[logo designed by Melissa at Operation Nice]
Random Acts of Kick Arse is the brain child of our lovely Sami May of Life, Laughs, and Lemmings. Simply put, each month a randomly selected member of the RAOKA seed group is selected to choose a theme for the month. And at the end of the month, we all post our musings about what we experienced, saw, or received in regard to that theme—the sky’s the limit. Anyone can contribute his or her findings, too, by going to Sami’s site (see instructions at the end of this post).
When I heard Lance was chosen to select December’s RAOKA theme, I braced myself. This guy is seriously courageous and not afraid to try new things. In fact, Lance chose the word COURAGEOUS for his “word” in 2009—and by all measures I think it absolutely manifested! And if you visit his post, you’ll also see his word for 2010 is SPLASH!
I’m assuming he wanted to get his year off to a stellar start to make a SPLASH!, so maybe that’s why he chose the word ‘WACKY’ for December? How fun is this? I’m thrilled!
Wacky Hamsters!
I’m starting off my wacky treasure trove to document my Wacky December with a photo of a stocking stuffer I received from my step-daughter, check it out! Apologies for using mild profanity, but WTF?? I was laughing my arse off at the wackiness, that’s for sure! My step-daughter is a trip, and, as you might ascertain, effin’ funny!
Who in the heck thinks erasers should be formed into hamster shapes??? Can I apply for THAT job??
Wacky Skateboarding Peaceful Alien!
OK, here’s a random photo of wacky I happened upon at Flickr, which I fell in love with. Again, it made me laugh out loud—have I totally lost my noodles or what?
I love seeing aliens flashing the peace sign!
[Photo courtesy Erin MC hammer]
A Wacky Experiment in Providing News!
Finally, I really love this next one: my husband, Scott, happened across a group of people vying to show that a well-done newspaper is still viable in this day and age, and can be a business success (i.e., make enough money to pay the staff, distribute, etc.). Scott bought me a copy as he knows my love for layout, writing, and graphic design.
It’s called the San Francisco Panorama—and there is no free online content, just this one newspaper done as an experiment. I thought this was a wacky idea, but I was proven wrong. The paper rocked! It is full of amazing content with beautifully laid-out pages and contributions by people from all over the world. And I mean, high-quality contributions!
The newspaper also came with a separate book-review focused magazine, a pull-out poster, and an additional magazine called The Panorama Magazine. Initially, the print run was distributed locally on the SF street corners and via local businesses, but has since been distributed to bookstores nationally. Pick up a copy if you see it in a bookstore near you. (No, I’m not an affiliate and make no profit from featuring the newspaper, in case you are curious.)
(Click image to go to online view of this page, and for more information.)
This act of defiance—which was met with great success—made me pine away at working for a newspaper. While I actually physically don’t like holding newspapers (the paper/ink feels creepy in my hand, or dare I say, WACKY!), I loved perusing this newspaper and fancy the thought of pushing for the news via print—especially another issue of the SF Panorama!
Call it WACKY nostalgia, but me likes it.
If you’re feeling the wacky love and have a post to add to the collection, stop by Sami’s site where she’s uploaded a linking function— just fill in the box with your site link and your link will appear on her post for all to see!
Take some time to visit other RAOKA posts, too:
Sami at Life, Laughs & Lemmings
Lance at Jungle of Life
Dani at Positively Present
Brandi at Joy Rebel
Melissa at Operation Nice
RAOKA supporters to check out:
Keith at Think for Money
Gayze at Gazehound’s Animal Communication
Zeenat at Positive Provocations
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January Theme: Gratitude (as chosen by Melissa from Operation Nice)
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Lori,
So…your pet hamsters! They came with their own cage and everything!! And they are really erasers? Pencil top erasers? They add some flair to life…and in a wacky sort of way – that’s all sorts of awesome!
What I find interesting about the newspaper is that when I think San Francisco, I think digital, Internet-based, e-conomy. So, in the face of all this – the Panorama is showing that old school still works when it’s done right! Pretty wacky-cool!!
Happy Wacky Wednesday Lori!!!!
Lance´s last blog ..RAOKA: Wackiness
Lance,
Yeah, that’s right! They came in a hamster cage, with foam bedding and everything! And like you said at my Twitter page – I don’t even have to feed them – very low maintenance. (Unlike me – ha)
And that’s a very good point, Lance, SF is supposed to be innovative and ‘techie’, and both Scott and I were surprised to see this push for a quality ‘ole newspaper. It’s really pretty cool – and the layouts are gorgeous!
