29.6.10

Your "Yes" Means Money for Your Company

irises

It was my career-of-choice. My salary was the highest it had ever been. I'd worked towards the position by getting another Masters degree. And I had just finished a successful first year.

Then I got two new bosses. Within eight months, I quit...

continue reading at HighCallingBlogs

Irises photo by L.L. Barkat.

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23.6.10

31 [Snarky] Days to Build a Better Blog: All the Links You'll Need

ceiling in Marseilles

If you missed the chance to participate in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project, here's your chance for a recap— all the links you'll need to do the project, with or without someone else.

This project is best suited to newish bloggers (and people with low blood pressure), but even a seasoned blogger can learn a few worthy things. So here's the whole kit and caboodle, with a snarky twist from Yours Truly :)

(Note: These posts include links to all the PB posts that are the foundation for ProBlogger's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog book. I hear the book has updates since the foundation posts. Of course if you buy the book you'll have it all in one file.)

Day 1: Bambi in the Database. On how I made Paul cause an earthquake, while I was supposed to be Writing an Elevator Pitch.

Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect. Writing a List Post might just draw a lot more traffic if you include famous people like The Dalai Lama and Marcus Goodyear.

Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me. If you are going to ask for a link from another blogger, you might as well go for the gold. Not that you will get it. But you could try.

Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You. When you analyze a top blog in your niche, remember that Oprah might just be your ticket.

Day 5: Email a Blog Reader. There are so many nicely annoying ways to try to increase your blog traffic. This qualifies as one of them.

Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips. You could read all the big blog-building tips from Problogger, or you could just listen to Shakespeare and Company. Shakespeare is older and more poetic. Problogger speaks English you can understand.

Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways. There is nothing like a little link love to make you more popular. Go ahead, try it.

Day 8: Entertaining Aliens. What's SEO got to do with it? Find out by entertaining aliens.

Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship. Finding blog buddies is one key to success. The other key (as you will see in a few posts) is cake.

Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts. On the importance of setting up Google and Twitter alerts. Though I'm afraid my dog ate Darren's :)

Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn. On how I tried to take my blog back, while simultaneously doing the assignment: come up with 10 New Post Ideas.

Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale. Well, I almost got my blog back. But when I did the Editorial Calendar assignment, I realized it was probably a lost cause.

Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts. I was asked to go to the Mall. I can be a little rebellious sometimes; I went hiking instead.

Day 14: Update a Key Page. This is all about first impressions and making them better. Except I got side-tracked looking for my keys.

Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake. Here is where you learn the value of finding a blog buddy, and the greater value of serving cake.

Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch. Apparently, your readers have problems. You might just be able to solve them if you buy a velvet couch. I tried to get mine from The Louvre.

Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie. How does a first-time reader use your blog? If she pulls off the head and dresses it in pink, you may be in trouble.

Day 18: Gesundheit! This is about creating a 'sneeze page' like the one you are now on. It points to really important places on your blog, all within a certain theme.

Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind. This was the day I was supposed to express an opinion. Such a difficult assignment for a mild person like me. ;-)

Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs. It was a lot of fun using Post It Notes to leave comments on other blogs. You should try it sometime.

Day 21: Foretelling the Future. If you are unlazy, you might like this assignment... to go back and revamp an old post. I am not unlazy.

Day 22: Darren, How Sweet of You. I paid attention to a very special reader, and (just look in the comment box) he paid a little attention to me. (I'm still waiting for my link, but I know he's trying to dream up something especially good :)

Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You. Did you know you have passive readers? Here's how to get them acting (I cannot be responsible if the result is that they act silly.)

Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog. I was supposed to learn a few things from a successful magazine. Well, I sure did! Adding shirtless men was just one little trick to bring more traffic.

Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions. I could not resist asking, "Are we there yet?" It's just too classic.

Day 26: Problogger, Allow Me. Did you know you could make over another person's blog? I figured I'd give a free makeover to The Blogger himself.

Day 27: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate. This was a dead-link hunting expedition. I couldn't bear the sorrow of it and chose a different path.

Day 28: I Wish to Report a Stolen Review. Writing reviews is supposed to be a good bloggy thing to do. But I stole one instead. It's okay, she didn't mind.

Day 29: Now You're Profiling. It's all about reputation, even in blogland. Here's how I could have developed a better one if I had tried.

Day 30: How to Increase Your Blog Stats by Over 100% Here I reveal the truth about exponentially increasing your blog traffic. I am not kidding.

