Musings of a Loquacious Mind

I'm trying Google AdSense

So if you are also a follower of my crochet blog (can't post the link - some of you simply aren't allowed to know what the link is because there is stuff about you!), you may have noticed I've gotten crazy awesome traffic in the past week.

Actually, I just moved the stat counter so it counted people that came to any page of the blog, not just the main or archive page. What this did is tell me I was getting about 70-90 hits a day from CrochetPatternCentral for a pattern I had posted. Wow.

Yesterday two things happened:

1. I had more than 400 hits in one day
2. I found out about Google AdSense

I'm not going to shill for them, I don't know it it's worth my time. BUT, that being said, I'm trying it out. If it works out that it makes some money, then I can get a "real" site, which you know is a big goal for me this year. I'm not looking to quit my job or anything; I want to have a really cool crochet site, but I need my own domain and server space.

So we'll see.

In related news, I'm really thinking doing some freelance web design - on a very small scale. If you are a BlogSpot user or have a small-medium (pages, not traffic) domain website that needs a makeover and you would be willing to be a "test subject", I'm looking for a few people for gratis customization to build a better portfolio. I'll even throw in some ASP coding and web forms if that's your server (heck, maybe even some PHP, to brush up).

Labels: job, resolutions

I'm totally losing weight this time

I found a link that lets you make a personalized model of yourself at different weights. What an extra-inspiration for weight loss! Of course, I'm convinced. I 've been convinced. Convincing my husband to spend more money on fresh greens (let alone actually eating the fresh greens is another matter) is not easy. But too bad for him now!

If you want to make your own model, it's at http://preventionweightloss.mvm.com/

Labels: resolutions

Resolved - Sharing them makes them real

I've been inspired by a friend's blog to list a few of my New Year's resolutions. Those of you who have known me for a while... oh, who am I kidding? Mandy. Mandy knows how I do New Year's resolutions. Oh, and Suzanne. I mean, there are more, but you probably aren't reading this blog. If you are, hey! What's up? Shoot me an email, I'd love to talk with you! :-)

What was I saying? Oh, yeah, my resolutions. Each year I make both Positive resolutions and Negative resolutions. That's not to say I make resolutions that are bad, it means that each year I make resolutions of things to DO and things to GIVE UP. I don't try to give things up forever, just for one year. If I can do it for one year, I can start it back up with whatever frequency I want. It's kind of like a 365-day Lent (which, growing up Baptist, was not something I had a great grasp on for many years, but that's another post altogether).

One year I gave up singing Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby for a year. This was 5 years ago. At midnight I belted out. The cd was so ready. One year I gave up cheese fries and bloomin' onion style appetizers for a year. That was really good for me. I get them sometimes now, but not crazy like I did at one point. There have been other things, both that I've been able to drop, and that I've had more problems and not been able to. Generally, I write two list of resolutions. The Positive resolutions I keep, and the Negative resolutions I burn, as a form of giving them up and turning them over.

So here are some of my resolutions for this year (yes, there are actually more. Amazingly, I'm not sharing EVERY thought I have with the world):
Crocheting: I will write at least 6 more patterns, if just for personal edification. I will earn enough truly disposable income to start back my own website (not just a blog) for my *dream site*. I will give up gnawing off my yarn when I finish off (how hard is it really to get some scissors?).
Personal Health: I will make and go to BOTH of my semi-annual dental cleanings/checkups. I will make and go to my yearly checkups with both regular doctors. I will convince Keith to let me/us join a gym, to the best of my ability. I will use cleanser, toner, and moisturizer minimally every evening. I will give up ice cream around the house (I don't really like it that much; why waste calories on it?).
Work: I will diversify my work portfolio (ie, try to pick up a few freelance clients, just as "insurance").
Other: I will find a Bible study group that is welcoming and that will sharpen me. I will make the effort to start a family Bible study curriculum with Kaitlyn, not just random Bible stories (I was worried this would tread on Keith's responsibilities to lead our family, but as the wife our family's Christian education falls squarely in my court!). I will make a concerted effort to beat down anxieties and reconnect with my friends. I miss you guys.

Well, I'm not telling all. There's lots of reasons :-)

Anyway, I write this partially for a bit of accountability. I'm not trying to put monkeys on your backs, buddies, but a wee bit of butt-kicking and encouragement would be appreciated! :-)

Labels: resolutions