Welcome Chris to Blog Interrogation. Time to face the music and tell us about your blog and your approach to blogging.



Chris Chen dot See Eh! is the name of my blog. I started it after a few years of procrastinating because I wanted a place to comment on things I see or think of; post quirky pics; and just get my piece of the blogsphere pie. A good example of this is in my posting entitled Common Schemes by blog whores. As a relatively new blogger, I noticed that a lot of blogs only exist to make a quick buck. The net result being a lot of crap in the blogosphere, which makes it harder for the good content to get noticed on tracking sites like Technorati because the link exchanges, memes, etc. are drowning it out. So I called it out and generated some great discussion on the topic.

I'd have been a little more true to myself, meaning I'd be a little more edgy in my writing from day one. I started out not knowing anything about blogging or what was acceptable. So I wrote about stuff that I thought people wanted to read and I did this in a very monotone style. I eventually realized that writing tame commentary was boring to create and even worse to read. So I said screw this, and started writing from the heart. Now it's a little edgier, more interesting, and it's all REAL. I don't write as often as some recommend (i.e. everyday), but I don't always have something to say.

I wouldn't rule out changing the name of my site, although doing so anytime soon would be stupid since it's still only a handful of months old. That said, I don't see the site name ever changing because it's attached to my name, and I ain't ever changing that ever!

To answer your questions in order: one and zero. The content on the site is all from me and I don't make anything worthwhile from it. I have Kontera, but haven't made much, something like $0.96 to date the last time I checked! That's not to say I'll never add some advertising. I'd be an idiot not to cash in on the success of my blog should it ever reach that point.

I'd be honoured to be published on the CBC.ca because they are the greatest source of real content anywhere. Oh Canada!

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Chris, for telling it as it is about your blog.

You sound like a blogger with a big heart. I liked this post too about blog pollution. No time to be tame about calling it as you see it regarding Technorati and co, especially when you can look through fresh eyes and see the dynamic internet being swamped in mediocrity by the day. There is enough of that going on in real life already, who needs it online too?

Maybe if you can't think of something big to write about everyday, have you got a few side features you could keep adding to so the site grows and shows some activity every day?

And I was reading some interesting points by Courtney Tuttle about monetizing your blog. His attitude is that the longer you blog, the more valuable it becomes and the quicker the small dollar amounts blossom into slightly bigger sums until it gains momentum. It's an opinion and we all have one of them! Anyway, don't despair, keep on blogging and adding revenue ideas and work out which model of Ferrari you want for that big pay day. Cheers.

So, who is next up? Looks like Generator land have a dream, let's hear it.

Please don't think your blog is too serious or too trivial to provide the answers to these questions. Everyone has a story to tell and the interrogation is a good measure of your understanding of your blog. You get backlinks for good measure too.

All hail Ploop and Cloop, authors of a special blog called Plooptionary - and winner of a MyBlogLog Sunday full review.

A dictionary full of ploop - a plooptionary

Some folks swear by the Oxford English dictionary - bloody hell old boy, this has a lot of words in it. Others prefer the concise words of Mirriam.

Off the beaten track, there are followers of dictionaries with morphed words and new meanings - see Bob and his Fictionary.

And then you have people who can't be bothered with high fallutin' verbiage, and prefer their definitions in pictorial form. That sort of person, me included, likes their Plooptionary, where everything in life can be turned into a neat little graph.

From the top down

Before we dive into the fun stuff, what does it look like to a first time visitor? If you want to make a big first impression, don't do what Ploop does and have a standard banner and no graphics! He has this logo in MyBlogLog, shame it isn't here. Come back, all is forgiven, logo, mate, pal.

I jest. Of course Plooptionary has a snazzy logo, but...

I do have a tendency to take a tour into areas where I have no understanding (the header is a good example as there’s a lovely redesigned one behind the blue one and I can’t get it to show! Ploop in a panic?)

It looks like the blog below the banners is a standard Wordpress theme, which needn't be bad in itself, but with a tweak, the theme could be hot and that would make the content even hotter.

Content is different for Ploop

Enough of would could should. What is happening now? Essentially the clever guys have dispensed with 100% words of explanation and heavily rely instead on graphs and diagrams. So rather than trying to use crappy words to explain the reality that diminishing exam marks are directly inversely proportional to the square root of the use of colored crayons, Ploop runs off a quick graph.



(I apologise for plagiarising his diagrams and undoubtedly horrendously misquoting him as well, but I am sure his lawyers will understand.)

