Words with a Blogger Wednesday

Words with a Blogger Wednesday!

This week's blogger has a great blog called

Completely Eclipsed

Tell us about yourself!

My real life name is Melissa, but a lot of times I go by Eclipsed in the e-world. I have been married almost 4 years to a police officer husband and in June we had our first baby, Isabella. My blog is called Completely Eclipsed (www.completelyeclipsed.blogspot.com) and it's really all about how I balance work, family, and friends and try not to completely lose out on the person I was before I was "Mom."

When did you start blogging?
I started blogging when I was about 15 weeks pregnant or so, but I didn't really get into it until after my daughter was born. At first it was a place for me to post pregnancy updates and belly pics for friends, silly things. However it's become a very important part of my life. It's my place to vent, to be honest, to find humor in things, to connect with other women like me.

Do you make money from your blog?
No I don't make any money. I wouldn't be opposed to it, but it just hasn't happened for me yet.

How frequently do you post?
I try to post about 4 times a week. I try to schedule posts as much as I can because I find if I don't write down my ideas right away, I lose them.

Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?
You mean besides you? ;) I absolutely love Sarah @ The Stroller Ballet (www.strollerballet.blogspot.com), Quixotic @ Quixotic Life (www.quixoticlife.com), and Theta Mom (www.thetamom.com). I love refreshing honesty and the ability to make fun of yourself. These women really put themselves out there and inspire me to be a better writer/blogger.

Have your readers influenced you in any way?
Absolutely. I'm continuously amazed that anyone gives a rats patutie what I think. I'm also blown away by the amount of support and advice I receive from "strangers."

Has blogging changed your life in any way?
It really has. It's been almost like a life line to me. Especially when I'm writing through a difficult time in my journey, I can get those feelings out and actually hear from other people who have been there. I've made some great friends and I feel like I've really come into my own.

What do you do when you get writer's block?
I read other people's blogs to try and get inspired. Or I try to find a humorous observation about my day and see if it might be something other people can relate too.

Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?
Network. Get out there and comment. Give good comments, not "Great post" but something meaningful that shows that you actually read and cared about what the blogger had to say. Follow blogs that you love. Keep your posting current and don't give up, success comes with time.

Thanks, Melissa!

Gotta love the guy.

I had a great month this March-I had a great birthday, I bought a new car, my book is out, my daughter' Mother's Day card is coming out as a birthday card and to end it, today is my wedding anniversary. Hey, anyone putting up with a guy who buys electronics like there's no tomorrow, gets carried away with credit cards, has to eat out all the time (thus, making it hard to stay a size 3) and spends more time wiping his black car then giving me a back massage deserves a special day.

Ok, I know, it's supposed to be OUR day. So be it- I guess I might have a few quirks that he has to put up with too. So, today we celebrate being married for seven years. Does seven years get a special symbol? Diamonds? Gold? Anything? Actually, I got my present early-tinted windows for my new car. Oh yeah, I'm the cool mom now.

What am I getting him? You guessed it, a new gadget for his computer. taking him out to dinner, and letting him wash his car-but, I'm not letting him use the credit card.

Friday Photography-Lighting

When I do a photo session, my main issue is lighting. I almost always take my photos outside because I hate indoor light. Our house is very dark, and finding quality light is almost impossible. I have a Lightsphere, an off camera flash, and a light filter for my camera flash. The only thing is, I hardly use them at all. I prefer natural light. I love natural light. I live for natural light. Sound corny? I know, slap me!
An article that I read recently on the Internet titled, Finding Quality Light , had some helpful information on the different light sources that photographers look for. Anyone that is having problems with finding the right light or what to do about harsh light, may want to read it.
An interesting section of the article talked about back lighting and how newbies are taught to avoid this because of the harsh result. But, if you do it just right, you can make an effect known as rim lighting, which produces a beautiful glow around your subject.
Being self taught-meaning, that I just bought the equipment and experimented and practised til I got it right-I wasn't aware of the different lighting techniques, such as, balance light, filter light, block light, etc.
Another techique is using fill light when taking photos. The article, How to add a Fill Light When Taking a Photo explains about filler light in more detail.
Makes me think that maybe I should read a book or two on the subject. Especially if I hope to have an indoor studio someday, so I may take photos all year round and not just certain seasons. Could be more profitable that way!

