Monday 12 August 2013

Anti Blog Gary Fest .... bungee jumping, spam, word verification ...


Which way round should this be?  Anti Gary Blog Fest, Anti Blogfest Gary ... just an  anti A-Z for Gary who prefers to start backwards ... and in some ways I agree with him ...
 
'nuff said!


... but I get muddled very easily ... and when we (all 1699 of us) are doing F for Feasts, or Fruit, or Fishcakes ... G for Gary is doing U for U(A)nti, U for Uppity, U for Unacceptable to do the A – Z conventionally ..





Even worse - no order at all,
but pretty I think!
So without further ado and without all the razzamatazz  ... all that nitty gritty detail is with the conforming bloggers – I almost slot into Gary’s Leeky life – found here with each of the hosts with the moistest



So thanks to the Aloha kid Mark and his able cohorts AlexTinaRobyn, and Morgan, today's anti-blogfest blogfest is a shout-out and salute of appreciation for the lovable Gary .


Me ... I am so anti ... and now Blogger's dots and with pictures floating around .. it'll be even worse - oh well!!!!!

  • Spam – not this sort ... but spammy (see below) comments – and I always check and delete them, before any of my readers hits their site and who knows where that might lead ...
special recipes available
just ask .. well preferably
don't!

  • While I’m on this topic Word Verification ... does this irritate – I can understand at times or for a period, but it puts me off ... and I am tempted to not visit – except I often forget til I’ve commented .. then woe is me!

  • Most of you will know that CAPTCHA is an acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans apart” – frankly us humans can do that normally – can’t we?
Spam Musubi -
especially for Aloha! Mark

  • I know, at times, I need to put on comment moderation, when people are being pains ... and I have one commenter at the moment ‘Amy’ .. who gets dumped into spam as soon as I pick it up ... they do waste our time.

Totally, not necessary Hilary -
'cept to say it's out of order





  • And then last but not least I would not join anyone on a bungee jump blogfest, especially if I had to recite the alphabet backwards ... just not funny!

Victoria Falls and bridge



Well that’s me ... three anti-Gary-anti-something blogfest ideas –





Free fall ... but this is not where I'm going sadly!

As a last note – I’m away for 3 days and will almost certainly disconnect ... as it’s lots of travelling and dashing from place to place ... my brain can ‘rest’ on its laurels, while it collects rather more new information than perhaps it needs to acquire at this stage ...
Gary's delightful 'Penny, the
Modest Internet Star'




Oh Penny – I do hope you can pacify Gary ... and he’ll be a happy boy after all these games with his anti life ...


Cheers to you all ...


Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

64 comments:

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Oh how I loathe the CAPTCHA. Sometimes I can barely read them at all!!

Beatrix said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Safe travels! And no one likes word verification or spam.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Hope you have a great trip!

I'm no fan of CAPTCHA...or spam...or things accidentally going into the spam folder (which tends to happen a lot on my blog!)

Trisha said...

I hate CAPTCHA too, but I am now thinking that I hate DISQUS more. I can usually fumble my way through a CAPTCHA blog, but DISQUS messes me up every time and so I have just taken to giving up on blogs that require me to use DISQUS.

Liesel K. Hill said...

Great blogfests! Good call bringing in spam and captcha, which annoy most bloggers. :D

Here are mine!

Manzanita said...

captcha ... what an irritation that is. My eyes are poor and I waste so much time with it, I often just walk away. I only like the last cha.... makes me think of the cha cha cha.

Spammy Pammy....another one for the books. Help, I've been spammed and can't get up.

TALON said...

Those word verifications always annoy me because inevitably, I type the completely wrong thing and end up doing it like 3x...and you're right. Sometimes it's necessary, but mostly it's just a pain in the you-know-where.

I'm smiling about Gary and his reversing things, Hilary. Love those that go against the norm.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

I think we ALL hate that word verification thingie. Not even just words anymore; now they throw itty bitty fuzzy numbers into the mix, as well. Swell.

