Y’all, I’m about to celebrate a blogging anniversary. Though I have been blogging since January of 2007, I migrated to WordPress and my own domain in April. It’s been quite a “ride.” During the course of this blogging experience, I’ve learned a lot of things about it, about people, and about me. For this Thursday, I will offer you Thirteen Things I’m Learning From Blogging.

1. The world will not end if I do not post to this blog every day. I did post daily, and sometimes more than once a day in the beginning. For some reason, I thought everyone would go away if I didn’t post. It’s more important to have some balance in my world and to have experiences in the real world for writing inspiration. If I write posts you enjoy, you will come back to read.

2. That said, I do not have to join every “blogging movement.” For instance The NaBloPoMo (where you try to post every day for a month) is not for me. My inspiration can’t be forced, in fact if I try to force myself to write…I can’t think of a darned thing to say. I’ve decided it’s better not to post at all, if I’m just going to write mindless drivel.

Well, more mindless than it usually is.

3. I’ve learned that blogging is much like my storytelling. I’ve always told beginning storytellers to tell stories that they like. If you are writing about something that you don’t enjoy, you will never make your audience enjoy it.

4. The key rule in blogging, at least for me, is speak in your own voice. I get a much better response from all of y’all when I talk like myself. When I’m my regular silly self, instead of trying to write like an “author,” you seem to come in to read more often. I try to write to you like we are sitting on the porch on a lazy afternoon sipping “sweetea” and snapping peas together.

5. I’ve learned not to obsess over Technorati ranking and blog statistics. They aren’t as important as we are made to believe. For a fleeting moment, I had enough Technorati links (500+) to be able to splash that pink badge for the “A list” on my sidebar. The links went away, but you didn’t. I have many more readers now than I did then. I’m talking three and four hundred a day more.

6. People are amazing. If you ask for help among this blogging community, you will quickly be overwhelmed. I started that little Share A Square project, and received more than 10,000 granny squares to make afghans for children with cancer. Visit the afghan gallery, I think I’ve pictured 92 of them there. I can’t thank y’all enough.

7. Slowly, but surely, I’m learning that there is only so much one person can do. I can’t manage a business, run a household, enjoy a family life, write for a blog, coordinate a charity, and visit every blog I know leaving comments. I read in feed, and try to pop in once in awhile, but I do have to sleep now and then (if the hot flashes and the cats will let me). If I am not making comments, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It just means I need a secretary.

8. Through the process of realizing the above, I’m learning to forgive myself and just move on. Time spent feeling guilty is time wasted. As Sanjay Singh said, “It’s not that I don’t have a conscience, it’s just that why should I feel guilty for my present crimes, when my past ones are so much worse?”

9. My lottery numbers will pay off before my Google ads will. I know there are people who make a lot of money blogging. I could probably make decent money if I chose to worry about keywords and ad placement. I don’t. I’m here to write.

10. Those people who are successful bloggers often have a “niche.” I don’t fit into any definable niche. I can’t call myself a “mommy blogger.” I’m a mom and I blog, but my kids are grown and I don’t tell you much about them. I’m not a “technical blogger,” and lucky for you that I don’t try to write about that. I’m not a “crafter.” I’m not a “writer.” I’m not a “humor” blog, because I try to make you cry sometimes. I might be a “boomer,” except I found out over at BoomJ.com that I’m “Generation Jones,” whatever the heck that is. I guess I’m “blog soup.” I just keep adding more to the pot and it’s a different flavor every day.

11. Think before you speak. I already knew that, but it’s definitely been reinforced by blogging! Before you hit the “publish” button on your blog, stop and give it time to breathe. Once you publish it, it’s on the web. You can delete it, and you can change it. But, if it’s in someone’s feed, they see it just as you published it the first time. Make sure you are saying exactly what you want to say before it launches. I try to walk away for 15 minutes, then re-read the post before I publish it.

12. You people procrastinate as much as I do! I’ve got a writing contest going on, and every doggone one of you are going to wait until the last minute to try to win the $30 in the This Post Blows My Dress Up “Scared Silly” contest. Actually, there are quite a few entries listed on that link above. Check them out…they are great.

13. There are some incredibly talented bloggers writing out there, and the best place to find them is by joining a meme like Thursday Thirteen.

