Blogging

Blogging is a great way to express your thoughts, share your expertise on a subject, or find an audience to connect with. This article will teach you all you need to know about starting and maintaining a great blog with a wide readership.

Find a Blogging Platform

There are infinite platforms that you can use to create and host your blog such as WordPress, Blogger, Freewebs, and Tumblr to name a few. You can start a blog for free on most websites, but in order to get your own domain or more complex themes, you may have to shell out some cash.

Pick a Topic

This is perhaps the most difficult part of starting a blog. The best blogs are specific, niche websites. Pick a passion of yours, and then narrow your focus until you have a niche blog. If you have a passion for food, start a vegan blog, a dessert blog, a healthy eating blog, or a blog where all your recipes are five ingredients are less. The goal here is to pick a topic that is expansive enough that you can write regular posts about, but narrow enough so that you can create your own unique brand instead of just creating a catchall “recipe blog” that doesn’t distinguish itself from all the other food blogs out there.
Personal blogs, op-ed blogs, and creative fiction blogs have a harder time gaining a wide audience compared to topic blogs. If your goal is to write great material that reaches a wide audience, writing a memoir or journal-style blog may not be the right path. But if your goal is just to flex your creative muscle and try something new, then feel free to blog about whatever you wish!

Write Great Content

The best blogs churn out amazing post after amazing post. Here are some of the qualities of great content:

Lots of lists. Blogs should be easy to read, with lots of bold text, lists, and headings. Blogs are more about condensed information than long winded articles. Lists are the golden standard of blog article: nothing beats a great list post!
Beautiful, relevant images. Images are even more important in today’s world since a great image can make your post go viral on image sites such as Pinterest or Tumblr. The best post images also have your blog’s name and the title of the article written on it, and you can do this with Photoshop or a basic free image editor. You can buy stock images from places like BigStockPhoto, or you can use royalty free images through Flickr. Microsoft also has a free database of stock images. Whatever you do, don’t search Google images and take whatever image you find for your post. These are often copyrighted and can make you liable for legal action. Don’t steal!
Write specific posts. Instead of writing a post about eating healthy in college, write an article about 5 Tips for Eating Healthy in the Dining Hall. Instead of writing an article about the importance of creativity, write 5 Creativity Boosting Tips for Writers. Specificity is interesting. Specificity gets you traffic from Google.

Find an Audience

Create great, unique content. A successful blogger regularly publishes fresh, relevant content. In order to find an audience, you need to find a unique approach on your specific topic and churn out information, resources, and article series that your readers find useful. The only way you’re going to create a readership is if you have this element down pat.
Foster your voice. The best bloggers showcase their personality through their writing, creating a connection with their readers. About 10% of your blog should be focused on fostering that relationship with your readers. Tell your story, share what’s going on with you, or write an op-ed about a subject you’re passionate about. Write in a conversational tone, tell lame jokes, and don’t be afraid that anyone will judge you for who you are. An audience turns into a following when you put a face on your great content.
Use social media. Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit have created endless opportunities for me to find new readers. I have 25,000 subscribers on Tumblr, and they are an integral part of making my blog successful. Pinterest keeps my content fresh and relevant by spreading it around, and Facebook and Twitter are direct lines to my readers where I can interact with them and broadcast new content.

SEO and Keyword Research

If you’re a more advanced blogger, you can begin venturing into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and keyword research to drive more traffic to your websites. There are tons of websites and books that cover everything you need to know about these topics, so I’ll be brief. Here are three things you need to know about SEO and keyword research:

Know what keywords you’re targeting. Recently, I wrote 30 posts for a 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge I hosted on my blog. The keyword I was after was “clean eating.” My traffic and adsense jumped after those thirty days thanks to visitors coming to my website to read about clean eating. I’m also writing a blog series called “How to Write a Screenplay” over on Page 85, and that’s also the keyword we’re targeting there. Think about what you search in Google, and think about your content in terms of how would people find my article on Google? What would they search for? Then use those keywords.
Use keyword-rich titles. Every clean eating post began with “Clean Eating Challenge: [Article Name]” which not only helped people realize that this was a blog series, but also improved my Google ranking since I now have 30 articles with “clean eating” in the title. Use your keywords in the article where it fits, and also use your keywords in the photo description field.
Use small images. Pages load faster when you have smaller images. Google likes websites with images — but they also like websites that load quickly. You can also use a cache plug-in (if you’re using WordPress) to make your website load faster.

