MAILBAG: Blogging for the unskilled people

Here is a question I received this week on creating and running a blog: 

Hola! I was curious to know if setting up a weblog such your own is hard to do for unskilled people? I have been hoping to set up my own blog for a while now but have been turned off mainly because I've always believed it demanded tons of work. What do you think?-Anonymous

 I don't think it's that hard to set up and run a blog. Here is a Wiki How on How to Create a Blogger Blog.If you like YouTube, here is a five-minute video on how to create your Blogger Blog. 

As for the amount of work a blog takes, it depends on how much time you have to dedicate to blogging. I found that Problogger has great articles on blogging, blogging income and everything else to do with blogging. 

If you are new to Blogging, I highly suggest his book "Problogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging" Click here to view more details. This book will help you (from Problogger's site)

·       Learn foundational brainstorming techniques.
·       Create a content plan—and content, of course!
·       Build a social media presence.
·       Create practical quality assurance tools.
·       Set up a publishing process.
·       Master the components of a blog post.
·       Develop your blog’s ongoing strategy.

I personally love blogging! If I don't have time, I don't blog. Some months are harder than others are and I have to focus my time elsewhere. However, eventually, I would love to be a full time blogger with my blog making enough income to make ends meet. Until then, it's a hobby I completely enjoy in my free time!

Don't give up too quickly. Every hobby needs time to learn and explore. Blogging isn't any different. It can be pretty fun! I have been blogging since March 2003 and enjoy it quite a lot!

Happy Blogging,

Dotchi

Mailbag: "Your blog died?"

I got an email from an avid reader (Hi Nikky!) that said

HEY! Your blog died? What happened? Did you fall in the toilet? Do I need to rescue you?

No, my blog did not die. No, I didn't fall into the toilet... okay, once! But I got out without help! No, I don't need rescuing.

BUT as for "what happened?" Well, I have been going through a little bit of a funk. I am worrying about whether or not I will ever make it back to work, if my back is ever going to get better and what am I going to do if I can't work as a CNA anymore. I am pretty worried about it and I am stressing over it. I'd eat chocolate but there isn't any I can eat here unless I make it myself and that would require actually getting out of my chair and moving. I don't feel like it.

Anywhoodles! So, I am working at a home-based business. Since I am about my future and whether or not my home-business will flop, I decided to attack this business thing from all angles. So, I am selling Mary Kay (shameless plug there), Mark Makeup (I'll post a link later, I am working on it), Meleleuca (which is really just for me, but HEY! if I make $, COOL!) and I am also selling items from a catalog. I am not sure what I am going to do with this, but I will figure it out eventually.

AND, I am working on getting my first book published. Hopefully it will be done by the end of March and published the firest week of April. I will keep you all posted.

Tonight I will sit down and write a review for Minecrack, I mean Minecraft. Holy cow, I am totally addicted to that game! I love it! Plus, the boys and I need to finish our other reviews too. If I can focus long enough, I will be updating!

Updating my update: AGH! I had posted a couple times in January and February through my phone. Apparently they never posted. No wonder you all thought my blog died. Sorry about that. Apparently they posted to the blog as drafts instead of just posting. I am SO SORRY! I will make sure that doesn't happen again!

Mailbag: "You Commit an Error"

Someone posted a comment to the blog that got dumped in the spam folder. It says:

You commit an error. I can defend the position. Write to me in PM. we will discuss.

There was no name or email though. So, if your the one that left the message, I got it. But I can't PM you because I don't know who you are. You can email me at blogwriter@gmail.com and let me know what error I made.

Thanks everyone! And if you see a typo or missing word, feel free to email me and let me know. Please put in your email 1) the title of the post and 2) the original sentence and 3) what's wrong with it. Sometimes when I am proof reading, I scan right over the missing word. After all, I know what it's supposed to say! So my brain just fills it in for me.

FAQ: Mailbag! Backgrounds part 2

This is part 2 of the original post Where do you get your background?

You'll notice that my background isn't in the images selection for the blogger template designer. That is because I get my background lay out from The Cutest Blog on the Block. They have different backgrounds for Twitter, Wordpress, Myspace and Blogger.

