10 reasons to take part in Fuelmyblog  product testing campaigns

If you have been blogging for a while, joined a few social networks and consider yourself as an active member of the internet you may want to consider taking part in our product testing campaigns.

–>Different content: instant new source of content.

–>Different readership: it will attract readers to your blog that may have never visited if it wasn’t for searching special keywords on Google re the very site or product you posted about on your blog.

–>Feedback will contribute in improving customer/user service:  companies we work with genuinely care about their users - feedback is key to improve their service strategy.

–>What you have to say is what counts: unlike sponsored/paid reviews we expect and respect your true opinions - your views is what matters to us and the companies that decide to work with us.

–>We link back to your post: a link to your review will appear on the Fuelmyblog’s blog.

–>Reviews on Twitter:reviews are tweeted resulting in instant exposure on Twitter.

–>Enjoy great products: you will be able to keep the product that you are testing.

–>Any true blogger can join:we consider any page ranks providing that your blog is updated frequently and that you have an active and neat online persona.

–>Easy to get started: you simply need to say Yes to product testing when you update your details in your account with Fuelmyblog, we are also very reactive on the email/twitter front, so if you see a campaign you like the sound of on our newsletter, blog or Twitter - give us a shout!

–>Assistance: help is only on the other end of your computer screen if needed – we thrive on talking with you and will be happy to assist at any stage of the campaign!

*Note that we are also building a database of the active and reliable bloggers involved throughout  the various campaigns that we have been organising - the purpose of it will be to connect the ones with the highest scores in terms of reliability and activity with the most exciting and exclusive campaigns.

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******

–>What’s your name?

My name is Doll.

–>What’s the name of your blog?

Doll in New York City

–>What’s the URL of your blog?

http://dollnyc.blogspot.com/

–>How old is your blog?

I had the idea for a blog even before computers were invented, back in the fifties. My tiny hands make it difficult to type and upload images, so I hired an assistant in the spring of 2008 to help me put it all together.

–>If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?

Some days it can be as many as two or three, and other days no one visits me. It hurts my feelings but those are the days that inspire and fuel my creative spirit. I grab my camera and tell the girl to record that Oprah program and watch it later.  I insist we go shoot on those days, even if the weather is bad. I can do five, six, seven shoots in a single day and still have energy for more. My assistant is one who gets tired and cranky.

–>How much time do you spend blogging every week?

I like to say that I am working on the blog 24/7. Unfortunately, due to my small stature I rely on the assistance of others, who may not share my same dedication and drive.

–>Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?

As you know from your research, I am a former model and am quite comfortable in front of the camera. I take great pride in setting up the shot, or as I call it, “the scene”. This requires intense effort and concentration on my part.

–>What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

I would have to say that the inspiration for the blog is my deep desire to help others, similar to what drives Angelina. Many have written to me asking for advice, and I am considering an “Ask Doll” feature in the near future, where I will offer advice on hair, make-up, and fashion. You may have noticed my perfectly coiffed hair and fashionable frock?

–>What do you do to get inspired to write?

Usually I am not at a loss for words, but if I am I march straight into the kitchen and whip up a nice Tarte Tatin!

–>How do you market your blog?

Funny you should ask! I inquired at the market about my blog and they didn’t have the faintest idea of what I was talking about! I asked to speak to the manager but they told me he was in a meeting. I am going back tomorrow.

–>What are the blogging tools you cannot do without?

The one thing I must have on the set is my compact powder. It can get quite hot under those lights and a shiny forehead is never acceptable! I would also have to say that unlike other celebrities, I have never gone under the knife.  I had lunch with Joan the other day, and needless to say, she did not believe me! She even pretended to look for the scars around my ears!  We had a good laugh about that!

–>Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

My predilection for wearing slacks around the house.

–>If you went for a job interview and were told that you’d have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?

Fortunately my late husband Edward was very smart about investing and what not, so I will never have to worry about such things.

–>Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?

Generally it is considered poor taste to refer to oneself in conversation. When visiting friends and relatives, I look around rather inauspiciously and locate the main computer. Later in the evening I excuse myself to the powder room, sidle up to the computer - quick! like a bunny- and change their homepage to point to my blog.

