Yes, I am. I've had lots of blog readers ask if everything's OK because I haven't posted in a while...everything great, which is exactly why I haven't posted in a while. Too busy. With a week of vacation, and then a week in France on our mission trip coming up shortly, life has been full. Sorry if that's tough on you, but remember that you can always check in on my Twitter if you want to.
Nate
Showing posts with label Blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blogging. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Anonymous
I'm having trouble keeping up with all of the anonymous spam commenters on my blog right now (I get several a day), and because I feel responsible for deleting them so that my authentic readers don't click on some virus or porn link, I'm removing the "anonymous" posting option for a short while.
I doubt it will defer any of the spammers from returning later, but it will give me a chance to not have to spend the time deleting their comments for a short while. Thanks for understanding!
Nate
I doubt it will defer any of the spammers from returning later, but it will give me a chance to not have to spend the time deleting their comments for a short while. Thanks for understanding!
Nate
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Public Service Announcement
From personal experience...
NEVER use eventtickets.net to purchase event tickets...their online security is worthless and they don't care...apparently they either allow hackers to work for them and use your personal information, or they're too lazy to maintain a high level of security to protect their customers from outside hackers...
Tricia's email was hacked into because of eventtickets.net's lack of security today. She contacted them, they confirmed it was because of a purchase she made there today, and they basically said, "Not our problem".
So, if you're a friend, and you get an email about me being held at gunpoint in London and needing money, ignore it and accept our apologies.
And, if anyone who gives a rip from eventtickets.net reads this and cares to contact me, I'd be more than happy to share a bit of my mind with you.
Thanks! Now back to your regularly scheduled program.
Nate
NEVER use eventtickets.net to purchase event tickets...their online security is worthless and they don't care...apparently they either allow hackers to work for them and use your personal information, or they're too lazy to maintain a high level of security to protect their customers from outside hackers...
Tricia's email was hacked into because of eventtickets.net's lack of security today. She contacted them, they confirmed it was because of a purchase she made there today, and they basically said, "Not our problem".
So, if you're a friend, and you get an email about me being held at gunpoint in London and needing money, ignore it and accept our apologies.
And, if anyone who gives a rip from eventtickets.net reads this and cares to contact me, I'd be more than happy to share a bit of my mind with you.
Thanks! Now back to your regularly scheduled program.
Nate
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Misunderstood
Hmmm...apparently my tongue-in-cheek tone was missed by more than a few people when I said, in This Post, referring to my very first post on this blog two years ago, that, "I had a ton of followers and commenters in those early days..." What I was actually trying to communicate was, when I first started this blog, it had 0 followers, and my first post had 0 comments...comparing that to today, when the blog now has a bunch of wonderful followers and lots of enouraging comments.
Nate
Nate
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Duly Noted
Two years ago today I began this blog...in retrospect, it was a fairly good decision.
As you can see for yourself, I had a ton of followers and commenters in those early days........
Nate
As you can see for yourself, I had a ton of followers and commenters in those early days........
Nate
Monday, June 22, 2009
New Look
Tell me what you think of the new blog header and slight changes in the color scheme.
In comparison, here are the past two blog headers I've used...
Nate
In comparison, here are the past two blog headers I've used...
Nate
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Scammers and Fake Blogs
I've thought several times about writing this post, but with the recent discovery that another, widely popular blog is indeed a scam, I've finally made the decision that this is as good a time as any to share what little bit of experience I might have to add to the conversation.
Having been personally duped by a fake blog about a year ago, and having observed (but thankfully not invested any energy, links, etc. into) the blog referred to above, I feel somewhat experienced in the art of spotting some potential red flags that might signal a scammer or a fake blog.
Here are a few fake blog red flags that I've identified:
> The blog author posts few to no pictures of him/herself and his/her life (like his/her family and friends, house, town/city, etc.). Both of the fake blogs I have experience never showed a single photo (face) of the author of the blog, and showed very few, if any, pictures of his/her life. There are some bloggers who like to protect their privacy, but by it's very nature, blogs are an incredibly public form of communication, and most people who get into blogging (for honest reasons) are very open about their lives...those bloggers who desire privacy usually set their blogs to "private" so that they are only viewable by a select few people. A blogger (especially one that has thousands of followers) who never posts a a picture of him/herself has always seemed a bit of an odd thing to me.
> The author uses an alias and/or refuses to post his/her real name or other personal info like hometown, names of hospitals, etc. Both of the fake blogs I have experience with had authors who either refused to post their real name, or often used an alias when posting. It's one thing to use nicknames for your wife or your kids or your friends, but it's another thing to not want people to know your real, full name. Again, blogging tends to attract people who don't mind some of their basic personal info being displayed to the world.
Personally speaking, we have been very open about our story, using pictures and much of our personal information. Our story has also been well documented in news papers and on television, and we have met countless blog readers in person who would be more than happy to vouch for our existence. Although we do atempt to protect our privacy to some degree, we have always welcomed a certain level of publicity for several reasons, not the least of which being to give ourselves some credibility should anyone (and some have tried) attack our integrity.
> There are multiple anonymous people authoring (posting) the blog. Both of the fake blogs I have experience with had multiple authors/posters. And, as it turned out, each of the scammers had also, to some extent, scammed the other author(s) of their own blog into believing their story and posting for them. Obviously the scammer realizes he/she is creating a web of lies, and it appears to me that, to use multiple authors gives the scammer a false sense of security and authenticity.
> The blog asks for money/donations of some kind that directly benefit the blogger. Without a doubt, money is one of the biggest reasons these fake bloggers get into it. Both of the scammers that I have experienced asked for personal donations or gifts.
On a personal note, before my blog became so popular, I had a link on my sidebar that asked for people to consider donating to Tricia's health care trust fund. Shortly after the blog exploded, however, I decided that it would be best for us not to use this blog to ask for personal financial support because 1) I determined that was not the purpose of this blog, 2) I knew it would turn some people off from reading our story, and 3) I didn't want our asking for personal financial support to come back and bite us in the butt. In fact, a year ago, when a popular CF related blog that I had linked to was found to be fake, several people (read trolls) began, very publicly, pointing fingers at me, accusing me of scamming people because I was also constantly asking for personal financial support...fortunately, several of my level headed blog readers also pointed out that had not been asking for any personal financial support for several months, and wisdom and truth prevailed.
> Something doesn't feel right. Bottom line, trust your instincts. If something feels off or if things just don't seem to add up, nobody is pressuring you to support or even read any blog. Again, we're each responsible for our own decisions, and even if thousands of others are hooked, you don't have to be.
I personally had some doubts about the legitimacy of the fake blog that I linked to last year before it was found to be fake. After it hit the fan, I realized that my doubts were legitimate and should have taken them seriously and trusted my instincts.
Now, having identified a few red flags, it is incredibly important that you understand that I am NOT attempting to purposely bring suspicion to any blog that has not already been proven to be fake, nor do I believe that every blog that includes any or even all of these red flags is indeed fake. Furthermore, my list of red flags certainly is not an exhaustive list, and I have no doubt that there are many authentic blogs out there that might include some or all of the red flags I just mentioned. I know of several blogs that I believe are legit whose authors maintain a high level or privacy, use multiple authors, and offer the opportunity for people to donate and support financially...there are some very good reasons to do those things, but they tend to be the exception, not the rule. I'm certainly not an expert on this subject, and I did not sleep at a Holiday Inn last night...
