Word Verification Problems

Anybody else having problems leaving comments on blogs using word verification?

It keeps telling me it's wrong, even when it's correct.  It's been happening for about a week.   I am now done trying!

Being unable to leave comments, freed up a little shopping time for me. :)

I need  (OK, I want) a few warm casual weekend items. Those two fleece jackets should be cozy autumn additions!

I am Getting Tired

It is just impossible to get all the work done that needs doing while off work for one week.  I have done a good deal of garden work. There is still tons more to do, but it keeps raining, so I work outside a few hours each day, but mainly I have been occupied with indoor tasks.  I posted about it here, so just click if you want to know the price I pay for being a semi-hoarder.

And what the heck is going on with Blogger? I am getting fed up. This morning I was able to post a comment on one blog and then everything stopped working.  I just tried to add a picture here and I got this...

what the heck is this??

I don't want to get a pic from Google. I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY DESKTOP!   OK, I am already frustrated, so I am just stopping here.  Hopefully, Blogger will be back to normal tomorrow.

I hope so!

A Big Thanks for those who Comment on Old Posts and a "tsk tsk" for those who Copy and Run

A couple of days ago I got a comment from Linda regarding an old post I did about my childhood doll.

I notice that quite a few people find that post by searching for the doll's name.

Linda is only the second person to take the time and effort to let me know she enjoyed reading that old post.

Thank you, Linda. I loved getting your email.

For those who don't know, I do get an email on all comments, so if you feel the urge, but think the post is too old, please reconsider. Your comment will get to me.

I enjoy getting feedback from the posts I did three years ago, just as much as the current ones!

I bought a new ornament yesterday. I need a new ornament like Imelda needs a new pair of shoes, but is he cute or what? I love snowmen and I love candy ornies. This one is both. I just adore him!


Since I am writing about old posts, I may as well throw in my "old post" rant, too.

Last year I did a step-by-step post with a bunch of pictures about how to make a bow out of wrapping paper. That post took a long time to do (as anyone who blogs knows taking the pics, uploading, sizing pics, etc. takes some time). Anyway that post has garnered quite a lot of attention. Last year a couple of people found it and offered a nice thank you for posting it. That made me feel good, like it was worth the effort.

This month I've had hordes of people popping in from search engines to get that info. Not one of them has left a "Hey-Zoey-thanks-for-giving-us-that-info" comment. The same thing is happening now with another craft post how-to. They copy the how-to info and run.

Sometimes that bothers me--just a little bit..................what can I say? I guess I am just a sensitive girl.

Alright, What's the Secret

to changing the profile picture???????????

I've tried 4 times to change it and nothing happens.

I am uploading a picture to my blog.

Then I copy the url of the picture and paste it into the profile picture spot.

I hit update and it just keeps the cardinal picture. It does not say anything about the pic being too large, etc.

So if you have me on bloglines, it's probably saying I've updated a zillion times. (sorry about that!)

Anybody know what I am doing wrong?

Memes

Tea has given me the honor of selecting this as one of the blogs that make her think. I am feeling so good that Tea holds this blog in such high esteem. Thank you so much, Tea. I can’t tell you how meaningful it is to me to know that you find some pleasure in visiting my little plot in cyberspace!

That said, I hope no one takes offense with I am going to say next.

I do not participate in most memes. Why? Because I have a suspicious nature.

When I see something in the rules that request a link back, I am immediately suspicious of the post's intent. Why can’t we just say, “Mary started this meme”. No, that won’t do. They want to make sure they get a link.

Have you ever wondered why? Well, I certainly have.

In my ever-so-humble opinion, this smacks of a blogger on a social climb to the top of the almighty google rankings. These memes reproduce more rapidly than rats in the sewer lines. Imagine how many links will come from thousands of unsuspecting bloggers, who think this is just a bit of fun. Little do they know they are rungs on the ladder of the blogger's hungry climb to the top. (you don't have to imagine. I looked it up. This blogger had 40,200 links at 6:15 p.m. today. Just to give you a comparison, I have 147 and most of those are my own links to other pages in my site.)

Now I could be completely wrong about all of this. Maybe the majority of those who start such memes have no idea that the thousands of links they get will shoot them way up in the rankings.

Yeah, and I’m a middle-aged Playboy model making 6 million a year.

Tea, please don’t feel that I am saying anything negative about you! I am totally flattered that you chose me. I have been thinking about a post of this nature for the past few weeks and your nomination just gave me the platform.

I am only ranting about the people who start these things with the goal of increased rankings. I think a blog’s ranking should be based fairly on its content. I understand that links are about the only way a search engine can evaluate them. I just feel that links should come from people who actually read the blog!

Ok. I am off my meme-with-a-rule-to-link rant.

Upate: Good morning, everyone.

