Don't Try This At Home

Podcast Question

I have had at least one person tell me they cannot access the Blogging Basis 101 podcast on permalinks because of an error message or lack of software. Would you please try it out and let me know if you could listen to it easily? If you can't access it, does your browser tell you why? Are you using QuickTime or another player? Any info you can provide would be extremely helpful. Thanks!

Blogging Basics 101: New Podcast

Blogging Basics 101 has a new feature today: a podcast! This first one discusses what permalinks are, why you need them, how to find them, and how to use them. Each week I hope to add at least one podcast to the site's catalog of instructions.

I plan on having guest podcasters as well. If you have a particular talent in the blogging arena, let me know and we'll see if we can come up with a way to podcast together!

Life in a One-Room School House

Last week I chaperoned Max's class field trip to a one-room school house. We all had to have period costumes, bring sack lunches (without amenities like zip-loc baggies, Lunchables, or potato chips), and metal cups for our drinking water.

When we arrived at the school house the children were completely a-twitter. They have been studying Oklahoma's history (it was our centennial on November 16) and life on the prairie. They have heard the stories of strict school marms, strict punishments (dunce caps, nose on the chalkboard), and recitation. Would anyone really have to scrub the schoolroom floors? Would they really have to stand by their chairs when called upon?

I could see that Max was excited but he had also decided to lay low. He was hunching his shoulders in his characteristic way that conveys, "Please, Earth, swallow me whole."

As we entered the school house I could see that we were in for a treat. Miss Rupp, our school marm, quickly separated the boys from the girls and seated them. They began their work immediately. About ten minutes into the lesson, Miss Rupp motioned to me and three other mothers to join the class.

We were instructed to practice our orthography words. I quickly finished and looked around. Hmmm. Trouble should be easy in an environment like this.

At the front of the class, Miss Rupp was telling us how Mr. Snow's mother had baked a blue-ribbon-winning pie. Heh. I scribbled quickly on my chalkboard: C's pie is rotten.

Now C is another mom who is always up for a good laugh. What I forgot to factor in is that she is very quick on her feet. Frankly, she's out of my league.

She gave me a look and scribbled on her board: I heard your cherry is.

Then she scribbled again: I heard it has fruit flies.

GASP! Dammit. I had nothing. I had to turn back to the front of the class and continue my lessons. I didn't even get called down by the school marm.

Max, however, was accused of wearing the dunce cap more than 15 times and had to stand and explain to the class what it was and why he had to wear it. I think he said something about his mother being a bad influence.

URL for Don't Try This at Home

Hey, y'all! Guess what? I need a favor from you.

Many moons ago I changed my URL from the generic Typepad URL (http://www.donttrythisathome.typepad.com) to a fancy domain name (http://www.donttryit.com). I didn't make a big deal about it because I didn't think it was a big deal. It turns out, though, that it's messing up my Technorati rankings a little bit.

Here's the favor part: If you link to me in a post or on your blogroll, would you pretty please with Groucho glasses on top make sure the URL you are referencing is http://www.donttryit.com? I would be grateful.

Thanks!

Air kiss!

Love ya!

Mean it!