10/27/07

I've gone Viral. Hide the women and children.

So about midweek last week I noticed a bunch of traffic coming here from what seemed to be mostly webmail servers. I normally only get a couple hundred hits a day, and suddenly I was seeing this:



It turns out that my JC Penney's post has mutated into some sort of viral e-mail forward. It's crazy to see all the different places it's popping up.

Oh well. You can never tell what people will find funny, I guess. I've gotten my share of crap forwarded to me over the years, so I guess it's only fitting that I finally get my revenge.

104 comments:

  1. Dude,
    2 words
    Inspired Insanity

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  2. Well, it's no wonder JV. It was truely a fabulous post.
    It is interesting how quickly things move around on the net. Read this post from one of the yahoo groups that I belong to. The lady clicked on my blog from my signature line and then went to your blog.
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldofplum/message/528

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  3. Shoot, I can never get links to work in comments.
    I am going to have to put a space in so that it won't cut it off.
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
    worldofplum/message/528

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  4. Well, I sent it to my mom, and made her read it with me on the phone, because my mom has to read things aloud and nothing is funnier than the wheezy laughing way that she said, "ass rape"

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  5. My favorite had to be the stripey terry cloth shirt guy and your comment about having his hand in the other guy's stripey yellow-belted karate outfit. I would not have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it.

    I was laughing so loud my boyfriend (who was outside the house at the time) had to ask why.

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  6. your blog is hilarious!! that and someone posted the jcpenny link on a stamping site (www.stamp-shack.com) and all of us had to read about it!! you have a great way with words!! i've also linked to it from my blog and sent it to a bunch of people!!!

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  7. That's how I found you.

    I'm starting back in the archives for reading enjoyment.

    Yes, enjoyment.

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  8. Anonymous6:44 AM

    Same thing happened to me with "World of Whorecraft".

    It's mostly stopped, but I'm still getting about 50 hits a day from that one...

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  9. I understand why~You are ONE funny human~ Us "Dogs with Blogs" are even reading your blog! And btw...I am the "funny wheezy laughing" relative of Nanook and Pooka.
    Keep em' coming
    Good Times!!!
    Tailwags
    Sir Chancelot

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  10. Oh and p.s. now would be a good time to add those Google ads to your blog!
    Hey why not...

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  11. Oh no, you're going to go big time now and have no time for us little people. *pout*

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  12. We could always put it on Digg and bring your whole server down...

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  13. Anonymous7:46 AM

    I added it to stumbleupon, but I wasn't the first one. It's a hilarious post, and it has pictures, which makes it very viral friendly.

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  14. Heh - viral...

    Just be glad it's not MRSA.

    Keep the hot steamy cup o' lunch comin'.

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  15. Anonymous10:05 AM

    I got the post in e-mail, laughed my ass off until I had rears running down my face -- then promptly forwarded it to everyone in my address book AND posted it on myspace.

    It's just that good.

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  16. Anonymous10:07 AM

    *ahem*

    Tears.

    Perhaps I shouldn't try to sneak posts while at work.

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  17. Anonymous1:21 PM

    I am not surprised...I forwarded the link to several of my coworkers who all loved it. It is reminiscent of Dusty Scott's Worst Album Covers posts which have achieved cult status.

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  18. Congrats on hitting on the big time! The JC Penny Blog was great...maybe you should put one of those map locator counters on your blog so you can have fun discovering where in the world people are reading your blog from...Just imagine some reindeer herdsman on a laptop in Russia could be puzzling over leisure suits...lol

    gk

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  19. Anonymous8:14 PM

    Hi JV, you're an awesome writer. Here's how it ended up in my world, a bunch of nuts on an off-topic page in a whitewater kayaking forum: http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/LiquidLounge/1372679
    Don't judge us too harshly! :-) Cuz we won't care anyway... Reading your past blogs now -- they're great!! - Otter

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  20. Anonymous8:15 PM

    I agree with cruisermel. We had you first and we don't want to share you. All the new readers should GO AWAY!

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  21. Anonymous8:19 PM

    P.S. We hauled 5 poop cans down the Grand Canyon for 18 days last year. They weren't as stylish as the photo in your post (they were only grey steel, not purple) but we used them all by the time we were done with that trip. Nothing like hauling your own crap down 226 miles of prime whitewater - Otter.

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  22. Otter, better than leaving it there, I guess.

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  23. I was a recipient of one of those viral emails. I Googled the article and found you through Digg. Great post, and the others I've read are funny too.

