...When Major Catastrophe Occurs

I have decided it doesn't only apply to those issue in life--but, those in virtual reality as well! When there is a major catastrophe the only thing that matters in the end--is: "Attitude".

November 2008 will go down in my Personal and Professional memory as one of those Months I would rather not remember! Except for the fact that I have little choice. Thank goodness this blog isn't about the Personal stuff as I am not ready to write all of that.

Of course, I am not anymore inspired to write about the Professional events that have made November 2008 a month I will never forget! I should actually be thrilled that in all of the time since I started my website and blog career I have NEVER suffered this lesson before. There is however no excuse for ignorance and sadly as well as I knew all of the rules--no prior losses gave me a false sense of security.

Bottom-line is backing things up really does matter. Ask me, I know very well at this moment. But--even more important backing up often and knowing how to Re-Install the back up is really the most important factor!

Silver lining I guess can be found--sometimes not everything is gone... and sometimes a full new start is a blessing in the end....

If anyone has missed me it's been a few weeks since my main website suffered a disaster and since November 7, 2008 I have been doing my best to recover.

Rule One--when you pay for some major changes to your website be sure to make a full and complete back up.

Rule Two--when a huge mistakes happens grieve and move on...

Hopefully, by the start of 2009 I will be right back into the roll of things. Back up and feeling better. Recovered and perhaps even better!

Blogs are like Housework!

I have decided that creating a website and writing Blogs is a lot like housework! There is always more that can be done, and other things that require regular upkeep.

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Actually, just like housework building a website and writing blogs is all about what I decide I want to put into it. Just as I know it's always better to wash the dinner dishes before bed--because the work will be harder if I leave it until the morning... I also know there are some things best done when putting together a nice site.

Of course, I have never had much difficulty in paying someone else to clean the bathrooms and floors in my home--and there are some things I am happy to pay to have taken care of when building a social network! Database junk and some of the host level programming for my big website is one thing I would rather pay to have done correctly.

I write on several blogs and just like a good mother my Blogs are a real reflection of my efforts. But, just like laundry it seems just when I feel all caught up I turn around and find a pile of new things to wash, dry, fold and put away.

I have been doing housework and laundry for almost 30 years now--and working on websites since 2005 and it is my firm conclusion these types of personal obligations bring on the same kind of "Never Finished" stress...

Some of us just feed on the never ending projects and the one great thing is that the Internet has made it possible for those of us who do enjoy the torture of a never finished project to share our joy and sorrows with each other!

I write a "to-do" list for housework... and for website work how about You?

Personalize Blog Posts with MyLiveSignature.com

I have seen several bloggers who have taken the extra step and personalized their signatures. It's something I have wanted to do but, until today I never took the time.

I found a very easy and simple website to create this signature:



Creating this signature didn't take much time at all, At MyLiveSignature.com and didn't even require registration with the website. However I did register and it seemed like there may have been more tools when I logged in.

I am very satisfied with my FREE signature considering it didn't require any special skills or take much time. I had been interested in an Animated Signature and found that at the MyLiveSignatures.com the animation feature is a "paid service". So for now I will be holding out and looking for a place to create a free animated signature...

Somethings, I don't mind paying for but, my name blinking or scrolling is pretty low on the priority list of Blog Bling-Bling I am willing to pay for.

While I was there I made a Signature for HappyMomAnna to add to some of my HMA things..



MyLiveignature.com offers several methods to ADD the signature to your social networking sites...




I am sure I will go back and play around with things or find other signature sites! It's always fun when I find a useful tool to make something simple and unique!

Fun with Favicons

I noticed them a long time ago and have enjoyed them very much! I especially like the way they show up on my "Favorites lists" or in other spots while I surf the Internet.

Have you noticed them?

Look up in your Browser Bar at the top of the page and you might notice the Blogger Favicon just before the URL address. The distinctive Orange square with the white "B".

That's a Favicon and with just a few short steps I was able to make one for the Adoptive Parents Network website and blogs! Which is nice because using the Favicon is just another way I can connect the website with the blogs and give the connected features a branded icon.

I have noticed they show up in several other places such as the FEEDJit Traffic Feed

They also show up on my computer's "Favorites" menu which makes if nice for me, since they all match and my eye doesn't need to search the list for the APN blogs and website.

All you need is a picture or graphic and it only takes a few steps!. The biggest problem I had was the fact that it is such a small image. I am happy with my first try and looking forward to working on the graphics for this blog soon.

I found this website: was easiest for me to use since I didn't have to do much more then upload my picture and follow a few steps.

Protect your Face and Space

One of the fastest growing crimes in the United States during the past decade has been identity theft. In 2008 an estimated 6 million identity theft crimes are expected to take place in a variety forms and will cause problems in a variety of degrees.

Social Networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become easy places for Intentiy Theft Criminals to collect personal information and create a new form of identification.

While social networking some of the information we provide may seem worthless but for a criminal the information we provide can become all the ingredients for a new "identity".

Two very popular social networking places many people tend to expose themselves to identity theft the most are Facebook and MySpace, however protecting yourself should be a concern no matter what social networking site you join.

The National Cyber Security Alliance advises we consider our activity on social networking sites and the information we offer the same as a "billboards in cyberspace." Most of us do not publicize certain things going on in our lives and homes on billboards--and we should consider what we post on the internet the exact same way. In order to stay safe from identity theft online it's vital to be careful about the information you post:

• Keep social network profiles safe and secure and limit access


• Create unique passwords


• Use up to date anti virus as well as Spy ware software programs on your personal computer

The Basic and Key information criminals use in order to create a new identity can often be discovered with ease:

• User Profile are a great source for personal information that can be used to identity for someone else.
  
  
  
  • Personal Pictures,
  
  
  • City state, and in some cases even the complete address,
  
  
  • Full name and birth date,
  
  Add the options for personal journals and you may be giving information about upcoming vacation plans, or other times a criminal may know you won't be home. Comments you make may offer clues about you and your family such as what you do, when and where you do it.


• A criminal with a little time and a computer can send follow up emails and gather more personal information. Often these emails may appear to be from an "official" source and ask for verification of more confidential information such as a social security number, pen number or password.


• Other casually posted information posted on social networking pages may include:
  
  
  
  • Favorite music
  
  
  • Relationship status,
  
  
  • Cell phone numbers,
  
  
  • Previous employers.
  
  Any of this information could be used to create credit card accounts.


• Many people using social network sites are at great risk because of the "trust" level that can be achieved when meeting and making new "friends" online. Some users of social network sites take information at face value and share their information in by casual conversation, comments and blogs.

How can you protect yourself?

• Set profiles to private, allow access to only those you invite or add to your list.


