New Month – New Opportunities to Succeed!
[I apologize ahead of time to those of you who read more than one of my blogs, as I am posting this in each one as an update!]
Hello – yes, it’s really me!
After getting off to such a good start with blogging in 2011 – I have had three unusual months in a row and am NOW trying to get back into it, in this new month of August.
Brief summary with the major events of each month:
*May – I had a GREAT private writing client who paid me $100+ per article, PLUS bonuses! He kept me busy most of the month; one week, I had my first ever $1000 week – and ended up making over $2400 for the month.
*June – Good news and bad news!
The Good News:
My youngest daughter got married and I acquired a wonderful son-in-law!
My middle daughter also got engaged, and my oldest daughter was already engaged – so two more weddings coming up in the next two years.
Also, I got rehired to work as an online writing tutor for the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Smarthinking.
The Bad News:
My Mom, who had been in failing health, fell a couple times at home, and while in the hospital for x-rays, tests revealed a mass in her lung.
*July – My Mom passed away.
It has taken awhile to get back to even feeling like writing or doing any other kind of freelance work. Mom had been sick for quite awhile, and we thought she had beat breast cancer a couple years ago…
She was under hospice care and surrounded by family members during her final hours at home. Her final words and fervent prayer were that God would take her quickly, so she could finally see her Lord and her Ben (my Dad) again.
We’re glad she’s no longer suffering and we’re rejoicing that she has rejoined Dad in heaven – we lost him nearly nine years ago, to lymphoma.
***********
NOW … it’s a new day, new week, new month – representing new opportunities to succeed!!
People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad. ~Marcel Proust
The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity. ~Seneca
Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life. ~Albert Einstein
The death of someone we know always reminds us that we are still alive – perhaps for some purpose which we ought to re-examine. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960
**Quotes from 
**
Speaking of New Blogs-Part 6
We’re almost there, to the end of my list of blogs. This is the next to the last one (for now!)
I had to have one blog for “whatever” I felt like posting – so I have this one called “Random Thoughts & Musings.” You know, kind of like that “junk drawer” most people have somewhere in their homes! Also, like that drawer, I even had to clean this blog up – throw some posts out, reorganize a bit, and I’m left with only three posts … so far!
I hope you’ll visit and post your own random comments to my random thoughts and musings! Oh, and I really need/would like some followers there (hint, hint!)
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Speaking of New Blogs-Part 5
First, an announcement: I have set up a blogging schedule to help me stay on track. For this blog, I plan to post almost daily: Monday through Saturday.
Now, to recap, I have introduced you to my four other WordPress blogs:
- K’Lee Banks, Freelance Consultant Services
- Autism & Other Child Developmental Disorders
- Words of Encouragement
- Write from Home
I would love to “see” all of you who read and follow this blog over at my other blogs!
Image via Wikipedia
Now onto my three Blogger/Blogspot blogs (haven’t decided if I will move them over here to WP or not). Here’s my next blog to introduce to you:
*eLearning for Life: Learning is a lifelong experience. eLearning makes it more convenient.
This is another blog I originally started a couple years ago, and didn’t do much with it. Now that I’m continuing in my graduate studies with an Ed.D. program, specializing in Educational Technology and eLearning, it seemed like a good idea to get this blog up and running again to chronicle the journey and share what I learn along the way.
I’m currently doing “A to Z” posts – I originally started off in the A to Z Challenge for April, but as I’ve mentioned, I had to prioritize and unfortunately, blogging had to go on “hold” for awhile. So even though it’s no longer part of the official A to Z Challenge, I’m continuing it on my own. That’s another blog I plan to post on from Monday through Saturday.
I hope you’ll drop in and check out eLearning for Life!
Image by vasta via Flickr
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Speaking of New Blogs-Part 4
Can you believe it’s the last day of April? My youngest daughter is getting married in exactly five weeks – it’s hard to believe that, as well.
As I continue this “mini-series” telling you about my new blogs, I’d like to introduce you to my blog that will become my main professional freelance blog. I will maintain THIS blog here (OH4H) to primarily talk about freelance writing.
My new blog is K’Lee Banks, Freelance Consultant Services. I plan to use it to address various freelance services that I offer, including writing, editing, instructional design, curriculum development, and online tutoring or instructional facilitation. I’m just getting started with it, but please drop in, follow, and watch for new posts!
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Speaking of New Blogs-Part 3
Honest, on May 1st, I’m going to get back on track and post daily, or at least much more consistently again!
My next new blog I’d like to introduce to you is one near and dear to my heart, on the subject of autism. Since April is Autism Awareness month, it seems appropriate that I began this blog, Autism & Other Child Developmental Disorders, this month.
