Archive for category Blogs

I love Packages in the Mail

Feb 2

Posted by ness in Blogs, The Pioneer Woman, Web Stuff, food | 5 Comments

Aren’t packages in the mail like *totally* exciting!!

Even if you know what they are, they’re still super exciting to receive.

Even my 4 year old spied the package and asked me all wide-eyed, “Is that for ME mommy?” to which I responded by throwing back my head, cackling like an old hag, hugging it closer to my chest and said, “NO, it’s MINE, ALL MINE.”

Then I did a Jim Carrey (as Ace Ventura) type run to the bedroom with it so I could open it without the kids getting their hands on it.

Want to see what I got?

So you can see where it was ordered from, and made it’s way all the way here to sunny SA (not so sunny yesterday I might add).

Trust the Yanks to have a super easy way to open a package. My bread knife that I’d taken with me for the purpose of hacking open the box was rendered totally useless…sometimes I’m so third world, I annoy myself.

The 4 year old, was all like, “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! What is it Mommy? Let me help you Mommy!!?? Is it from Farmer Crimsus?!?” (Note to self, do not be tempted to dispel the Father Christmas myth just yet, no matter how much the continuing talk about Christmas is annoying you right now).

My mother, who had brought over the mail (we share a PO Box), walked into the room at this point, and said, “Honestly! Why are you taking photos of opening a box?”

So I said, “For my blog.” (She is vaguely aware of the fact that I have a website, but let’s just say she takes the word ‘technophobe’ to the extreme, she nearly had a full blown panic attack when I banned her from using Internet Explorer and installed Firefox instead. Of course the next time she opened the browser she didn’t even realise it wasn’t the same…)

So she gives a sort of dismissive snort, as if *anyone* would be interested in reading about my little parcel in the mail. Feel free to assure me that you’re on the edge of your seats right about now okay?

I won’t keep you in suspense for ever… buwhahahahaha.

…

Sorry, the childishness, it’s a disease.

I can see the head!

Yes, I’m drawing parallels between childbirth and opening Ree Drummonds cook book from it’s packaging.

But in all the good ways!

Because soon the inconvenience of ripping it from the box will be forgotten and soon I will be gazing into it’s many colourful pages and just enjoying it.

Aaaah, there is she is!

Now I just have to hide the book until I’m ready to unleash it’s culinary magnificence, because other wise the husband is going to expect some kind of fancy dinner tonight.

First I need to hit up the shops for some supplies, and butter.

Yes definitely more butter.

As a seasoned PW cooks recipe reader, I know that I am going to need that.

Thanks to her I already have about 6 different kinds of vinegar in my store cupboard. Basic necessities like bread and milk are like hens teeth around here, but Rice Vinegar, I have you covered!

Maybe I’ll just take a quick peek…

Ree wasn’t kidding when she said that this was more than a cook book. I can actually sit down with this and see a whole lot more stuff about her life and on their ranch.

Stuff that we don’t see on her website.

This is a cook book that I will put on the nightstand and read when I get into bed tonight, and enjoy the photographs, drool over the dishes and if I’m feeling at all inspired (which I know I will be) I’ll be planning some menus for the coming week.

Now I just need to find some cattle to wrangle, to work off all that butter.

Hey, if you want a copy, they’re still priced really well, and these photos are proof that they can make it through the SA Postal service unharmed! Go and get your copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks here.

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Tags: blogging, food, Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, The Pioneer Womans Cookbook, Where can I buy the Pioneer Womans cook book?

Blogging with Purpose: Take your blog to the next level

Jan 12

Posted by ness in Alexa, Blogs, Book Review, Google Page Rank | 2 Comments

Just a few short observations for those of you interested in blogging with purpose.

What I mean by that, is you’re not simply keeping a chronological journal entry site, but you’re interested in things like Google Page Rank and Alexa, and building a brand, increasing readership and whether your goal is to earn an income from blogging, or just to have the best darn blog you can have, or to influence young minds and strive for world domination, whatever your goals people, if you unequivocally want a better blog, then you need to get Darren Rowses’ book (see the peekcha in my sidebar?) it’s called 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.

I want to share something with you.