Here are a few more thoughts that I've posted before about scamming blogs.
> Fake blogs and scammers have the potential to do great harm for those who are completely honest in sharing their stories of medical hardships and miracles. They mock people who are dealing with very real and serious health issues and bring an unfair level of doubt and scrutiny to honest bloggers. Because of scamming blogs, I have been told by a few people online that they have vowed to never again read mine or anyone else's blog simply because we talk the same topics as those of fake blogs.
> People react in a very hostile and knee-jerk way when they have been fooled by a fake blog. People who have been hurt begin going on witch hunts, accusations start flying all over the place, and blame is passed to any blogger who also innocently linked to the scammers. The only people to blame for these fake blogs are those who knowingly participated in the deception, which, it turns out, is usually just one or two people.
> Scams have the potential to do great harm to reputable organizations like CFF who raise funds and are making a huge difference in our world. Because fake blogs are often accused of raising moneys through fraud, many people are tempted to write off any future online fundraising opportunities as possible scams and accuse those who might be participating as fakes.
> Truth is truth, no matter the messenger. Whether concerning a health issue, discussions about faith, or posts about life in general, even the most twisted and deceitful person can still share very real and honest facts. Often, people are so quick and extreme to react to fake blogs that they throw the baby out with the bath water...they disregard everything the author wrote as one big fat lie, when, in fact, some of what was written is very true and very helpful.
Discovering a blog is fake is very frustrating, and really, nobody comes out looking good. People are seriously hurt, because blogging, by nature, is a very personal thing. The stories that scammers use are aimed at pulling at our heart strings and drawing us into an emotional attachment and involvement. It is frustrating beyond words to place your trust in somebody who asks for so much compassion, only to be made a fool.
While some become extremely jaded by a fake blog, most people understand that there is a healthy balance to be found between compassion and common sense. I'd personally rather be open and willing to show compassion at the risk of being called a fool than to be hard-hearted and cynical to anyone who appears to be in need of love. There is something good to be said about a world that can show such incredible love to perfect strangers.
Anyway, I'm probably preaching to the choir, and all of what I've just written may have been pointless. But, feel free to ad your healthy thoughts and comments, and I'd be more than happy to try and answer any general questions about fake blogs and online scams.
Nate
Having been personally duped by a fake blog about a year ago, and having observed (but thankfully not invested any energy, links, etc. into) the blog referred to above, I feel somewhat experienced in the art of spotting some potential red flags that might signal a scammer or a fake blog.
Here are a few fake blog red flags that I've identified:
> The blog author posts few to no pictures of him/herself and his/her life (like his/her family and friends, house, town/city, etc.). Both of the fake blogs I have experience never showed a single photo (face) of the author of the blog, and showed very few, if any, pictures of his/her life. There are some bloggers who like to protect their privacy, but by it's very nature, blogs are an incredibly public form of communication, and most people who get into blogging (for honest reasons) are very open about their lives...those bloggers who desire privacy usually set their blogs to "private" so that they are only viewable by a select few people. A blogger (especially one that has thousands of followers) who never posts a a picture of him/herself has always seemed a bit of an odd thing to me.
> The author uses an alias and/or refuses to post his/her real name or other personal info like hometown, names of hospitals, etc. Both of the fake blogs I have experience with had authors who either refused to post their real name, or often used an alias when posting. It's one thing to use nicknames for your wife or your kids or your friends, but it's another thing to not want people to know your real, full name. Again, blogging tends to attract people who don't mind some of their basic personal info being displayed to the world.
Personally speaking, we have been very open about our story, using pictures and much of our personal information. Our story has also been well documented in news papers and on television, and we have met countless blog readers in person who would be more than happy to vouch for our existence. Although we do atempt to protect our privacy to some degree, we have always welcomed a certain level of publicity for several reasons, not the least of which being to give ourselves some credibility should anyone (and some have tried) attack our integrity.
> There are multiple anonymous people authoring (posting) the blog. Both of the fake blogs I have experience with had multiple authors/posters. And, as it turned out, each of the scammers had also, to some extent, scammed the other author(s) of their own blog into believing their story and posting for them. Obviously the scammer realizes he/she is creating a web of lies, and it appears to me that, to use multiple authors gives the scammer a false sense of security and authenticity.
> The blog asks for money/donations of some kind that directly benefit the blogger. Without a doubt, money is one of the biggest reasons these fake bloggers get into it. Both of the scammers that I have experienced asked for personal donations or gifts.
On a personal note, before my blog became so popular, I had a link on my sidebar that asked for people to consider donating to Tricia's health care trust fund. Shortly after the blog exploded, however, I decided that it would be best for us not to use this blog to ask for personal financial support because 1) I determined that was not the purpose of this blog, 2) I knew it would turn some people off from reading our story, and 3) I didn't want our asking for personal financial support to come back and bite us in the butt. In fact, a year ago, when a popular CF related blog that I had linked to was found to be fake, several people (read trolls) began, very publicly, pointing fingers at me, accusing me of scamming people because I was also constantly asking for personal financial support...fortunately, several of my level headed blog readers also pointed out that had not been asking for any personal financial support for several months, and wisdom and truth prevailed.
> Something doesn't feel right. Bottom line, trust your instincts. If something feels off or if things just don't seem to add up, nobody is pressuring you to support or even read any blog. Again, we're each responsible for our own decisions, and even if thousands of others are hooked, you don't have to be.
I personally had some doubts about the legitimacy of the fake blog that I linked to last year before it was found to be fake. After it hit the fan, I realized that my doubts were legitimate and should have taken them seriously and trusted my instincts.
Now, having identified a few red flags, it is incredibly important that you understand that I am NOT attempting to purposely bring suspicion to any blog that has not already been proven to be fake, nor do I believe that every blog that includes any or even all of these red flags is indeed fake. Furthermore, my list of red flags certainly is not an exhaustive list, and I have no doubt that there are many authentic blogs out there that might include some or all of the red flags I just mentioned. I know of several blogs that I believe are legit whose authors maintain a high level or privacy, use multiple authors, and offer the opportunity for people to donate and support financially...there are some very good reasons to do those things, but they tend to be the exception, not the rule. I'm certainly not an expert on this subject, and I did not sleep at a Holiday Inn last night...
Here are a few more thoughts that I've posted before about scamming blogs.
> Fake blogs and scammers have the potential to do great harm for those who are completely honest in sharing their stories of medical hardships and miracles. They mock people who are dealing with very real and serious health issues and bring an unfair level of doubt and scrutiny to honest bloggers. Because of scamming blogs, I have been told by a few people online that they have vowed to never again read mine or anyone else's blog simply because we talk the same topics as those of fake blogs.
> People react in a very hostile and knee-jerk way when they have been fooled by a fake blog. People who have been hurt begin going on witch hunts, accusations start flying all over the place, and blame is passed to any blogger who also innocently linked to the scammers. The only people to blame for these fake blogs are those who knowingly participated in the deception, which, it turns out, is usually just one or two people.
> Scams have the potential to do great harm to reputable organizations like CFF who raise funds and are making a huge difference in our world. Because fake blogs are often accused of raising moneys through fraud, many people are tempted to write off any future online fundraising opportunities as possible scams and accuse those who might be participating as fakes.