More graphical wizardry!

A depiction of Men who wear jewelry can't spell, is balanced nicely with political brain power, or lack of it, as personified in a Venn diagram. There are also some mad interpretations of all manner of health related issues including wrinkle creams and ageing.

There is good clean and not so clean fun everywhere, so to be honest, to get a feel for the blog, just go to the ploop science department and browse, it is really entertaining. And a prized round of applause for the person who tells ploop how many diagrams he has posted.

Ploop is a pisstaker too.

Like many natural comics, Ploop as well as Cloop, the silent partner? has the ability to express himself in many different media. I haven't seen the tapestries or glass painting, but the writing is clever enough for me to learn from. Plooptionary has no mercy, and cuts to the core of an issue. Poor astrologers, whatever did they do to deserve such ridicule? That was a rhetorical question, as the answer is, plenty. And now Ploop has taken them on, head on, offering his own one-liner comments to busy executives with their heads firmly up their astrological asses.

If you need sustenance after a hard day's work / blog surfing, Ploop thinking gives you food for thought, washed down with a couple of swigs of Ploop on wine.

In conclusion

A stand out site with way too much content to summarize. Having said that it is full of content, Ploop has great vision by including the Pisstakers Funny Quotes widget, which adds even more to the site's overall entertainment value (his words not mine!) And of all the sites with the widget installed, yay, the Plooptionary theme shows it off really quite well!

Also, even though his technical knowhow gets him in trouble at times, Ploop's Inline commenting is brilliant and I wonder where you will be seeing that soon! Highlight any text on his site and see what happens.


Subscribe to this RSS feed and Plooptionarize your life daily


We've linked to several web search engines offering random payments & prizes! Click the icon & search a keyphrase MyBlogLog Sunday. It is a win-win, perhaps!

Welcome Matthew to Blog Interrogation. Knowledge is power, so, empower us and let's hear about your blog and your approach to blogging.



Name = eJabs...for knowledge! Feature that sums it up = My About Page

One thing I could change? My theme. I think I would have picked one that is a little more simplistic in its design. I do like my theme & what it has turned in to, but the perfectionist in me is always left wanting more. I am pretty heavily vested in my theme now, but that doesn't mean that it will never change. If I ever do change it, I'm sure I'll move to a 3 column design where the two thin columns are on the same side & the content is on the other.

Would I change the name to reflect blog evolution? Yes. Well, partially. I would never lose the eJabs portion, as it's the bread & butter of the name. The second part (...for knowledge!), I may not have too much problem dropping for something...say...a little more clever. The thing I do like about ...for knowledge, is that it attempts to let the reader know that when they start reading eJabs, they're not going to be stuck on one or two subjects. The word Knowledge projects a sense of a large base of information the reader will be able to delve into, and that's what I do like about it.

Although I have granted author rights to four other individuals, they post quite infrequently...all in the single digits after 6 months. I am the main author & it will probably stay that way. How much do I get paid? The revenue I make from eJabs is currently sitting at about $125/month. I started monetizing it at the beginning of Feb 2007, and in almost 4 months I have earned approximately $500. If you subtract the cost of the website, I have still profitted over $400 in less than 4 months, which is nice. I do want this number to grow significantly in the future...and have made it a goal to do just that.

That's easy...ThePissTakers.com! lol...seriously though, I would have to go with StevePavlina.com. Reason being, I owe my blogging career to one of Steve's great articles (as many other bloggers do too). Also, Steve's website generates a HUGE amount of traffic. He recently reported that he is pulling in over $40,000/month from StevePavlina.com

Thanks for the opportunity Ed!

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Matthew, for being so open and informative about your blog.

I know what you mean about being attached to a theme. I would guess, though, that by the time you think about any changes, your brand will be a way down the road to fame, so will it be a web design evolution or a revolution? Either way, brace yourself for the stress of fighting the urge to fill your 2 new sidebars to bursting!

I have heard of this Steve Pavlina guy. Is he a pisstaker too? Sounds like he is doing something to make a lot of people happy.

Once again, good of you to respond to my interrogation, and at last, someone admits to earning more than 48 cents a month. The IRS will be most relieved to receive your returns, and we are glad to hear there is money in blogging.

So, who is next up? Let's give it up to Chris Chen dot See Eh who has a healthy approach to blogging.