Make Money

You can make money off of your blogging hobby by placing ads on your site through programs like Google Adsense. You can also seek out affiliate programs (such as Amazon Associates) that pay you if someone clicks on a link to a product that’s on your blog. For example, if you’re a health and fitness blog and you write a review of the workout program P90x and you put an affiliate link in the post, you’ll get kickbacks if people buy that product after clicking on your link.
Individual companies have all kinds of different affiliate programs. Modcloth has a give $15 get $15 program where if someone uses your link to buy something, they get $15 off their purchase and you get $15 store credit. Amazon has an affiliate program for getting users to try out Amazon Student.
In order for ads or affiliate programs to be effective, however, you first need to build a loyal readership base. Everything comes back to your ability to create great content that people love and want to share with their friends.

Get Free Perks

I’m a health blogger, so I routinely get sent free vegan breakfast bars, fitness iPhone apps, and other perks by companies who want me to spread the word about their product. Most of these companies find me through my blogs, which is why it’s important that you have a contact page with your email address on it. But I also approach companies myself and ask for free perks in exchange for exposure. I’ve even hosted giveaways for my readers. That’s a win-win: making my readers happy and getting more hits on my blog, and the company gets a free advertisement.

Yoga

The practice of yoga serves many purposes, from spiritual healing to building strength and flexibility. It’s considered a hobby as well as a form of exercise because there is so much to learn about all the different practices, and the practice upholds values such as tranquility and peace that make yoga a lifestyle.

Types of Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga. This is one of the most commonly taught practices of yoga. Beginners can jump into Vinyasa yoga, but it can be challenging depending on the instructor. Vinyasa focuses on building heat in the body through varied pose sequences, and also has an emphasis on flexibility.
Ashtanga Yoga. Ashtanga yoga is a challenging form of yoga where the yoga sequences always stay the same from class to class: sun salutations with asanas interspersed in between. It’s featured in workout programs such as P90x due to it’s difficult nature. It’s great for strength training, but can become monotonous to some people. Ashtanga builds focus and strength.
Bikram Yoga. Also known as “hot yoga,” bikram yoga is performed in a heated room, and does not use props like yoga blocks. It’s a challenging, disciplined class and not recommended for beginners.
Hatha Yoga. Hatha yoga focuses on relaxation and flexibility. This is great for beginners because it focuses on learning the yoga breath that marks every form of yoga. Hatha yoga also introduces basic yoga poses.
Power Yoga. A fast-paced, challenging form of yoga that combines moves in sequences to build strength. Power yoga classes may be too challenging for beginners, although you can always attend one and take a rest in child’s pose whenever the practice becomes too intense.
Pilates. Pilates is a yoga-inspired strength workout that focuses less on controlling your breath and utilizing the traditional yoga mindset and more on employing toning and sculpting moves.

Benefits of Yoga

There are many benefits of yoga, including stress relief, improved strength, flexibility, posture and lung capacity. Yoga is great for athletes — especially runners — who are looking to prevent injury and improve athletic performance. Yoga also releases toxins through various twists and other contortion-like poses, and is considered an anti-aging exercise.
While most get into yoga as a form of exercise, others find that yoga is more than just physical activity. Some consider it a lifestyle. Yoga

Yoga Equipment

There are certain types of yoga equipment for different kinds of yoga classes and styles.
But every yoga class uses a yoga mat. It may be tempting to just find the cheapest mat you can find, but shelling out a little extra money is important to getting a good quality mat that will aid your practice. Look for a really sticky mat that’s not too thick. The extra-thick mats tend to slide around and aren’t recommended for classes.
Here’s one of the best mats out there, and it’s decently priced:

You’ll also want to invest in a yoga mat wash. During practice, mats get sweaty and dirty and it’s essential to clean it if you’re going to be attending regular classes. I tried using soap and water and the sports wipes at the gym, but nothing cleans better than an actual yoga mat wash. This is the one I have:

There are several more optional pieces of equipment out there, including a yoga block and a yoga strap. Yoga blocks and straps are often provided by the gyms themselves, and they’re cheap if you decide to buy them. They help extend or modify poses to make them easier or harder.
If you have trouble with downward dogs like I do and you find your hands slipping, get a yoga mat towel.
Here’s the cheapest (and the best) yoga mat towel that I have. It has special grips and won’t slip and slide during your practice:

