only backgroundI'm a wife, mother and grandmother. I'm opinionated. I contradict myself frequently. Most of all, I love my kids. I believe in them. I fight for them. They're weird and wonderful. If you want to know more, here's a bunch of other stuff from my old site.
Archive for the ‘Blogging’ Category
I’m a day late wishing everyone a Happy New Year but I’ve been busy blogging elsewhere. You see, my New Year’s resolution is to blog every single day of 2008. On my new blog.
I really considered doing it here but I wasn’t sure I’d keep up the blogging for a full year on such a freeform blog. I mean, let’s face it, this blog is very eclectic, covering so many topics because it covers my whole life.
So anyway, I figured that since I was successful the last time I had a New Year’s resolution, that I should go ahead and give it another shot. I’ve really wanted to get a blog started that deals with my spiritual journey and what better time to do that than at the start of a brand new year.
My design is not set in stone. It just seems to be the right one for today. My sidebar is mostly empty; I’ll be working on that in the days to come. I’ve just joined Blog365 so that I’ve made a commitment to something beyond myself. That should keep me in line through at least most of the year.
And now, for those who are curious, I present my new blog, Where You Lead. Please feel free to stop by and comment. And join in, too, in your own spiritual journey.
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Well, maybe it will be final. You never know with me.
Did you ever stop and think about a family member and realize that if the person were not related, you would not choose them to be in your life? Yeah, me too. Thinking about my sister Monette made me realize that she’s one of those people that I love knowing. I’m glad she’s in my life.
Others, not so much. I used to think that maybe it had to do with hormones. I mean, I never did find any kind of real PMS relief and now that I don’t need it, I’ve come to realize that maybe my frustration with certain people had nothing to do with my own hormonal fluctuations and everything to do with the fact that the other person was just arrogant, insulting and downright mean.
Which brings me to aging and freedom. As I age, I feel so much more comfortable keeping those kinds of people mostly out of my life. Other than the obligatory family functions and forced exchange of pleasantries, it’s becoming easier and easier to not care. I’m a passionate person by nature and I do feel most emotions intensely. It’s a truly liberating feeling to save those emotions for people who really matter, people who appreciate my generosity, intelligence and caring.
Now, where was this post going? Oh, yes. Thoughts on aging. I like this growing older thing. I get to replace toxic people with well-chosen friends. Twenty years ago, I didn’t have the self confidence to remove toxic people from my life and replace them with good, supportive friends. In fact, I really didn’t even know that there were women who would care enough about me to help boost my ego when it was slipping. I didn’t know that there were women who would disagree with me without being condescending. This internet sure is a wonderful thing.
To my online friends who never let me down and who have enriched my life more than i could ever say in a blog post (and you know who you are), I thank you.
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I don’t know how I missed it last year but I did. This year I read about NaBloPoMo at my friend, Alli’s blog. Alli is going to blog every single day during the month of November. And now I’ve signed up and I’m going to do the same.
Sometimes I have quite a number of thoughts in my head that I intend to blog but somehow, I just let time slip away and the thought or idea fades. This month is going to be different. I’m going to blog daily, no matter what. The commitment I made requires that I even blog on Saturday and Sunday.
This is one of those social blogging things that sometimes brings in more traffic, and that’s good. I joined, though, because I need a kick in the butt to get me blogging regularly again. Now don’t let me slack. Nudge me if you think I’m not living up to my commitment. I’m counting on you!
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The talk of the blogging world, especially among those who monetize their blogs, is the recent Google Page Rank update. While everyone waited with baited breath, hoping for a little PR jump, Google was busy making sure that those who have “gamed” their system paid the price. There were so many sites that went down in PR that it was hard to keep up. Naturally, I read everything I could while the numbers danced.
First, from what I can tell, Google took PR points away from those who were selling text links. Anyone who monetized their blog with TextLinkAds or one of the dozen other text link marketplaces got slapped. Oh, except for those utilizing only Google’s Adsense. That’s right, it’s perfectly fine to advertise on your blog using Google’s marketplace.