Day 31: Time to Plan the Big Time. With a little planning, you too can decrease your blog traffic by as much as you increased it. Or you can make a different kind of plan. It's really up to you.


Notre Dame in Marseilles photo, by L.L. Barkat.

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14.6.10

31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Time to Plan the Big Time

Road Curve

Day 31. I am a 31DBB Survivor!

Does that mean I get to go to an island now? :)

Or is it that I'm allowed to get off the island?

Ah, but today's assignment is to develop ANOTHER 30 DAYS of pure pleasure. Seriously? I was just getting out the little drink umbrellas with the pointy ends and the nice Chinese calligraphy.

Well, fine.

What to do here, besides the promised neglectful blogging? If you've been with me from the beginning, you'll remember I contemplated blogging next about 21 Days of Intestinal Housecleaning.

But I decided that might be gastronomically stressful. I'd rather do something a little more relaxing, that doesn't require unnatural amounts of natural fiber or pureed vegetables. Thus...

The Top 10 Non-Stressful Things I Might Blog About in the Next 30 Days (or 60, if I Choose)

1. An I'm Sorry Post written 10 times on the blackboard, in hopes of securing forgiveness for taking Darren's name in vain, again and again and again and again.

Alternately, I could offer Darren a steep discount on the Martha-Problogger makeover. If I felt particularly repentant, I could even suggest that you buy his 31 Days to Build a Better Blog book.

2. A Top Post. (As in The Top 5 Reasons You Should Do My Dishes or The Top 10 Awesome Flattering Retweeters of this Blog. You know, very relevant stuff.)

3. Something French. I am studying French, with the goal of actually learning French or appearing to learn French. Writing something about French in English (since you aren't studying French) could be a nice challenge for me. Disclaimer: an occasional French word or baguette may appear in a post like this.

4. My daughter's graphic novel. It's my blog. I can be despotic if I like. :)

5. Beans. Why not? This blog sports delicious vegetarian food. Beans are a good centerpiece for a vegetarian meal. They also make good stuffing for handmade maracas.

6. A post, or two, or ten based on a book about 30 Days to Stress-Free Living. It seemed apropos after the 31DBB project. :)

7. Barbies at Communion. Hey, I like the book and the author. Plus, since it is usable under Creative Commons licensing terms, that means I can post some of the poems without running into permissions issues (unless I post them all at once in the form of an e-book and cut the price to $2.99).

8. Updates on the Carpal Tunnel Law Suit. Okay, not really.

9. Creativity. I could post on this. I should post on this (it's in my blog tagline.) Or maybe I will just try to demonstrate creativity.

10. All of the above. Or maybe only some of the above? Should I take a poll? Would you vote in a poll if I took it? If I take it, does that preclude you voting?

Okay, finis deja.

(That is my loose and probably incorrect French for "enough already." I am ON MY WAY. :)


(Yes, I had to look it up. The correct way to say that would be Plus qu-assez. @marydemuth, would you like to offer a second opinion?)


RELATED POSTS
LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Darren, How Sweet of You, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions, Day 26: Problogger, Allow Me, Day 27: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate, Day 28: I Wish to Report a Stolen Review, Day 29: Now You're Profiling, Day 30: How to Increase Your Blog Stats by Over 100%, Day 31: Time to Plan the Big Time
ProBlogger's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog book
Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

Around the Corner photo by L.L. Barkat.

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11.6.10

31 Days to Build a Better Blog: How to Increase Your Blog Stats by Over 100%

Lavender flowers

Day 30. Day 30! DAY 30!!!!

I am calm. No worries.

DAY THIRRRRRRRRTY!!!!! :)

Which is to say we are just in time for today's exercise— look at your blog statistics.

At the beginning of this project, Paul's laughter shook the earth, all because of blog stats. Or at least that's the way I pictured it. After all, I knew the discrepancy— this blog's low stats versus my claims to be an '8' blogger.

Thing is, this is a side blog. It should have low stats. Because this is a place of neglectful blogging.

Over the past month of non-neglectful blogging, the stats have gone up 105%. See what blogging every day can do?

But blogging every day is also a lot of work. And I'm looking forward to receding back into a restful, statistically unimpressive state. Sure, I'll still blog here. Like I always have— when I feel like it.

Generally, I don't feel like it nearly as much as I do over at Seedlings in Stone, where I blog about writing, art, poetry and other stuff. I don't even blog as much here as I do over at Love Notes to Yahweh, where I explore spiritual practice and am currently chronicling an art pilgrimage.

