Posts filed under ‘Blogging’
Living the Life
Well, so lately I’ve been doing a lot of living. Not a lot of journaling. Not a lot of writing. Just living. Something about the fresh air of just moving and not taking photos or writing or thinking has been a fresh wind, a change of pace.
Working on a huge house de-cluttering project, finishing up another season of Upward Soccer, and watching my kids grow. I find myself looking around my home saying, “Wow, where DID these big people come from?” Since I started blogging, “Boy Wonder” is now a good foot taller than me, “Goldilocks” is eye to eye, and little “Flash”, well, he’s entering the world of big-people stuff on occasion, too. His big brother and Dad initiated him into wearing deodorant last week. Mercy, time is FLYING all of a sudden.
This week, Flash has an ear infection of gigantic proportion. He has an impacted ear, is in a lot of pain, and bless his heart, is going to sleep reading his Bible, and even slept with it cradled in his arms. I wonder if he thinks he might die, making sure he has all his loose ends tied up. I’ve slept with him the last few nights, watching high temps, and soothing him. I’m quite tired today, missing his last soccer game and possibly closing ceremonies. Very sad.
We planned a family vacation to the beach this summer, but are unsure of the conditions of the gulf…we may have to relocate or postphone.
I’m doing a lot of card-making for friends, and am enjoying time just piddling in between enormous amounts of laundry and cooking and cleaning of the kitchen.
It’s funny, today I was trying to remember where my dishwasher was location in my former house. I finally did remember. I struck me as odd that such a dread, redundant task, seven years later, I have to think hard where the appliance was even located. Goes to show that it’s not the mundane you remember long term, it’s the fun, special moments you made. So true. Makes me try to no think about those tasks quite so much and focus on making memories and fun times in this house in the years we have left together.
We figured up the other day, we will have four graduations in a row from elementary and middle schools, then if all three kids finish up a four year program in college, 10 out of the next 14 years, we will have graduations. God bless our hearts! Oh, mercy. You’d think someone was pulling all my teeth out one by one this year when my daughter finished elementary school. Their growth and birthdays usually don’t hit me until the week of the birthday, then, WHAM, it’s there like a ton of bricks…another year gone!
Well, all for now, I am cataloging books for the church library that are currently creating a mountain in my dining room that needs moving! Great to touch base. Sorry I’m not doing much blog reading lately. I’ve focused on local friendships and facebook and have enjoyed those little connections and the small amount of time it takes (comparatively). And…that’s okay!
Blessings,
“Maggie”
Which Feed Reader is Best?
That’s the Question of the Day: Which Feed Reader IS Best?
Looks like it may be time to switch Google anyway. My reason for not switching is my son logs into his Google account for mail, so I find it easier to leave his account up. If I use Bloglines, it may be easier to set it up under his name so that we aren’t always switching back and forth. I don’t like that Google is linked to yahoo mail, simply because it requires my yahoo login ID, which I didn’t give much thought to when I created, and always seem to forget–seems to take me days to remember or find it and log in.
Which Feed Reader is Best? – ProBlogger Readers Have their Say (results)
The pie chart on there shows Google reader with half the market. There are pros and cons to reading blogs by reader. The pro is that I can scan 5-75 blogs for what I’m in the mood for without clicking in and out all over tarnation. The bad news is, people are more likely to scan without commenting, and you never see their stats on your blog. They are reading your feed without clicking into your blog. So, it may look like you have no traffic, when, indeed, you do.
If you use a feed reader, would you leave your feed subscription public so that I can see you are there? I’d love that. That way I can follow your blog as well!
Why I’m Considering a Switch
Questionable ads, especially, but not limited to being on a family desktop. I like how with some services, like facebook, you can give an ad a “thumbs down” and say why. If you use facebook, take advantage of this way to speak your mind and let them know what you are interested in and what you are not. To fad dieting programs, I give a thumbs down and say “not applicable”. To those with girls dressed too inappropriately to be welcomed into my home via computer screen, as it is my choice without offending them in any way, I give a thumbs down and click “offensive”.
Why I might stay:
I just logged into to switch, and for now, the ad is GONE. At least not in the first placement where I’m not seeing it before I click something to cover ads.
It’s still there, a week later, I’ve emailed them again expressing my frustration, and am moving today. I have received no response from them at all.
Just in Case: how to Switch from Bloglines to Google Reader (the easy way):
Left for me by comment:
| blueraindrop blueraindrop.wordpress.com |
Submitted on 2009/04/17 at 9:59am
“From the My Feeds page, click the Edit link at the top of the left panel. There will be a link to export your subscriptions in OPML format.” that will give a list of who you are subscribed to…. which is then easily imported into google reader etc should you decide to use somewhere else while waiting. |
So, You Want to Put Your Pic In Your Sidebar?
Well, I put a pic up in my sidebar. Frankly, I hate it. I hate looking at my own self when I go to read my blog. It’s a little scary to look at myself. It’s like talking and looking in the mirror at the same time, which I don’t make a habit of doing.
However, many people do not know who is who locally, some are confused, I thought it may help. Some days, I think I’d rather them not know who is writing, but I’ll try it for a while and see if I grow into it!
I am me, after all…not much hiding from that fact.
If you want to join me in this endeavor of boldness, putting your picture in your sidebar, here’s what you do:
- Upload a pic of yourself to wordpress in a post like you are going to post…but, don’t post.
- Grab the little sizing handles on your picture in the post , size it down to about the size you think would be about right for the sidebar.
- Click the “code” tab there by the “visual” tab. Copy and paste that line of info (your picture in code) and paste it into a widget text box under “Presentation”.
