Ok, more enlightenment has come to me over the last two days.
First, I learned that I need to get at some settings that I might not have control over with my Web host. So... I might have to move hosts, which I don't want to do.
Without getting at that setting, the switch that I made to my template, didn't work. But, when I reverted back to the old-style template that I had been using, something must have been updated because the comments are now showing. And I think that my archives are updating automatically... though I'm not sure why.
But, with comments now turned on, I have to make the decision about whether that is enough for me. I would enjoy the extras like books that I'm reading, an easier blogroll, and other widgets.
I suppose that most of it will depend on what my Web host gives back to me as an answer.
(And I need to restore my homepage that got over-written while I was messing around with things)
Monday, January 29, 2007
Something unexpected
Something has changed on my blog because the comments work now. I'll have to keep investigating to see if this is all I need, or if I should still try to go forward with a more radical change.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Understanding
I was just talking to Mia about my continued frusteration about nothing getting comments to show up on my blog.
She came and looked at my Template, which is still old-school Blogger style, even though I upgraded when Google took over.
She pointed me to a post on the dashboard page (which I generally ignore) and now I think I understand it. Since I started blogging before you could set a custom domain through blogger, and I didn't want tenfootrabbits.blogspot.com instead of integrated into my site, I've been FTPing my blog posts over to my web host for publishing.
This means that most of the work is seamless, I can still use the Blogger interface, but that's why I have to create my own Archive pages and why I can't get comments.
Now that Google will let you point to a custom domain, but still host your blog with them, I might move to that system. The archives will remain here if I do that, while and the blog will move to a sub-domain address. Overall though, I think that it will be worth it.
P.S. I was going to post some video tonight, but as you can see I got busy talking about other things. I'll do some this weekend.
She came and looked at my Template, which is still old-school Blogger style, even though I upgraded when Google took over.
She pointed me to a post on the dashboard page (which I generally ignore) and now I think I understand it. Since I started blogging before you could set a custom domain through blogger, and I didn't want tenfootrabbits.blogspot.com instead of integrated into my site, I've been FTPing my blog posts over to my web host for publishing.
This means that most of the work is seamless, I can still use the Blogger interface, but that's why I have to create my own Archive pages and why I can't get comments.
Now that Google will let you point to a custom domain, but still host your blog with them, I might move to that system. The archives will remain here if I do that, while and the blog will move to a sub-domain address. Overall though, I think that it will be worth it.
P.S. I was going to post some video tonight, but as you can see I got busy talking about other things. I'll do some this weekend.
To Blog or Not to Blog
I read many blogs for work. My reading is focused mostly on SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEM (Search Engine Marketing), Web 2.0 technology, PR, and Marketing.
The blogosphere is huge. Just in those narrow topic areas, I have lots of content to skim through. (RSS Readers are your friend for this.) Lately, I've been getting more involved with some comments. Which has made me start to wonder if I should start a personal/professional blog.
Ah ha! Typing this up has reminded me of what I wanted to say earlier. I was searching out a few new blogs the other day, and found a few blogs by people that are in more of my position. They are not thought-leaders in the space, but are professionals with a few years experience.
What struck me is that these blogs linked to those thought-leaders. This is, of course, how bloggers get integrated into the blogging community. But, it's also a tactic to try and raise their sites visibility in the search engines and sites like Technorati. Which brings me to the point that I had wanted to make earlier but couldn't remember.
The value of the blogoshere is the creation of content and distribution of information through the network.
When bloggers get too caught up in talking about the blogosphere, they are no longer valuable to me. The bloggers that I respect the most are those that have knowledge of some space and are willing to share that information through their blog. This is also why I'm hesitant to add my voice professionally to the blogosphere. I'm not sure what I would add from my experience that is different from the voices already speaking.
Creating a blog for the purpose of increasing my own visibility might be useful in a future job search, but what value would I add to the conversation?
Maybe one day, maybe one day.
The blogosphere is huge. Just in those narrow topic areas, I have lots of content to skim through. (RSS Readers are your friend for this.) Lately, I've been getting more involved with some comments. Which has made me start to wonder if I should start a personal/professional blog.
Ah ha! Typing this up has reminded me of what I wanted to say earlier. I was searching out a few new blogs the other day, and found a few blogs by people that are in more of my position. They are not thought-leaders in the space, but are professionals with a few years experience.
What struck me is that these blogs linked to those thought-leaders. This is, of course, how bloggers get integrated into the blogging community. But, it's also a tactic to try and raise their sites visibility in the search engines and sites like Technorati. Which brings me to the point that I had wanted to make earlier but couldn't remember.