> Truth is truth, no matter the messenger. Whether concerning a health issue, discussions about faith, or posts about life in general, even the most twisted and deceitful person can still share very real and honest facts. Often, people are so quick and extreme to react to fake blogs that they throw the baby out with the bath water...they disregard everything the author wrote as one big fat lie, when, in fact, some of what was written is very true and very helpful.
Discovering a blog is fake is very frustrating, and really, nobody comes out looking good. People are seriously hurt, because blogging, by nature, is a very personal thing. The stories that scammers use are aimed at pulling at our heart strings and drawing us into an emotional attachment and involvement. It is frustrating beyond words to place your trust in somebody who asks for so much compassion, only to be made a fool.
While some become extremely jaded by a fake blog, most people understand that there is a healthy balance to be found between compassion and common sense. I'd personally rather be open and willing to show compassion at the risk of being called a fool than to be hard-hearted and cynical to anyone who appears to be in need of love. There is something good to be said about a world that can show such incredible love to perfect strangers.
Anyway, I'm probably preaching to the choir, and all of what I've just written may have been pointless. But, feel free to ad your healthy thoughts and comments, and I'd be more than happy to try and answer any general questions about fake blogs and online scams.
Nate
Friday, May 15, 2009
(Bump) Blogging Tips
This was originally posted on June 18, 2008...it seemed to be helpful to some, so I thought I'd bring it back to the top for those who missed it the first time. Plus, I've added a few more tips.
So, several people have asked me for some blogging tips. It seems that Tricia and I have helped to inspire several people to begin blogging, which I think can be a good thing. Blogs can be fun and informative and even impacting, sometimes. But, they can also be used for a whole lot of nasty stuff as well. Here are a few tips I have if you're just starting out. Some of these tips are just my personal opinion, and some are pretty tried and true.
> Decide what the purpose of your blog is going to be. Whether it's to share your life with family and friends, create discussion about certain topics, educate people about a particular subject, etc. Whether you don't care about readers or hope that you'll retain a large amount of regular readers. It will be extremely helpful if you and your readers know what your blog is all about so that you and they can know what to expect.
> Don't start a blog unless you're serious about continuing on with it for however long you're willing to commit. Nothing's more frustrating that getting involved in a good blog (as a reader), only to have the author stop posting for no good reason.
> Pick a blog title that is descriptive. It can be funny, or cute or matter-of-fact...just make sure that it describes what your blog is about. I check out blogs every now and then just because I see an interesting blog title, and it can be frustrating when the blog seemingly has nothing to do with it's witty title. I have three blogs that I update regularly, and all three have titles that are descriptive to a certain extent. Again, it will help your readers to know what to expect.
> Blog about what you're passionate about. I'm passionate about the things/people I blog about here on CFHusband, which makes it easy to write often, and gives my readers the feeling that I mean what I say (and say what I mean). I believe, that blogging is both at it's best and worst when people are compassionately honest. The key is speaking the truth in love. I've lost a lot of readers because my writing is not always butterflies and cotton candy, which is a bummer, but a reality. But, I've gained a ton of readers for the same reason, which is very cool.
> Find your niche. Don't be hesitant to read other blogs and borrow from their writing style, topics, themes, but don't feel like you've got to do everything that every other cool blogger is doing. My blog is unique for many reasons, most of which have come naturally and simply from my own personality and preferences. Most of the time, when I try to copy something unique that other bloggers are doing, it just doesn't work or feel right...I've got to be me and blog in the way that feels natural and fun.
> If you're wanting people (other than family and friends) to read your blog on a consistent basis, you'll need to commit to posting, at least, a few times per week. I've discovered, as an author and reader, people quickly lose interest if you don't post every 3-5 days. And, obviously, the more you post about the stuff your passionate about, the more people want to read.
> If you want to build your readership, invest some time into reading and commenting on other blogs that are similar to yours. Blogging is a great way to connect with other people like yourself, and the best way to do that is to seriously become interested in other people. Having said that, there's nothing I hate more than people who comment on my blog JUST to try to get people to go read their blog...BLAH! Keep your motives true.
> Link like there's no tomorrow. Anytime you mention something that your average blog reader may not be familiar with, link to a story/article/website where they can learn more. Anytime you mention a specific movie, person, website, book, etc., link it so your readers can have more to look at. Most people read, to a certain extent, to learn something new, so give them as much info as possible without having to spell everything out by writing it yourself. Linking makes it easy for you and your readers to get the most out of your blog. Just make sure your links are trustworthy.
> Unless you want to deal with idiot comments from idiot people (and by "idiot", I mean people who comment only to be incredibly nasty/cruel), either limit comments to only people who have blogger accounts or enable comment moderation. This is the only big thing I would do differently from the start with my blog if I could. 'Nuff said.
> Prepare for the trolls. An internet troll is someone (usually anonymous, but not always) who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion. If you're blogging, about anything, you will eventually attract a troll or two...just trust me on that. Know ahead of time how you're going to deal with the mean, nasty, hurtful and ignorant comments. If you want my advice, see my last tip and simply choose to delete and ignore.
> Keep the clutter to a minimum and the organization to a maximum. There's nothing worse, IMO, than a blog that is cluttered with an unorganized mess of pictures, videos, links, music playlists, etc. It's not bad to have all of those things, just try to present them in an organized way. Aesthetics go a long way in making people feel welcome and comfortable when reading your blog.
> Label everything! Whether you have a minimum number of labels, or a whole lot like me, label every one of your posts as well as anything you have listed on your sidebar(s). This will not only make it much easier for you to find something you wrote five months ago, it will also give your readers more accessibility to everything your blog has to offer. I get asked the same questions over and over again, mostly by newer people who missed it the first time I gave a piece on info, and while I'd love to answer every question, every time, I just don't have the time. Give your readers the resources to answer their own questions (and don't get too frustrated when, no matter how many different ways you link CFF.org and GOOGLE.com, people still ask you for a piece of info that they could easily find themselves in 30 seconds).
> Write in short paragraphs like a normal person. If you want people to enjoy reading your blog, please, break your posts into smaller paragraphs. It just makes it easier to read. My brain just cannot concentrate long enough to make it very far through on a 500 word paragraph. End of story.
> Unless you want to cause early blindness among your readers, stay away from the following in your posts:
- White font on black background (or anything similar).
- Yellow font on white background (or anything similar).
- Red font on any background for more than a few words.
- Bright, Neon colors, especially pink and yellow.
- Multiple colors of fonts in one post.
Seriously. Just trust me. Please.
Check out this good Color Palate Website for help in coming up with a good color scheme for your blog. You may be the most creative, eloquent writer on the face of the planet, but if you're blog isn't aesthetically pleasing, you won't have many return readers.
> Also stay away from using the following words (at least, excessively):
- Random
- Musings
- Ponderings
Do a google blog search for any of these words sometime...it's not that they're bad words, it's just that everyone and their great uncle uses them on their blog too. Unless you like getting lost in the crowd, or you really are random, or you have some seriously deep and/or funny musings and ponderings (check my sil, Janet's blog for a good example of seriously funny "musings"), just avoid using them. (and by "seriously", I don't mean that your mom or kid brother tells you how random you are...ever watch the American Idol auditions?)
Anyway, there are my slightly sarcastic, but completely honest tips on blogging. Take 'em or leave 'em. Don't be offended if your blog doesn't follow all of my tips, unless you think I'm really that important, which you shouldn't, unless that also means you're going to include me in your will, which you really shouldn't do either.
