I have a love/hate relationship with my laptop. It’s old, heavy, and as stodgy as an old man. It takes naps when it wants to, works when it feels like it, and generally just acts like it needs a big helping of prunes.
Today is one of those days, which provides the perfect segue into today’s iPhone app review: the WordPress app.
The cool thing about this app (okay, one of the cool things about it) is that it doesn’t matter if your blog is hosted (you pay for hosting and have your own domain name, in other words) or if you have a free WordPress.com blog (which would be the name you’ve chosen for your blog followed by .wordpress.com).
There are a few other things I really like about this app:
• The app can handle as many WP (WordPress) blogs that you have a username and password for. I currently only have access to four WP blogs (two are mine), so I haven’t been able to test how many it actually holds. If you are able to test that feature, well…you may need to get out more, my friend.
• You can blog “unplugged” — when you’re unable to get to a computer, for example (or would simply rather leave it at home). I can totally see myself blogging this summer while sitting out in the sun. Bring on the iced tea!
• Problems with your computer won’t keep you from blogging, like Harry tries to do to me. (Harry is what I just named my “old man” laptop. What do you think? Does it fit?)
What I don’t like is that when using this app, I don’t have access to pictures and other needed items that are on my laptop. Those can be added later — as long as Harry cooperates, that is. I’m also not sure how to make words bold or italic, or if that’s even possible. (You may notice that I have added in some words in bold and italics; I was able to get on my laptop after writing this post to do a little editing.)
But if you’re in the position of having to write an entire blog post using the iPhone WordPress app (as this one has been), beggars can’t be choosers, right?
All in all, I think I like it…and am even grateful for it, especially today. Saunter on over to iTunes and download it. You never know when you might need it.
It’s yet another free iPhone app I highly recommend.
I’m feeling a little under the weather today (another cold), so I wanted to share a treat with you. If you’ve ever wanted to start your own blog, specifically a WordPress blog, guest blogger Kelly McCausey wants to help you learn how. Settle in and read on!
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WordPress is the website building tool of choice for many business owners these days. It’s a great option. No software needed on your computer, great functionality and flexibility – and you can update your site content from any computer, netbook or smart phone. It’s no wonder that it’s become so popular.
You’ve probably heard that WordPress is incredibly user friendly – and it is! Still, most first time users find it overwhelming at first. If you ever tried to tackle WordPress on your own and felt like giving up, you’re not at all alone. There’s a lot to take in at first.
I was lucky though. I had several patient friends available to help me over the learning curve. Still, I wouldn’t say that I felt truly comfortable for months after. The more I got to know it, the more I realized that WordPress is both simple and complex all at the same time.
If you only want to use WordPress to publish content, it’s pretty darned simple. The visual editor operates like any basic word processor. You enter content, press publish and you’re finished.
Think of WordPress as being three things at once.
1. It’s a Content Management Script that runs on your web server, letting you enter content as easily as writing an email.
2. Your content is stored in a Database on your web server.
3. Finally, it wears a Theme, a set of template files, that determines how the content is displayed online.
Entering content is easy. The database takes care of itself. Customization, want to alter your design and manipulate the database for special needs, you have to tap a whole other area of knowledge and that’s where many get stuck.
There’s good news and bad news for those who want to learn more about managing their WordPress site. The good news is that there’s a huge resource of documents and a large community of developers and users who are willing to answer your questions. The bad news is that there’s a huge resource of documents and a large community of developers and users…
The trouble for newcomers is usually that they don’t know how to ask the right questions to produce the answers they really need. The documents and forums seem to be written in a foreign language and newbie questions are often answered with links to more foreign explanations that just add to their feelings of overwhelm.
My advice? Don’t give up. Keep asking questions. To get the best answers, provide as much information about your problem as you can. If you’re persistent, you’ll find that things come easier over time.
==================================================== About the Author:
Kelly McCausey of Mom’s Talk Biz invites you to WordPress Orientation, your all access pass to exclusive WordPress learning. We demonstrate answers to your questions during our live web conference sessions. If you’re goal is to do it yourself, WordPress Orientation is your pathway to learning how.
