Welcome back! Coffee's always on around here. Pull up your favorite chair and a grab a cup. Enjoy your visit today! And don't forget to stop back by again soon.

I’ve had several other blogs and websites in addition to this one over the years. Some of them are still somewhat active but there are a few I don’t use much anymore. They are just sitting there doing nothing. So, a couple of days ago, I made the decision to close many of them them down (like The Weight Loss Papers).

I spent some time this weekend going over those old blogs and importing most of their posts to THIS blog. So, if you browse around through some of the older posts here now, you’ll see a lot of content from those old blogs. There are posts that go all the way back to 2006 and as soon as I finish importing the remaining archives, they’ll go back to 2005 and maybe even 2003. There are now a little over 600 posts here on AABlog. And many, many other topics that I have not covered here before.

Over the next few days, I’ll revamp things a bit to make it easier to access older content so I’m looking into some type of archive plugin. If you know of good one, please do share!

Also, I may be re-posting some of those older articles to make it a little easier on you. If by chance you happen upon something in the archives you’d like to me re-post this week or next, let me know.

I’m now off to finish up some paperwork for my doctor and will hopefully have my referral for the MRI’s very soon.

Until then . . .

Be blessed,

{Weather}

The weather here in the Seattle area has been just absolutely gorgeous lately! I’m really enjoying it. It’s still cold in the morning and at night – about 30-36?- and warms up to the mid 50’s by noon or so. Quite nice! Things that don’t normally bloom until Spring are starting to blossom already and there are a lot of birds as well.

{Shoulder}

I think I must have inadvertently slept on my shoulder last night because it and my arm are incredibly sore this morning. Not just sore, actually, but downright painful. I hope the referral for my MRI comes very soon. Kinda getting tired of waiting. I want to know what can be done about this pain before it gets any worse.

{Weight}

Now that it’s been almost a whole month since my doctor changed my blood pressure medication, I’m absolutely sure it was what causing the weight gain. Since I began taking the new medication, I’ve lost 10 pounds and I haven’t changed anything else – foods, exercise, etc – so I know for sure that’s what it is. This is very good news! I am so glad it was the answer.

Let me tell you – being “in touch” with your body and what’s going on with it is very important. If I hadn’t been, I’d still be taking the other medication and my weight would still be climbing. Many people don’t understand those subtle things about their bodies and aren’t really in tune with what’s going on. You owe it yourself – and your family – to understand your body and your health. Taking care of yourself is paramount.

{Cane}

My cane arrived last Thursday and I went grocery shopping with my mom Friday. Using the cane was so nice. I was able to take the pressure off my leg a lot and that really helped my endurance. My back didn’t start really complaining until we were nearly finished with our shopping. And I didn’t have that odd grinding feeling in my back every time I took step. I think this is going to turn out to be very helpful indeed! Glad I decided to go with it.

{Projects}

I’ve got two major projects going on right now. Both are for my cousin’s hair and nail salon. The first is designing a website for her home salon and make up line. It’s been fun and challenging! The second is a web-based application I’m building with Ruby on Rails for her to keep track of her client information. I’m having a good time learning RoR as I go along and I think the application is going to turn out well.

{Snow Leopard}

I finally took the plunge and upgraded my MacBook Pro to the latest OS X operating system – Snow Leopard. It’s running great and I like the updates. Lots of new features that I didn’t have in the Tiger edition of the OS. Some of the improvements are just little changes but those are good too. My system is now running faster (although it was never really all that slow) and I gained a few GB of space on my hard drive. That’s pretty cool! Before SL, I had 24gb of hdd space and now I’ve got 30gb, so that’s a bonus.

{The Husband}

My husband has been in college since last Spring, taking the AA degree program in welding. He’s almost finished! Yay! He gets to take a certification test next week and then he’ll actually be qualified to work in the industry in Washington State. Then, he has Spring quarter plus a couple more classes over Summer quarter to complete the full degree. Being that he’s never really finished anything in his entire life, this is a huge milestone for him. Now, hopefully, he will find a good job in the industry and stick with it.