So it comes to this. Stats can tell you things. But the most important thing to know is your heart. What do you feel like writing about and why? Do you want the whole world reading you, or a few good friends?

This particular blog has long been geared towards a small audience. Soon it will go back to its tiny roots. Which is probably for the best. After all, Cassandra has been put on a list of hernia candidates (due to abdominal trauma caused by laughter).

Not to worry though. It has been fun to try out a little humorous writing. So I will risk injury (Cassandra's) to sometimes come here and invite you to smile.

RELATED POSTS
LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions, Day 26: Improve Another Blog, Day 27: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate, Day 28: I Wish to Report a Stolen Review, Day 29: Now You're Profiling
ProBlogger's Day 30: Learn from Your Blog Stats
Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

COMING TOMORROW
Become a Big Blogger, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 31: Plan Your Next Steps


Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

31 Days to Better Blogging




  • 100-Plus Flowers photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 10.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Now You're Profiling

    barbie and oats

    Day 29: Profiling.

    Truly, I thought a person could get in trouble for profiling. But apparently there are different brands. Today's recommended profiling activity is fully legal and socially acceptable, unless you go about it in an anti-social way.

    The idea is to build your own profile through the power of association.

    Okay.

    Let's begin.

    I will say a word or phrase, and you tell me the first thing that pops into your mind. This is the power of association.

    Glynn Young

    [your response]

    Bradley J. Moore

    [your response]

    Gordon Atkinson

    [your response]

    Marcus Goodyear

    [your response]

    Ann Kroeker

    [your response]

    Sam Van Eman

    [your response]

    Laura Boggess

    [your response]

    Dan King

    [your response]

    Ann Voskamp

    [your response]

    Dena Dyer

    [your response]

    Claire Burge

    [your response]

    Cheryl Smith

    [your response]

    L.L. Barkat

    [your response]

    If your responses sounded something like...

    ...Midwestern snarky-businessman unafraid of Texan ex-preacher-Barbies who eat oatmeal (and sausages when they are naughty) while watching T.V. commercials and doing book talks directly after Twittering and snacking on fried shrimp before making bread while telling jokes about laundry and photographing lost socks, then forecasting the future of those socks' abilities to build a great website or clothe a snarky-yet-poignant writer's feet...

    well, then, you are properly associated.

    Because this means you know the people who work for HighCallingBlogs, where it could (literally) pay to build your profile— if not in dollars, then in cybercake. Either way, it's legal. And you're officially profiled.

    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions, Day 26: Improve Another Blog, Day 27: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate, Day 28: I Wish to Report a Stolen Review
    ProBlogger's Day 29: Plan to Build a Profile.
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

    COMING TOMORROW
    How to Increase Your Blog Stats by Over 100%, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 30: Learn from Your Blog Statistics


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Barbie on Oats photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 9.6.10

    We Interrupt this 31DBB with Summer Stew

    Nigerian Stew

    There is nothing like a good stew when you're in need of comfort. You are in need of comfort, aren't you, at this juncture in the 31DDB Project?

    This Nigerian Stew began as delicious Nigerian Baked Beans. The following night I added potatoes and fried onions (sliced really thin, fried really dark brown).

    Today I want to remember what I did, in case I'm in need of comfort again sometime. Or just want to eat a great summer stew.

    Nigerian Baked Beans, from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian (modified by moi :)

    Stir briefly over low heat..

    • 1 onion, chopped and already sauteed until light brown
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 TB curry powder


    Add onion and garlic mixture to...

    • 1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern Beans, already soaked and cooked until tender (retain cooking water)
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 1/2 TB peanut butter
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Bake all together about an hour or until tender and sauce is thickened.

    Serve with salad and brown bread with herbed butter (herbed butter is a stick of softened butter you whip up and add chopped fresh garden herbs to, along with minced garlic, onion and a bit of lemon juice; I added fresh lemon thyme, sage, rosemary, chives, and oregano).


    For Stew the Following Evening...

    • cut 4-5 potatoes into 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks, add to beans with enough water to cover, and cook 15 minutes or until tender
    • garnish with one onion sliced very thin, browned until crisp
    • add a generous scoop of herbed butter and stir until melted


    Nigerian Stew photo, by L.L. Barkat.

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    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: I Wish to Report a Stolen Review

    pigeon

    Day 28, write a review post.