• Be careful who you share information with.


• Make sure that your password is different for your email accounts as it is for your MySpace, Facebook or other social networking sites.


• Pay attention to the social network sites you belong to and read their bulletins as often any security issues are announced.


• Report any unusual things about your account, email or posting with your username to the website and change your password

As a Social Blog Networker I also practice these habits:

• I always write about things in the future without specific details about times, dates and places.


• I share the details as if I am a reporter writing about something that Has Happened...


• I use a Pen Username and keep my personal information protected as much as possible

The most important thing to remember is to keep a close eye on your credit and any mail you get at home or email. A great deal of personal information is public record so understanding the ways that criminals use to steal your identity is the greatest form of protection protecting your personal information is a part of modern life and includes far more then just your social networking activities...

Finally! Catching Up!

You may be wondering where I have been?

Working my fingers to the bone and geeked out is where I have been. It has taken me a little bit of time to get caught up from the big business change that took place with Adoptive Parents Network and thankfully I believe I have everything under control.

I have managed to add the sections I wanted to add with the use of blogs and I am very happy! At the same time (ever so slow)I am starting to understand the administration for Joomla! Sort of!

On the Adoptive Parents Network I have been busy working on the APN Blog Network a blog social networking group. The 2008 Contest was announced and there has been some great interest.

The children are finally back in school -- Whew Wee that was a long summer!

I am sure looking forward to a more organized routine around my home and being back on track with all my website work.

Blogs for a small business

The number one thing you should know before you start your blog is that it is Always a work in progress. Just the moment a blogger believes they have everything perfect a new widget, gadget or service can be discovered and a new round of "better" starts!

Not very long ago the whole idea of creating an internet web presence was all about creating what I call (or heard called) the Website Business Card. Many businesses paid hundreds of dollars to have someone who knew how--build a "static" website with all the important information about the business...and that was just about the best the average person or small business could ask for.

These "static" Business Card websites of not long ago often cost a business a going fee of $350.00 just to put a static website together with the visitors to that website finding an email link and a few minimal things but, for the most part offered no more then contact information, and some special pages with some information that mattered most about the business.

Pretty boring, and not a lot of reason for people to come back for a visit.

However, the biggest problem not long ago for small business who paid the $350.00 for the website to be created was that all too often these business owners were left with a website and no access or clue how to update information. All that money paid to a hotshot who put up the page, but little or no information for the business owner to be able to do anything with it.

And, in many cases these expensive sites were controlled by fly-by night developers who collected the money set up the page and then vanished from the face of the internet. Leaving the business owner with something they didn't have any ability to change, control or access.

As the internet added new interactive features another round of expensive services became available for the small business owners with websites. Forums and chat rooms, offered something interactive visitors could register to joining, log-in and interact. And again pulled money out and paid for these things to be added to their websites.

Well, today with the services and tools these business costs and the lack of control over a small business internet site are a thing of the past. Today, any business owner able to run his or her business has more then enough talent and skill to create exactly what they want and need, and the costs can literally be Zero!

Today by creating a blog a business owner can offer far more then a static website business card without the investment of even one penny. Not only this but the blog in itself can also create a business income!

It is so simple and affordable that I almost want to shake any small business owner who is resistant to spending the time investment required to accomplish as much as they can by creating their own blog and building it.

Stay tuned for some future post about the simple ways to make a blog not only part of a business internet presence but also a part of the business income.

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Changing a Blogger Blogspot.com Template

If you read this blog now and than you might notice things look a little different this morning... That's because the template I was using wasn't working for me! I believe I did something at some time and cause a little glitch which resulted in a graphic refusing to allow itself to be replaced.

After messing around with my HTML template code it's very possible I just put something in a spot and caused a problem. Not sure and it became clear that as a blog publisher I had a few choices.

I could hunt and peck looking for whatever had caused the graphic to be stuck in the header and I might or might not figure it out?

or

I could go through the relatively painless-but, time consuming process of an extreme blog make-over.

Truthfully, it really isn't that difficult to change template for a blog. The trick with changing a Blogger Blogspot template is transferring the various page elements (or as they are now called Gadgets). And, even transferring the blog gadgets isn't that technical but, rather time consuming more then anything else.

I simply take a few steps to make it just a little easier. I just use my computer system NOTEPAD and open up each blogger gadget I would like to keep and copy the code inside to the notepad. Once the new template or theme is uploaded I will be able to retrieve the gadget code and just drop in into the new layout.

I save the Notepad documents and then before doing anything else back up the existing template or theme. There are two ways to change how your blog appears when using the Blogger Blogspot tools. The first is by selecting one of the themes offered and just picking that theme. Often this choice is simple and many of the gadgets will transfer.

The other choice is to find a theme you like either free or paid for by a blog template designer. If this is a choice then the change is made under the HTML editing under the Layout area. Once you have a template you like, downloaded and unzipped it can be uploaded right at the top of the HTML editing area. These kinds of changes usually make it necessary to save all the code for the gadgets and often deletes the gadgets in the existing code. If it's been saved it's only a matter of going back and putting all the gadget code back into the right spots in the page element area. A step that isn't very difficult but takes time, selecting all, copy and paste...

I always suggest starting a private Test Blog before messing around with a template change on an existing blog. As wonderful as it is to have some many options created by talented people--not every template is perfect and depending on the possible problems a blogger may find a template just doesn't work for their needs.

The other major thing to keep in mind if you have a well developed blog or using tracking code inside of the HTML is that some of that code placed directly in the HTML will be lost with a template change as well. It there is code from Feedburner for the FeedFlurl or and paid blogger or tracking code directly placed inside of your blog HTML it would be a good idea to also copy that code on the Notepad before uploading a new template.

The place I find most of my template is from another woman who is making her blog something special. I really love Amanda's Blog Templates offered at Blogger Buster. I selected this template Grid Focus which is one of Amanda's newest XML Templates and so far I love it!

More than Just a Blond Moment

It has been said in someway or another that the Pen is more powerful than the sword!

Never before in the history of the world has it been more possible for the ordinary person to put "pen" to the page... Or at least, entertain an audience while doing so.

It's possible with all this modern internet technology that even the most blond or in some other way judged as "less able" person can write the thoughts on their mind. While it may have always been possible for anyone with any ability to write something--It is now possible that anyone who can write may write something--that is actually READ by someone else.

No longer is there a huge set of standards, or rules that apply to those who would like their words, feelings or opinions to be known. Today, anyone with a computer and an internet connection is the Editor and Producer of what words they wish to be known. Not that this means anyone will take the time to read anything just written by someone sitting behind a keyboard.

