritual, financially and physically fit.

Joelle Pittman – MEM to LAX, Southern girl bouncing between Memphis and Los Angeles.

John Beck – And a Little Wine, Book lover, baseball fanatic, life enthusiast.

Jon Bell - On Mount Hood, All things Mount Hood.

Jovette Gadson – Honey Suga Sweet, Creative expressions from the soul.

Juan Luis Cornejo – Cornejo Sports, Soccer and more.

Judy Downing - Flights of Fantasy, Thoughts about becoming a better writer, with an emphasis on fantasy and science fiction; andWriter in Charge, Exploring today’s publishing choices.

Julia Biggs - Aunty JuJu’s Perspective, My thoughts for now.

Julie Farrar – Traveling Through, Traveling through the second half of my life.

K

Karen C. – The Vegetable Garden, Simply organically.

Kat Hasenauer - Sports Girl Kat, Balancing life as sportswriter and educational administrator.

Kate Megill - Teaching what is Good, Teaching younger women according to the Titus 2 model.

Kate Reilly – Polkadot Suitcase, Finding fun through creative living.

Kathryn - Kathryn’s Cards, Making cards for Operation Write Home.

Kathryn Lance - KL and Her Books, Writing and related matters, from a long-time fiction and nonfiction writer and editor.

Katie Morell – Katie Morell , Full-time freelance writer specializing in business, travel and human interest topics.

Katie Jett Walls – Woah Baby, The weird and wonderful of expecting and becoming parents.

Katrina Hutchesson – Kat’s Place – My Life, My life and our family.

Katy Manck - Books YA Love, Recommending young adult books beyond the bestsellers.

Kellyn Christison - Journalism 111, A blog for my multimedia journalism class.

Kimberly LoSavioe - Blogging w/Gypsy @ Gypsy’s Treasures, A blogging and WordPress designing mom.

Kirsten Doyle - Running for Autism, Runner, writer and special needs mom trying to make sense of life.

Kirsten Oge – Puppy Paws and Dirty Noses, First time mom and housewife.

Kyle Yasumiishi – Kyle Yasumiishi, Student journalist blogging about the future of journalism.

L

Laura – Word Grrls, Creative writing inspiration.

Laura – Not Just 9 to 5, Changing focus while I work into a freelance writing career.

Laura Finger – Boat Jumpers, Keeping entrepreneurs in their right minds.

Laura Orsini - Marcie Brock, Book Marketing Maven, Marketing advice for self-publishing authors.

Laura Tokie – In My Little Town, All about family on the fly.

Leah Ingram – Suddenly Frugal, How to live more on less money; and Philly on the Cheap, Deals, discounts and living on the cheap in the Philadelphia area.

Lenore Skomal - Gut Check: Making simple sense out of life, Daily blogger for Erie Times-News.

Leslie – The Chic Adventurer, Beauty and chicness can exist anywhere.

Liberty Montano - Liberty’s Yarn, Helping make stuff free of crap and drama.

Lindsay – With a Little Love and Luck, Fight stigma and kick postpartum depression’s butt.

Lisa Carter - Intralingo, The art and business of literary translation.

Lisa Jaffe Hubbell - Land Guppy, Writing about good food, good books, and good times.

Lise Capitan – Lise Capitan, A translator talks about work, language and translation.

Liz Sheffield - Motherlogue, A mother talks about mothering, writing and life.

M

Mammy Mohamed – T-Mark, News and fashion.

Margarita Tartakovsky – Margarita Tartakovsky, Language, life and fashionable pursuits.

Margin Fades – Margin Fades The joy of movement. Words. Food and movement.

Maria Gajewski – Changing River Consultants, Helping you help others.

Mariann L. Dyson – 4 Writer Mom, Penning a novel while single-handedly raising four children.

Marianne - D is for Dovey, Quilt-making, reading, gardening and life in west central Florida.

Marie-Louise – Muse Translation, Musings from a freelance French to English translator.

Marijke Vroomen Durning – Med Health Writer, Health news from a nurse turned writer.