Spam? Not too awful with scrambled eggs.

Bungie jumping? No thanks. I mean, how exactly do they do "quality control" on those things? Oops, darn, that one was a little too long... or too stretchy... toss it out? I pass.

Enjoy your holiday! (And take lots of pictures for us!)

Mark Means said...

Well, Hilary, if anyone can turn spam into something good...it's you and your culinary talents :)

Not a fan of bungee jumping (or heights, for that matter) either.

Have a great trip :)

Tina said...

Have a great trip! Good choices for fests. I'm sure Gary, and the rest of us, will stay away from them!
Tina @ Life is Good

Morgan said...

You know I've never tried SPAM???? It looks so gross!!!

(Too funny, Hilary! And I LOVE your profile picture. So gorgeous!)

Murees Dupè said...

Spam and Captcha are both terrible. I hope you enjoy the few days off.

Hart Johnson said...

TOTALLY with you on those annoying qualities! I think the latter 2 are efforts of newbies to protect themselves, but yeah... not any more effective--just a way to annoy your fellow bloggers.

Vallypee said...

I'm afraid I don't understand what this is all about, but it seems quite fun and sort of back to front anyway!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Keith, Alex, Elizabeth, Trisha, Karen, Liesel, Manzanita, Talon, Susan, Mark, Tina, Morgan, Murees, Hart and Val ... thanks so pleased you agree with me ..

.. and then have added some extras - like dropping into spam (I get that occasionally),

... and Disqus - pains me too!

@ Trisha- thanks re Disqus ..

@ Liesel - nice to meet you ... I'll be over to catch up ..

@ Talon - I love Gary's take on life .. but sometimes takes me a while to adjust my brain settings!

@ Susan - Spam isn't too awful I agree .. but it's not something I'd rather eat now!

Bungie jumping - yes I hadn't thought about Health and Safety or quality control - no idea and that's when it goes wrong ... and head hits water or something ... NOT NICE as you imply ..

@ Mark - thanks re my apparent cooking skills - spam might be ok too .. I used to quite enjoy deep fried spam with pickles - but I was a kid!! Not now-a-days ...

@ Morgan - something to try????

Thanks re my new pic ...

@ Val - you got the gist of it .. and I didn't spell it out I'm afraid .. most of us will know what's happening .. sorry!

Cheers to you all - and yes .. it's a 'hairy' trip .. lots of museums and exhibitions .. I'll be moving around ... London and Durham and London back Thursday night ...

Better get off to visit other Gary entrants ... happy times - Hilary

Rosaria Williams said...

Not your usual essay, but fun nevertheless!

Al Diaz said...

I wouldn't join the bunji jump blogfest either, hahaha.

Gattina said...

I hate word verification it's only a loss of time ! After 5 posts I ask for comment moderation, and therefore have very few spam. I delete each suspicious link immediately.
I don't know this Gary and don't understand the anti blog fest !

Suzanne Furness said...

Count me out of any bungee jumping, definitely! Enjoy your trip away

Jeremy [Retro] said...

i like sapm, in a can... captcha is for chumps!

The Blog-fest that make me want to say "NO"...
Jeremy H.

New Look, New Name and Same Stuff...
[Being-Retro]

Jeremy [Retro] said...

yeah... i know "spam"... quick-draw i turned out to be...

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I delete the spam comments right away, too. Most of them are just trying to get a free link.

Michelle Wallace said...

I think that the Word Verification and CAPTCHA designers are in cahoots with the World Optometrist Society... you have to squint and strain your eyes because they make those letters so skewed and undecipherable, that it's destined to lead to global ocular trauma... sooner or later...
Great no-no blogfests Hilary!
Writer In Transit

Bish Denham said...

Oh those word verifications drive me batty.

Have a wonderful few days off!

Anonymous said...

