Vamped up EyeJunkie

Yes, I’m putting a stop to my EyeJunkie tinkering for the foreseeable next 10 minutes, and I decided to write a post about it immediately before my slightly-obsessive tendencies take over again.  So, quick:  read it and look around before I change it again and make my own post obsolete!  Also, it may be important to use your own verbal skills to fill in gaps in my sentences that may arise as a result of interruptions: Baby Girl is on her playmat practicing her roll-over technique, Squiggle is in bed with a stomach virus :( and Little Drummer Boy is keeping me informed on the perpetual [!] storyline running through his head regarding legos and something about towers and camels [?].  Once again, I digress.

Waaay back here and here, I mentioned some updates I was working on for the site’s look and organization.  I wanted to use the word “revamp”, but being the word curiousinista that I am, was curious about “vamping.”  After all, the “re-” would mean I had actually “vamped” it at least once already.  My handy dictionary.com tells me that to “vamp” means:

1.  to patch up or repair
2.  to give a new appearance to
3.  to concoct or invent
4.  to improvise an accompaniment
5.  to use my feminine charms on

Hmmm.  So that’s what I’ve been doing!  I’ve organized and reorganized, added and subtracted, created order and a let chaos have its way, and otherwise tickled the ivories of the colors and pictures and labels accompanying this verbal concoction.   I suppose I’ve poured the charm on this little love affair with blogging, and for the moment, I’ve made it how I want it to be and added some of the new ideas that have been pushing their way to the surface.

Look around and you’ll find a newly appointed green room sidebar designed to get you ready for your tour of EyeJunkie.  There, you can learn about me, find your favorite topics, and visit some of the people, places and things that satisfy my junkie cravings.

The other sidebar boasts a little wander zone to whet your attention span as you sample the junkie offerings.  As it says to your right, these features are “like virtual balls in tall grass, you won’t know if they’re homers or foul until you get your shoes off and tiptoe around….”  I hope you’ll enjoy the Weekly Eyewash [cue the crossed fingers] and EyeJunkie Features–some familiar to my three faithful readers out there, and some fresh out of the box.

Your Weekly Eyewash offers three new weekly mind-debris categories you’ll find regularly in the right sidebar:
THE TUESDAY TEN is a weekly list of 10 things, as you’ve probably surmised–sort of a brainstorming, debris-cleaning, junkie-fixing way to make myself post on Tuesdays.
MIPOTW shares my choice of the Most Interesting Phrase of the Week from all I’ve absorbed.  It may come from books, magazines, television, the internet, or anything else I’m reading.
WORDS O’ TWISDOM is a list of my favorite tweets from the world of Twitter each week.  Just call it your junkie dime bag of boot-legged inspiration in 140 characters or less. [030309 UPDATE:  Nix this one folks.  Only 2 weeks and I'm already bored with it.  Maybe I'll do some occasional highlight reels.]

In addition to an extended view of my usual ABCs, EyeCandy and Eye Opening Quotes, the newly vamped EyeJunkie Features give you a quick link to some of my favorite posting topics (and a few I’m just eager to try):

HARMONY is my soon-to-be-launched 2009 theme word, and I’ll be posting on that topic throughout the year.  Stay tuned for the intro post coming next, and watch for this favored tag!
GIFT TAGS are the tiny messages God continues to include with our gifts — 2 little joys of boys and 1 little jewel of a girl, each with open eyes, open ears, open hearts, and much to teach. “Behold children are a gift of the Lord…” (psalm 127:1)
MONTGOMERY MADNESS records selected days in the lives of we Montgomerys 5 of Starkville, MS.  Life is good.
CULTURESPEAK is one of my very first categories and usually shares snarky comments on our media and cultural terminology.
500 or 15 is something I’ve been anxious to begin, a way to hone my writing skills.  It’s 500 words or 15 minutes (whichever comes first) on the topic at the top of my mind at the moment.  If you want to know my thoughts on any given subject, feel free to message me to suggest a topic.

With my current vamp at a pause, I thank you for reading and sharing this adventure in paying attention.  Please look around and send me your comments and suggestions.  Be forewarned.  In the space of 750 words or so, I’ve already thought of a couple of other things I’d like to add, so hang on to your bytes, junksters!