Klout Topics…Explained?

Klout just recently added an option allowing us to suggest topics for our friends and contacts to share +K  on  Klout. They claim it’s to let us have more control over out topics. I gave up when they suggested “Lambs” as a topic of influence for me long ago….

I have enjoyed punking my friends, by giving them +K forsomething innocuous like “blogging” but tweeting “I gave John Doe +K for puppy snuff films” or “I gave Suzy +K for underwater prostitution”…..you get the idea.

So, when my twitter pal Jim (@leaderswest) gave me +K last week for the topic of “Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics” I thought he was getting me back for last month’s +K for baby porn…..turns out, the Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics was a REAL catagory now!! And, checking back, I noticed that HE had “David Hasselhoff” as a topic of interest on his Klout page as well….

Turns out, you can’t just make up the topics: they are suggested by Klout. Here is a sampling, and NO I am NOT making this up!!

underwater football (sports)
Underwater Archaeology (field Of Study)
Iraqi Scientific Humanitarian Committee (political Party) ←-sure to get you on the FBI watchlist
Euthanasia
Bullshit (game)
Party Of Separated And Divorced (political Party)
Administration Of Air And Water Resource And Solid Waste Management Programs (industry)
Sucker Punch
Know Nothing (political Party)
European Gay Porn Awards
Cookie Monster

So, which of these would YOU like to be influential about? Leave a comment below, and I’ll see what I can do

A Homemade Holiday

Face it…the economy has us all looking for ways to scale back, especially at this most consumerist time of the year. don’t get me wrong: Christmas is my favorite holiday. But not because of the gifts under the tree. I’m a fan of the Baby Jesus, and the history and nostalgia my family puts behind the Christmas traditions. With two teen girls, there are Christmas cookies and countless crafts that make the season full of almost Victorian splendor.

In November I tweeted a paper star craft that I pinned on Pinterest  said I wanted to try. leave it to my good neighbor to call me up and say “Remember that craft you wanted to do? Come over for coffee and let’s DO it!!”

So, we three Girls of clan McShane headed over, paper cutters and glue dots in hand to the neighbor’s house to make paper stars. It was actually a very easy project, and even my special needs daughter could be proud of the stars she made. For directions CLICK HERE. As you can see, we didn’t even use holiday paper or even holiday colors. We used square scrapbooking paper, which was the perfect size and weight, and already perfectly square!

assorted colorful paper

But I really fell in love with the idea of a country mish-mash of fun vintage paper stars and chains. We went a little crazy. But, that’s just my style. Went to Michael’s and bought vintage Christmas scrapbook paper and went to town!! Paper chains are such a fun and easy craft for kids of all ages!

Paper Chains...

In the  end, we hung the stars from different colored ribbons all over our home, and hung the chains in doorways. Very festive and fun! Here is a photo of a grouping of stars over a couch with up-lighting:

Is this a craft you might try?