"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Earl - back2normal
The Prompt: If you have five (5) days left to spend together with your love one how would you spend those days?
The Music: "Moving Pictures Silent Films" - Great Lake Swimmers

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Prosperous Snow
The Prompt: When you went to sleep last night, it was in your own bed or familiar surroundings. You wake up this morning in a strange bed and unfamiliar surroundings. You recognize your reflection with some differences, the face in the mirror is an older/younger version of you. Everyone you meet knows you, but by a different name. Where are you? What is your name? How do you believe you arrived in your present location?
The Music: "Us of Lesser Gods" - Flogging Molly

To put a little jig in your step.

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: BBWOLF Turning 23 6/3
The Prompt: AHHHH!!!! It's the Zombie Apocalypse! Run for your good-for-nothing lives!

Okay, hopefully that got your heart racing, and your brain a-firing. The situation is grim, the undead are coming for the brains of the living and you must protect yourself and your loved ones.

What would you use to protect yourself if ZA occurred right this second?

This means that you are limited to what is in your place of residence/work/education/wherever you are. Be realistic- you probably don't own an assault rifle, machine gun, flamethrower, or a bazooka, or some other such weapon. Be practical- do you really want to lug around a 10lb chainsaw, especially when it attracts more undead through noise, gets stuck, and more than likely you don't know how to use? Less is more- Limit yourself to as few weapons as possible, which will help you out at all ranges of combat- Far range, Medium Range, Close range, and Intimate range.

Well, I'm off to grab my weapons- oh wait, I just picked up a sand-wedge golf club. Not ideal, but it will do until I can get to the 12-gauge and the 30-06 in the back bedroom. Oh, and I just grabbed my sword-like letter opener- perfect for stabbing a Zed through the ear canal.

May you still be alive come day 16.

The Music: "House of the Rising Sun" - the Animals

the Far Range.

Zombie-fiends, bring it on. Wooden board go up on the windows and glass doors first. A small deterrent, but we're only working with things we've already have in our household arsenal. Unfortunately, my Winchester hasn't arrived in the mail yet, and the heaviest weapon movie I have on me right now is "Wanted". "Tombstone", and "Shaun of the Dead". I could chuck the cases at them. Maybe play some Enya over the loud speakers. Next, grab the rocks I brought with me from the California beaches. Sentimentality saves my ass again. That's right. Get David-and-Goliath on these living-dead. It just got real.

the Medium Range.

By this time I'm hoping my neighborhood squirrels are bringing me back prime information. You figure the television, phones, and internet are gone. No communication. Never fear, squirrels are here. Don't mock. They're the pigeons of our time. About three miles heading northeast you hit farm country. Hopefully, they're back some heat. I've got kitchen knives and bunnies slippers at the ready.

Don't launch fuzzy objects until you see the bloodshot whites of their eyes.

the Close Range.

This is where things get tricky. I have stumps for legs. Like Gimli said in LotR - "I'm wasted over long distances." If we're in a pack, and we have to run from a hoard of zombies ready to eat our brains, trip me and make a run for it. Appetizers. Don't worry, I'd do the same to you if the roles were reversed. You're welcome.

The plan is to have traps set up around the city. People are so nice here I'm not sure they could kill zombies outright. This is where you utilize you foreigner force. Anyone who is not from B'ham should be in charge of killing. We're less likely to sit down with zombies to try and talk it out with some organic granola bars.

Also, I've been keeping my eye on machete prices at my local grocery stores. In this economy, they can be brutal. $7.89 has been the lowest so far. Go pick up a couple for safe-keeping. Remember - it's all about the slice, bob, and weave once you get in close. Watch for that wayward decapitated arm. Again, you're welcome.

the Intimate range.

Showtime. This is where we cut the wheat from the chaff. This is where grown men pee themselves. Or lose a pair of legs. It is time to put those limited acting skills to work. You know where I'm going with this. Break out the shredded jeans and face makeup - it's "Thriller" time. Bust out your best Michael Jackson moves and zombie out with the rest of the prion-disease seeking rejects. If you can't beat them (literally), join them. Just make sure to try and cook the brains first before you eat them.

Interesting enough, this is not Michael Jackson. Maybe next time.

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Evertrap 
The Prompt: Explain something or someone that you feel is widely misunderstood.
The Music: "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" - Nina Simone

         What is commonly misunderstood? What do I think can be better explained, understood?

         I went around and around with this. There are several topics that can be explored. Those quirky people on the conspiracy shows, now the specialty on the History Channel. These are my people. They are no doubt misunderstood. But I have kind of already talked about it. There are the zombie survivalists throughout the world. A city in Britain was sued by a citizen for not having a contingency plan in case of zombies. But zombies are for tomorrow. Sociopaths - maybe not. So, where to go...

         People with common sense.

         Unfortunately, people with common sense are often misunderstood. When they state the obvious, others jump on the wagon to bring them down. When they raise an eyebrow at the ignorance of certain special individuals, people call them elitist or snobs. I feel this in unfair.

         Let's just call it - common sense is not common. There are far too many poor choices being made this very minute for everyone to have this embedded in their grey matter. That's alright. It really is. Let's just not bring down those who use the gift.

