Top 10 Posts From 2013 Part II

Yesterday we looked at the stories that ranked 10-6 in most popular Blog by Bake posts in 2013. Today we will finish off the top 10 list with the most read topics of the year.

Top 10 Blog by Bake Posts of 2013 (5 – 1)

# 5. Why I Can’t Be Perry Mason – June 14th

In this post I discuss a phone call I had with my Internet provider and how I learned an important lesson about QBQ! and personal responsibility. Click here to see how I was caught shifting blame and what I should have been doing instead.

# 4. The Next Great Batman Movie – July 15th

Do I have what it takes to write the next Batman movie? What if I told you that I already wrote the script and I did so when I was 3 years old? To see my script and find out who Batman teams up with, click here!

# 3. Do You Need Some Extra Ordinary? – June 9th

My very first blog post made the top 10! Is that because it is a great post or because it has had the most time to accumulate page views?? Find out for yourself by clicking here!

# 2. Top 10 Lessons to Learn From The Lion King – October 22nd

Who knew that The Lion King was more than just catchy songs and fart jokes from Timon & Pumbaa? In this post I took a look at all the important lessons we can learn from this great movie. Click here to learn more.

# 1. Top 10 Principles From Jay Bilas’ Toughness – September 24th

People must want to know how to be tough. This top 10 list, where I discuss a fantastic book written by Jay Bilas, is by far my most viewed post of the year (nearly four times as many views as #2). Toughness is one of the best books I read all year, and I am proud that many people have gravitated to this post. To see what many others are so interested in, click here!

So those are the top 10 posts from 2013. What do you think? Did you have a favorite that didn’t make the list? In the comment section below, let me know what your favorite post was.

Thank you all for reading my blog in 2013!

I am blessed to have some great readers and I can’t wait to bring more content in 2014!

Top 10 Posts of 2013

This time of year, many radio shows, TV programs and websites will feature a best of segment where they recycle material they have already used throughout the year.

Not only is it a easy (or lazy) way to fill some time (or pages), but it is also a fun way to recap what happened in the past 12 months.

Although this blog has not existed for 12 months, I thought I would join in the ‘best of’ fun and feature my most popular posts from 2013.

Keep in mind these are based on my blog traffic statistics, so they may or may not represent what I (or readers) feel are actually the best posts that I have written.

Top 10 Blog by Bake Posts of 2013

# 10. Why Write? – June 10th

One of my very first posts, “Why Write?” discusses an article titled “The Power of the Pen: Boosting Happiness, Health, and Productivity”  by Adam Grant that talked about a study done on one hundred senior engineers that were laid off by a computer company. Some of the engineers were asked to keep a journal and some were not. Click here to read what happens next and learn how daily writing can be very powerful.

# 9. Free T-Shirts – July 18th

This Thankful Thursday posts describes why I will never be named to GQ’s best dressed list. I ask myself the very important question of: Should I continue with my frugal attire or is it time to act like a grown up and learn to dress properly? Click here for more!

# 8. Manners – September 19th

The #8 post of the year features another Thankful Thursday topic where I discuss a disgusting visit to the library. Click here to read what could have happened to make me so thankful for my parents teaching me manners.

# 7. What’s On Your Bucket List – July 10th

Do you have a bucket list? Better question, have you ever wondered where that term came from? I did, and now I know the answer. Do you want to know the answer? If so, click here.

# 6. Top 10 Lines From Kid President’s Teacher Pep Talk – September 17th

Of all the new people I learned about in 2013, Kid President is by far my favorite. That kid has an infectious laugh and is always spreading hope. In this post, I talk about one of Kid President’s awesome videos! Click here to view the video and see what I had to say.

#5 – 1 Coming tomorrow…

Decide Where You’d Rather Be

As 2013 comes to a close I thought I would share a quote from author Lewis
Dunnington…

“You’ll never leave where you are, until you decide where you’d rather be.”

That quote sounds awfully simple. But the message is very important, especially given the time of year.

Next week many of us will create New Year’s resolutions. We will decide to eat better, stop smoking or do one of the many other things we feel will make us better.

And many of us will give up on those resolutions before the next Wonder Why Wednesday.

I wish I had a sure fire plan that would guarantee you could stick with your New Year’s resolution.

But I don’t.

All I can do is encourage you to keep the above quote in mind as you are determining (and then struggling through) your New Year’s resolution.

As you look ahead to 2014, decide where you’d rather be. That is the first step in leaving where you are.

Thankful for family

After a couple of days of spending Christmas with my family, I think it makes sense to use this Thankful Thursday to say that I am thankful it is all over.

Just kidding.

I am very thankful for my family.

I thought about making up hilarious stories from my Christmas about a drunk uncle or how my grandma knitted me an ugly sweater, but I just couldn’t do that. Mainly because I am not that creative. But also because it is just not true.

I am blessed to have superb siblings, awesome aunts, unreal uncles, cool cousins, great grandparents (well, not great-grandparents), and peachy parents.

This post would probably be better if I had funny stories to report from Christmas. But I don’t.

It was just a very nice Christmas with a very nice family that I am very thankful for.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the blog

Not a creature was stirring, they were all sawing logs.

The words had been posted by the author with care,

In hopes that an audience soon would be there.

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While Memory Monday tales danced in their heads.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief and dad in his underwear,

Makes me think about Wednesday and what I might wonder there.

 

When out on in the office there arose such a clatter,

Everyone sprang to their computers to see what was the matter.

When they opened a new browsing window it flew in like a flash.

Some much content so quick it is amazing their computer didn’t crash.