It makes me think that this is what newspapers looked like in the heyday – huge spreads, large luxurious paper, and QUALITY NEWS as opposed to the drivel we get drowned with these days by the mass media.
Happy Wacky Wednesday to you, too!
P.S. I can’t BELIEVE YOU DRANK THAT CONCOCTION shown at your site today!! Ewwww!!!
Hi Lori!
I couldn’t miss Wacky Wednesday could I? I’m so often told I’m the wacky one in the family, neighborhood, art league, writers group, you name it. I think I am way more kid now than I was as a kid! Unless that’s some subconscious thing going on to make me feel younger! ha! Love your wacky pets!
suzen´s last blog ..The Down Side of Being Good?
Hi suZen!
This Wednesday is certainly Wacky – you got that right!
Somehow I had a feeling you’d fit right in – I suspected you’re full of wackiness. Thanks for confirming my suspicions (and good for you!!).
Congrats for being more like a kid now then when you were actually a kid. That takes effort, and a willingness to let go and enjoy – shaka that, girl!
Those hamsters are a trip – in fact I’m keeping them on my desk to help me maintain an attitude of lightheartedness. It’s working!
Take care, Suzen.
Wacky, eh? Well I predict that you’ll win the contest this month! Although it’ll be a close race between you and Lance, I envision a last-minute charge to the finish line from you, leading to a true photo-finish of who’s the wackiest of them all!
Jay Schryer´s last blog ..At Last, Me Again.
It’s funny, but I felt this months has flowed ‘easier’ than all the previous months. It just seems natural and normal, for me, to be wacky.
Wacky is as Wacky does.
But, about being the wackiest blogger – I have to give that to Lance. Sheesch – did you see that mess he drank??? Dude, that’s messed up!
Great seeing you here – M2. You light up my world!
Once the economy gets back into wack (i.e., normal people can afford a modest home without life indentured servitude), I ‘spect we’ll see an explosion of `bespoke’ content.
FWIW, one of my closest friends owns howtokickass.com.
Is that not cool or what?
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..As The Internet Evolves – Anonymity Go Bye Bye
Hey Dave,
That’s a good point – and I agree – once the world is hummin’ again, people will be craving fresh, alive content. Even if in newspaper form!
Geez, I can’t believe your friend scooped me with that domain name! Too funny – and full of coolness!
Take it easy – D squared.
Hey there Chicka, or should I say, Wacka (sounds like a typical Aussie nickname)? To the Queen of Wacky from the Princess of Wacky, you rock girl! I gotta gets me one of those hamster erasers. Do they have a lemming version? xxx
Sami – Life, Laughs & Lemmings´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse – Wacky
Hey, Alien Priestess!
(Did you get the hidden meaning behind door (topic) #2?
Those hamsters are a TRIP!! SOoo funny! Like I need yet one more thing on my freakin’ desk, but they’re too cute!
I’m on it – I bet you anything they have lemmings – they even have eraser sushi and eraser birds!
Great effort this month, Sami, the RAOKA troops are growing in number – it’s an unstoppable force!
~xo
You know, I didn’t get the hidden meaning but NOW I do! I must say, I did think the alien rocked. Gotta gets me one of those too! Thanks my padawan alien priestess in training.
Sami – Life, Laughs & Lemmings´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse – Wacky
I’m learning well, the force is with me (well, er, uh, US).
I was dying laughing when I found the macro shot of the skateboarding alien. How funny/wacky is that????
Do you guys have a wacky alert newsletter?
I’ll post something first Wed, if I remember. (“Look! Up in the sky! A pig, with wings!”)
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Made to Stick: Earworms for your brain
January’s RAOKA theme is ‘gratitude’, but, hey, if you want to post wacky in the mean time – I’ll be there reading! Get on board, Dave, let’s do this thing.
I actually thought the wacky theme was the most fun themes yet!
And, hey, a newsletter, that’s an idea that’s got pig wings? (From the kind of pig that flies, that is.)
Hamsters! I love hamsters! I’ve had quite a few as pets … and think your hamster erasers are the coolest. I actually had a hamster, Pippin, who went to college with me. She’d go to certain classes … I’d put her in her little plastic ball and she’d follow me down the hallway into the classroom. When I graduated, one of my profs had an honorary diploma made up for her.