         Let me give an example to demonstrate. Having intimate relationship while driving a car is not a good idea. It doesn't how good a driver you may be or how little skill your partner may have. This is just a bad idea all the way around. Very bad things can happen. Just say "no". Common sense people see this. Those who like to take unnecessary risks, don't. Guess who is more likely to die an embarrassing death.

         We can fix this trend. Next time you see a person with common sense. Give them a nod. A hug. A smile. A fist pump for being just a little more with it. And if you feel you are a person with common sense, know that you are appreciated. Keep up the good work. We salute you.

A lovely tune for the ears.

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Bonnie14222
The Prompt: We have seen significant technological advancements in our time. Sites like TED and Big Think offer amazing ideas. What do you think will be the next big thing?
The Music: "Funky Good Time" - James Brown

Intriguing prompt! I dig it.

First -- TED is a geek's paradise. If you've never been to the website, you should really check it out. One of my favorite discussions is by enthnobotanist Wade Davis. His story is a graduate student's dream/nightmare - being told by your professor to go check something out (how to make zombies) in a foreign country you have no idea of about (Haiti). Can you really say no to that? He wrote "The Serpent and the Rainbow"; not the crappy horror movie from the 1980s, but the book about his experiences in becoming a part of the Vodun culture while finding out how to make zombies.

Second -- I have no idea what the next big thing is, but can tele-portation is high on my list. "You have the deck, Number One." This would definitely make my life easier. I can go bug my little brother after class in California, scare my guy in Michigan, hop over to Paris for dinner, and be back before the midnight hour. My only reservations on this is how particle displacement will probably hurt like a mother. I'm not sure I get behind being shred to bits over and over again.

Third -- my family has been secretly working on project for the disposable medic bubble. When my grandfather was in the hospital, my Uncle P-- commented on how the hospital was built inefficiently. There were several people in a narrow hallway, terribly sick, while the entrance lobby was wide enough to play a pick-up basketball game with full bleachers. My father began talking about triage and the spread of germs and how there need to be a way for doctors to be able to treat patients in clean, sterile environment that could easily contain different illness and not spread anything to other sick patients. Easy to build, easy to clean up. Disposable Medic Bubble. Give it ten-years; we might be on to something.

We're gonna have a funky good time!

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Outasync: Out to lunch
The Prompt: Time. We all have it, but nobody completely understands it. What are your thoughts on time?
The Music: "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

Time. A funny, fickle --

I've got nothing, really. Time sucks. Any sort of timing is not on my side. I have yet to learn how to really utilize, so in several ways it is my enemy. There are many moments, especially in the past few days, that I have thought about setting time on fire. But that's another nightmare for another day.

The first thing that popped into my mind was "Doctor Who". Who doesn't think of Tardis and The Doctor when anything about time is mention? Queen also came to mind. Well, "Wayne's World" comes to mind, which then leads to Queen. My eldest brother was a "Wayne's World" dude. Since we only had one television, all of us have were dudes whether we wanted to be or not. I could sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" all the way through by the time I was four. Grey Poupon, anyone?

So, quick recap. I hate time. Yet it reminds me of things I truly love. Like I said, time is a funny, fickle thing.

May your head banging rock!

"30-Day Blogging Challenge"  by: Julie D
The Prompt: What is your greatest strength? What is your biggest weakness? Write about each and why you think it’s a strength or weakness. How would you change either of these things, if you could?
The Music: "Weighty Ghost" - Wintersleep

The Strength.

         Multitasking.

         There is a great possibility that if you decide to stalk me that I will be doing about three things at once. Maybe four. I've managed six before but almost lost a toe, so that is an experiment I probably will not repeating. The multitasking aspect of my nature gives me a bit of a split brain, but I feel that is part of my charm.

         Consequently, because of this penchant to multitask, I will most likely be wearing my shirt backwards or my sweat pants inside out. Some things have to fall to the wayside if you're doing several things all at the same. It seems only fair the great law of numbers. Sometimes I forget to put on one of my socks. It's a cute look, I swear.

The Weakness.

         Underestimation.

         I have no sense of time, really. My estimates of time are usually off by at least fifteen minutes. Sometimes it is longer than that. I've been days off at times. That was an awesome experience. Luckily, I was early instead of late. Sure I looked like a fool, but if I had missed the appointment it would have been worse. Still, whether it is cooking or meeting someone for coffee or finishing project, any type of pre-planning usually ends badly for me. My underestimation also includes any type of pain I'm in, any mistake I've made, or how much a situation has gone pear-shaped.

         This has only really screwed me over. There are other people in my family who suffer from this condition much more than I do. This makes me look good, so thanks family! My boyfriend has been an excellent sport about this over the years. A typical conversation will go something like "Sweetie, I have to go put the clothes in the dryer, be back in ten." A soft sigh follows. "Okay then." Twenty-five minutes later. You get the picture. The very mangled picture.

         How to fix this? Never allow me to plan any type of vacation for you. You need a details (except time estimation) kind of girl, give me a ring. You need oddball humor, look no further. You need someone to give you a minute-to-minute breakdown of how the day is going to go, call someone else. Mr. Rogers is a good candidate. Or someone with a working watch.

The Side-Note.

         I had one of those nights last night. And kind of today as well. Forgive any mistakes. I'm not really here.