The value of the blogoshere is the creation of content and distribution of information through the network.
When bloggers get too caught up in talking about the blogosphere, they are no longer valuable to me. The bloggers that I respect the most are those that have knowledge of some space and are willing to share that information through their blog. This is also why I'm hesitant to add my voice professionally to the blogosphere. I'm not sure what I would add from my experience that is different from the voices already speaking.
Creating a blog for the purpose of increasing my own visibility might be useful in a future job search, but what value would I add to the conversation?
Maybe one day, maybe one day.
Catching up
I had something that I really wanted to blog about, but I can't remember what it is right now.
However, I've been doing more thinking lately, in fact, I was talking with Mia about it the other day.
I didn't do much reading last year. This would be easy to blame on a lack of time because of Ethan, work, or playing games. Except, that in a moment of self-awareness, I realized and accepted that I was really avoiding reading because I was avoiding writing. That may seem strange, it seemed strange to me when I was talking about it.
But, this did help me achieve another realization. That I am a professional writer. I get paid to write. It's what I do to make a living (though I do have some other duties as well).
The disconnect is that I'm neither a journalist, freelancer, or fiction writer. I don't get much personal recognition for what I'm writing currently. That's fine for me, for now.
From my career perspective, I don't mind continuing to write without attribution because that's just the way it works. However, the skills that I have as a business writer are important to companies. While Marketing is a department that suffers when cuts need to be made, writing is a skill that is always desirable to companies.
So, this year, I'm doing more reading. I'm still writing professionally, for Snowbound and WFM, and personally on my blog. But this year, I'm also going to try writing some more fiction, a genre that I want to polish my skills in as well.
However, I've been doing more thinking lately, in fact, I was talking with Mia about it the other day.
I didn't do much reading last year. This would be easy to blame on a lack of time because of Ethan, work, or playing games. Except, that in a moment of self-awareness, I realized and accepted that I was really avoiding reading because I was avoiding writing. That may seem strange, it seemed strange to me when I was talking about it.
But, this did help me achieve another realization. That I am a professional writer. I get paid to write. It's what I do to make a living (though I do have some other duties as well).
The disconnect is that I'm neither a journalist, freelancer, or fiction writer. I don't get much personal recognition for what I'm writing currently. That's fine for me, for now.
From my career perspective, I don't mind continuing to write without attribution because that's just the way it works. However, the skills that I have as a business writer are important to companies. While Marketing is a department that suffers when cuts need to be made, writing is a skill that is always desirable to companies.
So, this year, I'm doing more reading. I'm still writing professionally, for Snowbound and WFM, and personally on my blog. But this year, I'm also going to try writing some more fiction, a genre that I want to polish my skills in as well.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Re-mix
Ethan loves to sing. He loves it when we sing. He loves to sing with us. He loves to sing on his own when he's following asleep.
And, he's learning the words to the songs that we sing with him. I'm amazed at how many songs he knows. But, he's not quite perfect yet.
One of this favorite songs is Frosty the Snowman. He loves the ending "Thumpity Thump-Thump, Thumpity Thump-Thump, Over the hill... hurry down the hill... hurry down the hill"
He re-mixes Frosty and Give Said the Little Stream. Maybe he'll grow up to be a great musician.
And, he's learning the words to the songs that we sing with him. I'm amazed at how many songs he knows. But, he's not quite perfect yet.
One of this favorite songs is Frosty the Snowman. He loves the ending "Thumpity Thump-Thump, Thumpity Thump-Thump, Over the hill... hurry down the hill... hurry down the hill"
He re-mixes Frosty and Give Said the Little Stream. Maybe he'll grow up to be a great musician.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Anytime
My dad sent out his weekly email with what I interpret as a request for a night snorkeling partner.
I just want to say that anytime you want to fly me to a beautiful snorkelling locale, I'll go out with you every night.
:)
I just want to say that anytime you want to fly me to a beautiful snorkelling locale, I'll go out with you every night.
:)
Saturday, January 20, 2007
This one goes to 11
Ethan's not only the cutest kid in the world (am I saying that too often) but he's also the smartest.
He loves to count. Count, count, count. All day long. But, he doesn't stop at 10. Nope, he can count all the way to 13. Our boy is so smart.
And skinny. He must really be my and Mia's son. ;)
P.S. I have some video, I'll work on getting it up tomorrow.
He loves to count. Count, count, count. All day long. But, he doesn't stop at 10. Nope, he can count all the way to 13. Our boy is so smart.
And skinny. He must really be my and Mia's son. ;)
P.S. I have some video, I'll work on getting it up tomorrow.
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