Blog Day 2007

Today is Blog Day 2007. Participating bloggers are asked to select and introduce five new blogs, preferably of different locations, cultures, or interests.

Here are five of my favorite blogs from far-away places - far away to me anyway:

Acquire Wisdom and Live with Passion - motivational quotes and inspiration from Sam Chan of Malaysia

The Case of the Missing Family - online genealogical mystery set in Britain from Thomas Hamburger, Jr.

Circular Communication - communication about communication that flows in two directions from Jan in Denmark (correction: Jan was born and raised in Denmark but now lives in southern Germany)

eWritings - online public relations from Mihaela Lica, a Romanian currently living in Germany

A Place for All Home Office Women - information and resources for home office women from Doris Chua of Kuala Lumpur

And a bonus from far, far away:

Every Day Should Be Christmas - Christmas all year long from Santa Claus himself, all the way from the North Pole

[tags] Blog Day 2007, http://technorati.com/tag/BlogDay2007[/tags]

A Different … and Special … Family Vacation

The Family Vacation Group Writing Project at Babylune made me think of one of the best family vacations I’ve ever had.

The theme of the project is to:

…write a post about a family vacation that you have taken as a parent or as a child. What are your memories of the main event, your favorite parts, the successes, the advice for others, the fun factor and/or the mishaps?

I’m not sure this post qualifies because the vacation I’m writing about started out as a business trip, and, although it was taken with my parents, I was an adult at the time. But I want to share this precious memory, whether it’s appropriate for the group writing project or not.

My family didn’t take vacations when I was growing up. My father was a real homebody, but even if he had enjoyed travel, it’s not likely we would have been able to go on vacation. Daddy was a chicken farmer, and you can’t leave tens of thousands of chickens while you take a trip. The chickens had to be fed and the eggs gathered, cleaned, graded, and packaged every day, and delivered two or three times a week. And the income from chicken farming didn’t stretch to taking a family of six children on vacation.

My husband is a lot like my father in many ways, not the least in being a homebody. So through our forty years of marriage, we have taken only a few vacations together. Most of the traveling I have done has been to conferences and business meetings.

About twenty years ago, an organization for women business owners offered a seminar onboard a cruise ship. The schedule allowed plenty of time for pleasure and enough training to qualify as a business expense. I’d always wanted to take a cruise, and the seminar seemed like the perfect opportunity to enjoy a new experience, gain some new knowledge, and save money. Seminar attendees and their guests received a significant discount off the price of the cruise. Since my husband had absolutely no interest in the trip, I invited my grown-up “baby” sister (she’s the youngest and I’m the oldest) to go with me.

Shortly after we made our reservations, my father called me and asked, “Why didn’t you invite Mama and me to go with you and Nancy?’

I had no idea he would even consider it and told him so. He said they wanted to go, so I made reservations for them as well.

Daddy absolutely amazed me … and wore me out. I went to bed at night before he finished playing the slot machines in the casino. He and Mama enjoyed the unlimited - and often exotic - food. He even had fun shopping in the island markets when the ship docked. I enjoyed lying on the deck reading between seminar sessions, but my parents were constantly involved in some activity. Mama, Nancy, and I all marveled at how much fun Daddy was having.

One morning while I was attending a workshop and Nancy had gone off on her own, Mama and Daddy were walking around exploring the ship. Mama got tired, and the first place they found to sit was in a theater. They didn’t know what was happening in the theater - they were just looking for a place to rest.

What was happening was the Men’s Knobby Knee Contest. A woman came out into the audience and pulled my father up on stage to participate in the contest. Several women judges felt the “knobby knees” of Daddy and other “contestants,” and Daddy was declared the winner.

My sister and I thought Mama was joking when she told us the story over lunch. My daddy was shy and reserved. No way would he let himself be pulled up on stage, much less let a bunch of women feel his knees! Yep, he had done just that. And when Mama was telling us the story, Daddy got the cute little grin that always meant he was really having a good time.

That vacation was one of the best times I’ve ever had with my parents and my sister. We spent more time having fun together than we ever had, and I saw my father enjoy himself more than I could have ever imagined.

Not long after we returned from that wonderful trip, we started noticing that Daddy was forgetting things and becoming easily confused. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and began to lose more and more of his abilities. After he had a heart attack, he could no longer communicate with any consistency. Though he had moments of lucidity for some time, he was totally incapacitated, physically and mentally, for several years before his death.

Unbeknownst to us, he was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s when we took the cruise. One of his first symptoms was the loss of his inhibitions. Our family vacation happened at just the right moment for him to be spontaneous and outgoing without any loss of mental ability.

After Daddy died, my mother gave me the little plastic “First Prize” trophy that he won in the knobby knees contest. Every time I look at that tacky little trinket I say a prayer of thanksgiving for the precious time we had together before we lost him to that horrible disease.

Updated 9/1/07: I am thrilled that Kate selected this post as the winner! Thank you, Kate, for sponsoring the group writing project and especially for choosing my post as the winning entry.