LOL! I really enjoyed this post Hilary. Enjoy your hols. Perhaps there should be a spam word verification word! I got lobbed into someone's spam when i replied 4x on one post! Off to check out Gary & Penny's blog now.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Rosaria . no - apologies if my posts are like essays to you .. I don't often do blog-hops .. but occasionally I come out of the woodwork!

@ Al - bunjee jumping is a no no no no .. in my life! Glad you agree ..

@ Gattina - no worries .. look around and you'll catch on .. but WV is terrible isn't it .. I sometimes ask - someone I asked and that was that .. blanked!

@ Suzanne - thanks .. bunjee jumping is a bit much to think about .. I'd rather think travels and trips!

@ Jeremy - I'm concerned .. spam straight from the tin?! Well now I consider obviously not ..

I'm often way too fast for my own good .. such is life .. and my typing fingers don't always help!

@ Diane .. yes I agree .. just sometimes they're persistent, but totally irrelevant ..

If they're trying to get a free link .. that I don't mind so much - but I'll delete them as and when - however the ones who are there for I know not what .. I'm not happy about ..

@ Michelle - something's wrong somewhere with Captcha and WV ... thankfully I can manage - but people with poor eyesight I feel for ..

@ Bish - aren't the WVs awful ..

@ Madeleine - not really hols .. just a break to see some exhibitions ...

Just occasionally comments get lobbed into spam - and I need to rescue them .. occasionally I'll have to put them there myself .. what a time waster!

Glad you're joining us ..

Cheers to you all - Gary will be totally bemused, I suppose he might get Penny to answer ....?

We'll see .. Hilary

Christine Rains said...

I dislike CAPTCHA too. Great ideas!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I'm too much of a chicken to even watch someone go bungee jumping. CAPTCHA is one of the most ridiculous things in the world.

Thanks for these great contributions to our Garyfest, Hillary.

Be well.
xoRobyn

Chancelet said...

Those are three unworthy bloghops that I almost shut my eyes, screamed outloud and threw the computer (or in this case, my phone) against the wall!

Patsy said...

I really, really dislike CAPTCHA a lot and it does put me off leaving comments. Trouble is it's a default setting and we don't see it on our own blogs so a lot of bloggers don't know they have it set up.

Luanne G. Smith said...

I'm so tempted to host a CAPTCHA blogfest now -- most creative use of word verification clues in a short story, or something like that.

Safe travels. It's always healthy to unplug for a few days.

loverofwords said...

Have an interesting time, but you will because you are interested in everything around you. Short trips can be terrific too.

Empty Nest Insider said...

I also get frustrated with word verification and spam. I'm getting dizzy just thinking about reciting the alphabet backwards while bungee jumping! Have a great trip Hilary!

Julie

A Lady's Life said...

I seem to have stopped most of the spam but now they come in as anonymous or as plain advertising from blogs.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Christine - just an opportunity to air my grievances! with a fun bungee ..

@ Robin - I think I'm probably with you on not even looking at someone bungee jumping. Captcha and WV just needed an airing by me!

@ Nancy - well I'm glad the phone survived because you'll need for the odd captcha and wv blog! Lovely to see you ..

@ Patsy - the trouble is we often don't remember people have it on til we've commented and then realise we need to go through the hoops ..

@ Luanna - that's a great idea, cept you'll have few takers! If they stick with their thoughts here .. but I rather like the idea ..

@ Tasha - thanks so much .. it will be a fun very busy trip ..

@ Julie - glad you picked up the bit about reciting the alphabet backwards while bungee jumping ...

@ A Lady's Life - anything that's unnecessary is a waste of time .. so frustrating ... glad yours has mostly stopped ..

Cheers to you all - it'll be a fun trip and I'm looking forward to being unplugged. Happy rest of the week .. see you Friday - Hilary

dolorah said...

When I first started blogging I got a kick out finding or making up words from the verification. The more people I followed and commented on the less fun it was. Captcha is worse than the word verif thing. I usually give up after the second try and I still can't decipher the images.

Have a wonderful trip Hilary.

.....dhole

Juliet said...

