Blog Challenge: Describe Your Computer Setup – Then and Now

This week’s blog challenge is to blog about your computer setup as it was “then” in the early days of your computer life, and how it is now, in your modern technology life. What computer tools are you dependent upon for your blog that surround you on your desk? Do you podcast? What do you […]

Blogging on the Edge: Blogging NOT From My Computer

Recently, some trauma in the drama in my life had me staying with family for a few days, separated from my best friend: my laptop. They had two computers connected with DSL to the net, and I had time to get some work done while waiting for the dust to settle, so I figured this […]

One Year Anniversary Review: Internet, Web, and Computer Tips and Tricks

WordPress, WordPress.com, and blogging aren’t the only subjects I’ve covered over the past year. Yet, the other topics were all related. Under the category of Web Wise, I included information and resources to help your blogging, but more specifically, with information you should know about being online, browsers, and computers in general. I’ve written a […]

Firefox 2.0 Alpha Coming to a Computer Near You Soon

The news is out. According to PC Pro, Firefox 2.0 Alpha is due next month. The move from version 1.5 to 2.0 for WordPress was not as big a jump as most consumers thought it would be, even though some of the improvements were tremendous, they were underneath the hood more than on the surface. […]

Computers and Discount Travel and Christmas Shopping, These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I’m barely home from a mad dash cross country trip driving across the United States from Seattle back to Alabama in a small motor home, and I have to turn around and fly back to Seattle next week, so I’m busy rushing about doing last minute holiday shopping and cleaning up. In the middle of […]

Family Holiday Time – Would You Fix My Computer?

It never fails to happen. I show up to any family event, holidays or not, and I’m asked to take a look at the computer. A recent trip to Seattle resulted in just that kind of request from my mother. She is famous for being a clean freak, panicking at the thought of not enough […]

Computer Models – How New Words Become Part of the Language

In an interesting post, New Scientist’s Mark Buchanan reports on “How New Words Become Part of the Language”. Since words are an important part of blogging, understanding where words come from, how they developed, and how they are used, and to use them appropriately, is critical to a successful blog. When unwanted email first came […]

Kim Komando – Computer and Geek Starlet

I adore Kim Komando. I’m sure there are tons of guys out there who lust after her, but I adore what she’s done to the computer world. Haven’t heard of Kim Komando? Have you been living under a rock? She’s blonde, thin, pretty, and geeky. For women, she should be our idol. She is showing […]

Fast Computer Crash Recovery with WordPress

As if we haven’t had enough trouble running from all the hurricanes smashing into the US Gulf Coast where we are temporarily living, I’ve been battling a summer of computer crashes. In one month, I had five computer crashes between two computers. My laptop finally returned from the manufacturer, delayed by Hurricane Katrina. They put […]

Blog Exercises: Emergency Drafts

I write my blog posts as far in advance as possible, using the future posts/scheduling feature of WordPress to set my posts to release over time, automating the process of self-publishing on my site and giving me time to live my life rather than be tied to my site. I rely heavily on my Editorial […]

Blog Exercises: Backups and Alternatives

I didn’t expect to return home after a meeting this morning to find I have no telephone or Internet access on this bright sunshine, calm weather May day. I’ve got classes to prep for, sites to review for students and clients, article deadlines, these blog exercises to publish and keep to my year long commitment, […]

The Brute-Force Password Attack on WordPress Sites

My mother emailed me and asked if WordPress was under attack. With all the news of last week’s attack of the Boston Marathon, the attacks on WordPress and other PHP-based web publishing sites was low on the priority list for myself and others, but this is something to take seriously. As we get back to […]

Blog Exercises: Increase Your Thank You Ratio

As a teacher, trainer, social media expert, and advice giver on many blogs, I don’t want to hear your excuses in response to my advice. “Well, if I only had the money…” Really? Since WordPress, the tools I recommend, and the advice I offer is free. What does money have to do with anything I […]

Fight Against Trackback Death

I’ve heard the many threats of trackbacks and pingbacks dying over the years, going the way of the virtual dinosaur, but I’m terrified to hear from Andraz Tori that Typepad is killing pingback functionality and stating that WordPress might be considering it, removing the joy of getting a notification that someone online is talking about […]

Blog Exercises: Make an Elephant Out of a Fly

G.I. Gurdjieff said, “We have made an elephant out of a fly.” A friend of mine and fellow college professor, Mark Smith, is a dedicated follower of George Gurdjieff, a Russian spiritual leader. He’s been sharing some of his teachings with me. This one caught my attention and immediately had to be added to these […]