Mark Connolly – Spiritual Advocate, You know, like the Paraclete.

Mark Wahlton – Save the Jumble, Meandering through the ADD-addled mind.

Marvin Kirkland – Impermanent Insanity Writes, Writing and mental illness.

Mary Lebeau – Raising Waltons, Passing down old-fashion values in a 21st century world.

Masa – Hearting Handmade, DIY, eco-friendly, vintage, creativity and giveaways.

Matthew J. Perry – Sharing the Pants A husband and wife blog about women winning bread, men making homes, both raising kids and coping with cultural shifts.

Megan Wollenberg – Army Wife Writes, The ups and downs of PCS-ing to Italy.

Melinda Copp – Life List, Nature and nature writing.

Melinda McGuire – Melinda McGuire Writes, Writing with a Southern Slant.

Melissa Luznicky Garrett – Someday When I’m Famous, Author of adult and young adult novels.

Melissa Lindberg - Get Creative with the Good Idea Girl, Parenting, party planning and holiday celebrations.

Melissa Miller Young – Zen Life Solutions, Providing positive and healthy information and Word Miller, Making your marketing efforts and message shine.

Mena Grazie - Preternatural Post, News and information for role players, fictional characters and legendary creatures.

Michal Karni – Lights Along the Way, Writing practice from Jewish sources.

Michelle – Team Tori, Six-year-old rock star fighting neurofibromatosis.

Michelle Mahoney – Intuitive Tarot, Learn the cards today.

Michelle Rafter - Word Count: Freelancing in the digital age, News, tips and advice for self-employed writers.

Mikaela D’Eigh - La Belle Dame de Merci, Reflections on art of all mediums.

Mimi - Wife, Writer, Mom, All Blessings, Writer and parent to 5 special needs children.

Mridu Khullar Relph - Mridu Khullar Relph, Thoughts on writing and life from a female freelancer in India.

N

Nancy Kopp - Writer Grannys World, My tips and encouragement for writers.

Natalie – Fluent Historian, Languages, history and Russia.

Nicky LaMarco – Freelance Writing 4 Beginners, Freelance writing for beginners.

Noelle – Sustainably Happy, Happiness: one day at a time.

O P

Paola – Research and Kitchen, A concoction of ethnographic and food studies.

Patricia Ann C Perkowski – Spiritual Lives of Women, Nurturing moms, nurturing the future.

Patrick McGraw – PFM Reports, Mostly true stories from home and on the road.

Patti Goldenson – Sometimes Sideways, A place to talk about feeling sideways, cry about it, laugh about it and let it go.

Patty Core – Daily Nutrition Plus, Proactive health and wellness information.

Peggy Crippen - Military Move HQ, Information for military families changing duty stations.

Peggy Noonan – Alt Med for You, Alternative medicine news and how-to information.

Pia Savage – Courting Destiny, A blog about everything and nothing.

R

Rachel Ward – A Discount Ticket To Everywhere, What I’m reading, re-reading, reading to my children and translating.

Rashida – Books, Bass and Beauty, Dedicated to educating, entertaining, and empowering today’s Black woman.

Rebecca Koffman – Walking Portland, Walking in Portland and beyond.

Reeti Roy – The Magic Ink Stand, All things quirky, personal and confessional.

Rhonda Booker - Mygr8reads, Books I like to read, and my writing practice.

Robin – A Word, A Bird, New blogger.

Ron Dere – Just There, Crisscross of neurons in ASCII.

Ronda Levine - Not Quite Ally McBeal, Just another girl with a theme song.

Rose Medlock -  SGV East Food Swap, Create community by exchanging homemade and homegrown goods.

Rossandra White – Rossandra White, A former bushbaby’s take on writing and appreciating life.

Ruth Terry – Ruth Writes, Changing the world…one word at a time.

 S

Samuel Slate – Irrational Handbook, Humor, gaming, speculation and fiction.

Sandra Hume – Little House Travel, Everything Little House fans and their families should know about traveling to places Laura Ingalls Wilder called home.

Sara Carbaugh - Your Creative Ally, Online marketing tips, tutorials, and motivational posts.