I have always made use of the weapon of my pen when needed. My words have often been both loving supportive and when needed can be cutting and quick. This part of me is not something that has just popped up with my journey on the Internet. My words on paper or from my mouth have long been a blessing and curse--for both me and for the person they may have been directed.

For those of us who suffer lose lips, and fast typing skills... and practice our writing skills may often spend long days blogging our hearts out to the thin air... Not thinking they add up to much of anything until attention is taken and an issue is made.

Sometime back in April attention was made to one of the places I like to write. Attention from a National News outlet. In my wish to make that place I write better some uninvolved person around the world who was paying attention to that spot actually believed all the changes and pretty tweaks I made were because she had taken issue with that writing spot. She believed my efforts were some competition with her for some deep rooted issue...

My writing was getting attention. And some thought that what I had to say, and the way I wanted to present it was for some self serving need to compete. NOT. This kind of think really irritates me as I write for my own reasons and sometimes my writing is more powerful then a sword.

This attack from someone I don't know triggered a serious of different events which actually have led to consequences of words I write.

My Tip of the day is that no matter how blond you might be, remember that putting the words out here into the public is much different then the bedside tablet you may have spent your lifetime jotting whatever thoughts came to mind--good, hurt or angry.

It's important that those who are blogging and interested in building a readership keep in mind that with Success often comes and unseen effort to Put Down from those who Know about the success you might be having.

It's important to keep in mind that if what you are doing means nothing--there won't be anyone around to criticize it! The more successful you are with blogging or writing the more issues might be made from those who have noticed!

After all, if your words are not noticed there wouldn't be anyone responding in anyway to the scribbles on the table in the bedside table. Public writing is one thing but, people reading what is written is another. No one would attack if the goal of being noticed had not been taken and proven successful.

Moral: When and if those who want to attack you do so about your writing, blog or website, Chalk it all up to the fact it is a positive sign of attention!

Now without any more blabbering on the topic after several months of not getting it--I do and will now go on with the work I have been doing since I was just a little girl... Writing my words the way I write them.

Bravenet Guestbooks

Guestbooks used to be one of the most easy things to add to website or blog. They were also one of the original and only methods a visitors was able to post a message on on a website or blog. Not too many years ago there were few tools that made it possible for visitors to leave their remarks for a website owner or blog writer to read and know someone had visited. There was a time when Guestbooks were on nearly every website...

I have noticed that as technology has made it possible for those of us "ordinary people" to build own blogs and websites along with the variety of more advanced tools, the need for the old standard Guestbook has fallen victim! Today, even the most blond, middle-aged, self-taught, left-handed, female on earth can take advantage of some of the most basic tools offered.

The problem is that I still love Guestbooks and always enjoy passing by and saying, Hello, when I visit a website or blog I find interesting... Maybe because one of the very first things I added to my very first website HappyMomAnna.com was my Bravenet Guestbook!

It's hard for me to let go of one of the few original things from my very first day of building what has become the Adoptive Parents Network, so I decided that it's not going to be lost or forgotten... I still use my original Guest Book on the AdoptiveParentsNetwork

I use several Bravenet tools and still host the old website HappyMomAnna.com on the original account. I have found their Website Hosting packages to be perfect for the things I wanted my site to do. I have have always built my websites with a variety of tools and services offered from several sources. Bravenet is one of my favorite because of some of their very simple to use tools.

The Guestbook is one I like very much. I started My Original Bravenet Guestbook sometime in the spring of 2005 and have had it linked in here and there since.

Tag You Are It... Delicious.com

I have had an account with Delicious.com for years now. I started using their social bookmarking services when I was working as a Blogger for Families.com. While working there we were asked to open an account an "TAG" our blogs.

I still have my account along with the nearly three-years of fairly regular bookmarks. My link is right in MyBlogLog.com widget as one of the services I belong to.

Are you asking yourself, "What is Delicious?"

It took me a little while to figure it out myself, so don't feel silly for not understanding that Delicious is a social bookmarking service.

I can tell by the look in your eyes as you read "Social Bookmarking Service" that means something, but still no clue what?

Delicious.com allows users (me, and you) a free account to keep tags, as well as save, manage and share web pages. All offered from a centralized source. Delicious.com puts the emphasis on the power of the community, by offering a great tool for people to discover, remember and share information on the Internet.

With Delicious anyone can bookmark any site on the Internet, and then return to it from anywhere rather then needing new or different bookmarks on every specific computer itself (oh, I can't stand a new computer for that!) With Delicious your account holds a single set of bookmarks each one kept in sync between all of the computers you might use... Including turning on the New one for the first time. When using someone else's computer or one at a hotel, your bookmarks are there just as created right on the Delicious website.

Delicious is considered a "Social" bookmarking service, because not only do you have the ability to keep your bookmarks in order but, you share them with other users as well. Friends who use Delicious, can exchange interesting bookmarks, explore the site to find interesting users to network with. The Subscriptions and Network features can be used to keep track of Delicious tags and other users you find most interesting.

Delicious service can be added to a Feedburner Blog or as a Service on your MyBlogLog.com accounts and widgets. I am sure there are many other ways Delicious can be added and used in your social networking--but, being Blond the only things I can tell you are those I have figured out so far... Feel Free to add your comments about Delicious.com and let everyone know about how you have used Delicious.com Social Bookmarking Service.


Hang-Ten, for Now!

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This post is not sponsored or underwritten by any form of advertising.

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MyBlogLog.com is a Yahoo product that offers a free and paid service for Blog Writers. I have used a combination of both types of accounts and starting out with the Free service is a great way to get started... You can always upgrade to the paid later.

With a MyBlogLog.com account you can connect with other blog writers and join their communities. Keep track of who writes what and analyze where your visitors come from, what they read and how they leave your blog...

I especially like the Widget that can be made with links to so many different Social Networking site. Go ahead and click on the links in mine and visit the places I need to go visit and re-arrange or clean up. If you click on the FaceBook link then you will see My Facebook account... Click on the Yahoo Answers link and see the questions and answers I have made at Yahoo...

With MyBlogLog.com it's very simple and easy so... If you want a Widget like I have just click the link for MyBlogLog.com and you will be ready to open an account for your blog and make your own... Which is very simple even I could do it!

The Life of a Website Developer

If you are not a member of my website AdoptiveParentsNetwork.com than you may be wondering where I have been for the last several days?

As many successful business often do there has been a change with the ownership of the Adoptive Parents Network LLC. After a year of the Adoptive Parents Network being a joint effort between myself and Melissa (as well as her husband) they have decided to leave the business and focus on an added baby to their family.

With this change is has been a great time for me to go through my Internet sites and blogs to clean everything up and make things work from the bottom-up so to speak. There is nothing more irritating for me then to find websites that are out dated, obsolete or otherwise not worth the band-width so I am in the process of cleaning up all of my garbage that may be littering the Internet.

