Victory: Mission Accomplished!

Well, it's a happy day! I promised myself I would accomplish my goals this year, and I've managed to finish this one before April is even over. Yep, my brand new poetry website is finally up and running…and I have to admit that I am thrilled with the result. I feel like we kept every element of the old site that I loved while managing to update the mechanics, optimize the appearance, and improve navigation. What's more, it's going to be a lot better for the kind of organic SEO every good website needs. And hey, it looks sharp, right?

I'm still working on my weight loss goal, but I have made some serious strides on that, too…though the spiritual goals may have taken a bit of a back seat to this whole poetry site thing. Having said that, I am currently refocusing my energies in that direction…

And I plan to be posting here more regularly again, so I hope you will be kind enough to welcome me back into the neighborhood. (Because I really like living here.)

=)

PS. Sure would love to hear what you think about the new site, especially the looks and navigation. Is there anything confusing? Thanks!

for more V posts, click here

BRB, Honestly!

Wow! This is the longest I've gone without posting since my blogging days began, but I happen to have a great excuse. (At least, I think it's a great excuse.) You see, a major overhaul of my poetry website is in the works, and I can't wait to take it out for a spin. The new site is guaranteed to make navigation a whole lot easier. What's more, it's built to optimize the website organically for search engine success.

I started susannoyesandersonpoems.com in 2008 for one reason only: to create an online home for my poetry. I didn't know enough to find a savvy designer who would build the less visible aspects of the website well. My main focus was on cost, and I cared more about how the home page looked than how it performed. It never even occurred to me that there might be all kinds of considerations the friend-of-a-friend I worked with was either unaware of or didn't understand. (Yes, I was naive.)

As years went by, it dawned on me that the navigation was a bit clumsy and cumbersome. Even worse was the fact that my urls for specific poems didn't include category names to help Google locate them. I began to realize that some relatively simple adjustments would allow searchers to enter a topic and land on one of my poems with greater ease and frequency…an idea which greatly appealed to me!

With this in mind, I began the search for the right person to revamp my site, found that person, and here I am…happily awaiting the day when the site will go live. I hope my readers are happily awaiting the day, too, because I can't wait to share it with you.

In the meantime, I may be scarce around here for the next week or so, but know that I am thinking of you and looking forward to reconnecting on a more regular basis. Take care...and wish me luck, okay? (I may not be Irish, but I could use a little extra luck just now!)

And sure'n I'm after wishin' ye the same!!

=)

Connecting by Feedly

RIP

I'm sure most of you are aware that Google Reader will be a thing of the past on July 1st. For months I have been trying to figure out how to stay in touch with the blogs that matter most to me, and I have finally made a decision. Yesterday, I joined Feedly and was happy to find that all of my "followed" blogs from Google Reader transferred over at the click of a button. What's more, by choosing the "magazine" format, I have been able to approximate the look I am used to, and I think this will be a smooth transition for me.

Having said that, I am not pleased with this latest action taken by Google. I'm not sure why they keep pulling the plug on services loyal customers have enjoyed over the years, and their doing so continues to erode my trust in them. Still, I am going to push forward as best I can. Who knows? Eventually, Google may let Blogger go as well, at which time I will probably move to Wordpress and get used to that, too.

For now, the main thing is staying in touch with all of you, and Feedly will allow me to do that. Just wanted to spread the word in case others are worried about the same thing I was...the prospect of losing touch with blogs and bloggers I have grown to care about.

Our connections are worth preserving!

=)

PS. You will need to make the change prior to July 1st or the data from Google Reader will be lost, leaving you to recreate the list of blogs you follow as best you can.

PPS. I just joined Bloglovin, too. It was easy to transfer my Google Reader stuff with just one click, though the site does a lot less than Feedly. However, it has a social component Feedly doesn't have. Over time, I will decide which one I prefer!

for more C posts, click below

Unraveling My Blog and Me

It's all about the dialogue.

I've gotten so fond of writing poems from prompts in the past few months that I realize I probably don't write enough about myself to either let new readers get to know me or maintain close ties with old ones. My blog used to (quite literally) be "Sue's News, Views and Muse," but lately it's pretty much Muse.  While nary a one of my followers has complained, I suspect most have noticed...and my readership and comments are down, which is probably not a coincidence. After all, the perusal of poetry isn't everyone's favorite pastime.

