As many of you know, as well as finding my brain recently I have been working a little on developing my blog. I see it as a way of allowing me to develop my writing while having an income that will enable me to help support both my family and my current health issues. You’ll have noticed ads appearing and a paid review a while back, and there will be more changes as we are working on a new design that will make my blog more search engine friendly as well as I hope reader friendly.
In all of this I want to make one thing clear. I’m not planning on going all commercialized. The main reasons I write this blog remain the same. To work on my writing, capture and frame memories, have a place to splurge, explore and amuse, and to build relationships and friendships. But what I’m hoping to give you is a site that is easier to navigate and easier for me to try a few new ideas with.
I also hope to build my traffic, and there is a post at Upstart Blogger that has gotten me very interested.
Now as many of you know, Upstart Blogger’s owner and writer is also a good friend of ours and has had a big input into my blog, including designing it, as well as teaching me a lot. I trust him implicitly. He knows what he’s doing and he’s never let me or Mr B down. But still it’s a lot of money. Mr B and I had a short chat last night about it being an investment in our future and now being the time to make a mark in the blogging world etc, and I think our mind is made up, but I would love to know what you lot think, or if any of you are thinking of going for it too.
I love the idea of ‘The Inner Circle.’
I love the idea of taking a bit of a risk and being part of something new and exciting.
It’s a bit scary, but I think we’re going to go for it.
And talking of scary…
I’m sitting at my laptop and the smallest Beaufoix is sat at my feet playing with her Polly Pocket cars. I click ’send’ and my mac lets out a pleasing “woosh’ as it launches my short missive into the stratosphere.
Miss M: ”What was dat noise Mummy?”
Me: ”That was Mummy’s laptop sending a message to Daddy babe, It makes a woosh sound like it’s flying doesn’t it.”
She clambers up beside me on the settee and I point to the small paper plane icon on the top left corner of my screen. She presses at it with her finger then looks at me confused.
Me: Do you want to send Daddy a message so you can hear it babe?”
M nods at me still a little unsure, and then watches as I type out her message:
‘Please can you come back later.
Please I love you and I want to see you. Thanks drumming, thanks.
And I love you so much. Bye.’
Cute isn’t it? Hee hee.
We click the plane, then we wait. Her eyes light up ad a smile of anticipation spreads across her face as she watches the circle motion, then it comes;
WOOSH
She grins, nods to herself and returns to her game.
Minutes later a reply arrives and I read it to her.
Daddy: ”AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! My heart’s melted.”
I smile and relay it to Miss M who stops what she is doing and stands up slowly but purposefully then lays both her hands on my arm. Her mouth is a line, her eyes are wide and her small fingers press heavily on my skin as she stares into my face.
Miss M: ”But why did it melt Mummy? I don’t want it to be all melted.”
Snort. How to give your kid nightmares part 110.
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November 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Funny you should mention that Jo, I have ideas too. Just no time to action them… But I would love to be part of that Inner Circle you mentioned. (Does it involve chocolate? Please say yes…)
November 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
All fathers’ hearts melt easily, Jo. Trust me, I know!!
November 25th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Hmm..
– This could be penalized by google for buying pagerank.
– The blogs just have a small avatar, so you don’t know what the site really is about until you click on it..
– The blogs will all have different topics, which makes it pretty strange.
I would say no.
November 25th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Oh those scary but exictingly wonderful endeavors – they spark such life in us, don’t they?
Miss M’s reaction made me giggle.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Dear Jo, if it involves having to pay money, I have to say no, because I am very poor.
November 25th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
You know what they say, nothing ventured nothing gained~so go for it while you and the kids are still young…and congratulations on the decision!
Sandi
November 25th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
ps
You made my heart melt too!
November 26th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Jo,
I think the Inner Circle will be worth it. I’m seriously considering it myself, although, it is a bit of an up-front investment. Still, if monetization is done right, it will be earned back multiple times over. Good luck with it, and perhaps I’ll see you in the circle. Be well.
November 26th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot barge pole personally. But if you do decide to go for it, then I hope it all works out.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I read about this on Upstart Blogger. Tapping into the sort of traffic he is talking about sounds good to me. It will probably take me another 24 hours to consider it further and reach a decision but I reckon this is the time for me to finally jump into the blogosphere and start making some of that money I keep hearing so much about!
November 26th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Potty Mummy, it’s kind of an inner circle of bloggers. I really like the idea too. And looking forward to seeing some of your ideas missy. ;D
David, ahhh, you are so lovely,and completely right.
Gunter, thanks for this, you made me look into it further but I think it should be ok.
My lovely Kim they do don’t they? And Miss M’s face was a picture.
Boisterous Butterfly, it does. Get writing more stories. You may make your fortune yet.
Sandi thank you. And hooray, someone thinks I’m young, heh heh. And my heart got all melty typing that message for her daddy.
Ian thank you, you are a gentleman, and I hope to see you there.
Dan thanks. I probably wouldn’t if I didn’t know Ashley so well. He’s a good ‘un. Hope you and the family are well.
Cornelius you made me smile. Go for it.
Hope to see you there.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I’ve been blogcationing for a month or so, but trying to catch up, a blog or two at a time. Miss M’s reaction ot the melting heart reminds me of the time my youngest threw a fit when I told him I was going to blow up his wonderful painting to give to Uncle B for Christmas. “No. Don’t blow it up! You can’t blow it up! It’s mine! I said so!” So of course I DID blow it up…AKA enlarged it…and it’s on Uncle B’s wall in a lovely frame.
So glad I’m not stuck being that literal all the time. Of course now Mr. Cool has a hilarious grown-up sense of humor, complete with irony and sarcasm and double entendre…
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 am
my heart is mushy now as well. so cute.