Do you twitter?

I've been online a lot lately, trying to find out what blogs are interesting, who's saying what, reading what, following what. I've been networking a wee bit and trying to make connections with potential readers, but most of all I've been blogging on my blogs.

It's a tad overwhelming trying to figure it all out… and wondering at times why I'm trying to conquer the virtual world… or even get a handle on something that is a constant moving target. Bottom line is I really just want to write, receive the ocassional comment, and know that I've somehow connected with a real person out there. That is enough for me. For now.

There's just so much to learn, and I still get pretty excited when I figure out something new… like hyper-linking, or pasting badges, or downloading photos to my blog. What might be taken for granted by other more technologically adept bloggers, is still thrilling for me.

And I sometimes forget things I've done in the past… but am reminded by emails that arrive from places I've subscribed to, Google alerts I've set up, or networks I've joined. And I begin to see that I just don't have time to do it all well, so I do what I can and focus on the writing more than anything else.

Because I've discovered that I have to write to be whole… and I write to get out all the stuff that has been churning around inside me for years… and I write to connect with others that might be feeling the same things… and I write to perhaps shed a little light, give a little hope, share a little humanity with other humans.

One day I might be inspired to involve my graphic designer brother to design an attractive and creative blog environment for me, but for now the words will have to speak for themselves… with the ocassional photo thrown in… and maybe a badge or two.

I'm happy to share something I was emailed today… it's a list of how to Twitter well… just in case that's something you'd be interested in. For newbies like me, here's what the Twitter homepage says about their service,

"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"

Twitter isn't part of my life yet… but maybe in time. My cell phone is only a week old (yes, my very first cell phone) I really don't know much about Twitter yet, so I'd better do a little surfing to find out and be able to comment from a more educated point of view. But, if you already Twitter, check this out;

Twitter Checklist (63)

As I dabble in the virtual world, I have to wonder if I dabble in the real world too? Have I got a handle on things here? Am I wasting the time I've been given? Does my life have purpose? Do my values and my actions line up? When I ask that simple Twitter question, 'What am I doing', what would my answer be?

I say that I love God above all else, and that I love people… but, what am I doing? I say that my husband and my family are my top priority… but, what am I doing? I say that writing is a gift that I've been given… but, what am I doing? I say that I want friendships within a community of accountability… but, what am I doing? I say that I want to be strong and healthy… but, what am I doing? I say that I want to be useful, and make a difference… but, what am I doing?

So, I guess Twitter is pretty profound after all. And that's just a first very superficial dabble. Now I need to drag myself away from this blog and refocus on my priorities and then maybe later, I can begin working through the realities of these questions for me.

TTYL,

Lesley-Anne

Surf's up!

This virtual world of ours is quite amazing… from 'Google Alerting' any subject you'd ever want to keep tabs on, to making new 'friends' in continents you've never visited (one of which I'm going to see in real life very soon, because she's coming to Canada from Australia and will be in my town next month - how about that!), to learning amazing and lesser known facts, to telling people things that you'd never dream of sharing with your friends… it's a lot to get used to. And it takes a wee bit of wisdom and a whole bunch of time management skills to navigate the waters skillfully. I'm still learning, but man, I love to surf!

I've learned how to create a hyperlink, how to set up a newbie, very simple network, how to blog and other things. But in other things I must appear as techno impaired as I really am to those of you in the know. Like what I did while trying to create links between blogs and network, I created a circuitous loop that goes no-where… and I can't seem to get rid of this useless link now that it's there (imbedded?) Then there's the 'badge' that I somehow changed on my network… it used to be this funky little badge that I enjoyed posting other places I visit, and now it's blank… no matter what I do I can't seem to change it back to the original one or create another one! Ahhhhh!!!!!

And when it comes to blogging, I can't seem to figure out how to print out what I wrote if it's more than a page long. And, then there's the ever looming as yet unanswered question of how to blog to an audience… rather than to a void… still trying to figure this one out. For example, I struggle with feelings of guilt and wonder if I'm being completely self-serving when I post a comments on some blogs (part of me hoping they might check my blog out in return!)

I know, I know, these are just little problems, but I really wish I could sort them out and feel like I have a handle on the basics.

And there's also the frustration of creating networks that are active for a time and then silent for much longer. This has happened to me twice… once within an existing network and once with a brand new one. And, how do you grow them up into something that has a life of it's own… rather than being the individual who draws everyone out into conversation, answers everyone's questions, initiates all discussions, groups, etc. etc. I just don't have the time to do all that all the time!

Virtually speaking, right now in my life, I think blogging is top of my list of what the internet offers. I'm willing to just write and wait and see where that takes me. It's not the only writing I do, and I don't rely on it for income… but it allows me to express myself without too many concerns about political correctness, editing, or correct grammar (I do the best I can without stressing over it).

And there's also the online writing contests, the following of inspirational blogs that come to me in regular e-mails, and the free downloads of awesome music, and the reminders of great concerts in my area courtesy of Ticketmaster, and the posting of writing to other websites, and the ongoing research and development and design of websites, blogs, and other things virtual.

All this on top of being a wife and a mom… it's no wonder I'm tired by the time the kids come home from school.

Oh, I received this today on my Google Alert… maybe it will interest you… can't vouch for the truth of it, 'cause I'm not much of a Yoga or weight lifting expert. But maybe it will be something you can relate to.

Three Steps to Stop Menopause Suffering Before It Starts

I'm back on the shore of domestic duties for now. Perhaps I could incorporate some yoga into folding the laundry???

Lesley-Anne