Unless I'm related to you.
Nate
PS. What are your blogging tips?
So, several people have asked me for some blogging tips. It seems that Tricia and I have helped to inspire several people to begin blogging, which I think can be a good thing. Blogs can be fun and informative and even impacting, sometimes. But, they can also be used for a whole lot of nasty stuff as well. Here are a few tips I have if you're just starting out. Some of these tips are just my personal opinion, and some are pretty tried and true.
> Decide what the purpose of your blog is going to be. Whether it's to share your life with family and friends, create discussion about certain topics, educate people about a particular subject, etc. Whether you don't care about readers or hope that you'll retain a large amount of regular readers. It will be extremely helpful if you and your readers know what your blog is all about so that you and they can know what to expect.
> Don't start a blog unless you're serious about continuing on with it for however long you're willing to commit. Nothing's more frustrating that getting involved in a good blog (as a reader), only to have the author stop posting for no good reason.
> Pick a blog title that is descriptive. It can be funny, or cute or matter-of-fact...just make sure that it describes what your blog is about. I check out blogs every now and then just because I see an interesting blog title, and it can be frustrating when the blog seemingly has nothing to do with it's witty title. I have three blogs that I update regularly, and all three have titles that are descriptive to a certain extent. Again, it will help your readers to know what to expect.
> Blog about what you're passionate about. I'm passionate about the things/people I blog about here on CFHusband, which makes it easy to write often, and gives my readers the feeling that I mean what I say (and say what I mean). I believe, that blogging is both at it's best and worst when people are compassionately honest. The key is speaking the truth in love. I've lost a lot of readers because my writing is not always butterflies and cotton candy, which is a bummer, but a reality. But, I've gained a ton of readers for the same reason, which is very cool.
> Find your niche. Don't be hesitant to read other blogs and borrow from their writing style, topics, themes, but don't feel like you've got to do everything that every other cool blogger is doing. My blog is unique for many reasons, most of which have come naturally and simply from my own personality and preferences. Most of the time, when I try to copy something unique that other bloggers are doing, it just doesn't work or feel right...I've got to be me and blog in the way that feels natural and fun.
> If you're wanting people (other than family and friends) to read your blog on a consistent basis, you'll need to commit to posting, at least, a few times per week. I've discovered, as an author and reader, people quickly lose interest if you don't post every 3-5 days. And, obviously, the more you post about the stuff your passionate about, the more people want to read.
> If you want to build your readership, invest some time into reading and commenting on other blogs that are similar to yours. Blogging is a great way to connect with other people like yourself, and the best way to do that is to seriously become interested in other people. Having said that, there's nothing I hate more than people who comment on my blog JUST to try to get people to go read their blog...BLAH! Keep your motives true.
> Link like there's no tomorrow. Anytime you mention something that your average blog reader may not be familiar with, link to a story/article/website where they can learn more. Anytime you mention a specific movie, person, website, book, etc., link it so your readers can have more to look at. Most people read, to a certain extent, to learn something new, so give them as much info as possible without having to spell everything out by writing it yourself. Linking makes it easy for you and your readers to get the most out of your blog. Just make sure your links are trustworthy.
> Unless you want to deal with idiot comments from idiot people (and by "idiot", I mean people who comment only to be incredibly nasty/cruel), either limit comments to only people who have blogger accounts or enable comment moderation. This is the only big thing I would do differently from the start with my blog if I could. 'Nuff said.
> Prepare for the trolls. An internet troll is someone (usually anonymous, but not always) who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion. If you're blogging, about anything, you will eventually attract a troll or two...just trust me on that. Know ahead of time how you're going to deal with the mean, nasty, hurtful and ignorant comments. If you want my advice, see my last tip and simply choose to delete and ignore.
> Keep the clutter to a minimum and the organization to a maximum. There's nothing worse, IMO, than a blog that is cluttered with an unorganized mess of pictures, videos, links, music playlists, etc. It's not bad to have all of those things, just try to present them in an organized way. Aesthetics go a long way in making people feel welcome and comfortable when reading your blog.
> Label everything! Whether you have a minimum number of labels, or a whole lot like me, label every one of your posts as well as anything you have listed on your sidebar(s). This will not only make it much easier for you to find something you wrote five months ago, it will also give your readers more accessibility to everything your blog has to offer. I get asked the same questions over and over again, mostly by newer people who missed it the first time I gave a piece on info, and while I'd love to answer every question, every time, I just don't have the time. Give your readers the resources to answer their own questions (and don't get too frustrated when, no matter how many different ways you link CFF.org and GOOGLE.com, people still ask you for a piece of info that they could easily find themselves in 30 seconds).
> Write in short paragraphs like a normal person. If you want people to enjoy reading your blog, please, break your posts into smaller paragraphs. It just makes it easier to read. My brain just cannot concentrate long enough to make it very far through on a 500 word paragraph. End of story.
> Unless you want to cause early blindness among your readers, stay away from the following in your posts:
- White font on black background (or anything similar).
- Yellow font on white background (or anything similar).
- Red font on any background for more than a few words.
- Bright, Neon colors, especially pink and yellow.
- Multiple colors of fonts in one post.
Seriously. Just trust me. Please.
Check out this good Color Palate Website for help in coming up with a good color scheme for your blog. You may be the most creative, eloquent writer on the face of the planet, but if you're blog isn't aesthetically pleasing, you won't have many return readers.
> Also stay away from using the following words (at least, excessively):
- Random
- Musings
- Ponderings
Do a google blog search for any of these words sometime...it's not that they're bad words, it's just that everyone and their great uncle uses them on their blog too. Unless you like getting lost in the crowd, or you really are random, or you have some seriously deep and/or funny musings and ponderings (check my sil, Janet's blog for a good example of seriously funny "musings"), just avoid using them. (and by "seriously", I don't mean that your mom or kid brother tells you how random you are...ever watch the American Idol auditions?)
Anyway, there are my slightly sarcastic, but completely honest tips on blogging. Take 'em or leave 'em. Don't be offended if your blog doesn't follow all of my tips, unless you think I'm really that important, which you shouldn't, unless that also means you're going to include me in your will, which you really shouldn't do either.
Unless I'm related to you.
Nate
PS. What are your blogging tips?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Repost: Prayer
I originally posted this on March 14, 2008. I thought it might be a good idea to repost it since it is still relevant...
As I have mentioned before, one of the greatest comforts for me these past few months has been the opportunity to pray for other people. Over the past 9 weeks, I have literally received hundreds (maybe thousands) of comments and emails asking me to pray for others who are going through difficult times of their own.
It has been an honor and a blessing to pray for each one, and I have tried to personally respond to every email that has been sent and view every blog/website link that I've been pointed to.
Many of those same comments and emails have also asked that I post a link to these other people who need prayer. And, back when I wasn't getting an average of 250 comments and 50 emails a day, I was happy and able to so.
Unfortunately, because of the huge number of these requests, I had to make the decision several (months) ago to not post any of the links because I do not have the time and energy to post them all, and I can't post just a few because that would cause serious problems. The few third-party prayers that I do post now are almost exclusively from and/or about people that I know personally.