    Easy peasy. I am going to steal a review. It has almost all the right...

    10 Elements of a Great Review

    1. An opinion
    2. A Rating
    3. Balance
    4. Keywords
    5. Comparisons
    6. A Buy Link
    7. Who it’s good for
    8. Personal
    9. Visuals
    10. Details on How to Get the Item

    Where it fails to have a right element, I will fill in the blanks after the review. Ready, set, go...

    This is An Opinion on the 5-Star REALLY SUPER AWESOME Book Barbies at Communion (Note the Balance in this Headline :)

    A little boy walks to the river, and it becomes a Sabbath poem. News of a super-collider turns into unexpectedly poignant Mother's Day verse. Waves come to shore, two guys build a bookshelf, a girl and her dad fly to Georgia... such simple things, but they do not escape Marcus Goodyear.

    Through his poetry, he reveals a mind that has a way with the world. Engaged, compassionate, quietly humorous.

    I recommend every last poem in this book, but here's one beautiful in its simplicity...

    Sabbath

    Shed no tears for these empty buildings
    around the grass field like a private
    forgotten park. They will not feel lonely
    next week when a new group arrives
    on the wings of petroleum and expectation.
    Sometimes emptiness lets us all rest
    a bit and take a breath. Throw sticks
    for fat dogs who run until their panting
    clicks, and they wobble, drunk on fetch,
    behind the boy on his way to the river
    alone to dangle his feet in clear water
    where no one has come today to swim.

    barbies cover

    No worries. I stole the review from myself at Amazon.

    Why review the book here? Because if you are here, you might be a person who likes fun, good writing, and cool word play. Which means that Barbies at Communion is for YOU (note that this is telling you who the book is good for and that I am PERSONALLY telling you :).

    Now, because you are supposedly a passive reader, I'm also personally suggesting very nicely in a balanced sort of way that you buy Barbies at Communion right now.

    It will make a great summer read, for you (that is me personally telling you who this book is good for. Again. In case you forgot. Okay, and for good keyword measure, let me suggest that you buy Barbies at Communion, for you, or a friend of good taste. Right now. :)

    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions, Day 26: Improve Another Blog, Day 27: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate
    ProBlogger's Day 28: Write a Review Post
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

    COMING TOMORROW
    You've Got a Gorgeous Profile, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 29: Build Profile Readership


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Pigeon photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 8.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Hunting for Links, or Chocolate

    dead tree

    Day 27: I am almost a 31DBB survivor. But now I have to go searching for dead links in the wild woods of ye olde blog.

    Sigh.

    This is not nearly as fun as a chocolate egg hunt, which I would personally find very motivating. Though supposedly it is worth doing the bunny hop.

    "So how do you detect dead links on your blog?" asks Darren.

    Well, um. Isn't that obvious? Dead links don't breathe!

    If you see a link that is not breathing, it is probably dead. You can also check its pulse, in case it's just holding its breath and playing dead. Or I suppose you could use the handy little link-life-detection tools ProBlogger recommends.

    The obvious next question (and he asks it) is, "What to Do When You find a Dead Link?"

    This is a very sad question. So I am going to ignore it and go back to Plan A.

    Chocolate.

    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions, Day 26: Improve Another Blog
    ProBlogger's Day 27: Hunt for Dead Links
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

    COMING TOMORROW
    I'm Wish to Report a Stolen Review, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 28: Write a Review Post.


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Dead Tree photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 7.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Problogger, Allow Me

    paint

    Day 26: Improve Another Blog. Yes! I've got just the blog in mind.

    After all, Darren says, "Today’s task in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog is to do just that – to improve a blog that is not yours." And I know that Darren's blog is not mine, for a number of reasons.

    Top 5 Reasons I Know Darren Rowse's Blog is Not My Blog

    1. My blogs never have a one-word title, because that would make it too easy for people to remember.

    2. Nobody calls me Darren. Yet. :)

    3. If Darren's blog was my blog, I would be making six figures. Instead, I am making 31 blog posts about better blogging, and this is giving me carpal tunnel in my thumb. Hmmm... I may be able to parlay that into six figures if I find a creative lawyer.

    4. Darren is a boy. I am not. Sigh. This reduces my chances of ever being called "Darren."

    5. Darren's blog talks about making better blogs. My blogs... (oh, just fill in the blank with an L.L.-aggrandizing compliment)

    All righty. Now that we have established that Darren's blog is a blog that is not mine, we are ready to begin the makeover process. Pink paint please, Martha? (I think it is always useful to engage Martha Stewart when tackling a project in particular need of a girl's design. She only charges six figures for her services, too, which seems apropos.)