{Miscellaneous}

I think I’ll do an “Around the Web” update this week and maybe even a few other things. Haven’t done those in a while and I know everybody always enjoys those. So look out for that, probably Wednesday or Thursday.

And have a great week!

Until next time -

Be blessed,

I’ve recently gotten a little flak for using disqus and although some intelligent conversation has come out of it, I felt compelled to say exactly WHY I began using it instead of the “works perfectly well built-in WordPress comments” form.

Let me preface this by saying one thing first – I am very selective and conservative with my online information. In fact, I’m probably more cautious than most people out there and those who know me would say I’m cautious to a fault. As my childhood best friend says, “I had no need to be cautious – you’re cautious enough for the both of us! And then some!”

Now, I know not everyone will agree with me and I don’t expect to “convert” anyone with my opinions here. However, do me one little favor, please? Set aside your biases for a moment and just take my thoughts into consideration.

While the built-in comment form is pretty simple and does a good job, the biggest point for me is that the web is moving more and more into a social network and frankly, the WP comment form is sorely lacking in that department. This is not just my opinion – look around the web and you will see countless articles and posts about this very thing – that the web IS a social network. And it’s becoming more so all the time.

If you’re a business owner, this is even more true. Customers and clients want transparency. They want accessibility. They want that social aspect, to be connected. Especially if you’re a business owner with a web presence.

Why? It makes them feel safe.

That’s the bottom line right there. People feel safe when they can connect with you, even if only on a shallow level. They want to know you’re a real person. Aside from that, it helps cure that “curious” nature of us humans. That bit of us that wants to snoop and gossip. It helps make people comfortable.

Additionally, there are several more good things about using disqus:

• Any user who comments is notified via a simple email message when someone replies to their comment. This allows continued discussion and you don’t have to subscribe to the thread or to the comments RSS (**IF** there even is one. Many blogs don’t have that feature). You get a message right in your inbox (unless, of course, you turn that feature off in your settings on the disqus.com control panel).
• You can reply to that comment right from your disqus control panel without the need to go back to that website. Also, if I remember correctly, a new feature allows you to email in a reply. You just hit “reply” to the new comment message you got, type what you want and hit send. So simple and FAST.
• Users can edit their comments any time. Just go to your disqus control panel, select the comment you want to edit and do so! It’ll be updated on whatever blog it’s attached to, pretty much in real time. This is a feature that isn’t generally available on most blogs. And those that do allow it, it’s only in effect for usually less than 5 minutes after you originally post your comment. After that, you’re out of luck.
• Users can also delete their own comments from ANY disqus-enabled blog they’ve commented on. Again, just go to your control panel, select the comment you want to delete and hit the shiny little button! Again, this is a feature that’s not even available on most blog platforms including WP.
• It allows comment nesting (replies to other comments) on a variety of levels that just are not available in the normal WP options. And it’s all customizable as to how deep you want the thread to go.
• Blog owners can also customize a variety of other options including paged comments. Meaning, instead of a huge long page of comments at the end of the post, you can break all those comments up into pages for easier reading. (Yes, I realize WP offers this in newer versions as well.)
• Admin can import all comments from every post on the blog so that each one is still available through disqus. No comments are lost when adding disqus and they are also saved so that should disqus ever be uninstalled, every comment is right there and available just like normal.
• Also on the admin side, using disqus gives a little added security as comments on the blog are stored not only in the blogs WP database, but also on the disqus database. That way, should something ever happen, you have a back up. And if you have a backup plugin installed on WP already, you have a back up of your back up. LOL Plus, if disqus goes down (which does happen every once in a great while), it automatically reverts back to the standard WP commenting which will then sync with disqus once it’s back online.
• Users also don’t have to sign up for disqus or your blog to post comments. You can use your login credentials from another service like Yahoo, Twitter, OpenID, and others.
• Likewise, if you’re logged into disqus, you’re automatically logged in on ANY website that is using the disqus commenting management. That means, if you want to leave a comment, all you need do is type it in and tell it to post. Your info is already filled in for you. Very cool!
• Disqus has a user “like” system wherein if someone posts a really great comment, you can “like” it – very similar to how Facebook’s “like” feature works. This is a very fun idea! It promotes that social aspect.
• Blog owners can manage comments both in their WP admin panel as always as well as through their disqus admin panel. This way, you can manage comments across more than ONE blog at a time. Very, very usual for those of us who have multiple blogs. One of the best features, in my opinion and one of the deciding factors in my decision to install it.
• Your disqus admin panel is separated into 2 sections – comments on blogs you own or moderate, and comments on other blogs. Each section has it’s own features and options. Very easy to use.
• Another feature users seem to appreciate is the “reblog” feature. It’s very similar to Twitter’s “retweet” feature. You can reblog your comments to your tumblr, your WP blog, your twitter stream, your TypePad blog and several others. This allows further discussion on other platforms of your choosing as well as the original blog. It’s another piece of that “social” aspect I was talking about earlier.
• Blog owners can also add “moderators” to their blog without actually giving anyone else access to their blogs back end and thus jeopardizing security. It works very similar to the moderation feature on services like yahoo groups and many forums. If you have a blog with lots of commenters, this is a very useful feature. Especially if you’re really trying to build a community. It makes it more “forum” like.
• When someone talks about your blog post on Twitter, Facebook or another social platform, a trackback is added to the post, just like a comment. Another great social feature! It allows you to keep track of who says what about your blog and open ups whole new avenues of communication.