Today, I have been working on the Original website I started in March 2005... HappyMomAnna.com Since I have had this URL and website for so long I have decided to make it my official Profile, information, and resume site. I have been working on cleaning it up and plan to also use this as a place to keep the common pictures I use on my blogs and websites. At the moment I suspect there may be several different places I have been using for my hosted pictures... So I plan to start making my life easy by organizing and moving my hosted photos to one place!

It's always best to start at the foundations and transition times are a great time to go back and make sure old things work well and reflect pride.

As well as cleaning up some of the past things that pointed to my direction I am also spending some time making sure things are linked well--and that links are working. Now that can be a huge project and it only happens one link at a time...

I am looking forward to getting finished with my trash picking up and moving on to the fun things about building a website and writing blogs.

Some things you ADD can Mess your site up!

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If you are a blogger it might be easy to add this and that to your blog page. It seems there is no end to the variety of little widgets and tools a blogger can add to their blog in order to make it pretty and count for something.

This morning I was happy I wasn't one of the website owners, or bloggers who came to find out that last night anyone with a sitemeter.com script of widget had been sucked into a situation where:

SiteMeter is bringing down every site where its counter code is loaded when the visiting browser is Internet Explorer versions 6.0 and 7.0. The error may also affect Internet Explorer 5.5

It appears that the first reports about this BIG problem were made by One Project Closer

If you use a Sitemeter.com script on your website or blog I would recommend reading the Blog Post HERE there is not only some great information about the problem but, also many of the comments offer some specific details about some of the things other Webmasters and Bloggers are noticing and doing in order to deal with this problem...

This is just another thing that comes with being part of the Wild West!

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Seen and Not Seen

As a former Newspaper Girl there was a certain luxury in knowing that my "work" would not count until it was edited and set to print for the next edition. Writing my words and knowing they were being read included a certain delay. Not True now that I am an Internet Blogging lady!

It seems that all of my Little Projects are starting to merge back into one very large network of interrelated blogs and websites... And at this moment it seems all of my projects are demanding a certain amount of my attention! Nothing like making WORK for myself!

This blog is starting to shape up and I am looking forward to adding lots of little things as I continue to plug into the world of Social Networking. I must confess this little blog has been neglected the most of all my projects.

So here is a quick update on the different things I am doing as far as "My Stuff" goes:

The AdoptiveParentsNetwork My Business partner decided to take the placement of a newborn sibling for one of the two boys they have adopted. This means she will be parenting 3 children including a newborn--during the summer when there is no school. Needless to say, I can accept the fact that's a lot of work and adding the responsibility of a Website to the mix and it's not hard to see where a Good Mom would need to draw the line.

So along with resuming my attentions to the administration of the APN Forums I am also rattling my mind for direction to take the Adoptive Parents Network LLC as a business. I have some ideas and plan to make some announcements very soon at the Newer Blog for the site. The APNBlog will be the main News and Information blog for the AdoptiveParentsNetwork.com site and one step at a time I have been getting that Blog off the ground and integrated with the big site...

This morning I found a Wonderful Review at Lisa Reviews of my oldest and first website work... On my Blog that used to be called: A RAD Mom's Journal which has been changed to New Memories Be sure to Check out Lisa Review and leave a Comment if You Would please! I was so happy to hear that she liked the Dark Template for that Blog as I have been considering updating all my blogs to a lighter color... I was also surprised that the negative point Lisa Reviews had to point out was that I didn't have an "About Me" page... I thought people might be tired of hearing About Me so never really wrote up anything... That's going to be the next thing I do when I publish this Blog Post!

Other then that a good deal of my time has been invested working on the blog I plan to write for PAY and profit in the future. Blogs are not worth business paying for writing if they are just New and empty. Had I been thinking more clearly I would have held off using the New Memories Blog for paid writing and developed my other blog first... Live and Learn and on the Internet it's never to late to shift and build a wing of a persons Networking. I am looking forward to getting finished with the site design of A Mother's Guide to Sanity My work on that blog has given me a Pile of Drafted Blogs just waiting to be proofed and published here on this Blog...

Anyway--That's just part of the story of my current Networking Load... I haven't even started to talk about all the Widget kissing, rating, commenting and Friend Invitations taking place as I travel the Brave New World of Social Networking... I sure hope you enjoy this tale from a middle-aged, blond, former Vally Girl!

Why I Like Toolbars

While I am in a major round of change with my Blog A Mother’s Guide to Sanity, there are certain things that can’t be done until someone or some computer says, or does something. I have learned that while in transition with one project it’s best to find some other distraction and work on a completely different kind of project.

It seems like a good time to work on some of the Open Identification things that are going on out there in cyberspace. Since part of the transition project going on with my other Blog includes contacting MyBlogLog.com it seems like a good time to pay some attention to all of my Yahoo Networking … toolbars, services and interfaces. Or whatever other name these things are being called.. I just use 70’s Valley Girl Speak here on my Geek Network Blog.

Today, I have updated my actual Yahoo Toolbar and this is for my benefit completely! I have learned that keeping the tool bars updated and configuring them to be the way I like to use them is a huge benefit for me when I am Social Networking. My Yahoo Toolbar gives me instant access to my Yahoo Email and I can log into my toolbar and be set to go!

I also like the Yahoo Toolbar because I can add direct links to other services I use a lot! For instance, I have buttons for all of my Yahoo services but also for other site and services I use like YouTube, MySpace, and other Social Networks I belong to. The only rule I make with all of my toolbars is that the buttons only show up on ONE of them! I also have the Google Tool Bar which I especially like because I love the Google Spell Check, page rank, and Vote buttons! I also have the toolbar offered by my Internet Provider Comcast

I have found that by taking just a little time to Organize from the Top Down my time and efforts on the Internet are much more productive. The various things that I use my toolbars for are not only simple but, save me time when I am hard at work and make it nice when I am hardly at work too!

Spending just a little time setting up my toolbars today has given me a distraction while I wait to find out how this transition of my other Blog is going smooth and what steps I need to make.

Once I am finished with setting up my Yahoo Toolbar, I plan to move on and do some work with my Yahoo Open Id… Which I am sure might be the topic of my next post here!

Part 1: Converting to a Custom Domain with my Blogger Blogspot Blog!

Today I am working on converting a Free Blogspot Blog to a Custom Domain Blog. As I have been getting more and more talented with my blogging skills I decided it might be a good time to find out what taking it up another notch might do for me… Not only in terms of the SEO and Networking benefits, but just exactly how much work will it create for me?