Please don't think your blog is too serious or too trivial to provide the answers to these questions. Everyone has a story to tell and the interrogation is a good measure of your understanding of your blog. You get backlinks for good measure too.

Welcome Dana to Blog Interrogation. Discovery is nothing new to you, so let others find out about your blog and your approach to blogging. Bombs away.



Dana Hanley, Principled Discovery. Representative post? Maybe this one about the efficacy of the education system.

Hmm...maybe stayed more focused? But then it might not have been as much fun. Or chosen a different URL? Mine isn't the easiest to remember. Unfortunately, my first choice was taken, ironically by me. But I couldn't remember any of the information to get logged into it.

No. I like my title and it reflects well what I'm trying to accomplish. I could change my tag line: "200 years behind in my political thought and one news cycle behind in my blogging"...but it is a little long.

One. Just me. Earnings? Does $100 in 6 months count as earnings? I'll let you figure out the hourly rate for that...math has never been my strong suit.

Any website? I'd have to go with the NEA. That would be a lot of fun for this homeschooler and NEA critic. Like Bush blogging on the Daily Kos. What more fun could there be? Thanks!

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Dana, for revealing those tidbits about your blog.

For anyone who hasn't visited your site, can I just say, be prepared! This is one deep thinking and erudite blogger who makes the thought processes behind The Pisstakers content seem a little befuddled and shallow. I hope that your reference to being more focused is a tongue-in-cheek jab at yourself, because I can't see what else you need to do within your chosen domain of principled discovery?

You had better not get involved in domain name sales, by the way, or any field of endeavor requiring passwords. And I bet the NEA wish you would forget the password of your current blog so your material doesn't get disseminated and cause people to think and question current practices. Thank you, de Bono on speed.

So, who is next up? eJabs for Knowledge is chomping at the bit, and has lots to say and share with you.

Please don't think your blog is too serious or too trivial to provide the answers to these questions. Everyone has a story to tell and the interrogation is a good measure of your understanding of your blog. You get backlinks for good measure too.

Welcome Danger Girl to Blog Interrogation. Stay cool and blurt out what you know about your blog and your approach to blogging. It is perfectly safe



The name of my site, Dayngrous Discourse, is a play on my nickname Danger Girl. If a newcomer wanted to bask in my snarkiness I'd show them Snitches, Drama and Posts - Oh My!
I would have hosted it on my website from the beginning. To do it now would mean a major move. Ah, hindsight!

Probably not. I'll always be Dayngrous!

If you include my mutiple personalities and all of my personas then, well, I've lost count. I pay them off by letting them out every once in a while.

Yours and only yours! All hail The Pisstakers!

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Danger Girl, for those insights about your blog. Clearly your name is appropriate as you didn't flinch once in the face of Ed's dangerous questions. Or was that one of your other personalities standing in for you?

I like the way you highlight an issue that so many other bloggers face - the regret of going with a free blog host for so long that it becomes traumatic to even contemplate going it alone with your own domain. Hindsight indeed. But I would be interested to know if a generic URL really does hold back a good blog?

Well, you certainly get points for hailing The Pisstakers. Good job! Carry on discoursing now, your public awaits.

So, who is next up? Dana from Principled Discovery will be spilling the beans on a deep thinking blog. I had better do my homework for this one tomorrow night.

Please don't think your blog is too serious or too trivial to provide the answers to these questions. Everyone has a story to tell and the interrogation is a good measure of your understanding of your blog. You get backlinks for good measure too.

Welcome I Eat Snowman Poop to Blog Interrogation. Time to turn up the heat and eke out what you know about your blog and your approach to blogging. Have fun, I will!



The name of my site is I Eat Snowman Poop. The content varies from some of my graphic designs to random stories, and personal gripes and complaints all told with that special Snowman Poop attitude and dry wit.
I think I would have set it up with a more customized design right off the bat. Up until a few months ago, I went with the standard template and it was B to the O R-I-N-G, but when I set it up, my HTML was terrible. I still have a little work to do but over all at this point I am pretty happy with it.

I don't think my name will change. I like it and it's so out there that the changing of times won't make it out of date. I chose it because I wanted something that was creative and different. Something that would help to draw in readers out of curiosity. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to call the little marshmallows snowman poop, so I just went with that.

It's just me. There can only be one Snowman Poop. And at this point, I am receiving a grand total of $0 per month, but if you would like to start paying me, I will gladly send you my paypal address.