Y’all have a great Thursday.

CONTEST IS CLOSED TO NEW ENTRIES
Actually, it’s not a game. It’s a WRITING CONTEST. It’s been awhile since I had one, and I figured it was time. My “bloggiversary” is coming at the end of this month, and I want to celebrate. I want to read some good stories. A long time back I had a contest called “This Blog Blows My Dress Up.” This time, I’m calling it “This Post Blows My Dress Up.” For my Thursday Thirteen, here’s the scoop:

1. The theme is “Scared Silly.” You can write a ghost story, or about a time that you were frightened…whatever “scared silly” conjures in your imagination. It can be funny, serious, or poignant. It can be truth or fiction. It just has to be your own words.
2. The entries will be judged on content, entertainment value and writing. You might want to use spell check before you post (don’t worry so much about that, though, I forget spelchick, too.)
3. Post it on your blog with a link back to this contest post, so that other people can enter if they choose.
4. You can use a post you have written in the last six months, but please write a new post with a link to your story post and to this page.
5. Avoid profanity; you know I expect you to play nice. I reserve the right to reject any entry that I find objectionable.
6. Once you’ve posted, e-mail me at shelly[dot]tucker[at]gmail[dot]com or come back here and comment. I’m scatterbrained and don’t always catch links like I should.
7. If you aren’t a blogger, but have a story, e-mail me. I’ll post it for you if you can keep it to 500 words or so.
8. I’ll post links to the entries on this page. If you don’t see it quickly, feel free to nudge me, though don’t be surprised if I ignore you. I’m so sorry. I’m a slug, I really am.
9. DEADLINE IS HIGH NOON, TEXAS TIME ON

FRIDAY, MARCH 28TH.
10. The entries will be turned over to my highly esteemed friend (and fellow blogger) Damien Riley at Postcards From The Funny Farm. He has graciously agreed to judge the competition this go round. Go tell him “Hey,” if you want. Don’t expect it to do you any good to suck up to him. Damien promised me faithfully that he will be an impartial judge.
11. The winner will receive $30 US dollars via PayPal. OK, it’s not a grand amount…but it pays as well as your Google ads.
12. If you want, you can use this image to advertise the contest. Please right click and save it to upload it on your own server.

13. And, if you are really feeling kind, you could advertise it for me with a link, whether you want to write for it or not (some of your readers might be interested). If you do that, tell me! I’ll make sure you are linked in my blogroll (scroll down, it’s on the left sidebar..and it’s out of date….are you on there?) and linked on this post.

I’m looking forward to some hair raising tales! Flex your fingers, and start typing. I’d love to read what you have to say.

Y’all go have a good Thursday! Leave a comment and your latest post will be linked with my LinkLuv plug-in.

Thank you to the kind souls who have posted about the contest!

• Jessica at Life is Rantastic posted While Shivering in My Shoes
• Damien at Postcards from the Funny Farm posted I’m Judging A Blog Writing Contest
• The Admin Maven at Word-Wise Ezine was kind enough to link me under her Opportunities/Calls for Writing section. There are some interesting contests and opportunities for writers there, so check it out!
• Cindee, at Cindee’s Garden, who has a fabulous bottle tree that I envy, helped promote the contest with her post Writing Contest.
• Marcia at Tumbled Words is helping to promote with a post called Two Forces Joined.
• Crystal, at Song of My Soul told about the contest in “It was scary, but it was funny.”
• Katelynjane’s notebook helped promote the contest here.
• Jessica at Life as I See It helped promote with “I’m In.”
• Cyn at Rage Against The Cliche posted about the contest here.
• the Unending Journey of the Wandering Author posted An Interesting Contest (and A Reminder).
  

HERE ARE THE ENTRIES:

• KatelynJane’s Notebook Scared Silly
• SusieJ entered Definitely something foul going on over there…from her archives.
• Crystal at Song Of My Soul entered from her archives “Hey, at least I can laugh at myself, right?”
• Marcia, at Tumbled Words entered “The mask, three prompts combined.”
• Jessica at Life As I See It entered a post from her archives, “It’s Here.”
• Penelope At Cafe at the End of the Universe wrote “The Bathtub Below.”
• Cyn at Rage Against The Cliche entered “The Tears of the Phoenix.”
• Robin at Around The Island posted “Treed, or rather staircased.”
• Amy Palko at Lives Less Ordinary added “Scare Silly By The Fairies.”
• Cindee at CiNdEe’s GaRdEn entered “How I Scared My Daughter Silly.”
• The Wandering Author wrote “Wake Up, Little Susie.”