A few days ago I started the process and while tinkering around in my Blogger Dashboard I went through the steps of setting up a paid Custom Domain name. I have been working on building another Blog that isn’t just about Adoption or any specific thing at all--but rather a Blog just for moms in general. A Mother’s Guide to Sanity -- so, far it is still very immature and has some real work to be done! So--it seemed like a great place to start my journey into Blogging with more then just the Free Tools.

It was a relatively simply process to complete and eventually I ended up with an email receipt for the $10.00 a year fee to Own my own domain name for my New and growing Blog. I decided that I would opt for the choice of ordering via Blogger instead of the long list of other steps it might take me to put it on one of my website hosting accounts -- Bravenet or Hostican. By choosing to order directly through my Blogger account the new URL is registered with GoDaddy.com which is a new sevice provider for me, however Blogger automatically takes care of some of the steps when I pick what they offer! And, $10.00 is a small price to pay for somethings!


Things appear to be working, and according to my Blogger Dashboard my site is in Transition! (Anyone who knows me -- knows how much I do not like Transmissions!) Right now I am being ever so careful not to make myself more work by doing anything else too dramatic.

I have let MyBlogLog.com know that this change is taking place as I noticed that the Graphic of the old site has disappeared from my Blog Sites list… After looking around in MyBlogLog.com account I found the advice to make the change which was to open a support ticket contact. So I am waiting for more follow up with how that goes!

The lucky thing for me is that I haven’t plugged this Blog into too many different places yet so any big problems I encounter may help me decided if I will ever want to do this again!

Today I will be trying to figure out if I have any problems with the Feedburner.com on this Blog. It does appear that I will need to change the feed and any “Subscribers” to it will need to also change. This is important information for me… As, I wouldn’t want to do this kind of dramatic change on one of my other more developed Blogs especially if there were a lot of subscribers. Lucky for me in this case, and for this Blog I suspect that the majority of subscribers I currently have, may be my own by way of places I have used it to create widgets and profiles for services that create widgets!

After I figure out how to change the feed I currently have with Feedburner.com then I need to figure out what I need to do in the Blogger settings or whatever in order to have the correct feed going to the right spots.

I also need to think about going into my Google Webmaster account and figure out how to make sure the OLD pages with the old URL don’t cause the New Pages with the New URL to look like duplicated content and cause a black-mark for the new URL right out of the gate!

Wow--It appears I have my work cut out for me this morning and it doesn’t even include much time to write! I will just have to squeeze that in… I will keep you posted on my networking progress so be sure to check back later!

SezWho! I Love You!

Oh this poor little neglected blog of mine! However, lucky me to have a spot to write about some of my adventures in Blog Building and Social Networking!

It occurs to me that this perfect little Network Blog of mine is the exact spot that I need in order to make the most out of my efforts and journey's in Blog Social Networking.

Today, I am working on adding a New Feature to all of my Blogs. It's called SezWho it's a Universal Profile Service and provides a participant's (HappyMomAnna or Anna Glendenning in my case) activity stream right on my site (or in my case all of my blogs).

The reason Bloggers are doing this is to offer our readers "an engaging community" (something interesting to look at or do after reading something they like or don't like) and make all the blogging words easier for your readers to discover!

SezWhoo offers bloggers more ways to offer their readers a place to leave a comment, rate and find other valuable pages withing the blog. Or across more than one blog!

By engaging your reading community the quality and frequency of interactions leads to more involvement. Using the SezWho’s portable reputation for the social web, more readers are interested in making their own contributions.

The rating system actually offers visitors and readers who aren't posters or commenters a chance to still let the blog writer know a little bit about how they feel. Lookie-Lou's have a chance to offer feedback by casting votes!

SezWho reports that typically, adding SezWho to your blog will double the number of visitor and user interactions in a community so Bloggers get ready and start using SezWho!

You can Practice by making sure you cast your votes for my Blogs!

And remember that when you read one of my Blogs you can find everything else in my profile link at the bottom of every post! The profile link displays the context of all of my generated content (that means the blog post entry's I make) .

If you look at the bottom of this post you will see my Profile Link... It's just under the Comment Count and to the left of the STARS where it says RATE THIS (oh will you please rate my blog while you are there!) .

When you Hover over the Profile Link EVERYTHING on ALL of My Blogs will be right there and that easy to Find! WOW! How Cool is This!?! Not just for Me but for those people who are Networking With Me!

The thing that sold me on this cool Social Networking tool is the fact that site-owners Me--HappyMomAnna, aka: Anna Glendenning and YOU whom may also be writing your own blogs and Networking with me) retain all their content (Words that we write, get paid to write, or just vent because it is the best way to create content)

SezWho does not manage or take over commenting or discussion systems instead it makes these features more useful and provides incentives for participation without any damaging impact on (Site Engine Optimization) SEO efforts. Unlike many of the other reputation systems, SezWho is fully integrated into the host site. Because it is integrated users remain on the site for all operations like rating, viewing profiles and filtering content.

Blog writers can also add a Nice Little Widget to their Side Bar that will act exactly the same way as the links in the bottom of each post. You can see my Widget on this Blog its the Red-White and Gold button that says: HappyMomAnna StarPower!

So far I have two of my four Blogs Plugged in and I'm sure before long they will all be connected and easy for my readers to follow my blogs and easy for them to Rate what I write!

Check back soon for More information about Anna's Adventure in Social Blogging!

Blogging 101: Getting Started!

I have discovered that starting something new is usually the most difficult thing to do. It's easy to be intimidated and believe it will be too hard or require skills I haven't learned yet.

Several years ago my computer skills included the ability to "Turn On" my PC, and get onto the Internet to check my email. As a middle-age blond female when I went to college even the schools didn't have computer systems and the only people who knew anything about a computer were the pimple-faced geek boys whom would be diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome today.

Several years ago if anyone has suggested I would one day have my own Blog I would have laughed! But, one step at a time and one new skill at a time LOOK At ME NOW!

Starting it the first step and it begins with deciding that you have something to say and want to have a place to say it! The next step are easy and it's just like learning to run... It starts with learning to walk.

To start creating your own blog you will need to go to the Blogger homepage and click the "Create Your Blog Now" button.

The next step will ask you to create a Google Account. If you have already created a Google Account you may use that account with any other Google services. If you already have any Google Services you can just sign into your Google service or account. Once you have created a Google Account or signed into Google service it's as simple as entering a display or username and accepting the Blogger's Terms of Service.

As soon as you accept the Terms of Service you are ready to Create a Blog and start your adventure into the world of Blogging! Follow the steps and remember there is always help including the official Blogger Help Group.

What is Social Bookmarking?

Social Bookmarking allows thousands of Internet users to keep their bookmark collections on a website instead just on their personal computer.