This one is the hardest questions ever. I've never even thought about it before. I guess a site that got a lot of traffic. But then again my site takes a person that is not offended by much, so I don't know. Gosh I didn't know there would be so much pressure answering these questions... *shaking my fist* Damn you Ed! Damn you! hee hee he

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, IESP, for revealing all about your blog. I was going to lay on a freezer for you, so you would have something suitable to recover in after facing the heat, but who would have thought you were actually a big marshmallow! The things you learn in interrogations.

I think you need to send me your Paypal details and I will add them here as a permanent fixture so your fans can send you those much deserved donations. Just include a picture of your shaking fist too and you will be inundated with cash. Fear is a mighty motivator.

Blog on and keep your distinctive theme ram jammed full of wit - the world needs funny stuff.

So, who is next up? Danger Girl, that's who. So be on your best behavior on Monday, or else.

There are a few weighty bloggers standing up to the plate next week too, so don't think your blog is too serious or too trivial to provide the answers to these questions. No one is immune to pain and everyone has a story to tell and the interrogation will leave you enervated with a few backlinks for good measure. Join the interrogation party.

Welcome Peter to Blog Interrogation. Time to relax, lose the fear and let us know about your blog and your approach to blogging. You have the skills we need to know. Go!



My name is Peter Haslam and the site is Necessary Skills. 90% of the posts are about perspective and thinking skills and I feel the post on 5 Top Self-Help Myths would be typical
Being new to blogging I am pretty happy with the growth of the blog after 2 and half months to pagerank of 3 and a Technorati of 31,000. I didn't know how much I would enjoy interacting with my readers and how may friends I have made. I can't think of anything different for this site.

I was thinking of it but Ilker has thethinkingblog locked up! Not really, as my current title has flexibility to move in any direction as thinking is a necessary skill.

The only writer is me. Fortunately I can wear many thinking hats at the risk of being called schizophrenic!! The pay is zip. Not a smart move on my part so I guess it's for love.

Two come to mind. Seth Godin or Guy Kawasaki because I admire their unorthodox thinking and I am sorry Ed that would place The Pisstakers third choice for the same reason.

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Peter, for being so forthright under pressure. Your martial arts training helped you out big time.

You are to be commended for both the title (which is very flexible) and the quality of the content you write. You appear to actually practice what you preach, which is more than can be said for Guy Kawasaki, who doesn't seem to mention motorbikes anywhere!!

I was going to congratulate you on your 31k Technorati ranking, but the figure you quoted is but a transitory illusion. Now you are simply known as number 30106. How does it feel living under ranking circumstances beyond your control? What skills are you going to employ when they change the status quo yet again? Good luck.

So, who is next up? Prepare to experience a rare site, of a woman consuming Snowman Poop.

You don't have to be a freak like IESP to send me the answers to these questions. I am looking for short, sharp and to-the-point responses with a few backlinks for good measure. Several have already been submitted by several sensible bloggers. Their story is coming your way soon. Join the interrogation party.

Welcome Lord Likely to Blog Interrogation. There is nothing to be concerned about, just let us know about your blog and your approach to blogging and your manservant, Botter, lives. Please continue!



My web-log is called The Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely, featuring as it does the astonishing adventures of yours truly. If astonishing adventures, mixed with healthy dollops of debauchery and drinking, are your cup of tea, then a visit to my blog should provide you with enough refreshment to last you for months.

I believe I am already practically perfect in every way, as my nanny used to say. Of course, that was before she left in tears after I filled her bag with my effluence.

I can only imagine that my site will get even better over time, so may have to be called The Even More Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely

I write the content all myself, as I do not believe that my man-servant, Botter, has yet mastered the use of a pen. I believe there are other people involved in transcribing my journals from page to screen, and they are paid handsomely. I give them free signed photographs. Very handsome indeed!

I am still awaiting my inclusion on the Forbes Rich List, and my inevitable selection as Time Magazine's Man of the Year. I would also not be adverse to doing a full-spread for Playgirl magazine. Emphasis on the word 'spread'.

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Milord, for your witty replies delivered with bravado and style. Whilst I am tempted to go into depth over some of your failings in this exercise, I fear the reprisals of entering into an argument with Lord Likely may well not be worth it!

Therefore, before heading for the hills, I will limit my remarks thusly and forthwith:

I hope your lack of full financial disclosure lands you in the Tower of London.

