Anticipated travels and new blog launch

Did you hear the good news? We have a new blog coming soon. It's not fully live yet, but you can go to www.bodaciousbroadstravelblog.com for a sneak peek. I had originally planned for it to launch a month ago, but I messed up and had hire help to sort everything out. It's up and running now. Look for updates beginning January 1, 2016.

The blog is not for the weak of heart. It's for fearless, middle-aged women who take the world on their own terms. It's for women who wear designer labels to the office, and then hop on the Harley for the commute home.

Why else would you name a blog Bodacious Broads Travel Blog?

Look for adventures big and small. The goal is to have a different experience each month. We may travel to a different state or dig up some local fun in our backyard.

In fact, the fun has already gotten rolling.

November saw us with a trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
New York city was earlier this month.
Next month, I'll be taking on Walt Disney World without the kids again and possibly a spot or two on the coast.
February usually means heavier snow accumulations than we get in December or January. I'll be announcing travel plans a little closer.
March - How about a spring break beach trip?
April is my anniversary month - stay tuned for the travel update!
May, we may search for spring flowers in the mountains.
June - we'll be in North Carolina!

The first six months of the year are mapped out. Where will we go the other months? What kinds of travel adventures and road trips await? Stay tuned to find out. :)

Bloggers, please blog responsibly or not at all

Bloggers, please blog responsibly or not at all. Let's face it. Sometimes we all make mistakes. When we do most of us will go back and fix it the best we can. The bad news is that some bloggers don't and that casts a dark shadow over us all.

I had a discussion with a reader today who commented on my blog. She shared her frustration with me about blogs with erroneous information and with blogs that are rarely updated. I was able to reassure her that those of us who blog responsibly far outweigh the bloggers who don't.

She agreed. In fact, she said that she comes to my travel blog because I to my best to provide quality information. I'll phone restaurants and travel spots to verify information before posting and link to primary sources whenever possible.

We have all heard the adage that content is king. It is up to us as bloggers to blog responsibly by verifying facts before writing any article. I have found that it only takes a minute to pick up the phone and verify information that I'm uncertain about. If I'm not sure of the facts then I don't write the blog article.

Some facts will change and there is nothing that we can do about that. Travel articles that lists prices or fees are notorious for having out of date information. Tourism and travel prices and phone numbers change, businesses close and streets get renamed.

Bloggers can't do anything about these changes but we can link to the primary website. When we find incorrect information we can update our article. Failing that we can at least put a message in the comment section. Readers may not always find the comment but at least the update is there to be found.

Like most other bloggers I value all of my readers are valued. It is frustrating for all of us when bloggers don't blog responsibly. Keyword stuffing by spammers is especially maddening. Steps are being taken in the internet world to weed out the spammers from legitimate blogs like my travel blog that you are reading.


I have a lot riding on this travel blog. My name is on it. When friends or family find something that's out of date they'll let me know in a big way. I've had people stop me in stores or at events and comment about my blog. The feedback has always been positive and I'm grateful for it.


Readers can help bloggers by promoting responsible bloggers and reporting blogs that have been stuffed with keywords. Tell your friends about responsible blogs by sharing the urls on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon or your favorite social media site. If possible, report sites that are keyword only and have no content.

Blogs with questionable content should be skipped. Doing so is easy. Just go back to the search engine and click on another url.

Good guys have to stick together. Responsible blogging helps everyone. So please, blog responsibly. Your readers deserve it.

Other online articles on blogging responsibly:
How to be a responsible blogger
Blog responsibly respect copyright

Setting up remote blogging

This is a test to set up mobile blogging. A few people have asked me to do this. Here's the trial run. My phone won't do all characters. Well see how it goes. :-)

I need to add that right now I am only using a basic LG phone on the Straight Talk wireless plan. The older phone works perfected but I feel that technology is leaving me behind. Remote blogging and an expanded Twitter presence is causing me to rethink the current phone.

The prepaid Straight Talk wireless has given me nothing but excellent service and exceptional value. I get a signal with them just about everywhere. They do offer other cell phones so I'll be upgrading to a newer model as soon as financially possible.

That will make remote blogging and the use of Twitter much easier -- and faster too. In the meantime, please bear with me. I'll post wirelessly just as fast as 2 thumbs can type. :)

Basic tools travel bloggers need

Travel blogger equipment

There are often questions about what basic tools travel bloggers need. Some people say that fancy equipment is needed. That's really not true. 

The photo on the left shows the basic tools travel bloggers need. The only things not pictured are my backpack and the camera that was used to take the photo. 

Photo equipment

Instead of the Fujifilm digital camera in the picture I used a 7MP Kodak Easyshare. It's a little point and shoot that takes pretty good pictures plus video. I still use it for times when its impractical to pull out the larger one that is shown in the photo..

