dreamriver

EU Bailout--NO!

2011-12-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

An Eerie Prediction, Cartoon Style.

2011-11-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

Pay attention pilgrim, here is a dire prediction from more than sixty years ago. We are on the cusp of what this cartoon is warning about. There are still snake oil salesmen in the land.

Turkey Safety and Hot Oil Treatments.

2011-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Coming To A Theater Near You.

2011-11-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

I Am Beginning To Develop Some Interest In This.

2011-11-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

2011-11-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

Can One Pour A Dream, Will It Flow Like A River?

2011-11-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

This is certainly some form of artistic calculus. Motion, movement and delicious color. Considering there is also a pleasing swirl of music means only aroma has been left out. What joy it is to be human.

I-pad or catch the Kindle Fire?

2011-11-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

Cost is always a factor with Apple products. A recent treatise on the two devices address the issue. I use Amazon so much that I am really considering buying the K-Fire. At the price they are selling for, how can I go wrong? I carry a kindle every where I go now.
Fire or I--That Is The Question.

So What Is Wrong With The New Catwoman's costume?

2011-08-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

I Resent That Remark!

2011-08-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

Good dreamriver muse, muse, music . .

2011-08-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Gothic Choker

2011-08-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

Guinness Irish Dance

2011-08-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Most EPIC beer commercial EVER

2011-08-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

Comic owns heckler, wins back crowd

2011-08-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

Glock 17 Explosive Ammo!

2011-08-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Basics of Musical Pitch

2011-08-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

The Basics of Musical Pitch

Becoming Minimalist

2011-08-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Becoming Minimalist

Sounds like a marine's motto: "simplify." This is a good thesis for writing simply, explained by personal experience. I want to save it.

Alley Oop - The Hollywood Argyles

2011-08-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

100-Year-Olds Just as Unhealthy as the Rest of Us.

2011-08-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

100-Year-Olds Just as Unhealthy as the Rest of Us - Yahoo! News

International Medical Miracles

2011-08-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'll Be On My Way

2011-08-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sen. Rubio: "Save the Whole House" . . .

2011-07-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

Marco Rubio On Tea Party Extremists.

2011-07-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Super Wrestling Move, Watch!

2011-07-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Astounding World of the Future

2011-07-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Frankie Laine and the Four Lads

2011-07-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

Art of Manliness

2011-07-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Art of Manliness

These certainly are "man bags." However, you may want to be careful about how you say that, mister.

Zombies? Where?

2011-07-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

RE: baggage!

2011-07-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

I'm against it!

2011-07-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Rebuild a Jeep under 4 minutes

2011-07-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Invest and trade with Social Media

2011-07-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

I Was Leaving--And In My Head, Tracy Was Summing It All Up . . .

2011-07-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

Soundtrack For A GM Retiree--Used Up!

2011-07-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

WWWWWW

GM And Some Good Old Boys.

2011-06-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have been absent for quite a while. Simply because I did not understand what blogging is. And I still don't, but I have realized it to be less complicated than I formerly thought.

I am happy to share my interests, ideas and experiences--even my memories. At this point of my life though, I enjoy things simpler, slowed down, and more in the form of a good story. Today I had a good opportunity to swap stories. An old friend, Steve, dropped by and we had a couple of beers and talked about our former lives as "factory rats." He was a pipe-fitter and I was a millwright. Things seemed so serious then, we were often sweating out the next contract and its provisions, usually predicting some sort of cut back or reduction in wages and benefits.

We lived at the mercy of the next contract expiration, there was always the hint it would be the last. The drama of conjecture increased as we approached the end of a contract and the all important negotiations and subsequent vote. The tension and anxiety were palpable. However, there were many other things going on, things that make "One Life To Live" look like a knitting circle. So that is what we talk about, laugh about, and find hard to believe that actually happened.

After years of complaining, I miss it. Time has smoothed the rough edges and muffled the loud voices and given me time to find almost everything that happened reasonable. The building has vanished, razed to the ground, thanks to some aspect of the government's participation in General Motor's bankruptcy. I think it was based on some environmental clean up clause.
MY BUDDY, STEVE:

So now I've done it, reminiscing about reminiscing. Our current Florida retirement life has been a good one. My main focus now is living healthy and watching the stock market. There are some hobbies I am interested in. I thought we would settle into a retirement community, but, it was cheaper to buy a new house. So I have to mow my own lawn. Surely the economy is going to recover, but I see little evidence of it here. Interestingly, I have been solicited for skilled trades work and skilled trades management via the internet.

So pilgrims (in my best John Wayne impersonation), keep your powder dry. And remember--wherever you go, there you are.

New SpringWidget

2009-07-28T16:26:00.001-07:00

Get this widget!

Dishwasher D-I-Y Repair Dreams

2009-06-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

Our dishwasher wasn't that old, and it didn't just crash. It sputtered a bit, worked some more, but finally landed gently and then would not respond at all. We relented and bought a dish rack, the plastic hour glass shaped bottle of dish detergent, fluffy and absorbent dish towels too. Times are tough, we could adjust.

After two months we reconsidered and called the highly recommended appliance repair shop some family members relied upon. He showed up the next day. Seeming competent enough, he said the control panel had to be replaced and the total cost would be two hundred dollars. Following our agreement he made a convincing display of ordering the part and securing a repair date. Three days, tops, he said.

Well beyond three days a call back resulted in an anxious dispatcher admitting the appointment was not secured and the technician had not ordered the part. It was a fond farewell that we bid the dispatcher, with specific instructions not to send anyone to follow up.