Coming Up around the Blogosphere: Group Writing Projects and Special Events

In addition of hosting a group writing project - It’s Funny NOW, But Then …, I’m making plans to participate in several group writing projects and blog events coming up soon. You might be interested in some of these (list in deadline/date order) as well.

Blog Day 2007 is “dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest.” On Friday, August 31st, each participating “blogger will post a recommendation of 5 new blogs.”

Family Vacation Group Writing Project at Babylune offers a prize up to $100 (depending on the number of entries) for “the most entertaining, though/provoking [sic] and interesting reading” about a family vacation. Deadline is Friday, August 31st.

My own group writing project It’s Funny NOW, But Then … is designed to give us a good laugh and maybe learn something in the process. Write about something that you can laugh about now but that wasn’t funny when it happened. It can be an embarrassing mistake, a comedy of errors, a misunderstanding; it can be personal, job-related, anything at all. The deadline is midnight Central time on Tuesday, September 4th.

Special Edition: What I Learned From… Change - the current group writing project at Middle Zone Musings challenges us not only to write about change, but also to make a change! Deadline is midnight CST on Sunday, September 9th.

Blog Action Day, Monday, October 15th, bloggers across the Web will post on the subject of the environment.

I hope one or more of these opportunities resonates with you.

[tags]group writing project, Blog Day 2007, Blog Action Day[/tags]

The Freelancer’s Toolkit

I’m always on the lookout for useful tools to make me more efficient. I’ve had a great list of tools bookmarked for months … but haven’t got around to trying any of them! So you can see I need to improve my efficiency.

Although I have used a few of these web apps, most of them are new to me. What drew me to review the list again today is a major project for a client. She’s collaborating with other independent consultants on a series of workshops. They are creating leaders’ guides, participant workbooks, slides, and assorted handouts. I just got through e-mailing 20 files (some quite large), and I had to send several e-mails with several attachments each. Then the various team members will make their recommendations; I’ll do another revision and send it out again … and probably again and again and again. My client is the ultimate decision-maker, but she appreciates and uses input from everyone involved.

I’ve recommended we use a Web storage/sharing app that the entire team could access rather than sending dozens of e-mails.

Has anyone had any experience with any of these tools listed in Codswallop’s 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need?

• Basecamp
• Box
• Central Desktop

I’d appreciate your feedback: if you’ve used any of these for file-sharing/collaboration, how did it work for you? Or do you have any other recommendations to accomplish what we need?

Thanks for sharing your ideas in comments.

[tags]productivity tools[/tags]

The Blog Fairy is Now an Angel

Several weeks ago, I was named a Blue Ribbon Blogger by the Blog Fairy. “The Blog Fairy is now the Queen of Angels,” in the words of a tribute to Francesca Faerie at Binding Ink.

We grieve the loss, but we also celebrate the life and loving spirit of the Fairy, who sprinkled her magic fairy dust on 70 Blue Ribbon Bloggers.

Her daughter will carry on as Blog Fairy II. Blessings, Gracie Belle, for continuing to spread light and love across the blogosphere.

[tags]Blog Fairy, Blue Ribbon Bloggers[/tags]

Blogs by and for Writers

If you’re a writer - or a reader who likes to keep up with writers - you probably like to read writing and writers’ blogs.

The Big List of Writing Blogs has a list of blogs broken down into three categories: Blogs for Writers, Writers’ Blogs, and Blogs on Blogging. Although many of my favorites are on this list, there are a few I don’t see. And, of course, there are many new ones that I’m checking out. A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye is listed under Writers’ Blogs.

Misti Sandefur has posted a shorter list of her favorite writing and writers’ blogs, “some great blogs,” in her words, at Life of a Writer. I’m honored that A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye is on this list that includes some of my favorites.

Dana Prince listed Some Fave Writing Spots, a short list of five blogs and sites for writers.

I read a lot of writers and writing blogs. Here are a few of my favorites.

A Writer’s Edge, “a writer’s journal … with a techie touch” from Georganna Hancock (listed in the Big List under Blogs for Writers)

All Freelance Writing, “your freelance writing resource” from Jennifer Mattern (creator of the Big List, listed under Blogs for Writers and one of Misti’s favorites)

ChrisBlogging, “freelance writing, blogging for cash and more” from freelancer Chris Bibey

Confident Writing, “because our words count” from writing coach Joanna Young

Crayon Writer, “freelance copywriting from the perspective of …” freelancer Theda K.

Drawing on Words, from writer Tammi Reynolds and her Monday Muse (on the Big List under Writers’ Blogs)

Freelance Folder, “the place for freelancers, entrepreneurs and work at home folks,” a multi-authored blog

Getting It Write for You, “a blog of encouragement, learning, and inspiration …” from writer Lisa Vella

Grow Your Writing Business, “for freelance writers who mean business,” from freelancer Yvonne Russell (on the Big List under Blogs for Writers)

How to Start a Successful Freelance Career, “… starting and maintaining a successful freelance career …” from Yuwanda Black and Inkwell Editorial

Life of a Writer, “rambles about … life as a writer” from Misti Sandefur (on the Big List under Writers’ Blogs)

Middle Zone Musings, home of the “What I Learned …” group writing projects by Robert Hruzek