Sara Lancaster - No 2 Pen, Showcasing examples of sharp website content.

Sarah - Animals Help Heal, Different ways animals can be used in healing.

Sarah E. Ludwig - Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids.

Sarah Moon – Clear Eyes, Full Shelves, Multi-genre blog for readers.

Sarah Morgan – Sarah Morgan, Jumping puddles in the rain.

Sharon C. Jenkins – The Authorpreneurship Project, Equipping authors to better handle the business side of writing.

Sheela Kangal - Skangal Works, Just another playwright climbing social media.

Sheila Callahan – Sheila Callahan, What’s on my mind.

Silja Hurskainen – Silja Hurskainen, A Finnish freelance writer and blogger living in Estonia.

Sita Henderson -  Sita’s Sanctum , A journey of faith filtered through the Word of God.

Sona Charaipotra – Sona Charaipotra, Writing and balancing first-time parenthood.

Sonal Garg – Sonal Garg, Creating something every day.

Stephanie Smith - Information Central:  Gardening Questions Answered, Your vegetable questions answered.

Stephanie Vozza – Five Minute Mom’s Club, Simplify, simplify, simplify. Then organize.

Sue Ann Bowling -The Homecoming Blog  Official blog for the book, Homecoming.

Sun Hee Yoon – Fiery Memoir, Daily struggles in motherhood, and the ups and downs of being a housewife.

Susie Klein – Recovering Church Lady, Pleasing God is simply not as hard as you think.

Suzanne – The Tales of Missus P, Little adventures of me.

T

T.A. Barnhart – t.a. barnhart , A progressive voice from the Pacific Northwest.

Taasmom - Mommy Dearest, A mommy’s moments.

Tammy Ellingson – Mama Can Dance, A dancing mama who still grooves to her own beat.

Tara L. Daves – Occupation, Shmoccupation, Adventures in the world of unemployment.

Tara Phillips – Two Hands and a Road Map, Making poor blogging choices since 2010.

Tatyanna Wilkinson – Smart Girl, Wise Woman, Blog, forum and workshops for young women 18 to 24.

Tere Scott - Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool, Parenting and homeschooling; and Elephant Ears Learning, Homeschooling resources and tips.

Tia Bach – Depression Cookies, A mother and daughter’s journey in writing, and much more.

Tina Armstrong-Ogbonna -Teena News, My opinions on news and events.

TJ Whelan – Moonlight and Shadows, Musings of a Texas moonbaby.

Tracey Arial - Arial View, Exploring the world through words.

Tracey V. – Never Switching to Decaf, Ramblings about life, family, cooking and photography.

Traci - A Purple Paintbrush, Making and sharing art.

V

Valerie Lakey – Blue Skies, Seeing life in a positive light.

Van Waffle - Speed River Journal, An urban naturalist’s progress.

Vanessa Geneva Ahern - Hudson Valley Good Stuff, Where to eat, play and re-charge your spirit in the Hudson Valley.

Veronica Armstrong – Veronica Armstrong, Eye candy, inspiration, kids, life and happiness.

Veronica Del Bianco - The Eco Niche, A blog that celebrates nature, good food, and learning something new.

Victoria Musgrave -Victoria Musgrave Communications, A communications consultant working with health care organizations and entrepreneurs.

Vivian Tran – Stem Favorites, Not all those who linger are lost.

W X Y Z

Walter L. Johnson II - Communications Careers Corner, Your guide to advice on careers in communications and media.

Yael Grauer - Yael Writes, Freelance writing services.

and fitness related blogs.)

A

Abra Cole – The Magical Miss, The pursuit of photography and pie.

Akanksha Garg - Smiling Mystic Cloud, A mirror that reflects the experiences of life.

Alana Mautone - Ramblin’ With AM, Living in upstate New York.

Aleksandra Milcic Radovanovic - Linguist Blog, Writing about translation and applied linguistics.

*Alison Preston Baldyga – Lady Moxie, On a constant search for wellness.

Amanda Steinhaus – Ms. Panda’s Blog, Poetry, children’s stories, playwriting and more.

