Well, What Have We Here?

Because what this post really needed was a cat picture.

So are y'all getting a little tired of the series I've been posting, or have they been enjoyable? My five-part Avengers review ends tomorrow, although H2WaMM has three more posts to go. I might post a book review next week for a little change of pace.

It's been a while since I updated my Blogs You Should Visit page, so I did that over the weekend to include some of my new favorite blogs. I also cleaned it up a little to remove any blogs that had stopped posting, moved, or just stopped altogether. I realized I hadn't updated it since the A-to-Z challenge, during which I followed a lot of new blogs.

So go check it out, and let me know if you find any new favorites!

On Thursday Lisa Campbell left my 500th comment! I know for some of you bloggers it may not seem like a lot (Alex J. Cavanaugh gets about 100 comments per post, so he's probably up in the millions now) but it's very gratifying for me. Thank you to everyone who comments and continues to leave comments! I love to hear what you have to say.

Becky from Braveheart is currently writing a series that I very much like. It's called Ministry or Malarkey, and it explores whether fiction (malarkey) can help people reach God (ministry). So far she's posted on Christian Inspirational Fiction and Parables. Looking forward to her post tomorrow!

My sister Ava won a photo editing contest over at Randocology! Hop on over to her blog and congratulate her. And then maybe help her boost her follower count...

Speaking of followers, Jenn, who recently gave me the One Lovely Blog Award, also gave me the Liebster Award - an award designed to recognize and promote blogs that have less than 200 followers. Jenn has just reached 100 followers herself, and is hosting a giveaway! Go tell her congrats and enter to win either a $15 or $10 Amazon gift card.

Now, to accept the award:

Thank the person that gave it to you. Thanks so much, Jenn!
Link back to their blog. Jenn's lovely blog, Scribbles from Jenn.
Put the award in your blog. See sidebar.
Present the award to 3-5 blogs with less than 200 followers.*
Leave a comment to let those blogs know that you've recognized their awesomeness!*

*Okay, I'm going to do awarding a little differently this time. Instead of picking 3-5 blogs (choosing blogs is always hard!) or even just holding out an open invitation, I'm going to go with this:

If you have less than 200 followers, and your blog is on my Blogs You Should Visit list, then I nominate you for this award! So go see if you're on the list, and then leave me a link if you decide to pick it up. 

By the way, have you reviewed The Avengers on your blog? I'm collecting reviews to link to in my final Avengers post this Wednesday. If you wrote a review or found one that you enjoyed, leave me a link and I'll include it!

This is Lauren, signing off....

(because cat pictures are like potato chips; you can't have just one)

P is for Personality

Image via Wikipedia

Ever taken a personality test?

Some people don't put a lot of stock in personality tests. Some people are addicted to them. Some people are afraid that learning their personality type will mess up their mind, or make them excuse their faults.

It all depends on their personality, right?

I'm not too obsessed with personality tests, but I do like reading about them and taking them and making other people take them.

What can I say? I like psychology.

If you have never taken a personality test (gasp!) then you can instantly remedy that shocking situation by taking a free personality test here. (Warning - it's a long test)

After that, you can find out more by taking your four letter type and reading about your personality here.

When I took the test, the closest match I got was the ISTJ, or Guardian Inspector.

Here's a bit of the description of Guardian Inspectors, from the Kiersey site:

The one word that best describes Inspectors is superdependable. Whether at home or at work, Inspectors are extraordinarily persevering and dutiful, particularly when it comes to keeping an eye on the people and products they are responsible for. In their quiet way, Inspectors see to it that rules are followed, laws are respected, and standards are upheld.

Yes, that's me. I've got to have my rules, and lists, and laws, and standards. And if a rule doesn't work - I throw it out and make a better rule.

That's probably why I'm so obsessed with proper punctuation...

Something that may be useful for writers (and that I haven't actually done yet) is to take the test from the perspective of your main character (or any other character you're having trouble with).

Not only could it help you find out more about how your character thinks and feels, but it could also help you discover how you and your character think differently.

Since I'm an "I" (introvert) it's helpful to read about how extroverts think. Perhaps if you're an extrovert, it would be good to read about introverts.

Whether you 100% believe in personality tests or are skeptical, it's good to at least have a basic idea of the most generic ways that people think.

And not just for writing, either. It helps with life.

So my cat (Buster Keaton) doesn't really have anything to do with this post, except for the fact that he's sitting by the keyboard as I write it. And I thought it was a cute picture, so I added it.

In other news:

(Yes, I'm doing the "other news" thing again)

Feel like voting?

Go check out Retro Zombie's blog. He's presenting a "face-off" for every letter of the alphabet. The current match is Po vs. Paul.

Also, my sister (whom I've mentioned before) has sketched a couple of girls, and wants you to decide which one she should redraw in color. Go let her know which one's your favorite!

What's your personality type? Do you like personality tests, or do you just think they're too inaccurate or constricting? What's your MC's personality type?

Let me know by commenting!

K is for Kittens

“A catless writer is almost inconceivable. It’s a perverse taste, really, since it would be easier to write with a herd of buffalo in the room than even one cat; they make nests in the notes and bite the end of the pen and walk on the typewriter keys.” 

-Barbara Holland

If you've come looking for a post in which I gush endlessly about my cats and post tons and tons of pictures, well then....

...er, actually, you've come to the right place.

If you dislike these types of posts, feel free to skip it and come back tomorrow, when I return to normal and blog about an interesting subject that starts with the letter "L."

For anyone who's still left...

This is Buster Keaton. He's a long haired tabby, seven months old, and we call him "Baby."

Sitting in the box (on the pink fluffy tutu) is Sherlock. He's a short haired eight month old tabby cat.

Fun (and odd) fact: his birthday is the day after mine.

Sherlock is the patient one. Baby - well, he sleeps a lot. 

See what I mean?

Sherlock patiently endures being brushed. I love the look on his face.

Okay, so I realize that all the pictures I have of Buster are of him asleep.

Look at those creepily intense eyes. We believe that Sherlock is actually a reincarnated soul. We haven't figured out who, yet.

Do you have or have you ever had cats? Are you more of a dog person?

Let me know by commenting!