I bought the book last month sometime, I don’t remember the exact date, but it was probably around 3 weeks ago.

How the book is structured is that you get a daily thing to read, and then a daily task, i.e. “Today you’re going to do a post with bullets” then they explain why it improves your blog, and the best way of doing it.

Each day has a new task, an explanation and a bit of further reading if you are interested.

I have been casually working through it. Not doing a task everyday, just one every couple of days. Emphasis on the word ‘casually‘.

Have a look at this…

On Droversrun.net… (am busy collating the data on my other sites, but ALL of them are showing dramatic growth thus far)

My Alexa Ranking has climbed half a million places and is now at 294 128. (Improved from around 800 000 odd). Before the great google ‘chop’ where they slashed page rankings and alexa suffered my highest ranking was 219 000, but usually it hovered around 400-500 000.

(Remember with Alexa the smaller the number the better your ranking i.e. Google.com is no.1. If a blog is ranked in the top 100 000 websites in the world it’s considered to have made it big.

My alexa traffic rank is up by 1437 places for the last 7 days alone.

My alexa ‘reach’ is up by 90 percent for the last month (this means I’m reaching people from different places that have never visited before)

My pageviews is up by 80 percent for the last 7 days, and up by 150 percent for the last month.

My pageviews/user is up by 100 percent for the last 7 days and up by 30 percent in the last month (people are lookin’ at more stuff than just my latest post).

My ‘time spent on site‘ is up by 209 percent in the last 7 days and up by 25 percent in the last month (peeps are hangin’ out here y’all!)

I have an official ranking in South Africa now at 1694, and in Australia (I love you *too* guys!) of 59 361.

I am only on Day 9 of Darrens’ book. NINE.

I look forward to reading the next 22 days worth!!!

If you are someone who is interested in this stuff, ‘blogging with purpose‘, then let me know, either via comments, or via email, because I’m starting a section covering this stuff over at NessWorld which will cover this subject extensively and lead into earning an income online.

If you are interested in hearing more about 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, Darren has some specials going on right now where you get three bonus items with each book sold.

The book is a FREAKING STEAL at just USD $ 19.99. $19.99???? I can’t believe it’s this low, because thanks to that book, I’ve already earned more than that, by improving my rankings in this way, owing to the improved quality of writing assignments that I’ve received as a result.

Proof. Pudding. Nuff said.

Click here to view more details

or if you are already convinced, and frankly you should be!

I am an affiliate for the book, so I am authorised to offer it for sale using this link. Each sale gives me a 40 % share of the cost, so if you like me (you really like me!…name that movie) then buy your copy using the buy now button, or by clicking through the ‘click here to view more details’ link via Darrens site. Either way, I still get credit for the sale. Hartelijk Dank! (Dutch for muchos gracias).

Oh and this time, I promise the next post is about Aaron Jeffrey (Alex Ryan) so come back soon!!

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Tags: 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, Blogging with Purpose, Darren Rowse

That Will Teach Me for Being Such a Big Nerd

Dec 29

Posted by ness in Activities, Blogs, Hubby, children, family | 4 Comments

I just upgraded my blogs across the board to the new WP 2.9 and for some reason it’s bollocksing up the code on one of them. I type it out painstakingly tag for tag, and then as soon as I hit save or publish, it buggers it up again. Annoyance of the highest factor.

The other thing is that at the moment, the other parental unit is on holiday. He is making it his mission to moan at me every time I so much as breathe near the computer. I am starting to wonder when ‘what I do’ is going to SINK THE F*CK INTO his brain.

I am a photographer who needs to edit photos, sell stock photos, maintain an online portfolio, research techniques.

I am a graphic designer who needs to design all sorts of stuff, sell stock images and again, maintain an online portfolio and research new ideas and techniques.

I am a blogger who maintains a network of blogs. I produce original content, learn good white hat SEO techniques, am in the process of redesigning each of these sites single-handedly (whilst learning how to along the way), any hesitancy or laziness in this regard directly begins to affect my income. Yes, I earn money blogging. But I am not yet at the stage where I can show him a hundred thousand dollar cheque and tell him to shut the hell up. Not yet. Until then, I suppose he will make it his mission to wave his paw dismissively and say ‘bah’ everytime I try to explain this. I am very, very tired of trying to explain this.

