It’s that time of the month year again!
Last year’s blogoversary rocked because the magnificent Julie C. Gardner wrote me this guest post.
And that, friends, was tremendous.
Before we move forward, I feel compelled to report some statistics.
First, there are only 54 days until my son’s bar mitzvah.
Can I get an “amen” right now? 😉
Thanks, I can feel the love already!
As I enter my third year in the blogosphere, I thought I would let you know some of the cool statistics I get to track.
To date, I have:
Written 360 posts (This is 361.)
Received 194,757 comments.
{And your comments are like delicious chocolates. I eat them up. Nom nom nom.}
The post that still gets the most hits on a daily basis: In Fear of Lice. Strangely, that bugger gets over 70 views each day. And I wrote it back in June 2010. Go figure.
Another wildly popular post is In Praise of the Pencil, proving that people have an irrational love for Ticonderoga pencils. That one was written in June 2011.
Anyway, we are celebrating all month at Teachers and Twits.
I have Friday guest posts from El Farris, David N. Walker, Iris Zimmerman & Ellie Ann Soderstrom — so be on the look out for those because they rock!
Plus I have some serious cyberswag for y’all.
Y’all know how we play my 100% bogus word game on the last Monday of the month based on my love of the book THE MEANING OF TINGO: AND OTHER EXTRAORDINARY WORDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD? Well, I wanted to give one of those books away. But wouldn’t you know it is out of print! Whaaaat? How dare they? Well, I ordered a “like new” copy, so I should have that to send to the person who wins May’s Made-It-Up Monday.
My friend, author Kasey Mathews, is offering a copy of her new release PREEMIE. I got to read her memoir before it was even in book form, and all I can say is that this is a wonderful read for anyone who has had a difficult delivery — but especially for people who have given birth to preemies or micro-preemies. People who read this book will want to squeeze their children. PREEMIE reminds us that every day really is a miracle.
.
Author Elena Aitken is offering a download of her newest book SUGAR CRASH. I read it while I was on vacation. It is a must-read for anyone whose life has been impacted by Juvenile Diabetes. You will love Taylor and her mom, Darci.
World famous author Tyler Tarver is offering a download of his newest release LETTERS TO FAMOUS PEOPLE. There isn’t much I can say about Tyler without his wife coming to git me. Dude is hot. Also, he is a math teacher. Oh, he makes great videos and comes up with some of the funniest similes, metaphors and analogies ever. I’m not sure he even knows he is doing it. I didn’t think math people could write the way Tyler does. Wow, I think might be mathist. But I guess the first step is admitting I have a problem. So I will. I can’t do math. Did I mention Tyler is hot?
I have a HOTDOG YOGA rollpack for one lucky yogi in the house. That bit of awesome-sauce comes courtesy of my friend in real life friend, C.F.O. and big blogger, Michael Hess of Skooba Design. (I like this video that shows Michael suffering making a video the best.)
And oh yes! I have all these old New Years 2012 cards pretty stationery upon which I will write super creepy personalized messages to 3 lucky winners.
But as always, with unconditional love, there are strings attached. 😉
You’ll see as we go along!
So get psyched, my fellow twits.
It’s kind of going to be like THE HUNGER GAMES — except not at all like that. I don’t think anyone is going to have to die. Probably.
All winners will be determined by Random Number Generator and announced on June 1 (at which time there will be 22 days until my son’s bar mitzvah).
I should probably start exercising or something.
But let’s start with a little teaser right now.
Would you like to receive a special something from me? I have a copy of THE WRITE BRAIN WORKBOOK which features 366 writing exercises to help you exercise your creative writing muscles. Interested?
For one entry, answer the following question:
If we were to get together for a blogoversary lunch, where would we go, and what do you recommend I order?
For two additional entries: Tweet this post.
For three additional entries, Facebook share this post.
For five additional entries, mention my blogoversary on your own blog!
Just be sure to link back to this page.
For 20 additional entries, send a text message to my iPhone.
Just kidding. Don’t do that.
That’s weird.
Tweet this Twit @rasjacobson
renée a. schuls-jacobson 
We would go to the Cheese Shoppe in Williamsburg, Virginia, and we would order turkey and edam on French bread with house dressing. You want to do this.