There are some huge advantages when users learn and use social bookmarks.

Anywhere at Anytime
By listing your bookmarks on a website rather then just on your own computer you will be able to access your favorite websites from anywhere or from any computer. The bookmarks are available backed up no matter which computer you use!

Social Bookmarks make it possible to Share with Others
Most bookmark sites are public and available for anyone to use or read. This makes it possible for you to see what other people have found interesting and share your own bookmarks with others.

Users can Find the Best on the Web based on the input of people, and not a machines
With social bookmarking, only bookmarks other people think are worth keeping can be found.

One of my new favorite social bookmarking websites is Ma.gnolia because this site rate and tags instantly this offers users an idea of what other people think about a bookmark and make web searches more informed than it ever has been.

I have been using del.icio.us for years now and found it very handy when I got my new laptop when it came to finding all the places I like to visit while on a clean computer!

Social bookmarking is a lot like having a community of expert assistants help find what is being looked for!

When you sign up for a social bookmarking account you can easily add any site or page of a site to your bookmarks. You might also be noticing that many websites and blogs offer their readers links to quickly and easily add a book mark.

If you notice in the right column of this blog there are several options listed where readers can add a bookmark with little more then a click!

So what is stopping you? Why not get an account and start bookmarking the things you find interesting on the Internet!

The Associated Press is working to Establish Guidelines For Bloggers!

I have always been annoyed to see other Bloggers who think they have the right to "Copy" and "Paste" full articles and then write a little sentence about what they think. It would be more ethical to simply leave your comment on the blog or article rather then STEAL the work of a writer and think it's all fine to use it as long as the writers byline and publication details are included.

Any REAL writer would never do anything like that knowing it is the cheaters way of adding content to their page or blog. But, as much as we try to advise our fellow bloggers of the errors of their way they seem to think they can do as they please.

It's been a little difficult to actually make it clear what is okay and what is not given that the Internet has made any ordinary person a writer (at least in their own minds anyway).

When I started writing on the Internet I was well educated on what Plagiarism was or was not and found it rather irritating to see Word Thieves all over thinking they could Slap the whole content of someone else's work up and link it to the original site and call things Good!

I would advise that anyone with a Blog who has been in the practice of pasting the whole work of someone else on their site take a quick look through their sites and fix up all their stolen words and try to think of some Original Way to add the work of someone else to your site instead of living in La-La Land going around using your Copy and Paste buttons. Writers are starting to get a little irritated about your habits of stealing our work.

Not to mention the fact that doing this kind of thing will not help your ranks with Google as Google doesn't like duplicated content and will push you down if you run around posting blog after blog filled with full text that was already published by someone else. Nasty little habit to get into.

There have not been any Clear cut guidelines in all these years. A few years ago on the Writers Digest site the standard rule was to take as little as possible and be sure to link well back to the REAL WRITER... even then the question was, "What is--as little as possible?"

Thank Goodness the Associated Press has decided to rumble a little about the content thieves among us! I would personally love to see them sue everyone who believes they can take their work and make it their own. I am looking forward to hearing what they decide "Fair Use" will actually be and will be on the front line reporting any and all infringements I personally see by any other blogger.

I hate to sound mean about it but, in all honesty it really ticks me off to work so hard to write original words and then witness all this copy and paste junk people seem to think qualifies them to claim they have actually written something of value. When I go looking around at Blogs I really am not interested in reading the same Associated Press article copied on 2,000 different Blogs. Doesn't anyone get the fact that once those words are written they don't really need to be republished on every single blog that likes what someone else Wrote?

It is NOT Blogging or Writing to reprint an article from any other website. Personally I would call that Scrap-booking or Collecting of some sort but certainly not writing an original piece of work.

I hope that all the fellow writers and journalistic businesses get serious and make it clear that Plagiarism is no little thing and won't be tolerated by housewives with computers who think they have added any value to the Internet by publishing the work of someone else with their own little comments below.

I think it's high time we just put an end to this habit of everyone with the ability to log-in and click a few keys calling themselves anything other then word thieves and criminals. This kind of stuff just didn't get ignored when the writing was left in the hands of writers and publications.

If you are a blogger who has been under the impression that it's all fine to do this sort of thing--please think again and go over your blog to be sure you are acting like the professional you want everyone to think you are. The fact of the matter is that we don't NEED you to duplicate anything that we can find written on the Internet. If you cannot write something on your own than perhaps you might consider taking up another hobby that is as equally simple--maybe coin collecting or playing Golf would be more fitting for you to spend time learning because it really isn't talent to Blog the words of someone else and leave your comment on your blog as if it really means a thing to anyone who can read it where it was originally published... Maybe grow a garden or learn to sew or better yet take some pictures and post them so everyone else can see you know how to do more then steal words from those of us who try to say something unique and new.

Oh and for those who have stolen my words please remember that letter I have sent telling you to fix your blog and give my words back because I might just be the second one in line when it comes to suing since I can afford an attorney and don't have much better to do when I am on a rampage!

Oh this is one way you might refer to another writers work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16ap.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The Associated Press to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs One of the largest news organizations, plans to define clear standards about how much of one of their articles or broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt without infringing on their copyright. Read More Here

Most Important Steps to Avoid Google Penalties

Unless you are interested in keeping a private blog for your own personal purposes or an online journal most Blog writers would like to think someone is interested in reading what they have to share. It can be discouraging to put the effort into creating a wonderful blog only to find that no one is even visiting.

Google Webmaster Guidelines offer several tips for having your blog show up on searches and be noticed by readers who just might find your blog interesting!

The important advice Google has to offer is that if a Blogger chooses to skip all the other recommendations the most important thing to consider are the Google Quality Guidelines. It's important for Blog writers to understand some of the illicit practices that may lead Google to remove a site or blog from their Index entirely or in some other way face a Google penalty. Google makes it clear that if a site or Blog is penalized, it may no longer show up in results on Google.com or on any of Google's partner sites.

Google Quality guidelines

Google is clear about the fact their Quality Guidelines detail the most common deceptive and manipulative practices but, Google also makes it clear they can respond negatively to other misleading behaviors not listed. It's important to remember that just because a certain deceptive technique is not addressed in their guidelines doesn't mean that Google approves of it.

Google values webmasters and bloggers who invest their time and energies upholding the spirit of the basic principles in order to help provide better user experience by rewarding those sites and blogs with better rankings than those who work hard looking for any loopholes they may find to exploit.

Google's Quality guidelines - basic principles

• Build websites and blogs for your readers and users rather than for search engines.


• "Cloaking" is the deceptive practice of presenting your reader or users with different different content then offered to search engines.


