Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

September 13, 2006

Link Leak Virus Overtakes Parallel Universe!

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 12:15 pm

Everyone Knew the Time Warps Weren’t the Only Thing

If we could have as many lives to be as many versions of ourselves as we could be, what might we become? The outer limits of Successful-Blog had that conversation and weird musical sounds were heard coming from every category in the sidebar. No one actually said that an extraterrestrial would be a choice, but . . . some thoughts in that direction seemed to come up.

The Link Leak Virus was to be part of the whole operation, whether we were Mother Teresa, Mark Cuban, Lucille Ball, or Donald Trump.The Link Leak Virus is a special strain of the indie virus with blogtipping mutations that occur in threes. But we were in a summertime frame of mind.

Welcome to all of the new folks who came. It was great fun having you!

Cool links were shared.

What Actually Happened?

And this week Rick Cockrum of Shards of Consciousness found a creative way to tell the story of last night’s event.

AdLib is happy just as he is
Fresh bread close at hand, hair down to his chair
His blog back in biz, and music filling his air.

Joe is a lawman,
A wookie for real
Protecting us all with McGyver’s great skill.

Scorpia, too, is content
As she already is
Everyday fantasy is already her biz.

Liz directs song and the dance,
Electronics begone.
Children, flowers and writing Is where she belongs.

Renee comes in singing,
Dancing dog in her arms.
Man and canine alike, she soothes with her charm.

Christine’s in Missouri
Her ballads filling college breeze.
She stopped and said hi before the clock made her flee.

Chris Cree is traveling,
A hero in the stars,
Humming Led Zeppelin, escaping storms in his car.

Seanrox cooked at the barbie,
A feast he laid out
While being James Bond with a bottle of stout.

Douglas dropped in among us,
Just to say hi
Then time warped him away, away to fly.

Ben plays great hockey,
And cartoons on the side,
With Basil his donkey, round the world he does fly.

Starbucker wings in
Home from the West,
Song and dance in his soul, with his wife he does rest.

Cat steps in for a moment,
Still fuzzy with sleep,
Tea in the morning, as to bed we softly creep.

Tony’s in a time warp, two hours behind,
Somewhere he is starving
Drawing comics so fine.

Phil zips by so fast
Pac-man behind him
In a kung-fu world Donkey Kong races past.

Wendy said it was fun
From time zones away.
In the alternate world she stops by to play.

And Ellen pops in
With a comment from home
She read the discussion as a way to be grown.

So another mic closes
It was quite a feat.
We think of you often until the next week.
– Rick Cockrum of Shards of Consciousness

Thanks, Rick, for that great summary! Thanks Everyone, for coming!
–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
The Mic Is On! We’re Having Parallel Lives!





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84 Comments to “Link Leak Virus Overtakes Parallel Universe!”

  1. September 13th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
    TechZ said

    Missed a great night I believe, wanted to join in early today (my time) but tons to do at work. Will try again next time!

  2. September 13th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Techz!
    We were many things last night, but you can feel safe in one thing . . . no one decided to be you! :)

  3. September 13th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
    Wendy Piersall said

    LOL Liz - in my next parallel life I look forward to arriving in the right time zone ;)

  4. September 13th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
    Scorpia said

    Finally took a look at Renee’s sexy song. Too much! Very funny stuff, and nice take on “I Will Survive”.

    A good time as always, Liz. I’m surprised more peple don’t participate. Maybe the speed at which the posts grow is intimidating?

  5. September 13th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
    TechZ said

    hehe, I’m sure no one did Liz, after all, we are one of a kind.

  6. September 13th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Does this count as my first public speaking engagement? :-)

    I found it interesting that most of us didn’t want to be characters that we saw as impossible. We preferred characters that accentuated different aspects of present personalities. I’m sure there is a form of psychotherapy hidden in there somewhere. But then, I like Walter Mitty.

  7. September 13th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
    katiebird said

    Sounds like it was a wonderful night. I’m heartsick that I missed it. Well, not really — I’m blond now and that makes it worth it. :)

  8. September 13th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
    Joe said

    Hey Liz,

    If Chewbacca isn’t an extraterrestrial, who is???

  9. September 13th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Wendy!
    In parallel lives things like time zones shouldn’t matter. After all, we’re making up our own rules here!

  10. September 13th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Scorpia,
    It was a fun time! Thank you for participating. I hope that folks know that they’re always welcome.

    That first hour of comments was going really fast . . .

  11. September 13th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Techz,
    You’re right. No one could be you — in this or a parallel life!