    Now, to quote the blogger-in-question, "The question is – how do you improve someone else’s blog?"

    Hey, Problogger, allow me...

    problogger new site

    Click here to see my Extreme Makeover of Problogger in full size.

    Says Problogger, "If it doesn’t go noticed by the other blogger don’t despair – hopefully in doing something for others you’ll learn something for yourself also, as well as getting a little good karma in the process!"

    This is a very nice way for him to say he might not show up and praise my handiwork on his blog, but I don't believe that an astute blogger like Problogger would let this slide by. Especially since Martha and I did such a beautiful job.

    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog, Day 25: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions
    ProBlogger's Day 26: Improve Another Blog.
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

    COMING TOMORROW
    A Walk in the Woods, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 27: Hunt for Dead Links.


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Problogger Extreme Makeover Illustration by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 4.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: 10 Reasons to Ask Your Readers Questions

    Pass the Time Sign

    Day 25. Are we there yet?

    Sigh. I thought you would say that. (Hey, are you my mother?)

    Well, it seemed like maybe. Okay, fine. Let's get right to it, and talk about the 31DBB Project, shall we?

    10 Seriously Really Important Vital Top-Rated Reasons to ask Your Readers Questions, You Know?

    Says Problogger, "Asking readers questions is a fantastic way to grow your blog for a number of reasons— here are 10." I liked his reasons okay, but here are 10 more...

    1.

    2.

    3.

    4.

    5.

    6.

    7.

    8.

    9.

    10.

    Come now, did you really think I would give away such precious blog-traffic-blockbusting-advice without your input? What reasons would YOU give for asking people questions on your blog?

    All righty, I am officially done with writing this post. Are we there yet?


    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You, Day 24: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog
    ProBlogger's Day 25: 10 Reasons Why it Works to Ask Your Readers Questions
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project

    COMING MONDAY
    Problogger, Allow Me, a companion to ProBlogger's Day 26: Improve Another Blog.


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    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Pass the Time Sign photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 3.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Adding Shirtless Men to My Blog

    mag cover

    Day 24, on the 31DBB Island, and I'm beginning to see visions of men wearing earrings and smiles made perfect by orthodontic adjustment.

    Creepy! I did not sign up for this. Somebody put a warning label on the 31DBB Project!

    Okay, so here's the task that involves shirtless men (at least in my case). We are supposed to "review a magazine with the view of learning something about how you might improve your own blog."

    I am pretty sure that the following improvements to my blog will increase reader engagement. (Oh, thank you, Darren!!!)

    1. Add shirtless men to the header. Tell me that wouldn't get your attention.

    2. Talk about golf. I don't know anything about golf. Except that I got a B-minus in it in college, thus ruining an otherwise respectable GPA. Still, it might not matter. I could talk about the aesthetics of golf. Like how to make sure you hold the club artfully, so as to make for good photo ops.

    3. Add a barcode. This would make it look like I am a professional blogger. And then I could sell my blog in bookstores too, which would be kind of cool.

    4. Sell makeup. I don't wear makeup, but that shouldn't stop me from selling it. While I'm at it, I could sell other things I don't use either— like perfume, water-resistant Chanel black-sand-blasted-high-tech-ceramic watches, and Mercedes Benzes.

    5. Add a poll. (Hey, I'm beginning to see a pattern here!!! :)

    6. Include the names of at least 10 famous people. Shoot, that's easy... Laura Boggess, Glynn Young, Billy Coffey, Cassandra Frear, Maureen Doallas, Bradley J. Moore, Marcus Goodyear, Katdish, Melissa, and Joan Ball.

    7. Stick a subscription card in the middle of everything. Subscribe Now! Just $0.00 for a 2-year Subscription!!

    8. Add men in flag Speedos. (You ain't seen nothin' 'til you've seen the Stars and Stripes on men-of-sporting-valor!) Just wait. Green Inventions is going to get famous with this one.

    9. Write about White House parties. I have never been to a White House party. Do you think this disqualifies me from writing about them?

    10. Recommend beachwear. Why, yes, I do recommend that you utilize beachwear. Goodness me.

    Okay, that sums up what I learned from checking out Vanity Fair. I wonder what the National Enquirer could teach me...

