Monday, January 24, 2011

Blogger woes and more

Click to enlarge
I tried to download this new header onto my blog yesterday, and after getting entirely frustrated with trying to download it properly (it showed up all pixelated and the wrong size), I decided to download my previous header (the one that SHOULD be there now). I went to the "Help" button and put in a query and was directed to this thread, which shows that there is something wrong with the header widget and it has been going on since last Thursday!! They have a whole lot of very unhappy people, but one of them suggested that I find my previous banner in Picasa (which has all of my pictures downloaded from this blog) and link the URL instead of a picture, and it worked. I just checked a few minutes ago, and the issue is still not fixed and several people are heading over to Wordpress in disgust.

Besides not wanting to start over, I will wait patiently until the problem is fixed before trying to put another picture in my header. It was fun to put that header together but now I've decided it's too big and so I'll work on another -- and wait for the fix. Hopefully if you want to change your header picture you will decide also to wait before going through all the frustration that hundreds of us have dealt with in the last few days.

Just a quick update on the calorie counting front: today after my workout I weighed myself on the same scale and have lost an apparent two pounds. Now, I know from previous efforts that the first few pounds are the easiest to lose, and they may not be gone at all, actually. Water weight fluctuations cause changes that appear to be actual weight loss, but it sure made me happy. I know that last night I woke up and realized I was hungry. According to Calorie Count, I was 300 calories short of what I need to maintain my weight (1500 calories taken in), and it surprised me to be hungry at all. I figure I must have been eating at least 2000 calories a day before this effort began, and that caused the imperceptible creep upwards. Imperceptible a day at a time, that is.

My friend Rae over at Weather Vane is hosting an unofficial giveaway and has asked anyone who might be interested in winning this cute little spoon holder (or a couple of other prizes) to link to her post in order to be officially entered in this unofficial prize party. Although she didn't mention what the other prizes are, I am intrigued by this fun event and don't want to be left out. I have already won a key chain from SquirrelQueen at The Road to Here and use it every day. (It has a picture of the Walla Walla Sweetie Onion on it.)

The blogosphere is expanding for me. I have reluctantly begun to follow another four blogs just this past week, and I see that I recently stopped being in the double digits in followers by gaining my 100th follower. (This might be different if you look over at the sidebar, because people come and go, as most of you already know.) It made me smile to see that "99" turn to "100" for no reason I can surmise, except that I know I am not the ONLY one who spends a huge amount of time reading the blog posts of her virtual community. It's time consuming, but it's also really fun.
:-)

27 comments:

  1. I had problems with posting on my blog the other day. When I went to blogger help, I read there were a lot of problems with the headers. You know me, I am always messing with my header. For once I am glad I had left it as is. Good to know about the Picasa option though.
    Keep up the good work with your calorie counting. You are already making nice progress. Good luck with the giveaway too. BTW: The winner will receive a total of 3 items.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wasn't surprised to hear about your problems with the header widget. I have always had problems with that little devil. It doesn't give me enough options. I want it to ask me how big to make the header and whether I want it in the middle or to one side. It doesn't so on my other Blog, http//stitching-stars.blogspot.com my header is over to the left and I can't seem to do anything about it.
    Congratulations on getting your 100th follower. That's a milestone isn't it. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Blogger has a real problem that has caused headaches for a number of folks. Fortunately I saw a post about it last week just before changing my header. I'll wait too until they get it fixed.

    Congrats on the two pounds! Don't forget to drink lots of water, it does help and also keeps you hydrated.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I often think about changing to Wordpress. In fact I have 'A Slower Pace' set up in Wordpress just waiting for me to get disgusted enough with Blogger to switch. So far that hasn't happened. I get disgusted with Blogger but Wordpress has issues that also drive me crazy.

    Congratulations on the weight loss.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats on losing those 2 lbs and on getting your 100th follower! I am sorry you are having trouble with blogger. Pretty scary, isn't it. Just don't lose your entire blog. That would be a tragedy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congratulations on the 100th follower, quite the milestone !
    I was going to try some of the new designs in Blogger, but was afraid, since I see a lot of blogs totally out of sinc with their pictures.
    I just really do not have the time it takes to read up on all there is learn about the Blogger design, si I stick with the same ole....
    Well done on the weight loss !
    Hugs,
    Jo
    x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the warning; I was planning to change my header but I'll wait!

    ReplyDelete
  8. yes it is fun...blogger help for me has been anything but...but i am the same do not want to start over...

    nice on the two pounds as well...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've been hearing a few people grumble about their header in Blogger. I hope they resolve it soon.