Andria – Find me Frugal(er) , Helping people cut costs and save money without taking it all too seriously.

Angela Aboulnaja - DMV Art, A comprehensive view into the art scene in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Anna Murphy – Murphy Baby, Wife and mama to baby Ronan. Recorded words because I never want to forget what this feels like.

Annabelle – Shopping Detox, Where retro style meets personal finance.

Anne Noble – Mac’s Musings, My hopefully intelligent and coherent ramblings.

Anne Wainscott-Sargent – The Writing Well, Celebrating excellence in writing and storytelling.

Annette Gendler - Memoir, Writing & Life, Writing, teaching and publishing memoir and creative nonfiction.

Annie Logue - Ann Logue, Financial and current events, from author of four Dummies books on investing.

Anyes - Far Away in the Sunshine, Stories of a woman pursuing her creative dreams.

Ariel -Nuestro Contrapunto, A husband and wife writing about theology, literature, culture, actuality and more.

Aron Mturi -Aron Creativity, International celebrity news, current affairs, music and articles, especially from East Africa.

*Aundra Weissert – Chestertown Fit for Life, Adventures in homesteading and personal fitness.

Ayesha Usman – Mommy First, Juggling a professional career and motherhood.

B

Barb Freda - Babette Feasts, Feast with me.

Barbara McDowell Whitt – WCHS, MPHS and Park College…Diary Writing 1960-1965, An Iowa farm
girl’s view of high school and college life in the 1960s.

Beth – Chasing My Joy, My journey to becoming an Ironman.

Beth Zare – Beth Zare, Personal thoughts about life.

Bill Lascher – Lascher at Large, Telling the true story of a young foreign correspondent’s adventures during World
War II.

Billie Noakes – The Billie Gram, Observations about life from a freelance writer and storyteller with a slightly bent sense of humor.

Brian Mann – Brian P. Mann, Rants, raves…that’s about it.

C

Cariann McCready – Unionvale Mom’s Spot, Rural life with family, food, crafts and books.

Carolina -Sew Carolina Knits, Running, quilting and knitting.

Carrie Schmeck – Bizzi Writer, Business copywriting that makes a difference.

Cathleen McCarthy – Save on Cities, Travel, entertainment and family fun along the Northeast Corridor: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.

Cathy Canaceli – Periwinkle Confessions, It’s fun to be a godly girl.

Cathy Morton – Cathy’s Voice Now, Mother, grandmother and alcoholic/addict in long term recovery.

Caylie Price – Better Business Better Life, Blast your business to success, live the life you want!

Cheryl Wright – Cheryl Wright, Life, writing, interior design and more.

Chris Lowe – Blue Oregon, Contributing blogger at Oregon Progressive.

Christianne Cook – A Day in my Mind

Christina - Lazy Bones Running, Ramblings from an obsessed runner.

Christine Calvin - Inspired Life, Whatever strikes my fancy.

Christine Heinrichs - Poultry Bookstore, Information on heritage breed poultry.

Claudia Neely – Social Skills Success, Teaching parents of special needs teens, pre-teens and young adults how to mainstream their kids into successful peer groups and more.

Cody Ray – The Home of Challenge Pissing, Movies, music and whatever else I think is cool.

Connie Ong – Unbirthday Escapades, A look at memories past and present.

*Cristina Santiestevan – Outlaw Garden, Breaking the rules by growing vegetables even when HOA says no.

Cynthia Pelcher – Cynthia Banessa, Sharing gardening, crafts and dishes.

D

Daisy – Compost Happens, Taking care of family, garden and coffee.

Dania Bianchi – The Health Nut, Health reports and news for the average mom; and Dania Bianchi, Content marketing for small businesses.

Danielle – Porridge Report, Digital doses for the modern family as seen by a distracted mother and writer.

Daphne – My Distant Husband, We are together; yet, living apart.

Darlene Peltz - Everything Relationships, Exploring ways to improve how we talk, treat and deal with each other.

Darling Sookie – Darling Sookie, Fictional telepathic barmaid who tweets too much and enjoys being a role player.