Image via Wikipedia
Here’s part of the “About” info from that blog:
“I decided to set up this blog to provide a place for discussion and information about autism and other child developmental disorders.
I was privileged to work with some precious children between the years of 2006 to 2008, when I was completing my studies and practicum for speech and developmental therapy, and then working as a traveling therapist. At one point, I had about two dozen children in my caseload, and several of those children were autistic.
When I came home to work, due to the prohibitive cost of traveling 350+ miles/week, I completed my master’s degree studies and graduated with my M.Ed. degree in Instructional Technology in 2008. I completed the bulk of my graduate research on autism and related developmental disorders.
Since then, I have begun the journey toward a doctoral degree. I am several courses into my Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree program, with a dual concentration in Educational Technology and E-Learning. My tentative plans for my dissertation are to focus on autism, other developmental disorders, and the assistive technology that can help overcome the barriers to learning.”
I hope that you’ll drop in to visit my Autism blog – share your thoughts and insights, ask questions, and follow!
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Speaking of New Blogs-Part 2
First of all, let me apologize again for my absence – I have really had to prioritize and concentrate on my graduate course, since I was SOOOO far behind on it and had to complete it by the 25th (two days ago).
I am happy to report that I made it – AND got my grade today – an A – so, well worth the extra effort (maintaining a 4.0 GPA through seven doctorate courses so far!!)
Anyway, I had decided I would introduce you, dear readers, to all my other blogs. In my previous post, I mentioned Words of Encouragement, a very special and sentimental blog, dedicated to my Dad’s memory.
Next, I’d like to tell you a little about Write from Home, a blog with tips to help people “write right and write well.” Only two posts up so far: an intro post and one about a pet peeve of mine, as an editor/proofreader and educator: Wrong Word Usage-Homonyms 101.
I actually started this blog (revised an old one) upon the advice of a few people who routinely refer to me as their personal “spell checker” – that, and as an education professional and freelance writer, it seemed like a good idea!
Checking back through my blog posts here, I see that I originally mentioned these two blogs about a month ago, but hey – just getting back to blogging regularly, so I decided to go ahead and mention them again!
I also have set up a blogging schedule, so hopefully starting with the new month on Sunday – May 1st (can you believe it??) – I’ll be back to a regular blogging schedule!
I hope you will take a few minutes and check out Write from Home – leave a comment and follow my blogs! Thanks.
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Speaking of New Blogs-Part 1
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve been busily revising old blogs and starting new ones. So since I’ve been (mostly) consistent with this blog in 2011 so far, I thought I would introduce each of my new blogs, one post at a time.
Remember, I’m still learning, but having a great time with this blog world. My hope is to create a number of niche blogs. Most of my other blogs have only one or a few posts, unlike this one, that now has over 100 posts (and that doesn’t even touch the 100s or 1000s some of you prolific bloggers have!)
Anyway, for now, let me introduce you to one of my new blogs that has very special meaning for me: Words of Encouragement. I am 8+ years beyond the day our family lost my beloved Dad and I’m finally at the point where I am able to do something special to honor his memory, and attempt – in a small way – to carry on his legacy.
Part of that legacy is his gift of encouragement, which I would like to spread to as many people as I am able to, across this virtual world. Tentatively, I plan to post in that blog three days a week, on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
So please, when you get a chance … drop by, read, follow, and share some of your own words of encouragement in comments. Thanks!
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Blog Blog Here – and Blog Blog There
My apologies for falling off the “blog wagon” for the past couple of weeks – had to prioritize and other duties won.
I haven’t been totally neglecting the blog world, however … in fact, I revised a couple older blogs, purchased domain names, and set up other blogs. I was going to use the term “Blog-Tastic” as my post title until I “googled” it and saw others use it quite regularly (including the official name of another WP blog), so I didn’t want to compete.
So I have new domain names, self-hosted blogs (actually “Becky-hosted” blogs, courtesy of Stone Alley Hosting), AND a great new blog theme on the other WordPress blogs called Socrates. It’s highly versatile, easy to customize, has multiple options, and SUPERB personal customer service from the theme’s developers, Joel Comm and Dan Nickerson.
Here are all my blogs – I would be grateful if you all who frequent this blog would visit my others. Remember that I’m just getting started on some of them – I’m trying to develop them into niche blogs.
These are the WP blogs with the Socrates theme:
*Words of Encouragement: Carrying on my Dad’s legacy, offering words of encouragement, inspiration, and support.
*Write from Home: Writing Right & Writing Well.
*K’Lee Banks, Freelance Consultant Services: Writing, Editing, Instructional Design, Curriculum Development, & Tutoring.
*Autism & Other Child Development Disorders: Offering Discussion, News, Breakthroughs, & Support.