    Congrats on the weight loss and the Followers gain!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You deserve many more zeroes after 100! Widgets. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I will wait to change my headers also..it was on my list of things to do this week. So thanks for the heads up! Ah Wordpress..now there is a nightmare as far as I am concerned..my local blog appears in wordpress format..I hate it.
    Bloggers new spam blocker is blocking lots of spam..word verification is no longer necessary..I could read more blogs and comment more if the stupid weird word verification was not there..then to have stumbled through that and have the comment go to waiting for approval..that is what is frustrating for me:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Those headers can cause huge headaches. You can see by my header that I have much work to do. I'm going to get a frined to help me one day.
    The hungrys only last a couple of days!!! That's easy for me to say. Keep at it . You will win.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations on the 100th follower. I am still hoping for 15.
    Glad to hear you have lots of willpower with the weight loss program. Did you remember how important it is to write every BLT?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the info. I won't change my header photo for a while. I have used the Calorie Counter site for two days now. It's interesting to see how they rate my food. I get bad grades on some of my food selections. but so far I have an A for each total day. And I'm not eating enough Carbos either, apparently.
    I may be down a pound, but it's hard to tell. I have an old dial scale. It has been time consuming to figure out quantities and log my food, but it certainly makes me more aware of what I'm eating.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for all the good info on the header. I think I will spruce up my blog and then I don't feel like dealing with the frustration of it all. So many of you are so ahead of me in all you do to make your blogs attractive and interesting anyway. But, the truth is, I like to look at your photos DJan and read what you have to say. The headers and etc. just aren't that important when it comes to content.

    I've checked out Calorie Counter. Thanks for the information on that too.

    100 followers - wow!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats on 100 followers. My audience only grows at a trickle. And most people that follow don't seem to visit regularly if at all. But I'm very grateful for my blogging friends that do!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congratulations on your new stats!
    My blogging problems have gotten so much better. I had almost stopped blogging because my computer was so slow. I got a new computer and it's the difference between night and day. I'm so happy to be able to post and visit qucikly now!

    ReplyDelete
  18. No matter it was 2lbs of mostly water - that's the great kick start you need! Even a pound a week equates to 52lbs in a year! You certainly don't need to lose that amount but steady as you go and before you know it you are 7lbs down and feeling those waitbands slackening! Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I won't even let myself think of changing my blog. I'm stuck with what I have!

    ReplyDelete
  20. First of all, congrats on your loss of 2 pounds and your 100 followers. I just hit that a few weeks ago too and for some reason it does give one a good feeling.
    I just recently changed to the new Blogger design and template and all went smooth, but my header just wouldn't center properly. I finally went into Picnik and enlarged my header to the size I needed and then reloaded it onto my Blog. It worked. But that was a few days ago. I'm not going to mess with it anymore for a while.
    I just have no desire to go to Wordpress, though, because when I go to a blog that's with Wordpress it just doesn't look as good or feel right to me.
    Just my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congrats on your weight loss!! I have got to get busy with my own. I hate changing anything on my blog. It takes so much time and I always have some type of problem.

    ReplyDelete
  22. It is so fun to blog, but it seems the more I add, the less time I have to visit. The conundrum of blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello, I stopped in from another blog - Far Side of Fifty - and enjoyed reading this post and previous ones. It is frustrating to try a chance and not have it work, so we have not changed our header since starting our blog. COngrats with your weight loss. We have also started an exercise and weight loss goal for this year and joined the local YMCA - enjoying it too. Do feel free to drop in and visit our blog too...
    http://thefrogandpenguinn.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  24. It is fun just watching you progress with your blog(s) and make changes occasionally. I had my blog one look for four years and finally made a change and it will probably be this way four more years. Ha. At least you don't go bananas with frustration when things are troublesome on your computer, with blogger or otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congratulations on the weight-loss front...the slow process stays off so much better than crashin'!!!

    I think your header looks marvelous sweetie! Sometimes I think blogger becomes demon possessed! Heeehehe!!!

    Congratulations on triple digit followers girl...Woohoo!!!

    May God richly bless this beautiful day! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  26. My header has not changed since I started my blog and I don’t think I’ll change it soon. It is fun to see additional followers. Sometimes I see someone’s name in the followers and I have never heard of them, they never left a comment and I don’t know how they found my blog, but I am pleased they found it nice enough to wish to follow it.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congratulations on the weight loss. The older we get the harder it is...so it is quite the accomplishment. Congratulations AGAIN!

    Your header collage you wanted to put up is GORGEOUS!! Such breath taking photos!!! I have been toying with some ideas and wanting to change the look of my blog...but I only putter around with my test blog...just can't find on the internet what I imagine in my mind...so consequently, I lack the motivation. Besides, got too much going on with Dad and the PURGE right now...

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments! If you see a word verification box here, just ignore it. I don't use the darn thing and Blogger is trying to get us to use it, I guess. Ignore it and your comment will still appear.