David Allen – Mac 20Q, Mac technology blog.

Dayle Fraschilla - I Shall Be a Toad, Everything that means anything to me.

Debbie Kaplan – Frisco Kids, Your guide to kid-friendly events and trips around the San Francisco Bay area.

*Discorunner – Discorunner, Running, biking, swimming, and blogging in the nation’s capital.

Don Gonzalez – Joe Catholic, Where men can get to know, share and defend their Catholic faith.

Doña Bumgarner - Aubergine, Musings of a midlife mama.

Dylan Fogle – East Nashville Jugglers Club, Experience juggling.

E F

Ed Borasky – Borasky Research, Computational and data journalism.

Ejila Makangu – Ejimak, French-English translator

Elise Ventura – Skipping Stones, Current events, atheism, pop culture and more.

Elizabeth King Humphrey – The Write Elizabeth, A round-up of reading, writing, editing and parenting.

*Elyse Grau - My Garden to Table, Growing what you eat, eating what you grow.

Emily Taylor – Southerners in So Cal, A Southern girl in surfer country.

Estelle Sobel Erasmus - Musings On Motherhood, Midlife and Other Forms of Madness, My transformative journey through motherhood.

Eva Schweber – Tech Whisperer, Helping you select, use and integrate your gadgets.

G

Gabryyl Pierce -Gabryyl Pierce, Writer of words, purveyor of awesome.

*Glenneth Redd - Let’s Talk and Walk, Getting healthy through walking, better eating and having fun.

Gloria Marie – Gloria Marie, Inspiration for creatives and other people who desire to live an incredible life.

H

Harry Marks - Curious Rat, A technology blog combatting stupidity from wherever it comes.

Heather Craik – Shades of a Dream, Writing, marketing and design in business.

Heather Williams – This Blog Will Give You Cancer, “I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about.” – Oscar Wilde.

*Hillah Culman – The One Ingredient, Cooking with one main ingredient.

Holan Kerrick – Gadget Girl Tips, Tips, tricks and humorous stories about technology for the everyday person.

Holly Swanson - State College Mom, Being a mom, Penn State, and whatever else I deem blog-worthy.

J

J. Audrey Miller – Romance in the Writing, Romance and writing: a perfect match.

J9 – J9 Style, Channel Your Inner Fabulous.

Jackie Dishner - Bike with Jackie, Your guide to inspiration, encouragement, quirky stories, laughs and life-changing adventures.

Jackson Zeiner – Word Waves, A blog about literature in its various forms and how it’s changing.

Jan Roberts Culpepper – Simply Jan, A simple look at a not-so-simple life.

Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom, Professional writer, parenting expert, mom of five.

Jane Boursaw - Reel Life with Jane, Syndicated family movie and TV reviews.

Jane Neff Rollins – Kitchen Sink Genealogy, Family history of all 4 branches of my family.

Javier Cabral – The Glutster, Food, angst, punk rock and a really fast metabolism.

Jeannette Vancio – Charity Heart, Encouragement for lovers and dreamers.

Jenn - Wordzopolis, Financial services marketing.

Jenn Maxwell – Jenn Maxwell, Writer, designer, dreamer.

Jenni Derryberry Mann - Mamahhh, Navigating the labyrinth of motherhood one breath at a time.

Jennie Phipps – Detroit on the Cheap, Living well is the best revenge.

Jennifer Eckert – Pregnant at Forty, Pregnant for the first time at 40.

Jennifer Fink – Blogging About Boys, All about boys.

Jennifer Patrick - Still Living the Dream, Raising two young kids in my 40s.

Jennifer Walker - My Morning Chocolate, Delicious inspiration for people who wake up thinking about food.

Jennifer Willis - Jennifer Willis, Journalist, writer, author, and essayist.

Jessica – Pink Rose, Gen-Y writer who loves to garden, craft and write.

Jessica Quinn - Northern Front, The sweet life in Northern BC.

*Joan Lambert Bailey - Popcorn Homestead, Exploring Japan one vegetable at a time.

