blogging

Many thanks for your support.

~ Ron Walker ~ 4 Comments

When I first started the blog some years back, I had no clue about the WordPress community. Having never used Jetpack I was unaware of being able to connect into the community that way. I blogged, family and friends would read and comment once in a while. I wrongly assumed that I would get visitors from Google searches (insert cricket sound). So for the most part I just talked to myself and the world thinking one day someone would find me and wave hello.

While I know you shouldn’t base your success totally on your stats as some visits are fleeting just to see if they like you. I was amazed to see that after reaching out for a little over a day, the support and friendliness of others that visited and commented on posts. I had bloggers ‘like’ some posts and I even received one WordPress follower, so I know at least one person liked something or just felt sorry for the new guy on the block. I am very encouraged with the results.

I wanted to take a moment on this rainy Monday to say Thanks to all of you for the visits and support. Sometimes I think we forget the newbie jitters when we took our first steps into a new environment, and how uplifting it felt when there was acceptance of even the smallest amount. I use the WordPress Reader to see if I have missed anyone posting but I enjoy clicking the visit button and going to the sites, Even the ones I follow or have visited before.

I am going to use this category to help me learn and share about blogging. I may find it possible to solicit answers via comments to subjects about blogging from those that pass through. In turn, it may help others searching for tips or information that are just starting out. My thoughts and the comments will help them see the support of bloggers, perhaps helping them decide on taking that first step.

Comments welcome,

Why I Blog instead of do Social Media.

~ Ron Walker ~ 20 Comments

I noticed another Blogger post about why they blog. I enjoy reading things like that because you can get a feel for the person. Here is my attempt at telling my Blogging Story.

Blogging:
Blogging and anything I do I attempt to get enjoyment out of, I enjoy the technical side as well as interaction with others. I started my Blog years ago actually as an afterthought and a place to post news about any problem with my websites, if they went offline. Members could go there for updates. This was before Facebook got big. I think MySpace was still around. Then I guess I started talking to myself.

I think I had one guy..

I had never been on WordPress so I could follow others. I found a few blogs through Google searches but they always tended to be dark and depressed, nothing like the great ones I have found in the last month! I think I had one guy that subscribed to my emails a couple of years ago that was a regular Blogger, I had met him on my forum. Not until I used Jetpack did I realize there was an easy way to meet others of like mind through the WordPress interface. I’m kinda shy, sounds funny for an ex-cop I guess.

I have met some great people in just the last month. Friendly, engaging and supportive. I don’t do Drama, or interact with fringe groups, I just want to coast along and open someones Blog and sit and read old posts, new posts, whatever catches my eye. I know it takes time and patience to develop a following but that is just part and parcel of nearly any thing you wish to do well at. Maybe a time passes I will develop a small group of followers that enjoy my particular style. I’ll be lighthearted, serious, rant once in a while, or just share some knowledge that someone might find in a search that will help them with a problem. It will be what moves me at the moment and not something I struggle to come up with.

I’m in it to enjoy myself…

I’m not the ultimate social butterfly but I do enjoy interaction with good people. I look forward to the next years of actual Blogging and sharing. As someone said, it will never be a job, burden or ‘have to’ activity. I will post as much or as little as the feeling dictates. I’m in it to enjoy myself and meet other Bloggers. I hope to become better in sentence structure and grammar. I hope for the time being I don’t put people off because of my lack of skill in those areas. I’m not in it for recognition or become a published writer, but to share with others and enjoy their tips and stories I find.

Comments always welcome,

Spamcation? They’ve just disappeared.

~ Ron Walker ~ 4 Comments

I recently read on another Blog about Spam being a problem. I wish I could remember the Blog and I apologize for the lapse in memory.

I hate Spam, I was getting several Spam comments a day sometimes, of course they never made it past the spam box since I set it to spam any comment with over 2 links in it. There was a huge spike last Summer and I figured I had gotten on someones spam list.

I recently played around with the Jetpack plugin and set it also. I’m not sure if Jetpack bolstered something or I’m just Spam free for a while. I have had no spam in over 2 weeks. Either my url has dropped from a list, or the Spam Filter Gods love me. Either way I’m happy not having to check through the spam every time I login to make sure a valid comment isn’t dumped. Below are the stats for Askimet since 2013.

Askimet Stats

How are you dealing with your Spam, do you have a problem with heavy Spam in your Blog?

Comments always welcome,