Friday Photography-Bokeh

My favorite type of photos to take are Bokeh pictures. Bokeh is Japanese for fuzziness. I'm sure you have heard of it from other blogs.

I use this effect for my review photos.

And for my doggie photos.

And for the kids photos.

This effect has become more and more popular with photographers, and there are lots of information on the Internet to learn how to make this effect.

I found an interesting article titled, Bokeh pictures-How to make one easily

In this article, the author explains about the different lenses that allow your photos to have the bokeh effect. Some lenses would probably be out of my price range, but if you can afford them, you could make some fabulous photos!

Macro lenses can give the same effect when shooting something up close. In the article, Learning the Craft of Closeup Photography, the author explains the different lenses to use and about the subjects that make great closeup photos. This could make for great visual tools for foodie bloggers. The article also has some great photos that demonstrate macro photos.

So, take this weekend to practise some bokeh or macro photography and post about it on Monday to show everyone how you did!

Update on my book.

I just found out that my novel is now ready!

About my book:

Are you a blogger?

What would you do if you had a stalker?

Paige McDonald is a well-known blogger. When one of her
reader’s obsession with her goes too far, Paige finds herself in
danger. Soon, other bloggers start turning up dead. Will she listen
to her family and stop blogging, or will she ignore everyone and
keep blogging-at the risk of losing her life?

It will take a week or so for it to be added to Barnes and Noble and Amazon, and all other major outlets. I'm waiting for my order and if you would like a signed copy, I will have a website that will include an special order button. It will be active when my order arrives, so I'll let you know. Otherwise, you will be able to order it at any bookstore-you can ask them to order it for you if you go to the store to save shipping.

Thanks for your support and please help me reach my goal of selling 2000 books!

I'll keep you updated when it is live on B&N and Amazon!

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

It's Words with a Blogger Wednesday!

This week's blogger is Miranda,

The Blond Duck

from
A Duck in her Pond.

She is an author, who writes wonderful stories for children as well as adults!

Tell us about yourself!
In the world of the Internet, I am the Blond Duck, a whimsical children's and young adult writer (though I think my stories are as much for adults as kids!)

Some of her books:

I am also a pie aficionado and apt to write long odes about delightful things like meatballs and barbecue and tacos and waffles--generally, if it's bad for you, I'm going to write an ode about it. I also feature recipes and fun little tales about what's happening at the Pond. In the Real World, I work for a major metropolitan newspaper as a feature writer. The fun part of my job is I write stories about a lot of restaurants! I also love to dance, kickbox and spend time with my husband and two chihuahuas, Bitty and Bear.

Do you make money from your blog?
I make a teensy amount (like $2) from Google Adsense and a little bit from an ad on there, which will go down in May. And I advertise my published books on my blog. But I definitely couldn't quit my day job--I couldn't even use the money on a fancy evening out! I had dreamed of making millions and millions, but I want to have fun and write my stories more than I want to worry about marketing 24/7. Maybe when I quit my day job.

How frequently do you post?
Six days a week. We have three never ending stories (serial stories that post once a week), one recipe a week and two random whimsical picture stuffed posts a week. There's something for everyone.

My husband only reads the ones with pictures, incidentally.

Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?

I do. I have a lot of favorite bloggers. And I'm not going to list them, because I'm terrified of hurting someone's feelings.

Have your readers influenced you in any way?
I love the comments they give me on my stories. There's a lot of times their words will spark a new idea and the story will go a direction I never imagined. Or there's a lot of times that they give me encouragement and inspiration when I've gotten real down about the perilous publishing world. I consider the folks that read my blog Invisible Friends, not readers. Because that's what they are.

Has blogging changed your life in any way?
I think my husband sometimes wishes I never started it, simply because I became so consumed by it for awhile (when I was trying to create the Blond Duck revolution and take over the world with my whimsical little stories!) Now that I've realized I can't have a blog like the Pioneer Woman's and write books and post six days a week and work out and go to work and cook dinner and sometimes kiss my husband and pet my dogs....I've calmed down a bit. I'm focusing on quality over quantity, and I think my Invisible Friends reflect that.
What do you do when you get writer's block?
Dance or take a walk. There's so much joy and whimsy in nature, you can't stay blocked for long.

Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?
Visit food bloggers. They tend to be some of the nicest, most welcoming people. When I first started writing I'd visit mommy bloggers and teacher bloggers and artist bloggers....my core group of Invisible Friends are the first people that came to my blog, and the majority of them are considered food bloggers.

Thanks so much, fellow blogger friend!!

Where did everyone go?

Hey, where did everyone go???

Did I miss something?

Did I say something wrong?

I'm so sad that I've been forgotten...

The most honest person in the world.

Me: "Jordon, do you like my new place mats?"

Jordon: "No. The old ones look better."

Me: "Oh."

---------------

Me: "Jordon, I'm so excited that New Moon is out!"

Jordon: "Twilight is stupid and anyone who likes it is silly."

Me: "Oh."

---------------

Me: "Jordon, are you going to read my book when it comes out?"

Jordon: "Probably not."

Me: "Oh."

---------------

Me: "Jordon, I've finally finished redoing your room. Do you love it?"

Jordon: "No. I like the old way better."

Me: "Oh."

-------------

God help him the first time his wife asks him if her outfit makes her look fat.

Once in a Blue Moon, or New Moon?

I'm not sure how many of my readers are Twilight fans, but I am. I've been waiting for New Moon to come out on video. I missed out being able to see it in theaters, so I've been patiently waiting.

Now, as of Friday at midnight, New Moon is out!

Would I go at midnight to get it?
Would I do something so silly?

Why yes, I would.

Could I stay up until the stroke of midnight, during the week of time change, at the risk of being tired this morning since I had to get up at 7:30am?

Why yes, I could.

Did I run around Walmart, following all the dressed-in-black-with-piercings-stuck-in-their-faces Twilight fans, wondering where to go? Did I then stand in line, holding two different copies of New Moon, hoping to get one of the few BluRay copies that they were holding behind the counter?

Why yes, I did.

Should I ever do this again?

Why NO, I shouldn't!

Friday Follow

I love this idea and have gained some new followers from it.

Welcome to my blog and please leave a comment and I will follow you back!

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

I can't believe that its Wednesday already.

This month has flown by, hasn't it?

Since today is green day, I'll throw in a Happy St. Patty's Day!

Now, on to Words with a Blogger Wednesday.

This week's blogger is

Stephanie from

A Year of Slow Cooking

She must be a busy woman.

Too busy to answer her email.

Oh, to be famous.

So, I will just tell you about her blog.

I love slow cooking.

If I could use the crockpot every day, I would.

Has anyone ever done that?

Why yes, someone has.

Stephanie has.

In 2008, she vowed to do just that. Then, she wrote a book about it.

How fun, right?

And her blog is fantastic too.

She posts crock pot recipes which look yummy. Her blog is very organized, with recipes indexed and if you want to meet her, she lists her appearances too.

I have to add that her recipes are gluten free, which can be helpful for anyone with allergies.

So, skip on over to Stephanie's blog and try some of her recipes.

Heck, you should buy her book too.

Let's all become slow cooker mad.

EcoSmart winner.

Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, you just can't get caught up? I've been spending the last couple of weeks, trying to do just that. I've been cleaning, writing, going through mail and I finally hit the mounds of laundry that I've been pretending not to see every time I walk by it.
So, I wasn't surprised that I FORGOT TO PICK A WINNER FOR MY CONTEST!

This is why I don't hold too many contests, I am just too darn busy sometimes.

Anyway, I'm going to just shut up and announce the winner.

It's Veronica Lee from Of Mice and Ramen, you won a bottle of organic pesticide from EcoSmart.

Woo-hoo!
Come claim your prize, fellow blogger.

The best grand baby ever.

I bet you've been wondering where Zach has been.

Don't worry, he still loves chocolate...

He is still ornery...

He's still the greatest grand baby ever...

We decided to do a photo shoot this weekend.