Joanna Yuen – Slow-poke Posts, Fiction writing.

Joe Wilcox – Queer Joe, Adventures in finding my passion…knitting.

Jodi Rosenberg – 100 Smile Challenge, Simple ideas to help you find more smiles in your life.

Jodi Torpey – Write Better Faster, Changing the way you think about your business writing – one reader at a time.

*Joel Whitaker – Catholic Faith and Fitness, Helping Catholics become spiritual, financially and physically fit.

Joelle Pittman – MEM to LAX, Southern girl bouncing between Memphis and Los Angeles.

John Beck – And a Little Wine, Book lover, baseball fanatic, life enthusiast.

Jon Bell - On Mount Hood, All things Mount Hood.

Jovette Gadson – Honey Suga Sweet, Creative expressions from the soul.

Juan Luis Cornejo – Cornejo Sports, Soccer and more.

Judy Downing - Flights of Fantasy, Thoughts about becoming a better writer, with an emphasis on fantasy and science fiction; andWriter in Charge, Exploring today’s publishing choices.

Julia Biggs - Aunty JuJu’s Perspective, My thoughts for now.

Julie Farrar – Traveling Through, Traveling through the second half of my life.

K

*Karen C. – The Vegetable Garden, Simply organically.

*Kat Hasenauer - Sports Girl Kat, Balancing life as sportswriter and educational administrator.

Kate Megill - Teaching what is Good, Teaching younger women according to the Titus 2 model.

Kate Reilly – Polkadot Suitcase, Finding fun through creative living.

Kathryn - Kathryn’s Cards, Making cards for Operation Write Home.

Kathryn Lance - KL and Her Books, Writing and related matters, from a long-time fiction and nonfiction writer and editor.

Katie Morell – Katie Morell , Full-time freelance writer specializing in business, travel and human interest topics.

Katie Jett Walls – Woah Baby, The weird and wonderful of expecting and becoming parents.

Katrina Hutchesson – Kat’s Place – My Life, My life and our family.

Katy Manck - Books YA Love, Recommending young adult books beyond the bestsellers.

Kellyn Christison - Journalism 111, A blog for my multimedia journalism class.

Kimberly LoSavioe - Blogging w/Gypsy @ Gypsy’s Treasures, A blogging and WordPress designing mom.

Kirsten Doyle - Running for Autism, Runner, writer and special needs mom trying to make sense of life.

Kirsten Oge – Puppy Paws and Dirty Noses, First time mom and housewife.

Kyle Yasumiishi – Kyle Yasumiishi, Student journalist blogging about the future of journalism.

L

Laura – Word Grrls, Creative writing inspiration.

Laura – Not Just 9 to 5, Changing focus while I work into a freelance writing career.

Laura Finger – Boat Jumpers, Keeping entrepreneurs in their right minds.

Laura Orsini - Marcie Brock, Book Marketing Maven, Marketing advice for self-publishing authors.

Laura Tokie – In My Little Town, All about family on the fly.

Leah Ingram – Suddenly Frugal, How to live more on less money; and Philly on the Cheap, Deals, discounts and living on the cheap in the Philadelphia area.

Lenore Skomal - Gut Check: Making simple sense out of life, Daily blogger for Erie Times-News.

Leslie – The Chic Adventurer, Beauty and chicness can exist anywhere.

Liberty Montano - Liberty’s Yarn, Helping make stuff free of crap and drama.

Lindsay – With a Little Love and Luck, Fight stigma and kick postpartum depression’s butt.

Lisa Carter - Intralingo, The art and business of literary translation.

Lisa Jaffe Hubbell - Land Guppy, Writing about good food, good books, and good times.

Lise Capitan – Lise Capitan, A translator talks about work, language and translation.

Liz Sheffield - Motherlogue, A mother talks about mothering, writing and life.

M

Mammy Mohamed – T-Mark, News and fashion.

Margarita Tartakovsky – Margarita Tartakovsky, Language, life and fashionable pursuits.

Margin Fades – Margin Fades The joy of movement. Words. Food and movement.

