I’m free to do what I want any `ol time

A stroll in the park.

While we’re on the subject of blogging, I’m curious about getting paid to blog. I use AdSense on my blogs and Amazon affiliate links but that’s the extent of it. I tried using HubPages before but I wasn’t convinced that it was worth it. There are tons of freelance blog sites out there (Squidoo, Helium, Yahoo Contributors, etc.) but with each site being picky about what pictures go where, I got tired of fighting them all. (I even had Yahoo refuse my article for using a copyrighted image – I used an image in their clip art gallery. Never figured that one out.)

When I’ve looked into finding freelancing jobs, it was a lot of bidding which meant the person who would work the hardest for the least amount of money got the job. I’ve also applied for jobs where they needed someone with a college degree and some expertise in a subject to write articles. They rejected my category of knowledge.

I’ve also heard that it’s more lucrative to just blog on various topics and use AdSense on your own blog. I’m still about writing the blog for personal enjoyment but when I hear about people making money from doing it, I’m just curious how (and how much you work for peanuts.)

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Bloggers, what do you use?

So many computers, so many blog platforms.
Aww, I <3 computers in libraries.

I’ve written plenty about blogging in the past, and I’m still interested in the whole topic. Usually I try to understand what makes people use WordPress or Blogger. Personally, I use both but I keep my main page with blogspot.com.

Still, I read time and time again that to be professional we shouldn’t use self-hosting and that WordPress is where it’s at. The problem is, most people don’t have cash to throw away on domain names and proper hosting anymore. Most people are using Google during the day anyway and, I’d go as far as to say 9 out of 10 of my library/writer/bookwork Twitter friends use Blogger over WordPress.

I do understand the notion of having a professional looking site and I am all for having a front-end site that links to the free hosted blogs on Blogger. I’ve seen plenty of well respected writers do it (plus have Tumblr accounts as well) so I don’t really see a problem with using something that takes a heck of a lot less time to get going.

I do love WordPress and I’m glad they offer the free service now, even if I can’t play with all those nice widgets and apps. I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back to having a site set up with my own hosting and domain name as a professional site – in fact, I’m sure I will. For now I’ll just cross post between the free servers as I have been. Way easier.

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So what’s up with Facebook?

And no, I don’t mean timeline. (I still don’t understand why it’s a surprise they everyone’s profile changed. They said it over and over again that it would. FB must feel like a middle school teacher does — you can say something twenty times, write it on the board and leave it for day’s but they still don’t pay attention…)

Anyway, I’ve been voicing my opinion on Twitter about how Facebook has been less than pleasant recently. It’s a good thing that’s gone sour and it has nothing to do with timeline but the people who update theirs. Yesterday I saw two of my friends who don’t even know each other both comment on how Facebook is for fun and not negative, rude, mean, stupid crap. Amen, I said.

Now, we all get irritated and want to voice our opinion. That’s fine. But social networking is not always the best platform for shouting political opinions and name calling.

Think of it this way, if you were in a high school reunion you’d be cordial to everyone when you first got together, right? Heck, you’d even be glad to see them. But now it’s as if the doors were locked and you’re stuck with those same people after a while, so you would show your true colours — you notice theirs too.

But, remember, this is social networking. If you want to talk about how someone who doesn’t agree with your views is an idiot, don’t do it on a public page where your co-workers, family members, and church members will read it. Most of us aren’t interested in getting together and bashing people over beliefs.

It’s not just politics that have made me go, “Why did you post that?” I’ve seen people who do nothing but sell products (not that self promotion isn’t good but have something to talk about too.) I’ve seen people talk about stuff that falls under the Too Much Information category (remember, this is public, guys) and just plain stupid things like “My kid can kick your kid’s butt” type of comments.

With that said, my statement is, as it always has been with Facebook: It’s fun! It’s a game! Most of us just want to keep in touch with our friends from the old neighbourhood, distant relatives, and former co-workers. FB is what you make it (I admit, I have a fondness for posting travel pictures, blog post links and funny thoughts when I can come up with them.) So relax, be happy, and encourage social networking instead of ticking people off so much that they stop bothering to log in anymore.

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Getting stuff done

Jake enjoying the new couch

As much as I like to get work done, there are just things that are more important. The DIY project at Chez Pick has been going on all weekend. Steve has been home for four days and we’ve used the time to get things done.

First, the couch was successfully built. It took five hours and a lot of anger before he finally got that thing put together. Not only did the couch not have Velcro on the frame, rendering the extra couch cover we bought useless. Then the cover for the cushions was too small (there’s no way you can smash a leather cushion with a wood back into a pillow case). But the kicker was that the chaise lounge had no instructions in the box. We tried to call IKEA but they were closed. During lunch break (Steve needed one by then) he found the instructions online — for the American store. There were differences that he had to figure out on his own. Thanks, IKEA!

Anyway, the couch is lovely and Steve did a great job. The chaise is big enough for us to both sit on and watch TV. (The cat fits too.) We got to relax Saturday and Sunday with movies and hanging out in our cosy living room.

Today we painted the bedroom. There was blue wallpaper that had been painted a dark red (the seller’s choice) and we had to get that changed. While we could have taken the paper down, we just painted over it to give it a quick make-over. (I’ve posted the before and after pics on Flickr.)

Now that this weekend’s family time devoted to making this place more homey is complete, tomorrow will be back to work for us both. I neglected my walking a lot this weekend too (not that the cleaning and painting doesn’t count as exercise) so I’ll out and about tomorrow. Then it will be time to get myself back at the desk.

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Where I work

 

I’m at a couple of disadvantages as I write this blog post today. First, I’m typing on my Kindle Fire which, I’m sorry to say, is a huge pain in the butt compared to my iPhone. Secondly, I’m sitting on the floor with my back against the coffee table while Steve disassembles our old couch. We’re anxiously awaiting our new arrival from IKEA — the red couch with the chaise. We even bought the chair to match. Now I’ll have my own reading chair (well, until the cat claims it as his own as he did with our old armchair.)

So, since these current typing conditions are less than typical, I wonder whet conditions people like to work in. Personally, I don’t mind typing on a smartphone (I’m use to my old iPhone 3GS that I typically use that around the house for note keeping and snippets of blog posts.) I also have an HP laptop that I’ve taken out to coffee shops so I can work outside of the house for a change (even though it’s a bit bulky to carry around.)  But my main place is in the study, on the Acer Aspire AX3400 PC that Steve bought for me right before I moved in.

From my desk in the study, I have a view of the backyard, the birds on the feeder, and the neighbours passing by to the main street. It’s pleasant and nice and, when I’m lucky, no loud music upstairs or loud Mary Kay clients across the hall. I like quiet. Even when I read at the gym, I just have to listen to classical music to drown out Radio 1 on the overhead speakers.  That’s why being home, on my comfort zone, is so nice. I have peace, quiet and a proper keyboard.  Now I have a big, comfy chair too!

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