My 2nd Blogiversary

It's been an amazing two years here at Blogger, a time when I've met so many talented and encouraging authors, made some fab friends both within cyberspace and out here in the real world, and worked hard on my craft. The inspiration I draw every day from fellow blogging writers keeps me going. Thanks to all of you for sharing this experience with me!

Just for fun, for anyone interested, here is the beginning of my first ever post:

Where to start when there's no clear beginning?

Compelled. That's how I feel these days, as if there’s something drawing me to its hiding place just over the next rise in Life's road. The attraction is strong. I’m in motion. My internal navigator, though, has closed her eyes. She trusts in the momentum she can’t understand or control. I have to follow her lead, for I know fighting it would be futile.

Here’s what I do know: When you want something very badly, so much so that you can actually see it sitting in your hands when your imagination looks down, then it will be. When I’m most in tune with the world around me, I easily perceive the signs pointing me in the right direction, toward the next goal. With that belief, that knowledge in mind, I embark on this blogging journey. [Read more...]

Here's to another amazing year of inspiration, writing, and blogging!

Happy New Year to You and Yours!!

                                   

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Frustrated!

                                    

I feel like #@!$ today 

Question: Know why?

Answer: Blogger Support 

I have two simultaneous but completely unrelated problems on my blog.

1.  My Google Friends Connect gadget does not update when I get a new follower. It has shown Nick Wilford as my most recent sign-up'er for weeks, (*waves to Nick*), but I have at least a dozen new peeps following who remain un-displayed. 

(BTW, this is the reason I am now using DISQUS commenting system. Please fill in the blanks the next time you leave me a comment! You only have to do it once; DISQUS will remember you. And that way I will have another trail back to your blog, if I've never been there before. Thanks in advance!!)

2.  I have a new blog layout in mind that will include a slider to display artwork for my short fiction and include links to the stories. (If you know me, you know I change this blog rather often-ish. Graphic art is on my top five list of passions.)  Anywhooz, I uploaded into my "practice blog" the HTML coding for the new blog and checked it in the Preview mode. It's going to look beastly!! But when I click Save Template, I get an error message. I've tried in Google Chrome and IE9, I've tried other third party templates, I've tried everything I can think of! Every time I get a different error code that always starts with 'bX-'.

So, I did what any reasonably intelligent blogger does:  I posted two different questions in the Blogger Help Forum, one for each of my issues.  Usually, someone (*waves to Dark UFO*) gets right back to me.

This time, nada. Rien. Absolulte radio silence.

ARGGG!!!

In the meantime while I wait for help, I've tweaked this old blog template.  Looks sleeker, I think. :))

Hey if you've ever encountered any of my problems, won't you tell me about it in the comments? Oh, and I have lots of other problems, if we don't share one listed above. Like, I steal Halloween candy out of my kids' pumpkins. And I hate housework so I keep the place "tidy" until someone says, "Um, Mom/Dear? I went down the hall and walked right into a spider's web. Is  there any still in my hair?" And I cuss. Sort of a lot. (Hey, lots of situations warrant it!)

Hope your week's off to a great start. I'm off to check the Blogger Help Forum...again. Then maybe I'll see if any of the kids has a Snickers left...

Hey you! Read This (please!)

I’m thrilled to welcome several new followers since the Déjà vu Blogfest sign-ups began. Blogging brings people together and I’ve found some wonderful friendships here on Blogger. That’s why I’m so sad when I can’t follow someone back.
Now, I have a personal follow-back policy. If someone finds my humble site interesting enough to follow, I want to extend the same kindness to him or her. The problem arises for me when I click a new follower’s picture on my Google Friend Connect mosaic and, alas! The person hasn’t linked his or her blog to their profile.
Am I describing you? Not sure?? Here’s how you verify:
Find your picture on my Friend Connect mosaic right now. (Or you can go to your own blog and under your About Me, click “View My Complete Profile.” Either action will bring up your Blogger Profile, as others see it. Is your blog linked under “My Blogs?”
If it isn’t, click “Edit Profile” (on left margin, under your profile picture). On the edit page, the third option under “Privacy” is “Show My Blogs.” Click “Select Blogs to Display.” (If you have several blogs that include family blogs, special interest blogs, etc. that you don’t want others to see, only choose your writing blog to display.) Be sure to save your changes.
It’s important to realize that Blogger doesn’t always default to linking your blog on your profile. It’s a great idea to verify that your blog is linked, so people like me can follow you back.
And don’t forget to enter the Déjà vu Blogfest! Click the link below the badge on my right sidebar to add your name to Mr. Linky’s list!