Maria Gajewski – Changing River Consultants, Helping you help others.

Mariann L. Dyson – 4 Writer Mom, Penning a novel while single-handedly raising four children.

Marianne - D is for Dovey, Quilt-making, reading, gardening and life in west central Florida.

Marie-Louise – Muse Translation, Musings from a freelance French to English translator.

*Marijke Vroomen Durning – Med Health Writer, Health news from a nurse turned writer.

Mark Connolly – Spiritual Advocate, You know, like the Paraclete.

Mark Wahlton – Save the Jumble, Meandering through the ADD-addled mind.

Marvin Kirkland – Impermanent Insanity Writes, Writing and mental illness.

Mary Lebeau – Raising Waltons, Passing down old-fashion values in a 21st century world.

Masa – Hearting Handmade, DIY, eco-friendly, vintage, creativity and giveaways.

Matthew J. Perry – Sharing the Pants A husband and wife blog about women winning bread, men making homes, both raising kids and coping with cultural shifts.

Megan Wollenberg – Army Wife Writes, The ups and downs of PCS-ing to Italy.

Melinda Copp – Life List, Nature and nature writing.

Melinda McGuire – Melinda McGuire Writes, Writing with a Southern Slant.

Melissa Luznicky Garrett – Someday When I’m Famous, Author of adult and young adult novels.

Melissa Lindberg - Get Creative with the Good Idea Girl, Parenting, party planning and holiday celebrations.

Melissa Miller Young – Zen Life Solutions, Providing positive and healthy information and Word Miller, Making your marketing efforts and message shine.

Mena Grazie - Preternatural Post, News and information for role players, fictional characters and legendary creatures.

Michal Karni – Lights Along the Way, Writing practice from Jewish sources.

Michelle – Team Tori, Six-year-old rock star fighting neurofibromatosis.

Michelle Mahoney – Intuitive Tarot, Learn the cards today.

Michelle Rafter - Word Count: Freelancing in the digital age, News, tips and advice for self-employed writers.

Mikaela D’Eigh - La Belle Dame de Merci, Reflections on art of all mediums.

Mimi - Wife, Writer, Mom, All Blessings, Writer and parent to 5 special needs children.

Mridu Khullar Relph - Mridu Khullar Relph, Thoughts on writing and life from a female freelancer in India.

N

Nancy Kopp - Writer Grannys World, My tips and encouragement for writers.

Natalie – Fluent Historian, Languages, history and Russia.

Nicky LaMarco – Freelance Writing 4 Beginners, Freelance writing for beginners.

Noelle – Sustainably Happy, Happiness: one day at a time.

O P

*Paola – Research and Kitchen, A concoction of ethnographic and food studies.

Patricia Ann C Perkowski – Spiritual Lives of Women, Nurturing moms, nurturing the future.

Patrick McGraw – PFM Reports, Mostly true stories from home and on the road.

Patti Goldenson – Sometimes Sideways, A place to talk about feeling sideways, cry about it, laugh about it and let it go.

*Patty Core – Daily Nutrition Plus, Proactive health and wellness information.

Peggy Crippen - Military Move HQ, Information for military families changing duty stations.

*Peggy Noonan – Alt Med for You, Alternative medicine news and how-to information.

Pia Savage – Courting Destiny, A blog about everything and nothing.

R

Rachel Ward – A Discount Ticket To Everywhere, What I’m reading, re-reading, reading to my children and translating.

Rashida – Books, Bass and Beauty, Dedicated to educating, entertaining, and empowering today’s Black woman.

*Rebecca Koffman – Walking Portland, Walking in Portland and beyond.

Reeti Roy – The Magic Ink Stand, All things quirky, personal and confessional.

Rhonda Booker - Mygr8reads, Books I like to read, and my writing practice.

Robin – A Word, A Bird, New blogger.

Ron Dere – Just There, Crisscross of neurons in ASCII.

Ronda Levine - Not Quite Ally McBeal, Just another girl with a theme song.

*Rose Medlock -  SGV East Food Swap, Create community by exchanging homemade and homegrown goods.