What to Expect from Your First Yoga Class

Most yoga classes begin with a brief warmup/stretching period where the instructor leads you into easier poses like cat/cow, hip openers, or other seated poses. My 7am yoga class has about twenty minutes of flexibility and a warmup in the beginning to wake us all up, whereas my Monday afternoon class has about five minutes of a warmup before we start doing flow sequences.
Every instructor is different, and the content of your class will vary. If there’s a pose that’s too difficult for you, your instructors will encourage you to rest in child’s pose or do easier modifications throughout the class. Yoga is not a competition about who can do the coolest headstand, it’s about improving your own body — and also not pushing it if a pose doesn’t feel right.
But almost every single yoga class (excluding pilates) ends in savasana, known as the final pose, the resting pose, or corpse pose. This last pose, often held for three to eight minutes, is meant to be a meditative pose that induces clarity and relaxation. After going through difficult sequences that require strength and stamina, it feels amazing to just lie down and clear your mind. Every yoga instructor treats savasana differently: in a restoration yoga class, my instructor played the guitar during our resting poses. In another, my instructor sang an ancient Buddhist hymn. In most classes, however, my instructors talk about the importance of the pose on our psyche and how to just soften into the earth and to banish our schedules and task lists from our minds and just be grateful for the moment we’re in.
After savasana, your instructor will lead you back to a seated pose. You’ll then clasp your hands into prayer in front of your heart and say namaste along with the rest of the class. Namaste is a greeting and thanks, and it means that my soul recognizes yours. You’re not only thanking your instructor, but you’re thanking your body and bringing your awareness not only inward, but also outward, recognizing those around you and increasing your awareness for the well being of others.

How to Find a Hobby

Hobbies can be anything from learning how to play the violin to brewing your own beer. A hobby can be something you do competitively, such as ballroom dancing, or something you do for enjoyment and stress relief, such as running half marathons or practicing the art of “noodling” (catching catfish with your bare hands.)
Hobbies improve the quality of our lives by opening up our world to new passions and people we meet through the adventures we have. Hobbies improve brainpower by building new mental pathways when you learn something new. They provide an escape from the sometimes monotonous nature of daily life, and they help us learn something about ourselves in the process. They can be a bonding experience, or an introspective exercise, or a way to meet new people.

How to Pick a Hobby That’s Right for You

When picking a hobby, see what classes and activities are available near you. Do you live by a dance or yoga studio? Are you close to a lake that allows fishing? Do you have a place where you could create a garden in your yard? The best hobbies are the ones that mesh well with your daily life.
Part of the enjoyment of a hobby is the feeling of getting outside of your comfort zone. See what kind of hobbies challenge you to do something new that you wouldn’t have done before. Never been in a yoga class? Unsure if you’ll be able to successfully learn to ski? Never fear! We have articles to get you started and help you take the leap.

Become A Rainfall Reader

September 24, 2013 by Maria

Here’s a great idea for those of you looking for an inexpensive hobby, one that fits all ages. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for a family project, teaching children how the weather impacts our lives.
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a non-profit organization with more than 11,000 active volunteers monitoring precipitation throughout the 50 United States (and Canada) and could use your help. Since rainfall varies from street to street, information from a variety of volunteers is vitally important.
What’s needed to participate?
Low cost measurement tools—

a 4″ plastic rain gauge
a ruler
a computer with internet connection

Whenever rain, hail, or snow falls in your area, you, as a volunteer, measure the precipitation in your backyard. You then record it on the CoCoRaHS web page. This helps the National Weather Service, meteorologists, hydrologists, city utilities, USDA, engineers, mosquito control, ranchers, and farmers follow weather patterns across the country and informs the public about potential floods, drought, and severe storms.
Training is provided and, in some areas, activities are organized for field trips, special speakers, and contests. You’ll meet people with similar interests as yours as well as providing a necessary service for your community.
For more information, go to CoCoRaHS and click on “Volunteer Coordinators” to find your state coordinator. They will be happy to give you further information and other possible opportunities to help this exciting organization, such as recruiting volunteers, becoming a local coordinator, planning educational/training programs and more.

