Blog Exercises: Define Freedom

In an NPR Radio news story, people submitted their definitions of freedom as related to the recent overthrow or change of government or whatever you wish to call it in Egypt. Two of the definitions caught my attention. Freedom is when you can do whatever you want. Freedom is when you cannot do whatever you […]

The Future of Blogging – With a Glimpse Backwards

In “What’s next for blogging: I try to predict the future” by Yesterday’s news, the author, a Creative and Professional Writing Major at Bemidji State University in Minnestoa, used fantastic visuals to take us on a journey through the development of blogging and the blogging industry for a class on blogs and wikis. She makes […]

Blog Challenge: Worst Business Decision

As we continue exploring our mistakes, with last week’s blog challenge about the worst mistake we’ve made in a relationship, this week I’m going to challenge your work history and experience. Blog about the worst business decision and mistake you’ve ever made. We’ve all made dumb business decisions. Taken jobs we hated, told off a […]

Blog Challenge: Worst Relationship Mistake

We all make mistakes in everything we do. That’s part of learning. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to challenge you to blog about some of the mistakes you’ve made, and the lessons you learned and how these mistakes changed your life. As usual, these blog challenges are very specific, encouraging you to dig […]

Blog Challenge: Where Do You Consistently Find Inspiration?

In response to a post on Pennwriters Area 6 HQ on Inspiration and Dedication: Creative Resources, I wrote: …And yet, I find incredible inspiration in the little things, the things that inspired writers for thousands of years. A moment shared. A conversation overheard. A glance down a new street. A journey. A unroutine routine event. […]

Blog Challenge: Describe Your Software – Then and Now

Last week’s blog challenge was Describe Your Computer Setup – Then and Now. This week, I am challenging you to blog about your blog software, then and now. I’ve used just about all types of computer technology, from the early days of data storage on gigantic floppy disks to magnetic cards to “640K is enough […]

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 […]

Blog Challenge: Unusual Blog Subjects

This week’s blog challenge is: What’s the most unusual subject for a blog you’ve found? There are a lot of bloggers out there, but who have you found blogging about the most unusual subjects? Please do not list yourself. Let’s celebrate the diversity of others in blogging. So much of the time we spend studying […]

Stripped Down Naked to Honor Web Designers and Developers

In honor of April 9, 2008, as CSS Naked Day, my blog is going naked. I discussed this a few days ago with details on how to strip naked your blog if you would like to join in the celebrations. By going naked, my blog stands with thousands of others who recognize and honor the […]

Blog Challenge: Whatcha Reading?

I recently finished rereading all the books, one after another, by two of my favorite authors, Alan Dean Foster and Terry Pratchett. I read the whole Discworld series in order, then the Humanx Commonwealth by Foster in “chronological” order. It was wonderful to submerse myself in other worlds for extended periods of time, putting off […]

Blog Challenge: Testing Your Blog’s Accessibility

I’ve talked a lot over the years about how important it is to design your website or blog to be accessible. There is a growing number of bloggers and blog readers who are reading your blog right now with a screen reader which reads your blog to them, or some other magnification or screen customization […]

Blog Challenge: Blog About Being Small

Last week, I challenged you to blog about being “big” or a success, giving you the challenge to blog about a moment when you felt “big” or write about what it would look like if you were “big” or a success. This week, I want you to think “small” – when you weren’t a success. […]

Blog Challenge: Write a Travel Post

I travel pretty much full-time, living on the road, sleeping in motor homes, trailers, tents, hotels, and other odd places. I started traveling extensively when I was a teenager, turning it into a full-time life in 1996. I have lots of travel stories I share on Taking Your Camera on the Road, and this week, […]

Blog Challenge: Intelligent Online Toys and Play Things

I recently found the The Perception Laboratory’s Face Transformer, a site that allow you to “mess up your face”, or at least a photograph. There are lot of fun things to do on the web besides just playing traditional games and shoot ‘em up games. This week’s blog challenge is: Blog a listing of your […]

Blog Challenge: World Records Bloggers Could Break

In 2005, I wrote Guinness World Book of Records and Other Blog Score Cards, challenging bloggers to come up with their own set of “World Records” that bloggers could break. The record books are still open, so this week’s blog challenge is: Create a List of World Records Bloggers Could Break Write a blog post […]