Travel bloggers need to have a dependable memory card. 

Calendar 

 Travel bloggers need a calendar or method for jotting down notes. I rarely use this anymore (more on why later) but it's still nice to have. My other tools include an ever present pen and my National Parks Passport. Both of these allow me to keep track of where I've been and when.

Batteries

One of the other basic tools that travel bloggers need is rechargeable batteries. I like to keep one set on charge and one set in each camera. If these are purchased one at a time make sure to get the right batteries for the charger. 

Backpack

Another of the basic tools that travel bloggers need is a good backpack. You want your camera, laptop and other equipment to be protected. Extra pockets are a plus. The bag doesn't have to be expensive. Mine is a sturdy skateboarder's backpack with plenty of pockets. It set me back an entire $18 bucks. Before then, I tossed everything in my purse. 

There are a few other tools that travel bloggers need (or want) eventually. We'll look at these in a future post. This list is is a good beginning.

Blog

Oops. There is one more thing that travel bloggers need. You can't do this without a blog. My favorite is Blogger but my husband prefers Wordpress. There are other blog hosting possibilities. Take some time and look around at what other travel bloggers are doing. Get some ideas and go with what you like.

What topic can freelance writers cover to make money online

How do you make money on the internet? Is there a magic formula that will cause your blog articles to soar high in page views? We all want that one topic that will make money on the internet. Daily we look at hot topic lists for the hot button story that will propel our blog to the top of the pack. But is that the best way for a freelance writer to make money online?

People often ask me what topic freelance writers can cover to make money online. Everyone wants to know what sells or what gets the highest number of page views. In reality, all articles that have the right mix of high quality content and search engine optimized have the best chances of getting you the results you want.

When deciding what freelance writing subject earns the most online it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Take a look at the hot topics list for your favorite website. If “surfing” is the hot term you can bet that a million bloggers jump on that topic. You can join... From: What topics earn the most online

Hope for Healing.org Blogathon 8/15/2009

I just barely made this post in time...

Hope for Healing.Org is the nonprofit that I work for. We do a lot of tremendous things both online and off. In our local area of Strawberry Plains we give food to those who need it. Because we have a full ministry center we are also able to help with clothing and household items.

Our primary service is to victims of domestic violence. When it comes to victims we will stabilize and work on safety planning, give information and referrals and do whatever we can.

There is so much work that needs to be done surrounding victims of sexual and domestic violence. No one agency or center can do it all. Victims need and deserve support so they can put their lives back.

Many times, people mistakenly think that domestic violence doesn't effect them. That is not true. If we are honest with ourselves we can realize that we know someone who has been a direct victim (or we know an abuser).

When domestic violence touches the life of a friend our life is touched. Whether we choose to act, or not, is an individual decision.

Sometimes, helping is easy. Using isearchigive.org and designating Hope for Healing.org is an easy way to donate .01 per search. It doesn't cost anything. This month, the charity received just a few cents under $30. That's enough to buy an Angel Food box for a victim.

Going to www.hopeforhealing.org and clicking on the Amazon.Com link when ordering is another easy way. If you use that link then Amazon.Com will make a tiny donation for every purchase. The nice thing is that it doesn't cost you any more than it normally would to buy from Amazon.Com.

And when a friend tells you about victimization reassurance is invaluable. A simple hug costs nothing but speaks volumes.

We all think that helping domestic violence victims is hard. Somtimes it is. But sometimes, just as these examples show, helping a domestic violence victim to find healing is easy.

For more information on helping domestic violence victims visit www.thehopeblog.org.

Car Concerns Is Heard World-Wide Now !!!: Car Consulting Working With Chrysler Affected Dealers

It's good news to hear that an organized group of dealers is tacking Chrysler head-on. Years ago, my Plymouth Horizon was purchased from Harry Lane as was my husband's Tourismo. Later, we went on to purchase a Dodge Dakota pick up truck and a P.T. Cruiser.

I have loved our Chryslers. We have plans to drive the PT Cruiser to Alaska next month. I love everything about my little car.

What I don't love is Chrysler's decision to sever ties with people who have been dealers for years. To me, that decision does a lot to bolster brand loyalty for drivers of Toyota, Ford, or other brands. But it doesn't do a thing to help me feel valued as a loyal Chrysler customer.

The economy is a mess. That's something everyone can agree on. When it will heal is anyone's guess. The only thing I know is that this is the wrong time to be cutting jobs. It's a worse time to be making drivers question what our next car purchase is going to be and that is what cutting the ties to the local Chrysler dealerships means to me.

