Tag: Blogging 101

Blogging 101 Day Thirty Thanks to Everyone!

Blogging 101 has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. I have met such wonderful people and read such wonderful stories. There are so many talented people in this world. I am still working on several of the steps such as Blog Roll and adding pages and having posts go to those pages. But, I will get there.

The support I have gotten from all of the people that are following me over 100 and 190 followers on Facebook. I never thought I would get that many. I started this blog to help tell my story. To help others with support and to inspire others that if they believe that they can, they will. I have been inspired too and on days where I have felt that this whole blogging thing isn’t working out I have received support and inspiration to continue from others, either directly or with their stories. I look forward to following them and reading their stories.

The following are people that have given me the greatest support and inspiration:

The Witch: http://bobandemily.wordpress.com. She has injected such humor and tells her stories in such a great way. I love to read them.

https://href.li/?http://mariabrinkley.com. Maria’s stories and photographs are amazing. She has been a wonderful support and have truly enjoyed getting to know her.

Exploring Alura: I have enjoyed her stories and she has given me inspiration as well.

lovehappynotes; http://lovehappynotes.wordpress.com. She has a wonderful talent for photography and for writing. She has given me support and was very understanding with a mistake I made. I truly appreciated her for that.

Meredith: http://meredithlbl.com She is a wonderful writer and another of my great supporters. I look forward to reading more of her stories.

Athena of Athens: http://athenaswickedowl.wordpress.com. Her journey is just beginning and I hope that I can be a help to her as she continues to grow.

Don Charisma. He was my first follower. I enjoy reading his reviews and his take on life.

There are so many people I could have a huge list of people over the month that have contributed to my blog, my life. They have injected humor, thought provoking poetry and photography, advice and support. I wish I could name them all. There are some I have missed I know it.

 

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Meredith and Merel Lamboo nominated me for a Liebster Award!!

Thank You!! Thank You!!..(takes a bow) for the wonderful nominations! Here are the questions from Merel and Meredith’s are to follow. Enjoy!

Here are the rules for those who are nominated and want to participate in the Liebster award process:

  • Post the award on your blog
  • Thank the blogger who presented the award to you and link back to their blog
  • Share 11 things about yourself
  • Answer the 11 questions given to you by the person that nominated you
  • Nominate 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers
  • Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer
  • Notify your nominees by posting your nomination on their blog.

Merel’s Questions for me:

1. What makes you happy?

My family. they are my life. My husband can make me smile and feel loved any time of day. My children and grandchildren. No matter how naughty any of them are they can still make me smile.

2. What is worth waking you up for – in the middle of the night?

Anything important. That could mean most anything. If someone is going to take the time to wake me up then it must be important. I will wake up but be prepared to get a “REALLY!! At this time of the night!” Then I would sigh and say “Okay, What’s up?” Now if I smell smoke or the house is coming down around me I think it would be a rather rapid sequence of events.

3. What’s your favorite place?

My home. If not at home, somewhere outside.

4. If you could do anything, what would you do?

I would want to be an actress/author/writer/humanitarian/philanthropist rolled into one.

5. Do you have tattoos? Want (more of) them?

Yes I have a Trinity Knot of Ivy vines and leaves in the area between my shoulder blades. I am thinking of getting a tree of life of my back somewhere.

6. Who is your favorite person?

My husband.

7. What would you want to be in a next life?

Someone who can make a difference for good in people’s lives. There are times I feel I have been so limited in this lifetime by physical, mental and emotional issues. I would like to be able to function without any of that and still have the drive that I have in this life to make a difference.

8. How many languages do you speak?

One.

9. Sneakers, flipflops, pumps (for the guys, the men’s equivalent of pumps: dress shoes)?

Sneakers, then flip flops or Sandals.

 10. Are you happy?

I am working hard at it. At this moment I am. I am working at stretching these “moments” into hours, then days, then weeks until I can get to a whole year of being happy.

11. What makes you tick? I mean, what makes you do what you do, be who you are, what makes you you?

I am not sure how to answer this question. Currently what makes me tick is the drive to be “better”, to be happier. To make a difference in this world that may not make me famous, but it will help others reach understanding, and feel that they are not alone in this world.

