[For those of you just tuning in, this is based on the 301 Lists that Darren Rowse’s List Group Writing Project brought together. You’ll find Chapter 1 here –> A List Becomes 301 Links in Story — Chapter 1 ]

Taking the Missives to Rue Dante

“I guess I’m coming,” Lizzie said. “Where?”

“10 Rue Dante,” Hal said, still walking. Read these on the way there. He handed her Starting a Blog? Here Are 8 Different Blogging Business Models, Breaking the News To Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Customers, and The Top 10 (heck, maybe more) Streaming Piles Even I Can’t Believe I Sat Through!

“I don’t like the looks of these. I don’t like the sound of that address.” Lizzie didn’t like the sound of Hal either. Suddenly Hal didn’t sound like a guy from Kerrville, Texas.

“Here, take these Ten Essential Tools for Beginning Web Developers, 14 Accomplishments of a Newbie Blogger, and Comments that have Fertilized the Inadvertent Garden. You’ll need them.”

“What’s this about?”

“You’ve heard of ProBlogger’s List Meme? We’re being tested. [Read more…]

[For those of you just tuning in, this is based on the 301 Lists that Darren Rowse’s List Group Writing Project brought together. You’ll find Chapter 1 here –> A List Becomes 301 Links in Story — Chapter 1 ]

On to the Cathedral

Lizzie left the restaurant. She looked both ways and made a run for it. She didn’t stop until she got to Notre Dame Cathedral. Peace and blissful quiet surrounded her. She was overtaken by the beauty and the history. For the hour that she sat there, you might have convinced our idealistic young lady that she was indeed a time traveler.

Even when she left, everything she was shrouded in new, and powerful mystery.

As Lizzie stood on the bridge looking back at the old church building, she wondered about the Mystical Power of CSS code and The A-Z of RSS.

A man in trench coat walked past her and handed her a piece of paper. “Destroy as soon as you read it” were the only words he muttered. Lizzie was grateful he was an introvert.

Still it was curious. The sun was shining. “Why the trench coat?” Lizzie thought. She viewed the piece of paper. It read 10 Indispensable (and Free) Web Resources for Students, Nine of My Favorite WordPress Plugins, 5 Ways to Improve your Affiliate Sales.

“What does that mean?” Lizzie wondered, leaning on the bridge and watching the water. Almost in answer a woman in a scarf and sunglasses, ala Jackie Onassis, stood near and said, “It means, I am the first of 10 Resources who will bring 9 Missives. You must deliver them to the address by 5 o’clock.” Then the woman walked off.

“What address==????” It was too late. She was gone, swallowed up by Japanese tourists reading aloud Top 12 Cameras of All Time: A Photo Enthusiast’s Perspctive [2006] and discussing 10 Ways to Make Your Digital Photos Last Forever.

A parade of white swans came down the water. When Lizzie looked up, the tallest, most handsome man was standing beside her. He was Pierce Brosnan crossed with Sean Connery with just a little Dennis Quaid twinkling in those eyes.

“Ah Leez,” he said. “I love your smile. Please take my hand.”

“Romance,” Lizzie thought at last. “I am Renee Russo in Paris.” Then she saw she had a List of Mouse Games in her hand and the handsome man was gone.

The third was a little girl in a blue plaid school uniform. She had a red balloon and handed Lizzie 5 games industry job interview tips.

“Do they have Star Trek Conventions in Paris?” Lizzie wondered as a Klingon walked nonchalantly to where she was standing to hand her 5 Ways to Use MySpace to Reach Your Readers. She was number 4.

Number 5 was a Darren Rowse look alike with 101 Questions… Consumer, Political, Humorous and Starbucks. He made her wish for her computer and for a nice cafe latte with raw sugar.

Six and seven came together. They were delivered by two kids on a tandem bicycle — 5 links to calorie-conscious fitness and a Q&A: Low vs. High pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The eighth resource came by carrier pigeon.

Lizzie thought, “You’ve got to be kidding.” But there was this bird flying to her with a scrolled list on its back that said, “NY Times my arse… Here is where I get my news.”

“Actually, these days carrier pigeon is probably more reliable. I hear you don’t change photos in photo shop ever,” Lizzie said aloud to the bird before it left.

The Five Questions You Should Never Ask seemed to float down from the air. Lizzie found THAT more than spooky.

So there, she stood on the bridge with 9 missives to deliver somewhere by 5 o’clock. It was now about 11:15 in the morning, and she didn’t know where or to whom . . . or even whether she should.

Walking to Romance

Lizzie started walking. Standing had gotten her in the middle of some plot. Walking might get her out of it. She was just beginning to get that Five Reasons Why Mornings Rock feeling, until a shadow feel in beside her.

Lizzie froze in her tracks. [Read more…]

[For those of you just tuning in, this is based on the 301 Lists that Darren Rowse’s List Group Writing Project brought together. You’ll find Chapter 1 here –> A List Becomes 301 Links in Story — Chapter 1 ]

Adventures Don’t Happen Sitting

Lizzie finished her hot chocolate and talked a moment to her server. Apparently the owner was a Jerk. Lizzie wanted to help the poor girl so she gave her Ten Things You Need to Know Before you Hire an Attorney and Starting Your Own Business? Keep these things in Mind!