–>What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?

Mistake?

–>Any tips for aspiring bloggers?

If you are on a tight budget and have to bring something to a dinner party, ask to bring dessert. Everybody loves dessert, and it’s almost invariably the least expensive course on the menu.

–>Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?

I was not actually aware that there are other blogs.

–>Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?

Oh, yes! 5,10,15, 20! As long as I am alive I will be blogging! When will this interview be on television?

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Earlier on this month we offered UK and USA bloggers an opportunity to review the brand new EMI site.

EMI are sending a mix of cds/dvds/t-shirt to any bloggers based in UK/USA and willing to publish some feedback on this new exciting site. To be eligible your blog must have a minimum of pr3 or if less have an active online presence via Twitter or other social networks - you must be based in UK or USA.

As soon as your post is up, email help(at)fuelmyblog.com with the link of your review as well as your full postal address in order to receive your freebies from EMI.

Reviews of the EMI site live now:

–>Ananyah.com has been very creative and has done a clever video review of the EMI site

–>Diary of a 70s teen gave of course her review on EMI 70’s style

–>Mr Blunt managed to keep his finger on the pulse with his EMI review

–>Blazing Minds gave the thumbs up to the new EMI UK site and wished Remergence’s was amongst the list of artists

–>Blogomatic3000 also liked the feel of the new EMI site.

–>MiscellaneousFinds4u gave a comprehensive review of the site giving an instant idea to what the site is about - great work!

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You discover a secret that could make you very rich but your right to the Internet would be revoked – do you blog about it for a laugh or do you disappear from the Interweave and lead a lonely and unfulfilling life in the lap of luxury?

You’re in a hot air balloon with Kevin and Sylvie and it’s descending fast.
Who do you throw out? Sylvie is petite and weighs little more than a feather, Kevin is 7ft 4ins tall and is rather chubby.

You are in bed and discover you have company – Daddy Papersurfer and a kipper.
Who or what do you throw out? DP is sans teeth and to your certain knowledge ate a curry a few hours earlier and the kipper is several weeks old and is covered in green mould.

[FMB denies any responsibility for this post as most of it is rather offensive particularly the last question]

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I am glad Fuelmyblog did not have to pick a winner as the entries did not lack creativity!

Pertuity selected The life of Jenny - congratulations to Genny!

Here is a glimpse of her business idea:

When looking into online retail business I quickly realized that amazon.com has almost everything a person could ever need directly available. This lead me to a dilemma, I had to find a retail focus that I could sustain with a start up of $25,000. To work around this I have decided to focus on a community-wide healthy living initiative for this business.

I see a lot of farmers in our community not being able to offload a ton of their organic product, through a simple and intuitive website I believe I can promote a greener lifestyle in my community, while also selling eco-friendly/organic clothing and non-food items on a national level.

My plan for this start up company is to partner with local farmers, allowing for them to distribute their goods through my website within our community. The website would promote an organic and healthier diet, showcasing current available product in a searchable database much like Amazon’s current layout so it will be as user friendly as possible. When the business starts, the deliveries would only be available locally within the community of Brant County, but if there is considerable growth in the business, expansion of delivery service could be considered.

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I was filling up my host space fast with each episode being 10-20mb.  That was going to eventually start posing a problem.  Beyond that, I found the interface with iTunes quite confusing.  I didn’t really know what I was doing but somehow my dad and a few friends told me they could sometimes access my program on their iPods and sometimes they could not.  There was really no rhyme nor reason to it.  Besides these issues, frankly I was getting bored.  Sitting in my cold garage each Friday at 9:30pm after my kids were asleep was starting make me question why the hell I was doing this in the first place.  Plus, I have three blogs already that I devote 2-5 posts to a week each.  Do I really need another commitment that isn’t fun?

Then something happened.