The thing is, after writing so many posts about family, friends, spiritual experiences, church activities, politics, music, books, television shows and the like, I began to feel as if I were just recycling the same information over and over again in slightly varying formats. Having blogged since 2008, I was ready for a new slant. It came as a relief not feeling like I had to take pictures of everything my family and I did, record every single interesting/enlightening thing that came to mind, review whatever media mattered to me, or express and defend opinions on the prevailing social and political climate. In short, I got lazy! The relative ease of simply responding to writer's memes appealed to me more and more.

That said, here's the crux of my problem: I now find myself getting bored with this steady diet of memes, too! I've even wondered if it's time to hang up my hat here and revert to doing my writing in "real life" only. After all, I haven't put out a new book since 2004. What's more, my new church assignment is to write articles for our stake public relations committee; I have recurring opportunities to create scripted programs for church; family and friends still request plenty of wedding and birthday poems, and I should get back to journaling anyway––so I would have lots of ways to exercise my writing muscles in the future, with or without blogging. What I wouldn't have, of course, is that inimitable feeling of communicating with bloggers who relate to me and I to them. I would miss all of my longstanding friends and the comments we exchange. I would crave the immediacy of sitting down to express myself and knowing there are people out there who are ready and willing to listen...and equally important, to respond.

The upshot of all this deliberation is that I've decided to go on, change things up a bit with my subject matter, and continue the dialogue. That's right, the dialogue. Hey, if I want to carry on a one-sided conversation, I can have it with myself, right? So come out, come out, wherever you are! If you read something you like, comment. When you read something you don't like, speak up. Nothin' but bored? Say so! For me, it's about the interplay...the give and take...the conversation. That's what blogging gives me that other arenas do not. That's what makes me a better and more satisfied writer. And that is what I hope will be happening more often on this blog.

Thanks for hearing me out. I'd like to return the favor.

=)

PS. If you are a long-time reader, I would love to know your thoughts about all of this. Had you noticed I was meme-ing a lot? Are you sick of poetry, poetry, and more poetry? Was my blog beginning to look the way it has been feeling to me...like a big, blue-and-yellow, one-trick pony? 

Let's keep those lines of communication open!

PS. I'm recharging my blogging batteries.

for more T posts, click below

(More of a blog hop than a meme.)

Surrendering to Social Media

Hello, friends. Have you heard that the old relic who runs Sue's News Views 'n Muse (yep, that'd be me) has finally surrendered to the social media explosion? It's true, and evidence of my capitulation can be spotted at the bottom of this post, where you will see several small symbols like those pictured above, albeit not as colorful. No doubt you will be thrilled to know that you can now e-mail my posts, blog my posts, tweet my posts, facebook my posts, google plus my posts...why, I've even joined Pinterest so you can pin my posts, which is something I swore I would never do under any circumstances. And you know what? I'm having fun with it! (In fact, I'm hoping you will check out the top of my sidebar and click my follow button.)

Can't say that I've put out any tweets lately, but who knows? Maybe I'll get the hang of that, too.

For now, though, I'm just keeping my beak shut.

for more S posts, click below

A Happy Hello

IT'S A JENNY SIGHTING!!!

Couldn't quite decide which pic I liked most...

so you're getting both!

Guess who got to bid a happy hello to our friend Jenny (the beautiful gal on the right) last Tuesday? Yep, it was yours truly. Too bad I didn't get in the picture...But my hubby did, and so did Jenny's friend Sue and her darling daughters. We all met up at Gayle's Bakery in Capitola, California. Good eats and even better company!

And yes, she's every bit as much fun in person.


Holla, Jenny!

;)

Come Home to Texas, Wichita!

Jenny's off gallivanting, but she left her Saturday Centus gang a prompt to match her destination. You'll find it below, in red, with less than 100 words from me to round it out. (I hope you've read her post today, or the poem below isn't going to make a whole lotta sense to you!)

∞§∞

Come Home to Texas, Wichita!

by little ol' me

There's a yellow rose in Texas.

