I’m Doing June 2014 NaBloPoMo, My Way

June 2, 2014August 29, 2018 / Ally Bean / 17 Comments

I’ve been in need of a blogging challenge.

Just showing up here a few days per week isn’t cutting it for me anymore. I need a goal to re-ignite my blogging passion. A reason to get up each morning and share my tales, thoughts, photos, links with the world while achieving something special for myself.

And what better way to do that than to join BlogHer‘s NaBloPoMo for the month?

That being said, I know my limits.

So I’ve decided that I’ll join in June 2014 NaBloPoMo on my own terms. To wit, I’m going to do 20 days of the challenge instead of the entire 30 days.

In other words, I’m doing 2/3 of that which is asked of me because, to quote Margaret’s daughter’s friend: “A decent something is better than a perfect nothing.”

Is this not so?

See you tomorrow, kids.

– – • – –

– – • – –

Fact: I Do Not Suffer From FOMO

May 8, 2014May 6, 2021 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

Friends, I’ve called you here today to confirm something that you probably already know about me. I freely admit that it is true: Fear Of Missing Out, aka FOMO, is not a problem for me.

I’ve been outside of so many things in my life that not knowing what’s going on in my social media circles does not bother me. I try to keep up, but there are days when I *gasp* don’t go online at all. [Usually Monday, often Saturday.]

I miss out.

On the other hand, I do suffer from something that I have yet to see acronym-ed so I will take this opportunity to create one to explain my social media problem.

My worry is: Fear Of Appearing Rude, henceforth & hereinafter known as FOAR. That is what concerns me.

Because I consider communication to be a two-way street, I take my side of the street seriously. Maybe too seriously, but that’s how I roll. And as such I fear that someone will take my slow response to an email or a blog comment or a tweet as an insult.

Especially if that someone is a person who does suffer from FOMO.

So what do you think, my blogging kith & kin? Am I worried about nothing? Or is FOAR another genuine made-up social media psychosis?

So You Want A Blog With Personality, Eh?

January 31, 2014August 29, 2018 / Ally Bean / 21 Comments

“In the midst of the personified impersonal, a personality stands here. Though but a point at best; whencesoe’er I came; wheresoe’er I go; yet while I earthly live, the queenly personality lives in me, and feels her royal rights.”

~ Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale

• • •

Lately one Google search term has brought inquisitive minds to my blog. People arrive wanting to know:

HOW TO GIVE A BLOG A PERSONALITY.

When the inquisitive ones arrive here they find themselves looking at a post that I wrote called: Yea Verily, A Personality Test Doth A Blog Post Make. As this post talks about the variables that form a human being’s personality, I can only assume that the inquisitive ones leave here sad & uninformed.

WELL, THIS WILL NOT DO AT ALL.

Thus, as someone with a queenly personality, I am pleased to explain how I believe you give a blog a personality. Happy to do it, in fact. From what I can tell, there are four points to keep in mind.

#1 You, yourself, must have a personality that you are willing to share with the world. I’m not being snarky here, but I’ve come to realize that if you do not know who you are & how you want to be perceived by other people, then your blog will show it.

#2 Make your blog look stylish in a way that reflects who you are. Sounds shallow, but a smart-looking blog keeps readers coming back. Don’t know why, but it does. (See #1)

#3 Show up to your stylish blog on a regular basis and write posts that are the epitome of clarity, that give an insight into your values, that suggest an authentic person is keeping this blog. (See #1)

#4 Leave supportive, interesting comments on other blogs so that everyone who reads what you have to say will know that you have a personality– and that you’re not afraid to use it. (See #1)

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.

Giving a blog a personality is really just about as simple as that. Not necessarily easy, but simple. And doable if you put your heart and mind into it.

Good Luck, inquisitive ones. I leave you with this blessing.

• • •

“May the blogging gods smile upon you– and reward your efforts with genuine followers, sincere likes & insightful comments.”

~ Ally Bean, The Spectacled Bean

Yea Verily, A Personality Test Doth A Blog Post Make

January 8, 2014February 11, 2016 / Ally Bean / 19 Comments

Who are you?

I found another one of these online tests. This time, it’s all about your personality– based on those OCEAN variables that we all learned about way back in Psych 101.

Or maybe you learned it somewhere else along the way. I don’t know where you pick up your information, my gentle readers.

Whatever.

Getting to my point, below are my results from The Big Five Personality Test. I will admit that despite having a deep skepticism regarding any sort of online test, I tend to agree with these results.

In conclusion.

I think we can all agree that the above is indisputable proof that this blog is written by a relaxed, conscientious, agreeable introvert who is open to new experiences, but has nothing much to talk about today.

So instead of a pithy blog post, I’ve decided to give you, my gentle readers, something to do that only takes a few minutes, yet rewards your effort with personal insight. Not bad for a frozen Wednesday morning, eh?

Later kids.