    I did a "Reply to All" and sent your link. Look out for more hits! Thanks for making me LOL today.

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  24. Anonymous9:23 AM

    yah, forwarded everywhere - this morning I got it from my cousin Greg. I have an early-80s Sears catalog which is also big fun.

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  25. There's nothing like a freaky timewarp to send your blog into outerspace.

    (Now if only mine would skyrocket. But I'll settle for what I can get.)

    I want that JC Penny catalog. I think you should sell it (cough, eBay, cough, fortune)

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  26. Anonymous4:50 PM

    This guy is totally stealing your shit: http://www.wallstreetfighter.com/2007/10/how-to-get-laid-in-1977-and-your-ass.html

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  27. I was lured here by the J.C. Penney post when a friend linked to it in her blog--I freaking read those catalogs cover-to-cover in the '70s.

    However, just to show that I'm not totally warped by my formative years, I'm listening to "Shaming of the True" in your honor right now.

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  28. Jammies, thanks - it's good to know there's a few of us out there. That post broke 20,000 visits today and it's only 9pm. Insane.

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  29. And thank you for going viral. I think.

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  30. Anonymous10:51 AM

    Oh too funny. I just got the email today and had to send to my co-workers so they could share in this flashback...hmmm sure our email admins are gonna be ticked since it's moving like wildfire through our company.

    Love your blog.

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  31. Funny story, JV. I got this chain email today! I immediately recognized it and remembered this post. The ladies I work with (in Lincoln, NE) are dying over it. Just thought I'd share.

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  32. Johnny, I noticed you went on digg and told everyone I ripped you off. I think you can tell from the thousands of hits I sent you that I gave you credit at the bottom as soon as I found out the source of the original material. I did my own thing with the photos and yes you were the inspiration but obviously some thought mine was pretty funny as well. You came up with the original and I put my own flair on it. Either way it has given us both thousands of more viewers and benefits us both and no way do I mean to steal your ideas. There are many things you see on the internet that you think "I can make that funnier" so I tried. I hope their are no hard feelings and wish you future success in your blog. Drop me an email and I'd like to talk to you further in private.

    Shane @ wallstreetfighter.com

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  33. Anonymous4:54 PM

    Hey I got your blog post turned viral email. That's not the weird part, a few hours later I got a completely unrelated email with an actual link to your blog. It's been a weird couple of days. You seem like a cool guy though, good work with the 1977 jokes. I was rollin.

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  34. Hey, I *AM* getting more hits because of you. I can see it in my referrals page...

    gah!

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  35. That's so cool! I still don't know how to use the sitemeter or google analytics...I'm such a computer tard...

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  36. Anonymous11:32 PM

    The Penney's post was fantabulous :)

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  37. Shane, sent you an e-mail. I didn't say "ripped off." I would never be so crass and vulgar. I said "stole" which is much classier than that other dude on Digg who referred to it as "totally jacked." That's ok. I appreciate you adding a linkback from your post. I did get a lot of traffic from it.

    I'll argue with you as to whether you made it funnier, but what the hell do I know. I got 45,000 hits on it today, thanks to a link on Sports Illustrated. WTF.

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  38. Got the email with the link to you.... rarely do I click but the comments associated with it made me raise an eyebrow.... and then I had to leave work, go home and change my underwear. Dude, you are now my favorite waste of time.

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  39. I found you because someone emailed the JC Penney post to me this morning. Nice blog, by the way, I'm adding you to my blogroll unless you have an objection.

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  40. I'm one of the many who received the JC Penney blog in email-forward version, and yes, I Googled it to find the source.

    Your blog is hilarious, I'll be a new subscriber.

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  41. I got the content of your JC Penny post in an email (sadly without credit) but searched it out and volia. It was the funniest thing I'd seen all week. It made me weep at my desk.

    Incidently, I am interested to know what blog tracking software you use. I know my friends are reading my blog, but they are consumate lurkers. Can you help me out here?

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  42. That was a great laugh out loud post.

    I remember thinking that if only my parents were more like the Brady's we might get to have that barrel table and chairs. On the way to the 2nd floor restrooms, there it sat, looking so cool. We were the cool ones though. We used those bathrooms to sneak our Newports and Salems. 7th grade in the 70's. Ahhhh!

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  43. Well shit might as well just say I was forwarded here to see your JCPenny article. lol I think I'll stick around though. ;)

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  44. Anonymous12:17 AM

    That was THE BEST email I ever received.

    I am still (days later) hysterical over that post.

    THANK YOU for writing that.