And the last thing I’m going to say about the benefits of using disqus as a comment system is that it eliminates the need to have several other plugins installed since it effectively does a multitude of other things besides just “comment” things. (Like the back up I mentioned above.)

This is a great thing because the more plugins your blog has, the more loaded and bogged down it becomes. It takes longer to load as plugins take up valuable space in the database. The larger the core WP files and databases become, the more likely something is to break or malfunction. The less plugins you have, the faster your blog loads and the less likely things are to break.

That alone is worth it for me. I eliminated a good 5-6 plugins when I installed disqus and there are even a couple more I could disable and remove as well. That’s a very good thing!

I also like that I have almost no spam now. I use a plugin called Bad Behavior and while it catches 99% of spam, there are a few that do come through regularly. Since installing disqus alongside it, I have only had 2 spam comments TOTAL. I like that a lot. (And I should also mention I have not gotten spam related to using the disqus system. Since I use a different email for disqus than for other things, I know the spam I do get comes from other sources.)

In any case, I do understand the reservations some people have with giving their info to a third-party. I have researched this until I’m blue in the face, it seems, and I have not found anything significant enough to raise flags in my mind. As far as I can tell from that research, my info is safe with disqus and so is the info of those who comment here.

Frankly, I think my info is probably safer with them than on Facebook or Twitter and if you’re using either or both of those, what’s the big deal? Your info is already out there in less secure fashion than it will be with disqus, espcially with Facebook’s recent policy changes.

And further, if you’re THAT paranoid, perhaps you shouldn’t be on the world wide web to begin with. (I mean that with the utmost respect and love. It’s absolutely meant to just engage your thinking a bit and is in no way meant to be mean or harsh.) I think it’s probably more likely that you’ll get a virus or have your computer (or blog, even, maybe) hacked than to have serious issues with a commenting system like this.

In any case, I hope this gives you some food for thought. I hope you seriously consider the good points here and realize that sometimes a little risk is worth it.

Listen – having a blog isn’t really about you anyway, right? Isn’t the whole premise of blogging all about your visitors? To connect with others, gain new insights, have fun? Learn, share, grow? That’s what it is for me, anyway and I’m willing to bet it is for most of you too. That means, sometimes we have to put aside our reservations and do what is best for the community.

