Dear Random Dude on a Dating Site,
You saw my online dating profile and decided to message me. You must have thought I was cute or liked something I wrote in my bio.
Everything started out just fine; your standard introductory small talk. Then you asked how dating has been going for me. I answer and ask the same of you. You ask what I'm looking for. I say that I'm dating and hoping to find someone to have a relationship with.
Then you say, "You must not have loved your husband very much."
What?!?
Showing posts with label FYI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FYI. Show all posts
October 16, 2017
October 30, 2015
Apple Banana Muffin Cakes
The other day I noticed the bunch of bananas I recently bought -- all seven of them -- turning brown.
Obviously this calls for a loaf of banana bread, which, in my book, calls for four bananas.
Three left. Hmm...
I decided to mix up two batches of banana bread batter, each with three and a half bananas. I made one regular loaf (because that's what the husband prefers), and then did something a little more interesting with the other batch.
February 23, 2015
No Colds or Flu This Winter? Knock on Wood!
This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/P&G.
February is almost over.
It's unseasonably warm. Where I am, anyway.
Chirpy birds are once again trying to make their springtime home inside a vent opening on the side if my house.
Cherry blossoms are budding, even blooming.
All of this is happening....and no one in my family has had a bad cold or flu.
February 9, 2015
8 Ways to Save Money
I'm not super comfortable talking openly about money with most people. It's something that is just too easy to pass judgement on. I learned this 11 years ago when Mark and I went through bankruptcy after our relocation to Washington state.
But life around my house has changed quite a bit over the last 12 months, and part of those changes involve money. This is due mostly to my husband's chronic health conditions and his working less and less (and eventually not at all) ,which in turn has an impact on our budget.
I mean, obviously.
And I have found that some people are curious about how we make ends meet. Because of my hesitation to discuss personal money matters, I could simply say it's none of anyone's business. It really isn't, after all. However, I have been tweaking what we do and don't spend money on -- because I've absolutely had to -- and I thought perhaps what I've done could be of help to someone else.
But life around my house has changed quite a bit over the last 12 months, and part of those changes involve money. This is due mostly to my husband's chronic health conditions and his working less and less (and eventually not at all) ,which in turn has an impact on our budget.
I mean, obviously.
And I have found that some people are curious about how we make ends meet. Because of my hesitation to discuss personal money matters, I could simply say it's none of anyone's business. It really isn't, after all. However, I have been tweaking what we do and don't spend money on -- because I've absolutely had to -- and I thought perhaps what I've done could be of help to someone else.
November 12, 2014
How to Survive NaBloPoMo
Ah November!
AKA, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) or National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo).
It is about writing every day. To either crank out an entire novel or 30 consecutive blog posts.
I am not a novel writer (nor do I have any aspirations therein), but I am a blogger and I have completed two NaBlos.
Oy. The second one made me swear them off entirely. I became downright sick of myself!
My theory is that NaBloPoMo is especially good for bloggers who need a push, who have fallen off the blogging wagon and want to get back on, or maybe newbies who are looking for the learning and networking to be gained.
So, perhaps you've planned ahead, plotting out what you will post each day of this month. Or maybe you decided to take the plunge at the last minute and are flying by the seat of your pants.
AKA, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) or National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo).
It is about writing every day. To either crank out an entire novel or 30 consecutive blog posts.
I am not a novel writer (nor do I have any aspirations therein), but I am a blogger and I have completed two NaBlos.
Oy. The second one made me swear them off entirely. I became downright sick of myself!
My theory is that NaBloPoMo is especially good for bloggers who need a push, who have fallen off the blogging wagon and want to get back on, or maybe newbies who are looking for the learning and networking to be gained.
So, perhaps you've planned ahead, plotting out what you will post each day of this month. Or maybe you decided to take the plunge at the last minute and are flying by the seat of your pants.
October 9, 2014
Resources for People with Vision Loss in Washington State
I realize this is a very specific topic that many of my readers may not have any need for. That's OK, you can skip it if you want. It's something I've been thinking about sharing since I attended the Sight Connection Low Vision Expo last May. It just so happens that October is Blindness Awareness Month, and today specifically is World Sight Day, so I thought it fitting to post about it now.
