Category: announcement

things I advocate or announcements for this blog

Starting Off Blogging Right!

No, not politically right, but in tune with resolutions to improve my blogging and keep on top of resurrecting blog efforts such as TrueGrit, etc. I wrote a little report on a few changes I made in my wordpress sites. This site and the garden website Ilona’s Garden, are my earliest efforts at blogging with the wordpress platform. I have many posts accumulated from years of writing, so the sites have gone through many changes in templates, plugins, etc.

In keeping with the new year I have worked hard to improve the blog experience by getting the sites to run more smoothly… as well as slowly starting back into more posting (such as this). In the WebHelp blog I decided to post tips and helpful things that relate only to those who are running their own sites. Little tips and leads to save time and effort.

The latest is my report on new Favorite WordPress Plugins . For those which work well I intend to implement on all my wordpress installaitons. And some of the ones I listed I am super happy with.

Like A Vapor

I just noticed that Internet Monk passed away on April 5th. Many of us had known he was fighting a battle with cancer, but I had not seen that he has since left this “vale of tears”. For so it is, when suffering with disease and pain. I had wondered what had become of another blogger with whom I had interacted with more than with Michael Spenser, Michele McGinty of Reformed Chicks Blabbing, and found that she is now fighting a downhill battle with cancer. I pray for her to have a miracle… the world has been better for her presence in it.

Join me in praying for her recovery, will you?

Truly, life is but a vapor, but there is no reason to see it burn out too early in the day.

Disturbances

I loved my old theme “Coldstone”, and I hope to be able to bring it back, but in upgrading things I somehow ran into too many snafus and it just wouldn’t work. So we are back to “Cutline” or something else as soon as I can get things to work for me.

My personal life has been busy, and a bit distracted. My husband and I have finally made updated wills… after twenty five years or so, it was time. Life is full of such business, and my mind is more given to creative ponderings and play. The intersection of organizational and business demands with the free spirit mindset is not a pretty thing! Tinkerbell meets Brave New World or something like that.

Well…. I hope to get that site in order and then actually write. And I have housecleaning to do, and teaching, and I really ought to fix a balanced meal or two. Well, you might get the picture. Or maybe not, because I haven’t included the garden chores of fall, the teen social schedule, the holiday preparations, the years of accumulated clutter that are STILL in need of addressing, old business come due. I think half the busyness of our lives has to do with the lack of expected tasks of seasons and the fragmentation of our society. The “woman’s work is never done” did not go away, it merely took on the overlay of meeting all sorts of work demands that were created by the “man’s world” of yesterday.

Yes, you can argue all you want about my non-PC language… but today’s woman has to wade through enormous amounts of clamor for her time and requirements of her energies and resources. It isn’t that women can’t do that, but how taxing it all is. Sidestepping is one of the little known abilities that become necessary.

Shame, that.

Sorry…just meant to alert any readers that the theme template changed out of …such necessity. Back to our regular programming ASAP.

Changes Ahead

Again. This time I am going to change my theme into one that I hope to be able to use long term. The reason to alert readers is because it looks like things will be disrupted a bit and it might look strange for the time it takes me to iron things out. I finally paid some money for a theme so that it would have support and be flexible for the future.

Then I will start writing more here again.

Hey Bloggers: I Hate Snow

Snow java scripts, that is. I hated them when they were a new thing on static websites, and if possible, I hate them even more on blogs. You think they are cute, and festive, I get that. But they make the screen wobble and are generally distracting, and eventually annoying and OLD. They OLD web.0 style. Please reconsider when adding them to your page.

That is all. Goodbye and good night.

A Special Gift



Maybe even for you!
I know this is a year of frugality and we are all making efforts to stem crass commercialism, but there always ought to be time to appreciate art and to support talent. I randomly chose one I like to illustrate this post.

I try to not make a secret of the high regard I hold for certain blogs and talents. I don’t want to be stingy with well deserved praise for them. So it shouldn’t be a secret how much I have admired the photography of Points of Light.

Today James Jordan announced he is actively seeking customers for his prints. And I think this would make a great gift for someone. He lists his offerings:

“A high-quality 8×10 photographic print is $19. But wait, there’s more: A 16×20 print is $49 and a few hardy souls have purchased 20×30 prints at $62.

Not sure where to start to select a photo? A good place to browse is my photo stream at Flickr.”

Compare those prices with commercial outlets whose mass produced pictures are widely available. It is a very reasonable price when you get something that is going to be comparatively unique- like browsing the gallery district to get a fine photographic print.

Perhaps his unemployment will prove to have the hidden silver lining of expanding his art.

Technorati Tags: ,


cross posting @ Ilona’s Garden Journal

My Beautiful Baskets

Arrived! Today the baskets were delivered via FedEx, dispatched quickly and packaged neatly. I will have to take a picture of them this weekend… and post! They really are so pretty, and the cards that came with them describe three of the weavers. I do hope this program is helping the women as much as it says- to think that you are so easily improving the lives of women and children by giving them opportunity to use their native crafts is very heartwarming, and getting artistic and useful baskets as well…well, it’s just good.

The product is lovely, that’s for sure!

Exit mobile version