So, while he is on holiday. I am not.

I am trying, very very hard to do what I need to do, during the times when he is otherwise indisposed (mindlessly watching cricket – you don’t see me moaning at him) and while the kid are happily playing with their new sandpit, and generally good natured and entertained. But there are a few random times during the day where I am in the middle of a thought process, trying to get something done, and his constant stream of interruptions is driving me mad.

Should we go to “XYZ” wine farm today?

What do you think of this?

Why don’t you go and play with the kids instead of playing on the computer (now my work has been downgraded to ‘playing’) all the time?

Are you going to help me clean the kitchen? Did you hear me in here? (Yes I did, and I was just wondering if you were going to help me fold the laundry fugnuts!)

Ugh.

I hate being the negative person, but I feel like I am stripping very ugly wall paper off very sticky walls right now, i.e. it may well be the most frustrated feeling in the world.

Anyhoo. I think the solution may be to get up even earlier, like say, maybe, 4am, and put in a solid 3 hours before anyone else is up. Then another 3 hours from 7pm till 10. That should just about cover what I need to do.

Yeah, maybe I just solved my own problem. Or at least solve it without involving meat cleavers, and skulls.

Sure, it would be easier to go and just find a job, or do a science job search but realistically, I’d much rather do this, and have the potential to really take off.

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Tags: holidays, Housework, WAHM

It is HERE!! The Pioneer Woman’s Cookbook is Finally Here!

Sep 3

Posted by ness in Amazon, Blogs, Book Review, Great Deals, food | 2 Comments

The Pioneer Woman

This Woman’s cooking changed my life. Well, her recipes, and the fact that she blogged them did!

I am NOT joking.

I used to hate cooking, but she made it easy, she took pictures – and she uses real butter!

She’s the Nigella of the midwest!

Unfortunately the flip side is now, everytime I cook something really tasty, my husband says, “Hmmm-mmm another Pioneer Woman recipe??” then smacks his lips and dishes up a second helping.

Not that I mind! Even my kids are eating their food up when I cook her stuff!

Anyhoo – you can pre-order her book from Amazon by clicking on the link at the top right of my sidebar.

GO and BUY it.

TRUST ME.

Your husband will worship you.

Your ass…not so much.

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Tags: Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, The Pioneer Womans Cookbook, Where can I buy the Pioneer Womans cook book?

Happiness Is: A Brand New, Shiny Internet Connection…

Sep 1

Posted by ness in Blogs, Flickr, Freebies, Fun, Graphic Design, Redbubble, Web Stuff, Zazzle | 2 Comments

My husband came home with a shiny new wifi router last night, having organised a new connection for us, after the old one’s contract was up.

Which means, that you’ll now have to put up with a whole heck of a lot more of me Doesn’t that make you, like, SUPER HAPPY!!?

I can actually see the whole month stretching ahead of me, withOUT interruption.

OH the mind boggles at the thought of what I’m going to be able to DO!

Starting off with another free blog badge!

This one is for all you southern hemisphereans. If you’re feeling that Spring vibe, feel free to grab and paste the code into your blog template/sidebar etc.

We’ll simply ignore the fact that today, the 1st of September is colder than the last 2.5 months of Winter we’ve experienced so far, and we’ll try to focus on the Spring VIBE that everyone has, yes that’s VIBING that everyone is doing, as opposed to shivering. Here is your suitably vibey, very chicklike (bizarrely unlike most of the stuff I design – again, must be that Spring Vibe) button for your blogs.

Those of you who are facebook friends, may recall my excited status update about the fact that I found lilac tulips?

Well that there is a photo of them. They look more pink in my photos than lilac, and I’m still editing them, but I have some big plans for those photographs, including adding them to my Redbubble portfolio and other sites where I’ve enjoyed success in selling my images and posters etc like Zazzle.

(((HUGS INTERNET)))) Oh how I have missed you!!

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Tags: Free, Free 200x200 Blog Button, Free Blog Buttons, Free Stuff, Freebies, Graphic Design, Spring Blog Buttons