Jenny Matlock is her name.

Her blog, "Off On My Tangent" 

has brought her no small fame.

It fits her, too, as proven by

the tangent she's on now.

She's seeking Wichita in Texas.

(Don't ask why or how.)

She hails from Arizona, and

as you can plainly see.

She's not the one to query

about state geography.

But that gal writes like no one else.

Her faithful fans are many.

So let's all give a shout-out to

the best of bloggers: Jenny!

∞§∞

Word Verification Manifesto

When I decide to "follow" people, I like to visit their blogs faithfully, which means I check out a LOT of posts every day. I read and comment quickly...and that's because I have to in order to touch base with everyone I want to see. I also participate in three or four blog hops every week, and I do my best to stay current with friends there, too.

Maybe that explains why I'm so fed up with word verification! And Blogger has made it even worse now than when I wrote this poem last year:

The Word Verification Rant

©2011 Susan Noyes Anderson

Word verification is not my thing.

No added safety does it bring.

It only takes a lot of time

and makes commenting less sublime.

At first, I had it too, you know?

It took some nerve to let it go.

But others bloggers cheered me on,

and they were glad when it was gone.

The dreadful problems I had feared

without it, never once appeared.

No spam, no weirdos, no remorse...

just lots more comments! So, of course,

I did not turn it off in vain.

Word verification is a pain!

Blogger's diabolical new DOUBLE word verification is even MORE of a pain, and I'm almost to the point where I'm tempted not to comment as frequently on blogs that aren't willing to disable it. Not because I don't want to comment (that is one of my favorite parts of blogging), but because I am losing my mind trying to figure out what the heck those twisty letters even say, let alone reproduce them! And honestly, I don't notice any difference at all in the amount of spam I received before I got rid of the whole captcha thing and the amount of spam I get now. Truly, I have seen no adverse effects from disabling word verification, which is why I am making this plea to all of you to please (if you haven't already), please, please think about disabling that sucker! Have mercy!!

You would make one of your biggest fans very happy...and I'm even going to show you how to turn it off, in case you are unaware.

1. Sign in to your blog.

2. Click on Design or Customize, whichever your version says.

3. Click on the Settings tab.

4. In Settings, click on the Comments tab.

5. Scroll down until you see Show word verification for comments and check NO.

6. If you are really worried about spam comments and want to moderate comments before they are published on your blog, check the Always box next to Comment moderation (just above where you've just turned off word verification), and enter your email address.

7. Click Save Settings.

And that’s all it takes, folks.

If you’re using the new version of Blogger, the option to turn off word verification is not there. You have to click on the setting symbol and change back to the old interface first, then follow the instructions above to turn it off, save it, and then switch back to the new interface.

Come on, guys! You are made of sterner stuff!! You can do it!!!

;)

The Pursuit of Happiness

We're all entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, right?

Playing football makes my grandson happy.

And that makes me happy, too!

=)

Today I am guest posting at a wonderful spot, the creative and altogether delightful blog of JDaniel4's Mom. Her weekly feature is Pausing Life for a Moment. You can check out my thoughts here.

for more happiness, click below

I Am Still Learning: My Giveaway

I couldn't get a great angle here because the light from my kitchen window shines in, but this quote says "I am still learning," and I am happy to say that a bronze plaque exactly like it will be the prize for my 1,100th blog post giveway, to begin today (March 6th) and end Sunday night (March 11th) at 11:59 PM.

The rules are simple and few. All you have to do to enter is be a follower and leave a comment on this post. Easy enough, right? The winner will be announced Monday morning, March 12th.

Life teaches us a lot of things, and today my husband and I are learning once more how difficult it is to say goodbye to a beloved friend prematurely. He passed away yesterday and will be sorely missed by his family and friends (of which he has many). His was a life well-lived, and we have loved and will continue to love him.

Near my bedside table, I have a little poem that reads, "Little by little, time goes by. Short if you sing, long if you sigh. Note by note, life's music plays on. Songs ever changing but never gone." We know that our friend Dave will never be gone, and we look forward to seeing him again one day.