Like I said before, if you don’t want to comment but have something to say, by all means, contact me. That’s what the contact form is for. You’ll find a link up there in the navigation bar under the header of any page on this website. I want to hear from you and though I would really love it if you would leave a comment, I won’t be upset if you don’t.

Now, in all fairness, I do have to point out ONE minor gripe and flaw with disqus – it does not yet support CommentLuv. I have emailed disqus about it and their response was that the folks at CommentLuv are working on it. I do hope it’s soon because I seriously miss that and it is, in fact, THE reason I uninstalled disqus last time I tried using it in mid-2009 (and yes, I do know that IntenseDebate works with CommentLuv. I could include why I didn’t choose ID, but I will spare you those details right now This darn post already long enough!).

So, thanks for sticking with me. I hope I’ve given you some things to think about it. And if you want to read more about what others have to say on disqus, I found these immensely helpful in my research for this post:

Fred Wilson, a Venture Capitalist who has actually invested in disqus as a company – “Three Reasons to Use Disqus”

Michael Soriano of Web Designers Edge – “Using the Disqus Comment System”

David Risley, a professional blogger – “Disqus Not So Stupid Anymore”

Matt Langford, blogger at Matt Flies – “Why and How to Use Disqus with WordPress“

Check ‘em out!

One more thing – I promise! Disqus also works with many different platforms – not just WP – including tumblr, posterous, and TypePad among others.

Be blessed,

If you view websites and blogs on a mobile device like your phone, ipod, blackberry or whatever, you may know that sometimes it’s rather difficult to view your favorite places on your device. I know how frustrating it can be myself as I often view my favorites on my iPod when I’m away from my computer.

So, to that end, I have recently added an option on this site that will automatically detect where you’re browsing from, and will then display a mobile-friendly version of this site if you’re in fact on a mobile device!

You also have the option of switching to the regular version from your mobile if you wish AND you can even check out the mobile version on your regular computer – just select that option at the very bottom of the page. (Scroll all the way down and take a look if you’re viewing this on the web. It’s at the very bottom on the left side. Then click it again to switch back when you’re ready.)

Pretty cool!

If you have a website you want to add this option to, simply install the WordPress Mobile Pack and, if you want, a mobile-ready theme (like Carrington Mobile). Or simply use one of the one of the basic themes that come with the plugin.

The other cool thing about the plugin is – if you install it on your blog and YOU have a mobile device, it even makes the admin area a mobile version for you! How cool is that? You can moderate comments, publish new posts, adjust your settings and much more.

With mobile devices getting better and more common all the time – especially with Apple’s newest gadget, the iPad – it really is important to offer these options to your visitors and potential visitors who might find your site via a search or something. Just think about how many people can’t read your blog otherwise. Installing something like this is a smart move. And of course, you can always uninstall it if you end up not liking it.

So far, I like the plugin and I think it’s worth it to use it. You never know when someone is reading your blog via a small screen. And really, isn’t that what blogging is all about – your readers?

Do you use the WP Mobile Pack or something similar? Tell us why or why not in the comments.

Be blessed,

You may have noticed that I recently went back to using disqus.com as my comment system. I’ve had a few worried emails from folks about this and so this post is to – hopefully – help clear those worries up.

First, disqus.com will allow you to post with OR without a disqus account. Again, you DO NOT have to have a disqus account to post a comment here. Of course, you CAN if you so desire. To do that, just say yes to the pop up box that asks you if you want to sign up. Or login if you already are signed up.

Second, you can also use disqus by “logging in” to a service you ALREADY use like Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter or OpenID. It’s easy – just select that option on the comment box and a pop up will open up for you to enter your credentials into. It will then automatically create a disqus account for you using the service you selected. You can then post a comment.

Third, if you do not want to do either of those, fear not! You can post the “old fashioned” way – with your name, email and (optionally) your website URL. Your name and email are required. Then, if you get a pop up asking about disqus, simply click the “post as guest” button on the lower left hand corner of the box and it will post your comment just like usual! The good thing about this is that if you post a comment again from the same IP address, using the same email you previously used, you won’t get the pop up box. It usually only pops up that one time.