Aw, heck, y’all I’ve gone silly around here and forgot it was going to be Thursday Thirteen time! So, let me tell you about a few links, and tell you about birthing a blog. Having a ten pound baby without anesthesia was a lot easier!

1) My friends, I told you about the Handmade Afghan Project, which puts together afghans for our wounded military. It’s spearheaded by a dynamo named Deborah Starobin-Armstrong. She was also a volunteer for Share A Square (and mentor for me). She mentors other folks who step in over their heads with charitable projects AND works full time! I don’t know when this woman sleeps! But, she said there is exciting news for the HAP! They have a video on the AARP on-line magazine. Watch it, and it will make you so proud of them and their hard work. Deborah, you are the best!

2) My friend, Amy Palko, at Lives Less Ordinary, has a beautiful blog which is now celebrating its sixth month in existence. She’s offering “3 bundles of Scottish/Lives Less Ordinary goodies which will be sent to 3 random commenters.” Just go to her post called To My Readers to tell her what you think. And, while you are there, visit a little. I promise you won’t regret it. Lovely photography and beautiful prose abound. But, I want one of those “bundles” so y’all leave one for me!

3) My friend Lola in Spain sent me an e-mail. She said, “Hola estoy sorteando unos pendientes, para participar sólo tienes que visitar la página que indico abajo y dejar un comentario en el apartado sorteo.”

Babelfish.com translates those words as “Hello I am drawing for slopes, to participate you only must visit the page that I indicate down and let to a commentary in the section drawing.”

Do whut?

I think she means, “Y’all come see me here, say something, and you’ll be in a drawing for these earrings” I should do translations, don’t y’all think?:

Y’all go see the beautiful jewelry she makes, and tell her “hey.”

4) Did I tell you I was starting a blog called Dear Dora? Well, I did…but I had a false start that took the wind out of my sails. I had gotten Leanne to set up the WordPress on my server…because I never thought I could do it. I couldn’t afford to have her “design” a blog, but picked a WordPress template that I later realized was too bland for Dora. She needed to dominate the page. She’s like that, for sure.

5) I then tried another theme called “fleur-de-lys.”

It was soooo pretty with a rotating header. I stumbled around and managed to put five header pictures of Dora in it and was pleased with myself, so I started posting.

6) UNTIL I realized that this blog had some major problems! Even I could tell, when looking at the code, that it was written in a wonky way (I’m not linking to it, but if you look in the theme section of WordPress, don’t get any themes written by the guy who designed this!). He didn’t ever hit the return key when he wrote it, so you can’t find anything! Leanne took one look at it, and said she couldn’t work on it and that I’d have to contact that fellow who wrote it for support. Fat chance!

7) So, I talked to my friend SusieJ, a generous blogger who always shares ideas with me. She told me to check out “Antbag’s” themes. I found this one, called “Preview,” and thought it was workable. I like the clean look.

8) But, I worried for weeks thinking I’d have to create a whole new “test blog.” THEN, I found THE ultimate WordPress plugin called Theme Test Drive at Vladimir Prelovac Online! Whoot! I installed it and was able to look at Dora in my new Antbag theme, mess with the code to see if I could make it workable, and test it out. All the time I was doing that, all you would be able to see is the theme I already had sort of “working.”

9) I increased the size of height of the header, put a rotating header picture in there (every time you refresh the page you get a new picture…well at least seven times), increased the width of the columns, and increased the size of the font so that I could read what I write. I don’t even know how to do that stuff!!! But, it works!

10) I’m proud of the results:

11) Dora wants to be snarky, but she is lonely. She needs you to visit…she needs you to write goofball letters to her…she needs you to link to her, because she thinks she is in a popularity contest!

12) So, over the weekend I will announce a contest of some kind.

13) But, right now, I’m going to go enjoy my birthday. Y’all be good and I’ll catch up later.

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