At first blush, that might seem terribly wrong. It could look like Google has taken a page out of Microsoft’s playbook on killing the competition. I even read a few blog posts implying just that and wondering about some kind of lawsuit. The idea of revenge on the evil Google for punishing those who are earning money without them may see like the way to go. But it isn’t. It won’t happen and it shouldn’t happen.
Google created Page Rank as a way to grade webpages for purposes of their search engine. It was an internal thing that they made public. They never charged anyone for it, they just made the ranking public.
It also happened that Google became The Major Search Engine in all of the World Wide Web. Google wasn’t just a search engine, it became a verb, too. Even my husband, who has touched a computer mouse exactly one time in his entire life, has told me to “google” things for him. And so, naturally, those who want to be found online became more and more interested in Page Rank. They cared because it meant they would be found.
And really, that is all Page Rank is. Having a high PR doesn’t mean you’ll show up at the top of Yahoo’s search or Ask.com’s search. It doesn’t mean your writing style is better than someone else’s or that you have better content. It means that Google thinks your page is relevant for keywords or something like that. Actually, no one really knows how Google ranks sites or what their algorithm is exactly. It’s their secret. But I’m pretty sure they don’t go to each site and grade the grammar and spelling and quality of writing. It’s just about their own search engine. That’s it. And they don’t owe anyone anything. They don’t have to be fair. They don’t force advertisers or marketing departments to care about PR. That’s a choice the industry has made. And one they can reverse at any time.
So, what to do if your PR went down? Or if it stayed the same and you can’t get it to go up? Well, nothing, really. If you’re a blogger, I’d suggest you follow the advice from my friend Colleen and just keep doing what you love - blogging. If you have paid links, fine. If not, that’s fine too. Blog the way that makes you happy and don’t worry about Google or their Page Rank.
We all know how things change online so quickly. Yes, Google is a powerhouse and everyone uses them to search. Today. Who knows who the search giant will be in a year from now? I remember when Netscape was The browser of choice and Internet Explorer was just a way to get online and download Netscape if you didn’t have it on a disk. How things change! And so, if Google’s rise is followed by a fall at some point, at least in the search engine game, Page Rank won’t matter at all.
The next question, then, would be: Who is poised to become the next big thing in search?
I’ve found a search engine that I believe could give Google a run for their money. I’ve been using it exclusively since my own PR took that first hit and I’m more than pleased with it. Expect a full review soon.
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Every female knows that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Or at least that’s what mom used to say. Likewise, the way to a bloggers heart is through a link and a review. That’s why my heart is feeling all warm and fuzzy right now. Matt from The Daily Fuzz chose my blog to review this past Saturday.
It’s true that The Daily Fuzz is a relatively new blog but I predict it will be quite successful if Matt keeps turning out quality posts as he has been. The review of My Dandelion Patch was thoughtful and very well written. Matt liked my blog but also offered constructive criticism, which is exactly what I’d hoped to get from him. I needed to see my blog through “fresh” eyes and Matt took the time to really look around and critique what he saw.
Do stop by and give Matt some encouragement. He’s a great addition to the blogging world. And if Matt ever decides to start charging for reviews, he has my wholehearted endorsement. You will not be disappointed!
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I love how the rumors are flying about the next Google PR update and whether or not it will even happen. I can’t even remember all the blog posts I’ve read wondering if Google is replacing PR with something totally different. Who came up with that notion? How do those things get started and spread around so quickly? Surely, the source can’t be the article written in jest and labeled as humor? No one really took that seriously, did they?
And yet. Here I am, waiting for Google to do a PR update. This blog has been a PR5 forever, or so it seems. I’d love to inch my way up another notch. On the other hand, I’ll gladly stay where I am rather than lose a point. Simply not knowing which way my own numbers will go, if they go at all, is just a little frustrating.
And now, a semi-official word that PR updates will take place eventually but not for a few more weeks or longer. Buried down within the comments on Matt Cutts blog entry yesterday, is the hint that PR has not been abandoned and is coming, eventually.
I don’t expect a full PageRank update for at least a few more weeks, and possibly longer.
Patience, kids. It’s still around, at least for another update. Although I was kind of looking forward to the FloatIt, TripOverIt thing.