Meredith’s Questions:

1. What is your dream job and why?

Being an Actress. I have always wanted to do acting or performing. I was told as a child that I was too dramatic and emotional. A teacher that worked for a theater in town wanted to help get a scholarship to an acting school. But, my mother said no. Frankly I think it was a combination of jealousy and she didn’t want to lose her live in babysitter. An Actress gets to play other people and portray the emotions of written words. They get to connect with people in intimate and deep ways in the portrayal of their characters.

2. What was your favorite author when you were in school?

Edgar Allan Poe. Without a doubt his Annabell Lee was my favorite all time poem.

3. Has life ever taken you in a different direction than you planned and what were the results?

Yes. I thought I would be working in medicine as a clinic manager and may have even gone to Physician’s Assistant School. But, my health issues have kept me from that path. The result is now I am trying to find new paths for myself and am developing my writing and other skills and education that will help me in working with Nonprofit organizations.

4. You are on deserted on a desert island. What 3 things would you want?

An MP3 player that works on a solar battery. A Glass bottle. A hatchet. I can create shelter from trees and palms. I can eat coconuts and can make a spear or trap with the hatchet. The glass bottle can hold water and I can use the glass to magnify light to start a fire.

5. Are you a foodie, or do you eat to live? Tell us your favorite meal.

A foodie. For sure. Olive Garden’s Steak Gorgonzola with Tiramisu for dessert.

6. Are you an up-and-at-’em kind of person, or do you burn the midnight oil?

I am definitely a drag myself out of bed. Slap myself around to wake up and drag myself around for half the morning. I have always been a burn the midnight oil kind of person. Especially with studying for school.

7. Do you believe little white lies are ok? In what circumstances?

In general I say no. But, then I thought there are times when a little white lie helps more than hurts. When I was working in healthcare there was a patient who we knew was dying. The family did not want them to know that there was nothing else to be done. So, while taking care of the patient they asked me if they were dying. I sat by them and held their hand and talked with them for a bit and said “No, not today.” I wasn’t sure that wasn’t a lie. But, they seemed calmer. I think they already knew, but they appreciated the little white lie. They passed in their sleep later that night. Times like those are when I think it is okay.

8. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Why?

If I could tolerate the cold, it would be Alaska. The wilderness, the beauty of the area. If I knew I could do it I would live out in the woods, closer to nature and learning how to survive without all the “extras” of civilized life. But, I know at this time in my life it would only make my physical issues worse.

9. What is the riskiest thing you’ve ever done?

Free Climbed Cliffs.

10. What talent would you like to have?

I can sing, but I would really like to be able to really sing. Like Sara Brightman or Adele type of singing. Both of those singers have vastly different vocal styles, but each one can evoke such emotion in me when they sing.

11. Are you an urbanite, suburbanite, country gentry?

Country. I prefer living out in the country or in small towns and villages than to living in a city or large town for sure.

My eleven questions:

1. If you could go into the past or future which would you choose, why?

2. If you could go back into the past or the future when would you go, why?

3. What is your favorite piece of clothing and why?

4. What is your favorite book and why?

5. What is your favorite movie and why?

6. What is your least favorite household chore?

7. If you could change jobs, what job would you want instead?

8. What would be your dream car?

9. What is the one charity you would give all your money to?

10. What is the one thing you want to do with your life?

11. What makes you happy?

These are my nominees:

http://maraeastern.com/gallery/

http://www.bunglinghousewife.wordpress.com/

http://writeandday.wordpress.com/

http://findingourwayhomeblog.wordpress.com/

http://theoffensiveplaybook.wordpress.com/

http://faithfamilyandfocaccia.wordpress.com/

I know this isn’t 11 blogs, but will look for more to nominate later. I also wanted people to be sure they look for widgets letting people know their blog is an “Award free zone” essentially. I missed a couple. I think this is a good exercise though and really gets people to look for and meet new people and new ideas.

