Day 2 Challenge: Write a list post.
(Insert evil laugh here: Muahahahaha!)
I'm a list-making fool. I've always made a lot of list posts. In fact, I have to restrain myself from making list posts because it's the way my brain works. I figured I was running everyone off with my endless boring lists. Had no idea that people really like them.
I can go to sleep now. I learned something today.
Day 2's list is at the bottom of this post. Read it and weep (that's what I'm planning to do after I finish blogging today... read it, weep, and then start trying to check it off).
One of the questions they asked on the challenge post was:
What do you like about reading and writing a list post?
For me, the answer is that lists are easy on the eyes. They break chunks of information down in to the perfect size for you to quickly read through it. They give you the feeling that you are checking things off when you read them. They motivate you to get busy. WOOHOO for lists!
- - - -
Day 3 Challenge: Promote a blog post.
I use twitter and facebook to link my individual posts every time I write them. I usually only link them up once on each site unless it is something really good that I feel is worth sharing duplicate links on. I hate spam and figure everyone else does, too.
For the most part, I don't link my posts up anywhere else or use any other type of promotion. I have a stumble upon account and have seen it work well with some of the posts we have promoted on the Homeschool Post, but I just don't have the time to work that hard on my blog most of the time.
My motto: "If you build it, they will come." Ha!
I think that the joy of blogging is somehow lost when you are so worried about your readership numbers that you have to push every post. A little link on twitter and facebook take no time at all since I'm already there... but beyond that, I would hope that my readers, if they love the post, will click those buttons for me. Make the stumble upon and digg, etc. buttons available on your posts and let the reader do the extra promotion (or not). Be happy with just the joy of blogging itself.
My day jobs (homeschooling/baby raising/homemaking - simultaneously) require that I 'let it go'. So I have. I quit checking stats a long, long time ago... and removed a lot of my blogrolls and promotional buttons (even my affiliate programs more recently) off of the sidebars. The only ones I have kept are Amazon and Homeschool Tracker - because I sometimes get a tiny tidbit of money from them and I adore them both. I guess in a way, I'm doing the opposite of "building" a better blog; however, I'm a lot happier.
I just love blogging. I don't need an extra pat on the back to do it joyfully. It's my release - my hobby - my toy. I'm going to do it whether you read it or not.
So there.
- - - -
I realize that this isn't a 'list post' in the strict sense of the term. They were really wanting me to do the list as the entire post (something I enjoy reading and love doing)... however, THIS is the crushing list that is swimming around in my brain right now... and so it must be typed out. I excuse you from reading it. It might cause nervous tension or nausea on a lazy Saturday for some of you. Don't say I didn't warn you...
What I should be doing instead of blogging today:
Purge email accounts
Cast the baby's hands
Spraypaint the book case we salvaged from the trash on someone's lawn
Updates in Homeschool Tracker for completed assignments
Order brochures and info from chamber of commerce in DC/Hershey
Work on my indexing
Listen to Pudewa homeschool talks again
Prayer Journal, Devo, Bible reading
Read with the kids
Print out goal review papers for school next week
Help the kids put up a blog post
School planning - particularly history
Workboxes cleaned out
Upload pictures from camera
Edit photos for next week's blog posts
Read for me
Start portfolios for last year's school papers
Redo my school list in my homeschool binder (too much chicken scratch)
Write in the baby's baby book
Install lights we got from IKEA (beg husband to do this)
Finish working on the bills/checkbook
Check off our chore list & sticker charts
Tidy the house
Run the vacuum
Print off a new school year calendar for the binder
Check the calendar for next week's appointments (make a mental note)
Declutter school area
Clean off my desk
Eternal laundry quest
Browse recipe books
Blog a recipe on Gathering Manna
Think I can get that done this weekend? I doubt it. Never hurts to try!
5 comments:
Love your list...looks a lot like mine. I love the first part of your blog...I started blogging and loved it..then, I started getting pushed (by a friend and myself) to start making money and pushing/pushing...and I stopped enjoying it. Now, I've stopped, I removed my store, I quit working to add stats....and now, I'm enjoying it and enjoying friends I'm making...and journaling. Thanks!
I understand the read it and weep now! That's a crazy list, but enjoy your day and your family, and fall asleep with a smile on your face if you can cross off a couple. :)
I agree with the post promotions, too - my blog is for family and friends - when my daughter says something funny, I'll throw up the link on facebook, but other than that, I just write cause I want to. I like what you wrote: "I'm promoting the blog post by entering it here in a community. Done." Exactly.
Popping in from BF on the 31DBBB challenge. Love your post and so agree. I've really resisted the counters, etc. because it puts my focus in the wrong place. Thanks for the reminder to keep my mind and heart on the real reason I run my blogs.
Blessings,
penny
www.lifeasacrazyquilt.com
Thanks for posting so much great stuff about homeschooling. We purchased the homeschool tracker from your site and I started working with it last night. I have small kiddos and we are currently doing KONOS. It is a little tricky for me to figure out how to enter our daily stuff on the tracker because all the core subjects overlap, you know? Any thoughts? I'm not sure if you used the tracker when you were doing KONOS, so I may just need to keep pushing through this learning curve and figure out what works best for me.:) Thanks so much!
Rory
woosterweester@aol.com
Thanks for ordering tracker with my code! :) I appreciate it. I love it. I have not used it for something as intensive as KONOS - YET!!! I am planning to enter my history (which is like a large Konos unit in a way) soon. I'm learning as I go like you are. As for the overlapping subjects, I totally understand what you mean. With most of my history unit study now that we are doing older grades, we are doing just reading - but sometimes I am forced to make a call with books (such as a recent Chemistry history book about the life and times of different fathers in the Chemistry branch of science) as to what subject to list. I chose Science - even though it was a historical book. We don't get as much Science, I feel, so I went ahead and added it there. I guess some of it is going to have to come down to a judgement call. In the end, it won't matter really - especially with early elementary. The years are fleeting and no college will ever ask for an elementary transcript. :) Don't stress over it too much. ;) Just do whatever makes sense to you so that it makes life easy on the TEACHER. ;)
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