    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader, Day 23: He Told Me to Tell You
    ProBlogger's Day 24: Use a Magazine to Improve Your Blog
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project


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    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Vanity Fair Cover photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 2.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: He Told Me to Tell You

    light dance

    Day 23. Today I'm being called to call my readers to action, because...

    ... apparently I have passive readers.

    I would not have guessed this (Cassandra!), but supposedly it's true.

    His advice is to match aggressive to my readers' passive. Which, as far as I can tell, makes us the perfect passive-aggressive pair. I'm not sure how I feel about that. (No worries, if we've got problems, I've still got that couch I picked up at the Louvre.)

    Okay, for all you who are truly passive (surely not you, Dan), here is what he told me to tell you:

    1. Please implement something I've written about.

    2. Please subscribe to my RSS feed.

    3. Please buy an affiliate's product.

    4. Please comment on my blog, or my blog, or my blog

    5. Please vote in my poll. Oops, I don't have a poll. How many people think I should have a poll? (Now I have a poll. :)

    6. Please donate to this charity (I did.)

    7. Please vote for me on a social bookmarking site (As far as I know I am currently not a candidate, but please do it anyway. Then I will be a candidate.)

    8. Please buy this product I developed (I got a lot of mosquito bites doing it.)

    9. Please visit this other (really cool) site.

    10. Please hire me. (I don't know for what, but if you want to hire me and pay me, you're welcome to do so. As I already have a job, I will not show up, but I promise to cash the paychecks.)

    11. Please read something else (mildly snarky) I wrote on my blog.

    12. Please visit my business site.


    That is a dozen pleases, which must be completely irresistible. Um, Glynn? Oh, Glynnnnnnn. Glynn! (Sorry, just making sure you hadn't passively fallen asleep during my sweet aggressions.)


    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future, Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader
    ProBlogger's Day 23: Call Your Readers to Action
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Impromptu Dance at the Gallery photo by L.L. Barkat.

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  • 1.6.10

    31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Darren, How Sweet of You

    Godiva

    Day 22, pay attention to a special reader. (Oops, that's not it. I'm supposed to pay special attention to a reader.)

    Hey, how about I do both?

    I will now pay special attention to a special reader.

    He's been the quiet type here. In fact, he hasn't commented even once. This is because he is shy. I think. That, or he's afraid that if he comments, then my ENORMOUS blog audience will overrun his blog with requests for him to sign their blogs too.

    So he has chosen to simply lurk. I completely understand. (Hi, Darren, I know you're here. This is my little wave in your direction, just between you and me.)

    Anyway, the other reason he's here is that he knows it's not all about fanning his own fame. So he's been quietly planning to make ME famous, because he wants me to feel valuable. I thought about being fussy and turning him down, but this seemed ungrateful. Who am I to spurn a little link-love from a blogger who only makes six figures through blogging?

    I'm not sure when he's planning to bestow his gift, but I'll be ready with a link in return when he does. (Don't be shy, Darren. I want to make you famous. But I promise not to embarrass you. I'll hide the link somewhere at the bottom of my sidebar where it will be safe and not cause you too much undue attention.)

    I feel magnanimous already. :)


    RELATED POSTS
    LL's Day 1: Bambi in the Database, Day 2: The Dalai Lama Effect, Day 3: Darren Rowse, Please Link to Me, Day 4: Oprah, I Wanna Be Like You, Day 5: Email a Blog Reader, Day 6: Shakespeare and Company's Top 24 Blog Tips, Day 7: How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Link the Ways, Day 8: Entertaining Aliens, Day 9: Meet Me at the Mother Ship, Day 10: My Dog Ate Darren Rowse's Google Alerts, Day 11: Hey, Darren, It's My Turn, Day 12: Darren Gets on the Scale,, Day 13: I Will Not Be Swayed by Sales on Boxer Shorts, Day 14: Update a Key Page, Day 15: Honk if You Like, I Prefer Cake, Day 16: Buy a Velvet Couch, Day 17: Pretend Your Blog is a Barbie, Day 18: Gesundheit! Day 19: Maureen, Hope You Don't Mind, Day 20: Leave Comments on Other Blogs, Day 21: Foretelling the Future
    ProBlogger's Day 22: Pay Special Attention to a Reader
    Paul's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Project


    Would you like to follow Bambi's efforts at better blogging? Here's a button, if you like :)

    31 Days to Better Blogging




  • Godiva Chocolates photo by L.L. Barkat.

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