So, please, don’t let this blogs use of disqus (or any other blog that uses it) dissuade you from leaving a comment here. You can do so without having to sign up for it and if you don’t sign up for it, it doesn’t collect your information.

The only part of my system that will collect your info is the WordPress software that runs the blog. If you choose not to sign up for disqus, it isn’t going to grab your info from me and cause you problems.

Additionally, of course, you can rest assured, your info is safe with me.

And in the event you have any trouble with disqus, please – PLEASE – let me know! Don’t just go away in a huff! If it’s broken, let me know so I can fix it. You can contact me via the contact form here.

Lastly, let me just say this – in the event you decide to opt for a disqus account, know that your info is safe there too. Only the info you WANT to be shared, will be shared. If you want to keep your stuff private, you can do that too. There are loads of settings the system gives you when you login that allow you to have full control over your comments. It gives you SO much control over your comments, it’s almost too easy.

Be blessed,

Even though I’m not one of those uber organized people, I would like to be exceptionally more organized than I am. And I used to be – way back before I had a house full of kids running around. Not so much anymore. I still try, though.

One of the things I do, is make forms for myself. It helps me keep things on track and pretty much eliminates missed or forgotten things. Plus, I like to write (who knew?). Anyway, I have 3 forms to share with you today that I use regularly and I thought you’d like them as well.

The Menu Planner. It’s fairly colorful, easy to use and simply designed. But anyone from a small child to an adult can follow along and see what food is planned for what meal any day of the week. Even my youngest has learned to tell which color block is which.

Student Assignment Sheet. Even though I no longer homeschool my kids, I kept this form for myself and it’s been nice to have on hand for my college courses. It’s a plain form – no color embellishments or anything here, but it’s still simple and easy to use for most grade levels if you need to keep track of assignments. It’s 2 pages long and has lots of room for all the details you’ll need to know what assignment is due and when.

Mini Character Sheet. This is a form I use for writing fiction stories. It’s a simple sheet where I can put all of the details about a character when I’m sketching out a storyline. It lets me get to know the character and help develop a background for them. There are 2 character sheets per page which I usually cut in half but sometimes, it’s nice to leave them together. Depends on how many characters I’m sketching out.

I hope you enjoy them!

And please, let me know if you use any of them and what you think. Also, if there’s a form you’d like to have, whether for business or school or home, let me know. I’ve made so many different forms, it’s likely I have something similar to what you want.

Be blessed,

{ write * design * blog }

My brain is so full of stuff to write the past few days that I haven’t written anything. And then when I sat down here today to write something, I had no idea what to write because of all of the clatter inside my head. If you’re a writer, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

I have ideas for blog posts, ideas for short stories and the ever-present – and increasingly persistent – ideas for novels. Maybe 2010 will be the year I finally get all of them sorted out and put down on paper. Maybe even finish ones I’ve started . . .

And it’s also the kids’ first day of winter break and of course, it’s the Solstice too. As is typical in Washington, it’s pouring rain today. Truly pouring. We’d gotten spoiled these first few weeks of December which were un-typically cold and DRY. Looks like Mother Nature is going to make up for that in short order!

Hopefully we don’t have another snow storm like last year. Once every 20 years or so, is fine but let’s not make it a regular thing, okay, Mother Nature? 2 feet of snow that stuck around for 2 weeks in an area that usually gets 2 inches or less that’s gone by morning was not too fun. Seattle and the surrounding areas were not meant for that much snow.

Anyway, later today I’ll be posting my entry for Week 3 of the Write of Passage challenge so look out for that. And if I don’t post anything else before Friday, I hope you all have a Wonderful, Merry Christmas!

May your holiday be bright and joyful!

Be blessed,

It’s time for more Christmas music! What are you favorites?

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.