One thing I learned about taking photos of one-year-olds...

It can be very hard to get them to cooperate when they are teething.

He kept putting his fingers in his mouth.

Over.

And over.

Then, you get lucky, and he smiles a bit for you...

And then he gives you another one.

Then, he finally decides to be nice and give you one of those I-just-want-to-eat-you-up-you-are-so-cute smiles...

And you decide to forgive him for being so ornery and you give him your last piece of chocolate.

Blue + Brown = Black?

Emily's blue eyes are changing now that she is getting older-the only thing is, they really aren't a certain color at all.

I have blue eyes and my husband has brown eyes.

I'm wondering, is there is such a thing as black eyes??

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

Yep, that's right.

It's

Words with a Blogger Wednesday!

This week's awesome blogger is

Brian from

waystationone

Tell us about yourself, Brian:

My eyes are green with a hazel ring around the center and they are filled with stories. There is just something about peoples eyes that tells so much about them. My name is Brian. I am happily married to a lady I fell in love with the moment she walked in the door. We have two boys that are in a competition to see who can visit the hospital the most in a calendar year.

I work as a therapist for children at risk of being removed from their home. This is just the most recent of a hodgepodge of jobs I have held since surviving college. For fun I write, walk in the woods and have fun with my family.

Oh, and I blog... http://www.waystationone.com/

When did you start blogging?

October 2008

Do you make money from your blog?

I made a conscious decision early on to keep a pretty clean and simple format to my blog. No money yet, but maybe there is a publisher out there that will stumble upon me and change all that. (think they will get the hint?)

How frequently do you post?

From the beginning I posted daily. recently I have cut back to 6 posts a week. it is a good rhythm that challenges me to be disciplined in my writing.

Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?

otin @ http://www.wizardofotin.blogpot.com/
she writes @ http://shewritesherenow.blogspot.com/

I read quite a few blogs daily, so this was a hard one.

Have your readers influenced you in any way?

Most definitely. poetikat challenged me about 5 months ago to start writing poetry. before that I only told stories. now 50% of my posts are poetry. jingle spurred that on with her weekly poetry rally.

I listen to what people are saying when they leave comments. If there are posts that people don't get, it makes me think about how I will write the next time. I always try new things, some work some don't.

Outside of my writing I have a few great friends that came just from blogging, several of them I talk with on the phone now as well. I would say they have influenced me in many ways.

Has blogging changed your life in any way?

Most definitely, I used to have all this free time and now...lol. It has opened the door to using a passion of mine that I let lay dormant for far too long. I love telling stories, it makes me feel alive. Blogging gave me that opportunity.

What do you do when you get writer's block?

This actually happens quite regularly. I write. its the only way to dig out. I also keep a notebook and jot down interesting tidbits each day. Sometimes it is a phrase, sometimes it is a word that jumps out at me, sometimes its a story. I go back through the notes when I get a block and usually something will speak to me.

Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?

A couple questions actually...why are you blogging? what are you trying to say? Are you being yourself and talking about what you love? those really help with the content.

If you want comments, comment. it really is that simple. if you want relationships, share yourself. also, pace yourself. its better to blog for the long haul than to make a big splash and disappear. I hate seeing people disappear.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to share with all your wonderful readers today!

You are so welcome, Brian!

The View!

Have you been watching The View?
This is a great week!

MONDAY, MARCH 8 – Guest co-host Vanessa Williams (“ABC’s Ugly Betty”); Day of “Hot Topics”; co-host Sherri Shepherd will Skype live from Hollywood post-Academy Awards and share her Oscar experience; Chris Cuomo breaks down crimes in the headlines. First time musical guests – Lady Antebellum perform
TUESDAY, MARCH 9 – Guests -Andy Garcia and his daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido (“City Island”); Elissa Stein and Susan Kim (author, Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation).
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 – Guests: Forest Whitaker (“Our Family Wedding”); Jesse Ventura (author, American Conspiracies).
THURSDAY, MARCH 11 – Sir Elton John will be sitting with the women at the table and partaking in “Hot Topics”; Guest - Eric McCormack (“Who Is Clark Rockefeller?”).
FRIDAY, MARCH 12 – Co- Host Kate Gosselin is back and will join the women and the return of “The View: Fashion Friday” with designer Carolina Herrera.
My favorite day will be when Jesse Ventura is on, I'm still trying to figure out if he is for real.
Be sure to watch it and let me know what you think!