I was checking where my name popped up in a Google search of my name (I was bored, ok?) and I realized my account at BlogTalkRadio was the first on the list.  A long time ago I started an account with them but never actually recorded an episode.  I decided to leverage that positioning and try doing my podcast as a talkshow.  It’s taken me a few weeks to figure it out but last Friday’s show went better than ever and I wanted to share with you fellow bloggers out there how you can have a blog talk show relatively easy that may help with your traffic and ranking.  The best part is that they DO know what they’re doing with iTunes and the shows show up on my fans’ iPods seamlessly.  Creating a show takes basically 3 steps:

1. Log in to your account there and schedule a show.  When the time and date comes, have a phone and call in the host number.
2. Have something to say and try to have some interested callers to call in.  Host your show!  It’s a blast.
3. Share the link on your blogs to let people know how it went.

They provide tutorials for all this stuff.  Having the live callers makes it a lot more fun than regular podcasting for me.  You can hear my podcast episodes on my archive page there.  I had a bloggy friend and a local DJ call in (unplanned).  It was pretty cool!  Fuellers are of course welcome to listen or call in each week and if I can help you with anything, I will.   Happy blogging.

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It is a while since I posted here. I can only explain it as the internet and hardware plotting against me. I now have a new whizzy lappytop so I am back and being able to do things that my old boy ‘puta just couldn’t do (bless he did try and then a couple of weeks ago just gave up trying… taking loads of stuff with him .. key here is always back up your data … may I be living proof of this !!)

I have been blogging for over 2 years now, I can’t believe how fast 2 years have passed. I have met ‘virtually’ with loads of lovely people (so many I can’t list them all here but you know who you are  ), I have met for real Claire from ‘A Little Piece of Me’ and I knew Bill Blunt before blogging and it was he that lead me into here so I have obviously met him. I have also spoken to Sylvie, Kevin and Daddy Papersurfer on the phone.

What I think would be an interesting concept is to hear fellow bloggers voices… we all live far and wide across the globe and have many different languages and accents… it would be lovely to put voices to the names so we don’t just imagine the avatar as the person… so lets add another dimension.

It is a bit of I say ‘Tomato’ you say ‘TomAto’… I say ‘aluminium’ you say ‘alunimum’… it is just so fascinating how language devlopes.

So here is the deal sign up with VoiceThread… and record a message for FuelMyBlog, post it on your blog, link it back here and leave a message on FMB to say you have done it …. it is a bit of fun and you never know it may get you some new readers

Anyway here is mine (gosh I hope it works but knowing my luck with technology it wont?)

if that didn’t then maybe this will http://voicethread.com/share/538142/

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I recently had the lucky chance to visit the guys at Imagini in their London office.  I had no idea what to expect.  They showed me their new widget, to say I was blown away was an understatement.   (and you know that this rarely happens)

They are willing to offer all of us a free Pro Account for a month and the opportunity to win big money by simply adding and getting our readers to try out the widgets.  Make sure you read on, the widgets are beyond anything I have ever seen.

They have created a site called VisualDNA that allows us bloggers and site owners the opportunity to show our readers engaging widgets and enable us to earn money while our readers actually see things relevant to them.

The key here is that the reader actually decides what products they will see.  They get to click on various engaging images offering a choice such as would you rather holiday..picture of a city, beach, nightclub etc.. by clicking on the picture relevant to the reader, they are presented further questions and images until they reach a selection of products totally determined by themselves, not us the publisher.

You can even add your own recommended products into your store.

Imagine going to a camera blog, one that you have been reading for years, and there is a widget that asks what kind of photographer you are and eventually presents you the cameras recommended by the blogger for the specific use you have.  I think it offers amazing value for us the blogger and to our readers.

The Competition

As I said before, there are also two prizes available.  No blogging required at all, just get your readers using the widget.

Prize 1 - $500 to one random blogger displaying the widget.  The more blogs you have displaying the widget, the more chance you have of winning - the guys will do a live draw and are talking about doing it from their offices..!

Prize 2 - $500 for most amount of click throughs per thousand impressions. Basically, if you are a small blog with only a few hundred impressions a month, then you get just as much a chance as the big ones with millions. It’s all about the ratio between the two. And folks, any funny business with clicking away thousands of times yourselves and you’ll be caught out, they are clever guys there and have worked all this out!