Rossandra White – Rossandra White, A former bushbaby’s take on writing and appreciating life.

Ruth Terry – Ruth Writes, Changing the world…one word at a time.

 S

Samuel Slate – Irrational Handbook, Humor, gaming, speculation and fiction.

Sandra Hume – Little House Travel, Everything Little House fans and their families should know about traveling to places Laura Ingalls Wilder called home.

Sara Carbaugh - Your Creative Ally, Online marketing tips, tutorials, and motivational posts.

Sara Lancaster - No 2 Pen, Showcasing examples of sharp website content.

Sarah - Animals Help Heal, Different ways animals can be used in healing.

Sarah E. Ludwig - Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids.

Sarah Moon – Clear Eyes, Full Shelves, Multi-genre blog for readers.

Sarah Morgan – Sarah Morgan, Jumping puddles in the rain.

Sharon C. Jenkins – The Authorpreneurship Project, Equipping authors to better handle the business side of writing.

Sheela Kangal - Skangal Works, Just another playwright climbing social media.

Sheila Callahan – Sheila Callahan, What’s on my mind.

Silja Hurskainen – Silja Hurskainen, A Finnish freelance writer and blogger living in Estonia.

Sita Henderson -  Sita’s Sanctum , A journey of faith filtered through the Word of God.

Sona Charaipotra – Sona Charaipotra, Writing and balancing first-time parenthood.

Sonal Garg – Sonal Garg, Creating something every day.

*Stephanie Smith - Information Central:  Gardening Questions Answered, Your vegetable questions answered.

Stephanie Vozza – Five Minute Mom’s Club, Simplify, simplify, simplify. Then organize.

Sue Ann Bowling -The Homecoming Blog  Official blog for the book, Homecoming.

Sun Hee Yoon – Fiery Memoir, Daily struggles in motherhood, and the ups and downs of being a housewife.

Susie Klein – Recovering Church Lady, Pleasing God is simply not as hard as you think.

Suzanne – The Tales of Missus P, Little adventures of me.

T

T.A. Barnhart – t.a. barnhart , A progressive voice from the Pacific Northwest.

Taasmom - Mommy Dearest, A mommy’s moments.

Tammy Ellingson – Mama Can Dance, A dancing mama who still grooves to her own beat.

Tara L. Daves – Occupation, Shmoccupation, Adventures in the world of unemployment.

Tara Phillips – Two Hands and a Road Map, Making poor blogging choices since 2010.

Tatyanna Wilkinson – Smart Girl, Wise Woman, Blog, forum and workshops for young women 18 to 24.

Tere Scott - Teachable Scotts Tots Homeschool, Parenting and homeschooling; and Elephant Ears Learning, Homeschooling resources and tips.

Tia Bach – Depression Cookies, A mother and daughter’s journey in writing, and much more.

Tina Armstrong-Ogbonna -Teena News, My opinions on news and events.

TJ Whelan – Moonlight and Shadows, Musings of a Texas moonbaby.

Tracey Arial - Arial View, Exploring the world through words.

Tracey V. – Never Switching to Decaf, Ramblings about life, family, cooking and photography.

Traci - A Purple Paintbrush, Making and sharing art.

V

Valerie Lakey – Blue Skies, Seeing life in a positive light.

Van Waffle - Speed River Journal, An urban naturalist’s progress.

Vanessa Geneva Ahern - Hudson Valley Good Stuff, Where to eat, play and re-charge your spirit in the Hudson Valley.

Veronica Armstrong – Veronica Armstrong, Eye candy, inspiration, kids, life and happiness.

*Veronica Del Bianco - The Eco Niche, A blog that celebrates nature, good food, and learning something new.

Victoria Musgrave -Victoria Musgrave Communications, A communications consultant working with health care organizations and entrepreneurs.

Vivian Tran – Stem Favorites, Not all those who linger are lost.

W X Y Z

Walter L. Johnson II - Communications Careers Corner, Your guide to advice on careers in communications and media.

*Yael Grauer - Yael Writes, Freelance writing services (& making healthy living accessible)