• Avoid tricks designed to improve search engine rankings. The best way to decide if you are using a trick is to ask yourself, "Does this actually help my readers or users and would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"


• Don't participate in link schemes designed with the intent to only increase your site or blog ranking or PageRank.


• It's very important to avoid linking to web spammers or as Google calls them "bad neighborhoods" on the web. Linking to these sites may affect your site or blog adversely.


• The use of unauthorized computer programs often designed to submit pages, check rankings, etc. consume computing resources and violate the Google Terms of Service. For example: Google does not recommend the use of products such as WebPosition Gold™ that send automatic or programmatic queries to Google.

Google Quality guidelines - specific guidelines

• Avoid hidden text or hidden links.
• Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.
• Don't send automated queries to Google.
• Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords.
• Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.
• Don't create pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware.
• Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
• If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

It's all pretty simple and clear Google wants Honest Webmasters and bloggers who offer Original Content with their readers and visitors in mind. The effort and attention should be made to present your visitor with a blog or site that offers what they expect by it's title, tags and search engine listing.

These should be the goals of any honest writer and especially a blog or website owner. While there will always be people who break the rules and cause problems Google wants to rank quality sites that offer what they say they do and uses original content highest while pushing the junk and spam off the search engine.

You really do need to Get a Blog!

Many of us have tinkered with a blog here or there, over the years. I know I have had several blogs scattered around in different places. Most of the standard "member" and "forum" websites have offered different blogging services and because I am a sucker for leaving my words scattered all over the Internet I know I have started several blogs along the way.

Several months ago, when I began learning about some of the New ways the Internet will be delivering content I realized that things are really going to change. I have always been one of those kinds of people who learn how to do things, and jump right in. I honestly couldn't explain How or What I have learned to anyone by using the techno-babble I have needed to read along the way.

I never have learned all the technical words for most of the things I have learned to do--so any of my Blogs on this blog will use Standard--Middle Aged--Blond housewife English Translation. Otherwise I just can't share what I am learning if you want me to get all Geeky. That is the dude I married--and in the area of Blogging and Social Networking I know more then he does.

The most important thing I can tell anyone who really wants to enjoy the future of surfing the web and catching the Big Waves is "YOU REALLY DO NEED TO GET A BLOG" One main blog that is all your own.

I like the Blogger.com For so many reasons! First, it is part of the Google Account which means that when I log into my Blog I am also logged into my Gmail account, have access to my Webmaster tools and can look at any Adsense account information all with just a few clicks...

I also like the Blogger.com Blogspot blogs because in many cases while I surf I can add things right to my Blog with just a few clicks. I find that it is pretty simple to make a basic blog and that learning to add new things is easy and requires the skills of Copy -- Paste and clicking "Save" with perhaps the added talent of Drag and Drop to put things where you want them. It can hardly be more simple!

Blogspot users can be added and write on each other's blogs! And it's easy because once a blogger is added to the blogspot they will see the blog in their own dashboard and not need to sign in and out of anything except their own account in order to add a blog.

The important thing is that anyone who wanting to join social networking really needs to have a central blog If You don't then be sure to take the time to start one now!

Widgets Buttons and Banners: Newbie Mistakes

Blogging has come a long way since I started my first personal blog, in fact the world of blogging has advanced leaps and bounds since I took my first Internet writing blog writing job with Families.com.

When I started my blog it was very basic and simple and even making the best use of all the tricks and tools offered it was still a basic blog. Anything special that required any technical skill stood out among the other bloggers and was respected.

Today, the advancements we see in tools for Blog writers to use is amazing! There was a time when blog writers actually needed some skill to make their blog stand out in the sea of blogs all over the Internet. One huge change has been the simplicity of collecting the widgets, buttons and banners.

I can always recognize a blog writer who is New to the whole scene because they tend to load up every little button and widget that looks nice and pile the side columns with some little symbol of something. Personally, I feel it is best to be selective when placing the widgets, buttons and banners on a blog.

Even I have experienced the rush of putting pretty buttons and pictures on my Blog or Website because all I need to do is "copy" and "paste" some code--or even better over the last few months many of the widgets and buttons don't even require a copy and paste, in some cases all the blogger needs to do is click a button that says, "Add it to my Blog" and walla it is placed automatically with on the blog with no need to even think twice about it.

The fact that a blogger can surf around the Internet and collect widgets and buttons with such ease has often resulted in that blogger feeling a bit big for their pants! In all of an hour or so a Blog can be decked out with pretty looking items could be a huge mistake for a new blogger to make.

There are three primary things I consider when I investigate adding a widget or button to my blogs:

• Who is supporting the widget or button? I personally, think that it is nice when people connect with other websites or social networks but it is FUNNY when a blogger is ranked number one on a site of social network No One heard of--or is so new that the first 10 people to get involved each earn some prize which is usually just another widget or button to put on your blog to drive traffic to the site that bestowed the prize.
  
  In the blog world there is a huge difference between adding a widget and actually creating a nice blog. I personally, check out the websites and social networks before I associate myself with them by using their cool widget or the neat button they offer. I would find it embarrassing to be the Winning Blog for a website that started last month and has only 8 people slightly involved.
  
  I might still sign up with the websites or social network groups that look like they may become something different, new or directly relate to my website or interests--but, I am not in the habit of cluttering up my sidebar with one little blinkie after another saying I am "all that".
  
  It's best to know who is giving you the widget and what website or group you are connecting to before publishing it on the pages of your blog. The experienced blogger will see the inexperience with those bloggers I like to call "Widget Collectors." The experienced blogger will visit a blog filled with BLING and think---oh great another one of these blogs filled up with pretty pictures that can be collected by anyone.



• Hidden tracking and other connections to sites and services are also often connected with the free Widgets or buttons bloggers collect. In many cases your site visitors will be aware that going to your blog includes the delay was all the tracking widgets connect and do their things... A blog page may take an extra long time to load on your visitors site--and the savvy Internet surfer will be aware of what is happening when they click on a blog filled with every widget on the Internet.
  
  Logic should tell the average person that FEW things in life are really free! To think that all these websites and blog groups have spent their time and resources to create a free toy or tool for you to use on your blog is about as funny as going to the grocery store and being given full sized packages for free instead of the little sample designed to make you want to pay for the full size.
  
  Especially a widget or banner that is Hosted by their site--using up their bandwidth or taking space on their server. Why would anyone create some of these cool tools, go to the effort to make them look pretty, and then give them to US hosted and managed by them and their servers?
  
  The fact is, they DO NOT give these cool tools to bloggers as a free--no strings attached--gift. Within their code, or on their server or for advertising reasons the vast majority of the spiffy buttons and widgets offer far more to the site or group handing them out for us to use for free!
  Some of the readers you may have gained may "click-off" your site just the moment they see the navigation bar downloading whatever some free thing you have placed in your blog code has triggered some outside website to download anytime someone comes to see your blog.