What should you do to get started?  Simply click on this link (http://shops.visualdna.com/?ref=fuelmyblog) - if you want to win you need to go through this link as it is tracking who is entering the competition, and of course you get the free PRO account.  Watch the two videos narrated by Stephen Fry (yes *that* Stephen Fry) and get your widget and store up and running.  I have a shop up over on the right.

Any questions, just ask below and i’ll make sure the guys respond.

Kevin

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******

–> What’s your name?

My name is Philip Shrimpton and I live in Beverley in East Yorkshire, England.

–>What the name of your blog?

I have changed the name of my blog a couple of times to try and reflect the content, but it is now called Travels with my Mule.

–>What is the url of your blog?

philipshrimpton.blogspot.com

–>If you don’t mind sharing with us, what is the average of visits to your blog in a day?

I currently have about 10/15 visitors a day but this figure has been steadily creeping up every week with most people returning.

–>How long do you spend blogging every week?

I publish a blog post every Sunday without fail. Initially it would take about half an hour but now I realise that if you want people to read your blog and come back you need to show the same dedication and try and find something for as many people as possible. So now it can take up to four hours.

–>Which part of blogging takes longer - writing or editing?

I think consciously think about ideas all week and jot things down. By the time Sunday comes its more a matter of sorting and editing.

–>What inspired you to blog in the first place?

I first started blogging as a vehicle to encourage team mates in a single charity cycle ride. However some people liked what I wrote and now my blog has just evolved. I try to keep the same thread running all the time. As every cycle ride is a journey the view is always different so inspiration is never too far away.

–>What tips, tools can you give to new bloggers?

I have linked my blog to a number of search facilities and link into other blogs. I do believe that 50% of blog following comes from word of mouth though.
There are fantastic blogs out there, where so much time has gone into layout and content. I think planning is so important. I try not press the publish button too soon, until I think that my post is as good as I can get it. That was my earliest mistake, trying to rush things to get things ‘Out there’ but planning is everything.

–>Can you still see yourself blogging in five years?

I think I will continue blogging for some time I find it cathartic and get great joy believing that I might be making somebody laugh, smile or be inspired.

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And over the last month or so I’ve had a bad case of running out of stuff to blog about, but it’s not only the block that causes problems it’s also the busy schedules of other things such as signing contracts, been addicted to Twitter and lately SpyMaster that hasn’t helped with an already bad situation!

But, what to do when when of these terrible moments rears it’s ugly head, well, I suppose it’s time to take a break for a week or even a month until something crops up and you think to yourself, ooo I could blog about that, but don’t force yourself, let the flow of blogging come naturally, if there’s nothing there, then don’t blog about nothing!

So the call goes out to fellow bloggers, what advice would you give to a fellow bloggers who has the dreaded “Bloggers Block”?

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Anyone wondering what’s happening to Kevin Dixie today? He is celebrating another birthday…join him in his new house - if you must throw him a few snacks…I forgot to visit him last night…

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For those who fear that summer has done a runner we may have to do with the following pictures to remind ourselves that we are in June

Thank you to you fuellers for sharing your pictures with the fuelmyblog community. If you have a flickr account why not join our FMB Flickr group?

This week I have admired Daddy P’s Poppies & RemBeatz Ruddlan Castle - felt instantly cooled down by the  shaded forest of RichardBarley and totally fantasized over lis of the north STRAWBERRIES!

A good week!

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–>Butlins TweetUp Bognor Regis - 19-22 June

There is a social “festival” happening soon at Butlins, it could be the start of many more interesting events at the resorts.

For more information, visit www.bigweekends.com & view the tickets and availability - password butlinstweetup99

There are limited tickets and apartments available and the price includes room, breakfast, dinner , some cocktails, wine and fun!

–>This one is for those bloggers based in the UK and USA only.

We have a new site review request in from music publishing giant EMI (Think Black Eyed Peas, Lily Allen, Beyonce!)