Following Gayle Crabtree on Twitter

Do you Twitter? If so, you can follow me. By choosing to follow me on Twitter you'll get all the latest updates. These are short messages that can go directly to your mobile phone. If you don't want the messages coming in it's ok. Disable following by phone and you'll still be able to follow me on the web. It's a great way to keep in touch.

We're going to be using Twitter a lot in June. I plan to post frequent updates on the Alaska trip. I'm researching cell phone providers now to determine which one I'll be able to use. As soon as we get the kinks worked out you can bet I'll post an update.

The Twitter url is: http://twitter.com/gaylecrabtree

Voices of Hope Radio Show

I did another radio show last night. Voices of Hope is doing pretty well. It is stretching my wings in an unusual direction. I'm really enjoying it although it is hard sometimes.

If you would like to catch the show the url is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing

Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio

My hat is off to all of the pros who make radio shows look easy. I was on last night for Hope for Healing.Org. This is going to be a regular weekly broadcast.

Boy, was I ever nervous when the call lines started lighting up! It worked out ok. Actually, it seemed like the callers must have been nervous too. None of the calls came through. The chat lit up. So did Instant Messenger. A couple of emails came in for good measure. That was interesting. Still, it was fun and educational for me if not for anyone else.

Today, I got a message from someone who downloaded the broadcast and listened to it as a podcast. That was pretty cool. We'll see what next week brings. I guess I'll see ya online.

Gayle

Gayle Crabtree on Feb. 9 Internet Radio Show

Monday night I'll be on the Hope for Healing.Org Blog Talk Radio Show. The segment is going to be on Survivor Spiritual Issues. As you may know, I'm the author of Does God Still Love Me and Secondhand Hope. This is a new and exciting way to reach others with the message of God-sent healing.

Feel free to tune in. It's at 11:00 pm on Monday, Feb. 9. The url is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hopeforhealing

If you would like to call in we'd love to have you. Call in to (718)506-1545. Normal long distance charges from the phone company will apply.

See you online on the Internet Radio Show at 11:00 pm Eastern time.

Blog Talk Radio Hope for Healing.Org

Tonight, for the second time, I hosted a Blog Talk Radio show. It was about the Strawberry Plains nonprofit where I work. My hats are off to all the pros who make this look easy! I was shaking in my boots. Good thing this is radio and not television. My knocking knees would definitely have been picked up on camera.

On the line with me tonight was Allie. She's my daughter but is also the summer youth coordinator for Hope for Healing.Org. We're still getting next week's show lined up. I don't know who it is going to be yet. But I do hope I get the hang of this.

We did this so we could talk about the local services that are offered by Hope for Healing.org in Strawberry Plains.

Best Nonprofit Charity Blogs of 2008

Charity blogs have changed the way nonprofits communicate. They are proving to be effective way to get the word out about events, client stories and needs. Lots of nonprofits have them. Who's are the best? Why? What criteria were used? Read this article for a list of the Top Charity Blogs of 2008.

Some of the nonprofits listed include:
Blog Action Day
Compass - Sierra Club
Heifer Project
International Rescue Committee
New Sudan Education Initiative
Secondhand Hope

This list is alphabetical. Read Top Charity Blogs of 2008 for other blogs and to find out who tops the list!

Is Assocated Content too good to be true?

No, it's not. This popular writing site is a good opportunity to make extra money. I have been happily supplementing our income by writing articles for Associated Content since August. Since they pay via Pay Pal I'm only a few days from access to my money. (Of course, remembering to sign up for the Pay Pal debit card would speed things up.). Associated Content is not a get rich quick scheme. I've typically been paid anywhere from $4.00 - $5.00 per article and up. Because of Associated Content I'm going to be able to get a much needed laptop at the end of the month. Then I'll be writing to pay off some newly acquired medical bills.

You can post on just about anything. If you check my work, you'll find that a lot of my writing have to do with college life and restaurant or book reviews. To write for Associated Content your writing should have some quality to it. The work should be as free from errors as possible. You should at least be able to spell (or use spell checker!) and know some internet basics. Otherwise, the sky is the limit.

Associated Content makes it easy to write. They post calls for content daily. Clear tutorials help show you the way! With their help, it's never been easier to make legitimate money on the internet.

Go here to sign up to being writing on the internet now.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/join.html?refer=303114 If you have any questions or want to know more about Associated Content email me. I'm always happy to talk about my new freelance writing career!

Posting on Associated Content

Many of you have asked where I've been. When not at Hope for Healing.Org I've been posting on Associated Content. This gives me the chance to earn a few bucks here and there. It's pretty neat! I'll start posting some urls here to some of the articles I've written there. If you like what you see you can click on the link and/or leave comments.

I hope you like them. Let me know what you think!

Here's one on how Legitimate Internet Work Paid Off my Credit Card Bill. How'd I do that? Associated Content of course!

Updated 8/10 to add article.