(Psst! You can also listen to some great podcasts Kelly has put together by going to WAHMTalk Radio. ~ Sally)
When I started working out seriously last March, the biggest and most pleasant surprise was how quickly I began to see and feel the results of my efforts. I was getting toned up all over, but began noticing it in my abs first. I still had a layer of “fluff” over it to get rid of (ahem…still do, a little…), but I could poke my abs and be met with resistance instead of squishiness. Boy, was that a great feeling!
Other benefits I noticed early on were all-over increased strength and better posture. I attribute much of that to the work I was doing to strengthen my abs and core muscles. So many of us have unnecessary pain that we deal with because our abdominal and other core muscles are weak. I used to be sidelined on a regular basis with pulled back muscles…sometimes just from turning wrong while getting out of bed. Since I started working out, I’ve had a problem with my back only once, and the pain lasted about a day (a nice change from the 3-5 days it took for the muscles to “unkink” in the past).
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a big fan of ExerciseTV. One of my favorite trainers, especially for abs work, is Cindy Whitmarsh. Try Cindy’s Enviga Six-Pack Abs workout and see if you don’t become a fan of hers, too!
I’d also like to promise you something. Fit the “Six-Pack Abs” routine into your normal workout regime, do it about three times a week, and you WILL see a big difference in your abs and core strength by New Year’s Eve (and just in time to fit into that little black dress). I’d love to hear about your results!
Try the following “Rock Hard Abs” video from Cindy, as well. These videos will work great together if you do the workouts on opposite days.
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives.
I’m so excited to make the official announcement…right here on CrazyBusy Mama…that I am now also a blogger over at ExerciseTV! I’ve been doing the ExerciseTV workouts with my daughter, Erica, for a while now and we’ve seen such a change in our bodies and lives. It’s the coolest thing to be able to share that journey with the world! Erica will also be giving her take on our continued quest for fitness, and we’ll be sharing our updates as we train for next year’s Race for the Cure in our area.
In other cool news, CrazyBusy Mama now has a Facebook fan page! Become a fan by clicking here to get lots of useful news, fun updates and great freebies. If it’s something that will encourage you in your own quest to be healthy and fit, I’ll post it!
This past weekend has been a particularly trying one for my family. While shopping yesterday, I decided to bypass my health-conscious conscience and bring home a dessert we could all “emotionally eat” that evening…nurturer that I am. And because it’s October, what naturally came to mind was…what else? Pumpkin pie.
I made my way over to the store’s bakery and quickly found the pies. In the past, I’d bought pumpkin pies without so much as a glance at the calorie declaration. Not anymore. Holding one of the pies over my head so I could read the nutrition panel, I almost dropped it when I saw the number: 350 calories per 1/8 of the pie. In other words, if you cut it into eight pieces, the slices are 350 calories each.
(Admittedly, my shock at that number didn’t register nearly as high as it did when I discovered the caloric intake in one little Hostess fruit pie: around 500 calories, give or take, depending on the pie. I haven’t bought one since.)
So, truth be sheepishly told…I bought the pumpkin pie. But because it’s something I bring home so rarely, I flicked the dancing Richard Simmons off my shoulder and put the pie in the cart…determined to find a recipe for a healthy alternative stat.
I think I succeeded, along with a couple other recipes I’ll be trying this week:
Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust from Care2. After a little searching, I found a recipe I just might try. Not only is the calorie count less than half of the pie I bought the other night (just 125 calories per slice for this one), but it’s healthier. The crust is made up of graham crackers and ground pecans (low-fat graham crackers are available), and 1/4 apple juice concentrate combined with 1/4 brown sugar sweetens it. Definitely sounds better for my family than the 1 cup of sugar used in another “healthy” pumpkin pie recipe I found (and quickly discarded) today.
