Thursday, June 17, 2010

Dampened Spirits

     I was feeling pretty bummed that the weather decided yet again to take a down turn.  There were floodwarnings and tornado watches before the whole mess was through and now we're left with fifty-three degrees and wind.  The good news is that the coffee tastes just as good no matter what it's doing outside!  I love to have the rasberry chocolate creamer to add that little something to my coffee (no matter what Marshall thinks!). 

     I've been continually dismayed at the condition of things over on spaces.  I can pretty much keep up...mostly manually because the notifications are trashed again but I keep getting that sense that it's becoming a ghost town over there.  I think that part of this is the technical problems but also I believe that it's a sign of the decline in blogging in general.  Back in the day it was the rising thing to do but now I'm beginning ot think it may have been the flavor of the month and it's a new month.  Sometimes I find that I've considered quitting this whole thing all together but then something changes my mind.  Lovely and Carole have helped me in this regard though they may not understand why.  I hate the suggestions that people are dumb or unfaithful for leaving Spaces.  I know that for me communication is so important.  If a site makes it harder to communicate that really effects my decisions.  I don't understand that logic that says waiting it out sends some kind of message to Microsoft that encourages change...frankly I believe it does the opposite.  If we sit there no matter what they do...how does this send a message that we're not happy?  That being said there are those that don't want to go through the debacle of changing to a new site and have so much that they don't want to lose in their archives not to mention the danger that people they've known won't follow them should they move.  Let me aleviate the fear that you can't keep in touch.  I've been able to keep in touch and still blog from here.  The problems with comments doesn't always make this easy.  Even if they fix the comments there's still the new limit on size of comments which again hurts what matters to me:  communication.  Whatever choice you make:  you're not stupid and I respect whatever you decide to do however keep in mind everyone has the right to make their choices.

     We are now waiting for our visas for Ghana.  I see by the tracking number that the paperwork arrived in Washington D.C. so now we wait.  Nothing helps the time pass like taking some pictures right?  I have hoped for some nice storm pictures but these storms have been anything but interesting and photogenic however we did get a cotton candy sunset which was pretty enough
The pansies have been thrilled with the weather.  I picked a fistful of them and couldn't resist taking their picture .  Aren't they amazing?  Yesterday counties all around us had massive hail and there was even a tornado watch.  Seeing the clouds head our way I was wondering just what in the world we were going to be in for.  There was a lot of lighting, thunder and pouring rainbut very little else.  I'm glad because Lovely was working and that meant her safety was in question and the car was out in the elements.  Flood warnings continued into today but the rain has now been replaced with relentless wind so I figure we'll be alright for now.  The juicy fruits look about the way I feel.  I think they have about had enough of the rain for a little while and I totally agree.  I look out beyond our backyard fence and wonder if I'm really looking at Montana or am back in Ireland again, actually I wouldn't mind being back there one bit!  Like the sun I'm trying to make my breakthrough today.  There's a lot of grey to breakthrough today but I believe it's worth the effort to do what needs to be done to get through it!

16 comments:

  1. Well stated. I have pretty much decided to camp out over here at Blogger. With Windows Live Writer I can post to multiple blogs pretty easy, but this is my new haunt.

    I love blogging. I've been under so much stress and thus am so down from my work stuff that I don't blog as much as I should. Once I get to a new job, that will truly change. I'll be blogging more because I'm so excited and then because I'm not so exhausted...

    Don't stop blogging, Joe. Your soul needs the blogging. For you, sharing knowledge, even in a blog, is teaching and spreading the word and that's what you're all about!

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  2. Hi Joe, I am fed up with the new Windows Live. Today when I tried to write an answer to Technogran, WL told me my message was too long and that I had to shorten it. What a ridiculous service it has become. As far as blogging in general goes, Rick Klau, who was the program manager at Blogger until just recently, stated earlier this year that the number of people who were blogging has actually gone up. I don't think Blogger would have added so many new features if it was on it's way out. I hope the weather gets better for you, and that you have a good day!