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this year's Insight: A Low Vision Expo. I got lots of useful and interesting information that I want to pass on to those who might need it.
My (low) vision has been stable for the last 20 years. I adapted to my limitations a long time ago. I attended a living skills school for the newly blind and visually impaired when it first happened. This was back in California, so everything I've ever known about available resources for my particular disability were specific to that state. When I moved to Washington 11 year ago, I didn't know anything about what might be offered here, and frankly, didn't really need to know for a long time.
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this year's Insight: A Low Vision Expo. I got lots of useful and interesting information that I want to pass on to those who might need it.
My (low) vision has been stable for the last 20 years. I adapted to my limitations a long time ago. I attended a living skills school for the newly blind and visually impaired when it first happened. This was back in California, so everything I've ever known about available resources for my particular disability were specific to that state. When I moved to Washington 11 year ago, I didn't know anything about what might be offered here, and frankly, didn't really need to know for a long time.
August 27, 2014
Ask Jen Blog Post Series
The View From Here has had its year in the sun and is winding down (last post will be 9/25).
I have thought of something new to try, however. Not another guest post series....although it could be, maybe, a way for ME to guest post for others....
This idea has actually been knocking about my head for quite awhile. Ever since I had you guys ask me questions for my blogiversary in 2012.
I got lots of questions! So many that I did a series of posts to answer them.
I have thought of something new to try, however. Not another guest post series....although it could be, maybe, a way for ME to guest post for others....
This idea has actually been knocking about my head for quite awhile. Ever since I had you guys ask me questions for my blogiversary in 2012.
I got lots of questions! So many that I did a series of posts to answer them.
June 20, 2014
7 Tips to Present a User Friendly Blog
There are several things about the layout and appearance of a blog, as well as accessibility of social media following options, that I always take notice of when visiting other blogs. They are things that guide my own blog layout, and therefor, I obviously like. Some things are my personal preference (but my preferences are right!), others I've noticed on obviously successful blogs, and then some I have taken under advisement from other credible sources.
Uh, yes, I am a credible source too, gosh darnit!
June 14, 2014
I Fell in Love with a Really Yummy Summer Cocktail
I quite unexpectedly fell in love with a cocktail I tried at Red Robin. I asked my server what all was in it and I swear she told me:
- Moscato wine
- Citrus vodka
- Mango syrup
- Club soda
January 13, 2014
Things I Learned When Changing the Name of My Blog
The number one thing I learned when I changed my blog's name is that it is better to make this decision as early on in your blogging career as you can.
That would be ideal. However, if you decide you really want to do it at any point, here is what I learned when I did it at three and a half years in.
1. I will mention doing things 'ahead of time' so I want to touch on what I mean by that.
For me, the inspiration to change the name of my blog hit and I wanted very badly to JUST DO IT. When I'm excited about something I get very antsy. I took a breath, and Googled "changing the name of your blog" and read some advice on the subject, all of which told me to warn my readers first. It makes sense. As it turns out, it was really fun getting people excited about the change along with me.
I posted about my plan to make the change. Then I gave everyone a clue as to what the name would be and asked them to throw out guesses (which I apparently made way too easy). A week later, I made the change and posted about the big reveal.
Lesson: Don't be impulsive, Plan and plot the change, pacing not only yourself, but your readers too.
2. You absolutely want to set your old URL to redirect to your new one. (If you also change your URL) You have put links to your site all over the place through blog hops, social media, applying for brand opportunities, on Pinterest.... If someone clicks on an old link and it goes nowhere? Oh how sad!
For me, this was kind of complicated because I had purchased my first URL through Blogger (Google) and when I renewed it the next year, Google did it through eNom. It took some hunting around to figure this out, and then I had to contact eNom for help with setting up the redirect. The complications of this were compounded by ME purchasing my NEW URL from GoDaddy. However, eNom were awesome about helping me.
Lesson: You should be in control of your URL(s) at all times.
3. Still on the subject of your URL(s), in hindsight, I wish I had decided to change mine more than two months before my old one was set to expire. Due to some still unknown to me problem with Google, I wasn't able to renew the old one for another year like I had wanted to.
However, thankfully, I had worked hard on updating my URL everywhere I came across a place to do so, including updating Pins when I noticed them being re-pinned a lot.
