"Next Blog": Reason #243 for not keeping up with a blog

I know, right? I always thought the "next blog" link was neat. Anytime I visited my own blog, I'd click that button and see what the rest of the world was up to. Sometimes I'd find some amazing blogs - where people obviously know what they're doing; or had spent a lot of time getting help from blogging guides, so it looks like they know what they're doing...whether it was amazing grapics, or content so interesting that an hour or so had gone by and you were still reading - it was fun.

Sometimes, though, I'd get really irritated at that button. I'd end up at a blog where there was no "next" button... and I'd have to hit the back button, and try again. Other times, the blogs were written in a foreign language, and unless it was Spanish - or pig latin - I couldn't even begin to understand what was there - even after looking at the pictures. Often I'd find an amazing photo...so amazing that I just had to leave a comment. "Awesome photo" is what I wanted to say. Typically however, I'd use one of those online translating sites that don't really work well, and instead of paying someone a compliment, I'd end up leaving a remark that said something like, "I've painted your horse with fried eggs while you weep". When I returned the particular blog to see if they had acknowledged my comment, the response left by the blog author was usually the same.... written in the universal computer lingo that we all understand.... an "LOL!" Hmmph. Convinced that I had paid them a compliment, I decided that they really didn't take their photography seriously, OR the feedback they received, I promptly removed their blog from my "favorites" list - never to return.

But now, NOW that the folks at Blogger have made it so that when you click the "next" button, you're taken to a blog with subjects similar to what's on your own blog. And no matter how slight the connection, I've been finding all kinds of interesting blogs. So far, all of them have been written in English. So far, all of them have had lots of things I've been interested in. And so far, I've managed to leave comments that don't involve fried eggs, horses and tears.

Of course the same excuses for not working on my own blog are still valid. I've found all kinds of ideas... from subtle to sublime... a certain background color, some spectacular graphics, clever categories, photo layouts. I've tried several, and although I've always gone back to my bland and boring layout... I have hope that soon I'll find the perfect layout and color combination that I'll be content with - forever. And then I'll be able to add substance to my blog, in the form of interesting, humorous, thought-provoking posts. I wouldn't make any wagers on that happening anytime soon, but - it could happen!

Music: Pieces of...Mike Barden

I "met" Mike Barden on Facebook, I think. Or was it ReverbNation. I dunno. I guess what's most important is that I found him. After spending time being nosey on his FB profile and exchanging a note or two, I found that not only do we share similar interests in music, but - we grew up just 10 miles from one another. We attended the same university... and all these years later (wait- not that many years), though he's really made the rounds, we live not even an hour apart. He frequently performs in venues here in my area.

I don't like speaking for someone else, when they've already done a good job describing themselves, so I'll share his bio from his myspace page, and a couple of links, and let you do your own exploring. But I will post this album cover. I think its a beautiful cover... and this "new age" cd of his happens to be my favorite of all his cd's. He's got some great cd's.... new age, jazz, Christmas. I strongly urge you to check him out!

"Mike Barden is recognized in Wisconsin as a powerful and versatile pianist, capable of performing jazz, classical, and rock styles with equal fluency. His original piano compositions reflect his diverse musical background, and feature a free-wheeling, improvisatory approach. His most recent solo CD release, "Pieces of Peace", features his distinctive style of contemplative improvisation as well as contemporary influences of jazz, blues, and "downbeat" rhythms. As a performer, he continues to play regularly across Wisconsin, as a solo artist and with his jazz-pop ensemble, Uptown. Over his career he has worked with the Neville Brothers, Joe Piscopo's SNL reunion show featuring Victoria Jackson and Father Guido Sarducci, Joan Rivers, Maynard Ferguson, Greg Koch, Janet Planet, Tom Theabo, Tom Washatka, and Tim Dorsey."

http://www.myspace.com/mikebardenpiano

http://www.cdbaby.com/all/mbarden

Monetize me! heh

Did anyone ELSE think that when you clicked the "customize" button on your blog, and saw the "Monetize" tab - that you could visit that section and turn your blog into an amazing work of art with just a few clicks/choices? I did... at least until I clicked on the tab, and found that it was merely a way to ad those annoying advertising links to your blog. meh

photo of the day 11/16/09

back again... i think

I'm back... once again thinking I have time to maintain a blog... um, make that an interesting, worthwhile blog that draws millions of viewers! Hold on... I dunno how anyone types with music in the background. I start listening to the music, start singing along, and before you know it, I've got my hair brush and my 70's/80's moves, and... well, it's not a pretty picture. But the point IS - is that I cannot concentrate here - if I'm somewhere "out there". (and believe me... some days, I'm really out there). ;-)

I've had time to visit blogs all along... and have kept up with some of my favorites. When they seem to disappear for a month, a couple of weeks - even a day - I feel compelled to email and ask where they've run off to - if everything's all right - if they're one of the obituaries I read in the paper, recently. I'm not sure why I have time for their blogs, and not my own. Maybe I just find them more interesting than I find myself? That's a possibility!

In looking at others' blogs, I've found that I have no problem reading small, black font. With my own blog, I cannot seem to read the font. It's either too small, too black, the wrong font - something. So I change it. And change it again. And again, and again, and again.... until I find a combination that seems to work. And then I come back the next day and change it again. I wish I had images of every layout that I've had for this blog. Hey - I could do a blog just with those!

I've changed things again. The font still looks too small... and I don't know whether I like the background color. I suppose I won't quit changing the background color until I've tried out every html color code that there is... and then I'll start emailing "the experts" - asking if anyone has come up with any new codes.