GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or even thinking about quitting, please -- join us!
The GUS Library at dKosopedia is organically evolving, and stocked with free-range information: quit-smoking links, helpful GUS diary writing tips, and the GUS Buddy List.
Now showing at the GUS Library: links to the Demon Diaries.
* Mojo
In Daily Kos community diaries, it is customary for many users, or regular members of that community, to tip early and tip often. My early days at the GOS netted many futile attempts to gain mojo in front page Open Threads. My attempts at humor frequently netted nothing more than a goose egg in the "recommend" column. I both resented, and was in awe of, the epic snarkiness, the sarcasm of many Kossackian commenters. Damn them, anyhow. I tipped them.... why no love in return?
Eventually, I learned the ropes. A Blazing Saddles reference that placed then-candidate Barack Obama in the fish-out-of-water role originally played by Cleavon Little, netted an easy five recs. Ah, victory!
Shortly thereafter, I wandered into the SMHRB (Saturday Morning Home Repair Blog). Being in the trades, I was interested in a virtual hangout with fellow tradies who I knew shared my political sensibilities. After posting a comment that linked to a contractor's discussion thread containing humorous images of construction f*ck-ups, I was delighted to receive... mojo? And actual replies? All of them friendly??? Bu-bu-but... where is the snarkiness? What is this site coming to?
That was my first experience in a Kos community diary. I remember it fondly, and every time I so much as browse a GUS diary, I am reminded of that initial feeling of friendship experienced at SMHRB.
It is inevitable that unless I am suffering from occasional bouts of typing-induced soreness, am short on time, or am looking at a diary with 300+ comments (hai, red mittens! :-), I will likely tip every comment, or at least every main (i.e. non-reply) comment. As GUSsack aoeu states: "Tip every GUSsack." And I do this with a sense of gratitude for this particular community. Real life happens, so while I may not have time to adequately express thanks, appreciation for a comment or insight, or even condolences, I always have time to apply that wordless mojo into your bank:
* As a way to say "hi!," like being at a party.
* As a show of support.
* As a way to express agreement.
* As a way to respect a disagreement.
* As an offered substitute for a cigarette (mojo: tastes great, less filling!)
* As a way to keep track of old/new comments, 'cause I'm likely gonna give you mojo anyways!
::
* Film
The Zombie Diaries (2006)
Directors: Michael Bartlett, Kevin Gates
Starring: Russell Jones (Goke), Craig Stovin (Andy), Jonnie Hurn (John), James Fisher (Geoff), Anna Blades (Vanessa), Imogen Church (Sue)
Country: United Kingdom
Company: Bleeding Edge Films
Rating: R (violence/gore, language and some nudity)
BSM rating: * 1/2 (Blair Witch Project meets I Spit On Your Grave, with minimal homage to George A. Romero)
Post-It Notes Review:
1st hand-held camera segment: a TV crew of three travels to outlying farm area to interview a person with first-hand insight into (yet another) zombie-flu outbreak that infects much of England. Predictable horror movie incidents occur. After the first zombie sighting, things go apeshit. Darkness encroaches, there is nowhere to stay the night except for a "pub down the road..."
(dart goes ttthhhwack into the wall ----> avoid the moors! beware the full moon!)
... and a crewmember has conveniently forgotten to pack spare batteries. For this trip... into the zombie outskirts... and you forgot batteries??? The lead reporter/attractive control freak screams at him: "Have you lost the plot?" Well, we haven't... matter of fact, it's miles ahead, and I can totally see what's coming up next.
2nd hand-held camera segment: Another crew of three (a British cam operator and two Americans) also is investigating the outlying territory. The soundtrack is eerily reminiscient of the electronic sounds utilized to great effect in Romero's Dawn of the Dead, by the Goblins. In a skirmish, the camera operator receives a mild bite, yet is ultimately infected by a zombie, and attempts to conceal this from the other two.
3rd hand-held camera segment: It is night, and yet another group of armed outliers fire away at a (re)killing field full of zombies. One of these combatants foolishly attempts to use their van to run over the living dead, and winds up disabling the vehicle.
Along with insufficient battery supply and using the escape vehicle as a zombie battering ram, there are other lapses of character common sense which include, but aren't necessarily limited, to the following:
* Consistent and uncomfortably close proximity to the alegged dead. Is it zombie, or is it worm chow? It's fine to debate this with your surviving comrade, but could you argue the point at least three feet away from the corpse's jaw? (I thought I saw it twitch...)
* When driving... you know that infected member of your party, bleeding all over the back seat? The one that is now motionless, yes? Well, here's a news flash, Einstein: your colleague has not "just fainted."