They are looking for UK and USA bloggers to review their new website in return for goodies from our EMI treasure chest, there are DVD’s, CD’s, T Shirts etc!

To find out more, please email [help(at)fuelmyblog.com] please do not apply if you are not physically in UK or USA as the site will not be viewable!

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Fuelmyblog’s prime goal is to promote bloggers, the community is growing and with more and more bloggers adding to the site everyday the choice is huge. My eyes scan through hundreds of blogs and yes I get very excited when I come across good content so it makes sense to share it with you here and point out the various blogs that have been selected through the previous weeks as *blog of the day*.

I have also been twitting #blog of the day and there is nothing better than getting an instant reply back. Fuellers if you are on twitter do let us know in the comment box, we will follow you back

The following blogs can be found on the fuelmyblog community:

Mad Aunt Bernards  Tortoise Poetry tell us what you make of aunt Bernards, I am wondering whether she is at all related with Susan Boyle?

***

MarieLynn Boutique Blog: a great example of a combined mummy blogger and online boutique owner.

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um dia, claro…: some amazing black and white pictures, this blog is based in Portugal but is very much visual so no language barrier here. The last few posts have been dedicated to the Serralves Institution.

***

Postcards From Miss Igorota: is a great example of a fun collective travelling blog that works - the lay out is cool and blog updated everyday - Miss Igorota has been everywhere!

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The Tennis News Authority is a good place to stop and discuss tennis results.

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Ryan’s garden and Fennel and Fern are both my favorite from the gardening category at the moment. If you would like a chance to receive an award or have noticed a special blog here on Fuelmyblog then email us [help (at) Fuelmyblog.com] we are always pleased to hear from you

Feedback on blogs selected here are of course welcome - simply use the usual comment box!

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***********

What’s your name?

Amanda Morrow Jensen.

What’s the name of your blog?

Yikes. I have four. In order of hours-of-my-life-they-consume-each-week they are Extra (Hour)dinary Parenting: Unique Insights Into Pregnancy, Parenting, and Grandparenting, Yield to Pedestrian: A Blog About Books, Astronomy, and Marine Biology, Pics Remix: Taking You Behind the Travel Photography, and Custom Registries: Personalized Baby Registries for Expecting Moms. How is that for eclectic?

How old is your blog?

I started Yield to Pedestrian: A Blog About Books, Astronomy, and Marine Biology in February 2008. Extra (Hour)dinary Parenting: Unique Insights Into Pregnancy, Parenting, and Grandparenting followed in July 2008. The rest fell into place a few months ago.

If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?

Yield to Pedestrian gets between 50 and 150, for no reason I can actually ascertain. Extra (Hour)dinary Parenting gets around 50. The others are too new to really have a following.

How much time do you spend blogging every week?

Well, writing the copy for the blogs takes about four hours a week. Adding new features, monthly updates, interacting with readers, and other coding/design work takes about 15 hours a week.

Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?

I can do a 500-word post start to finish in about 30 minutes. What takes me a long time is when I try to add complex buttons, widgets, and other graphics.

What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

I have always liked writing, and I wanted to try my hand at writing short, amusing stories based on my former career as a U.S. diplomat. It kind of grew from there.

What do you do to get inspired to write?

I let my mind wander in the shower. I do my best thinking there and come up with my most unique and useful ideas. I am, consequently, always very clean.

How do you market your blog?

I spend a lot of time on forums, commenting on other blogs, seeking guest posts, and writing guests posts. Nothing earth-shattering there.

What are the blogging tools you cannot do without?

Wordpress, Thesis Theme, and Firebug.

Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

I try to respect my family’s privacy, and draw from their experiences rather than blog about them. I also do not blog much on terribly controversial topics because I do not like contributing to the screed. I aim for topics that are out there at a pitch just below screed.

If you went for a job interview and were told that you’d have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?

I would probably turn down the job. I am pretty attached to these blogs and what I am trying to do with them. I love the connections, the friendships, and the opportunities to help people out who I would otherwise have never have met.

Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?

