June 15, 2011

What's Shakin?

(Salem Willows Pier, May 2011)
Random update post = random pic.
I've been fishing a bunch lately.
Figured I was overdue for a "What's going on in my life" post. If you're reading my blog in something other than a reader, you may have noticed I've gone a bit... design crazy. I posted a new header a month or so ago, I've been tweaking the background color, and oh, huh, look at that: ads and paid ad space. Right, so... about that. Rather than just making all these changes and hoping no one will notice, I figured it was time to come clean about all the changes happening around here.

So let's see, where to begin? I've been participating in The SITS Girls 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. We're on day 11 today. So, between now and when this challenge ends sometime mid-July, I'm sure there will be other little tweaks and changes along the way. I'll also be experimenting with post types and content, just to see how I can play with things here a little bit. Whether it's the occasional list post or dabbling in a bit of creative non-fiction, it's the summer. I want to keep things interesting here and spruce up my blog overall.

Right, so the other big thing: ads. Yes, you too can purchase ad space on my blog. You may notice it falls under the creative "Baby Fund" heading. I'm telling it like it is folks: babies ain't cheap and makin' babies with donor eggs ain't any cheaper. Honestly? Every little bit helps. I'm also signing up for Affiliate programs that are a good fit for my blog. I've been running BlogHer Ads for a while now and have been an Amazon Affiliate for ages. I've only recently begun pumping up the Amazon Affiliate profile a little bit. In full disclosure, I'm an affiliate for Circle+Bloom and AttainFertility. And yes, I'm looking to add more and to do so in a way that's a) clear to you as readers and b) not intrusive beyond the sidebar. I realize ads might turn some of you off. If it does, please be honest and lay it on me (in a comment or an email is fine). Your readership is important to me, so if ads are going to send folks away screaming, I want to hear about it.

Let's see, what else... Remember when Blogger died last month? And I was like, hell no I'm not losing two  years' worth of writing? Yeah, about that. I'm moving to self-hosted WordPress sometime this summer. Tentative launch will be August 1st. The big thing you can do to help me? Make sure your bookmarks and reader feeds point to www.hannahweptsarahlaughed.com and not my blogspot URL. That will make the transition easier so you don't lose me in the move.

Other random things...
  • Updated my Resources page. Needed some serious updating and dusting off.
  • Sorted my Blogroll into five categories. I did this for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one being I didn't want any of you to click over to a BFP blog and not know about it and then be totally blindsided. It happened to me a bunch so it was time to clean up my list so it's clear to everyone.
    • Infertility Blogs: General blogs that didn't fit into my other categories
    • TTC Blogs: Folks actively working on makin' babies, typically through some kind of treatment
    • BFP Blogs: Mazel tov ladies on your impending arrivals!
    • Adoption Blogs: Folks who are all about adoption or are in the homestudy/waiting process
    • Parenting After IF Blogs: Folks who may or may not still be dealing with IF but who already have children and thus may have posts or pics that mention their children
  • I accidentally spilled the beans and stupidly posted on Twitter that I'm working on a book. JJiraffe has only helped amplify my super secret news ;) For all intents and purposes, let's just stick to the rumor that it's trashy vampire horror/smut and when I'm ready to reveal, it'll be that much cooler.
  • Linking up to some neat infertility-inspired writing groups online. The first is JJiraffe's Pomegranate Society. Basically it's a small writers' workshop where we pair up with other writers with the intent to get our asses in gear about getting our stuff published. The second is Mel's Prompt-ly group. This is more focused on keeping the inspiration juices flowing, to keep our blog content fresh, and to provide support and share resources. It's already awesome.
  • Twitterview with RESOLVE and blogger Alec Ross of I Want to Be a Daddy for a Fathers' Day Twitter Chat this Friday at 2pm EST. I'll be jumping in and retweeting as it goes on. You can follow the dicussion at #tvFD - best way to follow it is through TweetChat.
  • The Hope Award for Best Book nominations are now openHead over to the fabulous Ladies in Waiting Book Club to cast your nominations. Nominations will be accepted until this Friday, June 17th so go swing by and vote for the nominations listed or add your own. It looks like it's going to be a tight race whoever the Top 5 are, so get your nominations in now!
  • Random: I can't stop listening to Beats Antique. Bellydance music has been blasting out of my car anytime I drive. 

So there you have it. Bunches of random things happening around here and little tweaks along the way. Mostly, I'm hoping it's for the better but if you see something and you're like, "Gosh Keiko, what the hell is with all the pink? I mean seriously - is this an infertility blog or Pretty Pretty Princess Land?" please let me know. You can leave me a comment or shoot me an email. Or hound me on Twitter - I'm all over the place.

Ultimately, here's the thing: I'm making changes because I want to make this a better blog experience for everyone - not just for myself, but for you. So if you don't like something I've done around here, I want to hear about it. I can take it :)

And if you love something, well, I want to hear about that too.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I happen to love the pink, and I have been enjoying watching all of these changes. I think I will need to updated my blogs and tweak them as well. you've inspired me, yet once more!

Chickenpig said...

I don't like the pink, to be honest. Not the color, but the soft baby pinkness of it. There isn't enough contrast for me between the pink and white. Maybe if there were different shades of pink, and/or a bolder graphic on the pink? I don't mind ads on blogs at all, especially when thoughtfully done.

Lindsey said...

You have been busy! I loved 31DBB. #commenthour

Handy Man, Crafty Woman said...

I've been working on the 31DBB, but I'm already behind, aaaack! lol. Came from the SITS #commenthour

Marie Noelle said...

Wow you're busy!!! Your blog is great!!!

Unknown said...

Your blog is great! Good luck going through the program. I just love SITS! #CommentHour

Ixy said...

I love bellydance music - Arabic Jukebox has some nice tracks.

TheProDiva said...

This is my first time visiting, so I don't know what your blog previously looked like. I do, however, LOVE your current blog design. And I really love the content of your blog. Will definitely be stopping by again!

Lisa @ Henderson Rubin Creative Design Studio said...

That is great you are participating in The SITS Girls 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. I can't wait to catch the next one.

Krissy said...

love the blog layout! sounds like a lot going on in your world! Good luck with everything #commenthour

NV said...

Your changes are all great. I am in the same kind of transitional mode myself - I guess 31DBBB does that to you! Keep up the great work.

2commentaristas said...

Keep up the good work on all of your improvements, with yourself and also with your site! And I'm going to be looking forward to hearing about this vampire smut book you seem to be ready to publish soon ^.~

visiting from #commenthour

junebug said...

I'm making the more to WP this summer, too! I'm hoping it is a smooth transition for both of us!

I'm still hard at work on my 31DBB work. Wearing out. Plus, the blog world seems to have gotten very quiet this week.

Janelle said...

aaahh - 31 days to better blogging. I have the book but always seem to fall short and not ever quite finish. I really need to. Here from commenthour

Dr. Julie-Ann aka The Modern Retro Woman said...

I'm stopping by from both #SITS and #Commenthour (and a return visit from when you visited my blog) to show my support for what you are doing with your blog.

My husband and I were ambivalent about having children and then when we found out we couldn't, we figured it was a message from G*d and moved on (interesting 3 of the 4 girls in my family couldn't have children). But there were still the well-meaning questions from strangers that would upset me. Now I can simply say that I'm 50 and not looking to be a mother at my age. That usually hushes them up right away.

But there are still those moments when sadness about never being a mother kind of sneaks up...

Anyway, thanks again for this site.