Blogger ∙ C.L. Beck - LDS Outlets/Humor

Today I am delighted to introduce you to one of our quirkier, or should I say brilliantly funny, bloggers. C.L. Beck, otherwise known as Cindy, is blogging on our LDS Outlet block newsstand. She is one of two bloggers for that block and will be writing about her perspective on life with a humorous twist!

C.L. enjoys tickling funny bones and making people laugh. However, to be honest, she has also written serious, heart-warming stories for the Cup of Comfort anthologies and the Ensign. She lives in central Utah with her husband, Russ, and their short-legged dog, Corky Porky Pie, who thinks the world adores him.

1. What brought you to the Blogging World and what is your favorite thing about blogging?

I arrived at the Blogging World quite by accident. I was trying to find SeaWorld, but I've never been very good with maps. Apparently the Internet is nowhere near Orlando, FL.

I love blogging because it gives me the chance to write whatever comes to mind. Alas, that's also what encourages me to write answers like the one I gave to "What brought you to the Blogging World?" Plus, blogging gives me a perfectly acceptable excuse for staring at my computer screen for hours on end, while eating Cheese Doodles and humming aimless tunes. "Sorry, Sweetie," I'll say to my husband as I wipe Doodle dust off my fingers. "I can't possibly fix supper right now ... I'm blogging."

2. What intrigues you the most about blogging for yourLDSneighborhood?

First of all, it seems like such a nice neighborhood. So much nicer than my own--no kids throwing rotten tomatoes at my dog, or leaving a sharpened hack saw blade at my front door as a present. Or as a warning. I'm not sure which it was supposed to be.

Second, I can use words like, "Oh my heck" in a blog, and all the visitors will completely understand what that means. Not to mention the fact that if I were to blog about baptisms for the dead, no one would wonder if I was talking about putting sprinklers in the cemetery.

3. What is your favorite thing about yourLDSneighborhood?

Oh, you mean outside of the fact that no one has left a sharpened hack saw blade as a present?

Okay, I suppose I'll be serious for just one second. I love the bright colors and the way the home page is set up like a neighborhood. The images and graphics are very inviting. I feel like I've stepped into an LDS Mayberry. All it lacks is Aunt Bee, Opie and a cold glass of lemonade, sitting by a rocker on the front porch.

I think it's great to go to a site that's geared toward Latter-Day Saints, where you don't have to worry about content that you might find insulting or offensive. I love the fact that I can read blogs and not have to worry about what wording they'll contain. Oh my heck, yes!

The stores contain items I'd be interested in buying; the blogs are writings I'd be interested in reading.

I think that pretty well sums it up, don't you? So, okay then, back to the Cheese Doodles.

4. Tell us a little about yourself: What your likes, dislikes, hobbies, hopes, dreams, etc . . .

Likes: Cheese Doodles, donuts, chocolate cake.

Dislikes: Liver, and Brussels sprouts.

Hobbies: Readin', writin' and NOT 'rithmetic.

Hopes: The only Hopes I know are Bob Hope and the Hope diamond. One has passed away and the other is beyond my budget.

Dreams: Last night, I had the strangest dream. I sailed away to China, in a little row boat to find ya, and ya said you had to get your laundry cleaned....No wait, that wasn't a dream, that was a song that was playing just before I went to bed.

Etc: I don't know Etc., but if you hum a few bars of it, I'd probably remember.

5. Tell us something unique about yourself.

Aw, drat, I'm getting tired of typing. Let's just skip this one.

6. What has been your greatest challenge to date?

Coming up with the answer to question number five, above, which is why I skipped it.

Wait. Did you mean my biggest challenge in life? That would be how to get the Cheese Doodle bag open without dumping cheesy puffs in my lap.

7. What books/projects/songs are you working on right now?

As far as books go, I'm working on a book of LDS Humor with my friend and co-author, Nichole Giles, who will also be blogging for Your LDS Neighborhood.com. The book has been requested by Covenant. Honest, I'm not making this up. It's for real.

As for projects, I'm trying to figure out why my dryer keeps overheating. There's nothing like charred and blackened socks to give you a clue that something is amiss with the dryer.

As for songs, I'm working on an opus. Or maybe it's a jingle. I've never been clear on the difference between the two. At any rate, I have the music written. It has eighth, quarter and half notes. Once in a while, for variety, I've thrown in a full note.

The lyrics are simple, so that it appeals to the common man. They go, "Dee, dee, dee. Dee, dee, dee."

8. What obstacles have you run into?

Whether "dee" is spelled with one "e" or two.

9. What advice do you have for all the browsers in Blogland?

Advice, huh? It's my considered opinion that you have to bookmark the places you really like ... for example, C.L. Beck's blog at yourLDSNeighborhood ... or you get totally lost in Blog World and end up at SeaWorld instead.

10. If you had three minutes to give advice to someone headed into danger, what would it be?

Unplug the dryer before trying to figure out why the socks are burned.

As always, C.L., thanks for dropping by. Your skewed outlook on life sure tickled my funny bone this morning. Remember, C.L. will be blogging on the LDS Outlet block, twice a week, every Monday and Thursday. You'll definitely want to drop in and check out what she's up to.Thanks for dropping by the Neighborhood.