Aliens are kind of cool, too … well, the ones who don’t perform weird experiments on us, anyway.
Thanks for the giggles!
Gayze´s last blog ..If I Had A Million Dollars….
Gayze,
I love your story about the hamster diploma! That is WACKY awesome! Do you still have it? That’d be crazy to see!
I’m lucky that I haven’t been experimented on by aliens – maybe they know I’m a scientist and don’t want me to negatively effect their experiments? Or, maybe I’d be their positive control?
Thanks for stopping over – always great to see you!
~xo
Alas, no, Pippin’s diploma disappeared in one move or the other many years ago.
How do you *know* you haven’t been experimented on by aliens? They do tend to do that memory-erasey thing, after all.
Maybe they used the hamster erasers! A-ha, the plot thickens!
Gayze´s last blog ..RAOKA for December: Wacky
Gayze, you are sooo funny!!!
Ohhhh nooooo – maybe you’re right!!! Maybe the aliens gave me MS!! All those lesions in my brain are from alien scientists probing my grey matter!!! Ahhhh! (ha ha ha ha – too funny!)
At least I have a REASON, now!!
Hey, and it’s a really interesting reason, too!
“That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”
Gayze´s last blog ..RAOKA for December: Wacky
Ha..I dig those hamsters and the wacky space alien…very cool. I think wacky is a great word and it looks like you had some fun exploring your post on this topic. Oh, and I dig the “old school” newspaper…as someone who studied printing in high school and who worked on my school newspaper, I love the McSweeney’s project too. Yeah, its cool to find newspaper content for free on the internet, but nothing like sipping coffee on a Sunday and reading the comics. Thanks for sharing your wackiness!!
Tim´s last blog ..The Friendship Project: Peoplescape (Part One)
Hey Tim,
How’s laughter for 2010 going? Did we help today?
You’re absolutely right, I did unleash lots of fun and craziness with ‘Wacky’ this month. True that!
Have you heard of McSweeney’s? The publisher, McSweeny’s, got a very small group of folks together to produce the SF Panorama in about 8 months as a project. The story is really quite cool.
And, I totally hear you there, I LOVE sipping a good cup ‘o joe while cruising the newspaper. Plus, that brings back such great memories, too.
Thanks for reading and sharing our wacky fun! You’re the best.
P.S. Cool about working on your school paper, too. Were you geeky back then like the dudes that worked on our school paper?
How can you not love “wacky” as a theme? Even the word itself is humorous!
I’m feeling sorry for the hamster that was used as the guinea pig for the erasers. “Here, just sit on this pencil. That’s it. Ok, a little pressure, easy, eeeasssy…”
Yikes
George
George Angus´s last blog ..Ebooks VS Paper: It’s Not All Or Nothing, Folks
Hi George,
I totally agree – wacky was super fun!
Your comment about my poor little eraser hamsters had me cracking up – luckily they have no “holes in said parts” (not pencil erasers) but are meant to be used as a solid eraser – like the old-fashioned gummy erasers, remember those? Other wise, I’d feel too guilty impaling them to use them, too! ha
You CRACK ME UP, KILT BOY!
P.S. When’s the next installment of Orb coming out at your blog? I gotta know what happens next!!!
Hey Lori,
I consulted with our real pet hamster and Hammy sez: This weekend!
Cheers
George
George Angus´s last blog ..Ebooks VS Paper: It’s Not All Or Nothing, Folks
Lori,
My age is showing,I love newspaper! On the farm we lived so far from town we always felt we didn’t know what was going on in the world. My dad would come home with the paper and my sisters and all would run to see who could get it first. Then we’d go right to the Dear Ann Landers column! Is that hilarious or what? Maybe I should just say WACKY
Then when my kids were in early teens The USA came out and I loved it. I don’t buy any now not because I read news online. I just don’t read the news or listen to it for that matter anymore.
When my husband lost his job in April the last thing I needed to hear was how many people were out of work and how there were no jobs to be found.
I’m currently on a news fast because now that he’s working again I find myself wanting to read and listen to CNN more and more.
I’d much rather spend my time being Wacky and Kind! Catch ya…Tess
Tess Bold Life´s last blog ..Local Grocery Store’s Happiest Employee
OK, you have a point there, Tess.
That applies to me too (re: my age is showing)!!
On our farm, we DID THE SAME THING and I’d always hope and pray I got the comics section first before my dorky brothers crumpled the pages! “Keep them neat and clean,” I prayed, “please don’t let my brothers destroy Family Circus!” And same with Ann Landers! HA!! Too funny!