I can see by the comments that people are taking this the wrong way.
I need to clear up one thing.
It's not people like us who participate in the memes that I am ranting about. We all do it just because it's often entertaining and it gives us something different to post about. Lots of times it's fun to read the answers to find out more about our blogger friends.

It's the originator of those memes that require a link back. That little badge that you put on your blog goes right back to the person who started it. He/she is the one getting the thousands of links.
If all they really cared about were the friendly, getting-to-know-you answers to the questions, there would be no need to stick the badge (the link they made for your convenience) on your blog.

Every Now and Then I Find it Interesting to See What People have Searched For and Found My Blog

I always wonder if they were disappointed when whatever they were looking for sent them to my lowly little spot in cyberspace.

Most of these searches are topics I do write about, except for "the crabapple bakery cupcake cookbook". I don't recall ever writing about that, so I guess they were disappointed.

These are my last 43 searches:
Num Perc. Search Term
4 9.30% easter tablescapes
2 4.65% making barrel planter
2 4.65% duggar floor plan
2 4.65% persian shield bloom
2 4.65% tablescapes
2 4.65% how to arrange calla lillies
1 2.33% red branches with prickers
1 2.33% windex use on bathroom countertops
1 2.33% the crabapple bakery cupcake cookbook
1 2.33% spare ribs gone bad
1 2.33% paeonia festiva maxima
1 2.33% side gardens
1 2.33% tablescapes for easter
1 2.33% arranging dishes in a china cabinet
1 2.33% calla lillies plants
1 2.33% country spare ribs
1 2.33% napkins folded to look like a bunny
1 2.33% best kolache recipe
1 2.33% paper peiced blocks
1 2.33% czech recipe kolache
1 2.33% persian shields
1 2.33% how big will phlox get
1 2.33% globe thistle not blooming
1 2.33% allium molly
1 2.33% do deer like cannas
1 2.33% what does sedum look like
1 2.33% simple floral arrangements using tulips
1 2.33% deer and rabbit repellent recipe
1 2.33% will creeping phlox work in a window box
1 2.33% tablescapes for easter and spring
1 2.33% spring cleanup perennial garden
1 2.33% fire king/peach lustre
1 2.33% easter table settings
1 2.33% tulip fat leaves only
1 2.33% duggar family
43 100.00%

9 out of the 43 were looking for an Easter or spring tablescape. I am amazed at how quickly the word "tablescape" is finding its way into the vocabulary of mainstream society. (I actually printed this out earlier today. (When I just rechecked the count was 15 out of 60--or 25% of my searches).

When I started this blog a little over two years ago, it was rare to find "tablescape" in the searches. This little observation is probably of no interest to anybody but me, so I shall move on.

It is still too cold to work outside. The local weather lady is predicting cold and snow for the rest of the week which is fine with me. I don't really feel like doing all that clean up work just yet.

Hope you 've all had a great Monday. I am off to read a few blogs... which brings up a recent sore spot with me.

Last week I took the time to comment on three new blogs (all quilting blogs) and not one of the authors even acknowledged my existence. I didn't expect a big drum roll, but a quick tapping of the keyboard could have produced at least "thanks for stopping by Zoey". The same thing happened on a couple of other quilt blogs (months ago). I guess I will just go back to lurking on the quilt blogs.

Do you all think I am being too sensitive?

Did You Notice my New Categories on the Right Side?

Neat! I love this new feature.

At first I thought it would take forever and a day to categorize my huge blog. After a few attempts, I figured a quick and easy method which I will selfishly share with all of you.

Why is it selfish?

Well, I want to be able to see all the posts you've made in the past pertaining to a category of my interest, just by making one quick click.

So here is how I did it...


Go to your dashboard and click Posts

In the search box type in whatever you want to categorize. All of your posts pertaining to that will pop up. Select "All" and a little checkmark will be placed in all of the posts that came up.

click the arrow in the little box that says "label actions"

click "new label" in the pop up box that pops up.


Another pop up box will appear asking you what to call your new label. Type in whatever you want it called (I used Fall Color). Then click OK


It will take a few seconds and then it will change everything at once to appear with a "Fall Color" category.

To get the categories to show on your blog, you need to go into your layout and add a page element. Click where it says "add labels to blog".

Did you understand this or did I just confuse everybody? Or maybe you all knew how to do it already since I think I was one of the last to change over.

I didn't get every single post categorized, but I got quite a few of them.

Bad Font, Good Font

Why does word verification keep changing its font style?

I must say some of these are very difficult to read.

Just look at this? You have to actually study it to see if it's a "v" or a "u".


geez, can they jam these letters any closer together?
Very irritating!


Now here's a nice, easy-to-read font. Why can't they always use this one?




Just my pet peeve of the day.

Music on blogs

Is it just me or do you all not like music on a blog? I hate it when I am just surfing through new blogs, hoping to find a good read and music starts blaring out at me the moment I enter. The first thing I do is hit the X!