“I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.”

A birthday over and a new purchase.

I'm back again, after surviving my birthday weekend. Weekend? Yes. I totally take full advantage of my birthday and squeeze every ounce out of it.

Hey you in the bathroom! It's my birthday-do not use the rest of the toilet paper!

Hey you in the kitchen! It's my birthday-wash that dirty dish!

Hey you in the living room! It's my birthday-change that channel to Real Housewives of Orange County!

Yes. I may hate that I'm older, but I use it to my advantage.

I did have a pretty good weekend. My oldest took me out to breakfast and my hubby took me out to dinner. In between that, I sat in a car dealership for three hours. I know, WHO would spend their birthday at a car place? Well, I didn't have any intentions on doing so. Our car guy talked us into coming in to take a test drive on a car I had my eye on. After all, it wasn't often that the hubby and I had a free Saturday at the same time. He had a good point. So, I test drove it and liked it, but I didn't want to spoil my birthday by getting turned down.

"I do not want to try to get this car today," I said firmly.
"Come on," said Mike, our car guy. "I want you to buy a car on your birthday."
"Okay," I said.

I'm such a pushover.

So three hours later, there I was, sitting in a chair in a car dealership on my birthday. My head was throbbing, my tummy was growling, and I was regretting being such a pushover. The guys at the dealership were very nice, and they kept coming up and wishing me "happy birthday" every thirty minutes. Were they gently letting me down? I was waiting for them to bring me a three layer birthday cake with a rejection letter stuck on top and we-are-so-sorry-we-talked-you-into-coming-here-on-your-birthday written in icing around it.

Finally, we talked to the finance guy and they gave me the keys. They said that the banks were closed, but they were 99.9% sure everything will be fine.

(my 2010 Hyundai Elantra)

Today, it still sits in my driveway. I'm hoping that all that birthday time that I invested there paid off, cause now I have to wait until next year to tell the kids, "It's my birthday-rub my feet!"

It's a birthday, oh yeah!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Wow, I can't believe that I'm twenty-nine!

(hee, hee)

In need of a bigger desk.

The desk of a writer, photographer, and digital artist.

A beautiful blogger?

I've been so depressed lately. I'm not sure why. I get in these moods once in awhile and I just go with the flow and eventually, they pass. Maybe I'm sad because I'm having a birthday on Saturday-though I am looking forward to spending time with family. We have lots of fun stuff planned and at least there is no snow in the forecast-knock on my husband's head.

I've decided to try to cheer myself up by posting my award I got recently.

It's the Beautiful Blogger Award.

I got this award from Jamie over at

I have a coupon for that!

Thanks, Jamie!

The rules are:

There are some rule to follow:
1. Thank & link the person that gave you the award.

2. Pass this award onto bloggers you’ve recently discovered and think are fantastic.

3. Contact the winners and let them know they’ve won.

4. State 7 things about yourself

The bloggers that I've met recently that deserve this award are:

Anything Fits a Naked Man

The Blonde Duck

Pink Haired Lady

Raising a Quiver Full

Riding the Roller Coaster

So, I hope this award helps me out for the day.

If not, then maybe a double fudge brownie might be just the thing.

I'm just saying...

Words with a Blogger Wednesday

It's true!

It's back!

Words with a Blogger Wednesday!

This week's blogger is

Judy from

Health, Beauty, Children & Family

Tell us about yourself, Judy!

My name is Judy and I have three kids and two step children ranging in ages of 21 to 2. My oldest is pregnant so I'm going to be a first time grandma. My husband is going to be deploying to Kuwait in April and I've lost track of the number of deployments he has had so far. My two children with chronic medical conditions keep me busy. My middle child wanted to give back to other epileptic children so I encouraged her with her own blog at http://angels4epilepsy.com. I telecommute from home and have been with the same company for over 10 years. My site is Health, Beauty, Children & Family http://youthfultips.blogspot.com and I can be found on Twitter as stayingyoung2.