• The single most HORRIBEL mistake that a Newbie Blogger might make is to actually place some kind of widget or banner on their site which also triggers a Pop-Up ad. When I visit a blog that has some kind of neat tool and my computer is spammed with Pop-Up ad's I not only Click away from the site as fast as I can--but, I make every effort to NEVER click on that Blog again!
  
  Pop-up ads are horrible they cause many people to experience technical difficulties. At a minimum they require your readers to "click" on something just to make it go away! And in many cases the Pop-Up ad you agreed to let happen because you used the widget or button may display ad's you wouldn't want to be associated with such as those famous Casino Ad's or the ones for male enhancement medication or tools.
  
  The only thing worse then seeing a blogger use a Free Tool that puts a Pop-Up or a Pop-Under on their blog is to see one that offers all the recognizable icky spam kinds of things we are all so sick and tired of. I personally have a policy of Never adding a Pop-Ad to any of my pages. While my blog and websites are For Profit I take pride in only displaying reputable advertising and Never the kind of advertising that pops, tracks or in anyway messes with my readers computer use, causes a delay or displays ads from the well known spam type things.
• 
  

We all start one day if we decide to create a blog or website and most Newbies make the same mistakes. My fist website looked like it was created by a 5 year old because I learned how to use "clip art" and make cool little buttons. I did get carried away and by the time I was finished my pages looked like something I should call my Mommy and ask her to save in my Special Memories box.... It was so Cute and cluttered with blinking little links and pictures that it was a true Masterpiece any kindergartner would be proud to say they had created.

I myself have fallen victim to the temptation of a free widget, tool, service or pretty button given to me free--or under the condition that I permit Pop Ad's. It's an easy thing to do when the discovery is made about how simple it really is to make a blog Rock and Roll...

Over time a newbie will learn to be more selective in the widgets and tools they put on their blogs or websites. Some Widgets, banners and buttons are Awesome and do what they should with no real string attached. Those little gadgets will ordinarily be offered from the Top line Internet businesses we all know and recognize. Google, Yahoo and their associated services and tools generally offer straightforward little things to make your blog HOT.... People are not suspicious when they see a Blog download or track their visit when it is a Product they recognize and respect. It's when something Fishy starts to happen that readers Run the other way...

My Next Blog will discuss the whole Goggle Page Rank issue and those providers who give away the cute little widgets that tell a reader how your page is ranked.

I'm HappyMomAnna Who are You?

This Blog is really only about what I have learned, and what I know how to use or do... It's about the way I am plugging into Social Networking and is by no means a complete outline of all the things that can be done on the Internet with social networking.

To be honest, there might even be information in this blog may not always be the most accurate since what I know how to do I have learned on my own, by myself and it's all from my own understanding--so I might not always know much about anything, or I might think it works a certain way only to find out later I was wrong... Or that what I thought would be a great idea ends up being a waste of time. The fact is that this is sort of like the Wild West so we are all just learning what the future is.

From what I am learning and see happening on the Internet with Social Networking is that the first and most important step someone needs to take before they jump in is to decide WHO you want to be on the social network.

It is important to find and use the Same User name and the same First and Last name with any website, or service you decide to plug yourself into. Social Networking starts with becoming an "Identity."

For me it was simple since I have always had consistency with my User Name HappyMomAnna and I have always used my Internet Pen Name Anna Glendenning as my first and last name for forums, groups, and other community websites that asked me to choose a user name and create a profile. These names are my Internet Identity this is Who I am when I am surfing the net!

I was lucky or lazy when I started all this website playing and then website building because I just picked a name and tried to stick with it. I really didn't want to have to remember different log in names, or information so I picked a name and use it everyplace.

If you do not have the User Name you want to be known as on the social network the first thing you need to do is Find Yourself and once you believe you have the Best Identity that you can think of, sign up for a Gmail Account with that user name!

So, to recap: Pick who you want to be and go to Google and get a Gmail Account. Once you have done that you will be ready for the future blogs here! In Fact, if you have or create your Gmail account and want to follow along with this Blog be sure to Subscribe By Email and use your Gmail address... This way you will also start building your network based email account and have this blog delivered right to your email address!

In Fact, you can sign up to get this blog delivered to your email account below! And if you don't have a Gmail account you can use any email to get this Blog delivered right to any email you would like!

Enter your email address:

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You might also want to consider changing your email address in your Adoptive Parents Network membership profile this way you will keep all of Your APN information going to the same place and keep your personal email account free from too many updates and networking email and for those things that are about your family or business.

Be sure to read my next Blog here as I walk you down the path of the best ways to plug into the Adoptive Parents Network and the future of the Internet and Social Networking!

Now Go take care of finding yourself and getting your email issues taken care of. It won't take that much time or effort and these steps will be done and you won't need to do them again or later!

Related Links:

• Sign up for a Gmail Account

Disclosure of Advertising Policy

Contact Anna Glendenning

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

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• Bravenet Hosting and Tools


• Families.com


• and other Paid Blogging Positions. To be added here as needed.

We serve on the following corporate:

• Adoptive Parents Network LLC.

We blog about people to whom we are related. The most interesting such people are: Our Families, Adoption Services and Supports.

We have a financial interest in the following that are relevant to our blogging:

• Adoptive Parents Network LLC. Registered in Oregon


• Fasions.org


• NWStartUps.com. and


• Quality Engineering Technologies INC.

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Lets Start Acting Like A Network!

The Adoptive Parent's Network has the name and it's time we jump in and start acting like the future of the Internet.

It's all about Networking and connecting which has always been one of the goals for this site! We have things all set up in the background and one step at a time everyone is about to step into the Next Phase of the Internet and start connecting in new ways.

This Blog is Anna's Network Blog... Check here often for New ways to Network, and tips on how to get started.

AdoptiveParentsNetwork.com is about to take it to the next level! If you are planning to be a part of the future and have fun with Social Networking the first time is to Pick Your Internet Identity (If you haven't already) and start your own Blog!

Gone are the days of needing a little blog here and a little blog there on different websites with different log-in's... It's time to get serious, collect all your great Blog Posts and put them in One Spot--Your Spot...

I suggest that everyone who wants to move into the future of Social Networking get their Blog spot up and going--or go back and check things out!

It doesn't need to be fancy right now and most people who can use a forum will be able to get the hang of a REAL Blog...

So... Get Ready....Get Set.... Now go and make a blog!

I will see everyone in my next post and can't wait for the Adoptive Parents Network to start living up to it's name!