The dishwasher model number on the door and "control panel" with the appropriate comma secured a dossier from Google search. I had the suspect and all his characteristics carefully listed with photos and diagrams. And in just a very few minutes.

Google produced several sources of information. Of them, Sears provided the most complete and easily readable folder. With the best price, $56.99. The price of a service call is $55, forfeited by the negligent technician for standing us up.

Sears Parts Direct whet my appetite and got me thinking. Having such an extensive parts database with assembly drawings, part numbers, and photos could be a real asset to an appliance repair small business plan. Sears also has a commercial parts website, even more interesting. In addition to an affiliate sales program. All very interesting.

Count me in, the process that is. I am now waiting while Sears examines my worthiness. I do have some experience regarding customer service, at least in terms of what not to do. I will not work for Sears. But I will get parts from Sears Parts Direct. Digging further I found another niche regarding lawn equipment and small engine repair. Yes, I have the experience. I am thinking there will be less of that "toss it and get a new one" going on, you think? The key here is the data, of course the parts, the online repair information--the same day shipping. My guess is, at most repair shops the shelves are empty and a computer is back there!

PotPieGirl And The Archive Of Squidoo Lenses

2009-03-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

As in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark," There is buried treasure to be had--this one too, is not quite what you might think it is. And its value depends on the eye of the beholder. Is it the ornate, jeweled cup? or the plain and worn, wood cup of a working person?

The Squiddo Lens archive of the PotPieGirl tells a unique story. And if the die-hard explorer diggs deep and is thorough, he or she will find a brave heroine and a story both compelling and inspiring. But first one must locate the archive and exhume the entire historical treasure, examining the earliest artifact to the latest one. The treasure lies in their entirety.

There are labyrinths in the archive so don't get side-tracked, stick to the chronological order of things and deep secrets will be revealed to you. I preserved copies of each in RTF, carefully wrapping them so I could activate each of the tasty links later. There will be a sequel.

You will have to start at Squidoo. It is like the old busy streets of Cairo. You must ask around for information on the PotPieGirl. Once you find her temple you can dig about for her archive. Although a bit dusty, I am sure you can find it. Divided into months, it starts at August, 2007. Do not be deterred and do not dally about, I am also sure its value is soon to be realized, whereupon the now free tome will be whisked away to a university, or some such institution. Once you are in, be sure to examine it from front to back, make your rubbings and get out. Watch out for snakes, but for goodness sakes, get started!
travel via my squidoo

Pandora's Hot, Cool, Even Smooth Music

2009-03-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

This morning started out with Hoagy Carmichael playing "Stardust Melody." Our black cat sat in the window next to my desk, lapping up the water I set before him on the window sill. We are both enjoying the open window out to the back porch that frames a cool, damp, rain washed woods.

Last night I bumped into Pandora, an internet radio project. I was captured at first look, she proved fun and soothing. She will just play, or be delightfully interactive. Pandora displays the album covers of each individual musical selection with thumbs up, thumbs down icons at the bottom right and left corners of the albums, I could figure that out. Of course she is continually adjusting to those inputs, crafting a unique playlist that I will enjoy.

She was initiated with one request: Hoagy Carmichael. Pandora created a radio station, not of one artist, but of a music genre. As the station plays, the album covers roll by from right to left, I can pass judgement (or not). Sometimes, as the music relates to what I am thinking, or writing, I can jot down the song's particulars; having very specific information right at hand.

When I realized the artist selection established the type of music and even the time period, I opted for Santana. Resulting in a big change from Hoagy Carmichael. I was then awash in a flow of Santana selections and music and artists contemporary to them. I had my second radio station completed and saved. Pandora is like having a personal assistant for my music.

Following Santana I experimented with Freddy Fender, The Beatles, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys--and for the smoothness of it; Dave Koz. That was last night and reluctantly I had to shut down the broadcast center Pandora, and get some sleep.

This morning I went back to Pandora's box. And I noticed I have a long list of "radio stations," and now there is a vertical slide arrow to the right of them. I want to find out what it is for. But Frank Sinatra is crooning "Indian Summer" and I cannot bear to interrupt him. Then followed by "It might as well be spring" and John Pizzarelli picks up right where Frank left off. I will just have to find out later.
VISIT PANDORA

The Blog And Lens World Of Charlie

2009-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Dreamriver is the quiet, off-world sort of place that seems uninhabited. I realize it is a large place but I usually don't get much notice there. It was easy to set up and became a nice looking location, easy to navigate each time I return. Everywhere I travel to I see the blogger logo, so it must be a major player on the internet.

I just discovered Squidoo and therefore I have been drawn into its briny deep. This place has good resources and learning tools. If you translate its "lens" to "blog" you will see how helpful those resources can be to just about everyone. Be warned, it is as addictive as a new video game. Or, lets say, hot buttered popcorn.

BlogEvolve is the friendliest of all my places. Like a friendly pub, I can stop in there almost anytime and find someone to talk to. Warm and quiet, I have yet to suffer a brawl of any sort. One can bring up almost any subject and get friendly support and advice about it. It is a good thing there is no closing time, we have international patrons visit BlogEvolve.

Squidoo has the most educational facilities of all the places. And if you visit there you must look for PotPieGirl Besides being a delightful character she is an incredible teacher. Do not pass up this chance to meet her, she will inspire you. especially if you are looking for a work at home plan, she surely has that--a workable plan. And allow me to emphasize the word free. PotPieGirl is the queen of free stuff. There is eventually some costs but she is adamant about keeping stuff free for her "kids" (also known as newbies). As they grow to maturity she then teaches them about reasonable business expenses.