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How many blogs do you read? Who writes those blogs? If you’re like me, you always check out the “About Me” section of any blog you enjoy to get a better idea of what you’re reading and who is writing. And something I’ve noticed is that very few blogs that I read are written by people old enough to be grandparents. Of course,this blog that you’re reading is written by a grandmother (Me!) but we are a minority in the blogosphere.
We grandmothers do have something to say and wisdom to share, though. One grandmother with loads to say is Dorothy at Grammology. Her words of wisdom and reflections on being a grandparent hooked me. Whether she’s discussing her grandson in Iraq or finding your path in life, Dorothy touches your heart and makes you think.
If you’re looking for a blog that’s a little different and a writer with a new perspective, head on over to Dorothy’s Grammology. And tell her Marisa sent you!
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Hey kids! Has anyone noticed that my blog is loading faster now?
I got a few comments from some of my readers that my content was taking forever to load. I tried to tweak the site myself to get it to load faster but all I was able to do was break my site. Not good.
So I headed over to the RockinThemes site to try to contact the Ambient Glo theme designer, Nathan Parikh, about a possible solution. The contact form at RockinThemes wasn’t working so I emailed Nathan.
Nathan replied and asked for a login to my blog. After emailing it to him, he took a look at it and within 30 minutes had my blog loading perfectly! I didn’t have to disable any plugins or remove any sidebar widgets. What a relief!
If anyone is interested in really nice themes from some friendly and helpful designers, head on over to RockinThemes.com and look around. And keep checking back because you never know when a new theme is going to show up. Enjoy!
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I’ve been trying to offer up some really fun blogs for everyone to check out. Today, it isn’t as much about fun as it is about being a blogger. If you blog you probably hope that people will read the things you write. You probably would like an audience. And I’ll bet you’d like to learn the best ways to get a bigger audience. That’s why reading an Internet Marketing Blog is a good idea.
The thing is, no matter how great your blog looks or how entertaining the content is, you still have to attract people to your blog in order for them to read it. You need to make it easy to find your blog. You want to pull people in because you know once they get there, they’ll stick around for your incredible wit and writing style.
I’ve bookmarked a number of blogs that have helped me to market my own sites. In fact, there are so many that I’ve added them to my google reader so that I can keep up with them easily. Sure saves time! Just scroll down to the bottom of the page of the link above and click on the “subscribe” link. Then open your reader each day and keep up to date on all the latest tips for marketing your blog. Before you know it, your own readers will be subscribing to your blog so they won’t miss a single article.
Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and learn how to market your blog!
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Have you ever heard that phrase? I learned about the phrase “The Right Blue” from my friend, Bobbie. On her blog by the same name, she defines it as:
The Right Blue refers to the goal of a lifelong pursuit. Sea water viewed from beneath the surface comes in many hues and shades. Surfers wait for the perfect wave; divers seek the right blue.
Now, I’ll admit that I’m no diver. Despite my several trips to Hawaii, I’ve not had the chance to do any diving. It’s on my short list of things that I intend to do but that opportunity just hasn’t been there. Yet. Nevertheless, I find the thought of it fascinating. I love the ocean; my soul longs for it. Being able to explore it the way Bobbie does is dream. The really great thing is that Bobbie is sharing her most memorable dives with the world through her blog, The Right Blue
Even if you never thought you’d be interested in diving, you really ought to take a look at Bobbie’s current saga. Right now, she’s on part two of her series on diving on a “fresh” ferry wreck near Egypt. In part one, she offers a brief intro and explains about the Salem Express sinking off the coast of Egypt. Part two tells about the turn of events that led to the technically illegal dive. I’m so anxious to read part three that I’m afraid I’m going to bring the blog to its knees with my constant refreshing as I keep checking for it.
Bobbie’s writing is entertaining and perfect for the suspense of this article. I realize that my Scorpio nature makes me want to dig into shipwrecked vessels and makes this story all the more appealing to me. I believe, though, that anyone who starts reading this tale will find themselves just as captivated and impatient to learn the rest of the saga.
If you’re looking for a way to get through your Monday “blues” why not give Bobbie’s “The Right Blue” a try? Let me know what you think in my comments!
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