I talk about it with my relatives, who often help me out with great ideas. I talk about it with old friends from childhood and high school, who are also very supportive. I do not talk about it as much with current friends or acquaintances. It is a lot to explain in one short conversation.

What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?

At first, I had a hard time getting into commenting and forums. I did not know what to say. Twitter broke me of that shyness. It is a great way to dip your toe into online dialogue without being overwhelmed by it.

Any tips for aspiring bloggers?

I hated learning this one, but just keep in mind that your first blog may not end up being your “real” or “big” blog. Your blogging will evolve as you learn the trade. I still have a crush on my first blog, Yield to Pedestrian, even though its black background is the blogworld equivalent of 80s hair.

Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?

For blogging and design tips, the guy behind Build a Niche Store Blog has some incredible technical insights. Amazing.
I greatly admire Suzanne Franco’s determination and honesty.
I get hungry reading my buddy Kerin’s food blog, My Kugelhopf.
And I think the ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom and Mom Fuse are wonderful.

Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?

Absolutely. I love how blogging is really three professions in one: graphic design, web design, and writing. Each of these activities requires a different frame of mind, and by that I really mean a different level of emotional trauma. For me, coding a little box to perform just so in CSS and HTML makes writing seem positively painless. How could I not love an activity that makes writing something new and exciting every day fun?

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across the waters on the island of britain, there are rumours that some MPs are refusing to claim for any more expenses unless they can also claim for the expenses forms they have to fill in, and the cost of the pens and ink they have to use.  meanwhile, as more and more outrageous claims are revealed, gordon brown has finally confessed that he claimed for a facelift.  i wonder when he will be going back to have the job finished?

the italian head of state, sylvia berlusconi (that is his real name, honestly) has denied he is having an affair with an 18 year old girl who wants to be a top model.  sylv (as he is known to his friends) said:  ‘mama mia! i am over 70 years old! what could she possibly see in me?’  thus proving that you can be fat, slimy, old, and even bald - but as long as you can claim to be in charge of a european nation, you can still pull the girls.  please note that ‘weakly news’ is now offering certificates which confirm your status as prime minister, president, or monarch of a country of your choice … price on application.

finally, news has just reached us that the desperation to avoid ageing through cosmetics, surgery and hiding under a baseball cap has gone too far.  three people have been charged with posthumous deception for lying about their ages on their tombstones …

*Read more from Kevin Wilson - the ducks were provided by Daddy Papersurfer.

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I woke up out of coffee.  You may know that feeling if you are a coffee junkie like me when shaking the can produces NO SOUND.  Argh, that is a feeling not even a sarcastic joke can describe.  You know if you want the black serum you must put some presentable clothes on and try to maneuver your three kids who already all have requests of what they “need” from you that moment, and head down to the grocery store.  Well, that’s what I did.

My wife texted me while out with a few sundries she wanted for the family so I threw those in the cart as I reveled at the coffee lane.  My isn’t that a glorious set of perfect rows?  To make a long story short(er), when I got up to the express lane, the cashier told me the total $19.17 or something like that and I reached back to get my wallet only to feel … NOTHING BUT(T) my jean covered hiney … Yep, you guessed it, I’d left my damn wallet at home.  At that point, I wanted to find Huck Finn if he was still on his journeys with Jim and Tom Sawyer to “light out” for the country where things are “mighty purty.”  Unfortunately I had to go home instead.

When I got home I found out my daughter (2) whose birthday was yesterday incidentally had kicked my Acer laptop which I love(d) and rely(drop-the-y add -ied) on to do my work and fun stuff online.  It has everything stored in it.  I should say … DID have everything in it because it was totaled in the “incident.”  They all looked at me to see what I would do and you know what I did?  I got my wallet off the counter, smiled, hugged everyone and went to Starbucks.

Upon regaining my sanity via hot purified water that was poured over high-grown, slightly-ground beans, I realized this was not such a bad situation.  I now had my coffee in hand and body, soon I would have the sundry groceries in the pantry, and I have an extra computer in the house, in fact it’s the one I am typing on now.