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I have never been there but that sounds delicious. Yummmmmmmm. Meanwhile, I could just eat you for dessert, cupcake! Wow, that sounds naughty. 😉
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Trust me when I say that you’re better off dining at the Cheese Shoppe. It is not to be missed. And when you leave, you can take some bread ends with house dressing to much on the ride home. I’m having an awful craving right now! And happy anniversary!!
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I don’t want to be entered in the giveaway, but I wanted to send congrats on another great year of posts and conversation! We would totally go to the Farmer’s Market to stock up on goods and then go to Marie Catribs nearby. You can’t go wrong with anything 😉
http://mariecatribs.com/
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Awwwww, thanks Abby. You shall not be entered. BUT please tell me what I should eat. Or what you would eat. I don’t know what Marie Catribs is. Would we eat cat? Say it isn’t so.
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That’s why I linked to the menu 😉
It’s all organic and delicious for vegans (me) and even meat eaters (you, I think.) I like the Porto or any of the hummus, macrobiotic plates. The desserts? Out. Of. This. World.
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Ooooh! A gyro for me, please. And can we share the trio of dips? Is it wrong to salivate this much at 9 AM?
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Happy blogoversary! It’s great to see a love like you and blog still going strong. 😉 I’m taking you to the Clearwater Cafe, and we’re ordering a pile of the yummiest onion rings you’ve ever tasted!
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I’ve been to a Clearwater Cafe! Are you talking near Tampa? If so, shut the front door! Onion rings with Ellie Ann could actually happen!
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Happy Blogoversary Renee! Very fun.
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Thanks Marilyn. And thanks for staying with me this year!
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We would go to the dining hall and I recommend the grilled cheese with the cream of tomato soup…. 🙂
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Oh Ginny! You know my heart! Too bad this is decided by Random Number Generator.
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We’d climb Sulfur Mountain and then go to the Banff Hot Springs. Or we’d sit on my deck and chat for hours. That is all.
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Can we please? Do all of that? For hours. iykwim. 😉
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Happy Blogoversary, lady. You bring class, charm, knowledge, brains, wit, substance to the blogosphere. Thanks for the quality stuff, the quality site. Reading you is a pleasure. Food for my brain and I miss the work environment: I do. And I have smart ladies like you know, and I thank you for your high standards to never publish a post you’re not proud of.
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Thanks Alex! Now this Grasshopper needs to learn from her teacher (ie: you) and start getting paid for some of her writing. I just received my first check for my very first post done elsewhere post! Yay! Need more of that!
Now, where are we going to eat? Seriously.
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Happy blog birthday! There is this great bistro near us called 91. We would share some fun blue cheese and balsamic chips – sounds weird, I know, but they are yummy! 😉
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Is weird a new synonym for delicious? If so, it sounds weird. (I dip french fries in blue cheese dressing, so I’m guessing I would LOVE those chips!) Thanks for the blogoversary joy!
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I, too, dip fries in blue cheese! If you like blue cheese, you would love these delicious (yet weird and wacky) chips! 🙂
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Happy Blogoversary.
I would take you somewhere classy, like a bowling alley. You’d order something exotic, like a fully loaded chili dog. I’d have a burrito on top of a pizza inside of a sandwich topped with spaghetti. It’s my regular dish. Afterwards, we would not bowl, but we would play that game in the arcade where you try and grab a teddy bear with the lowering claw. We’d play until they asked us to leave, which wouldn’t be long, because I’m a sore loser, and if I don’t get the bear straight away, I will rock the machine until it does my bidding. Classy. To the core.
I tweeted this post and also liked it on FB.
Done.
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I also “liked” it for real, in my head, and told several people, in real life, that I liked it. I asked them to retweet me. They just looked at me funny.
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Kevin.
I think you have won my heart. I totally want exotic bowling alley food with you and then stick my fingers into those finger holes and then eat some more without even washing my hands. The arcade games would just be a bonus. You are probably my dream date.
Although Hubby might not like that so much.
Thanks for the tweeting and the Facebook loving. 😉
Now it is up to Random Number Generator. She’s really mean.
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Happy Blogiversary! I’d take you to Lakeside Bakery where we’d eat any number of delicious freshy baked produce and stella coffee! (and free wifi ;))
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We could eat baked goods and blog side-by-side. Dreamy! 😉
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Holy crap–your first commenter recommended The Cheese Shop in Williamsburg, which was my second home in law school! That might be the place I would take you. Or we’d go out for Thai, Vietnamese or Sushi. I can never ever make up my mind!
