I recently wrote about how I intend to become a more well known blogger by having greater interaction with my online friends (and soon to be friends) ... mainly thru doing a better job of sharing some of their good stuff ... or pay it forward SEO as SY has called (lol, I wish I had thought of that, much better keyword blog title than my original post).
After making that post, I quickly discovered that I may have given myself a challenge with a few obstacles. You see, I do quite a bit of reading at work. Most blogs and such are blocked by filters. However, I can still browse just about anything via RSS in my google reader (note: if you want me to be able to read your blog regularly, please offer a FULL FEED). The problem is, it makes it a little difficult to comment, when I can't visit the blog itself.
My solution is, to use the "Shared Items" button at the bottom of each post in my reader.
Then, via a plugin called Recommended Reading I can post links to the stories I choose to share, in a widget down there at the bottom right of my footer ... go ahead, scoll down and look 
The thing is, there's only room for about six stories, so depending on how much I'm reading, the link may only be there for a day or two; and sometimes even less. So, what I'm also going to do, it make a nice little weekly post with most permanent links to all the stories I've shared during the previous 6 or 7 days ... along with a short note sharing why liked it.
Just starting out, I don't think I'll ever be quite as organized with this feature as Kristi's Fetching Friday posts ... but I do hope that the sort of articles I find interesting, also prove to be useful to You ... my readers.
Ok, so without further ado, here are some of the stories that I found interesting enough to share during the week (or maybe going back a bit further since this is the first one) that ended December 4th 2009:
- 6 Things They Mean When They Say They Have No Money - This one is from IttyBiz. If you haven't read Naomi Dunsford's blog yet, you're definitely missing out ... lol, although if you're easily offended by "4-letter language", fair warning that it may not be your cup of tea. This particular post should be of interest to anyone who sells stuff (that would be most of us).
- 35+ Photo Editing Tutorials for Photoshop - I've been following the Vandelay Design for about 2 years now, and I gotta tell you, this blog has the ultimate in great list posts when it comes to web design, and photography techniques.
- The Thankful Box - I just started following Mocha Dad as part of my effort to be more sociable ... and one of the first posts I read was his touching Thanksgiving story about a little tradition his family has instituted.
- The Last Thing You Want to Do is Date Your Wife - And this is the second post I read on (Mocha Dad) Fred's site. Some very good ideas here about how to keep the romance alive, for all of us old married types.
- Fetching Friday - 90 Links in the Biggest Weekly Resources Mashup - I think the name pretty much says it all there. I always, and I mean always, find something useful and interesting in Kristi's weekly resource posts.
- My Cyber Cabin in the Woods - Another one of my new friends, Heather, compares blogging to a form of escapism ... while at the same time, offering up some tips on how to keep the foundation of your own little cyber cabin strong.
- My Blog Epiphany: Is Your Marketing Sticky or Scummy? - Another one of those posts who's title pretty much says it all. JPratt's blog is one where I probably should (and will be making an effort to) share more often, because almost every post is a wealth of good information.
- Giving Your Blog That Christmas Feel - My buddy Sire has given his blog a nice Christmasy makeover for the holidays. And even better, he offers up some nice, easy to follow tips about how he did it; for those adventurous types who might want to do a little theme hacking on their own sites.
- Passive Income – Leaving Australia – the Practicalities - Lissie is moving from Australia to New Zealand and offers up some tips keeping your home business running during a move.
- 5 Bad Reasons to Quit Blogging - Kristi again, with a blog post that really could have been titled "Never give up, never give up, never give up" ... but I suspect hers will play better on stumbleupon, and I'm no expert copywriter
- My Little Texas Cheerleader - My daughter Jaiden in the Texas cheerleader outfit that Ana bought her ... lol, and I don't even want to know what she paid for it ... but it is cute.
- Oes tsetnoc - actually I shared SY's post about Pay It Forward SEO, but since I already wrote about, and linked to that up above, I figured I'd use this slot to put in a plug for SEO Contest spelled backwards - Oes tsetnoc ... check it out, and help spread the word.
- My Snippets: WordPress Plugin - I just shared this one earlier today. It's a new plugin by Justin Tadlock that takes the widget logic concept, and goes one step further. I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but I can already imagine that it's going to let me do pretty cool thing ... especially when it comes to optimizing ads on niche sites.
Ok, well that about wraps it up for this week. I know that I missed a few friends, but I'm just getting back in the grove ... rest assured Your post will be showing up this space over the next few weeks.
I hope you find this helpful.
Feedback and suggestions appreciated and encouraged ...
Where you can ...