I hear what you’re saying here, Tess, and I completely agree. I don’t have a TV, but get my news, typically, from NPR, and, well, the Daily Show and Colbert Report, too (I subscribe to the episodes via iTunes). At least I can laugh at the news, too!
Glad your husband is back working – great news.
~xo
Hi Lori — I like how you say “you can contribute your findings” — it makes the blogging project sound like cutting-edge research to me! Maybe you can turn it into that with your scientific background.
Ha! That’s funny, Chris.
I try to catch myself when I go into “science mode” when I’m writing – I spent a huge chunk of my life writing research reports, manuscripts for publication/submission, and grants, the science speak is really drilled into me. I think my “science goggles” failed me this time. Ha!
And, you know, I hadn’t thought of that – turning the project into something I can turn into a research project. Hmmm… (can you hear it, the sound of my mind’s gear box?)
Hi Lori,
I love the picture of the alien on the skateboard giving the peace sign! My kind of picture…how can you not smile and laugh when looking at that?????
As for the newspaper, that is another reason why I love San Fran so much. They are so open to such things. That would never happen out here where I live.
Yay for being wacky!!!!
Nadia – Happy Lotus´s last blog ..Deja Vu All Over Again: Personal Journey 2.0, My Poetry Book & A Very Important Question For You
Hi Nadia,
It’s always great to see you here, thanks for taking a break to say hi! And, yeah, I totally agree – I just LOVE the little alien dude. I was searching for macro shots at Flickr – I have a thing for the perspective – not sure why – and I he appeared flashing me the peace sign! Awesome!
Although, I must admit, I really dislike the weather here in SF, I love the attitudes of the people, their openness, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to fit in no matter who you are or what you believe in! How cool is that! It’s especially cool for a natural-born “misfit” like me (ha!).
Thanks for playing the wacky game with us, Nadia! You’re awesome!
Lori´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse: Wacky
I seriously can’t stand how cute those hamster/eraser thingys are. CUTE! I haven’t owned a pencil since I took my last standardized test but I would totally carry one of those guys around.
Hayden Tompkins´s last blog ..Cats! Evil?
When I got these I thought, “What the heck am I going to do with these???” I rarely use pencils, too, but for the occasional sketching project.
But you nailed, it, sooo CUTE!! (And, I’m not even a girly girl!!) I wish I had saved the packaging which included the company website. They even make eraser sushi and eraser bunnies!
Lori´s last blog ..Random Acts of Kick Arse: Wacky
Lori, those hamsters are so freakishly wacky cute…I have got to got to apply for a job there with you..what fun thats gonna be??? We can make all sorts of erasers..even aliens with peace sign ones
Love your wacky wack Post gal !!
Much Love,
Z~
Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last blog ..RAOKA:My Pursuit of Wackiness
Ha, ha, Zeenat, “freakishly wacky cute” is TOTALLY what they look like!
And, that’d be too cool to make alien-peace-sign erasers. YOU’RE HIRED!!
Loved your wacky post, too, Zeenat, you’re funny!
Love the idea of a newspaper that’s making a go of it by refusing to believe that people aren’t interested in reading words from the printed page. It is wacky to go against the norm, but that’s what keeps our minds fresh. Hey! Gimme one of those hamster erasers please. I need to rub out some mistakes I made in 2009.
Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny´s last blog ..RAOKA – Wild and Wacky! Another Way to Stay Young – from the inside out!
Hey Cheryl – thank for popping over with your funny-ness! You’re funny (rub out mistakes from 2009 – I hear you there)!!!
I love SF for that reason, it seems the mission of the city is to go against the norm if it’s to help each other and treat each other with respect. It’s been quite a trip – I’m definitely not ‘from’ here. Of course, I don’t think many people are.
Take care and I hope to see you again soon around the ‘interwebs!’
Very cool idea. I love the theme of wacky and really like the idea of challenging myself with new topics that are a bit off the wall.
I will definitely check out Sami’s site and see what I can come up with.
Thanks Lori.
Jason @ forty2fifty.com´s last blog ..Do You Think I Should Shave?
Hi Jason,
Sami (the ring-leader) is really quite a trip, funny as hell, and at the top of my list for sharing a couple brewskis with someday. Hopefully you’ll have time to check out her site, too.
Come on in, the water’s warm!
Thanks for stopping by, Jason.