Please.....Grab My RSS......ASAP!

Last night I was stalking around in my Google Analytics, checking out my blog stats. Basically, I was making a study of my statistics since I installed Analytics, which was back when I was posting regularly (before I took that nice little month long-ish break from writing) all the way up to the present.

It was interesting to notice my averages when I was posting a lot, then then I wasn't posting at all, and now how they've been making a pretty speedy recovery since I've been posting again. Pretty neat, really, and inspiring. When I post I'm getting a good response, and I noticed that even in between posts, there's SOME traffic. Which is definitely a feel good, smile inducing kinda thing to notice.

As I was smiling over this, just sorta being grateful for everyone's interest and support, I clicked to another page and my stats updated...My numbers from the day before came in. AND BURIED ALL THE PREVIOUS NUMBERS! Basically, the day I posted Hiatus and Abandon, I got my highest number of readers in one day, ever. PLUS...My bounce rate dropped dramatically, which means people are reading more and staying longer...WooooHooooooo!!!!

I knew that my Abandon post was stirring a lot of stuff up for people, not only was I getting blog comments, I was receiving posts on FaceBook, Myspace, Instant Messenger, InTheRooms and even Twitter. It would be awesome if all the comments related to a particular blog post could be posted on the blog itself, simply because I'd like to keep track of everyone's feedback in an organized manner....Regardless, it means so much to me I'll take it anyway I can get it. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

However, in the spirit of blogging and simplicity, I would like to ask that, at the risk of sounding ungrateful and bitchy, in the future, everyone PLEASE leave any feedback/comments related to my blog...ON MY BLOG. That's what it's there for, honestly, and it means a lot to me to be able to go back and re-read those comments later...So please, don't stop letting me know what you think! Your investment into my writing is priceless to me!

Anyways....

Also on the topic of blogs and simplicity, I am, and have been, well aware that subscribing to / following my blog hasn't been the easiest for some of my readers! So, I did some work on the functionality and user-friendliness of my blog last night, as a gift...From me to you. So now you don't HAVE to have a Google account to follow my writing anymore..Although that still works for all of you who already subscribed that way. I just added a few other options for people to choose from when they decide to stalk my blog.

The first thing I did was install an email form on the right side of the page, which allows you to subscribe to my blog simply by putting your email address (any email will work) in the box and pressing "Subscribe." After you do that, you will probably have to type in a CAPTCHA to ensure you're not a machine, but that's it! From then on, anytime I post a blog or an update, you will receive an email with the details, directly in your own inbox. This option is for all my lazy stalkers...I know you're out there!

The other addition is my new RSS button, so you can "Stalk my RSS." There's a number of ways to follow my RSS...For example, you can subscribe using an RSS reader, OutLook or AppleMail, Google, Flock Browser, etc. You'll figure it out, it's the melty ice cube looking red RSS feedicon, just under My Stalkers and right by the email form. So, if you are a FeedReader, grab my RSS and enjoy it! There's plenty of my RSS to go around, and it should be a lot of fun!

So basically, there's no reason anyone should have issues subscribing anymore. You can subscribe via Google, AIM, RSS, the email of your choice, etc etc. Please subscribe if you enjoy my blog, and comment whenever you're inspired! Whether you like what you're reading or not...Either way, I love the feedback.

And of course, thank you all again, so very much! Your support and encouragement is truly amazing, it means more than I can put into words. I appreciate and love each and every one of you...And that's all for now! So go subscribe, over to your right, before you go...Do it, do it! <3

MacBook Pro FTW

So, everyone knows I'm a Macintosh fiend....It's just so easy to love Mac! And because I'm a total geek, I love talking about technology...Especially about why Apple computers rule. Reliability, ease of use, far fewer vulnerabilities, intuitiveness...These are only a few of the reasons I LOVE MAC, and why I've been a loyal supporter ever since OS X came out. I've grown so comfortable with my gear over the years, and honestly, this comfort has just developed naturally. I've never had anything unexpected happen.

However, every now and again, even I am surprised by just how amazing these computers truly are. For example, my first Mac was a titanium PowerBook G4, I had it on order, waiting for the release of OS X, several years ago. This was my introduction to an operating system other than Windows, my first laptop, and my god, did this computer take a beating!

**This is NOT the actual computer, but one just like it**

Not only was it my first Apple, it was dropped a few times, and I don't mean lightly...I mean, in the alley, completely unprotected, once, and another example is when it fell about 4 feet onto the hardwood floor...And landed where it's charger plugs in, while the charger was attached. This computer was also re-OS-ed AT LEAST 12 times in 5 years, dual booted Windows and OS X at one point, and Ubuntu and OS X at another, and was very rarely restarted let alone completely shut down. Then, there was the time I spilled a full to the brim wine glass of rosé in the keyboard...Just to mention a fraction of what this computer, (which, despite it's dents, scratches and the obvious fact that it's been well loved, still works like a charm) has been through. BTW, it was also on this computer that I learned SOME computers actually still operate, and function very well indeed, with literally NO room left on the hard drive. Apple computers FTW!

I recently (within the last 2 years) taught my roommate how to use a computer, and for his first computer I got him one of these, an iMac upgraded to OS X:

**Also, not the actual computer, but I have one just like it, and a teal one as well**

At 50 years of age, and technologically unaware of anything aside from how to use the remote control to operate the TV, it was a task to show him the ways of the computer age, let alone the innerwebz. But before long, with the help of Macintosh and the amazing OS X, he was ready to graduate to a bigger, better machine. So I happily moved my heavily upgraded Mac G4 Cube onto his desk and unleashed him. He's stoked!

**Super computer FTW..Even if it IS old, it's rad! And..Way to go Stitchy! Welcome to the future!**

Anyways, back to the main point. I mean, all this stuff is awesome, but not the reason I am writing this blog, none the less. So, the machine I currently use as my main computer is a 13-inch aluminum unibody MacBook Pro. 

**Also, not my actual computer, but just like the JLB MBP**

Recently, it's been running a bit slow, and last night I finally decided to suck it up and do a few things to fix the issue. (There are a number of reasons I didn't do this right away, but that story is for another time.) And I realized something, a few things, actually, as I prepared to do a couple of things to make my beloved JLB MBP run a little more smoothly. 

Brand new in either July or August of 2009, I have never emptied the trash....Ever. So, first things first,  I decide to "Secure Empty Trash"....Only to find there were 168,567 things to be securely deleted. That would take forever, since everything is overwritten to the point that it becomes absolutely unrecoverable. "Empty Trash" is good enough for today, or at least for the initial round. That freed up just under 15 gig. 


I also restarted my browsers, I'm always running at least 2, usually Chrome and Flock. Chrome seems to be cool so far, but Flock is built on Firefox, and I've found that that the longer Firefox is running, the more memory it eats up, so it needs to be restarted every now and again to alleviate that issue. I had neglected to restart Flock in quite some time, and after doing so, things are already running much more smoothly.


Ok, big deal so far, right? Maybe it is maybe it's not, however, the following fact is something I find quite remarkable..


I haven't restarted my computer since....December, at least. 
DECEMBER!!!  


Considering the number of hours I log on this thing, not to mention all the crazy stuff I'm always experimenting with, that's insane. Seriously! So, for me, this is a serious WIN for Apple. I <3 my Macs. Just sayin'.