I want to thank all of you for visiting my blog so faithfully and allowing me to create this arena for expressing my feelings, organizing my thoughts, sharing my joys, and working my way through sorrows. It would not be the same experience for me here without your warm (almost tangible) presence and supportive comments. I want you to know that I appreciate your friendship, internet or otherwise. I am learning (yes, like the plaque says, I am still learning) that friends are friends, no matter where you meet them.

{so glad to know you}

=)

PS. Don't be shy to enter if you are a new friend. We have to start somewhere, right? ;)

Fog Creeps in on Little Blogger Feet

(I can't see the forest for the trees fog.)

Okay, help me out here. What is all this about Blogger taking away the Followers gadget? And what on earth are we supposed to do instead? If we join Google plus, do we hang onto our followers? Or do we have to add some kind of new gadget from other than Blogger to keep track of each other after the deadline that I hear is sometime in March?

Does anyone know more about all of this than I do? (It wouldn't be hard...)

And does everyone dislike the new word verification craziness as much as I am disliking it? Half the time, I can't even make out the letters!

(May I make another plea right here and now for everyone to get rid of word verification altogether, once and for all?!)

Thanks, guys. Enlighten me. Please.

(I do not want to lose track of my little community here.)

=)

Leaving a Legacy

My growing collection of blog books makes me happy.

Twelve of them, to be precise.

Each with a different cover and dedication.

This one has the words to "Sunrise, Sunset" inside the cover.

I use Blog 2 Print, which pretty much does all the work for me.

It slurps your blog right over into a book.

Not a bad result, huh? A little pricey, but worth it!

{love notes to my progeny}

for more happiness, click below

Sue's News, Views 'n REviews

I resisted doing Emilisq and her gang's Review Extravaganza last year because I didn't want to go back through all of this year's posts and try to pick favorites. To tell the truth, I don't post anything unless I really like it, so choosing the ones I prefer is kind of torturous for me. After all, these are my babies, right? Nonetheless, because I am exceedingly fond of my friend Emily, I am going to give it a go.

So, without further ado, here is the first quarter...

Beginning with January:

I wrote a lot of poems that month, even more than usual. Tragedy hit one of my dearest friends when she lost her adult son, and I think I was in a state of enhanced creativity trying to find some comfort (for both of us). I have placed an asterisk next to the ones specifically written in response to the grieving.

Life Flight*

The Seasoning

Mr. Sandman Strikes Again!

On Wishes, Sorrows, and Tomorrows*

Age: The Lottery Ticket

Perspective

Peace, My Child*

Marriage: Our Love Is Life.

I also introduced my mom's new blog (Grandma Robbins' Nest),

Mama's Got a Brand New Blog

and even wrote a passably funny post about mammograms:

Ouch!

I shared the funeral of my wonderful friend's equally wonderful son, where we said farewell for a season,

Blessed Are They That Mourn

and wrote a Saturday Centus post based upon my friend's loss...

Perishable.

Finally, I had a wonderful experience with being the Lord's hands:

Tender Mercies.

February was a good month, too.

Naturally, there were more poems:

Rhymetime

Grandkids Make Me Happy

Crossing the Bridge Over Troubled Water (another one about my friend)

A Quilt Made of Love

To Todd (for my son).

I also took my readers on a wonderful beach trip to...

The Best Beach House Ever (and boy, I'm not kidding!),

then told my "true love" story with

It All Began on Valentine's Day,

and shared the joys of being...

Heart Attacked.

Later, I reminisced about my childhood with...

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

and showed pictures of the evolution of my family in

Blast from the Past.

March came in like a lion.

Again, poems a-plenty:

Of Youth and Springtime

The Happy Tree

Looking for the Sun Today

Vistas

Lent, Me, and Joie de Vie.

And I waxed philosophical with...

Time, Tulips, and Testimony,

then shared my sister's production designer decor in...

A Bit of Savor and One more Favor,

bragged about my nephew's newly released single...

Into the Valley by Classixx,

and annoyed every mom out there with my notions of parenting with

Unsolicited Advice from an Old-Style Mom and Unrest in America.

Whew. That was a lot of posts. I hope you get a chance to check a couple of them out. I actually ended up enjoying looking back over three months of blogging, but I can't promise to do the other three quarters. It's a lot of work!!

