Blogging Traffic Jam: follow-up post

Tags

animations, Awards, Blog Traffic, Free Badges

A Thank-You and a free Badge

Just a quick post to thank all those who commented on my previous post. It was a comfort to know I’m not the only one who has, along with daunting levels of blogging traffic, felt honoured but uncomfortable about awards, and chain posts like ‘You’ve been Tagged’. I didn’t know that http://kardzbykris.wordpress.com/about-those-awards/ had already posted something similar, and offered badges declining awards to anyone who would like one. Thanks Kris for getting in touch.

Being as I just love having an excuse to create a little animation I decided to make my own badge. Please feel free to use it if you want to.

Blog Traffic Jam?

Tags

Awards, Blogging Traffic, Communication, Creative time, Time management

Do you let blog-traffic slow down your own work?

Click on the pic: Keep watching the cars!

I’ve been thinking about writing a post about blog traffic for a while. It’s something that I’ve found quite hard to deal with recently, and eventually I had to stop and ask myself why I’m spending so much time on ‘traffic’ that my own posts and creative work are suffering. Of course it’s lovely to receive comments about one’s posts, and I appreciate every single one. I also enjoy sharing, and getting to know other bloggers, and following other blogs. But recently the scales seem to have tipped and I’ve started to feel that traffic is controlling me rather than me controlling it. If nothing else it’s definitely been slowing down my own work.

In my in-box of a morning (as I’m sure there is in yours too) there are:

1.New Posts from Blogs I follow

2.Likes for my blog posts

3.Comments on my posts

4.Other emails

Sometimes it seems quite daunting having to deal with possibly 30 – 40 emails. But I feel I have a responsibility to those who have made the effort to send me a nice comment, and equally I like to return the compliment and look at their posts. I hate the thought of offending or upsetting people, when, after all, they have taken the time to read and comment on one of my posts. A friend of mine who was saying she has the same problem came up with a very good point. If the emails we receive every day were dropping onto our desk in old-fashioned paper form, we’d never get through them. They’d be stacked up to the ceiling and falling all over the floor within days.

My own analogy was of a sailor who finds his boat full of water every morning. He has to bail it all out before he can go sailing. Trouble is he spends so much time bailing that there’s little time left for the very thing he wants to do – to sail.

I decided recently that I had to take a different line and get very selective in the way I deal with email. The wheat from the chaff so to speak. Even though I’d like to read all the chaff I just don’t have the time. So I decided:

1.It’s just not possible to look at every new post on the blogs I follow and make a comment, so I need to select a chosen few to ‘Like’ or comment on each day.

2.Mentally thank everyone for a ‘Like’ on my posts.

3.Write a thank-you to everyone who has given me a comment.

Another aspect of blogging which can take up a large amount of time is awards and things like ‘You’ve been tagged’. Initially I groan when I receive one, then I feel guilty for feeling that way, then I try to fit it in. Maybe the hardest part is nominating sometimes up to fifteen other bloggers from my ‘Blogs I Follow’ list – which is about forty-five, and growing. I’m sure some people follow a lot more than that. I know that some of the bloggers on my list don’t participate in awards, and lots have the award already, therefore reducing the options of who I can nominate. I then feel uncomfortable about nominating the same people for further awards – assuming maybe incorrectly that they may not want the extra work of an award either!

Funnily enough I read this post yesterday:

http://sillyfrogsusan.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/to-dabble-or-not-to-dabble/

An excellent post and it made me feel better about my own feelings with regard to blogging and how I see my responsibility to other bloggers. My first responsibility should be to my own creative stuff – after all that’s why I started it in the first place. Somehow along the way that was getting lost.

I’d love to hear your thoughts – if you have time!

I Got Tagged!

Tags

About You, Bloggers, Fun, Questions, You've been tagged!

I just got tagged by Cedric.

I tried to hide but he got me anyway. Now you’re ‘it’!

Thank you Cedric – for thinking I may have eleven interesting things to tell people!

‘Tag – you’re it!’ – The Rules:

1.You must post these rules:

2.Each person must post 11 things about him/herself on their blog by answering the questions the ‘tagger’ has asked.

3. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

4. Choose 11 people to tag and link them to the post.

5. Let each blogger know you’ve tagged them.

Cedric’s questions and my answers:

1.Do you have an unfulfilled wish, what is it, and do you plan to reach it?