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The Cheese Shop sounds really good. And the fact that you know of it! Outstanding! You might need to check out cupcake! 😉
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I must check out cupcake!
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Happy happy Blogiversary!!
I’m with Leanne. I’d totally crash the Banff Springs party. But then we’d go for dinner on the deck of my cabin and stare at the beautiful lake eating a random assortment of tapas that require no prep. Cause that’s how I roll…
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So we could be a threesome? iykwim! Sounds good to me! 😉
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HAPPY 2nd BLOGOVERSARY, Renee! Look at’choo hob-nobbin’ with the bloggy elite, just as it should be. I’m so glad we ‘found’ each other. I really want that creepy note. So…
I would want to take you to my favorite restaurant, called At Toute Heure (people just call it ATH). It’s a bistro with white french doors that open on the street, kind of yuppy clientele, but a laid-back couple owns the place and they serve all local, farm-fresh food, which is written on a big chalk board. See? Chalk board, to make you feel at home! I would make sure you tried their homemade french fries and one of their incredible desserts. They also have this amazing chocolate-coffee drink.
Or we could just go to Cheeques.
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That sounds so fancy, Julie. But everything in french sounds fancy. I like to support farm-fresh, local restaurants.
As far as I’m concerned, we could just nibble stuff from the basket which I just won at your place! I don’t mean to be all braggy but… whoo hoo! I won Julie’s Birthday Basket of Deliciousness y’all.
Into Random Number Generator you go! 😉
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Ooooh, you had me at “cyberswag!” (What a great word!!) Happy bloggy anniversary month…so impressed with your stats. You number of comments is particularly impressive.
I’m in the middle of Kasey’s book right now and I love it. I’ve got to finish it so I can review it for Risky Baby Business.
Put me in the hat for CYBERSWAG. (I just had to say it again.)
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Jenny! I forgot you have Kasey’s book! Okay, I’m doing her giveaway on 5/29, the day she said the book is going up on the shelves. Or maybe that is 5/28. She is an old friend from middle school, and we had all the same English teachers so that means my book should be equally awesome. Or not. I’m so excited for her and that the two of you connected. Duh!
Random Number Generator has given you a vote for this post. Now off to see what’s been going on on Twitter & Facebook today and to create a lovely Excel file to keep track of all this cyberswagiliciousness. How’s that for cowbell? 😉
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Oh, I’ve SO got this! We would, of course, go to my favorite local dive, Instant Karma, and I would recommend you get the Angry Redneck Dog (oh, yes, I would. Bacon wrapped hot dogs. Come on, what more could a nice Jewish girl want?) and a side of sweet potato fries. Wash it down with a cold lager (wait, is this a working lunch? If so we’d better make it two….)
OK, not only do I like the looks of that book, I really just look for any chance I can get to promote Instant Karma (seriously, it’s that good).
Happy blogoversary!!!! And thanks for always being the awesome mentor you are!
Dawn
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Instant Karma sounds delightful. I might just have to watch you eat your bacon wrapped hot dogs. All those nitrites would likely give me a killer migraine. But no worries: This contest is up to Random Number Generator. It is my understanding that she likes bacon a lot. 😉
Thanks for the well-wishing and for your wonderful post last month!
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While I didn’t forget about your migraines (I suffer them myself – tho not as bad as you), I did not think about the connection between them and hot dogs. Bummer. Well, they do have salmon dogs….
And, again, thanks for having me over here. It was a great thrill for me 🙂
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I’ll eat a salmon dog with you while you nom nom nom on all that bacon! 😉
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I swear: Your blog – greatest rising of the century! You are awesome! Hope the countdown to the bar mitvah is just as successful and full of celebration and support!
If I got to take you out for your blogiversary: We’d go to Bodega Brew Pub, spin the wheel to try one of their 100+ different beers, and hit up their mainly organic menu! The tomato basil soup is awesome and I’m a fan of the turkey, apple, beet chutney sandwich, it’s good! Are you down for some artichoke dip as an appetizer? It’s on me, party girl!