=)

What Makes a Writer?

"The Thinking Cap"

I love this art by Leah Saulnier, and I thank her for permitting me to post it here. Isn't the depiction of those "light bulb" moments wonderful? Ms. Saulner's delightfully whimsical thinking cap houses all of those wonderful, creative ideas that flow in and through the windows of our minds, yet the look on her subject's face implies that this is pretty serious business. She has really sparked my imagination, and I like where this piece takes me.

Having just completed the 1,000th post on this little blog o' mine––and as I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it were) to create my annual Christmas story––the process of writing has meandered through the windows of my mind to the extent that I want to explore it a bit. Sharing Leah's work with you today affords me the perfect excuse!

On another blog recently, there was some conversation about how a person knows he or she is a writer. My own answer is fairly simple: You know you are a writer because you can't stop writing! In other words, the act of writing has become a necessary part of who you are, to the extent that you are compelled to capture your thoughts and feelings on paper in order to make sense of the world. It is both your mechanism of understanding and your reflexive response. It is comprehension, contribution, and resolution. It makes you real.

I must admit that this particular (self-coined) definition is fairly new to me. Being someone who has held a pencil in her hand and poetry in her heart from a very young age, it still took me a long time to think of myself as a writer. Mrs. Russell, when I was seven years old, was the first of many fine teachers to tell me that I was "quite a writer," but taking any of these people literally never occurred to me. When I was asked to write a little story in fourth grade and came back the next morning with a near novel about Helen Keller (as told from the POV of her right eye, no less!), it never occurred to me that this behavior was unusual. I journaled and rhymed and prosed my way through middle and high school without ever considering the possibility that I might be a writer. I was just "someone who liked to write," and I was told many times how difficult (nigh on to impossible) it was to get published.

Once published, I still found it hard to claim the title. Publicists introduced me as the "author" on my book tours, but even that didn't put me over the top. I simply didn't think of myself in those terms. It seemed...presumptuous...to call myself a writer. Happily for me, things have changed, and time has wrought a miracle. Today, I not only call myself a writer, but I have a card! (Here it is, Polly. I told you I'd post it!)

I'm even including the case...

So here's the question: When does someone go from being someone who runs, to a runner? Someone who paints, to a painter? Someone who plays an instrument, to a musician? Someone who takes pictures, to a photographer? Personally, I think it's when those individuals begin to own the essential nature of that activity in their lives...when it becomes or is recognized as a visceral part of them.

All I know is this. For me, writing is a gate to myself...and when that gate is open, words flow like sweet, sweet honey...making all the right sounds stick together and holding me together, too. The only thing better is praying, but then writing is a form of prayer anyway, isn't it? Because it brings the writer into communion with that Source from which all creativity is derived.

No matter what your particular medium of communion with the Source is, I wish you great joy in it. As for me?...Back to the drawing writing board. Christmas is only 36 days away, and I always like to get that story done before Thanksgiving!

=)

Celebration and Congratulations!

Today I am celebrating my 1000th post blogiversary and congratulating the lucky winners of two rather lovely quilts. Rumor has it that said quilts will be winging their way to a couple of new owners in the very near future. How's that for cool?

Before I announce the results of our drawing, I did want to remind the winners that they will need to email me ASAP with their mailing addresses. Also, the first place winner should let me know which quilt is her favorite.

Without further ado, the winners are:

First place - Linda @ a la carte

Second place - Jen @ Denton Sanatorium

Congratulations, quilt owners! And consider yourself hugged.

{I hope the rest of you will consider yourselves hugged, too.}

And thanks for supporting my blog!

=)

click here for more C posts

Inspiration Point: Gabby Giffords

I'm starting something new on Wednesdays (a recurring self-prompt), and I'm going to call it Inspiration Point.

The idea came because I want to be sure I'm spending enough time writing about the people, things, and places that inspire me...and I want to get it down "on paper" so that, when I'm gone, my children, grandchildren, etc. can revisit that part of me that thinks deeply, cares passionately, and believes wholeheartedly that life is a marvelous and uplifting experience. The added bonus is that I can revisit it myself (in the here and now), whenever I need a reminder.