Filed Under: Family, Low Cost Hobbies

Visit the Zoo

A visit to the zoo can be more than just a day of entertainment. Imagine viewing wildlife, exotic and farm animals on 7 acres of peaceful, beautiful grounds. “What’s so unusual about that?” you might say. Well, it is when you realize this “one of a kind” zoo, located in the beautiful Pinelands of southern New Jersey, specializes in caring for abused, neglected, handicapped, exploited, and unwanted animals. All the animals living at this facility have been rescued from a life of cruel treatment and are now living out their lives in a peaceful, caring environment, giving much enjoyment to the many children who visit daily.
A visit to the Popcorn Park Zoo in Forked River, NJ can teach your children compassion as they learn how each animal, in dire need of rescue, came to be a part of this tranquil place they now call home.
Living in South Jersey, I had heard of the Popcorn Park Zoo and had many times passed the carloads of children anxiously awaiting entrance into the park. Being a family-type excursion, I awaited the arrival of my 4 year old grandson from Atlanta, knowing he would thoroughly enjoy an afternoon of fun in the sun, learning all about the animals.
Armed with our boxes of popcorn to feed the animals, we forged ahead to find easily accessible pathways, benches for the weary to rest their feet, (comfortable walking shoes or sneakers are a must), picnic tables and rest stops for those who plan ahead when traveling with small children, and interesting information regarding the animals every step of the way. An adoption center is also available for those interested in giving a good home to a homeless dog or cat.
The afternoon ended with a very sleepy little boy and an exhausted grandmother with some precious memories. All in all, a very worthwhile (and inexpensive) outing.

Traditional Craftwork

When you think of craftwork, automatically your mind goes to the old stand-bys like knitting, crocheting, and needlework. Times may have changed, but these old, familiar favorites have endured over the generations. Now, due to all the stress in our lives, it’s strongly recommended that we find an outlet for our tension and anxieties. And experts claim that concentrating on stitches while knitting or crocheting can be very calming and just a few minutes a day can bring amazing results in our effort to bring some peace into our lives.
Not to mention the beautiful results you will accomplish when completing that blanket, hat, or sweater. To enhance that good feeling, donate some of your home-made articles to the needy or volunteer to teach your skill to those who never had the opportunity or time to learn a craft. And with craft shows across the country all through the year, you’ll meet people with like interests and pick up ideas for new and different projects while having fun.

Sports Referees and Officials are in the Middle of the Action

Organized Sports are made possible by the men and women who wear the whistles, striped shirts and enforce the rules. Our officials, referees and umpires provide the structure and enforce the rules that creates the competitive field for us to enjoy.
Consider becoming a referee or umpire for your local children’s sporting leagues. They almost always need volunteer help. If you are looking for more excitement and responsibilities, consider the high school and college level.
It’s a great way for you to stay connected and involved with your favorite sports and still participate in the thrill of the game.

Referee Articles and Links:

How To Become An Official

Referee Magazine

Skiing

With the economy such as it is, it’s no wonder resort areas are not only offering fantastic deals to attract travelers, but also making major improvements to their facilities and surrounding areas in an effort to increase revenue. New hotels, restaurants, and pubs are springing up, as well as more gondolas and shuttle transportation. Trail enhancements and faster and more efficient snow making systems are also on the agenda for many resort areas as well as better lighting for night skiing. Also, look for upgraded rental shops with some great deals on equipment, more festivals and celebratory events throughout the season. Read about some of these exciting changes on Getaway Vacation Ideas.
Looking for affordable ski resorts? Visit Ski.com for special deals on lodging, equipment, lessons, flights, car rentals, and much more.

Scrapbooking

The hobby of Scrapbooking is the collections of photographs, clipped newspaper articles, ribbons, party invitations and other keepsake mementos. These collections are then stored in books and three ring binders.
Todays scrapbook supplies provide great options for creating a long term treasure. High quality paper, simple and clean glue dots or double sided tape. Colorful and reinforced binders and covers to protect your treasures.
You can pick up basic supplies at your nearby Walmart or grocery store. Or, you can head towards an arts and crafts store like Jo-Ann’s for scrapbooking specific starter kits.
Scrapbooks can be organized in any manner you choose. Maybe following a child through their life. Maybe one centered around a family reunion. Another, celebrating a wedding. Choosing a theme will also help set the tone for the supplies that you will want to use.
Visit Princess Crafts for more scrapbooking information.
Friendly Tips to Help You in your Scrapbooking Projects.

creativity

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

find a hobby