 

 

 

Letter to my dream reader

Good Evening to my dream reader,

I wonder who you are, what interested you about my blog that would entice you to read it. Is it the catchy title, the tag line? It doesn’t really matter because you are here and you are reading what I have to say. My words offer comfort, my words offer you insight. The darkness that may be in your life becomes lighter and you may see steps in your path that you did not see before. When you read the stories and the poems that I write I hope that they make you laugh, make you think and maybe even cry at times. You understand how important it is to be heard and understood. You understand how someone can desire to emerge from the shadows and gain substance and light. You become a rallying point, a cheerleader and a supporter. 

And so dream reader, you become each person that reads my words and appreciates and knows and understands. My dream reader is you. 

Blogging 101: Day 4 New adventures in Reading

I have begun following and reading other people’s blogs and I am finding some very interesting people. I love the different viewpoints, the different ideas people have to blog about. I have also gotten some followers myself and am looking forward to interacting with them and reading what they have to say. There are times I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and hope I have time to read people’s blogs, blog on my blogs and begin in earnest on writing the three books I have already started and possible working on three others with a friend. I am also going to school to get a Certificate in Project Management so there is heaps of stuff on a plate that I feel is too small sometimes. But, I know if I arrange things right I can keep up with it all. 

Here is a list of some of the people I am following: 

Maria Brinkley: http://mariabrinkley.wordpress.com/ 

Kiwibee: http://kiwibeeblogger.wordpress.com/

Jess:  http://jexstar.wordpress.com/

Andile Xaba: http://andilexaba.wordpress.com/

Jennifer/Mermaid Beaches: http://mermaidbeaches.wordpress.com/

I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Easter Holiday for those who participate and for those who do not. May you all find blessings in your life. 

 

Day 3 Post for Blogging 101: The Post I was Thinking About

The post I was thinking about posting when I first started my blog was pretty much exactly what I have written in both the blogs I started. I have had mixed feelings about what I have posted so far and am hoping to learn to open up and write what I want to say. To get it all out there. There are so many people that are blogging now for so many reasons. And I think it is a great thing. People are able to express what they are thinking and feeling. They are reading other people’s thoughts and feelings and getting a better of idea of the people of our world. It has been a pleasant surprise for me to see all of the people from around the world blogging. When we read each other’s blogs and read what other people in other lands are thinking and feeling you can see that we are truly all the same. We want the same things; like happiness, security, love, appreciation, compassion and understanding. And most of all the freedom to express ourselves and be who we want to be. Those were some of the first thoughts I had when I started blogging. To be able to express myself. To find my creative side and open up to the possibilities that writing can afford to me in a personal way as well as a creative way. I am looking forward to meeting many new people and exchanging ideas and stories.

Blogging 101 Why I am here

I have been blogging for about two months now and am only just starting figure this all out. I have two blogs. “Because I can..” are stories of my life, dealing with depression, weight loss, fibromyalgia and chronic pain, anecdotes, inspirational quotes and inspirational stories. I would like people to be inspired to continue working toward their goals of self improvement, self enlightenment and hope. It is difficult sometimes to remain positive with all that I have had happen in my life and the pain I am in in my current life. I was told once that I was a person whose life was full of excuses and that I concentrated on the negative. I have consciously worked towards making my life more positive and to take responsibility for what I do. Self-determination, Self-reliance and spiritual growth are all very important not to just me, but to many people in order to find fulfillment in their lives. I hope to show people that they can do it. Because they can do it.

The other blog is about the time I spend Volunteering with DocUp an organization that helps people financially with utilities and rent. But, they are looking to expand their services in other areas as well. Such as job hunting and resume’ workshops. In the Volunteering blog I hope to inspire people to get out there and volunteer, not just with DocUp, but with any organization that helps their community and their fellow man. There are many projects people can do to help each other and their community. Time can be more valuable than money. Though money is important in funding these organizations, the time you spend helping others doesn’t just pay it towards the person you are helping, but pays it towards the growth of you as a person. 

I hope you can look at my blog and let me know what you think. I look forward to reading as many of the posts as I can and give feedback. So many talented people out there with amazing talents and stories. No one person’s story is any less important or undeserving to be told than another’s and I am looking forward to reading about them.