Lesson: Think ahead. And again, control of your URL(s).
4. Figure out what size you want/need your header to be and make it IN THAT SIZE. Don't make it in one size and expect it to look good if you resize later. I made this mistake and didn't notice at first that by the time I got my header sized correctly, it was also blurry. I had to make a brand new one.
In Blogger, you can go into your Template settings and see what your blog width is set at (and change it if you wish). I don't know if this is the case on other blogging platforms. Knowing your width can help you narrow down how wide your header should be. As long as you're close, you can do a LITTLE resizing without ruining the quality of your image.
Obviously, this is a tip for DIY blog designers. My header dimensions are 1140x321, and I used PicMonkey with some free clip art I found to make it.
Lesson: You probably won't get your header just right on the first try. Be patient.
5. Somehow, the HTML code for a new blog button became a challenge. I made a new image, uploaded it to Photobucket, grabbed the direct link and copied it into the code I had for my old button, and it didn't work. I still have no idea why, but I found this site which is a Grab My Button Code Generator.
Lesson: Even if something should be a no-brainer, it might not be. Because technology.
6. Beyond your blog, there is social media. If you're like me and a bit anal about all your social media images matching, make them (or have them ready) before you officially make the changes to your blog. I was able to find the exact sizes for the various social media cover images (not profile photos):
Lesson: Trust me, it is a big relief when it all flows nicely.
7. If you have greater than 200 likes on your current Facebook page, chances are Facebook won't want to let you change the name of that page and you will need to start from scratch if you want your blog and Facebook page names to match. I mean, why wouldn't you? This is a big bummer, but still doable.
After you mourn the loss of your current page, set up a new page and startbugging suggesting to your current Facebook following to like the new page. I explained the situation and I had many go right away to my new page. My old Facebook is actually still up, three months after the fact, because I was involved in a long campaign when I made the changes. I will unpublish it after I get paid for that.
I made the change in October but continued to share my new blog posts, with my new Facebook page tagged, to my old page through the end of the year.
Don't forget to plug your new Facebook link into your follow buttons widget/gadget in your sidebar. I decided to go one step further in advertising my new page by installing a widget that pops up in the middle of the screen after a reader has been here for 30 seconds, suggesting that they like my Facebook page. I found this at TheBlogWidgets.com. I'm happy to report that likes on my Dancing in the Rain page have surpassed my old page likes!
Lesson: There are things about Facebook that suck, but it's still worth it to go through the effort because interactions there can be pretty great.
8. One word: Pinterest. You have been going through the extra step of including a pinnable image in every post. Pinterest is the hottest thing since sliced bread, so people are re-pinning your posts. There's nothing you can do about the fact that your previous images have your old blog name or URL watermarked on them, but you can go in and edit pins with the updated URL. I'm not doing this for every single pin; just the ones that are getting attention. It takes two seconds. Again, nobody likes a dead link. And remember, if you have your old URL set to redirect, this won't be an issue for you at all.
Lesson: There may be some uber tedious things you'll want to do. Do them as you can and it shouldn't be overwhelming.
There are some other miscellaneous things like updating whatever commenting system you use, as well as making sure you're using the correct URL when commenting on other blogs (auto fill will have your old one at the ready). Check to see if there's anything you should update with your social shares plug-in. Updating profiles on sites that deal with blogger opportunities is important....
That would be ideal. However, if you decide you really want to do it at any point, here is what I learned when I did it at three and a half years in.
1. I will mention doing things 'ahead of time' so I want to touch on what I mean by that.
For me, the inspiration to change the name of my blog hit and I wanted very badly to JUST DO IT. When I'm excited about something I get very antsy. I took a breath, and Googled "changing the name of your blog" and read some advice on the subject, all of which told me to warn my readers first. It makes sense. As it turns out, it was really fun getting people excited about the change along with me.
I posted about my plan to make the change. Then I gave everyone a clue as to what the name would be and asked them to throw out guesses (which I apparently made way too easy). A week later, I made the change and posted about the big reveal.
Lesson: Don't be impulsive, Plan and plot the change, pacing not only yourself, but your readers too.