These are Blogspot/Blogger blogs:
*eLearning for Life: Learning is a lifelong experience. eLearning makes it more convenient.
*Random Thoughts & Musings: Collection point of all things random.
*K’Lee’s Kreations, the Blog: Companion to my “kreative” sites.
Thanks – hope to “see” you around the “blogosphere.”
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30 Things About Me You May Not Know
I was just reading one of the blogs my friend Becky writes – and she has one post called “30 Random Things About Me.” Becky lives in New York and we “met” virtually several years back through a crafting site. I know she’s an amazing entrepreneur: crafter, candle maker, and web host extraordinaire – I also know she’s married to a wonderful man and has three kids (including her oldest son, a marine, about to head over to Afghanistan), but I learned more about her after reading her list!
SO … I thought this might be fun for people reading and following my blog, so here goes {gulp} …
- I just turned 53 one week ago.
- I grew up in Gilford, New Hampshire.
- I lived within walking distance of Lake Winnipesaukee.
- I climbed Mt. Washington – three times! (…in my MUCH younger, healthier days!)
- I also rode on the Mt. Washington – the cruise ship – a few times.
- I have been married three times: a few months to my son’s father, nearly 20 years to my three daughters’ father – and just over five years to the love of my life, Dave.
- Dave and I met through online dating almost 8 1/2 years ago.
- Dave and I have seven “fur babies” - one black lab, one Maine coon cat, and five feral kittens who showed up in our back yard in the fall of 2009 – and we never could part with any of them!
- I am a lifelong learner – still taking courses and pursuing degrees!
- I have three degrees, earned in 1980, 2007, and 2008.
- My first degree was a B.A. degree in Psychology, from Nyack College, Nyack, New York, in 1980.
- My second degree was an A.A.S. degree in Education, in a speech therapy concentration (SLPA), from KVCC in Fairfield, Maine, in 2007.
- My third degree was an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology, from AIU Online, in 2008.
- I am currently several courses into my fully online Ed.D. degree in a dual concentration of Educational Technology and E-Learning, at Northcentral University; prospective graduation date in 2014.
- I am also enrolled in several programs at both Ashworth College and Penn Foster.
- My adult kids are all either in college, or graduated from college, and involved in careers (proud Mom here, four times over!)
- My youngest daughter is getting married this June!
- My daughters live in New Hampshire.
- My son lives in New Mexico, where he also attends college for a business degree.
- My middle daughter is a nurse (RN); she just graduated last May and passed the NCLEX first time through the next month.
- My youngest daughter graduates next month with an associate degree for dietetic technician.
- My oldest daughter is also engaged; she is graduating next month with her master’s degree in organic dairy nutrition.
- In my “spare” time (yeah, right), I love to quilt, sew, and do various crafts.
- In addition to freelance writing, I run a home-based business called K’Lee’s Kreations (but it’s been really slow during the past couple years with the economy the way it is).
- I have been freelancing “officially” for just over three years.
- I grew up within about a half hour of Loudon, NH – home of the NH Motor Speedway (NHMS) – but wasn’t a NASCAR fan at the time!
- I am NOW a NASCAR fan – since I met Dave – but we haven’t yet been able to afford to attend a race!
- I was much more familiar with Motorcycle Weekend/Week, than NASCAR, all the years I lived in NH.
- My hair started turning gray (white/silver) at about age 29 – so yeah, I’ve been coloring it for all this time, as I’m not quite ready to look older than my actual age.
- I was a traveling speech therapist for about a year – averaging about 350 miles/week – until I “came home” to work in early 2008.
Wow, I didn’t think I could come up with 30 random things – but I did, and now I challenge OTHER bloggers to do likewise!
[This was the photo we used for Christmas 2009].
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What’s Your Preference: Blogspot or WordPress?
I am curious what other bloggers prefer and why: Blogspot/Blogger or WordPress for your blogs?
I am still relatively new at blogging, and currently have three blogs on each platform, in various stages of development. I also just purchased two more domain names today for new blogs, which my friend Becky of Stone Alley Hosting is working on setting up for me on WordPress (more details coming soon).
Image via Wikipedia
My current blogs include this one, of course, plus these five others (remember, I’m in the middle of “remodeling” some of these and haven’t posted for over a year on the last two in the list):
I like features of each platform, but I’d love to hear from some of you who have been at this for awhile – as well as “newbies” like me, who may have a preference for one or the other – and WHY. I’m sure each blogging platform has its strengths and weaknesses, which is what I’m interested in learning.
Thanks! I look forward to reading your responses!
Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending. ~Author Unknown
As you seek new opportunity, keep in mind that the sun does not usually reappear on the horizon where last seen. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
*** Quotes from ***
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