LindaJM's Xanga

Learning a New CMS (Impress)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:03:51 GMT

Since I'm probably going to reopen my webdesign business, I'm learning a new CMS (content management system) called Impress by installing it on one of my sites, Perspectives on Writing. The site isn't being used yet and I have a lot of work to do on learning to set up this CMS.

When finished I want Perspectives on Writing to be a site for writing and critique groups for writers of various types. Each critique group will be limited to five participants, and they will focus on specific genres.

Once I get done learning Impress I'll be making templates and offering Impress setup to business owners.

After I'm an Impress expert, I'll move on to learning other CMSs... such as Drupal, Joomla, and Pligg. I'm already fairly proficient at setting up WordPress sites and customizing them.

Onward, toward a new business effort... hopefully.

Be Unique

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:47:48 GMT

I do a lot of content writing on the internet... and have met a lot of content writers. Consequently I sometimes get asked things like "why doesn't Google list my pages?" Most of the time the problem is that the content isn't unique. If a content writer copies things from others, or uses other people's ideas, their pages aren't likely to garner much attention. If they write about saturated niches, well hey, how will anyone ever find their pages in amongst the millions of others out there on the same topic?

My Bigfoot Education Continues

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:13:44 GMT

I’ve learned so much about Bigfoot in the last year, I don’t see how anyone cannot believe in them. I think that people don’t realize how much Bigfoot information is available these days.

It isn’t like the old days when all people had for proof was the Patterson-Gimlin film, and thought that it could have been Bob Heironimus with a fur suit, and that Ray Wallace was all over Northern California making fake footprints with wooden stompers. Strange how hoaxers can make the news but others can’t with real sightings. Of course those having real sightings often won’t mention it, especially to news media people, because they don’t want to be ridiculed and talked badly about.

Meanwhile, scientists have decided the Patterson-Gimlin "Patty" video was real... not a fur suit at all. Also they’ve examined footprint castings and declared them real. Yes, Ray Wallace, the jokester, had stompers made in big foot shapes, bit if you saw them you’d know in an instant they’re not the same shape as real Bigfoot footprint castings.

Problem is, people aren’t examining the evidence, so they’re stuck in the box of thinking of Bigfoot as a joke. But it isn’t a joke at all. It is real. For most people this means nothing, really. Why should they care? They’re stuck in cities where they’ll never have to think about Bigfoot anyhow. But I’m in the forest. There have been Bigfoot sightings less than a mile from my home... so I’ve immersed myself in the study of Bigfoot with my blog, Bigfoot Sightings. And I’ve learned a lot about the realities, the sightings, and the truths.

What’s really cool is that squatching has become a name for a new hobby. It refers to people going out into the forest to a place where a Bigfoot has been seen before, and doing things to try to attract Bigfoot to them so they can have a sighting. Many squatchers have objectives such as trying to capture one, or just trying to prove they’re real.

My objective is to try to communicate with one. I don’t care to let the world in on my secret either. I want to be there to talk to them, to find some way of clear communication so I can ask them about their lives and find out what they think of us. To this end I’m using many means of training myself in the psychic arts plus am prepared mentally to start a conversation with one if I should see one in the course of my squatching activities.

Bigfoot Research in Northern California and Southern Oregon

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:20:53 GMT

Since 2005 I've been involved in Bigfoot research in Northern California and Southern Oregon... my home territory. I live fifty-five miles from Bluff Creek, the site of the 1967 Bigfoot film by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin. I've been fascinated by Bigfoot for many years but started my research projects only a few years back due to frustration that my local community knew so little about local sightings, yet named multiple businesses after Bigfoot, and had Bigfoot statues and pictures all over town.

When I started my research project few people knew of any local sightings. Now I've compiled multiple reports and have a growing body of evidence. For example, Oregon Caves - A Bigfoot Sighting Location tells the story of a very credible sighting only about thirty miles north of Happy Camp, as the crow flies. Also Bigfoot Sightings Near Happy Camp tells about sightings less than a mile from my home.

I'm starting a Bigfoot Reading Group - our first book will be Tribal Bigfoot - a newly published Bigfoot book that describes sightings in my county, and many other Northern California counties. The reading group will start in September - and I've placed an announcement on my Bigfoot blog, Bigfoot Sightings.

Need any more evidence? Check out Bigfoot Videos and my other blog, Friends of Sasquatch, which focuses on the facilitation of interspecies communication through subtle energies.

Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Day

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:19:04 GMT

August 12 is Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Day and I hope with all my heart that people will consider pets with problems when they are ready to adopt.

Problems?

Yes...

Older pets are the ones that have the hardest time finding new homes.

Pets with medical problems are also high on the list of pets that can't get adopted.

Third - pets who are victims of breed prejudice.

Recently I've adopted three homeless black cats. Too often black shelter cats are overlooked in favor of cats with markings. It breaks my heart that these precious creatures are under-appreciated, so I wrote about it: Black Cats Need Love Too!

My plea for black cats: If you're going to adopt a cat with markings, please consider adopting a black cat at the same time. They are usually well mannered and very grateful for all the affection they receive.