    My FAVORITE line you used was

    "How To Get Your Ass Kicked In High School..."

    (followed by)

    "This kid looks like he’s pretending to be David Soul, who is pretending to be a cop who is pretending to be a pimp that everyone knows is really an undercover cop. Who is pretending to be 15."


    CLASSIC. Well done.

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  45. Read your post on CNNSI's "Hot Mustard".

    Enjoyed you critiquing of the catalog. Quite entertaining.

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  46. Anonymous9:33 AM

    Thank you, thank you. I forwarded it to my husband and my sister - - we were walking talking teenage representatives of that fashion era - - and we had the best laugh so far this year, I think. Wonderful stuff, keep it up.

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  47. Ok, I found you through Mel at Momma Mia, Mea Culpa's post. I am so so so so glad I found this site. You are hilarious. Keep it up....we're expecting it.

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  48. Anonymous11:33 AM

    oh man i have forwarded that to everyone i know-posted it on a couple of pervert sites i frequent(they have great coffee yanno), and everyone i know has enjoyed it. but for some reason, no one will admit to owning any of them uotfits-lol

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  49. Oh, yes, your site/that JCP ad has found it's way all around the country.

    And I have myself a new blog to read.

    And I though dooce was funny!!

    AND I was laughing so hard my 9 year old thought something was wrong!

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  50. I just received your post via email, and it was hilarious. You are gifted! I'm a rookie blogger, with a predominately politically based commentary-so it's usally "serious" stuff which equates to no hits. Good work man!

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  51. Anonymous3:03 PM

    I'm a regular reader of yours (I lurk, mostly), so when my cousin sent me your JC Penny catalog entry as an email forward, I found it familiar, and then started laughing when I realized I'd read it before. What are the odds?

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  52. Anonymous5:59 PM

    Your JC Penney post is truly the most hilarious email I've received in years. I'm glad my husband was able to find your blog so we can continue to enjoy your snide humor -- it suits us perfectly!

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  53. Yep, get ready for another surge, I just sent it to about twenty people.

    Thanks for making me laugh.

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  54. Hey Johnny - sorry about the plagerism! I'll put your credit in the post this evening - thanks for letting me know.

    Thanks again-
    Aaron

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  55. Anonymous11:35 AM

    Your JC Penney item made it all the way down to South Africa today. So, we get things a little late. Hell, we're still WEARING some of those clothes. Great laugh - thank you!

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  56. Well, it's made it to the horseworld. A few days ago that post was mentioned on the fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com where there is a huge amount of followers. I liked it enough to post it on horsecity.com 's bulletin boards and forward it to a few friends.

    Now I check in every few days to see what else you have to say. Congrats.

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  57. Anonymous4:48 PM

    I just received your JCPenney post today! Regrettably the person who sent it to me did not know of its origin. Being a ferocious protector of my own articles/photos, I was reluctant to forward your post without due credit so I asked around and lo and behold, the lady over at The Cure For Boredom figured out it was you! Having explained all of which, I must now also confess that this qualifies as the most boring comment I have ever left anybody. I shall try to do better after I rustle around in your other posts.

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  58. Anonymous5:38 PM

    I somehow took the winding inadvertant i-highway to your blog about 2 years ago and have been reading you faithfully because you're brilliant and--consequently--hysterical.
    I live in good ol' Wyoming and freaked this morning when I got your Oct. 12 JC Penney post from both a lawyer friend in Colorado and a realtor friend here in my area. Crazy. You've hit celebrity status. I knew you would. . .

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  59. I saw it on The Motley Fool and did a search to find the original. There are LOTS of blogs running your thing, most of which give you appropriate attribution. Then there's this doesn't give you any credit and who stole your words. I left a comment to ask him to behave and if he deletes it (he has several deleted comments) I'm going to out him on my blog.

    I hate it when good Christians steal stuff.

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  60. !!! the link didn't post.


    So the bad guy is bigshowblog and he's a blogspot guy. And a thief!

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  61. My mom sent me an email with your post. My husband and I laughed til we cried. HILARIOUS!

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  62. "It turns out that my JC Penney's post has mutated into some sort of viral e-mail forward."

    That's how I got here, sport.

    I laughed so hard, I posted about it on my own blog.

    Blogrolled.
    --Matt G

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  63. "So the bad guy is bigshowblog and he's a blogspot guy. And a thief!"

    Did you try to contact him about it? I did. He found the pictures on another blog and when I pointed out that they weren't his to post, pointing out the CC license here, he quickly took them down.