StumbleUpon is a roller-coaster ride of images and text through the internet. You hit the stumbleUpon button and rocket to the next site, give it a thumbs up or down and jet on to see more. Your likes are saved to return to, and your dislikes are marked to prevent a return trip. It is a delightful trip of information and images. Although, rarely, you can get shockingly rude sites, even though the safe setting is on. These you can report in order to clean up the town.

I hope you enjoy this selection, newly created and for your viewing pleasure. There is no government money involved in this endeavor whatsoever. Cheers!

Do You Really Want To Become A Blogger?

2009-02-26T18:23:00.000-08:00

Writers were what bloggers are. An archaic scene, maybe, but writers were often depicted as wearing smoking jackets with an ascot. Holding a martini in one hand with a cigarette in the other, sitting in front of a typewriter and maybe there was even a piano in the room. Wait a minute, that would be a songwriter.

A stylish man, even a genteel graying gentleman who wasn't really doing anything at all would sometimes say, "I am a writer, and I am working on a Civil War epic." And, of course, any bookstores near-by would have shelves full of how-to books on writing.

But do you really want to become a blogger, and what is a blogger? If you want a good definition go to http://www.becomeablogger.com/ There you will find a basic course on what blogging is and what the successful blogger does, and it isn't all just about business. The program is so basic you may not want your peers to know you used it, maybe you don't want your friends to know you took special ed. But I took it and it is free! The whole thing is introductory to a for-pay program, but I hardly knew any of it so I figure myself ahead, at no cost to me. Plus there is a blueprint of what all the smart people already know, in PDF, handed out at the end, again, gratis. Don't let "blueprint" concern you, it is as simple as the mall diagram that helps you find Sears.

I want to know when I finally achieve blogdom. When I am fully functional and can truly consider myself a blogger. Maybe I will get an ascot and a smoking jacket. So I need to know what a blogger is, what one does, and has to continue to do to stay in the "trade." I know a blogger has to write and there is more to it than that because you can outsource the writing and be like crazy J. Jonah Jameson in "Spiderman."

BecomeAblogger. Note that it is a video format with a written synopsis at the end. It operates much like the kid's board game, "Candyland." You are pressed to stay on course with each move and can really go only forward or backward. The guide stops regularly and recaps. You are a winner if you finish the whole game and the game is played without money (did I say free?).

A blogger needs to write. And it is important that the content is as original as possible. BAB teaches from the experience of a successful blogger. Using examples of a successful blog. BAB is a component of a larger enterprise, but by itself will get you started into being a successful blogger. Even if your purpose is not revenue, to be widely read should be. You will find help with that too.

During the 1950s any young man worth his duck-tail hair cut understood basic electricity. Especially if he had his own car. The high school shop class would teach it on a lamp board made out of plywood with at least three low voltage lamp sockets, wire, and a battery. Success in understanding the principles was evident, the wiring was on top of the board where you could see it and thus understand its route.

If you are going to operate a successful blog you are going to need to go through a basic class in blogging. In shop we learned positive, negative, series wiring, and parallel circuit wiring. The proof was in lighting the lamps. BAB shows you how to light the lamps. BAB didn't invent basic electricity (blogging), that is something that required discovery. But in a documented procedure, like we learned in shop class with the wiring exposed, BAB can show you how to harness and use blog power.

So when are you really blogging? I just started and visualize three lamps. Reading other people's stuff, writing my own stuff, and commenting on other people's stuff and having peer relationships. That is about all I can handle for now and I understand that all three lamps should be lit at once. Now, if these lamps are in series and one goes out, they all do. But with a little more wire and some basic instruction I can create a parallel circuit. Even if one bulb fails the others continue to burn. While I change the failed bulb the rest stay lit. There is the benefit of BAB's blueprint. It is basic circuitry and if I stick to it I can troubleshoot the entire system of lights. Become a blogger that can light your own lamps.

I am blogging if you are reading this. But what are you doing if you are reading this and not writing? It is as simple as "Candyland." BAB explains the rules on the inside back of the box, you must check it out if you want to play well. And I want to see you in the blogosphere.

StumbleUpon And Its Passing Parade

2009-02-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

I am trying to get my blog-muse to arrive. StumbleUpon seemed a reasonable catalyst for the task. But surprise, it did something else. The visual nature of the website (photographs, videos, artwork), provided a catharsis. So maybe it is a cleanse that is needed before a muse shows up. An intriguing contributor to the effect is to have music playing in the background. I used Blue FM on internet radio.

StumbleUpon is an act of evolution as one uses the downloadable tool bar's "stumble!" button. Thumbs up, or thumbs down? While the internet slides by like a huge Starwars cruiser, it is morphed into the user's preferences. It is doubtful the user can ever finish this task.

A tag cloud begins to form on the user's front page as the user prefers some and dumps others. I put art and photography in among my many preferences and I have seen images that trigger emotions before I fully realize what I am looking at. Landscapes, fantasy images, art work, people. Even though the adult content feature is on, the safe filter; some rather striking women passed by. Hit the thumbs up on them and there are more to come. Be careful. A positive tag puts the image in your "favorites" gallery.

I used the search feature to look for blogs and then the "stumble!" button to keep them coming in procession. Just to see a cross-section of blogs. Some of them really stink. The foul language gets past the filter. Sometimes the whole front page is an invective. Hitting the thumbs down icon dumps it down the reject chute. I have yet to see one show up again.