Looking for positive energy

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:00:04 GMT

I'm learning to eliminate all negative energies from my spirit body... and find that difficult in front of a computer. The computer drains me. Nature refreshes and revives me.

Civilization

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 09:31:39 GMT

I live in a remote river valley, so when I'm forced to go shopping in the big city I'll have one of two common reactions to the experience. Sometimes I feel it is a blast to get out of the valley and experience the hustle-bustle population explosion of a bigger town. Then there are days like today when I feel alarmed by the hugeness of the human settlement, and long to go home to the boonies.

We drove into Medford this morning and went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. That part was alright. Then we went shopping at Win-Co. That was moderately stressful. Next we got gas and proceeded to Walmart for a few cheap provisions. Before long I was wandering through the store looking for my best friend, buddy, and very significant other, looking at things and thinking "I don't need that. I don't need that either. I don't NEED any of this stuff!" I got only the few items on my list and then announced I was ready to go. He got a few goodies for his fishing kit and we headed home again. I was so happy to retreat!

On the way back into California (yes, we have to cross the Oregon border to shop) we were stopped by a state employee asking if we had any fruit or live plants. This agricultural inspection has been going on for many decades, but in my many trips across the border in the last five years or so, we've been allowed to pass uninspected -- they were stopping trucks only. I don't know why they are suddenly doing agricultural inspections for cars again. It is no big deal. We stop, an agent asks if we have the forbidden objects, and we say "no"... then are waved through. It isn't like they actually insist on looking through our grocery sacks. Fortunately we didn't have fruit or live plants... I would hate to buy a bag of oranges then have to turn it in at the border. We live only twenty miles south of the Oregon-California border and nowhere near any orange trees. I don't think they do well in our climate - but there are a lot of old apple trees; you have to know where to look for them.

I get enough "civilization" from checking it out on the Internet... I don't need to be out in it to be happy.

Xanga confuses me... what am I missing?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:33:47 GMT

I've got to admit, I still don't know my way around Xanga. What am I missing? How does a person connect with others?

Does my blog look okay? Am I forgetting something important here?

An Impure Food Supply

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:36:05 GMT

It is hard, even for those who commit to a natural diet, to stay away from impure substances. What is being sold in stores as food could be poison, and how would we know the difference? Recently the facts about melamine in foods imported from China rocked the nation. Even baby formula is targeted. Even baby formula in the USA! Parents were told the melamine levels in USA baby formula are "acceptable". Thanks, food and drug administration geniuses... we're told it is okay to have a small amount of inedible plastics placed in foods so that manufacturers can make more money! That's just scary! We're talking MELAMINE here - the same stuff that plastic dinnerware is made of. It has NO place in FOOD!!! Babies in China are on KIDNEY DIALYSIS because of this stuff... and some of the babies are DEAD.

Not long ago I was inspired to do some study into the huge variety of sweeteners, both natural and artificial. The artificial sweeteners are also immensely frightening. Do you realize that Aspertame, which many people claim is poison killing people, was promoted by drug company CEO Donald Rumsfeld - the same one that has been serving as President Bush's Secretary of Defense? Even after knowing that tests showed Aspertame to be dangerous, he wanted this to be used. Why? Is he part of a conspiracy to harm common Americans? I'm upset because I'm one of millions of Americans who used to buy and use Aspertame (Equal/NutraSweet) by the boxful. That pizza restaurant I used to work for until September still serves the stuff. And Diet Coke - does that still have Splenda in it? That's Sucralose - something else I wouldn't want to put in my body. I've read that Aspertame is also found in some pharmaceutical drugs - and we don't even know which ones! I'm supposed to take three different kinds of medications daily and am not happy with the thought that Aspertame could be included!

Fortunately there are lots of natural sweeteners available on supermarket shelves these days, so when it comes to eating, we can make reasonable choices. My favorite sweetener is Maple Syrup (the real stuff) when I can get a good price on it. My local backwoods supermarket also carries Agave Nectar, Rice Syrup, and Organic Raw Cane Sugar.... all good sweeteners that are more likely to make us fat than to poison us. Take your pick.

I think everyone should research the options for natural and artificial sweeteners before consuming them. Our health is important. So very important. This is our only body and keeping it in good condition is paramount to our existence and happiness.

Amazing Opportunities Everywhere

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:19:03 GMT

I love how life is constantly changing, and how new opportunities present themselves to us. I never lack for things to do; if anything I tend to get too busy. Sometimes I'm absolutely overextended and must cut back!

I'm excited because today I finally discovered what I believe is the holy grail of wealth for making money with Squidoo. I knew for months that I wanted to make money on that site, but I didn't have that final key to understanding the process. Now I do. Also I'm starting to plan out a workshop for training others to do what I'm doing with the site.

I get frustrated because the days aren't long enough and I don't ever get to finish doing everything I want to do. Like right now - I'm very tired and soon must give up and go to sleep, but I don't want to. Why can't there be more hours in every day?