Apple Scones I’m not much of a fair-goer, so when I hear the word “scones,” I think of fall or cottages dotting the English countryside rather than cotton candy, rides, and petting zoos. To me, a good, healthy scone paired with a hot mug of coffee is a perfect way to begin a frosty morning. I liked this particular recipe because, while it uses white sugar, it only calls for 1/4 cup, and wheat germ is one of the ingredients (don’t bypass that one!). The recipe also includes 1/2 cup of buttermilk, but it makes eight scones, so it’s not like each person will be getting all of that fat. (And I think I saw low-fat buttermilk recently…wonders never cease!) No word on the calories in this recipe — just stick to one scone.
Banana Crunch Muffins Tell ya what — if I make these, I’m hiding them! I go weak in the knees for banana muffins, and it looks like this recipe’s a keeper. Shrink the calorie count even more by using low-fat buttermilk and substituting the chocolate chips for walnuts (okay, okay — keep the chocolate…but do add some walnuts for extra fiber).
*Note: If you can’t imagine going for a “healthy” version of pumpkin pie, at least use Libby’s recipe for their Famous Pumpkin Pie. While it’s still a big 280 calories per slice, that’s 70 calories less than the store-made pie I brought home this weekend. (And if you can’t forego that dollop of whipped cream, at least buy the “light” version.)
It used to be that when people heard the term “social networking,” the main site that came to mind was MySpace. Now, with sites like Facebook and Twitter leading the ranks in popularity, MySpace is quickly becoming yesterday’s news. (Though I have heard the MySpace folks have been taking steps lately to make the site more Facebook-like. Hmm…I wonder why?)
There are, of course, other networking sites besides Facebook and Twitter, but today I’ll be focusing on just these two.
Facebook
On Facebook, once you’ve built up a good friends list, your status update box basically becomes free advertising space for your blog. By no means do you want to spam your Facebook friends (and I’m pretty sure the Facebook higher-ups frown on that, anyway), so keep those announcements down to once or twice a day and intersperse them with updates about yourself, your kids, and observations about life in general. Be warned, though: Facebook is a lot of fun and can become extremely addicting.
Once in a while, host a contest or survey on your blog and send out a note to your Facebook friends inviting them to participate. The note will be visible to everyone on your friends list, but you can also “tag” certain friends that you think will be especially interested.
Finally, there’s a blog subscription “app” (short for application) on Facebook called Networked Blogs. Networked Blogs apparently attracts over 5,000 new users and 500 new blogs every day. Through Networked Blogs, FB users can stay connected and up-to-date on the blogs of fellow Facebookers. It’s also a handy way for others to find and subscribe to your blog…and they don’t even have to be your “friend.” Networked Blogs also has a handy widget you can place on your blog (though it will not work on WordPress.com blogs — just WordPress.org hosted blogs and others). You can see my widget at the bottom of this page on the left side.
I’ll cover Facebook more in depth in a future blog, but in the meantime, check out Networked Blogs for yourself (and don’t forget to subscribe to CrazyBusy Mama!).
Twitter Twitter…everyone and their brother seems to be on Twitter. It’s probably (and, yes, I’m guessing here) the fastest-growing social networking site today. Average people like moi are on Twitter, with my 1,300+ followers, as are celebrities whose followers number in the tens of thousands or more (Ryan Seacrest has over one million).
But what in the heck is it?
Twitter is a micro-blogging site, and can be a great tool for making money online or at least driving traffic to your blog. (Though I hope you are also trying to monetize your blog — more on that in a later post.) While it can be fun to twitter about silly things like, “Eating dinner now,” or “Trimmed my nails…time for a shower?” don’t leave it at that. Start offering nuggets that are interesting and beneficial to your followers, or you might start losing them. Offering a free e-book or report through your site and tweeting about it is a great way to get new readers for your blog. Telling your followers to “retweet” about your freebie is an excellent way to get new followers that may end up being your customers.
If you’ve got a blog or online business, you need to promote it through Twitter. And not just on a daily basis, either, but several times a day. If the people you’re trying to reach have hundreds or thousands of followers, you’ve got to keep “tweeting.” If you don’t, whatever you’re trying to say will get lost in the landslide with everyone else’s tweets.