The creativity of the web is astounding. And for the most part comes in short burps. Yes, the best ones seem to be loud and just a little rude. Followed by an "excuse me" and a giggle. But, of course, that could just be the way I see things. I just watched a chicken snatch food away from a kangaroo. Now I don't care what you say, that is funny. It happened without any ads or comments. But the kangaroo looks ready to say something.

I am looking for the stimulus that begets original content. And original content is celebrated by those in the know as good content, even SEO content. I like charlieii.stumbleupon.com
for its ability to give me that stream-of-consciousness view of the blogosphere.

Yaro Starak, Blogger M.D.

2009-02-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

If you are suffering from the schizophrenia of having started a blog, talking to your writer-self and then your marketing-self; and the voices are telling you to do odd and conflicting things. It may be time to visit Yaro, Yaro Starak that is. His office is at www.becomeablogger.com He has a very soothing demeanor and can probably phase you back into one person again.

Of course with a bit of his coaching you will again be able to do two or more things simultaneously and still be of one mind, and you will know why. It helps to know why you must write and why you must market, without either taking over your personality and business. Mr. Starak provides a great many of his treatments at no charge. And he will explain why he does so. It will be part of his marketing treatments. You really must have them if you want to stay in your right mind, and make some money.

I am in a recovering blogger program. I am not sure how many steps are in the program. I just started the treatments in Mr. Starak's office. I am speaking of this as part of my therapy and as a public service. After the several videos of my first treatment I noticed I could drive home without talking to myself.

Previous to the treatment I was completely confused and disoriented. I did not know who I was writing to, why I was writing; and what money had to do with any of it. I also wondered, why should I spend my time commenting on other people's posts? All of that is much clearer to me now. Mr. Starak had an eye chart and a pointer and as he went down the chart, those items; as he explained them, were easier to see.

I am not affiliated in any way with Mr. Starak or his office, which by the way, is a walk-in clinic. I am just a grateful patient having received one treatment, a free one at that. Even my phobia about AdSense is beginning to abate somewhat. Well, maybe not.

Dear AdSense, Am I In Or Out?

2009-02-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

Is there a litmus test for my AdSense being established/operating/engaged? It would help immensely to know if our relationship has been consummated. Sounds crass to assume that seeing a few coins in my pay-pal account is the only way to rightly know one is a properly spoken for blogger, seeking ad revenue. Even a wink would be nice.

After many passes at AdSense in order to be verified, and unsuccessfully so, a blogger could just wonder what rational act establishes one's blog with AdSense. Is the publisher identification number enough? Or is it still a series of one night stands the blogger is on, yet thinking he is in the family? I have a friend that awoke one morning with a name carved in his back and the ad revenue queen long gone. I doubt he will ever get over that affair.

Hold on, I may have found someone to help. Pretend that I am right now handing you a business card for the guy that helps bloggers of all stripes:

http://isaacyassar.blogspot.com/ Drop by his "office" and check out the waiting room. He has a good collection of "magazines" for beginners. Probably just the one answering your question. He can go deep pretty quickly, at least so for me. So check out his waiting room tutorials first. You may stay busy there for awhile. I visited once and he responded on my own website. Probably because I subscribed to his newsletter. In any case he saw a minor flaw in my site I was not aware of and mentioned it. Suggesting a tutorial in his waiting room. I used it without even talking to him and it improved my site ten times.

Isaac is an advocate that the beginner can talk to. And he advises making the best of your site to gain ad revenue. No one should work for free or expose their fellow correspondents for free either. AdSense charges per click. How often have you shared ideas with someone on the internet with an ad whirring overhead, or below, or left and right of your text? Even if you find a quiet place for a conversation, the avenue on your way there was a barrage of offers and ads, shouldn't they be yours? at least some of them?

http://www.problogger.net looked like a good port during a storm. Just as I was becoming jaded with the whole business, or lack of it, re: blogging; I ran across these two disparate sources. While there may be a connection between them I found them while stumbling about in different neighborhoods. Of importance to me is that there is usable information at both locations. Don't give up on the hope of ad revenue, look these sites up and survey them. You can subscribe to Isaac's site and I'm sure ProBlogger as well. See you in the Blogosphere.

The Smoking Lamp Is Now Lit

2009-02-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

The sounds of the engines began to sound like conversation, muffled, yet meaningful. The distance from home hit him. The distance so large it could be easy to get lost in, even for the Navy's latest fighter aircraft. He felt acutely that he was, worlds away from his beginning.

The forced draft blowers whined in unison, just below him, as the flight operations began. He could feel their vibration on the cold bulkhead his sleeping rack was bolted to. All that iron, on the water, being furiously pushed away from all that he loved and was familiar with. He felt it in the pit of his stomach.

There would not be a real morning. A recording of reveille would sound as the lighting snapped on, with that odd squeaking sound of bare feet on immaculate linoleum installed on a steel deck. Conversation wouldn't start right away. The sailor's etiquette of unloading men stacked in shelves three high would work itself out first. But the quiet wouldn't last for long.

This day there would be quarters on the hanger deck for four main machinery room. Usually the "black gang" (engine room personnel) headed down the steep stairs called a ladder that ended up in the unbelievably hot engine room that held two boilers and the number four main engine.