I trust the reprisals will also be swift for your totally unjustified attack on Botter and his lack of literacy. (For your information there are far more illiterate people here in America than you could ever imagine, and nobody thinks it is worth mentioning, so why should you draw attention to the only illiterate in your country?!)

Finally,I hope I am not alone in my loathing for your incessantly amusing and funny attitude to everything in life. Even under the glare of a 2000 watt stadium light focussed on your monocle, you never buckled and even laughed maniacally throughout the whole 5 minute process. Bravo and adieu.

So, who is next up? Heeeeere's Peter, that's who. He has the Necessary Skills to send me the answers to these questions. Short ,sharp and to the point - a blogger's dream with a few backlinks for good measure.

Welcome Polli from the pond to a Blog Interrogation. Relax and tell us all you know about your blog and your approach to blogging. This information is better out than in. 5 questions, 5 answers - shoot !



Polliwog's Pond. I think my 'Saturday Stuff' feature would best illustrate me, my life and the flavor of my blog in general. I'm an information junkie, and I like quick bites of interesting stuff. Heck, I just like stuff!

Um ... starting it? Hee hee! I am a behind-the-scenes kinda girl so having my OWN blog has been a bit scary and overwhelming. I'm having fun, but I still feel really panicky and sweaty every time I hit that publish button. Other than that, I think I should have gone with a 2-sidebar format. My sidebar drives me batty. I'm always fussing with it and never really liking it.

Hmm ... maybe Polliwog's Bog? I like my blog name. It will always remind me of my dad -- who gave me the name Polliwog -- and my life is rather like a pond. There is always a toad lurking 'round the corner isn’t there?

My blog takes ZERO writers! Really! I'm not a writer, though I do have access to an editor for a little help here and there. I prefer to think of what I do on my blog as 'talking' rather than writing. Hopefully no one will tell me to shut-up anytime soon.

Ooh good question. Honestly, if I ever wrote something so funny that our friend Bob of Bobbarama.com felt compelled to publish it on his blog, I'd die and go straight to heaven. I'm a wanna-be humorist you see. Oh and maybe The Anchorage Daily News because all my ex-boyfriends would see it.

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Polli, for entering into the spirit of the questions and taking literally 5 minutes out of your life on the pond to reveal all. Well, almost all!

Despite intense interrogation, we still don't know how much you keep in the Polliwog's Pond "Swag" shoebox under your bed, and we never got to know the names of those poor besotted boys from Anchorage who never got to marry you. Maybe one day?

And what is this about not enjoying the limelight? You better get used to it en route to becoming the Accidental Blog Queen of the internet . As you take your Oscar for best ever blog, you are going to announce, "Let this be an inspiration to you all. I didn't mean to be this successful, really, I didn't, I don't even like writing and I achieved all this on one little sidebar!!! Just imagine what you real writers out there with two sidebars can achieve."

(And at least the winning prize will be publicly known, and answer that other nagging question we had too.)

Thanks a lot, you can relax back into anonymity now.

So, who is next up? Lord Likely is the next person who dared to send me the answers to the 5 questions. To be honest, he is a despicably funny and way too witty cad for me. I feel the interrogator may well be the humiliated one in this next episode. Short ,sharp and to the point - a blogger's dream with a few backlinks for good measure.

Welcome Phishie Diaz to Blog Interrogation. Exhale, I am about to find out what you know about your blog and your approach to blogging, even if you don't want to tell me. 5 questions, 5 answers - shoot !



My name is Phishie Diaz and the name of my blog is It's Phishie! My blog is another one of those Make Money blogs. Oh wow! I run a couple of other sites that make me money, but those are more on the lame side (border line black hat) and It's Phishie! is a lot more interesting. One post or feature that would illustrate the flavor of my site. Hmm, you're right. This is definitely a tough one. Well... for the feature I have an Online Money Making Guide that covers blogging, affiliate marketing, and marketing your own product. It's very much a work in progress, but I do plan on adding a bunch of stuff to it! And for the post, well of course I'd have to show you the real Phishie Diaz.

Although it seems like I've been running my site for a long time, I've really only been actively working on It's Phishie for a little over two weeks now. My site is way too young to really have this question apply to me. I wish I would have started working on It's Phishie! sooner!

When I read this question I thought of John Chow's Requirements to be a dot com mogul. One of the requirements states that "You have a personal blog with your name as the domain name." Well I do want to be a dot com mogul one day! Well hell, screw John Chow! Who is he to dictate my domain name! I'll become a dot com mogul on my own terms!