    Yeah, he goofed, but when it was pointed out to him he did the right thing.

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  64. Anonymous12:36 PM

    I'll admit, that I stumbled upon your blog because of getting the JCPenny email. I acutally got it twice, but the second time it had been copied and pasted without credit, so I immediatly send them your link and told them how hilarious you are!

    Definitely a great way to get through a slow day at work. haha!

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  65. Sal, I think maybe I left him a comment on his blog that was moderated...I can't remember. He didn't have to take them down. Just a link back here would be nice. I'd love to know who grabbed that post and started the e-mail going around. I'd buy them a beer. I have a lot more visitors because of it.

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  66. Anonymous1:09 PM

    that's exactly how i came across your blog! someone forwarded me the email, i went to google typed "jcpenney 1977", and the rest is history....

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  67. Well I've sent links to that post to a few lists I'm on, but I never did get the email everyone is mentioning. I found the link on Daily Kos, which has a huge readership. The mid-morning Open Threads usually have a collection of news items and things that make you go WTF.

    By the way, I also listened to "Shaming of the True" after reading your takedown of JC Penney. I can just imagine Kevin using this material to come up with a whole 'nother concept album.

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  68. Anonymous2:12 PM

    Thats how I found out abou you and the "JC Penney" Post. I was receieved a forwarded e-mail about it. It didn't have any reference to your website and I had to do a google search with the phrase "Here's how to get your ass kicked in Elementary School" to find out who it belonged to.

    Glad to see that you're getting some deserve attention for this!

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  69. Update - Bigshowblog has removed his version of the post rather than give you credit. Whatever - at least he isn't claiming it as his own any more.

    You just gotta love the internets, non?

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  70. Someone just told me to come here and read you...I haven't even gotten to the JC Penney entry and I love you!

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  71. I read the JC Penny catalog post the day you posted it.

    I just opened my mailbox to find that it had been sent to me by my mom. Life is weird. Your post was just as hilarious the second time around.

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  72. Your exact post was emailed to me but had NO link to you...nana, zero. My friend put a link to your blog talking about how funny it was....email buzzing through Missouri...

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  73. I just got the email today. Laughed when I realized it was from a blog and used google. This made my year btw. Thank you.

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  74. I'm one of those thatgot the e-mail from a co-worker..Googled ya...found ya here.

    Hilarious.

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  75. yup...just got it in an email today. just a link to your post. Cracked me up! I'll be sharing it with my friends. :) Can I post a link on my blog to it?

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  76. Anonymous5:24 PM

    Oh, JV - it's not crap! I had this forwarded to me, almost went into a coma trying not to laugh out loud at work, and immediately forwarded it to 25 people! And 10 of those I know immediately forwarded the email to tons of people! It was brilliant. We even quote from it now ... "love how your junk fights against the fabric" and "body guard for the Lucky Charms leprechaun" - genius, JV - sheer genius ... and funny - too funny! Glad I found your blog so I can thank you for adding smiles, sniggers and outloud laughs to my days ...
    Tory

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  77. Anonymous6:39 PM

    because you should be famous for such things! people should pay you money to read these ramblings. i laughed so hard i cried and then i could breath and my co-worker thinks i am a loon.
    thank you so much. i thought my day would never perk up

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  78. Anonymous12:54 AM

    Dear Johnny,
    Two different friends forwarded your JCPenney blog entry to me on different days and now I'm sending it to everyone I can think of. I was just out of highschool in 1977 and JCPenney's used to be "it" as far as places to shop in my home town. But I don't remember looking that weird. Like a really bad Hunter S. Thompson hallucination. Yikes. Love your humor and keen eye. Will be reading your posts regularly. Cheers --

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  79. Anonymous11:00 AM

    I just got your JC Penney post in a forwarded email from my mom yesterday. Of course, I forwarded it through my office. One coworker forwarded it on to her boyfriend at another office - who responded that it was working its way through his office, too, at the same time! Excellent post. Enjoy the traffic!

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  80. Anonymous1:33 PM

    And I quote "it's like a boob job for your pants". Lines like those made viraldom imminent.

    The forward I got didn't display pictures so I ask dot com-ed it and it was so worth the extra time it took to find the originating blog!

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  81. The JC Penny's post was genius. I sent it to everyone I know!

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  82. Yeppers, I was directed to your blog via a link on a forum that I read. Your JCPenneys post is making the rounds. And you've made it to my Favorites list for daily reads....don't disappoint me!!!