  12. September 13th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Rick,
    I think you can count this as your first public speaking in front of an INTERNATIONAL audience! Walter Mitty, hmmm, I have too many thoughts on that one ;0

  13. September 13th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Katie,
    Perhaps going blond means you actually have moved over into a parallel life for real!

  14. September 13th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Joe,
    You’ve always shown an inclination in that direction. . . . I just didn’t want to come right out and say it. But who else has an alien of his very own?

  15. September 13th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
    katiebird said

    Liz — I think you’ve got it. Yes, now I just have to figure out who I really am….Kathleen Turner, maybe?

  16. September 13th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Oh, Katie, perhaps you are her character — the writer — from Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile! :)

  17. September 13th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
    katiebird said

    Actually, that character does seem to feel right. But why was I thinking about the Body Heat character.

    (sigh) I’m always the clumsy ditz, never the sexy bombshell.

  18. September 13th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
    candice said

    I was recovering from a -very- rockstar kind of weekend. More in my old self, complete with posse of boys, than my current disasterworld one.

    Sorry to miss it, Liz!

  19. September 13th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Oh, I was thinking about the romance with Michael Douglas . . . I’d forgotten all about Body Heat. I can hardly remember that movie.

  20. September 13th, 2006 at 4:35 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Candice,
    I think you made the right choice! :)

    No worries. There’s a Tuesday every weeik!

  21. September 13th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
    ann michael said

    Thank god you weren’t talking about cloning. I have this vision of multiple Liz clones - then there’s the copy of the copy (Multiplicity - remember that guy - they called him Rain Man). I would hate to think of multiple copies diluting the one true Liz!!!!

  22. September 13th, 2006 at 5:27 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hmmm.Multiple Lizs! Why didn’t I think of that? Then I could have one lLiz for every writing job that I have to do . . . I’d have time to talk to you, Ann. We’d have such fun! You’d only get the original Liz, of course!

  23. September 13th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
    cat said

    Rick - what a wonderful poem!
    Liz - again, the perfect hostess :-)

    (yup, I’m sipping tea again and not at all awake)

    Thanks everyone.

  24. September 13th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
    katiebird said

    Hi, Liz & Candice & Ann & cat — I just got back from my live version of Eat4Today, it went pretty well.

    But, I wish I’d seen the Michael Douglas comment before I went — I would have floated through the whole thing.

  25. September 13th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Cat,
    We’ve got to get you some of that 73% dark, dark chocolate or some of AdLib espresso. That will wake you up!! :)

  26. September 13th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Katie!
    Now you’ve got to Netflix the movies for sure!

  27. September 13th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
    katiebird said

    (looking around) chocolate? dark chocolate?

  28. September 13th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
    katiebird said

    Liz,
    If we cancel our cable, the way I’m threatening, we just might do it.

  29. September 13th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Romancing the Stone is one of the best movies ever made . . . :)

  30. September 13th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
    cat said

    Hi Katie! Welcome to my world :-)

    Liz - that’s what I need. Dark chocolate. Sadly, I cannot drink coffee as it turns me into the witch of the west. I kid you not. I grow claws and start spitting. And I LOVE coffee, the thicker the better.

    Out here there is a coffee hawker every ten feet on my soi (stree) and it’s excellent coffee. Talk about being in hades just walking to the sky train. The smell follows me all the way down.

  31. September 13th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
    ME Strauss said

    We need a care package blog . . .

    Where Is Chocolate???.com

  32. September 13th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
    katiebird said

    Liz, I still remember the first time I saw Romancing the Stone. I totally agree that it’s one of the best movies ever. In a way it changed my life. It certainly changed my cultural priorities. And I began losing patience with people who had no use for humor or romance in film or literature. Sadly, I was married to such a person at the time.

    Not so sadly, everything in my life is different now. And due in very large part to the impact that film had on me.

  33. September 13th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
    katiebird said

    I would hang out at that blog. I just wish virtual chocolate tasted as good as the real thing.

  34. September 13th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
    katiebird said

    Hi Cat!

  35. September 13th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
    cat said

    Chocolate … I have to have one bar a week. Too much in life is bad for you, but not chocolate. No, not chocolate.

    Dark is not easy to get out here (even though Cadbury’s has a main office in Bangkok) but it can be found. In amongst miles and miles of milk chocolate (that’s not chocolate at all …)

  36. September 13th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I so agree that milk chocolate is not chocolate at all . . . It’s sheep in chocolate clothing.

    Real women eat dark chocolate!!

  37. September 13th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
    katiebird said

    A new furniture store moved into town a few years ago and when I went I was amazed to find a miniature See’s Candies Store inside. It turned out the guy who owns it also owns some of See’s Candies.

