OT - The Blogging Thread

[azmom]

Shannen: YES, please. Step by step instructions would be great. Only if you have the time. I am sure I can figure it out eventually but if I had the steps that would probable save me a few hours

[Deleted]

I am getting quite a few visitors from here to my blog, thanks ladies (and gentlemen, if any). Anyone want to tell me what else they would like to see?

[shanendoah]

How to add links to a WordPress blog

On your DASHBOARD page
Look along the left side for LINKS
If there are options listed under LINKS, click on ADD NEW
If there are not option listed under LINKS, click on LINKS
Click on the ADD NEW button right next to where it says Links on the top of the page


Fill out the form. I’ll use MrsL’s blog as the example

Name: The Empty Kitchen

Web Address: theemptykitchen.wordpress.com/

EVERYTHING ELSE IS OPTIONAL

Description: A blog about being frugal around the house

Categories: (If this is your first link, you won’t have added categories. You don’t have to add any if you don’t want to. To see what categories look like, you can look at my blog 100wordson.wordpress.com – my categories are Blogroll, Forums, Photograhpy & Art, and Roller Derby)

Target: (Decide how you want the link to open. I prefer “new window or tab”, but you can have it open in the current window if you like)

Relationship: (this is really for wordpress, not you. It helps them figure out stats about who links to what blogs/pages and why. I fill it out, but its not needed)

Advanced: (I don’t actually know how this section works. I believe its for adding an image to go with the link, but I’m not really certain)

WHEN YOU'RE DONE:
Click on ADD LINK on the top right of the screen
You can choose to make the link Private (ie its not published on your blog, but its there for you to find)

[azmom]

Shannen: THANK YOU. I saw the add links and clicked on it, so with your directions I am sure I will be able to get this done~I hope to get it all in by the end of the week. One more quick question that I may figure out when I get in there but How do you add the Blogs I Read title and then have the links appear under it? Sorry, I really am that challenged

[shanendoah]

"Blogs I Read" is a Category. When you are adding the first link, click the Add Category button in the categories section and title it "Blogs I Read". Then, when you add a link, click the check box next to "Blogs I Read" in the category section, and that's where they'll go.

When you add a Category, it may ask you how you want it organinzed. I think mine are Random. You should also be able to choose from Alphabetical and Most Recently Updated. Simply check your preference.

[bluecluessubtlety]

Apr 20, 2011 13:57:00 GMT -5 @gin1984 said:

I have a small blog on blogspot. It is Frugal Students- Starting a New Life frugalstudents.blogspot.com/
It is a blog for younger people to get their finances in shape because most blogs are geared towards the middle age demographic. I have made no money on it, though I hope to in the future.

I started reading your blog and love it. Nice job.

[Deleted]

May 3, 2011 17:53:15 GMT -5 bluecluessubtlety said:

Apr 20, 2011 13:57:00 GMT -5 @gin1984 said:

I have a small blog on blogspot. It is Frugal Students- Starting a New Life frugalstudents.blogspot.com/
It is a blog for younger people to get their finances in shape because most blogs are geared towards the middle age demographic. I have made no money on it, though I hope to in the future.

I started reading your blog and love it. Nice job.

Oh, thank you so much. I sometimes wonder if anyone would even noticed if I stopped. You saying/typing that made my day. Anything you would like to see? Investing, frugal anything?

[mizbear]

I showed my first drafts of some possible blogs to my DB today. He picked three of them- one about weight loss and fitness; one about food (I love to cook and eat); and the one on living with bipolar disorder. He thinks I should do the one on food and bipolar disorder.

[mrslynch]

mizbear--i'm glad you've started writing. but i'm going to throw in my two cents. i don't think anyone should have any say in what you post on your blog except for you. it's your blog. it's the one part of your life where you get to exercise complete control and have total freedom. you get to say what you want about whatever topic you want with no input from anyone else. by asking your brother for his input, it's allowing your family to have control--something you expressed anxiety over.
gin--i sometimes have that thought as well. would people care if i stopped writing? it makes me feel good that strangers like to read what i write and-gasp--will even comment! it's a kind of validation.

[shanendoah]

mizbear: I'm with MrsL - you've expressed anxiety over your family's lack of support regarding your writing. So stop giving them the power to cause that anxiety. This is your blog. Write about what you want. If you want to do one blog that has posts about weight loss, food, and living with bi-polar, do it. If you want to dedicate a blog to one subject, do it. But this is for you, first and foremost. Personally, I'd suggest not even telling your family youwere doing it, or at least not giving them the web addy. Get yourself comfortable with the medium, with your voice as a writer, before you give them the opportunity to try and tear you down.

[mizbear]

I thought about that after I did it- he was in a good mood today- probably because he wants me to babysit when I am not supposed to. Was not a good move.

[bluecluessubtlety]

May 3, 2011 19:33:32 GMT -5 @gin1984 said:

May 3, 2011 17:53:15 GMT -5 bluecluessubtlety said:

I started reading your blog and love it. Nice job.

Oh, thank you so much. I sometimes wonder if anyone would even noticed if I stopped. You saying/typing that made my day. Anything you would like to see? Investing, frugal anything?

Nothing in particular. But I think it's well written.

I've been on MSN for over a decade and still like going back to the basics and reading from new people and seeing what I've missed. I think it's great that you write from a "younger" perspective.