The boiler tenders and machinist's mates weren't much for tradition and not used to forming up for inspection. Ray Searles held a greasy concoction of bacon and bread he swiped from the mess decks as he was on his way to the hanger bay. As he took formation it was behind his back and he was on the next to the last line of men. As the inspection team headed away from him he would eat the sandwich, as it came closer sweeping across the formation toward him, he would stow it again behind his back, assuming the group's "parade rest" instructions.

Behind him a small spot of grease formed. He timed his consumption of the greasy mess perfectly. Finishing it just before the officer stood before him and then moved on to the next man. The sailor behind him watched closely, admiring Searles' rhythm as he syncopated with what would have otherwise been a dull exercise.

The observer was focused, wondering what would happen to the daring sailor and the sandwich that was beginning to smell so good. And all he could think of, thousands of miles from home and next to battle ready fighter aircraft was, why didn't I get a sandwich?

Beautiful Musical Evenings

2009-02-12T18:34:00.000-08:00

A good cigar and a cup of strong black coffee. With some winsome jazz piano tinkling softly in the not so far away background. It is evening and dark on the back porch. And the moon is just beginning to shine through the tops of the tall pine trees. Bright enough to begin making shadows through the tree limbs.

The musical background is supplied graciously by a radio station that has been around since 1964. Jones College radio, like many college radio stations, is non-profit and almost free of any musical interruption. The station calls its music beautiful and is agreeably so. By its own description: "Instrumentals and standards of yesterday and today." The call letters are WKTZ. The dial position is 90.9 and its town is Jacksonville. But it can be heard to Daytona Beach, Florida, and North into Georgia. The station reports regularly of being heard in exotic ports of call, by way of the internet. http://www.live365.com/index.live and a short search will reward you with Jones College music via your computer.

Perhaps you have to be at least fifty years old to really appreciate this radio station. The order of play is ingeniously crafted with selections that can stay in the background of your day yet tenderly tug at your memories. Using that unique facet of music that corresponds with specific times, places, and most magnificently; with people of your heart. Jones College Radio is a wonderful companion. Pouring out a stream of pleasant memories without saying a word. Eddies of places, faces, and special friendships. Flowing by to ease your day and soften your evenings. You will soon find this public servant to be an essential one.

It is an aural history and landscape. And the transitions from one play to the next one sometimes promote a change from one emotion to another. In the familiar way you would consider one time frame in your life and the friends within that frame and then move to another time and other friends. This music source does it carefully and with style, as if being mindful of your precious memories.

I have finished my cigar and the coffee is gone. The evening is beginning to chill just a little bit. Bringing in the aroma of the woods and pine trees. This is turning into a beautiful evening with beautiful music. "Green Sleeves" is playing, a soft accompaniment with which I bid you, good night.

My Hot Date With Simpleology Cooled Quickly

2009-02-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

WOW. It looked so promising last night. And I just might be suffering a simple case of cold feet this morning. But the simple in simpleology turned out to be anything but that.

The simple became complex. And the complex came in a pop-up format with various offers and counter-offers. Some were one time offers that will never, ever, be seen again. Written on pages that self-destruct like the mission impossible devices. You must act now! or then, the offers are lost to all of mankind--or maybe just me.

I was supplied with a free forty-five page syllabus in PDF form and offered a wonderful book for free as well. When I went for the book I found it was at the end of the yellow brick road. I declined the journey. Then, a flurry of pop-ups, like the flying monkeys in The "Wizard Of Oz" came at me with more offers than Billy Mays. I ducked them all and logged back into the simple site to check out my new, "free," simple "cockpit" that came with my free offer. Sadly, I found that all my controls were marked "locked." Probably because I wouldn't "put out." I departed the new plane that promised trips to exotic locales and I am patiently waiting for a bus.

Originally, and without any fanfare, I discovered MintArticles. Or,
http://mintarticles.com/
I can submit articles through them, directly accessed by AdSense; supplying my own website. It is very easy to use and is just starting up. On that site I found good information on how to operate a blog. My interest is in bloggers that don't take advantage of the ad revenue possibilities of their social network, AdSense certainly wants in on it. You must have a publishing I.D. from AdSense, but you can get that for the asking. MintArticles has made the publishing process so much easier with large icons and simple instructions, it is very much point and shoot. My apologies to anyone I caused any difficulty, I certainly did not mean to.

Help from Simple-ology

2009-02-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Here it is friends, a shot at simplifying the blog so we can all have a shot at it. Don't let your talent go to waste. I am doing this off of the top of my head. This group just broke a champagne bottle over their bow and slid into the water. I have no special interests here just rights of discovery. You can see my struggles in this blog, I am hoping for a little blog difficulty antidote.

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

The best blogging techniques.
How to get traffic to your blog.
How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

I have struggled and made some headway. There is clarity in a recent discovery of mine, http://mintarticles.com/
This site seems to publish more straightforward than any I have seen and it still goes to AdSense. Good explanations of how things work too. Knock around in there and tell me what you think. It is as brand new as a shiny penny.

Dairy Queen Dreams

2009-02-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

That cool, brilliant white and sweet continuous stream of deliciousness. Had to be terminated in order for you to eat it. So the Dairy Queen would put a stop to it with a flourish that made a small curled loop at the top. The beautiful frozen dessert iconography that seduced you into licking it first.

You could have it any way you wanted it. But first it was bright white, cold and sweet. Add peanuts and hot fudge; or to be a purist, have it in its virgin state. What glory to have a double in a cone on a hot, summer day. You stood in line with your community. Waiting patiently like a good citizen,with moms and pops, grandmas and grandpas, cool teenagers and the kids. Some of the kids could not see over the counter and the lady at the counter would come around it and serve them. And you had to be wary of the dreaded brain-freeze/ headache. Closing one eye, you were getting a valuable childhood parable about not being greedy.

