Damien at the Speed of Life

In response to some questions I got when I started my “Amazing Visions” carnival, I was able again to write a guest post over at the Fuelmyblog Blog.  I tell why I like Blog Carnivals, explain the steps to get involved in one, and then link to my current Blog Carnival that I hope many of my readers will enter.  If you have ever looked up to a person, simply write about them and submit your post.  The latest Blog Carnival edition 3 will post Monday around 2pm.

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Know someone, or of someone, who inspired you? Enter my Blog Carnival over at Postcards, http://tinyurl.com/47bmyo

I want to gather all bloggers together and disscuss why we care so much about our posts.  After all, most of us are lucky if ten people read our posts each day.  There are a few bloggers who get huge and thousands of bloggers tune in (or, click in) to read their stuff every day.  It’s just a cold hard fact that the majority of bloggers will never enjoy that fat of an audience.  So what does that mean to our posts?  It means we are stupid if we stress over crafting posts.  Think of James Dean in “Rebel without a Cause.”  He just didn’t give a shi**.  When I blog now I think of the ten people that might read my post.  I give them something good that could be profound.  I keep it short and without assumptions.  After all, tomorrow it will be forgotten for the most part and a new thought will replace it.  To bloggers out there:  Do yourself a favor and stop thinking of your posts as important.  If someone decides they are then that is fine, but you shouldn’t be the one to assume anything.

I thought it would be an interesting topic for a post if I did a search with that string (minus the not).  I found a few cool ones, but for the most part, it was the same old “This is my last post” on blogger, or with this University, etc.  I was looking for the dramatic stuff.  I run across these sometimes and they are profound.  I recall one saying: “Don’t look for me for I will go into the night.”  I mean that stuff is thick with romance don’t you think?  I have found Blogging to be highly dramatic for many people, especially the online diarists.  Seth Godin says on his blog to imagine the post you are writing is your last post.  That thought never occured to me and it’s a good one.

I think blogging brings out another side of us that no one sees in the real world.  I also think it’s a bit sad when someone swears off blogging because that side ought to be nurtured.  I know blogging for me has left me much more rounded in my personality.  I think of things in discussion that I never would have thought up before blogging.  No this is not my last post and don’t hold your breath.  I think I am the type to just let the blog expire before I concoct a romantic farewell.

For the past year I have grown into what I finally consider a professional blogger.  I started almost 2 years ago just writing newsletters out to my extended family but then Technorati got a hold of my inspiration and I began to see what an established blog was.  I wanted my blog to be that.  With my evolution has come pay.  I use PayPerPost and some other services to make money off all three of my blogs.  I’ve been able to teach and mentor 3 people and help hundreds others through email and messenger.  One thing I have learned is that not everybody can blog.  In the same way, not everybody can make money blogging.

I’ve always been an “everybody can do it” kind of teacher/mentor but I think I am officially becoming closed minded on this issue.  It is hard earned money and doesn’t equal much more than $3-4 an hour when you put in all the hours you are online working.  Most days in the first year are $5 a day to $30 a day.  I’m putting this out there just to get the point across.  I am done trying to help people living in a fantasy land. Some will blame me for not being able to get their blog experience to make money.  Hey, it’s an art.  I can only point the way.

Pro blogging takes more creativity and vigor than most people online have.

Newbies have to learn so much about code and blogging, it is probably impossible to expect any money until 6 months have passed.  Up to that point you are working morning to night to get your blog ready and your posts relevant to entertain an audience and serve the needs of your advertisers.

This post is meant to keep the riff raff out.  The posts on money that follow will share the tricks I have come up with and the way I make a small income through blogging.  If you are serious about what you are doing, hope to see you around.

Speed is a question of perspective.  Those with fast cars think they are fast while those with fast cars and superchargers know they are fast!

Turbo and supercharger enthusiasts need to check out this site.  It describes how air induction into the engine makes the speed so much better.  It has many sections for learning about and purchasing superchargers and turbo equipment.  Their prices are the lowest out there for the highest quality products.  They pride themeselves in their customer service and there are multiple points of contact throughout the site.  If you ever wanted to buy a supercharger online, this is the place to do it.