My site is run by the one and only, the real Phishie Diaz! My earnings...? Well... that's a secret. Maybe I'll let you know at the end of the month. Watch my site if you really want to know.

This question is really difficult. I'm just a small Phishie in the sea so I am kind of intimidated by this question. But if I was ever invited to write on another blog I'd have to go with JohnChow.com. He's a really great guy with plenty of readers so I think it would not only help me out, but it would be really fun writing for his blog. Currently I am still working on getting my own blog established so I'm not really in a hurry to get an article published on anybody else's blog. Hehe...

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Phishie, for serving us up some really interesting info. As your interrogator I am able to report I learnt a lot from this session. You are a winner in the making, you can write really easy to read articles, you have a name that sounds gang related and I will find out how much you earn, don't worry about that!!

As an aside, I think you should approach John Chow, telling him you are now an experienced writer with a string of publishing achievements to your name (ie you have been published on The Pisstakers) and you now expect a regular guest writer position on his blog team. You said he is a nice guy, right?

Blog on, and if you ever get stuck for material for him, you are welcome to copy one of my techy articles and take out the light hearted bits. Cheers.

So, who is next up? The next person who cares to send me the answers to these questions. Short ,sharp and to the point - a blogger's dream with a few backlinks for good measure.

Welcome Linda to Blog Interrogation. Relax, this is a painless way to extract what you know about your blog and your approach to blogging. 5 questions, 5 answers from the hip.



Are We There Yet? and I guess I'd have to point visitors to the very first post so that they could get an idea of what direction I was hoping to head in. Come to think of it, you have already sent people to that first post so your thinking must be very similar to mine!

I don't think that there is anything I would change at this point up to and including my sidebar (which I do change up a little bit on occasion by the way!). At some point in the future I might like to try a new blogskin but for now I'm pretty happy with it the way it stands.

I think because the title of my blog reflects life in general and the constant of wonder of well, are we there yet or not? that I probably wouldn't change it because, to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm ever actually going to get there or, for that matter, even know where there is!

It's just me, myself, and I and I get paid absolutely nothing for all of the blood, sweat, and tears I pour into the project! This is going to sound corny but my real payment comes in the form of people telling me that they got a laugh out of something, or something I wrote made them stop and think for a moment or two.
I've never really given any thought to this one at all, to be perfectly honest. I guess I'd like it to be a site that a lot of people read so that they would then come in droves to my little part of the blogosphere and marvel at the wonder that is me (heehee!).

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Linda, for re-charging your laptop to answer those questions. If I may take a stab at summarizing the interview, it sounds to me like you have found a blogging style and a theme that you feel pretty comfortable with - a point that has taken a lot of time and effort to reach. I am sure if your own articles get Stumbled often enough you will experience the thrill of droves on a regular basis, without needing to blog away from home. A bit like the thrill of winning M&M's or gummi bears even!

So, who is next up? The next person who cares to send me the answers to these questions. Short ,sharp and to the point - a blogger's dream with a few backlinks for good measure.

Welcome Sarge to Blog Interrogation. Relax, this is quite painless. - unless you have something to hide! 5 questions to draw out what bloggers think of their site and their approach to blogging.



Quit Your Day Job is the name of my main blog, I do write for a number of other blogs too but that one is definitely the main site. It's really hard to pick a stand out post because the site has a very eclectic style. I write about pop culture, the environment, my life etc. I suppose my favourite post right now is something that I wrote a while ago now talking about eating locally. The post spawned a spin off blog in Urban Cultivation, but certainly don't judge the site on this post alone it's best to go to the newest and work your way back LOL -

That is an extraordinarily great question that I haven't even thought of before. I started the blog out as an ambitious business related blog and was going to document a lot of my professional stuff. It quickly evolved into a personal blog and talked a lot about pop culture and had my drawings and stuff. If I had to make a change it would be to make it a personal site straight off - and maybe picked a better URL.

I think that it is very possible that I could change the title. I don't foresee it in the very near future but there's no reason why if the times reflected it that I couldn't change it. The thing is though you start to grow a brand and it would be a shame to lose that recognition.

Just me baby, just me! I write and edit on a couple of collaboration based sites so I get that diversity on those sites, QYDJ is all about me. And so far not a cent.

StarTrek.com because I'm a geek and to be involved in such an amazing franchise would be amazing.