Music Driven Memories

2009-02-06T21:38:00.000-08:00

If some doo-wop music is played, I don't care if it is Freddy Fender's back up sound tracks. Time turns around and fades back on me. Back to a drive-in and when cars all had that faint smell of hot engine oil.

It was a drive-up greasy spoon with a basic menu, all of it fried. It was important to be seen there at some point on a Saturday night, early or late, or both. Its funny how the courting ritual can become associated with the smell of fried foods.

Fights started there. Peel-outs and grudge matches too. True love kindled and blazed in the cars parked there. And sadly could end the very next Saturday. There was crying, shouting, laughing, and radio sing-alongs all going on at the same time. The cacophony was delicious.

There were cars with just girls in them, and cars with just boys in them. Circling each other, pleading and shouting was going on. Which more often than not resulted in the girls hitting the exit and speeding off down the main road. With the boys not far behind, who harassed them at the very next stop light.

That was Saturday night. Sum and total. For years it was enough to see and be seen. Working a Saturday afternoon away tuning-up and cleaning up the heap to sit in the drive-in and for the most part, watch. Sounds dull, but every minute we thought something was just about to happen. And then, it was time to roll on home.

It would be late, the drive-in owner would be cutting the lights and running off the hangers-on. The dew had fallen and I could smell the wet grass and asphalt. Riding home would be a story of its own. Like an old hound dog with his head out a car side window, I could "taste" my way home as the cold and dew heightened the smell of the countryside. I could taste the farm fields, the feed store and the creek as I click-clacked over its bridge.

Amazing how all that forces its way back on the wings of an old song. I can even see the bugs gathering at night around the drive-in's outdoor lighting strips and bulbs. In a rural community those lights could be seen from a long way off and was one of the few promises of excitement for anybody looking for some. The music pouring out of our car radios also hinted at excitement, but in the end, we just went home.

The Blog And The Complexity

2009-02-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Somewhere, and lately, while I traveled life's road I had a startling moment. I realized that complexity, the details, are what I have really been up against. The more I know about something the less intimidating it is. A large part of individual success is the gaining of understanding and mastering the details. In this case, the blog. I cannot leave it a mystery and expect success with it. Even if revenue is not involved.

But to the unscrupulous that same complexity can be used as a hustle. Remember that Bernard L. Madoff was called a genius and he is merely a crook, a swindler, a confidence man. His claim was to have handily mastered a complexity. Yet even the financially astute failed to survey the evidence of the fundamental shortcomings of the man's program. What they did know they denied.

So it follows that if I want to have my own blog, I will have to face its complexity properly. That complexity can be overcome if I work at understanding as much as I can, not expect a "free lunch," and bring what I do know to the table. I have heard that called due diligence, or, cowboy logic.

I already have some help. A blog community from BlogEvolve mentored me with fundamentals. Saving me time, errors and money. Spend some time making friends. Mine showed up immediately, which I am grateful for. It is the best insurance against mistakes you can have.

There is also another complexity, that baffled me and I am just beginning to realize what it is. Because I am just initiated, let me use the term "entity." Which could be Google or the websites that provide me a clean canvas to paint my blog on. In naiveness I gave each of them personalities, even occasionally considered them antagonistic towards me. However, at best they are indifferent. And rightfully so. For the most part each one is a formula, a software program. Oh happy days! None of them can really be mad at me, or subjectively judge me. So with that, I will work at gaining a grasp on how they operate. Keeping in mind it just may be a man in a white lab coat, with a clipboard, flipping a coin. And I'm not mad, really.

Fair Play And Earning Income Online

2009-02-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

Through many attempts at multi-level marketing I experienced a whole lot of getting ready to make money that did not make money. Exciting? Well, yes. But with experience it dawned on me someone was making gobs of money off me getting ready. I never left the pier. Of course it could be said, that was my fault. Or maybe, I was in the wrong business. I should have been in the getting ready to make money, business. Selling the sizzle from one steak to a room full of hungry people. Is that technique at work on the internet? Of course! But at least here I can play for free.

I am learning every day. About SEO. And keywords and key phrases. I'm taking notes. I found out today that the thing that crawls my web pages is a spider. And it is getting more difficult to game the ad revenue system. My guess, a novice guess, is there is a battle of mathematicians going on. The big boys have made the calculations so elaborate that predictability is almost impossible.

Now, that is a metaphor for life. It isn't simple complaining to say that just as you had things figured out, everything changed. Changing odds and predictability keep the game of life fair. I remember a cartoon, first showing a huge computer, floor to ceiling with blinking lights and numerous screens; furiously working . . . the next panel was behind the device where a man stood with a clipboard and flipping a coin. He was feeding results in from there.

This is not cynicism. I hate cynicism. What I hope to point out is that this may be the fairest game on the planet. Especially if good people will play.

Die To Live Another Day

2009-02-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

Exhaustion. Complexity overload. How big is the internet anyway? Looking for an out-drive boat motor quickly produced results from Australia. Everything from everywhere is available on the world wide web.

An Australian teacher just returning from a mission in China like Marco Polo with pictures and a Kiwi river-man from New Zealand with a piquant summary of the golden age of Islam. Feels as if they are next door and the US is far off.