Yes. To ride across the US by motorcycle, then turn south and ride down to the tip of the Baja peninsula. I definitely plan to reach it – just as soon as I win the lottery.

2.If you were to fall seven times and get up eight, how many more times would you get up?

Ha! I did this on the one day I tried snowboarding instead of skiing. I kept getting up all day!

3.What is your favourite cartoon character?

The Road-runner. Meeeeeeeeep-meeeeeeep!

4.Just one word to express what you hope for?

Peace.

5.Is there something you would do again to get it right this time?

No, because the things I’ve got wrong have been the greatest learning experiences.

6.What is your favourite memory?

An impossible question. I have too many equally treasured memories to list. But meeting my second husband would come close to the top.

7.Is there something you miss that you’d like to have back?

Nice normal strong flexible knees!

8.What makes you happy?

The wind on my face, wild un-peopled places, the sound of the surf, motorcycling on open roads, feeling free, creating silly animations, a good crime novel, cuddling up to my husband and sleeping like spoons.

9.Are you a perfectionist? What for?

Sometimes … until I get bored.

10.Unforgettable year?

Can I have two please? 1970 – emigrated from England to Canada. 2004 (by then back in England) – met second hubby in January, had a whirlwind romance, sold up, retired and exited England by November the first.

11.Do you use a blogging name or your real name?

Real name.

Nominees for ‘Tag! – You’re it!’

Rockin’ the Purple

Happy Sherlock

Spiders

Rommel

Sonel

Kate Hobbs

Dan

Pix & Kardz

Perfectly Imperfect

Purple Dog

Suzanne in the Woods

Here are my questions. You may or may not participate. If you decide not to that’s ok!

1.If you knew you had to come back as a non-human creature of some sort in another life, what would you choose to be and why?

2.What can you lose yourself in?

3.What do you most enjoy spending money on?

4.What excites you most?

5.You’ve won enough money for a very, very long holiday – where would you go and how would you travel?

6.Wild stormy seas, or silent, sunlit hills?

7.Your favourite romance?

8.What famous person (dead or alive) would you like to have dinner with – and why?

9.A quote you’d like to live by?

10.Two memorable breakfasts?

11.Something your mother said to you that you’ve never forgotten?

The Wobbly Fish Award!

Tags

Awards, Fish, Fun, GIMP, Graphics tablet, Humour, Laughs, Silliness, Wobbliness, Wobbly Fish Award

This award is for all of you who are having a wobbly, who are feeling wobbly, who like wobbly things, or who simply fancy a wobbly award on your blog. You are also very much entitled to this award if you are a Piscean person – their symbol being the fish.

I awarded myself this award today (after I created it) because I woke up with the sort of headache that gives me a ‘swimmy’ head – plus I’m a Pisces. I find it hard to write with a headache, it’s a bit like trying to walk through thick, sticky mud with wellies on that are three sizes too big; the thinking function baulks at it. But it doesn’t affect the drawing function and so I grabbed the graphics tablet. I’ve fancied doing a fishy animation for some time, although this isn’t an animation it’s just a picture that’s had the rippling effect added.

Now for the rules of this award: 

1.Don’t send it on to other bloggers – because they can all award it to themselves.

2.Send a kind wobbly fish thought to someone you know who could do with it.

3.Smile whenever you look at your wobbly fish!

4. Download the image if you would like the award for your blog.

Have a wonderful wobbly day!

Just A Thought

Tags

Inspiration, motto, Quotes, Robert Brault, Sayings, Thoughts

Man is the only animal who enjoys the consolation of believing in a next life; all other animals enjoy the consolation of not worrying about it.  ~Robert Brault

Eggstraordinary Eggs!

Tags

animations, cracking-up, Easter, Easter eggs, gif, GIMP

I sometimes spend hours creating simple animations. Here’s one to wish you all a Happy Easter!

 Please click on the picture!

The Versatile Blogger

Tags

Bloggers, The Versatile Blogger, Wordpress Awards

Flying high with another award!

I can’t believe I’ve been awarded two awards within two days. This time I have to thank Tina – The Perfectly Imperfect One who blogs on a whole host of subjects. Having read up on the rules of The Versatile Blogger Award I find I must now choose ten other bloggers who would also be so deserving. And then I have to tell you seven things about me.