Have a fabulous day!

Testing, testing

So, I’m trying out the Windows Live Writer software on my new laptop. Apparently I can create blog post here and upload them to Blogger.  Pretty cool, if I can get it to work.

If it works, I can use all kinds of funky fonts while writing my posts.

This would be a good thing, since I’m one of those crazy creatives who hates a constricted list of choices why she’s feeling, well, creative.    <—What?? Emoticons, too?  Yay!

Okay, going to see what this looks like on my blog.  No need to comment, should you happen across this.  Unless you use Windows Live Writer for your blog posts.  In which case I’d love to hear what you think of it.

 

Awards!!

Thank you so much *Roni* for my first ever blog award!! I found so many awesome authors to follow on BlogSpot by stumbling onto Roni's site when I first arrived in January. She's a fantastic writer with an upbeat blog voice, full of information and inspiration, and if you don't know her yet, click HERE to visit her today!

For this award, I'm supposed to answer the following questions with just one word. Harder to do on some than others... Here we go:



Your cell phone: Envy-3
Your hair: Epic Battle of Blonde vs Gray
Your mother: Shy
Your father: Annoyingly Republican-Idealist
Your favorite food: Breakfast Fare
Your dream last night: Forgotten
Your favorite drink: Margarita (on the rocks, with salt please)
Your dream goal: See my book in Barnes and Noble
What room are you in: Office
Your hobby: Painting
Your fear: Cancer
Where do you see yourself in 6 years: Not living in GA
Where were you last night: Home
Something you aren't: Tattooed
Muffins: Chocolate Chip
Wish list item: iBook
Where did you grow up: Physically: upstate NY; emotionally: Centra Africa
Last thing you did: Made a cup of coffee
What are you wearing: Gym clothes
Your TV: Off
Your pets: Betta Fish named Mr. Odie
Friends: Meeting me at the gym in an hour
Your life: International
Your mood: Upbeat
Missing someone: My kitten James, passed away on Monday :(
Vehicle: SUV
Something you aren't wearing: Earrings
Your favorite store: Barnes and Noble
Your favorite color: Blue
When was the last time you laughed: 6:05 a.m.
Last time you cried: Monday (see “Missing Someone”)
Your best friend: Hubby
One place you go over and over: Writing.com/
Facebooking: Never
Favorite place to eat: France


I'd like to pass this award on to three of my new friends:

Erin Kuhns at Musings of a Writer Chick Living in Paradise

Piedmont Writer

Jenna at One Mystake at a Tyme

Thank you to *Natalie Bahm* for the Happy 101 Award! I was so surprised and, well, happy because I've just me Natalie. She is super sweet and I love her energy already. Her site is fab; if you don't already, sign up to follow her HERE today!

With this award, I'm asked to list ten things that make me happy:

1. Road trips with my hubby and kids
2. The creative writing process
3. Hiking in the mountains
4. Beach combing for spiral seashells
5. Rainy days [so I'm happy today :)]
6. Picnics
7. That first sip of piping hot coffee
8. Wearing a new outfit for the first time
9. Pushing myself in the gym
10. Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings


I'd like to pass this award on to more of my new friends:

Kimberly Conway

Michelle Reynoso

Lisa and Laura

This has been a blast! I'm enjoying this new blogging project more than I ever imagined I would. Thanks everyone, for welcoming this new kid to the block!!