I usually have to have several tries before I get the word verification right. Definitely an 'anti' for me, but then I do get spammers. Ah well, nothing's perfect. Have a nice trip Hilary.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Donna - yes it seems we all went that route with WV - but now it's a pain and captcha .. occasionally I get stuck and give up - I do just hate it!

@ Juliet - I can usually manage in one go .. but it'll bomb me out too - yes and unnecessary and unwanted, irrelevant comments are just plain inconvenient ..

Cheers to you both and about to set off shortly .. Hilary

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Hilary,

STILL LOVING your PIC.... YOU really look quite fetching in that hat!!!!

CAPTCHA... FUOEY!!!!!! YUK! Hate it! So annoying,

I'd pass on the bungy thing too....

And Spam... GROSS!

Have a wonderful week and enjoy your three days ....

Friko said...

Hilary,
I really wish I could understand what this blogfest business is all about. anti or pro Gary or anything or anyone else.
I must be particularly stupid.
Perhaps, when you get back from gallivanting, you could explain?

I hate spam and I hate word verification, so at least we’re both singing from the same hymn sheet on that one.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Hilary, have a lovely trip and enjoy the special light in your area of the world.

Mary Montague Sikes

Deniz Bevan said...

I agree with you! I wouldn't celebrate any of those things either. Bungee jumping, eek!

Your previous post reminded me of a bit of research I need to do for a possible story - how the English coastline has changed over the years. So many fascinating topics to study!

cleemckenzie said...

I hate those Captcha thingys too. Then the message "Your comment will be available after approval." What?

Glad you're into Bungee Jumping. Me neither!

Anonymous said...

DO enjoy your travels! And who doesn't hate the captchas!!! There have been times when I have wanted to comment on a new blog but gave up....

Julia Hones said...

Enjoy your trip dear Hilary!
I'm sure Gary is feeling happy to feel so much love from the blogging network.
Hugs,
Julia

klahanie said...

Hi Hilary,

Can you believe it? It has taken me until Wednesday morning to get to your site. Humble apologies.

Thank goodness I don't have to prove I'm not a robot. An android, maybe. Spam-I-Am, of course not!

Ugh, the alphabet challenge. It brought a tear to my eye when my rebellious alternative met up with the rest of you at the letter "M".

Three exceptional non-choices, Hilary. I would not join a bungee jump blogfest and maybe do the alphabet song is reverse like this,

*Singing* : "Z - Y - X - W - V - U - T

S - R - Q - P - O - N - M - L - K

J - I - H - G - F and E

D - C - B and A

Now I know my Z - Y - X's

Wont you sing this song of perplexes."

Or maybe you prefer seeing uʍop ǝpısdn ʇǝqɐɥdןɐ ǝɥʇ

Thanks for being part of the irony, dear friend. Wishing you a fun three days away.

Penny sends you pawsitive wishes.

Penny's alleged human,

Gary :)

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Dang, I didn't beat Gary to your site. I'm slipping, I know. Great choices, Hilary. I hate that verification thingy too. BTW, love your new profile pic. You are so darn cute.

Jo said...

I agree, I hate Captcha, but when someone gets inundated by Spam I can see why they would use it. I guess some people haven't got the time to check comments before they are posted.

Love this post Hilary. Enjoy your days off. Looking forward to mine in September.

Margie said...

Enjoy your travels!
Take care.

Silvia Writes said...

Have fun out there. For us, with almost all kids back in school, summer is just about over (the official summer anyway). And you sure made spam sound interesting. :) Don't like the verification letter/number deal either.

Best,
Silvia.

Lynn said...

Oh my - Spam. I can remember my mom sticking cloves in it to make it decorative. Shudder!!! :)

I hope you are having a wonderful traveling time.

JJ said...

I hate the same things as everyone else. I would rather eat Spam! Cheers.

Romance Reader said...

Hate, hate, hate captchas. Sometimes I just leave the site if I miss the first time.

Nas

Julie Flanders said...