2. You absolutely want to set your old URL to redirect to your new one. (If you also change your URL) You have put links to your site all over the place through blog hops, social media, applying for brand opportunities, on Pinterest.... If someone clicks on an old link and it goes nowhere? Oh how sad!
For me, this was kind of complicated because I had purchased my first URL through Blogger (Google) and when I renewed it the next year, Google did it through eNom. It took some hunting around to figure this out, and then I had to contact eNom for help with setting up the redirect. The complications of this were compounded by ME purchasing my NEW URL from GoDaddy. However, eNom were awesome about helping me.
Lesson: You should be in control of your URL(s) at all times.
3. Still on the subject of your URL(s), in hindsight, I wish I had decided to change mine more than two months before my old one was set to expire. Due to some still unknown to me problem with Google, I wasn't able to renew the old one for another year like I had wanted to.
However, thankfully, I had worked hard on updating my URL everywhere I came across a place to do so, including updating Pins when I noticed them being re-pinned a lot.
Lesson: Think ahead. And again, control of your URL(s).
4. Figure out what size you want/need your header to be and make it IN THAT SIZE. Don't make it in one size and expect it to look good if you resize later. I made this mistake and didn't notice at first that by the time I got my header sized correctly, it was also blurry. I had to make a brand new one.
In Blogger, you can go into your Template settings and see what your blog width is set at (and change it if you wish). I don't know if this is the case on other blogging platforms. Knowing your width can help you narrow down how wide your header should be. As long as you're close, you can do a LITTLE resizing without ruining the quality of your image.
Obviously, this is a tip for DIY blog designers. My header dimensions are 1140x321, and I used PicMonkey with some free clip art I found to make it.
Lesson: You probably won't get your header just right on the first try. Be patient.
5. Somehow, the HTML code for a new blog button became a challenge. I made a new image, uploaded it to Photobucket, grabbed the direct link and copied it into the code I had for my old button, and it didn't work. I still have no idea why, but I found this site which is a Grab My Button Code Generator.
Lesson: Even if something should be a no-brainer, it might not be. Because technology.
6. Beyond your blog, there is social media. If you're like me and a bit anal about all your social media images matching, make them (or have them ready) before you officially make the changes to your blog. I was able to find the exact sizes for the various social media cover images (not profile photos):
- Facebook: 851x315
- Twitter: 1252x626
- Google+: it was 2120x1192, and you can still get away with this because it's still a 16:9 ratio, but it appears smaller now. Minimum image SIZE is currently 480x270.
- YouTube: 2560x423 (total size), 1546x423 (always visible)
Lesson: Trust me, it is a big relief when it all flows nicely.
7. If you have greater than 200 likes on your current Facebook page, chances are Facebook won't want to let you change the name of that page and you will need to start from scratch if you want your blog and Facebook page names to match. I mean, why wouldn't you? This is a big bummer, but still doable.
After you mourn the loss of your current page, set up a new page and start
I made the change in October but continued to share my new blog posts, with my new Facebook page tagged, to my old page through the end of the year.
Don't forget to plug your new Facebook link into your follow buttons widget/gadget in your sidebar. I decided to go one step further in advertising my new page by installing a widget that pops up in the middle of the screen after a reader has been here for 30 seconds, suggesting that they like my Facebook page. I found this at TheBlogWidgets.com. I'm happy to report that likes on my Dancing in the Rain page have surpassed my old page likes!
Lesson: There are things about Facebook that suck, but it's still worth it to go through the effort because interactions there can be pretty great.
8. One word: Pinterest. You have been going through the extra step of including a pinnable image in every post. Pinterest is the hottest thing since sliced bread, so people are re-pinning your posts. There's nothing you can do about the fact that your previous images have your old blog name or URL watermarked on them, but you can go in and edit pins with the updated URL. I'm not doing this for every single pin; just the ones that are getting attention. It takes two seconds. Again, nobody likes a dead link. And remember, if you have your old URL set to redirect, this won't be an issue for you at all.
Lesson: There may be some uber tedious things you'll want to do. Do them as you can and it shouldn't be overwhelming.
There are some other miscellaneous things like updating whatever commenting system you use, as well as making sure you're using the correct URL when commenting on other blogs (auto fill will have your old one at the ready). Check to see if there's anything you should update with your social shares plug-in. Updating profiles on sites that deal with blogger opportunities is important....
