I. Am. Back.

I am totally unable to account for MIA since January 6th , the date of my last post.    I was out of ideas and needed a break.  It happens a lot.  Many bloggers never return.  I contemplated quitting as I felt I no longer had anything to say.  I've never worked to promote my blog and have often wondered if my lack of focus, i.e. the focus needed to categorize my writing, is a drawback to developing a large readership.  I write because I want a place to make observations and, yes, vent from time to time.

Lately I've been re-thinking the process.  Topics are beginning to jell in my brain and they are truly all over the place.  I guess that's just me and I should embrace it.

I realize writing is my avocation so, why not continue?  Also, I miss you guys.  So here's to getting back in the groove.  I may experiment with short quick posts more often and I may get back to writing in depth about the things for which I feel great passion.

Today, I embed a short but sweet one from the great Stephen Colbert.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Colbert Report on Facebook

Drop Off in Comments Due to Haphazard Posting...or is it DISQUS?

I have been remiss about posting this Summer.  I could say I'm having too much fun, which I am, or I could say I'm just too tired when I come home, which I am.  This blog is all over the place but it's still, primarily, from a female point of view, this female being "of a certain age and political persuasion."

I've noticed a drastic drop off in comments even though my "views" on Google analytics have grown exponentially.  I would normally attribute this to my haphazard posting but the weekly and even daily visits are solid.  So, the next thought is DISQUS.  Has switching to the Disqus commentary widget driven a wedge between me and my readers?  Is it too big a pain to comment if you're not logged in to Disqus?

Inquiring, concerned mind(s) want to know.   

THANKS!

Sometimes I Only Post to the Other Blog

I rarely have time enough to post to both blogs I write. Don't ask why I have two. Empty Nest Evolution was my first blogging experience. I thought it would be fun to write of the title experience as I slogged through. My political instincts soon took over & I wanted to write from a woman's POV. Hence, Women of a Certain Age. Today I wrote of my memories of the drive-in movie theaters we loved. It's the 79th anniversary of the first one. Head over to the Empty Nest to read.

Back to Comment Moderation

Over the weekend, I have received dozens of comments that look like Oriental characters. They appear to be a virus as the profile person is non existent. Luckily, I haven't opened anything but I'm now requiring "Comment moderation' to avoid automatic publication of these damaging viruses in my posts.

Anger and Angst in America: The Prelude

My last post, "Anger and Angst in America" is a long winded attempt to put some perspective on the reason people may be fearful and angry right now. I probably should have served it up in one or two paragraph lengths over the course of a week. It would have been more digestible, less heavy handed. I may even have confused some readers with the over use of certain terms, giving the impression I am someone who rejects government intervention.

Politically, I am a Liberal. I was raised in a Goldwater household but I went the other direction. I do care to know both sides of every issue and that was the main objective of Sunday's post. It explores a random selection of economic issues over 35 years, illustrating why people are just plain fed up with politicians, corporations and getting shafted. I notice that most of the de-regulatory stances are designed to "increase competition" and "benefit the consumer". Somehow, the opposite keeps happening.

FYI: I have edited the previous post. It's still rambling but perhaps makes a bit more sense than version I.

One Lovely Blog Award

Just received a "heads up" from Listen 2 Auntie that she's giving me One Lovely Blog Award. From what I can tell, this is to introduce blogs new to you, the awarder (not a word, I know) to your readers. Got that? I am new to Auntie so she's including my blog as one to check out and so on. She received hers from Words of Wisdom from a Smart Mouth Broad.

There aren't any rules. We are to pick up to fifteen bloggers (I'm going with 5, it's manageable) who are fairly new to us and make our readers aware of them. So:

World of Spirit: Population Unknown
stuff from ellen's head
Pop and Ice in the Shores
Stirring My Thoughts
Lilacs and Cats

Most of my new readers find me because someone else they read has me on their list, which is great! This is another way to expand the circle.

Template Tryout 4

Am I driving you nuts yet? I am definitely making my husband crazy. I like this one but he is of the opinion I should keep it plain and simple so as not to detract from the writing or the images.

The next one will be an all-white tryout, probably minima stretch which I also like. I want to change mastheads occasionally...put in a photo. So I need to study that. I know some of you have sent me the way to do it and I'll go back to reading about it. I really enjoy the masthead change on some of the blogs I read.