There you go! Any pictures or text you can do this way to add things to your sidebar as well.
Tip: If you are unsure about the size, open a second wordpress browser window to instal your picture to widget, leaving your pretend post open so that you can play with the sizing/test it on your blog.
I know, I know, that flew over your head and sounds like Greek. The good news is: this is a Greek lesson!!! What a perk, eh? Tackle it slowly. Print it off, do each step one at a time, crossing off each step as you go. Once you learn it, you’ll know how forever! Have fun!
WordPress Meme Party–See…it’s not so hard!
Some of you wanted another go at this…
Next Wednesday night, I’ll put up a “Thursday Thoughts” post with my quote on it.
Post your quote or review for Thursday Thoughts on your own blog as well. Add in the Thursday Thoughts pic if you know how to to do that, if not, skip it for now. Add my link if you want, if you don’t know how, skip it! When you finish posting, click View to see your own blog published. On that screen of your blog, RIGHT click the TITLE of your NEWLY WRITTEN THURSDAY THOUGHTS POST. Click “copy shortcut”.
Paste that post title address in the comments on my Thursday Thoughts Comments Section. Enter a topic for your quote if you like.
Visit other commentors quotes and say howdy.
That’s the blog party! Sounds fun, eh?
Let’s Try This WordPress “Twitter” Thingy Again.
UPDATE: WordPress community, I had to reset all your roles to author rather than contributor. It should work now. Let me know if I still need to add you.
Whatya Doin? community blog:
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Log into your Wordpress account (or get one set up).
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In your dashboard tray (“E” above) click the little drop down arrow beside “My Dashboards”. “Whatya doin?”should show there. Entre via that link.
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Blog! 1-3 short sentences/phrases. A fast moving way to follow people/get to know some/see new resources (books, tools. technology (especially free stuff).
It’s supposed to look like THIS when we are done.
UPDATE: you all are getting it…looks great! Fun!!!
Lurking Defined
Alrighty then. There are a lot of new locals bloggers and blog readers around, and being the ancient “oh wise one” (Lord, help us all) having- blogged- for- a- while person…I feel compelled to speak on behalf of the new blog community.
“Lurking” is when you read someone’s blog and never comment.
It is known this happens. YET, when a blog writer looks at blog stats and sees numbers rising and yet commentors are silent, it’s a bit disconcerting to pour your heart out to God knows who. You can only imagine.
Realize that if there is a sense of “knowing who’s there” /community, it feels healthy. Otherwise…it can begin to feel a bit strange.
Who? Men and women can all comment on our blogs. It is open community, and all may and do comment. Use good judgment like you would with anything else.
The goal: If a sense of community is reached, prayer needs can be shared, authenticity can be trusted and grow, and real life is shared. If not, well…just know none of us do it to be on a stage. Blogging helps us stay focused, thankful, and moving forward. It helps us celebrate, connect, clear the cobwebs, and do something a little different in a day.
Blogging: Healthy blogging is about life, community, interaction, shared thoughts, opinions, and ideas. We grow and learn when we talk. We can discuss, agree/disagree, or just say, “loved the post”.
HOW: It only takes a name and email address to comment. It takes 10 seconds. You can do it. No…you don’t have to comment on every single post you read, or everyday, but do try to build friendships and let people know you value their sharing and thoughts, say once a week if you read often, a few times a month if they post daily.
My thoughts: In December there were a lot of people coming by here, so I shut off comments. I was unable to keep up with anything extra. There was a spike of 1300 or so people a day due to some seasonal posts I’ve listed in the past that get picked up in Google listings. But, as a whole, about 300-400 fly by here every day, and yet there are 2 comments are so. That’s not proportional to the traffic. Yeah, I could ask a bunch of questions, but I don’t. I’ve grown comfortable with the ins and outs of comments and I don’t mind so much anymore. Especially for new bloggers, it’s important to have that sense that what you are doing matters.
Comparison: Knowing who is around is helpful. Would we ask a pastor to preach blindfolded? (Perhaps there are weeks he’d prefer it! I hope not!)
So, lurkers, feedback is valuable, important, some say indespensable in blogging. Be funny. Be expressive. Mainly…just be there.
To blog writers: A note. Don’t be jealous. Run it out of your mind. Some posts, and some of us, write more reflectively than something that evokes a response. Just let it be what it is. That’s okay. Reflective, quiet, even opinionated is okay. But, depending on your audience, you may just be ‘planting seeds’ of thought. Still a great gift to us. Some people seem to need more “talking” than others and that is sensed by the way the blog post is written oftentimes. A confident sounding blog post does it’s own work.
Well, that’s all I have to try to help on that. Thanks for thinking about it. I’m sure there’s more to say. If you want to blog on it, just link to this post and continue with your thoughts or comment here.
Mainly, let’s keep building some healthy community!
~Maggie
How to Post a Blog Link In Blogger, WordPress, and TypePad
MADE EASY: How to “link” to other sites on your blog:
1. Cut and paste the web site into your post from your internet explorer address bar.
It will look like this: www.xyzwonderfulblog.com
2. TYPE OVER that. So, right dab in the middle type: www.XYZ Wonderful Blog xyzwonderfulblog.com.
3. “Clean up” around the link. You want to start deletion close to the name you just typed, and move TOWARD the ends. (If you START deleting text first on the either end, you often delete your underline link…Control Z will restore your last letters and underline deleted if you do too much).
Then you have XYZ Wonderful Blog.
Doesn’t that look AWESOME?
MAGNANIMOUS FOLK