The ten bloggers are:

Implicado: One of my favourite blogs

Northern Prints: Great Nature Pics

Jenny Mills Photography: Excellent Photography & Travel

Heretherebespiders: Forthright and fun!

Mark: Unusual and beautiful photography from near and far

Ungemaltes: Fabulous and unusual photography

Serialist: Self-improvement and other thoughts

MindMindful: Inspiring, Buddhist

Happysherlock: A fun and happy blog about all-sorts

Persona Perceptions: Great travel and photography from Stefan

Seven things about me:

1. Once, when I was a police officer (a short and disastrous career), I was put in charge of some evidence; a saucepan which had drugs and a knife in it. While helping a very distressed lady into my car I put the evidence on the roof and in the drama of the moment forgot it. Happily oblivious I then drove through the city centre to the station. The saucepan was still there when I arrived. I still giggle when I think what a bizarre spectacle I must have made – a police car with a saucepan on the roof.

2. I hate being restricted or confined, physically or mentally.

3. I love peanut butter on toast with marmalade on top.

4. I’ve written two books – a memoir and a fantasy novel.

5. I feel incredibly lucky that I found my soul-mate.

6. I’m dreaming about my next motorcycle (a BMW F800ST preferably in blue) that I’ll hopefully get this year.

7. I’m terrified of spiders but I love mice and Labradors.

   Thanks a million to all of you who take the time to visit my blog. It is genuinely appreciated and makes blogging even more worthwhile.

MiNdFuLnEsS MoMeNt

Reblogged from MindMindful:

A 7X7 Link Award!

Tags

7X7 Link Award, Wordpress Bloggers

A huge thank you to Rommel who has honoured me with this award on his list of seven interesting blogs. His site, on travel, photography, freedom, and personal thoughts is definitely worth visiting.

Now according to the rules I have to:

1) Tell everyone something that no one else knows about you.

2.) Link to one of the posts that I personally think best fits the following categories: Most Beautiful Piece, Most Helpful Piece, Most Popular Piece, Most Controversial Piece, Most Surprisingly Successful Piece, Most Underrated Piece, and Most Pride-Worthy Piece.

3.) Pass the award on to seven other bloggers.

I’m going to cheat a bit – and use a couple of posts from my other two blogs. This is because although I have twenty-seven posts on Writer in the Woods twelve of them cover just two subjects – the moving of a hangar and the making of a Christmas cake – and not overly exciting.

Here goes!

Something that no one else knows about me … very very difficult because I tend to tell everyone my thoughts. But few may know that I once worked on a farm and helped re-roof a barn in Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada, in 1973.

So here goes with seven posts:

Most helpful: WordPress Custom Headers   Just a little offer of help for anyone wanting a fun header.

Most popular: A Date on a Gate  It did get some laughs and some great comments.

Most beautiful: The Village of Collonge la Rouge   Well … maybe not beautiful but very pretty.

Most controversial: Two Wheels Good, Four Wheels Bad   Only controversial if you prefer motor-homes to motorcycles!

Most surprisingly successful: A photo I put on my photo blog for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Unusual  A pic that got lots of comments on my photo blog.

Most underrated: The Moving of a Hangar Only because you’ll never know how hard it was to move one unless you actually have.

Most pride-worthy: A Chapter of my ongoing fantastical story about Mouse Formidable This is where I spend ages lost in fantasy and creating illustrations from photographs of wood-mice on our windowsill.

Now to pass the award on to seven bloggers. This was quite hard as some of the ones I immediately thought of are already sporting their neat 7X7 badges. But I got there in the end after much consideration. Here they are:

Implicado  One of my very favourite blogs, from Cedric in Mexico.

Jeff Sinon  Simply amazing photography.

Kate Hobbs Makes you think.

Memomuse A wonderful writer and many other things.

Katie’s Camera Blog Consistently interesting photography.

Finderdog I’m hooked on this ongoing story written by Humphrey the dog.

Heretherebespiders Open, honest, and funny.

A huge thank-you to all of you who follow and enjoy this blog. Your comments mean a lot, they really do. I want to try and post more regularly, but this may happen only when I’ve finished the current story of The Mouse and the Microlight - starring Mouse Formidable. It’s a time-consuming creation, and then there’s the photo blog too – and then there’s the dratted gardening and cooking and a million other jobs. And I thought retirement was supposed to be relaxing!

