Seedplanter’s Porch

Squidoo should come with a disclaimer: Enter at your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for absentmindedness, hyperactivity, insomnia, or repetitive-module stress injury.

Let’s face it. Life changes drastically when you discover Squidoo. Things happen…things that can only be blamed on Squidoo. And that’s the topic of Blame it on Squidoo, my latest lens, which was hatched late Friday night as the result of a conversation I had with a friend today.

We were discussing age, and how we notice little brain shifts. Shifts that affect our concentration and our creativity. We laughed about the little things like forgetfulness and shuddered at the more serious brain fogs that shall go unmentioned in this blog. :::ahem:::

If you’re a crazy-creative lensmaster who has trouble remembering where Squidoo began and where your life left off, this lens is worth a visit. Call it therapy if you like. Even if you’re not (a crazy-creative lensmaster…stay with me here), you can visit it anyway and shake your head in pity. Especially if you’re young, like the person who answered my “Where Were You in 1987?” TwitterStorm with the reply that in 1987, she was “probably still kicking boys in the shin.”

Happy weekend, everyone!

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

Have you ever followed the dots to create a dot-to-dot of your Squidoo experience so far? I did that recently, beginning with my first lens ever, Backyard Makeover: Before & After , and ending with my discovery that this simple Seedplanter’s Porch blog is listed at #31 on PotPieGirl’s Top 100 Squidoo blogs.

And how did I know that?  Because I Twitter, that’s how. (See the dot-to-dot progression?) And this morning I couldn’t sleep, so I rolled out of bed at 4 a.m. and checked out what had happened in Twitterdom while I zzz-zzed.  There sat a tweet from Cap’n Squid, with the news that he had made #1 on that list. Sadly, my brain can’t split in a million directions, so I had not heard about the list.

So I swam through murky waters like a hungry Squidette and found the list, and began uh-huhing and grinning at the names I recognized–all so deserving of the honor. Then I saw Seedplanter’s Porch and went “HUH?”  I came an inch from slapping myself silly. Could not believe this Squidooer of five months was on anybody’s list, let alone that one!

Thank you, PotPieGirl. It’s an honor to be included on the list, and it says a lot about the people who have encouraged me as I learned the ropes of lens building. I still feel like that newbie who didn’t know what all the acronyms meant, but I must be doing something right.

It’s a nice way to begin a Monday.

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

Remember how it felt the first time you realized that someone had linked to you? Linking to a lens or website is a nice compliment. It makes people feel like their work is worthy of notice. That’s exactly why I’ve created Fan the Flame, as a lens where people can sing the praises of their favorite lensmasters, lenses, and Squidoo groups.

Information overload is a reality, and who has time, anyway, to see it all? I love reading recommendations from people I have come to know and trust. It saves me time and it also puts me in touch with some of our seasoned lensmasters whose lenses are jaw-droppers. It’s also a thrill to discover new talent whose lenses are presented in a refreshing format.

Please take a moment to visit Fan the Flame: Help Spread the Squidoo Fire!  It’s about ideas, and how a simple spark ignites a lens. I cover the backstory behind a few of my lenses–how the idea sparked in the first place. I’ve also included the following Plexos, and hope you’ll add your own favorites to the mix.  Together, we can help fan the flame and give hard-working lensmasters fresh exposure.

• Fan Your Own Fire! (Share the personal lens that you’re most proud of.)
• Fan a Favorite Lensography!
• Fan Your Favorite Squidoo Group!

Happy New Year, everyone!

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

When I started dabbling in Squidoo, I didn’t know how much time I’d spend updating. But like any other website, change is important. Otherwise, Google forgets us like a fair-weather friend. I’m thinking of ways to streamline the process, but so far it’s just butt-in-chair and fingers-on-keyboard.

Do any of you lensmasters have shortcuts? Seems like the more practice I get at lenscrafting, the more notes I scribble to myself. I have an ongoing file of tips and watch-out-for-that’s; probably enough to make a lens someday if I give it a unique slant. So…what’s YOUR favorite shortcut?

Been busy all morning taking care of business, and updated the following lenses.

• Amazing Webventures: Let’s Explore Borneo!
• Fun With Boxes: Creative Crafts for Kids (Eat your oatmeal, save the box…)
• Fun With Cans: Creative Crafts for Kids
• Who Eats SPAM? A Webvestigative Report (Take the poll, please!)
• Amazing Webventures: Let’s Explore Andorra!
• Squidoo WHO? Learn from Successful Lensmasters (a virtual hug to all you pioneers in Squidoo…)
• Recipes for Life
• Turkey’s Last Stand
• Turkey’s Manifesto (NEWSFLASH! Turkey’s Turkiatrist: Countdown to Thanksgiving was published today. It’s #3 in Tom’s traumatic tale…)
• Grumble Headquarters: Where Crabapples, Sourpusses, and Grumblers Unite
• Fun With Paper Bags: Creative Crafts for Kids
• Fall in Love With Broccoli (go ahead…I dare you)
• 10 Favorite Books I’d Take to an Island

Gonna grab a bite of lunch and head out to Staples. Printer cartridge died in the middle of a project. Timing is never good when it comes to printers, is it? (Note to self: Re-stock printer supplies!)

Have a good week, everyone!

So you think Twitter is frivolous, eh? Used only by people with too much time on their hands? Think again.

Some of the most successful authors, business people, and Squidoo lensmasters use Twitter on a regular basis. Some of us are more Twitter-struck than others, and check in several times daily. (You know who you are.) Twitter is one of the most ingenious networking tools around. Better than IM, in my opinion.

Bonnie aka bkdz has created a Squidoo lens for Twitter-lovers and Twitter skeptics. Check it out.

Betcha can’t resist the pull…

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How often do you Twitter?
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