How to find your background

At the top of the Cutest Blog on the Block page, scroll over "backgrounds" and then choose "Blogger". It will open a page for the Blogger backgrounds. You can browse around the different categories (on the right hand side, scroll down a little). They have backgrounds for 3-column lay out, Black and white, etc.

Once you find the background you like, click on it. I'll use the Fluorescent Grunge Glam background as the example.

Scroll down to the code section where it says "copy and paste this code". Highlight the whole code, right click and pick "copy". 

Open your Blog Design Tab

Now go back to your blog dashboard. Click on the blog you want to have the background displayed and click the "design" tab. 

This will take you to a page that shows your pages lay out, with header, footer, posts and the sidebar items. 

Adding your background

Wherever you want, click "add gadget". A box will pop up to choose the gadget you want. Scroll down to find "HTML/javascript" and click on that. 

A new box will open with a title and content box. Paste your code in the content box and then click "save". 

Now open your blog page and marvel at its beauty :)

Tip for Blogger Backgrounds

Once you have added your cute background, you may want to go to the template designer link on the design page and remove the background image. This will help your blog load faster.

If you need any help or have any questions, email me.

FAQ: Mailbag! Where do you get your background?

I found this email in my inbox this morning

I can't figure out how to get a multi colored back ground like you have on your blog.  I dislike my blog background somewhat, it's boring. 

Oh I know what you mean! The backgrounds that come with the blogger templates can be exciting and colorful but for the most part, I want something cute and different. Here is how you change your background.

Getting to the template designer
Go to your blogger dashboard. Near your blogs name there is a link for "design". When you click on it you will be taken to a page that shows the lay out of your blog.

Near the top (but below the "posting", "comments", "settings", etc tabs) will be a link for "template designer". Click on that.

This takes you to the template designer where you see your blog on the bottom half of the page and all the options you can change on the top half.

Changing your background image
The second link down on the top half (on the left) is "background". Click on that.

There will be a box next to it that shows your background image. You can click on it to change your background. There are a ton of background images to choose from. Then you choose to change the color theme to match your background picture on the same "background" option.

Read Part 2 of Backgrounds to see how to get a cute background for your blog.

FAQ How did you find out you are gluten intolerant?

Since I started posting recipes for gluten free foods, I have had a lot of people ask me how I found out I am gluten intolerant.

It all started a week after my birthday in 2010 when I got my MRT results back. I had already consulted with a GI specialist who wanted to run a test to see if I have Celiac sprue AKA Celiac disease. My test results listed 47 food allergies. Wheat was one of my worst reactions. The dietitian I was very helpful in helping me figure out what I CAN eat, offered a few recipes, helped me find creamer for my coffee (since I already know I am lactose intolerant) and helped me search for breads I can eat too. She was awesome!

Spelt, Kamut, Rye, Oats and Barley were on my lists of non-allergy foods. For the most part, in the beginning I ate a lot of fresh veggies, salads, some fruits and vegetable soups. One day I made a veggie soup with Barley and later that day my stomach hurt a little. That night my abdomen hurt so bad I cried, I became quite bloated and I ended up having horrible diarrhea. I chalked it up to having accidentally adding something to the soup that I am allergic to. I went over all the ingredients and couldn't find anything. I was stumped and just brushed it off as a stomach bug and went on with life.

For breakfast, I found that oats are very cheap so I started buying some cheap oats and started having the same symptoms. I eventually just quit eating oats and figured I had developed an allergy to them. I sulked for a bit and then remembered that I had made some dessert type thing with a bag of gluten free oat flour and I had no symptoms when I ate them. I also did fine eating the instant oatmeal mixes by Glutenfreeda.

The next trip to Washington to the dietitian went well. I found some spelt bread that was store bought and had nothing I was allergic to in it. I was so excited that I made myself four pizza sandwiches in the early morning hours, crawled into bed for a little sleep and left for home early in the morning.