* It's dawn, and you are with the rest of your good ol' boys, firing away at slow-moving zombies shuffling slowly over the hill. This is fine, except... that silhouette running down the hill screaming, in all great likelihood, was not a zombie, and probably shouldn't have been shot.
Over two-thirds of the way through the movie, I wasn't exactly floored, but watched with interest. The zombies were true: slow, barely coordinated, and unable to articulate any verbal skills beyond that of a grunt. Some of the hand-held footage was genuinely creepy. However, the film takes a particularly sadistic turn that not only lost me, but my friend Jim, who is an even bigger fan of horror films than I am. With its central concept, The Zombie Diaries should have at least been an average film, in a sleep-walk. Unfortunately, its writers chose to introduce an unnecessarily brutal sequence that tossed any sense of caring I had for a resolution to its story.
::
* Music
Speck's Facebook update (1,000,000 to join, my dad john mellencamp will quit smoking): 289,486.
::
* Sports
Wild Card round, NFL playoffs. All times EST, all bsm picks in bold, and for entertainment purposes only:
Jets @ Bengals (Sat. 3:30 PM)
Latest line: Bengals 3 over Jets
Last meeting: In week 17, the Bengals rested key offensive players, and lost to the Jets 37-0 in the Meadowlands.
::
Eagles @ Cowboys (Sat. 8:00 PM)
Latest line: Cowboys 4 over Eagles
Last meeting:Week 17: the visiting Eagles failed to advance their quest for a better NFC seed, and lost to the Cowboys 24-0, in
Arlington, TX.
::
Ravens @ Patriots (Sun. 1:00 PM)
Latest line: Patriots 3 1/2 over Ravens
In week 17: The Ravens edged the flailing Raiders 21-13, while the Patriots gave up 21 points in the 4th quarter at Houston, losing to the Texans 34-27.
::
Packers @ Cardinals (4:40 PM)
Latest line: Cardinals 2 over Packers
Last meeting: the Cardinals failed to score until the 4th quarter, on the losing end of a 33-7 rout by the visiting Packers.
::
What is interesting about this playoffs round is that three of these same four matchups occurred last Sunday, the final week of the regular NFL season. Only the Ravens and the Patriots had faced different opponents. Again this week, Philadelphia travels to Arlinton, TX, and the Packers play in Tempe, AZ, while this week's Jets/Bengals match moves from New York to Cincinnati.
::
* Health
Reliable word has it that ChocolateChris is home from the hospital, and recovering nicely from her knee surgery. Great news!... a w00t! to modern medical technology, and best GUSsack wishes to CC for a strong mend.
::
Current members of the GUS team! Please post a comment in the butt can if you would like your name added to the GUS Buddy List:
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, Anne933, aoeu, arcadesproject, Archie2227, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, bdizz, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, Cen Den, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, Common Sense Mainer, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, demkat620, Dexter, DiegoUK, Dingodude, donnamarie, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, EdgedInBlue, ericlewis0, Everest42, fhamme, Fineena, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, Geiiga, gooderservice, gooners, greylox, grndrush, Haole in Hawaii, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, Joe's Steven aka Steven, john07801, johngoes, jsfox, jvolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, Jyrinx, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, langerdang, LarsThorwald, last starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, marknspokane, Matt Esler, mdemploi, michael1104, Mikeguyver, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, Morague, mrsgoo, mskitty, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, operculum, one pissed off democrat, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, psycho liberal, PvtJarHead, red mittens, relentless, revelwoodie, Rex Manning, RiaD, rickeagle, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shmuelman, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, snorwich, sofia, soonergrunt, spmozart, SpotTheCat, SpringtimeforHitler, Statusquomustgo, Tay, theatre goon, Treefrog, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, Vacationland, Vayle, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, x, Zotz
::
So you've had some experience with the effects of smoking, and want to write a GUS diary or host an open thread? Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and name the day and time that works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird...)
*Asterisks* indicate regular GUS diary time slot:
Sat PM: you are here
Sun AM: imisa
Sun PM: blingbling65
Mon AM: Sark Svemes
Mon PM: open
Tue AM: *FrugalGranny*
Tue PM: Vacationland
Wed AM: labwitchy (Thordoggy thread)
Wed PM: open
Thu AM: open
Thu PM: open
Fri AM: *MillieNeon*
Fri PM: open
Sat AM: open
Diarists: to get a customized embed code for GUS blockquotes, email bsmechanic35 at yahoo dot com. Specify which ones you would like (mission statement, buddy list, diary schedule), and they will be sent via inline text.
How to write a GUS diary on the fly and easy as pie.