Did I tell you I'm going on vacation next Friday? Yippee!

Template Tryout 3

Everyone is being incredibly helpful. All honest votes count. I like this background because it's soft and quiet although I wish the borders stretched so my blog fills the page. This cuts everything off at the side so it probably won't make the cut. But I do like the colors.

Template Tryout 2

Second attempt.

Most of you did not like the last one which is great with me. I really appreciate the comments because I am sort of kind of indecisive when it comes to this...can you tell? ;=)

I have a feeling I'll end up with something plain but in the interim, how do you like this one? I love red so I am attracted to it.

One thing I noticed since I switched...all my FOLLOWERS have disappeared! No friggin' idea why. They disappeared from my Empty Nest blog too and I haven't touched it!

Security

"Security is mostly imagination, it doesn't exist in nature...life is either a daring adventure or it's nothing at all." Helen Keller 1919-1985

Someone sent this quote to me today in an email. I thought it worth sharing, especially in light of the recent posts I've read expressing various forms of insecurity about jobs, health, children, and the welfare of others.

We are all insecure. I have struggled with it my entire life. There are days I awake and hit the ground running and can talk with anyone about anything. (I'm in sales). There are other days I want to crawl in a hole and avoid interaction completely, afraid someone will find out I'm a fraud. Yesterday I had a hard time speaking on the phone with prospective clients. I found myself explaining that I was having a "brain freeze". I don't need to do that! Nobody cares anyway! That's not insecurity, it's reality. :)

The point is, Helen Keller is right. Security is in your head. You have a job today, you lose it tomorrow. Are you still the same person? Yes. Have your circumstances changed? Yes. Are you now facing adventure? Yes. If you look at new circumstances as an opportunity, as an adventure, it puts a positive spin on things. They don't seem quite as scary.

The yogis have it right. Do what you can today. It may be better or not as good as what you did yesterday but it is the best you can do for now.

Remember "The Road Not Taken".

Friday Nights, Part 2

In May 2008, I wrote a post about Friday night get-togethers with my girlfriends, a weekly occurrence taking place during my twenties. It is a special memory because of the camaraderie and support these Friday nights engendered. These were therapeutic social gatherings arranged around wine, women & food. We listened to each other's stories, gave opinions, advice, counsel and were generally able to solve much with a great deal of laughter and gravitas combined. It was heaven.

One of the questions I ask in the post is "Why don't I re-establish Friday nights?" I would love to but am not so sure it would fly...at least where I now live. I question how forthcoming most of us are in our middle years. I know many of you are very forthcoming and yet... In those days, everyone blabbed about everything going on in their lives: sex, partners, job issues, family issues, sex. Not so sure that kind of honesty would be as easy now. We have so many to whom we feel obligated to protect.

For many of us, blogging is our Friday night opportunity to tell stories, give opinions and help one another. And it is not limited to women only. I want male readers to weigh in with their perspective. I find blogging an amazing way to reach out. It's cathartic. I'm searching for a way to make it even more interactive and instructive.

All ideas are welcome.

Friends Award

Okay, so last night I'm browsing through blogs I follow and I see this adorable hearts logo and wonder what it is because I'm looking for Valentine art for my blog. I've found it on "The Stair Landing" so I begin to read her post about the Friends Award and how it has been bestowed upon her by another blogger. Of course, this intrigues me to no end as I am always curious about what other people like to follow, especially if I'm following their blog. The goal of the Friends Award is to pay it forward and bestow on eight fellow bloggers. There is criteria.

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight more and include this cleverly written text in the body of your awards.

I read the list twice, trying to decide which blogs I'll visit, before I realized she's listed my blog! You know, it's such a compliment. I think when you blog, no matter how much you'd like other people to read your thoughts, you tend to be surprized when they do.

Thank you to Marilyn. Now, in the spirit of this, here are my selections for the Friends Award:

synch-ro-ni-zing
The Coffee Messiah
Life in the Second Half
Lunch with Front Studio
Maggie Reads
The Typing Makes Me Sound Busy
Pitt Rehab
La Petite Fille de la Mer

Now it's their turn to pay it forward and find eight more.