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  83. I have to admit, it was forwarded to me by a friend and I loved it. I started gobbling up your old posts in reverse order but decided instead to save them and read them a couple at a time during uninspired moments at work. And I added you to my linky page.

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  84. Daily reads?? Dude, it says right at the top of my blog -- Don't expect too much.

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  85. Anonymous5:15 PM

    I found your Penney's post this morning on http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/ and then I promptly forwarded your link to EVERYBODY in my contacts! Awesome entry.

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  86. I happily take partial responsibilty. A blog I read linked to the JC Penny post, I almost peed myself laughing and immediately posted it all over MySpace! Several of my friends commented on how it brightened their day so I'm sure they posted it on their bulletins as well..

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  87. Anonymous7:09 PM

    I never post. This is probably around my 3rd in history - and I do IT work... go figure. Perhaps I don't have the time. I had been forwarded the pictures in email (why can't people realize that everything funny that is going around in email has been put on some web server for ease and so it doesn't clutter up our precious own disk space... )
    Anyway - I think it wasn't so much the content of the catalog, which was in and of itself a sad reflection of fashion trends over the years, but your commentary. I almost pissed my pants reading it.
    I now have bookmarked your site and will visit often whenever I need some inspired insanity (as the last poster called your thoughts)...

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  88. Anonymous9:35 AM

    Someone forwarded it to me but the pictures did not come through - the text alone was funny enough to prompt me to search for it on the internet. I found it with no trouble at all and promptly forwarded it to everyone I know (we all grew up is this glorious era). You certaianly got your revenge in a most amusing way. Thanks for a laugh.

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  89. I found the JC Penney post -- which, as a child of the '70s I absolutely loved -- through the Black Hole blog (lizisabella.blogspot.com).

    I wish people could e-mail my witticisms around like that for some traffic boosting.

    Anyway, I'm really glad to have been made aware of your blog; I really enjoy it. I'll put up a link to it on my blog next time I edit my links list. That should boost your numbers by five a month.

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  90. Anonymous9:12 PM

    YOU started that?! I've received that email 5 times I think! Hilarious...and so is the rest of your site. Kudos to you!

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  91. I just found you through Drifty's blog. Feh. Anyhow, those kinda things happen and yeah, ten percent return to regular readers sounds about right. Nice place you've got here I'm gonna blogroll ya. xo

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  92. Anonymous2:04 PM

    Yeah, it was actually featured in a "style column" in the state-wide Arkansas newspaper this weekend.

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  93. Not to put any pressure on, but you could/should be writing Hollywood screenplays or writing for Conan or The Simpsons or any of your favorite shows. The catalog was hilarious, but your commentary was truly inspired and incredibly funny. You have a new fan. By the by, got the email from various sources - totally winging its way around the world!

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  94. Anonymous7:56 PM

    yeah ive seen that thing about 14 tiems now

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  95. Yup, I got the forward of this and tracked you down. Needless to say instead of forwarding AGAIN...I just sent all my friends a link to this site. Brilliantly funny thanks...my boss will be replacing my monitor shortly. Coffee & laughter...GREAT mix!

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  96. Anonymous2:10 PM

    Count me as another one who found your blog courtesy of the JC Penney entry...funniest thing EVER! My sister (Iowa)sent it to me (Kansas) after she got it from a friend (Texas) and I sent it to Missouri and Tennessee. I concur with whoever said you should work as a comedy writer...what you write is just as funny (or funnier) than a lot of what is out there.

    Now yours is one of only a few blogs on my "favorites" list...I check back every few days to see what is new, and have gone back to read a lot of the old items too...thanks to you!

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  97. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  98. Just discovered your blog. It's great. I'm particularly envious of how simple yet humurous the titles of your posts are. That is difficult to do, I admire that a lot.

    Quick question: You mentioned using software to measure your blog traffic. Which software do you use? I've been searching for software that is blogspot compatible.

    Thanks.

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  99. Sola, it's just sitemeter. And thanks for the compliment.

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  100. Anonymous7:15 AM

    I frist got it work last week - one of the admins received it from outside the company. So glad I foung the original source! Phyllis

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  101. Dude, I got your JCPenney thing sent to me and it INSPIRED me to hunt your blog in its entirety and let me tell you, I am fucking impressed. Ooops. Can I use that word on here? Well, anyway, hilarious you are. Seriously.

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  102. Anonymous3:05 PM

    I wouldn't knock it...that hilarious JC penny post directed millions to your blog that wouldn't have otherwise happened upon it...and some of us now continure to read and enjoy!

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