I think that's about it!
Have you ever gone through "The Change", the blog name change, that is?
July 10, 2012
Did You Know? Blogger Comments and Replies
Houston, we have a problem.
Did you know that even though Blogger added the ability to reply to readers' comments (comment thread) that the commenter you're replying to may not know you did?
!@#$^&!
I recently discovered this little paradox when I checked to make sure I'm not a no-reply blogger. I am all set up to display my email address when I comment, yet I do not receive notification that a reply has been made on one of my comments using the Blogger comment thread.
Which means.... those who comment on MY posts are not being notified when I reply to them.
*^%$&((W#%$$*(!
ALL bloggers love getting comments, and we all know that REPLYING to them is good networking etiquette, not to mention good manners.
Because no one likes to say something only to hear crickets.
Here's the thing: if you're on the Blogger platform using Blogger's comment thread, your readers will only know that you've replied to their comment if....
Furthermore, it would seem that replying to comments via the comment thread is really only beneficial for adding something more to the post. Like, say, if someone asked a question in their comment and you anticipate others may wonder the same thing, hence you answer it under the comment for everyone to see.
So I uninstalled Disqus when Blogger gave us the comment thread months ago, and have been assuming the replies I leave are being sent to the reader. ALL. THIS. TIME.
And speaking of those who ARE no-reply, that makes it even harder to let you know I saw, read and appreciated your comment, because neither can I respond to the comment email I get, nor can I rely on the comment thread to let you know.
Which means.... I have to let it go or try to hunt you down on Twitter or something. Because what if you said something really great that totally deserves a response?? And what if when you don't get anything back you think I'm some kind of snob?
I am so NOT a snob!
So, if you leave comments on Blogger blogs with your Blogger profile, please go check to see if you have your email address set to be displayed. HERE is where I found out how to check. It's super easy.
Which means.... those who comment on MY posts are not being notified when I reply to them.
*^%$&((W#%$$*(!
ALL bloggers love getting comments, and we all know that REPLYING to them is good networking etiquette, not to mention good manners.
Because no one likes to say something only to hear crickets.
Here's the thing: if you're on the Blogger platform using Blogger's comment thread, your readers will only know that you've replied to their comment if....
- They come back to the post and see it, or
- You reply to them via email, instead of on the post.
Furthermore, it would seem that replying to comments via the comment thread is really only beneficial for adding something more to the post. Like, say, if someone asked a question in their comment and you anticipate others may wonder the same thing, hence you answer it under the comment for everyone to see.
So I uninstalled Disqus when Blogger gave us the comment thread months ago, and have been assuming the replies I leave are being sent to the reader. ALL. THIS. TIME.
And speaking of those who ARE no-reply, that makes it even harder to let you know I saw, read and appreciated your comment, because neither can I respond to the comment email I get, nor can I rely on the comment thread to let you know.
Which means.... I have to let it go or try to hunt you down on Twitter or something. Because what if you said something really great that totally deserves a response?? And what if when you don't get anything back you think I'm some kind of snob?
I am so NOT a snob!
So, if you leave comments on Blogger blogs with your Blogger profile, please go check to see if you have your email address set to be displayed. HERE is where I found out how to check. It's super easy.
Do you have a bit of info, or maybe something a little cheeky, to share?
Grab the button and link up to the blog hop here and motherhood: Truth!
(Open for 48 hours, so get on it!)
(Open for 48 hours, so get on it!)
February 21, 2012
It's Two - Two Posts in One!
First, I'm a guest over at at Paul's The Ossington Kitchen for his Social Media Series.
Did you know February is Social Media Month in the Kitchen? Well it is!
I worked pretty hard on my post and would love it if you guys went and read and commented!
CLICK HERE for the #411 on Twitter
AND
I have a Girlfriend Guru post up over at Girlfriendology about seizing the day. Leap Day, that is!
CLICK HERE for that post!
Oh, and if you "like" this post, I could win a VISA gift card!
AND
I have a Girlfriend Guru post up over at Girlfriendology about seizing the day. Leap Day, that is!
CLICK HERE for that post!
Oh, and if you "like" this post, I could win a VISA gift card!
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