When did you start blogging?

August 2009

Do you make money from your blog?

I make a little off of affiliate commission programs from Amazon, Commission Junction and Google Ads.

How frequently do you post?

Daily and something more than once a day.

Do you have a favorite blogger(s) that you just can't live without reading?

Simply Stacie and Six Feet Under are two of my favorites along with Nicole's Nickels

Have your readers influenced you in any way?

I try to gear my topics based on reader comments and feedback but mostly stick with the topics that I find interesting or informative.

Has blogging changed your life in any way?

It's added a new level of fun to my life. I have met some very wonderful people from fellow bloggers to readers. It has made me aware of other's plights and hard times so giving away products is something that is nice to do from the standpoint of helping some one. This past Christmas, after hearing back from one of my winners and how happy they were to be able to give their son another present, I sent her a Walmart e-Card to help her son have a better Christmas.

What do you do when you get writer's block?

Look at the latest news for ideas relative to health, beauty, family or children. There is so much information out there to share and write about.

Any other advice you might have for newbie bloggers?

Don't be afraid to ask other bloggers for help. We are all out here to help one another. When you set up your blog, make sure it's what you really want to write about as once you establish yourself, it's hard to change the handles or blog names. I never expected to really grow my blog so I would have not chosen "youthfultips" as my handle. It's a great community opportunity to share so don't be hesitant, join all the other mommy groups and forums, learn and ask questions.

Would you like to be featured?

Just leave me a comment and let me know!

This week's The View.

Hopefully, I've intrigued you to catch a couple of episodes of The View. My favorite guests last week were Octomom and Bill and Guliana. Though, I didn't like how they made fun of Octomom the day after she was on. I thought that was disrespectful-even though it was just her and I know alot of people's opinion of her isn't good-it still was childish.

Now, on to this week's episodes:

• Tuesday, Mar 2: Robert Pattinson makes his first-ever appearance on the show with his “Remember Me” co-star, Emilie de Ravin. Mitt Romney, the 70th Governor of Massachusetts also makes his first-ever appearance.
• Wednesday, Mar 3: This show will feature the best of “View Tube,” including backstage antics and celebrity exit interviews. Lisa Kudrow of “Who Do You Think You Are” will be joining the hosts as well.
• Thursday, Mar 4: Celebrity guest co-host Valerie Bertinelli, former Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin from Broadway’s “The Miracle Worker,” Mia Wasikowska from Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and a musical performance from Broadway’s “Fela” will be featured on this jam-packed episode.
• Friday, Mar 5: The View’s “Road to the Oscars” episode welcomes former Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes and “Fashion Friday” celebrates “The History of Oscar Fashions” with a two-part look back at some of the most memorable – and perhaps forgettable – Oscar hits and misses, with host and celebrity stylist Robert Verdi. Hosts of “At the Movies” Michael Phillips and Tony Scott will also be on set to unveil their 2010 Oscar predictions.

I'm so excited! Let me know which episode you might be interested in and your opinion about

The View's ladies.

“I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.”

Not Me!

Okay, Okay! I remembered to do Not Me! this Monday-I know, I'm a bit late on posting. Cut me some slack, even remembering was an accomplishment!


Not Me! is from MckMama's blog:

Like there even is anyone that HASN'T heard of this.

Anyway, here are the things that I did NOT do this weekend:

I did not watch the Star Trek movie for the forth time this weekend.

I did not eat four brownies within a 48 hour time period.

I did not try to cook sausage links and almost give everyone food poisoning.

I did not check PW's blog religiously to see if she picked my dog photo I submitted in her contest.

I did not take a break from commenting all weekend.

I did not spend an hour at Yankee Candles at the mall, smelling all the scents.

I did not jump up and down because it's getting closer to New Moon coming out on dvd.

I did not cry because nobody did MY meme on Friday.

I did not wear my granny underwear because I was too lazy to go downstairs and get my regular underwear out of the dryer.

Okay, that's all that I DID NOT do this weekend.

Have fun and leave a comment about what you did not do!