Ed extracts the bones from the blog interrogation

Thanks, Sarge, for taking a few minutes out your life to answer those questions. If I may be so bold as to summarize the interview, you are an eclectic Australian blog junky who sees a career on the internet or a spot on the Star Ship Enterprise as infinitely preferable to working a normal job. I like your thinking.

So, who is next up? The next person who cares to send me the answers to these questions. Short ,sharp and to the point - a blogger's dream with a few backlinks for good measure.

This is a review for another ultra-enthusiastic and cheery blogger who won some gummi bears. You (and that means any blogger in MyBlogLog) can also get gummis and a review - it is the prize for referring lots of traffic to The Pisstakers following a MyBlogLog Sunday mini review.

So, without further fanfare, "Ladies and gentlemen and Lord Likely, I present Callie Ann Brat's blog, Scrappin'

Scrappin' sidebar

Although my early recollections of the layout are similar to the look and load time of her good buddy, Mouseski, it seems as though Callie has recently gone for a 3-column layout. Far from having twice the eye candy to the right of the content, she has exercised restraint. The double-breasted widget parade of stars and stripes, presidents quotes, love hearts and blog rolls runs out quite quickly. Bravo.

And lest we forget, a hero of Callie's, Reagan, was an actor with some great lines

It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.

Scrappin' content

Delving straight into the content, which is where the action is, I think it is a family, memes and animals site. Is that fair? And it is just like a real scrap book, without the glue and pressed flowers floating around? If it isn't supposed to be so "domestic" then I got a wrong impression of lots of colorful photos, and I apologise for reading too much into some pretty intense and honest writing about kids and a childish ex.

I am not a great family affairs fan, but that domestic part of the blog is like when you walk past a house and the curtains are open and you catch a glimpse inside. You know it is none of your business, but... oh go on then, just a peek and a listen. And how funny to see little Jack copying Callie's cake-eating technique!

Scrapbook content

I chuckled at the review of Miss Potter the movie. How cute and quintissentially English - and also, what a contrast to the last film I saw involving rabbits, Fatal Attraction.

Callies favorite post of the year so far is a poem, Tomorrow's Gate, and her favorite sites include the Pisstakers, (wise choice) Acute politics and Sgt Dub.

Callie is proud to be an American and she flies the flag at every opportunity. She also has a good dialog with the President, reminding him of rising gas prices. And so should you!

A couple of scrappin bad raps

I think the new theme has broken the categories department, because I don't see how to delve deeper than May at the moment. Maybe it is a browser thing my end, not sure.

What I am sure about is,Turn it off. What is it with the musical accompaniment from a guy called McLaughlin? noooooo!!!!!!

I guess it is Mothers Day and Callie is involved in the celebrations up to her eyeballs, so the meditational unprompted muzak must be a temporary auditory addendum? I hope so, because auto-launch MP3's are one of the no-no's of blog design - unless your name is Bono, maybe.

Conconclusion

In summary, all you scrapbooking, home-making blog surfers out there, head on over to Scrappin', read, smile and add your points of view to Callie's many posts. And good luck with the creaky neck, Callie, you'll be back.

Subscribe to a normally busy blog and get an up-to-the-moment record of Callie's Scrappin' scrapbook.

Are we there yet? The blog name is very appropriate when you consider how long this review has been in the making. Apologies to Linda Mouseski Humor Blog Goddess, I have been a little bit negligent in my reviewing responsibilities recently. But here goes.

Just to put you in the picture, this review is a MyBlogLog Sunday prize for the participant who sent along the second biggest packet of traffic to the Pisstakers. (For the record, I don't usually give gummi bears and reviews to losers, sorry, runners-up, but the prize for week 5 was re-assigned magnanimously by perennial winner, Polliwog. So I am glad to oblige.)

First impressions of Are We There Yet?

Hit the browser and the first impression as the blog loads is BIG BANNER! Red white and blue, SuperMum, screaming twins and a well-fed content cat. Check it out and tell me I am wrong!



Within milliseconds, however, a Disclaimer appears putting us straight.

DISCLAIMER: I don't have twins but I do have two daughters that are 13-months apart AND a snarly cat!

Oh dear, how can this person possibly blog funny with a clear head!

The mother of all sidebars

Bobbarama's sidebar is the class act, Linda's is the long act. As the side bar unfurls, there is little doubt that Linda has all the tools and wherewithal to blog with the best of them.

Her profile demonstrates a good mind, and a sense of humor (both confirmed in the blog itself)

A logo attests to A Blog Addiction Disorder, (which I will have to take at face value as I don't know how long she spends blogging).