I do want you to know that I read every single comment and every single email, and try to respond to every email as best I can. If you send me an email asking for prayer, and I do not respond, it is almost definitely because I do not receive it (and yes, I check my junk folder every day). And, I take the time to pray for every request.
My heart sincerely breaks and grieves with compassion and empathy for every story that I read, whether about an older adult or a young child, and it is very difficult for me to not feel guilty that I cannot post every single link.
I hope and pray that you can understand my situation and decisions about this topic. I have never once deleted a comment that has asked for prayer for another person because I know that many in my family, and many of my readers take a look at most, if not all, of the comments. And, in fact, I continue to encourage all of my readers to post their prayer requests here on my blog so that others can read and join me in prayer.
I believe that prayer is more than just a good vibe or a few kind words that might somehow mystically make a difference in somebody's life. I believe that prayer is the opportunity to talk with the God of the universe as if He were (and I believe that He is) sitting right beside me as a close friend. And, because of that, I believe that God hears and answers each and every prayer of those who know Him.
Sometimes He answers in a way that we want Him to, and other times He does not. But, even when His answer is not what I want or expect, He does answer every time, and it is always the best answer.
So, again, thank you, not only for giving me even more reason to forget about my own difficult situation, but for also giving me even more reason to spend time talking with the One who has made me and sustains me.
Thanks.
Nate
(Please, know that I am not posting this because of any one person's request for prayer.)
As I have mentioned before, one of the greatest comforts for me these past few months has been the opportunity to pray for other people. Over the past 9 weeks, I have literally received hundreds (maybe thousands) of comments and emails asking me to pray for others who are going through difficult times of their own.
It has been an honor and a blessing to pray for each one, and I have tried to personally respond to every email that has been sent and view every blog/website link that I've been pointed to.
Many of those same comments and emails have also asked that I post a link to these other people who need prayer. And, back when I wasn't getting an average of 250 comments and 50 emails a day, I was happy and able to so.
Unfortunately, because of the huge number of these requests, I had to make the decision several (months) ago to not post any of the links because I do not have the time and energy to post them all, and I can't post just a few because that would cause serious problems. The few third-party prayers that I do post now are almost exclusively from and/or about people that I know personally.
I do want you to know that I read every single comment and every single email, and try to respond to every email as best I can. If you send me an email asking for prayer, and I do not respond, it is almost definitely because I do not receive it (and yes, I check my junk folder every day). And, I take the time to pray for every request.
My heart sincerely breaks and grieves with compassion and empathy for every story that I read, whether about an older adult or a young child, and it is very difficult for me to not feel guilty that I cannot post every single link.
I hope and pray that you can understand my situation and decisions about this topic. I have never once deleted a comment that has asked for prayer for another person because I know that many in my family, and many of my readers take a look at most, if not all, of the comments. And, in fact, I continue to encourage all of my readers to post their prayer requests here on my blog so that others can read and join me in prayer.
I believe that prayer is more than just a good vibe or a few kind words that might somehow mystically make a difference in somebody's life. I believe that prayer is the opportunity to talk with the God of the universe as if He were (and I believe that He is) sitting right beside me as a close friend. And, because of that, I believe that God hears and answers each and every prayer of those who know Him.
Sometimes He answers in a way that we want Him to, and other times He does not. But, even when His answer is not what I want or expect, He does answer every time, and it is always the best answer.
So, again, thank you, not only for giving me even more reason to forget about my own difficult situation, but for also giving me even more reason to spend time talking with the One who has made me and sustains me.
Thanks.
Nate
(Please, know that I am not posting this because of any one person's request for prayer.)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
10,000,000 Hits!
Woo Hoo!
Much more exciting than that, my youngest sister is now a mommy, and I'm an uncle to a beautiful baby girl!
Welcome, Evaine Claire Sanchez! Congrats Rachel and Ramon!!!!
Nate
Much more exciting than that, my youngest sister is now a mommy, and I'm an uncle to a beautiful baby girl!
Welcome, Evaine Claire Sanchez! Congrats Rachel and Ramon!!!!
Nate
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sign Of The Times
It says a lot that, on April 3, 2008, my blog received nearly 100,000 hits. I says even more (to me, at least) that, on April 3, 2009, my blog received a little over 10,000 hits.
I am thankful for the incredibly large number of people who support us and check in on us during the more difficult times...it was and is an encouragement to know that so many people were watching and praying with us during Tricia's transplant surgery. And, while many people continue to check in on us now, many more do not...a sign of a (relatively) boring and semi-normal life for the Lawrenson family. And, quite honestly, that makes me very, very happy.
We know that life is a roller coaster, and that the roughest of times for us are still ahead. But, for now, we'll enjoy the peace and the relative quiet for as long as it lasts as we continue to journal our lives, however "boring" they may be.
Nate
I am thankful for the incredibly large number of people who support us and check in on us during the more difficult times...it was and is an encouragement to know that so many people were watching and praying with us during Tricia's transplant surgery. And, while many people continue to check in on us now, many more do not...a sign of a (relatively) boring and semi-normal life for the Lawrenson family. And, quite honestly, that makes me very, very happy.
We know that life is a roller coaster, and that the roughest of times for us are still ahead. But, for now, we'll enjoy the peace and the relative quiet for as long as it lasts as we continue to journal our lives, however "boring" they may be.
Nate
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Answers (At Last!)
> Tricia has not contacted her donor's family yet. The transplant team suggests you wait about a year before writing the initial letter, so hopefully it will be something that we do soon. Depending on the response (or lack of), we may or may not share anything with the public about our possible correspondence with the donor's family.
> Tricia worked several jobs during her teen and young adult years prior to last year...she is now a full-time mommy.
> Yes, I finished "The Story Of Us" a LONG time ago...
> Tricia knows very little about her biological family, mostly by choice, and all of which we'll keep private. She has never struggled much with knowing she was adopted (which took place when she was very young).
> Janet...you can come stay if you can figure out how to get to the futon thought all of the boxes in the guest bedroom.
> Megan...your yellow ae sweatshirt is in our living room.
> Here is the meaning behind Gwyneth's name. We did have a boy name...
> The biggest day-to-day struggle we have as a family post-transplant is trying to find "normal". Being in our own home is helping, but it's difficult to have a set schedule and routine as Tricia's health needs are always changing...from a bad night's sleep to a side-affect caused by a med to the last minuted visits to Duke, it's very difficult to know with any amount of certainty what we're doing from one day to the next.
> Cookies are my weakness (along with ice cream)...it's hard to say what is my favorite, but chocolate chip might be it.
> We both do a lot of the cooking, although Tricia is doing more now that she has more energy and her own home. I cook a lot of breakfast and a lot on the grill.
> We don't watch American Idol...but, we're not watching much of anything on the tv right now because we don't have cable. We do watch a few shows via the internet.
> In the mornings before Tricia is awake, Gwyneth and I spend time waking up together, smiling at each other, and lots of book reading...she loves books (something she definitely gets from her mother).
> The thing I enjoy most about my job at NHC is spending time with people, especially leading worship (and, I actually work for everyone who is a member of my church, not just one person).
> This is my favorite song at the moment.
> When I was younger I wanted to be a baseball player. Tricia wanted to work with animals.
> "I would love to know how you manage to do everything- Gwyneth, Tricia, Work, Laundry, Moving, Blogging, Photography, Dinner, Cuddles, Decorating, Church? Do you ever ever sleep?" Yes, I sleep...not quite as much as I'd like to, but that's mostly my choice. Tricia is doing a lot more now that she's feeling much better, so my life isn't nearly as busy and full as it might appear to be.