Captchas are an absolute nightmare. Especially since I seem to need new glasses and I have more and more trouble reading the letters! Gary is great and it's been fun reading all these anti-posts. And Penny is such a little doll, what a cutie.

Enjoy your time away! :)

mail4rosey said...

I'm not a big fan of captcha. Enjoy your darting about!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Michael .. well so glad you agree with me - and then my hat! Thanks .. and I had a great time ..

@ Friko - no you're not at all - I've emailed you .. which I hope helps - perhaps not!! I don't explain blog fest here - I just do them rarely.

Same hymn sheet - that's for sure ..

@ Monti - had a lovely time .. and it was sunny!- the light down here is exceptional at times ...

@ Deniz - great to see you .. and researching our coastline - interesting to find out about ... there are areas where it hasn't moved, and areas where the coastline is crumbling away ... enjoy that research ..

@ Lee - well yes .. I don't mind things going into moderation - 'cept I forget and then think I haven't commented or it didn't take - it on occasions can be a pain.

Bungee jumping can be left to others ..

@ Ann - wonderful to see you here .. been thinking about you ...

@ Julia - well I guess he's still working his way round .. I have to catch up with him ...

@ Gary and Penny - great reply-comment - I still need to visit everyone ... somewhat behind ... I'll be starting at double ZZ ...

@ Joylene - getting round everyone is a mad-slow dash .. I have to catch up too this time ...

Lovely seeing you here .. and thanks re the profile pic ..

@ Jo - I let mine through, though I'd thought about putting comment moderation on - thankfully I didn't need to ...

Thanks - it was a happy gripey post! but I enjoyed the Gary part .. holidays - I'd love to have one .. enjoy yours ..

@ Margie - thanks had a fun time ..

@ Silvia - I know, people with children are 'locked into' summertime aren't they - lots going on - then suddenly the quiet returns.

Spam wasn't bad then - but now .. I'd rather avoid it!

@ Lynn - cloves in spam to actually decorate it up ... that is a most gross thought!!! No wonder you shudder and still are no doubt!

Thanks re the travel ..

@ JJ - I think you might be right there .. I'd rather eat spam sometimes ..

@ Nas - if I've gone to the trouble of wanting to leave a comment .. I do get irritated if captchas don't let me through ...

I have asked people to take them off .. and in one instance got 'sacked' by them! One less blog to visit!!

@ Julie - oh Julie .. I'm so lucky with my eyesight - good luck with your eyes ...

Gary is a great chap isn't he .. so caring for others .. while Penny keeps him sane (as do we I hope!!) ..

Cheers to you all - I had a lovely time .. and post will follow - tomorrow at rate I'm going .. Hilary

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Rosy .. I had a lovely time and I just missed you before I posted my comments ... Cheers Hilary

Marja said...

checked out garry Cool. I am always fighting with the word verification A tester of patients. I always use comment moderation. Turned it of twice and got such a spam attack that I turned it on straight away again

Marja said...

checked out garry Cool. I am always fighting with the word verification A tester of patients. I always use comment moderation. Turned it of twice and got such a spam attack that I turned it on straight away again

jabblog said...

Going through something in the correct order is quite trying enough for me - I enjoy randomness but not if it creates brain-ache.
Enjoy your exhibitions:-)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Marja - Gary is a fun character with some interesting posts ... WV is a right pain isn't it ...

Comment moderation is fine - at least I know I can comment ... I do use it occasionally ...

@ Janice - oh I agree .. I do things my way, unless, exactly as you say, it creates brain-ache!

I did enjoy the exhibitions - thanks so much ..

Cheers to you both - Hilary

Amanda Trought said...

Well I know you had a great time!

I remember spam from childhood, we used to have spam fritters - I really never liked it, i was surprised to see that they still sell it.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Amanda .. it's been a fun blog fest for Gary - I think he's still recovering!

Spam fritters - yes I remember those .. once in a while they were ok! Now it's cheap food - hence it is still around ...

Cheers Hilary