I’m was considering getting a Buick supercharger then I found out a guy at my work with a Pontiac supercharger that was really cool.  Now, I am looking at a Nissan Supercharger. Will it ever end? When I eventually sit down to do it, I will start at the menu of this site and click through it to have all my questions answered.  I feel the need for speed.

I ran across these excellent links on my safari this week. If you enjoy them I hope you’ll bookmark them through social media such as:
Delicious

The Star Wars Culture | Abduzeedo - graphic design | design inspiration | design tutorials
I grew up with Star Wars. I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of it. I ran across this page and was totally blown away. It shows that we definitely live in a Star Wars culture.

25 Beautiful Macro Photography Shots | Monday Inspiration | Smashing Magazine
Incredible use of the lens called “macro.” I love these sorts of collections and this is one of the best I’ve run across.

It’s Google Page Rank Update Time
Christy writes a great post about Google’s PageRank System and how we as bloggers ought to focus on other things that are more important.

A 60 Second Guide to Engaging Your Readers | Confident Writing
Joanna writes another excellent “reference post” for writing more captivating blog posts.

Yearbook Yourself and look hot!
WebGrrrl has a great review of a site where you can put your face in all sorts of retro yearbook templates. Funny!

Lets Get Ready To Rumble
Derek writes about Dave Letterman’s latest bout with John McCain in the press.

Wordpress Theme Directories - Free Wordpress Themes | Make Money Online - Work From Home Tips
Find a theme

PaRaMeter - free Google PageRank software. Monitors Google page rank.
Check multiple pages of your site for PageRank with one click.

Community Poll
Blue Fir Blog has a great thought-provoking poll gooing on. If you were wealthy, what type of servant would be the most crucial?

When I first started blogging in December of 2006 at Postcards from the Funny Farm, I had no idea how to increase rank or even sign up for many blogging protocol sites like Technorati and Google Webmaster Tools.  Through time I have learned a lot of exciting information about how to get my words out to a larger audience through rank and marketing.  Every little thing you learn helps.  Most people who read this blog are probably fairly seasoned bloggers and I apologize if this is covering well known ground but I wanted to post it anyway for posterity’s sake.

Did you know that all ranks out there use “incoming links” as a major criteria for your blog’s score?  Google and Technorati are no exception.  I suggest to anyone I help that they should work on getting incoming links first and foremost.  Trafic is important but not as important as most newbies seem to think.  Ironically enough, you can get the traffic later through social media and the incoming links will only enhance it at that point.  People still seem to think traffic is more controllable than incoming links or “backlinks” but it is not.

What I do is make a “to-do” list of ways to get backlinks and then to do it like a checklist.  These items include but are not limited to:

• Writing guest blogs for friends (excellent source of traffic as well)

• Commenting on blogs that ping their comments (simply look up your backlinks and see what comments show up.  If they are there … they ping!)

• Blog Carnivals (These are great because you just browse for the ones you like and submit … no need to write new content!)

• If you own other domains, such as mine on teaching and another on psychology, reference your blog from those once in a while. (hint, I just did it :)

These are just a few ideas.  get into a schedule of following them and your rank will grow quite quickly (ie; in a matter of months) I hope this helps someone out there.  If you have some other feedback, I’d love to hear it.

My wife and I have been struggling with our three year old at bedtime.  She is a very willful child which is not always bad but at bedtime, it has been.   We tried several things and found that this worked best for us (in case anyone out there is having simlar issues):

1. Routine: Establish a routine in which the child follows the same steps every night.
2. Read her a story.
3. Tuck her in and tell her she cannot get up anymore.  Tell her you will check on her in 15 minutes.
4. Turn out the lights (night light on is ok).
5. MAKE SURE you follow through by checking in 15 minutes.

We have found our child is going right to sleep after we read the story.  Best of luck.

I had the opportunity to write another article for Blogcritics Magazine last week and it was published last night.  It addresses the path to teaching and whether young people nowadays should consider it as a safe bet.  I enjoy writing for them.  It’s a very prestigious archive to be part of and the editors are always really thorough yet kind in their dealings with me.  I like to let my readers know when I get published elsewhere so here it is.  It helps me as an author there more if you comment there and those are much appreciated.