Mrs. Write Right, “word therapist (aka writer-editor)” from freelance writer/editor Julia Temlyn (one of Misti’s favorites)

Straight from Hel, “Ideas may be heaven-sent, but these words come straight from Hel,” writer Helen Ginger, that is

The Article Writer, writing and blogging news and advice from writer Matt Keegan (on the Big List under Blogs for Writers)

The Writer’s Blog by Dana Prince, “… for writers and those who dream of writing for a living from a working freelance writer”

Word Sell, Inc., “It’s all about ACTION,” from marketer Brad Shorr

Words on a Page, “advice and ramblings on the writing life” from freelancer Lori Widmer

Writer’s Notes, information and resources for writers from Jeanne Dininni (on the Big List under Blogs for Writers)

WritingThoughts, “thoughts and experiences” of freelance writer Laura Spencer (on the Big List under Writers’ Blogs)

I read a lot more blogs than this, and it was hard to cut off the list. Check out my blogroll for more great reading (not all writing-related).

If you have a blog for writers or about writing and you aren’t listed, tell us about your blog in a comment. Share other great blogs that you read and enjoy as well.

[tags]writing blogs, writers’ blogs[/tags]

Randa Clay’s Pimp My Blog Contest

I first heard of Randa Clay when she created the badges for I Follow. I followed a link from another blog, got my badge, subscribed to her blog, and have been enjoying it ever since. Now she’s running a contest, and two lucky winners will receive prizes: 1) a custom blog logo and custom header and 2) a free blog review on Randa’s site.

You can enter the contest in several ways: writing about the contest (3 entries), adding Randa Clay Designs to your blogroll (2 entries), and subscribing to her feed (1 entry). But you must e-mail Randa and let her know all the ways you’re entering by midnight tomorrow night (August 24th). Read all the details at Pimp My Blog Contest- Win a Free Blog Header/Logo Design.

Wouldn’t it be something if I won a custom header after I’ve finally found a theme I like?
[tags]Randa Clay Design, contest[/tags]

New Theme Follow-Up: Thanks and Kudos to Lara @ Anubis Marketing

As you can see, my sidebar is cleaned up and my posts have paragraphs again. Thanks to Lara Kulpa at Anubis Marketing for coming to my rescue.

Lara commented on my original post about my new theme to say most of my problems could be fixed by tweaking the CSS. Easy for her to say - and do - but a challenge to me. She said if I gave her administrator access to my blog dashboard, she’d get me fixed up in no time.

When I told my husband I was giving administrator access to someone I’d never heard of before, he looked at me like he thought I was crazy (not an unusual occurrence ). I replied that I had complete confidence in Lara because she was referred by Brad Shorr at Word Sell. Lara is working on Brad’s site, so I felt comfortable turning my site and problems over to her.

The confidence was well-placed. Not only did Lara fix the problems, she followed up with a phone call! That’s the kind of going-the-extra-mile service that Johnny in The Simple Truths of Service exemplifies. Lara also creates custom themes, something I’ll want if my blog ever becomes more than a hobby.

I didn’t get threaded comments back. Lara explained that some of the “oldie-but-goodie” plug-ins don’t work with newer themes. I really liked that plug-in, but until Brian updates the plug-in or I find an alternative, I’ll do without threaded comments.

Otherwise, I’m happy with the theme and thrilled with Lara’s help. Thanks to Lara at Anubis Marketing, and thanks to Brad at Word Sell for referring her.

[tags]Anubis Marketing, customer service, Word Sell, WordPress themes, plug-ins[/tags]

Group Writing Project: It’s Funny NOW, But Then …

It’s been a week since I announced the group writing project: It’s Funny NOW, But Then …

The response hasn’t exactly been overwhelming. I sure don’t want to have to write about the time I gave a blog party and nobody came.
Surely all of you have had experiences that were embarrassing, even seemingly tragic, at the time but are now funny. Perhaps your first teenage kiss when you got your braces locked together. Or a comedy of errors that seemed like it would never end. Or that embarrassing - and very public - mistake you made at work. You were sure you’d never try another kiss or you feared you would lose your job. But thousands of kisses or a promotion on the job later, you can remember those moments with laughter.

You have until midnight on Tuesday, September 4th to share your experience that’s funny NOW. We all need a good laugh.

[tags]It’s Funny NOW, group writing project, humor[/tags]

Trying a New Theme

As you can see (unless you’re reading this post in a feed), I’m trying a new theme. I’ve been wanting a new theme for a long time and tried several when I upgraded WordPress recently. Since then, I’ve tried several others, but either the themes didn’t look right or I had problems. So I always went back to the old original default theme

I fell in love with this theme, but I still haven’t worked out all the kinks. I’m trying to get rid of the bullet points in the sidebar, and I lost paragraphs in posts.

But my biggest problem is that my threaded comments quit working. That was one of my favorite plug-ins, and I’m really disappointed to lose it.

Anybody have any ideas of what the problem is? I’d appreciate your help and suggestions.

I’d also like to get your feedback on the theme. Thanks!

[tags]WordPress themes, Brian’s Threaded Comments[/tags]

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