And finally, if you get lonely, you can even contact her at work for a laugh and a chat via an icon. (Emergency Services do have a sense of humor - but it would be hysterical if that icon were a 911 shortcut!)

I can't quite do the math to predict her birthday in 1 year, 3 months 30 days time, but when it does arrive, happy half century, and may the next 50 years bring you lots of blog awards. Meanwhile vote for her master blog designer Se7en, responsible for the new look.

How to network, by Mouseski

Se7en may well win if Linda's numerous contacts come good. To make it in the blog world takes some working and thinking and experimenting, but Linda networks like a champ. MyBlogLog, the Photo Hunters Blog Explosion, Technorati and Bloglines to name but a few of the methods employed to spread the word. I admit I was a bit confused by the RSS feed logo at the top Straight off the bat, to me, it didn't seem to refer to this blog!! Hopefully I am the only one unsure how to subscribe with ease.

Anyway, look how much I reviewed so far, and this is just the peripheral entertainment of Are We There Yet? The nitty gritty of the daily humor blog awaits.

The main content of Are we there yet?

Overall, it looks to me like a witty mix of memes memes and personal posts about the family, blogging, and current events. Is that a fair summary? If you look at Linda's first post in July 2006 you will get a good idea of what the blog and blogger intended. (Just thinking aloud, that post could make a good About Me page for permanent reference and I wonder if July 2007 will provoke a reflective post to compare the ideals with the reality of blogging, one year on?)

Conclusion

I have never met her, but Linda comes across as a very enthusiastic, laughy smiley warm person who probably works very hard, cares about everything she does and tries hard to make things work. At least that is how I see her in my pseudo psychological way, when I read through her posts and enjoy her funny comments on the Pisstakers. A good blogger to take note of and learn something from.


You should read Linda's blog and see what you make of it. I don't think you will be disappointed - as long as you have a funny bone and can bare to read non-techy, non-dry entrepreneurial articles. Drop her a line and tell her what you think. I wouldn't presume to leave her email address, but you will find it in her mega sidebar.

And if you haven't already, click this logo to subscribe to her RSS feed

We've linked to several web search engines offering random payments & prizes! Click the icon & search a keyphrase MyBlogLog Sunday. It is a win-win, perhaps!

Update: The most highly ranked page on The Pisstakers website is currently Funny Quotes of the Day. Ironically it takes the least work of all!

Having said that, we have just ended days and days of sweat, creating a widget that will rotate through dozens of our funny quotes, giving readers a new giggle with every page refresh. There is an example in the right side bar with a few quotes loaded. It is now available for free to bloggers. The code is in the left side bar if you want it now. Or on the lazy Link page if, ironically, you want an extra click and some more reading material

Free, so what is the catch?

There is a link back to The Pisstakers and one to the designers at Bonsai Studio. However the clever bit is the quote, which can be linked anywhere. And if you have a quote for me to include in the looping code, I will link it to any page on your site! I think this is very exciting, and so should you!!!!!

I was going to do some scheme with the side bar and Sponsors, but this approach seems more slick and way more interesting for everyone!

If you decide to use it on your site, please let Ed know.because I am going to make a photo gallery showing it in action. That is actually more interesting than it sounds beecause another clever bit is the fact that the widget will blend in with your theme.

Blog Interrogation (or 5 questions in 5 minutes for the faint of heart) is your opportunity to respond to 5 quick-fire questions from Ed. (This is not a meme, more a YouYou.)

Shoot your answers straight from the hip, perhaps with a bit of humor, and hopefully everyone, including you, will gain an insight into your site.

The questions

The hardest question first. What is the name of your website, and can you pick one feature or story to illustrate the flavor of the site to newcomers?

Would you ever consider changing the name of your site to reflect the passing of time? For instance, after reading through The Onion I compared the first posts with the latest, and the name Has Bean sprang to mind. What do you think in your case?

Finally, if you could get an article published on any website on earth, other than your own, which would it be, and why?

Contributions so far... Sarge, Phishie, Linda

Send Ed your unsolicited responses to these five questions, and I will publish them. And remember, there is no excuse for not having enough time to fit this into your schedule. Everyone has 5 minutes to write about themselves!


We've linked to several web search engines offering random payments & prizes! Click the icon & search a keyphrase MyBlogLog Sunday. It is a win-win, perhaps!