Of course, you're invited, too! Every one of you. Hey, we all need a little inspiration now and again, right? And how could I leave out the best blog friends ever?

That said, let's get started...

Monday night, my husband and I watched Diane Sawyer interview a remarkable woman, Gabrielle Giffords. If this congresswoman isn't a point of inspiration, I can't imagine who would qualify. Her journey from survivor with limited responsiveness to bright-eyed and determined fighter with more responsiveness than most of us will ever demonstrate is beyond uplifting. While her language (at present) is in single words, I am willing to bet the farm that she will be speaking in full sentences before she completes a recovery that is nothing short of amazing. Even one of her doctors refers to it as "miraculous" (which is a bit of a miracle in itself, given the prove-it-to-me mindset of neurologists in general).

I am deeply impressed by the generosity of Ms. Giffords in sharing her most vulnerable moments with countless TV viewers, and I wonder how many would be willing to do the same. Not one of us likes to be seen at our weakest and most helpless, especially when we are used to being as strong and competent as this congresswoman surely is. How frustrating it must be to experience aphasia while holding on to all of one's considerable intellectual capacities, yet Gabby battles tenaciously for every bit of ground she can regain. It is this tenacity that assures me she will continue to make an excellent recovery, and it is this same tenacity that will inform and encourage other survivors of brain injury and their families. With so many soldiers coming home affected by diverse repercussions from devastating head trauma, her courage and example can provide a beacon of hope that all will be well again. Or at the very least, good enough.

What struck me most strongly of all was the love...between Gabby and her husband, Gabby and her mother, Gabby and her helpers. How infinitely healing the loving relationships in our lives can be. Indeed, there is no greater power on earth than selfless, unconditional love––which is not surprising, considering Who taught us what that looks like. Because of Him, we are given to know that even in our own Gethsemanes, even on our own crosses, and no matter what we may endure, this sure promise is always left to us: We are never alone. Though not every person is blessed with the support system Ms. Giffords enjoys, every person IS blessed with a faithful and eternal Father in Heaven, whose love will always be the very best medicine for whatever ails us.

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:18).

∞§∞

Quilts are good medicine, too, so don't forget to comment here

before midnight (Pacific time) and become part of my 1000th-post contest!

The lucky quilt winners will be announced tomorrow.

BIG Blogiversary and a Birthday Boy!

A week from today, I will celebrate my 1,000th-post blogiversary. This feels like a significant milestone, so I want to mark the day by reaching out to all of you who visit and comment here at Sue's News, Views 'n Muse. I value not only your readership but your friendship, and I appreciate both more than I can say.

Because mere words won't get the job done, I've decided to express my thanks through a giveaway...and I've given the prize quite a bit of thought. This 1,000th-post gift needs to be meaningful, something that represents the way I feel about the cool people who populate this little piece of the blogosphere with me. If I could offer all of you a hug, I would, but teleportation (sadly) is beyond my reach. Therefore, I will be presenting each of two winners with a handmade quilt, the closest thing to a hug that I can still send through the mail.

Pictured below are the quilts I have purchased for your prize-winning pleasure...one homespun and the other flowery. The first name drawn will (of course) choose first. (I'm glad you have to make that choice instead of me...I'd probably have to flip a coin.)

Okay. Let's get down to details. To enter (ie. to get your name in my big red bowl for the drawing), all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and be (or become) a follower. Easy, right?

Entries will be accepted until Wednesday, November 16th, at 11:59 PM. The two winners will be announced a week from today (November 17th). Good luck everyone! And thanks again for being such GREAT readers.

I also need to shout out to my grandson Jeremiah,

who is 10 years old today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUDE!

(Kinda good-lookin', ain't he?)

click below for more B posts

More Peace...at Jackie's House

Today I'm guest posting for Jackie over at the frequently funny and always friendly House of Sarager. If you haven't visited, you should, because Jackie has the most adorable red-headed children you will ever see! (And she's pretty darn cute herself, especially if you love autumn...Which I do.) More importantly, she's a terrific blogger.

If you enjoyed my zen post from yesterday, I think you'll like this new one, too. So run on over and check it out, okay?

=)