    So this California girl (stuck in Kansas) is just that much closer to heaven.

    Or at least a real Candy store. Which might be better…

  38. September 13th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Now, I’ve got a chocolate jones on. :)

  39. September 13th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
    katiebird said

    Liz I know, me too. . . . I can smell it.

  40. September 13th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
    ME Strauss said

    It’s kind of fun to talk about!

  41. September 13th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
    Renée said

    What a brilliant poem, Rick! If you didn’t make it as public speaker least you make it as a public poet.

    Scorpia, glad the you like that song. For the record, it wasn’t meant to attack men.

    As alway Liz, you are TRULY a wonderful hostess. Alway so generous, entertaining and witty! I’m glad to have found your blog. Double glad for your hospitality.

    For the rest of the commenters, I enjoyed your presence last night. Hope to get to know you better in the coming weeks and months.

  42. September 13th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Renée
    What nice things you say!
    They all reflect how lovely you are. Do I hear you volunteering to do the public speaking role next week? (hint, hint) That’s exactly how Rick got roped in, er commissioned. :)

    He did a wonderful job and now has a new career in the making, don’t you think?

    Thank you for your comment and for your visits to the blog here. It’s such fun having you and all of the small dogs in Paradise. :0

  43. September 13th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
    Renée said

    Volunteering? Anything for you, Liz. But, but. but…may I have a few more weeks of getting to know the regulars first. Then I won’t make a fool of myself addressing the wrong persons. Plus, I’m not that prolific as compare to many old-timers here.

  44. September 13th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
    ME Strauss said

    No worries, Renee!
    That was such an excellent response! No have-tos here. Just show up, be yourself and be nice.

    Thanks for being so gracious.

    I’m not that prolific either. :)

  45. September 13th, 2006 at 10:17 pm
    cat said

    Disclaimer: I was NOT looking for a chocolate site. I was following a url to a site about writing designers for a bit of research … and discovered this beaut

    http://www.wowcacao.com/

    You just have to love this man. What a line!

    “My name is David Siegel. I have a black belt in dark chocolate.”

    This is the site I was originally led to:

    http://www.dsiegel.com/

    honest …

  46. September 13th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
    ME Strauss said

    A black belt in dark chocolate! I must go there.

    I believe you, Cat, but you have to admit . . . this is bloggy serendipitous!!

  47. September 13th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
    katiebird said

    A Link, Cat — and what a link! I wish they had more events on the schedule, we could all get together for a chocolate tasting.

    ummm.

  48. September 13th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
    cat said

    Drat. Now I’m going to HAVE to get a new chocolate supply! He’s scrumptious. And single (for those single european gals out there)

    I’m still looking for his writing advice section though, cannot find it yet …

    It’s from the CL writing resources here –>> http://www.creativelatitude.com/links/links_writing_art_mags.html

    off I go to search him out … {ahhh … yes … google ….}

  49. September 13th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Yes, indeedy, I think this man is worth investigating. We need to get to know him better for a variety of reasons. I think we have a quest!

  50. September 13th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
    katiebird said

    Liz, Cat — this has been great (and sounds like it’s getting better) but I’ve got to go to sleep. Thank you for the lovely/delicious conversation.

  51. September 13th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Good night, Katie, I’m not far behind you!

  52. September 13th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
    cat said

    Liz - I’ve just contacted him as I believe I in need of that information for my series.

    Not only is he well quoted around the internet, but from the looks of it, has wonderful taste in chocolate.

    Katie - sweet dreams!

  53. September 13th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I can’t wait to hear what you find out!
    I’m sure he’s well quoted I just finished reading his blog.

    I need to sign off for the night, but I can’t wait to hear what happens next!

  54. September 13th, 2006 at 10:57 pm
    cat said

    His original site was amazing when it came out way back when. To me anyway. (He links to it from his ‘about’)

    Nite Liz, I’ll catch you up with the news (if there is any) when you wake up.

  55. September 13th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Nite. I can’t wait to hear!

  56. September 14th, 2006 at 11:49 am
    Starbucker said

    Rick! Well done lad. I need to hire you as a lyricist for my next song project - “The Ballad of a Glass Half-Full”. Are you reasonable? :-)

    Liz, still can’t wait to taste that chocolate……

  57. September 14th, 2006 at 11:51 am
    ME Strauss said

    Starbucker,
    You’re on for the chocolate, and as Rick’s manager all I can say is that he charges A LOT! :)

    Meanwhile, I’m meeting Phil in minutes to go watch him speak in downtown Chicago — cool!