Twitter is such a big subject that it also deserves more attention on this blog, so be watching for those posts in the future. In fact, it’s become such big business that people are writing entire books about it.
Let me leave you with a couple of tools that will help you succeed in Twitter:
1. Tweet Later is a great productivity tool for Tweeps (that’s you, if you have a Twitter account). There are too many features on Tweet Later to list here, but for starters you can use it to schedule a bunch of tweets to be posted at the times you specify and even save those tweets as drafts to use again if you choose. You can also use Tweet Later to track keywords on Twitter, send automatic DM’s (direct messages) to new followers, and even automatically follow people who follow you and unfollow those who unfollow you (you didn’t need them, anyway).
I don’t recommend using the automatic follow feature because honestly, there are some real slimebags who are abusing Twitter, like you’ll find anywhere. I get around 10-20 new followers each day, and I manually approve each one. By the way, if you get any unsavory followers, don’t be afraid to use the “block” button on Twitter. I love that thing.
2. Twellow is an online directory — or yellow pages, if you will — for Twitter users. You can get yourself listed and find others in categories that matter to you. When you’re on Twitter, it’s a natural occurrence that you will follow and be followed by people who may not have much in common with you. On Twellow, it’s easy to find like-minded people. If you sell e-books geared toward moms of teens, for example, you want to find those moms of teens, right? Twellow is the place to do it.
Really spend some time on your profile at Twellow. Twellow currently has over 3,000,000 users, so you’ve got to make a good first impression (which starts with a professional profile picture). Be real in your bio, but don’t be goofy. The image you put across on Twellow will go a long way toward getting quality followers on Twitter.
You’ve just started a new blog, you’re posting every day, and you’re having a great time! You’ve conquered the world of blogging! Then it happens — the first week is over, and you’re thinking you’re maybe not loving this blogging business so much.
That’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but when it comes to writing, a funny little thing called burnout happens…and it happens to almost everyone. But don’t despair — there are a few things you can do when the honeymoon feelings start to wane:
Make sure you’re writing about what you know. If you’re having to do a ton of research just to write a blog post, other ventures are going to start to look more interesting. Much more interesting. But if you know you know what you know, the words will flow freely from your noggin right down to your fingertips. And when that happens, you’re going to enjoy posting about your subject a whole lot more.
Spend one or two days a week marathon writing. This works really well for a lot of bloggers. Obviously, if you’re blogging about current events, you can’t do that, but if your topic allows it, give it a try. You can actually knock out a week’s worth of posts in just a few hours this way. If your blog host has a scheduling capability like WordPress does, that will make your job even easier. You can write and schedule the following week’s posts all on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
The scheduling function also works well if you’re importing posts from one of your old blogs or are wanting to use articles you’ve written in the past.
DRAWING A BLANK
You know it’s bound to happen: The day will come when you will have absolutely no idea what to write about. Here are a few idea getters:
Take a poll. Ask your readers, whether in a blog post or in an actual survey, what they think about a certain issue, or what really matters to them regarding (fill in the blank). This works very well because people like to give their opinions, as you’ll know if you’ve had a blog for any real length of time. If these people keep coming back to your blog, they obviously like you, so you might as well take advantage of that.
Go where the info is. Search through magazines, books, and the Internet to get ideas for your topic. Notice I said ideas. We’re not copying what’s been written — just getting those thinking juices flowing.
Get a guest blogger. Find someone who has a blog in the same genre as yours (preferably someone who writes well) who might like to sub for you once in a while. It’s a win-win situation: you’re able to provide something for your readers, you get a bit of a break, and your guest blogger will — hopefully — get more readers (because you will, of course, let her include a link to her blog in her bio at the end of the post).
Choose the right niche. Chances are pretty high, if you’re a work-at-home mom, that you already have a blog. If not, starting one can greatly increase your visibility in the online community and, eventually, your sales.
Before jumping in, the first thing you must do is decide on your niche. If you go into this thinking you’re just going to blog on anything and everything (you’re going to “go where the wind blows”), you’ll eventually blog about nothing.