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  3. Joe... I gotta say... that character limit now imposed over at WLS... totally ticks me off. Seriously... I write long comments and I'm continually having to break them up... gggrrrrr

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  4. The character limit ticks me too. I will hang out till I get my blogs over here (I know it may be annoying but read some of them, some are funny) (meant to be, too) :-) Anyway, if no one comes to see me at Spaces any more, then so be it. I will still import my blogs from there to here. I saw a comment to someone else that they wouldn't gather many friends as they did in Spaces. I guess that's a fact of life. Oh well. Better than being stopped at every turn with another stink bomb the developers lob at us.

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  5. Hi Joe! Their is little being written these days with blogs....I think its unsettleing for me and others. Each day I am doing eeney meeney miney mo......It is pretty hot here 107....although the weather has been weird here. Could be a wet summer too...still my neighbor Joe =D as long as your on the net I can find you!

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  6. The character limit doesn't bother me because I have never been one to make long comments anyway. If I wanted to do that I would send a private message.
    You have developed a great space here Joe and I will contiue to come and visit you.

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  7. Character limit is just plain restricting our thought process and that is just WRONG.. I don't write long comments most times but by golly if I wanted to I don't like the idea of some power that BE..telling me to shorten it. How awful of them. They just really have done it this time!! I love how this page looks here. I also like how ANYONE can comment they don't HAVE to have a live hotmail etc e mail address.If more people are actually blogging now then here and other places will be where they are going. We are looking for some pretty wild weather coming our way.. many warnings
    are out there now and we could get them tomorrow. All we do is wait.. Stay well : )

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  8. I closed one blog at live spaces and my most used shall be soon gone too. Stupid doesn't enter any reasoning, but for some change is hard to do. Giving up and moving is a sign of failure even though it's not their doing. Your photos are great. Love those flowers. The waiting game for visa's I have no knowledge of but I hope all goes well for you. Stay safe from the storms.

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  9. Hi Joe, I haven't blogged much lately but not because of the changes just because I have been busy and just haven't felt up to it even on those days when I could have. I saw the changes but they haven't yet affected me since I haven't really used spaces since the changes.

    PEP Nature Lover

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  10. As frustrated as I am with WLS, it's the only place I blog: its where the majority of my family is and how we close the miles between us! Never used MySpaces in that capacity, and will never used Facebook that way: as far as blogging...I think it's just plain good for the soul! So continue, Joe, I luv reading your blogs and even have learned a few things from you...hope the Sun shines on your day today!!

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  11. Hi Joe I found you.... Yes I am having a heck of a time a spaces. No one can comment on my new blogs or leave a note. The few that have come tried to send a private message or e-mail. I feel that day is coming soon I will be leaving also. My blogs there had been a creation from my heart so it's hard to just quit there. I did use windows live writer for everyblog but the 1st couple so I have copies on my computer. As for limits on comments I hateeee it. You know me sometimes someones blogs can really get me typing. Anyway so nice to see so many familiar faces here. I may also start something up here. Hugs Carrie

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  12. "Have a Happy Father's Day!"
    Hope the bad weather stays away from your area.

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  13. I thinking your may be here to stay Joe.
    Its hard when I go to someones space and cant comment or even get to my own. Sometimes I cant even get my emails without a few tries..
    What a mix up. I dont know what to think or what to say but am here for now.
    Stay safe . Its raining in the south and flooding badly. Tornado watch also south .Glad its not close to me. Hope your all doing well after what you have been through.
    I can idenify with Carrie. I know we all start someplace in our hearts and from there let somethings flow. Loved your blog and photos again. Its always a treat to see what you capture.
    Lisa
    .PS . Im having a problem adding Party of Five .

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  14. Hi Joe,
    I just let you know I follow you in here at present time I'm frustrate myself what is going on my space? hope I'll be set down Joe...
    Give me a time :-)
    as you know I found of your blogs and photos:-)
    Thank you for visits.
    Michiko

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  15. Hi Joe, I stopped over on WL this morning to see if anyone was on there and to check my settings to see if people can still see when I update Blogger. I could hardly get from one page to another as I kept getting blank white pages. What a mess they made of that place!

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