> Tricia likes to think that she's a crafty person, and although she's tried her hand at several things, she just doesn't have the personality to really invest a lot of time into one single thing...she's the type who likes to do a little bit of everything, try everything once.
> Tricia is enjoying life as much as she possibly can. She is still a first time mother, experiencing much of what all other first time mothers experience, including the frustrations and stress. She still deals with medical issues on a constant basis...beside her transplant recovery, diabetes, CF-related digestive issues, etc., she also has had several minor medical issues, most of which we don't blog about for various reasons. She has a lot of trouble sleeping, at least 50% of the time...the cancer slowed her transplant recovery for a few different reasons... She'll never be able to live knowing that all of her medical treatments and procedures are behind her.
> I've asked Tricia to write her own blog post about life with her new lungs, post-cancer, etc. as many of you have asked about that...I'll let you know when she does that (soon).
> We do get recognized in public, almost always around Durham (never at home, except for people visiting our church). The first few times were a little strange, but now we're used to it, although it's not like it happens all the time. It seems like everyone who we come into contact with on a regular basis (staff and other CF/transplant patients) at Duke follows the blog and keeps up with the news stories, which is nice because we feel like many of the medical personnel are our friends and they really care for Tricia and Gwyneth beyond what is expected.
> I can't answer the question about "what if" concerning being a CF carrier...I can only tell you that, if our situation had been different, we would have probably thought differently about it.
> We are still very selective about where Tricia and Gwyneth go, especially during the winter. Gwyneth has been getting her RSV Shots. Hopefully when the weather warms and most of the germs go into hybernation, Gwyneth will be big and old enough to do more and hang out with whomever and where she wants to. As I've explained before, the immunosupressant drugs are typically reduced after the first year, which means a lower risk of catching a bug from others.
> I have a few "special" songs I sing to Gwyneth, but mostly I make up songs...there are a lot of fun things you can rhyme with "Rose".
> Plastic.
> At this point, we're not actively pursuing adoption, but we hope it will be an option in the future should we decide to grow our family. Right now, we're simply trying to stay healthy and enjoy each other as much as possible.
> This is "our song". Actually, most of our wedding ceremony music was courtesy of Coldplay.
> Vacation...that is something we're currently making plans for...stayed tuned...
> I do have friends who do not share our faith...I interact with them about the same way I do with anyone else. Since our church actually exists for people who don't go to church, they would be totally welcome.
> "Do you have topics that are 'off limits' or that you naturally gravitate away from when you write on your blog?" I thought this was the most interesting question...mostly because, I'm not really sure how you're wanting me to answer....hmmmm....
> My mom's hand healed up very well...it's not perfect, but nearly.
> Jeff is doing very well and is in remission...he and his family are enjoying their crazy life, back to "normal"! We're very thankful for the support they have received.
> Actually, I call Tricia "Patty Sue" and everyone else calls her "Tricia" (except for the receptionists at Duke, who call her "Patricia").
> And, of course, the big questions concerning Gwyneth development. I'll give you a short answer now, and then post a series of videos to actually show you how well she is doing.
Gwyneth has been assessed to be at about a 5-6 month old level, developmentally/motor skills, although, she has recently been making big strides and hitting some key milestones. We are not worried or concerned...as we have shared before, we are simply amazed and thankful that she is even here with us now, and we will celebrate every milestone like any normal parent and will not be scared about her future. To be focused on the unknowns of the future is to miss out on the blessings of the present. We'll enjoy her little, dependent sweetness for as long as we can!
Of course, some of her doctors are concerned, as she is a little behind even as a micro-preemie...but, then, some of her doctors aren't concerned. She has not shown any signs of long-term complications other than what I have previously shared. She has been working with a couple of therapists (actually, we are working with them as they show us ways to help her along) and we are seeing great progress. In reality, her poor eyesight is possibly a big reason why she is progressing slowly...she is very intelligent, very vocal, etc. but motor skills are very closely related to vision.
We do tend to keep Gwyneth's developmental issues more private than other topics we more openly discuss...because: 1) a lot of what we might share would be misunderstood (see This Post and comments for a wonderful example), and 2) someday, Gwyneth is might read all of this, and we need to be sensitive now to her feelings then.
> You can find answers to most of your questions about anything else I may have already covered on this blog by using the cool search bar at the top left-hand corner of my blog (see first pic below). For example...I typed in "life expectancy" and found the answers to a few of your questions via These Results. I've also been meticulous about labeling every post, and you can use the labels feature (see second pic below)...I clicked on the "transplant" label and found the answers to a few of your questions via These Results.
Thanks! It's always fun to see what kinds of questions people ask, and I enjoy taking the time to answer.
Nate
> Tricia worked several jobs during her teen and young adult years prior to last year...she is now a full-time mommy.
> Yes, I finished "The Story Of Us" a LONG time ago...
> Tricia knows very little about her biological family, mostly by choice, and all of which we'll keep private. She has never struggled much with knowing she was adopted (which took place when she was very young).
> Janet...you can come stay if you can figure out how to get to the futon thought all of the boxes in the guest bedroom.
> Megan...your yellow ae sweatshirt is in our living room.
> Here is the meaning behind Gwyneth's name. We did have a boy name...
> The biggest day-to-day struggle we have as a family post-transplant is trying to find "normal". Being in our own home is helping, but it's difficult to have a set schedule and routine as Tricia's health needs are always changing...from a bad night's sleep to a side-affect caused by a med to the last minuted visits to Duke, it's very difficult to know with any amount of certainty what we're doing from one day to the next.
> Cookies are my weakness (along with ice cream)...it's hard to say what is my favorite, but chocolate chip might be it.
> We both do a lot of the cooking, although Tricia is doing more now that she has more energy and her own home. I cook a lot of breakfast and a lot on the grill.
> We don't watch American Idol...but, we're not watching much of anything on the tv right now because we don't have cable. We do watch a few shows via the internet.
> In the mornings before Tricia is awake, Gwyneth and I spend time waking up together, smiling at each other, and lots of book reading...she loves books (something she definitely gets from her mother).
> The thing I enjoy most about my job at NHC is spending time with people, especially leading worship (and, I actually work for everyone who is a member of my church, not just one person).
> This is my favorite song at the moment.
> When I was younger I wanted to be a baseball player. Tricia wanted to work with animals.
> "I would love to know how you manage to do everything- Gwyneth, Tricia, Work, Laundry, Moving, Blogging, Photography, Dinner, Cuddles, Decorating, Church? Do you ever ever sleep?" Yes, I sleep...not quite as much as I'd like to, but that's mostly my choice. Tricia is doing a lot more now that she's feeling much better, so my life isn't nearly as busy and full as it might appear to be.
> Tricia likes to think that she's a crafty person, and although she's tried her hand at several things, she just doesn't have the personality to really invest a lot of time into one single thing...she's the type who likes to do a little bit of everything, try everything once.
> Tricia is enjoying life as much as she possibly can. She is still a first time mother, experiencing much of what all other first time mothers experience, including the frustrations and stress. She still deals with medical issues on a constant basis...beside her transplant recovery, diabetes, CF-related digestive issues, etc., she also has had several minor medical issues, most of which we don't blog about for various reasons. She has a lot of trouble sleeping, at least 50% of the time...the cancer slowed her transplant recovery for a few different reasons... She'll never be able to live knowing that all of her medical treatments and procedures are behind her.