[Deleted]

May 4, 2011 12:11:48 GMT -5 bluecluessubtlety said:

May 3, 2011 19:33:32 GMT -5 @gin1984 said:

Oh, thank you so much. I sometimes wonder if anyone would even noticed if I stopped. You saying/typing that made my day. Anything you would like to see? Investing, frugal anything?

Nothing in particular. But I think it's well written.

I've been on MSN for over a decade and still like going back to the basics and reading from new people and seeing what I've missed. I think it's great that you write from a "younger" perspective.

You really did make my day, and now twice over. ;D

[nodebt]

I've been checking out all the blogs listed on this thread. Awesome job!! I check them everyday and love reading them!

[Deleted]

May 4, 2011 12:29:57 GMT -5 @nodebt said:

I've been checking out all the blogs listed on this thread. Awesome job!! I check them everyday and love reading them!

Thanks, this thread is making me feel better about my blog. ;D

[mizbear]

Out of the three blogging sites mentioned- which would you recommend? wordpress, blogspot or livejournal? I'm not too worried about it being found or criticisms- you all should see my past eng profs.

[shanendoah]

It depends on what you want. LJ is going to be more like an online journal. Blogger has the most options for what you can do with your page (perhaps too many). WordPress set up can seem a bit archaic and isn't quite as intuitive as Blogger
With Blogger, you can have your own domain name for about $15/year, or you can have a blogger addy. You can also "monetize" your blog by running google adsense on it. Neither of those options exist on the other sites.

[mizbear]

Thanks shan. Once I get 2 secs to myself I can make a decision.

[shanendoah]

mizbear: Have you started a blog yet? Just curious.

I need some advice. I recently reached my 1 year anniversary on my primary and daily blog. Since then, while I've still managed to post daily, I've had a hard time getting the post up on time.
What do you ladies do to keep yourself motivated for minor daily tasks (the blog posts are only 100 words long and take less than 15 minutes to write)?

[mizbear]

shan- I have it started on paper. I don't think I want to do LJ, and definitely want to mae sure I have it set up to that I set x amount of time every day to work on it. Or at least x amount every week. Right now things are nuts- right down to my circuit breaker sounds like rice krispies when I use my hot water heater and maintenance has to have an electrician come in. Hoping to have it up soon.
I have certain things that I have to do- things like writing and singing- once they become a job and are no longer fun, I quit. Even when I am doing research, there must still must be that element of fun, writing is one of my stress relievers.
I would recommend making an appt with yourself - set a timer for 15 minutes, write your thoughts down and boom. See how that works.

[Deleted]

OMG, I could not sleep last night so at 3 am I posted an article that I had planned to post later in the day. Right after I had 48 pageviews, more than I have ever had at one hour. At this point I had 89 page views for today, again higher than every before. I was blown away. I wonder why this post got so many more, but no one is commenting so I guess I'll never know.

[mizbear]

gin- It must be a good read.

I am putting everything on paper (MS Word) right now and editing. I figure with soem of the stuff going on right now, I should go ahead and play with things or at least have a few posts in the hole for those times when things are screwy here. Think I am going to go with Blogger in case this takes off.

[ambellamy]

I have been blogging for a really long time... few years in fact. I started out at an older domain and I've moved to:

www.southcountygirl.blogspot.com

I blog about my finances, a bit about my personal life and planning... and what I feel is relevant.

There's a link in my signature.

[Deleted]

I am finding blogging fun but frustrating. After getting a bunch of view on 30th I had nothing for a long time, I even dropped lower than my normal the yesterday I had 120 views in the day yet today less than normal. I do not understand why this happens like this and what I can do. I do like that I am getting more comments that helps me feel like what I do is reaching people.

[bluecluessubtlety]

Jun 3, 2011 17:34:43 GMT -5 ambellamy said:

I have been blogging for a really long time... few years in fact. I started out at an older domain and I've moved to:

www.southcountygirl.blogspot.com

I blog about my finances, a bit about my personal life and planning... and what I feel is relevant.

There's a link in my signature.

I started reading your blog. I really enjoy it. But wow, you're honest. Are any of your co-workers / friends / family aware of the blog?

[mizbear]

I am going to set up my blog this week!! This first one is going to be a pantry experiment. I know how much I usually spend and everything, well, I am going to see how many meals I can make out of what I have on hand, etc. I am only allowed to buy what I need to. I have everything set up in MS Word. The way I have it written right now, it can flow into another blog about me or cooking in general or budget or whatever as I progress. I am going to go over things one more time, but I think I am probably going to use blogger.

[ntrick]

Hi,

My blog is a slice of my IRL: pickles-and-onions.blogspot.com/

I'll be checking some of your blogs too!
N

[mizbear]

I did it!!!!

Miz Bear's Kitchen is on

bearlygettinby on blogger

It's really rough, but my draft was deleted accidentally.

[shanendoah]

I've added all the new blogs mentioned to the ones I follow.
In case you're wondering, I am Fiction50 in your followers.

Mizbear: Glad to see you get up and running. I'll read through it a little later today when I have a moment

[mizbear]

I need to go back through and add everyone to who I am following- someone came and "helped" me clean and now I can find nothing.
Last night someone came over to get ready to go somewhere- I was nice enough to let them use my bathroom and full length mirror- they took all of my red barrettes without asking. I am not happy.