 

There was a Thankful Thursday post here and another one there.

And so many funny stories they nearly fell out of their chair.

All these great topics could fill all the books on the shelves.

That might even impress Santa Clause and all of the elves.

 

I know that this silly poem might be more than anyone could take.

But I thank you for reading another rhyme from Blog by Bake.

But I will end it by saying, as I continue to write,

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Rule #6

“Two prime ministers are sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apoplectic with fury, shouting and stamping and banging his fists on the desk. The resident prime minister admonishes him: ‘Peter,’ he says, ‘kindly remember Rule Number 6,’ whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologizes and withdraws. The politicians return to their conversation, only to be interrupted yet again twenty minutes later by an hysterical woman gesticulating wildly, her hair flying. Again the intruder is greeted with the words: ‘Marie, please remember Rule Number 6.’ Complete calm descends one more, and she too withdraws with a bow and an apology. When the scene is repeated for a third time, the visiting prime minister addresses his colleague: ‘My dearest friend, I’ve seen many things in my life, but never anything as remarkable as this. Would you be willing to share with me the secret of Rule Number 6?’ ‘Very simple,’ replies the resident prime minister. ‘Rule Number 6 is ‘Don’t take yourself so damn seriously,’ ‘Ah,’ says the visitor, ‘that is a fine rule.’ After a moment of pondering, he inquires, ‘And what, may I ask, are the other rules.’ ‘There aren’t any.”

That story comes from The Art of Possibility written by Rosemund and Benjamin Zander and I think it is very fitting for this time of year.

December tis the season to be jolly, but for many tis also the season to feel gloomy.

The malls are packed. Traffic is always backed up. We can’t find that perfect gift.

Many things come up during the Christmas season that feel like the end of the world.

Remembering Rule Number 6 is very important.

Don’t let the lines at the mall, the wait in traffic or the lack of perfect gift ideas bog you down.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Blog By Bake Crossword Puzzle

Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the crossword puzzle!

The very first crossword puzzle was created on Dec. 21, 1913 by newspaper editor Arthur Wynn for the New York World.

For you crossword puzzle fans, there is an awesome Google doodle on the Google home page today.

I wanted to get in on the crossword fun, so I created a Blog By Bake themed crossword puzzle.

Can you get all the answers?

My Book is Now On Sale!

Today I am thankful that Maury C. Moose and The Forest Noel is now available in paperback format!

Maury C. Moose and The Forest Noel is on sale and guess what??

On MauryCMoose.com, you get to pick the price!

That’s right, you can buy the book for whatever you want!

As I stated in my Kickstarter video, I wrote this book because I want to encourage kids and parents to read together. I found it hard to put a price on that.

I thought about just giving it away for free, but as Pay What You Want guru Tom Morkes says, just because you can get free samples at Costco, doesn’t mean that you actually like what you are getting and want more!

I want to make this book as accessible as possible. At the same time I also don’t want to lose all my money.

That’s where you come in. Just click the button below and you get to pick the price of the book and pay what you think is fair.

The book will retail for $10, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay $10.

So whether you want to buy me a $0.99 Slurpee, a $5 footlong, $100 worth of pretzel bread or anything in between or beyond, it’s totally up to you! Because PayPal dictates that you must put in some value, you will have to at least pay $0.01. But I bet if you look around long enough you can find a penny on the street to make up for it.I will charge $5 for shipping just to make sure that the book gets to you in one piece.

I am thankful for whatever price you are willing to pay.

Want the eBook? You can get that here too for whatever you want to pay!

**Please note, my eCommerce platform for the eBook is located in Australia so depending on your credit card fees, international fees may apply.

I know this probably seems different and might be a little confusing. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about why I am selling my book for whatever anyone wants to pay. Just send me an email at Adam@MauryCMoose.com and I would love to hear more about what you think of Pay What You Want Pricing.

Gold, Frankincense & What?

Pop quiz time…

What three gifts did the three wise men give to Jesus when he was born?

Easy right? We’ve all heard that it was gold, frankincense & myrrh.

Now for the second part of the quiz…

What the heck is myrrh?

We’ve all heard of gold. And we can guess that frankincense has something to do with incense or perfume.

But myrrh?

The word looks like what you type when you accidentally lean on your keyboard.

Today I am wondering what myrrh is used for and why these three smart guys thought it was the right gift to give to a baby.

According to Wikipedia, myrrh is the aromatic resin of a number of small, thorny tree species genus Commiphora,  which is an essential oil termed an oleoresin. Myrrh resin is a natural gum and it can be ingested by mixing it with wine.

Myrrh has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine. It has also been used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes, gargles, and toothpastes for prevention and treatment of gum disease.

Myrrh was used by the ancient Egyptians, along with natron, for the embalming of mummies.

In ancient history it had an equal value to gold.

Basically, myrrh is a wonder product that can make you smell good, recover from illness and keep your teeth pearly white.

All that and it once was very valuable.

So I guess it makes sense that these wise men would want to give it to this very important baby. It wasn’t as if the 3^rd wise man forgot to bring a gift and just re-gifted whatever he could find in his satchel.

But now I am wondering that if myrrh is so great, can we still buy it today?

Looks like we can, and it comes in a nice package with its buddy frankincense!

I’m glad to see those two are still hanging out.

My Book is Finished!

Maury C. Moose and The Forest Noel is finished and it looks great!

Thanks for all of your support and patience through this whole process.

I am sending the eBook first to all of my awesome Kickstarter backers and then I will post some information about how everyone else can get their hands on the book.

Check out the image of the book and let me know what you think!