The television says superbowl ad costs will remain high. That newspapers are all but done for. The internet is where the bulk of advertising is heading, at a dead run! Social networking (read: facebook) is where the eyeballs are going. No limits to creativity and capitalistic chutzpah there. Look at ICHCheezburger on twitter. 20,963 followers for a cat with terrible grammar that is becoming its own language. It is a derivative of "I can has cheez burger!"

The police just can't round up the usual suspects. All are suspects. The coin trickle can become a coin torrent. What you surmise is true, there is gold in them there hills. Even if it is like the running of the bulls at Pamplona and the danger of being fatally trampled is ever present. Because as in a video game, you get your life back after a bit and can play on, play through, make even bigger mistakes and die even more spectacularly. Let's get at it!

Complexity And The Sunrise

2009-01-31T18:18:00.000-08:00

A friend just told me about her parents. While she described a mission completed and the journey home. It felt remarkably familiar even though a world away. I am still savoring the lingering warmth of her descriptions.

She has both her parents. My wife and I live with my father. He lives at the back of our house in a cottage we built together. He had dinner with us tonight like he does every evening. We talked and laughed and later he crossed the eight feet to his place. We can see him when he sits in his living room watching television. He is eighty-one years old.

He gets angry that telephones are so complicated now, and that the television has more than just on and off and receives more than three broadcast channels. Before electronic circuit boards he could repair almost anything, and was known for it. But with today's required testing procedures for electronics he often ends up in a stalemate.

He often laments the unnecessary complexity of every day items, saying "they just don't have to be so complicated!" Yet he can can still name all the tree, shrub, and flower species in our yard and this part of Florida. He knows when to plant our garden and what grow best in our exposure, even to which way to orient the furrows. Could it be that complexity is in the eye of the beholder?

Google and Html verification at AdSense.

2009-01-29T21:45:00.000-08:00

I started five blog sites and although all five are authenticated by AdSense, All have the big red X saying "not verified."

*freewebs* provided a clue. First, I authenticated the blog site. And trying to verify it I got the big red X, "not verified." http://joe-friday.webs.com/ is my newest site. AdSense told me the HTML code is not in the header.

So I avail myself of *freewebs* again and try to to edit in my google code to be high enough in the page to be seen. AdSense seems to be hinting to me they can see me but I am not in the header (the high rent district).

*freewebs* is indeed free. But only on the ground floor. Almost immediately they pushed me towards the elevator and the paying floors. In the edit mode of *freeweb* the frames are shown laid out like real estate lots. In the frame/header where I want to build my verification bungalow the sign says "upgrade to premium!" Edit Pages says I have to get on the elevator and buy my lot (header) on the paying floor.

AdSense advocates blogging for dollars. But does not mention in the fine print (too fine for me to read), you must purchase and own all of your site, all the frames, the header and be able to tattoo their logo anywhere on it. Or knock out your free site and tattoo the logo on its forehead before it comes to. But how do you keep it from wearing a hat? No ad revenue for you! (ad revenue nazi).

The Qassia Crawl

2009-01-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

I want Qassia to *crawl* my site. In order for that to happen I must mutter this incantation,

Have you ever heard of Qassia dollars? Well, the above chant inserted into your blog will deem you worthy to be crawled by Qassia. That results in the accumulation of Qassia dollars. To blog for dollars (anywhere in this universe) one must be seen. Remember, Qassia is an intelligence engine. This must be the smart thing to do.

There are two chants/incantations. One to link you back to your own profile page at Qassia. The other takes you back to the mother ship, Qassia's front page. Because I don't know the difference, I opted for my home in the profile. You too, can be fit to be crawled.

Further, another attempt to verify, google0ae7e0bb1ec100e0.html

Blog Noviciatus I

2009-01-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard this rustic expression? "A calf looking at a new gate." It explains how I felt once I worked my way into the *AdSense Forum*. I am a novitiate trying to understand a new order.

I discovered that I earned thirty-nine cents in November and a whopping eighteen cents in December. There was a wall of equations that explained how and why I earned so much. Quickly I took out my Indiana Jones notebook and furiously scribbled down the important information.

There certainly is no shortage of explanations at the Forum. I suspected that my no-cost blog sponsors did not register or verify very well when it came to tracking my blog title traffic via AdSense. AdSense called it *site authentication*.

At the AdSense site is plenty of help and plenty of reports, even advance reports. Someone is definitely accomplishing something there. Consider this product proposal/query: "How do I add AdSense for search to my pages." Well . . .

1. Log in to your account at https://www.google.com/adsense 
2. Click the *AdSense set-up tab*. 
3. Select *AdSense for search* as the product.
 4. Select your search type--web search and/or site search--and any other desired options. 
5. Design your search box by choosing Google logo placement, background color, and text box size. If you've elected to use site search, you can set it as the default by selecting your site in the example box. 
6. Choose your search results style palette. You can choose from our standard color palettes, or customize your palette to include your own colors and logo.
 7. Copy and paste the AdSense for search code from the *Your AdSense Code* box into your HTML pages.

I was optimistic that I could have my very own Google search on my blogs. I found the tab for *AdSense set-up* and the product, AdSense for search. It said, "New! Create your Search Engine. After you've saved your search engine you can later edit settings from the *Manage Ads* page." A 'wizard' popped up, offering a myriad of options and away we went.

HTML files and Meta-Tags have been a mystery to me. AdSense speaks of them with a familiarity and chumminess that I have not been able to establish. All AdSense requires is that I be seen with them and I am in, *verified*, formally introduced. I don't need them both--either one will do. In fact, I can select which one.