By the time I had made it to Snoqualmie Pass, I seriously thought of finding a hospital. My gut hurt so bad it felt like someone was running a grappling hook through my intestines and every joint in my body ached. I felt like crap and I ended up stopping at every rest area and nearly every exit from Bremerton to Spokane. When I finally made it home, I was miserable for a few days and had migraines for the next week. I was sure it was the spelt bread and just threw it away even though it didn't have anything I was allergic to.

I started thinking about what the GI doctor said about celiac sprue and did a little research on what foods on the list that I can eat have gluten. I crossed them off and vowed never to eat them again. The pain wasn't worth it!

The next appointment I talked to the dietitian about my symptoms and how the GI specialist wanted to test me for celiac sprue. Living 500 miles away from my doctors, I just didn't get around to making the appointment because I couldn't get my dietitian and GI appointments on the same week. She explained that it is very possible that I am gluten intolerant.

She highly suggested the test if I wanted it but said that if I avoid gluten before the test, I could come back with a false negative result. She said if I was going to take the test then to eat something with gluten before hand, I think she said the week before? It might have been a few days. OR I could just avoid all gluten since I am obviously gluten intolerant, at the least. (Note: There is such a thing as non-celiac gluten intolerance). I really wanted the celiac test done but I just couldn't bring myself to putting myself in intense pain for a test. So, I opted to just avoid gluten.

Eventually, I would love to have the test done and some day I might actually go through it. But for now, I am very content just avoiding gluten products and not torturing myself.

I am back! YEA!

We are back in California. Actually we have been back but I am working at getting organized again. Isn't that exciting!

Today was the boys consultation at school. We are doing great! Good news is that I can turn in work any day any time (assuming they are open) so I don't have to spend a day trying to hunt down all their assignments.

I am taking a writing course. I am just waiting for the materials to get here so I can start it. I am also taking a math course. Yes, voluntarily!

I will update the blog a little more later. I just hate to see it sitting here all un-updated! Especially after the great email from the Dad with kids who has been reading this as inspiration that he won't have to wait until the kids move out to persue a boater's lifestyle. I'll post some thoughts on that for you later. And thanks so much for the email. It really made my day knowing that someone reads the blog.

FAQ: Are there a lot of spiders living at a marina?

Surprisingly enough, the questions about spiders and bugs is high on the list. A lot of people ask about the spiders. So far, we have lived here since December 21, 2006 and I haven't seen that many bugs. There are the stories we have about the occasional run in with bugs and unwelcome boat guests but for the most part, we don't see a lot of bugs on the dock. We do see a lot of ants on shore and we did see a spider a few weeks ago. It crawled on Miles and I about freaked out! It was a HUGE spider. The body was about the size of my thumb and the leg span was as wide as my palm. But we picked up this little friend on shore.

The only pests we have in the boat are the seagulls, Ospreys and other birds. We suspect that one flew off with my flip flop. They crap all over and think they are entitled to the food we are cooking, thanks to all the novice sailors who don't have to put up with them feeding them because they think it is great to see all the seagulls following their boats. While only get to see them once in a while, we have to put up with it daily. By feeding them, the birds become dependent on humans for their food. So when they see someone, like us, grilling out or eating lunch in the cockpit, they show up and harass us. We've had some actually fly down and try to take the food from our hands and off our grill when we opened the lid long enough to flip the food! They show up and hang around while we are cooking in the cabin too. Imagine if this happened every time you cooked. You open a can to heat up, pound out your hamburgers, heat up the stove and suddenly, birds show up and start circling your house. They crap all over the place and try to steal your food while you are cooking and eating. To you, it wouldn't matter too much because if they crap on your roof, you'll never know. But imagine that you walked all over your roof and they crapped on your car, sidewalks, furniture and everything in sight. It gets REALLY annoying because we have to clean it up.

The cabin roof is used for sitting and walking here. The docks get covered with it, the dock box is covered in it, the boom cover is covered and when the novice sailor leaves and goes home, we have to clean up the mess. Not just the boat rental place, but us boat owners. Especially those of us who live on our boat!

Okay, enough ranting. I'll put up the soapbox now.