> I've asked Tricia to write her own blog post about life with her new lungs, post-cancer, etc. as many of you have asked about that...I'll let you know when she does that (soon).
> We do get recognized in public, almost always around Durham (never at home, except for people visiting our church). The first few times were a little strange, but now we're used to it, although it's not like it happens all the time. It seems like everyone who we come into contact with on a regular basis (staff and other CF/transplant patients) at Duke follows the blog and keeps up with the news stories, which is nice because we feel like many of the medical personnel are our friends and they really care for Tricia and Gwyneth beyond what is expected.
> I can't answer the question about "what if" concerning being a CF carrier...I can only tell you that, if our situation had been different, we would have probably thought differently about it.
> We are still very selective about where Tricia and Gwyneth go, especially during the winter. Gwyneth has been getting her RSV Shots. Hopefully when the weather warms and most of the germs go into hybernation, Gwyneth will be big and old enough to do more and hang out with whomever and where she wants to. As I've explained before, the immunosupressant drugs are typically reduced after the first year, which means a lower risk of catching a bug from others.
> I have a few "special" songs I sing to Gwyneth, but mostly I make up songs...there are a lot of fun things you can rhyme with "Rose".
> Plastic.
> At this point, we're not actively pursuing adoption, but we hope it will be an option in the future should we decide to grow our family. Right now, we're simply trying to stay healthy and enjoy each other as much as possible.
> This is "our song". Actually, most of our wedding ceremony music was courtesy of Coldplay.
> Vacation...that is something we're currently making plans for...stayed tuned...
> I do have friends who do not share our faith...I interact with them about the same way I do with anyone else. Since our church actually exists for people who don't go to church, they would be totally welcome.
> "Do you have topics that are 'off limits' or that you naturally gravitate away from when you write on your blog?" I thought this was the most interesting question...mostly because, I'm not really sure how you're wanting me to answer....hmmmm....
> My mom's hand healed up very well...it's not perfect, but nearly.
> Jeff is doing very well and is in remission...he and his family are enjoying their crazy life, back to "normal"! We're very thankful for the support they have received.
> Actually, I call Tricia "Patty Sue" and everyone else calls her "Tricia" (except for the receptionists at Duke, who call her "Patricia").
> And, of course, the big questions concerning Gwyneth development. I'll give you a short answer now, and then post a series of videos to actually show you how well she is doing.
Gwyneth has been assessed to be at about a 5-6 month old level, developmentally/motor skills, although, she has recently been making big strides and hitting some key milestones. We are not worried or concerned...as we have shared before, we are simply amazed and thankful that she is even here with us now, and we will celebrate every milestone like any normal parent and will not be scared about her future. To be focused on the unknowns of the future is to miss out on the blessings of the present. We'll enjoy her little, dependent sweetness for as long as we can!
Of course, some of her doctors are concerned, as she is a little behind even as a micro-preemie...but, then, some of her doctors aren't concerned. She has not shown any signs of long-term complications other than what I have previously shared. She has been working with a couple of therapists (actually, we are working with them as they show us ways to help her along) and we are seeing great progress. In reality, her poor eyesight is possibly a big reason why she is progressing slowly...she is very intelligent, very vocal, etc. but motor skills are very closely related to vision.
We do tend to keep Gwyneth's developmental issues more private than other topics we more openly discuss...because: 1) a lot of what we might share would be misunderstood (see This Post and comments for a wonderful example), and 2) someday, Gwyneth is might read all of this, and we need to be sensitive now to her feelings then.
> You can find answers to most of your questions about anything else I may have already covered on this blog by using the cool search bar at the top left-hand corner of my blog (see first pic below). For example...I typed in "life expectancy" and found the answers to a few of your questions via These Results. I've also been meticulous about labeling every post, and you can use the labels feature (see second pic below)...I clicked on the "transplant" label and found the answers to a few of your questions via These Results.
Thanks! It's always fun to see what kinds of questions people ask, and I enjoy taking the time to answer.
Nate
Thursday, February 19, 2009
One Year Wiser
Every now and then, I'll go back and take a look at what was happening in our lives a year ago. I've been reading the posts from middle/late February of 2008...a lot of amazing and stressful things were happening in our lives, and it's a lot of fun and a bit strange to look back and remember. Reading through the posts and comments, I just realized that it's been nearly a year since I disabled the "anonymous" commenting option (you can read about that decision Here). I took a look at the comments I was deleting this time last year as well (yes, I save every blog comment), and there was a slew of really vile and disgusting anonymous comments...they always seem to come in bunches.
Anyway, I've grown and learned a lot this past year, including how to be a better blogger. Having a blog explode like this one did creates a lot of blessings and a lot of frustration...knowing how to deal with nasty comments has been one of those frustrating things that has helped me grow.
I've learned to nearly master that art of "ignore and delete, ignore and delete", and, whether unfortunate or not, the really cruel people seem to especially enjoy kicking you when you're down, and it seems we haven't been too down lately. All that to say, I'm enabling the "anonymous" commenting feature again, knowing that many wonderfully kind and encouraging people would love to comment without having to create a blogger account. Hopefully, this is a wise decision, but if not, it's easily reversed...
Thanks!
Nate
Anyway, I've grown and learned a lot this past year, including how to be a better blogger. Having a blog explode like this one did creates a lot of blessings and a lot of frustration...knowing how to deal with nasty comments has been one of those frustrating things that has helped me grow.
I've learned to nearly master that art of "ignore and delete, ignore and delete", and, whether unfortunate or not, the really cruel people seem to especially enjoy kicking you when you're down, and it seems we haven't been too down lately. All that to say, I'm enabling the "anonymous" commenting feature again, knowing that many wonderfully kind and encouraging people would love to comment without having to create a blogger account. Hopefully, this is a wise decision, but if not, it's easily reversed...
Thanks!
Nate
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentime!
I was checking out the several posts from last year's Valentime's Day (that's how Tricia says it, which I love and make fun of)...it was quite a day. Our one millionth blog hit, a surgery for Tricia to remove her port, and lots of gifts, cards and love...all in the hospital.
Today, I'm alone...my two sweethearts are still away. But, I'm happy for them and we'll celebrate when they return...they've already received a few gifts in the mail from me, and they'll find more when they come home next week...
In the meantime, here's a kiss from me to you, Patty Sue and Gwyneth too!
Love,
Nate
Today, I'm alone...my two sweethearts are still away. But, I'm happy for them and we'll celebrate when they return...they've already received a few gifts in the mail from me, and they'll find more when they come home next week...
In the meantime, here's a kiss from me to you, Patty Sue and Gwyneth too!
Love,Nate
Friday, January 2, 2009
Happy Anniversary!
For many of you, this week marks one year since you began reading our story! Thanks for sticking around through the good the bad and the ugly! I definitely have the best blog readers in the whole world!
Below is a graph that shows the number of hits the blog received from December 8, 2007 to January 8, 2008...up until the first of the year, it was around 150/day and jumped to 12,457 by January 8.
I'd love to hear about how you came to the blog and why you've stuck around for so long!