At this point may be where my blogs are recognized as being from a low-rent district. HTML and Meta-Tag (either one), were supposed to do two things for my blogs. Place the Google search engine in each. And recognize in both, the blog and it's titles; for activity analysis ($$).

HTML and Meta-Tag offered code incantations. Either a string of code (Meta-Tag). Or, several paragraphs of code (HTML). But remember, they have to be seen. So I put them in a post, for the world to see. I put them in my profile, again, for the world to see. In all cases, AdSense gives me a *404* --can't see it, won't verify it. And by the way, the search engine shows up as a logo. But when you use it the result is *Page Not Found*.

My two blog establishments are free. And causes me to believe that is the reason why I'm not making the cut. I am not deterred. I like to write. I just want to find out how to be seen with the right people.

Hooked Up With Technorati!

2009-01-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

Verification and a claimed blog with Technorati, I have had a successful evening. And now, for your viewing pleasure I will attempt to install a Technorati button.

Meta Tag Boogie (now HTML)

2009-01-27T16:58:00.000-08:00

I will create a HTML dance floor for each of myblog sites in order to dance and be recognized by AdSense.
I fail to be authenticated in spite of many attempts to display my authentication code

google0ae7e0bb1ec100e0.html.

Qassia

2009-01-27T07:45:00.000-08:00

This universe of blog and AdSense is an interesting one. It is all about recognition and registration. My New Zealand friend "Hutt" the Kiwi river man turned me on to Qassia, which I think of as an internet brain. But Qassia too, asked me to authenticate my site so they could "see" me. I am supposed to chant this, RKNSBYCXEYAG

Like leaving my tooth under my pillow, I am hoping for a shiny coin in its place when I wake up in the morning. This drill is a familiar one, I have practiced it with several other sites I wanted to establish. So far all I have is a handful of teeth. But I have met some great people and been down some interesting avenues.

I have been asking AdSense and Technorati to recognize me so my coin trickle can begin. Interestingly enough and thanks to Hutt pointing me toward Qassia, I found a personal website I could establish through Google, who is AdSense. That is this website. And if I understand this at all, I can be recognized here and channel through those other websites that require a password protected login. I want to thank Elly, the Australian English Teacher, she explained Blogger in a way that I could grasp and I am setting it up with her advice.

I couldn't have done any of this without help and there were those willing to offer it. I am grateful. If you stumble in here and want to play be sure to make friends. If you try they will call out to you with encouragement, be sure to answer. Sassys at Bloggerparty was the first voice I heard in the blogosphere and she encouraged me to keep going.

(Later) . . . This is great about posting here, it is easy to edit. I didn't get a coin, only a tooth was left. I still can't get authenticated, so Qassia offers me a "sticker". This is a much longer chanting sequence but I will try it.

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"Destilando Amor" Therapy

2009-01-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

About two years ago I had knee surgery. I put it off until I couldn't walk. So while having some down time I began to watch a soap opera with my wife. But it was in Spanish. I don't understand Spanish.

So my wife would TiVo the episodes. And there we were together, me with my leg up, and her stopping the recording and explaining to me what was going on. After some time it came to a point she could ask "did you get that?" and if I did the telenovela could play on. But more often than not, I did not get it.

What a great story it was. All about the real Mexico and the Tequila plantations--love, treachery, and of course: loyalty! I haven't had so much fun since the Saturday afternoon matinee. When Rodrigo punched out the bad guy, Aaron, I jumped to my (good) foot! And who in this world could be prettier and more honest than Gaviota? No one can open their eyes as wide as the Gaviota. It was like the old magic of a Saturday afternoon theater and caused me think of all of the telenovela's characters for the rest of the day. They became real.

Especially James. The slightly goofy English guy that started out as Rodrigo's sister's boyfriend. They met in London, Rodrigo was there for his education. As the story goes, Cambridge. James comes to visit the sister in Tequila, Mexico, and decides to stay. So of course, he becomes Rodrigo's sidekick. For the first few episodes he wears a white shirt and a bow tie, and a cap. But his enthusiasm for the land and the Agave is engaging (Agave is the prime ingredient of Tequila).

While I was still recuperating we found that our niece in California was getting married. Also, that the Wedding was in Mexico! I had never been to Mexico. So off we went to California to stay with my wife's cousin and his family.
The wedding was a once in a lifetime experience, and we were surrounded by a wonderful family, a family I met for the very first time. A very large family! And the hospitality, the tender loving care we received, defies description.

The Cantina. Our cousin insisted we visit a famous cantina. I had no idea where we were except for a very large statue of Abraham Lincoln breaking the chains of slavery in the traffic square out front. Please forgive my ignorance, while wonderful, sometimes the experiences seemed surreal, and often I had no idea as to my location. This great family that I knew for only a few days provided unforgettable moments. I doubt I could ever return to any cantina and feel the way I did that wedding celebration night. And when the cantina musicians played the song from "Destilando Amor" a landmark was planted in my memory. By the way, "Destilando Amor" means distilled love. It was requested by our cousin.

Now I am retired and we live in Florida. My wife just had her birthday and my youngest son sent her the DVD set of the telenovela that was such a landmark memory in our lives. Perhaps you didn't know that Mexican soaps end. There are plenty of episodes but they do end and thankfully, our favorite has a happy ending. Best of all, the birthday present set has English sub-titles! So here we go again. But this time I understand explicitly, and love even more every moment of it. I really understand why Rodrigo had to punch Aaron the first time, and that second time too! I am looking forward to tonight's episodes. All we need is another wedding in Mexico. There is another niece to be married . . . stay tuned!