“Everyone’s so nice and speaking English,” Lizzie thought. Then she scanned the lists on the table. On her left she saw Pan Pacs 2006 – What to Watch For, European Honeymoon List Fun, 20 Ways to Improve Your Training for Rowers (and other Athletes), Ingredients in Chinese Five Spice, and Five Things to Do in Stockholm When it Rains. On her right was Things I learned in Honduras, 20 Drought Tolerant Australian Native Plants, A few handy EPL team facts, and 5 things to do when in Cebu.

Right-brained, creative Lizzie did the math. “Oh my,” she thought, “Only 7% of Americans have passports. “We really need to stop our national journey to be in front of the TV,” our fictional deep thinker mused as she reviewed Five Searches That Have Brought People to Couch Culture. “Just that I’m in France and not in a noisy tourist group has probably led them to decide that I’m Australian or Canadian. I think number 11 of 10 Easy Ways To Save Money In Restaurants is to leave as soon as you’re done.”

And that’s exactly what she did.

Along Came Rita . . . and Doris

In the fresh air and out on the sidewalk, Lizzie headed for Notre Dame Cathedral.

Unfortunately, she ended up in a that stereotypical, noisy group of American tourists and couldn’t quite seem to lose a lady named Rita. Rita was an incredibly thin, well-meaning real-estate seller — the kind that makes most realtors cringe or claim to be lawyers, ex-cons, or major felons . . . Worse than Rita was her friend, Doris, a burly pitbull sort of woman who was an American TV fiend.
[Read more…]

[For those of you just tuning in, this is based on the 301 Lists that Darren Rowse’s List Group Writing Project brought together. You’ll find Chapter 1 here –> A List Becomes 301 Links in Story — Chapter 1 ]

In Paris at Last

Finally, Lizzie was in the Paris Hilton. She was overjoyed to find that her room had been upgraded. That, of course, required a room tour to see what was there.

The room was so cool. It was Beyond YouTube and Google Video: 5 Great Video Sites on the Web were in the bathroom!

The desk had 10 Things You Find in Every Office. A note by the interactive television offered Ebay Scam/Hoax Avoidance Tips and 10 Everyday Items You Can Buy with E-gold.

A case in the library included the framed hotel plans and The architects Pen. The writer’s desk included a book that invited visitors to add to My Top 10 Favorite Desperate Housewives Moments. (The first entry was signed by Prince Charles.)

The bar was stocked with Sam Adams Top Ten Beers.

Lizzie grabbed a cold one and cracked it open. She sat back to contemplate. “Boy this really underscores 10 Things I hate about budget Traveling.” Then Listless Lizzie couldn’t quit laughing. I’ve landed in The Budget Travel Wishlist of Moi.

To Lizzie, camping and budget traveling always involved room service and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Memories and Hot Chocolate

Once she could breathe again, she realized a nap was in order. She’d flown all night and needed some sleep. She called up A Short List of Lists, but it was too short. Then she tried AAA list of 11 important advantages to list writing, but she couldn’t remember them all without the paperwork. So she settled on repeating the name of A List of Lists for Listing as a mantra.

By the beautiful bed, Lizzie found more reading material to calm her — 11 Ways to Improve Clarity and Start Getting Results. She thought she would meditate on that for a while and she would read 10 Ways to Improve Your Energy when she awoke from her nap.

As she was falling asleep her last thought was, “I remember Top 7 Freebies I’ve received,” she sighed. I miss that Photo Project that empowered me so. I miss Jay Leno and the other boys, who wanted to drive The Top Ten Hybrid Cars in my garage. She’d always thought those cars were the best test and trial in her plan of How to Find the Perfect Man. She thought back on 5 things I wish I knew when I bought my first motorcycle. Laughing she realized they were the same 5 things she wished she knew when she dated her first boyfriend too.

“Yeah,” she thought. “I should write a book on that. It would be like Extended Car Warranty Do’s and Don’ts for relationships.”

But whenever the idea of the perfect man arose, so too came the 10 Things: Married or Single. One of which is 10 Steps to a Happier Mealtime with Kids, then there was What to Bring on a Roadtrip with Kids, and not to mention the stuff her friend, Georgio, called “College Planning, Suffering, and the Avarice of Ray Charles; The Top 5 Things My Kids Have Said That Still Make me Laugh.” The little girl shook her head. She thought most guys were kids themselves. She knew for sure that she was.

When Lizzie awoke she was ready for an adventure.

On her way out of the room she saw a brochure that said, “Get More Done in a Day: Do Little Things, Achieve Big Things.”

“Exactly,” she said out loud.

She left the hotel and started wandering aimlessly.

In the Coffee Bar

It was in the Coffee Bar near Maxims that Lizzie met Jean, he was 5 foot 9 inches tall. His hair and frame were both wiry. His eyes were black and fiery. There was no doubt he was both romantic and creative. Jean had “You Must be an Artist If… “ written all over him. [Read more…]