Obviously, if you have a business, that’s what you blog about – that is your “niche.” But what if your niche is still fairly wide? Perhaps you’re a travelling veterinarian…are you going to blog about the care of animals in general? Narrow your niche. For example, cat lovers won’t want to read about the best toys for ferrets or how to get rid of mange in that puppy you just adopted. The narrower your niche, the more loyal your readers will be.
Hosted or Free? Even if you’re new to the blogosphere, you’ve probably heard about WordPress. What you may not know is that there is WordPress.com and then there’s WordPress.org. What’s the difference? The first is free (like Google’s Blogger), and the latter needs to be hosted, like a website, because…well, basically it is one.
If you’re just starting out, go with the free blogging option until you really know what you’re doing. I’m speaking from experience here. This blog is a WordPress.org blog, hosted on StartLogic.com, but other blogs I’ve had have been free. You don’t have to pay money for a blog in order to be successful (you can put Google Adsense on a free blog, and even fill up your blog with affiliate ads — though less is always more). However, you may want to move it all to a WordPress.org blog later, and there are a few reasons for this.
First of all, if the blog represents your business, it should look professional. If the blog looks amateurish, people will assume you may not know what you’re doing business-wise, either. (But if your blog is just for fun and not related to your work, who cares? Just have fun with it.)
Another reason is your URL. A URL that reads www.yoursite.com will gain more respect with your customers than www.yoursite.wordpress.com. For a personal blog, there’s nothing wrong with that last option (I have one of those, too), but the first looks better to potential customers and even to other businesses that may want to trade links with you.
Finally, a hosted blog gives you more freedom and options when it comes to customization. Don’t like the theme creator’s images? Put in your own. Want to use your own logo? You can easily do that on a hosted blog, where you will have access to the CSS and PHP files.
There are certain things to consider when — and if — you make the decision to move to a hosted blog (one you have to pay for, in other words):
You’ll need to select and purchase a domain name.
You’ll need to pay for a hosting service.
For even minimal editing of your blog, you really should have at least an understanding of HTML and how to copy and paste code into your site. If you go with WordPress.org, also knowing CSS (and hopefully PHP) is a real plus.
If you don’t know HTML, you may need to hire someone who does. It would be well worth your time, however, to take a few online tutorials to learn some HTML basics.
If your business is small, you can link a free blog to your site until you decide to “make the move.”
Think about layout. When it comes to blogs, you have a variety of layouts to choose from. You may decide on a one-, two-, or three-column layout, or even what’s known as a “magazine” layout.
A one-column layout is fine if you’re just updating family and friends on the new baby. But if you’re wanting to make money with your blog, you need some room to play. I personally prefer at least a three-column layout because there are more places to put ads, videos, and pieces of my mind that I don’t want disappearing at the bottom of the page in a regular post.
Magazine formats are primarily made up of various boxes that link to your posts and features and have a more splashy, modern feel. If you are prolific in your posting, have many different subtopics, or have various bloggers posting for you, a magazine layout might be the way to go. One exception to this is a site called Mashable.com. Mashable has various bloggers and uses a classic 2-column layout. But the feel of the site is more of the “wowza” magazine variety: very modern and “web 2.0.”
I have a love/hate relationship with my laptop. It’s old, heavy, and as stodgy as an old man. It takes naps when it wants to, works when it feels like it, and generally just acts like it needs a big helping of prunes.
I’m so excited to make the official announcement…right here on CrazyBusy Mama…that I am now also a blogger over at ExerciseTV! I’ve been doing the ExerciseTV workouts with my daughter, Erica, for a while now and we’ve seen such a change in our bodies and lives. It’s the coolest thing to be able to share that journey with the world! Erica will also be giving her take on our continued quest for fitness, and we’ll be sharing our updates as we train for next year’s Race for the Cure in our area. 
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You’ve just started a new blog, you’re posting every day, and you’re having a great time! You’ve conquered the world of blogging! Then it happens — the first week is over, and you’re thinking you’re maybe not loving this blogging business so much.