  58. September 14th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    God invented managers to prevent Starving Artist Syndrome. :-)

  59. September 14th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Rick,
    If that’s the case, I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine. Okay?

  60. September 14th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Sounds like a plan, Liz! I have to warn you, though, I’m getting the better end of the deal.

  61. September 14th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    You don’t know how hard I am to keep track of yet! :)

  62. September 14th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Writing, editing, publishing, consulting, public speaking, 3 blogs (at least), sleep when you have nothing better to do - I already know I can’t keep up.

  63. September 14th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Money, Rick, I need money! ;)

  64. September 14th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Isn’t that always the depressing story? That’s why I’ve been adding features to my pim the past three days instead of posting any articles to my blog.

  65. September 14th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
    Starbucker said

    Once you too work all this out just let me know the fee, OK? :-) I have a melody writer to pay too you know.

    Let me know about the Phil presentation - I’m meeting him in Milwaukee on Monday, BTW (that’s my hometown).

  66. September 14th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Milwaukee on Monday . . . that’s just up the road. . . . Though it appears the road has gotten longer, at least the way Phil takes it. :)

  67. September 14th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Hey Starbucker. You’re not doing the melody? Shucks!

    I’m from Rockford. We grew up next door to each other!

  68. September 14th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’m from Ottawa. I used to borrow the car to go the library and end up in Rockford and Milwaukee and Chicago instead. :)

  69. September 14th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Is that Ottawa as in Canada?

  70. September 14th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
    ME Strauss said

    No, silly, Ottawa as in Route 80.

  71. September 14th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    I don’t know if I even knew there was an Ottawa in Illinois. We go past there whenever I go visit my mom in my vain attempts to avoid Chicago.

  72. September 14th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
    Starbucker said

    So that explains it - we’re all midwesterners! Liz, if you have time to go up that road Monday I’d love to buy you a cup o’joe - imagine THREE bloggers in the same room.

    Rick, I’m not good at melody - but I have tried lyrics - go to my site and you can download my shots at it (right after the blogroll). You have a more “melodic” way about your stuff I like better.

  73. September 14th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    It’s amazing the stuff we miss.

    Thanks, Starbucker. I’m going to go give a listen.

  74. September 14th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Rick and Starbucker,
    I think we should work on this songwriting stuff. There could be a new career here for all three of us!

  75. September 15th, 2006 at 1:19 am
    Alvin said

    Hi! I just read your open mike post, and that totally cleared up the confusion as to why my blog’s post (by Paiboon) was mentioned!

    His monkhood intiation & journey is as fascinating to me as it is to you, and I hope he keeps us all posted as well. Thanks for the link and I’m glad you enjoyed the post :)

  76. September 15th, 2006 at 4:22 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alvin,
    Welcome,
    You’re a bit of an adventurer to delve in and read the open mic post even with a quest to follow! Congratulations for finding your answer!

    I hope you stop by and join open mic one night yourself and take the conversation somewhere as interesting . . . :)

  77. September 15th, 2006 at 9:10 am
    Starbucker said

    I’m game Liz - we can use as many outside interests as possible, since none of us are busy enough as it is :-) But hey, why not actually LIVE a parallell life!

    PS: How was Phil?

  78. September 15th, 2006 at 9:18 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Starbucker,
    I was just doing two things that were serendipitious with your comment . . . one was thinking that if we did have a convention in Chicago, what would be the events, besides a chocolate tasting and a room with many, many microphones.

    The other was posting about Phil on the front page . . . :)

  79. September 15th, 2006 at 9:31 am
    Starbucker said

    Good question! I have to figure with all of your loyal readers in a room, we could come up with plenty of topics for roundtables, presentations, etc. centered around our “connectedness” and the blogging experience, as well as the “positivity” of what we’re doing and how we can leverage it to truly make a difference in this funny little world. In other words, a bunch of like-minded people talkin’! I will read your Phil post now….

  80. September 15th, 2006 at 9:33 am
    ME Strauss said

    Starbucker,
    It’s becoming a fun idea to think about . . .

  81. September 15th, 2006 at 10:05 am
    Starbucker said

    Yep. I guess I better get back to my real job. Have a great weekend!

  82. September 15th, 2006 at 10:06 am
    ME Strauss said

    You too, Starbucker. You too.

  83. September 16th, 2006 at 12:25 am
    Rick Cockrum said

    Sorry I’m so late. I’m up for a go at something, too. All of my interests are outside. ;)

  84. September 16th, 2006 at 6:07 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey, Rick,
    It’s great having you around — any and all times, day or night :)

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