Sunday, September 30, 2007

Define your Blogging Style

Blogging and research on blogging has monopolized my time online!

In today's quest for knowledge, I found some good tips regarding posting frequency; How often should bloggers post? "Musers VS Reporters"

Musers wait for inspiration to strike, and don't force a daily post. Reporters post on current events, thus making it imperative to be up-to-date and post daily.

The consensus seems to be stay true to your blogging style. Don't be a Reporter when you're a Muser. However, there is an element of importance in consistency. It's important not to overwhelm your readers by over posting one day, then not posting for a week.

My style, if I even have one yet, tends toward Muser.

What style works for you? Comments?

The full Article at ProBlogger: Finding Your Blogging DNA.

Tagging up your Blog

In my pursuit of blogging information, I came across the subject of tags.

I have recently revamped the tags on all of my blogs; making them more concise. I am still not sure if I should limit the amount of tags I affix to each blog in order to attract specific readers, or if I should tag a blog with as many subjects to which it may relate in order to attract a larger quantity of readers.

My current experiment with tags follows the former. I am blogging under just a few different tags in hopes of reaching more directed/specific traffic. This will hopefully provide a means through which I can track popular topics in my drive to find 'what works' in blogging.

Bloggers, what's working for you? How much do tags affect traffic quantity? Does it play a large role in returning visits?

I appreciate questions, comments and suggestions.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Birthdays Forced to go Digital

"May you live all the days of your life."
- Jonathan Swift
My birthdays have gone digital (today's my 22nd). To receive accolades I check my inbox or I log on AIM. It's a virtual 'Online Party!' Some how, it's not the same. It lacks warmth.

Birthdays used to be exciting, I would countdown three months in advance. There was always something to look forward to; the dining room table stacked with presents I couldn't open until after school. The fantastic dinner, friends, family!

Now, I live on my own. I receive text and voice-messages, emails, and online birthday cards. My parents both live in differing cities, one of my siblings is halfway across the country, and all of my friends are in class or different cities/states. If they were all available to celebrate my birthday ON my birthday, I'd probably have to decline... 18 units, Homework.

I am forced to take my birthdays Digital.


My birthday plans:
1. Class
2. Homework Blog
3. Class

Monday, September 24, 2007

Writing on a Passion

Every author that writes on the subject of blogging says the same thing; "Write what you know..." Which is similar to my Mom's saying, "Do what you love, and the money will follow..." This was especially hard for me. I have diverse interests, but I couldn't imagine myself writing on any one in particular daily. Determined, I set out everyday with a pencil, paper, and an open mind.

While driving to class, I would think about what bothers me, what interests me, and anything that's not constant; something that goes through changes. I finally found something I like.

As of today, I have officially begun my specific blog: Life via Taste. I absolutely LOVE food, cooking, and eating. I hope to find others out there with the same passion.

Friday, September 21, 2007

'F' Myspace!

I have to admit, I am a Myspace user. A claim I am more apt to type than verbalize out loud. Myspace.com has gone to the dogs. Today, in 2 hours and 47 minutes, I've received 18 add requests. No, not friends, just adds... Spam. Lets make it 19; I've just received one more. If I had some 'high school' urge to FEEL popular, I just might add all of these false profiles, like some do. It wouldn't be so bad, but it fills up my inbox with 'blah blah would like to be added as one of your friends..." What more can I possibly do than 'Mark as Spam,' I just have to endure the annoyance, and hope that good will triumph!

And one more, why not make it an even 20...
And... One more...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Remedy for Writer's Block

"All you have to do is write one true sentence." - Hemingway.

Start with one true statement, then let your mind take you wherever it choses to go for the following sentence. Then keep building. It seems so obvious and simple, but it works.

True statement: "I ended up in a parking lot, fifty miles from home..."
Third person: "He ended up in a parking lot, fifty miles from home..."

Then continue the thought...

More Blog Traffic

I am definitely new to the world of blogging. Yet, I know that I can't have a successful blog without readers. So, I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject and I've come to the conclusion to test Blog Rush. Blog Rush is a widget that's added to your blog to offer readers other blogs of interest. By having this on my blog, I will be placed in the mix on someone else's widget. Hopefully this will provide a bit more exposure.


For those of you that have the Blog Rush widget, what do you think of it so far? Has it made an overall difference?


I welcome all questions, comments, and suggestions.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Licorice Pizza

Today, I stumbled upon a blog; Licorice Pizza. It was in the "Blogs of Note" section. I clicked on it for a few reasons: it was an 'original' name, it sounded funny, but most of all it was familiar. Yet, I couldn't place it until I went to his page. It was the name of a small pizza shop a few blocks away from my old neighborhood; Redondo Beach! The author, Aikin (from Miami, Florida), knew it only as a slang for vinyl and a good picture. Finding this picture gave me a surge of nostalgia, and made me feel really good.

I've always found it interesting how we respond to seeing something/someone we are emotionally invested in reach some level of... fame?. Maybe, in some sense, it's a feeling that a piece of 'you' has become famous. I hope I was able to bring a bit of backstory to the picture that has served as a mascot for a year of his blogging. Thank you Aikin


Monday, September 17, 2007

Good Quality Wifing

It's 12:20am and I have class in the morning; start of another week. But, I can't bring myself to go to sleep until I do something... creative. With nothing in mind I have decided to browse the intraweb. I stumbled onto an old Myspace post and it was good for a nice laugh.
This is from Ebaum's World. You know, that awesome, hilarious site that everyone liked before YouTube and Myspace took off.
Guide to being a GOOD Wife:






Now that's some good quality wifing...

Friday, September 14, 2007

Karma called in sick today...

Swerving, dodging and jiving. The one-finger-salute, hands up in the air, and arms flailing out of windows. The yelling, the screaming, the name-calling.


Maybe I'm too young and naive, but wouldn't the freeway run smoother if we all cooperated? If we treated the commute as a choreographed dance; rather than a battery of two second drag races, tailgating, tire screeching, or a selfish mess?


I think karma called in sick today...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

My Insomnia went Away...

When I got into film school, I knew. Before I ever transferred to the university, I knew. While I was still in high school, I knew! To succeed, I have to dive in headfirst and swim. I knew it was going to be a LOT of work, and take a lot of time. I knew it was going to be challenging, and I relished the opportunity. That was then.

They say I'm supposed to study 2 hours per unit. For one 3-unit class, I should study six hours throughout the week. That averages out to be less than an hour a day; not bad... I have EIGHTEEN units.

That comes out to THIRTY-SIX hours of studying. Over five hours daily, seven days a week. On top of my ten hour school days. I'm exhausted just talking about it.

On the plus side, my insomnia went away...

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Did you know, there are no bells in College?

In high school there were bells. We walked around campus like Pavlov's Dog - what was that dog's name anyway? No matter how independent I thought I was, the bells told me what to do; where to go, and when to eat. We even had different bells for Bomb scares and intruders. When the bomb bell rang, the school was corralled in the pen-like football stadium; for "safe" keeping. The intruder drill was easy to remember. It was the same response to an earthquake and an Atom Bomb (circa 1950s & 1960s); duck-and-cover. Despite the risk of "zombie-ism," the bells were comforting. It was effortless. It was easy.


They said college would be Great!. You get to pick your own classes, meet new people, and decide what you want to study... I have to pick my own classes? I have to manage my own schedule? NEW people? What about my friends?... Thrust onto a foreign compound, stripped of friends, and told to "make Mom and Dad proud..."


A dog will learn to swim when thrown into the ocean. Swimming is the least of its worries... Did you know there are no bells in College?