Saturday, November 04, 2006

Just a Little about Me, Your BLOG VILLAGE Admin

I thought you might like to know a little bit about me, Dirty Butter, or really Rosemary, the person who started BLOG VILLAGE. I've been into computers since way back in the early 80's. My very first computer was an Apple II+, which I still have. I learned how to program BASIC back then. Later, because our school district went with PC's, I bought my first Windows computer, and I've been using that operating system ever since.

My DH and I started selling online as a way to dispose of all the neat things we found when we emptied out his Dad's house, after we moved him in with us. He was a real packrat, and had saved lots of old things that turned out to have value to collectors. Then we started selling things we had in our own house, including toys our grandchildren had outgrown. That got us interested in selling plush animals.

About a year and a half ago I looked at my first blog, and I'll have to say it was not a pleasant experience. It just so happens that first blog was full of profanity and the pictures were child porn, as far as I was concerned. It's a wonder I ever looked at another one. But I had read some articles suggesting that blogs were a good way to promote an online business, so I decided to educate myself in this new medium. At first all I did was join some traffic exchanges and surf a lot, reading what appealed to me, and ignoring what didn't.

Finally, I took the plunge, and started the two blogs that are connected to our business, Yesterday's Memories and Plush Memories. Both have evolved somewhat from what I originally envisioned them as being about, but I guess that happens to a lot of blogs over time.

As I became more and more comfortable in the blogging community, I also became more and more disgusted by the large number of blogs that bombarded me with skin I did not want to see and words I did not want pushed at me, whether I wanted to read them or not. That's when the idea for BLOG VILLAGE began to form in my mind. I put those thoughts into action, with the kind encouragement of one of the monitors of Blog Advance, in May, and you know the rest of the story.

My other blog, Day by Day with Parkinson's and Peripheral Neuropathy started out as a private blog to play around with the new beta blogger and chronicle my life, as the doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with me. But then I decided to make it public, so I might possibly make contact with some other people who were experiencing some of the same things I was. I've continued to make it a very personal journal, and a few friends do stop by from time to time to give me encouragement, which is greatly appreciated. I realize this is not a blog that is interesting to anyone but me, but it is very helpful and therapeutic to me, so I continue to post almost daily.


Interested in joining BLOG VILLAGE?

Start HERE.

BLOG VILLAGE was established on May 23, 2006, currently with a membership of 211 Villager blogs.

10 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Sounds familiar. I had an Atari 800, and I learned some basic programming too. I then bought an Atari ST before converting to PCs -- also largely because of where I taught.

Rosemary said...

If it had been up to me, I would have stuck to Apple all these years, but I had to teach other teachers how to use their computers, so it was necessary that I become somewhat of an expert, myself. It's good to hear from you, anvilcloud. I'm still laughing over pedal stools!! (You'll have to go to his blog, Raindrops, to see what I'm talking about, hehe.)

Anonymous said...

Hi DB, I got started in computers only about 10 years ago. I have not had the opportunity to learn any programming, but would love to! Thanks for starting BLOG VILLAGE and inviting me. I only had PJ's Paper Doll Cut Outs and started the other three since joining. Thank you for giving me a place to be comfortable enough to share the interests in my life!

Rosemary said...

I learned HTML without much trouble, but CSS is another matter entirely. Wow, you have been a busy lady if you started all three of the other blogs just since joining BLOG VILLAGE! That's impressive!! I'm glad you feel comfortable here, Janey Loree.

Unknown said...

Your story could be mine. I started with a Radio Shack 100. I also started in the computer field writing basic assmbler, then cobalt and fortran. I must have punched a million cards. You bring back memories.
Thank You

Rosemary said...

Dave, do you remember the Sinclair? I used to use those little 2K computers to teach BASIC to my 5th graders. I also used tape recorders and little programs I wrote, with small black and white TV's, so they could see what some simple programs looked like. They were just as fascinated by those simple programs as today's youth are by the modern software.

Anonymous said...

You are the third BLOG VILLAGER that I found while surfing over at blogadvance.com! I found Jan's "The Poodle and (the dog)" banner and Jillbeth's "The Broken Cup" banner. The "VILLAGE NEWS" was the blog that I surfed to! This is cool!!!

Rosemary said...

Oh, I imagine you'll find lots more than that, Janey! Back when I was trying to build up our TopList, I would go through other TopLists, like BlogAdvance, looking for blogs I thought fit what I had in mind for BLOG VILLAGE. I would actively invite lots of blogs each day. Now, I rarely invite a blog, and then only if I run across it as I do my own surfing. We are big enough now that bloggers ask to be admitted. That's why I ask all the Villagers to use a graphic banner if they possibly can, as advertising for our TopList and to make it easier for people to vote for them.

Anonymous said...

Dirty butter:

Thank you so much for the comment on my site!

I would love to be on your list, but I seriously don't understand how to do it...

For example, what's a banner? The form ask for a link to my banner and banner height and widht...

Can you send me instructions on my blog maybe?

Are you sure my english isn't a problem? I'm Norwegian you know ;)

Rosemary said...

I've answered on your site, Stjernesol, and I look forward to seeing you on BLOG VILLAGE!!

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Girls Can Change the World

Girls Can Change the World
Adolescents make up a large percentage of the population, especially in developing countries.