Todd Morris
LOL I just saw your link in between showing some people my fridge that they are going to buy, failing to sell them the washing machine – damme, and have a probable on the portable a/c which I am not prepared to give up yet as the temp hits 37C (100F) today – yup that’s right I can live without a fridge while working from home – but not an a/c unit LOL. So Lissies’ helpful moving hint- prioritise what you can live without and for how long – the fridge can go cause I have an esky – the washing machine can go because there is a laundromat in the area, the air con stays!
lol, yes no doubt about it, we must prioritize … and staying comfortable is definitely a must when sitting in front of a keyboard and monitor
Seriously though, I don’t blame you, I’d keep the air conditioner as long as possible too. Good luck on selling the washing machine.
@ Lis Sowerbutts – We’ve just had a pretty hot spring, top temperature of 43C, so I can only imagine what summer is going to be like. Makes me want to put an air conditioner in the office so I can blog in comfort.
@ Todd – Looks like you got a nice list of links here mate, and one from a fellow Aussie who’s moving to NZ. Must check that one out.
Thanks for the link luv too
Sire´s last blog ..Why I No Longer Link To The Likes Of ProBlogger And John Chow
You’re welcome Sire
Wow- I can already see that this idea is going to be
a really nice way to get pointed in the right direction
for the next thing to read.
Love that newest cheerleader!
Thanks JL
Cool Todd! I’ve been wondering how that plugin works, since I’ve seen what appears to be “lists” like this on many others blogs. Seeing how you’re using the plugin helps me understand that YOU are actually writing at least a little bit to describe what the linked post is about -rather than the plugin catching the first sentence or paragraph and doing all the work for you. Hmm, it would be awesome to automate getting the initial text too – for us lazy list linkers. JK.
I already read Lis’ post about her move, so I’m off to read the 6 things post and the one about dating your wife being the last thing you’d want to do. I hope Fred plays nice with this one lol.
Lin´s last blog ..Are Zhu Zhu Hamster Pets Toxic For Kids? 2009 Toxic Toy List
Hi Lin,
The output of the plugin down there in the footer widget is much more automated … I just hit the “share this” in Google Reader, and the links show up here on my blog.
For this post, the whole thing is done by hand. I went back and looked at what I’d shared over the week, got the real link (sometimes google reader shares the feedburner url instead of the direct link), and wrote a little blurb about why I shared it.
There is actually an option with the plugin to “share with note”, which probably would have saved me some time on this post … but would mean I’d have to remember to add a note every time I share a story.
Hmm, I was just going through this list again and checking to make sure I’d taken the time to check out each of the blogs I’ve not heard of, nor was subscribed to. Plus I wanted to check to see if very many of those you linked to bothered to leave a comment for you. The lack thereof reminds me of Sire’s post about why he’s not linking to Darren and Chow anymore, plus the post David Risley did on the subject.
To be perfectly honest and straight-forward (what else could I be?), as much as I like many of the blogs you’ve linked to above, I’m particularly disappointed at the lack of author interaction with readers/commentators such as….on Mocha Dad. I’ve subscribed and unsubscribed a few times in the past for that very reason, and am currently unsubscribed.
Personally speaking, I wouldn’t promote/link to/recommend such blogs who don’t appear to care enough about readers/commentators to bother with a reply. Is it a community or a lecture? Are social blogs desiring conversation.., ie two-way conversation.., or a Sunday School-like sermon? If blogs are about community and conversation, there are far too many “social” blogs that don’t offer a community welcome mat.
I can have better interaction and conversation talking to myself…the voices in my head love it.
While I can understand why some of the Big Dogs (aka A Listers) can’t possibly respond to each and every comment, making virtually no effort at all to respond to commentators reminds me of so-called social blogs that talk AT me rather than with me. What’s social about that? Blech.
Lin´s last blog ..Zhu Zhu Pets Toxic? Zhu Zhu Pets Investigation by CPSC for Antimony
Hi Lin,
Since I have my own periods from time to time where I’m not so good about responding (usually end up catching up in batches) I don’t get too wrapped around the axle about the subject. But your point is well taken … it seems kind of silly to go to the trouble of writing and promoting posts that, by design, are likely to illicit some sort of response; and then never even acknowledge those who leave comments.
As for my link posts …
While I definitely appreciate anybody who stops by to say thanks, I’m not at all expecting any sort of (immediate) reciprocity when I choose articles to link to. Over time, if I link out enough, to as many different sites as possible; and continue to write the occasional “quality” article myself, the links will eventually flow back my way.
… it’s just not always a straight one-for-one deal at the beginning. Gotta have patience.