The Day of the Truffle

Tags

Black Gold, Black Truffle, French Truffle, Perigordian Truffles, Subterranean Fungi, Truffe, Truffle in a flowerbed

Apologies in advance to all lovers of this much sought-after French delicacy known as Black Gold

We live in the area of the Dordogne called the Black Perigord, on the side of a wooded valley on a fairly steep and rocky hillside covered in scrubby little oak trees, punctuated with pine and fir. There’s a lot of juniper, acacia and hazel too.

Due to the terrain the man who built this property in the early 1970′s created a rockery type garden – a number of small beds on varying levels supported by rock walls.

Last week Spring arrived with a vengeance here in southern France and I was pried off my computer chair and into the garden. Flowerbeds were calling, along with the dratted cuckoo – who perches in a nearby pine tree and calls incessantly! The flowerbeds were only noisy in my head – four of them in particular nagging me to get the fork and dig them over. They’ve been untouched since we moved in here in 2004. So a few days ago I grabbed wheelbarrow and tools and got stuck in.

I have to digress for a minute from my main story and tell you of my accident. One particular bed which was full of roots from a small hazel bush gave me a tough time. I came upon one big thick obstinate sod which brought out my determined streak. I wedged the fork (supposedly a good quality steel one) under the root and then used the rock wall around the bed as a lever. I gave it full thrust, teeth gritted, and leant all my body-weight on the fork – which snapped! The handle parted company from the tines and all the force I was putting on it catapulted me backwards over the wheelbarrow which was parked two feet behind me. The barrow then tipped and I came very close to carrying on straight down over the next section of rockery. In cartoon form it would have been hilarious! As it was I’m now sporting monster bruises on the backs of both legs. My hubby has since lectured me on the science of garden forks, weights, stress and levers.

On to the point of the story. After my vicissitude with the fork I switched to the spade and murdered the hazel root. Then moved on to the last bed. As I was digging and turning spades full of dirt I came upon what I thought was a lump of hard soil about as big as a tennis ball. I tried to crumble it up in my hands and realised it wasn’t soil, nor was it a lump of tree root. Puzzled, and being of a curious nature I managed to break a bit off. The inside was like nothing I’d ever seen before – a bit like the pattern of a brain. Of course the next thing I did, like you do, was to sniff it. I wished I hadn’t! It’s impossible to describe the pungent tang that bombarded my senses. A bit like comparing Beethoven’s Fifth at full volume with something from the Sound of Music. It knocked me backwards for a minute (fortunately this time not over the wheelbarrow) and nearly made me gag. It wasn’t for the faint-hearted. And then I noticed the worms! It was fairly riddled with them. I couldn’t throw it away. It had become too much of a curiosity – albeit an odorous one, so I took a few photos of it and stuck it down the side of the wheelbarrow. Somewhere lurking in the back of my mind was the word ‘truffle’.

Later I talked to my hubby who also suggested the possibility of it being a truffle. We had another look at it and then compared my photos with some on the internet. Sure enough it looked exactly like a black Perigordian truffle – a hideously expensive delicacy retailing in local markets for around €1000.00 a kilo. Ours weighed in at 85 grams. Possibly worth about €85.00. We decided to check it with some locals the next day, and in the meantime I was supposed to wrap it in kitchen-roll and put it in a sealed container in the fridge. The next morning when I opened the fridge door I was immediately assailed by the subterranean scent! The entire fridge hummed. It was so strong it had lifted the lid and permeated everything!

Before my hubby set off to do further investigations I told him that however great a delicacy it was, however sought-after, however valuable, I did not want the little stinker back in my fridge. He returned some time later (minus container) and confirmed that it was indeed a black truffle. He’d been to see a few locals and as soon as he’d cracked the lid off the container their faces had kind of lit up … ‘Ahh! truffe!’ they’d exclaimed, looking all sort of dreamy – the sort of look I get from the aroma of freshly baked bread or fresh roasted coffee. They had all confirmed it was indeed a valuable black truffle, worms included. In fact the worms were perfectly normal. We ended up donating it to our friendly hotel owner, who runs the small hotel in our village. Initially he said he couldn’t accept it due to its value. But when my hubby told him he’d been banned from letting it darken his wife’s fridge door again he accepted it gratefully and offered us free dinner this week. That will be lovely – as long as it’s not flavoured with truffle!