Nate
Below is a graph that shows the number of hits the blog received from December 8, 2007 to January 8, 2008...up until the first of the year, it was around 150/day and jumped to 12,457 by January 8.
I'd love to hear about how you came to the blog and why you've stuck around for so long!
Nate
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Toys For Tots
(if the following is a bit confusing, Read This First)
Although I had wanted to donate toys here locally on the beach, I didn't find out for sure that we had won the $250 gift card until December 15, which was too late to donate here. So, instead, we planned a trip to ToysRUs in NJ, which actually turned out to be better anyway because they were having a huge sale AND there is a TFT drop-off inside the store.
Because this really is your (my readers) gift to the kids (all I did was ask you to vote), we thought we'd shoot a little video so that you could feel like you were a part of the fun...we tried to stick mostly to fun, low priced items that we on sale to stretch the money out to benefit as many kids as possible, and we made sure to hit both genders and every age.
Although I had wanted to donate toys here locally on the beach, I didn't find out for sure that we had won the $250 gift card until December 15, which was too late to donate here. So, instead, we planned a trip to ToysRUs in NJ, which actually turned out to be better anyway because they were having a huge sale AND there is a TFT drop-off inside the store.
Because this really is your (my readers) gift to the kids (all I did was ask you to vote), we thought we'd shoot a little video so that you could feel like you were a part of the fun...we tried to stick mostly to fun, low priced items that we on sale to stretch the money out to benefit as many kids as possible, and we made sure to hit both genders and every age.
Thanks again to everyone (683 of you) who voted for us and helped make this Christmas extra special for several South Jersey children.
BTW, it's not too late, in many areas, to donate to this great charity. I was told by the cashier at the store that donations are way down this year. And, I've even read a few stories about TFT experiencing more theft than normal this year, people actually breaking in and stealing from their distribution centers....what kind of Grinch would do that?
Please, Click Here if you would like to learn more about Toys for Tots!
Thanks!
Nate
BTW, it's not too late, in many areas, to donate to this great charity. I was told by the cashier at the store that donations are way down this year. And, I've even read a few stories about TFT experiencing more theft than normal this year, people actually breaking in and stealing from their distribution centers....what kind of Grinch would do that?
Please, Click Here if you would like to learn more about Toys for Tots!
Thanks!
Nate
Monday, December 15, 2008
Coincidence?
It seems like I might go for a week or two without receiving any unfriendly, blog-related emails and comments, and then, as if in a brilliantly coordinated effort, I'll receive several unfriendly, blog-related emails and comments within a few days... It's not something that surprises me anymore (there seems to be a pattern, although not related to any particular subject that I post about), and very few of these emails and comments really affect me like they used to...but it still can wear me down, especially when my life is as busy as it has been recently.
I learned a while ago that it's not worth it to spend time and emotion and energy posting responses to the negative...and, while I may respond now and then in the comments sections, I usually just delete and forget, delete and forget.
Since I don't believe that anything is coincidental, and because this week is going to be a crazy one (with a "normal" work week, trying to finish the house, and taking a trip to NJ and back), I've decided that the recent barrage of negativity is a good sign that I should take the week off from blogging.
So, you might see one more fun post from me tonight, and then you probably won't hear from me again until after this coming weekend. Hopefully, when I do post again, it will be filled great news of a fun time with our NJ family and friends and a possible moving day before Christmas!
Thanks to all of my great readers...the VAST majority of whom are always positive and encouraging. I hope this post comes across as un-negatively as possible, because I feel very positive right now. :)
And, enjoy your week away from me!
Nate
I learned a while ago that it's not worth it to spend time and emotion and energy posting responses to the negative...and, while I may respond now and then in the comments sections, I usually just delete and forget, delete and forget.
Since I don't believe that anything is coincidental, and because this week is going to be a crazy one (with a "normal" work week, trying to finish the house, and taking a trip to NJ and back), I've decided that the recent barrage of negativity is a good sign that I should take the week off from blogging.
So, you might see one more fun post from me tonight, and then you probably won't hear from me again until after this coming weekend. Hopefully, when I do post again, it will be filled great news of a fun time with our NJ family and friends and a possible moving day before Christmas!
Thanks to all of my great readers...the VAST majority of whom are always positive and encouraging. I hope this post comes across as un-negatively as possible, because I feel very positive right now. :)
And, enjoy your week away from me!
Nate
Monday, December 1, 2008
Your Gift
Well, because CFHusband was leading by over 400 votes when voting closed at 9pm last night at DevineCaroline.com, I'll assume that we'll be awarded the $250 gift card (I'll wait until the official results are revealed to be sure).
Although the gift card won't be presented until early next year, Tricia and I will set aside a few hours sometime soon to take a trip to purchase $250 worth of toys to deliver to our local Toys for Tots (see This Post for the back-story)!
Thank you so much for helping to make our blog known to more people, and especially for giving us this opportunity to be a blessing to local children who may otherwise not experience the joy of opening a gift on Christmas morning. Consider this your gift to these kids.
It goes without saying that my blog readers are the best!!!
Nate
Although the gift card won't be presented until early next year, Tricia and I will set aside a few hours sometime soon to take a trip to purchase $250 worth of toys to deliver to our local Toys for Tots (see This Post for the back-story)!
Thank you so much for helping to make our blog known to more people, and especially for giving us this opportunity to be a blessing to local children who may otherwise not experience the joy of opening a gift on Christmas morning. Consider this your gift to these kids.
It goes without saying that my blog readers are the best!!!
Nate
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
CF Ignorance
It continues to amaze me how so many people can be so ignorant about the most common, fatal, genetically inherited disease among children in North America...
Raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis might be the biggest reason I started and continue this blog...and, even though stories like the one above are sad, many people up north are being educated about the disease for the first time because of the national publicity this story is receiving. And, for that, I'm thankful.
Nate
Raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis might be the biggest reason I started and continue this blog...and, even though stories like the one above are sad, many people up north are being educated about the disease for the first time because of the national publicity this story is receiving. And, for that, I'm thankful.
Nate
Friday, October 17, 2008
News
We haven't heard anything from Duke yet about the biopsy, so we probably won't know anything until Monday.
Thanks to our awesome readers, we won all four Blogger Choice Awards for which we were nominated. I don't know if we actually win anything other than recognition, which is cool with me, because I know that many people have found the blog because of those nominations.
Our TRUNKorTREAT is (unexpectedly) receiving some National Publicity!
Our local friends and supporters at the Southern Shores Rita's are going to be hanging out at the Kitty Hawk Elementary Fall Festival tomorrow from 10-4, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis! We'll be swinging by at some point, as long as everyone is feeling good, enjoying some delicious water ice.
And, tonight, Gwyneth will be experiencing rice cereal for the first time...you know that cameras will be ready!
Nate
Thanks to our awesome readers, we won all four Blogger Choice Awards for which we were nominated. I don't know if we actually win anything other than recognition, which is cool with me, because I know that many people have found the blog because of those nominations.
Our TRUNKorTREAT is (unexpectedly) receiving some National Publicity!
Our local friends and supporters at the Southern Shores Rita's are going to be hanging out at the Kitty Hawk Elementary Fall Festival tomorrow from 10-4, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis! We'll be swinging by at some point, as long as everyone is feeling good, enjoying some delicious water ice.
And, tonight, Gwyneth will be experiencing rice cereal for the first time...you know that cameras will be ready!
Nate