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Jess! That is high praise from the high priestess of party! Since I don’t drin alcohol, can I just spin the wheel? That sounds like fun — I can pretend I’m on The Price is Right! But I’m all over that tomato-basil soup. And yes, thank you, I’d love to share artichoke dip with you. Yummy!
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Happy Blog Birthday, my friend! Thanks for the shout-out and for the opportunity to write that post for you in the first place.
So glad our journeys together are continuing…
(As is the countdown toward the Bar Mitzvah. What.)
I’ll be hanging here all month, as always.
And all year. And until whenever.
Just keep the words coming.
We will, too. (IYKWIM)
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Julie!
Always happy to sing your praises. So cool to have moved from cyber-crush to cyber-friend to Facebook friend. Maybe one day we’ll be able to do something in real life.
Gawd, do you think there is a chance you might hate me?
Cuz that would suck.
Until then, I’m all up in your junk. Kind of like your OB/GYN.
And for those of you who haven’t read Julie’s blog yet today. You should.
And then that reference will make more sense. 😉
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Happy anniversary and hugely impressive numbers.
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Apparently, there are a lot of big mouths around here! LOL! That doesn’t include my comments. That would add another six million, I’m sure. 😉
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Wow that’s alot of comments.
We would go to Piha beach, get wood fired pizzas and kumara chips with aoili from the local cafe then sit on the sand dunes and eat them while drinking L&P.
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Kelliefish!
Beach! Ohhhh. Le sigh. I so want to eat something on the beach right now. Can I have fish tacos? Or are they yucky? I like to eat fish at the beach. Is that wrong?
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No but you can have fish ‘n’ chips all wrapped up in a paper, its the ultimate beach food here.
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Happy Blogoversary!
As for lunch, I know this great little I-talian rest-runt not far from here. You’ve got to try their signature spagetti…or a huge sub…no, eggplant parm…
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Eye-Tail-eee-an? Sounds poy-fect! 😉 *pats tummy*
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Wow! What an extravaganza! If you were to come here, I would probably take you to Carmel’s on a Tuesday, when they have all-you-can-eat sushi. It’s really, realllllly good. I haven’t been in a while, either, so you should totally come so I have an excuse to go. 🙂
Also, how do you have time to put together such amazing blog posts while being t-minus 54 days to bar mitzvah? Impressive! And best wishes for all the bar mitzvah preparations and celebrations! Exciting.
I’m off to tweet and FB share!
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Rivki! Sushi is my number 1 fave. I can’t believe no one else has said it. We’ll see what Random Number Generator says. I love fresh salmon sushi. So. Much.
And don’t even remind me about the BM. I’m flailing. In June, I’ll write about that!
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We would have to go out for a buffalo burger at Ted’s.
Happy Blogiversary!!!!
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Yummy! Sounds delicious! I’m always up for a burger! 😉
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Happy Blogoversary, Renée! I don’t need any entries, but I just wanted to pop by and say hello to mark the date. I might be quiet around here, but I’m still reading. Here’s to the coming year!
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KB! Thank you so much for bopping by! I won’t enter you to win cyberswag BUT… (shhh…where should we eat? Seriously!) 😉
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I love that lice post… I bet I read it at least 70 times a day. 🙂 Happy blogoversary and congrats to your son!
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Hahahaha! Thanks Cowboy! 😉
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Happy Blogoversary! I recommend eating at a cafe located on a pedestrian walkway in Jerusalem: a cup of coffee and a bowl of French onion soup with melted cheese on top. Yum! And great people watching too!
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Yummy! And right in the nick of time! I just put up a new post, so I’m closing up the comments here.
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Congrats on your Blogoversary, Renee! Congratulations also to your son on his milestone. Still don’t know how to tweet. Don’t hate me. Please.
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Oh Erm! I could never hate you! Ever. I just wanted to tweet with you. I know. It sounds naughty, doesn’t it? 😉
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Amen! You are almost there. Happy Blogoversary! There is quite a cornucopia of fabulessness here…:)
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Thanks Shannon! I have some wonderful peeps here.
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Don’t enter me, but wanted to say “yasher koach” on three years! That’s a huge accomplishment!
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But if one uses a writing prompt how does that make it creative? Lunch. Vanessa’s (if its still there) in the Village, NYC. Medallions of veal.
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