As I configured this old Dell tower for the Riley experience, I realized I had wayyyyy too many alerts and toolbars and this and that and the other all interfering with raw creativity.  I decided to rebuild using shortcuts to only things that mattered and that was educational to determine.  I’ve decided to add only things that are 1) moneymakers or 2) fun! for me to do.  So far the latter has a larger portion of the toolbar.  I’m always hoping that changes ;)  Another ironic thing of the day is that last Friday I had just done my weekly “Damien Riley Podcast” on the topic: “Simplify Your Life via Creativity and Innovation.”  I guess if I can dish it out, the universe expects me to take it too.

So there you have it!  Even the worst things that happen to us contain lessons.  I think simplifying blogging is good.  Is your blogging world as SIMPLE as it ought to be?

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Whilst still in semi-play mode (we are not posh enough to have Beta) please feel free to take a look and try out our latest playground “Fuel Talk“.  Only a few days old, expect some errors from time to time.

You’ll need to register (underneath the login area) and then once you have your email and password, feel free to talk!  This is a work in progress and if of use to you guys, we’ll properly integrate it.  It’s like Twitter but you can add images and conversations are threaded.   Come join in, take a look and leave some feedback.

As Fracas said on our blog ” I’ll consider talk.fuelmyblog to be like the summer cottage, a place to go when one wants to recreate and enjoy life/friends/family.”

We like that.

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UK Social Meet-up

This applies to the UK bloggers among us.

Kevin has arranged a social “festival” with Butlins and Paul Walsh.

If you’d like to spend 3 days networking, parties, VIP bar, meeting celeb’s and having fun and networking with some of the UK’s key media people, email Kevin for more details [kevin(at)fuelmyblog.com].  There are limited tickets and apartments available and the really low price includes room, breakfast, dinner and all fun!

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Competition To Win A Kindle Closing Date: 1st June

As we told you recently, we changed the Pertuity Competition, as it was too complicated and long winded before.

So, in order to get your hands on the super sleek Amazon Kindle worth $359, read on! (And this is open to bloggers all over the World)

If you were loaned $25,000 today by social lending network, Pertuity Direct, what type of online business would you launch?

Simply write a blog post explaining your idea and why it would work.  The guys at Pertuity will review the entries and send the Kindle to the one they think is the best.

Please link your post to Pertuity as it will make tracking easier and your readers will know where to visit for more info.

As soon as your post goes live, please email your review URL to help@fuelmyblog.com.

All entries will be linked to on the Fuelmyblog website competition page, closing date is the 1st June 2009

Good luck

*Fuelmyblog is not recommending nor is qualified to advise on the use any financial services and is simply running the competition on behalf of Pertuity Direct, if you are interested in more details regarding Pertuity Direct, go to their site here.

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London Twitter Conference - Free Ticket

The team behind Internet World have a new conference in London in June called “Harnessing The Power Of Twitter”.

This conference is essential attendance for all digital marketing, online sales and customer experience managers as well as web developers and editors. Conference rates start at £249.  We have one or two free tickets to give away.  Rules are pretty simple, tweet the following, one of you will get hired!:-
@kevindixie I’d love to go to Harnessing The Power Of Twitter conference http://bit.ly/28Su49

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Blog Trials Of Unique Straw

Yes, you read that correctly.  We have some opportunities to try a mind blowing new product.

The Aqua safe straw uses no chemicals, and can filter up to 500 litres of water. Imagine the uses.  We have a number to give to people that cover travel on their blogs or people that would actually benefit from one of these straws.  Usual rules apply, you have to write a real honest review based on your experience.

Drop an email to [help(at)fuelmyblog.com] if you are interested.

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I’ve made you some lovely frog’s legs ….

….. and some snails ready to boil or whatever you do with them ……

….. and for everyone else, something a little more sophisticated …..

Let the party BEGIN!!!!

*starts embarrassing ‘Uncle’ dancing*

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Thank you to 70steen, Dafthermit, lis of the north and Rembeatz for sharing your special pictures with us!

These pictures are telling me one thing - summer is coming! What are they telling you?

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