Crabby Blogging Lady

Yes, here it is, another “I hate spam” post. I have very good and frequent opportunities, I tell ya!!

I am wising up to the spam problems. Believe me, I have tried everything. The native WordPress spam eater, a plugin that bashes spam based on the IP, a captcha spam catcher, a banning spam plugin…. and a zillion plugins in between. *sigh* Nothing really stops spam for long. It’s getting kinda tiresome….

So despite my arsenal of spam fighters/killers/catchers/rebuffers, I’m still spammed like mad. Today, it seems a bot was attacking my web server, because I got a ton of spam across ALL my blogs at about the same time. Now, I have a spam catcher that stops that kind of behavior… well, it’s supposed to, anyway.

*SIGH*

So tell me, great blog guru, how do YOU control the spam? Do you have some magical tool that kills it dead? Or do you grin and bear it?

Oh by the way– I saw someone wearing one of those sassy IT mens t shirts. Isn’t it hilarious?!?!?! Gotta get one!

MAN, I had all sorts of crabby ideas for this blog, but now that I am in front of the computer, everything has flown away. And they were GOOD ideas, too. I do remember snickering about a few of them.

But now I have forgotten. I guess I’ll have to do my second best…

One thing has been been on my mind are WordPress themes. Why is it so hard to find a good WordPress theme? Now, the theme for this blog is pretty good. It was free, and the theme suits my blog perfectly. I appreciate the talented designer making such a terrific theme!

But for a few of my other blogs, the themes are BLAH. I have spent countless hours– months, literally– looking for suitable themes. I’m even willing to pay through the nose for one, too. But all the themes are the same, have you noticed that? Blue, black, gray or white. Thin strip of color for a header (booooring), a white sidebar with insignificant font and design.

I wish I could make my own custom themes. How hard could it be? … probably hard, for a newbie like me. I like spiffy graphics, and that’s where I’d stumble. I mean, it’s not like you can pump the cartoons onto the computer easily enough. You need to be a Photoshop expert. Me, I don’t even know Dokmee document management tips….

I know, I know, I could go with a custom theme. But HOLY COW $1000 or more for custom theme?! No can do.

So hey, if you know where I can get some nice WP themes, let me know. So far, I’ve covered all the usual suspects: woothemes, elegantthemes, theme forest, studio press, etc. Nothing seems *just right.*

I’ve often wondered about this. In conversations with other blogger friends, they have wondered this, too. Why don’t good, meaty blog posts get more comments than trite, goofy humor or nasty sarcastic posts? Why?

I have visited some blogs that have overwhelmingly good posts, about good things, such as testimonies of God’s intervention or mercy. Other posts are historical or incredibly informative or helpful. Yet, all the blogger I know make mention if the fact that these posts receive little or no comments! Yet posts about their pets or silly topics or the ill effects of testosterone pill or whatever get comments. How can this be?

I don’t presume to know an answer, but I wonder if this may be related to television news. Negative news always gets better ratings than positive news. I remember– many years ago– some TV station tried a new show called “Good News.” They vowed to broadcast only good news (usually local stuff). I think the show lasted MAYBE a season, if that. The ratings were very low.

I think “good news” is rather boring. Not that I like negative news. But when it comes to news, I like to know what’s going on the world. However, bad news is very different from negative news. The major media does not simply broadcast bad news– they broadcast incessant streams of negative news.

I’d also like to see the news have follow up stories– yes, there’s bad news out there, but in many cases, people overcome. I think there should be more stuff on that.

What do you think? Do you notice that people seem to prefer and comment on dumb or negative posts rather then informative and enriching stories?

I am a professional blogger and webmaster. I work, FOR PAY, to mention certain products and companies, ok? Just like everyone else, I gotta put the bread and butter on the table.

So it really steams me to get a flood of emails, day after day, from two-bit, upstart companies requesting that I write about them. FOR FREE. As if I have nothing better to do than blog about Do-It-Yourself Ginsu Acupuncture LED Pens from Ronco or eyeglasses with “convenient” mini windshield wipers or whatever.

Hellooooo. I write about serious, USEFUL stuff, like high-quality hunting binoculars (see?)!

Look at some of these emails I’ve been getting. And the weird thing is, I don’t get them from time to time, I get them ALL the time, in massive bunches! What’s going on?

At —–.com we have developed a new photo sharing service that makes it incredibly easy to share images privately and within groups. I’m trying to spread the word about our service, and think your readers would be interested in what it can do…. I’d be really happy if you decide to write a short post about —–. As we expand our services, I’d be glad to keep you informed of changes to the site.

Oh really? So you guys at —–.com KNOW what my readers want, huh? And how would you know that? Do you guys at —–.com regularly read my blogs? HAH, I think not. And do it for FREE?? Are you guys insane?

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Whilst doing a Google search, i came across your site because i am looking to get published online.I am a freelance writer and have written an article entitled “Teak: Worth the Wait”.
The article i have written, may seem to me that your audience might be interested in the topic, but you would know much better than i.You will have the exclusive on it, if you agree to publish the article.
There’s no cost to you for the articles because i am simply looking to build my online reputation, all i ask from you is that you publish the articles “as it is”, leaving my author bio at the bottom of the article intact.
Please give me a quick email if you would like to review the article.

This one is trying to appeal to my tender heart toward writers, isn’t he? Well, if he EVEN BOTHERED TO READ MY BLOG, he’d know that I am a heartless monster who has no intention of pimping my web space FOR FREE. If you want to publish articles, bub, get your own blog.

Happy New Year! I’m a Community Manager at — —-, a social media agency based in —, and I’ve been following your blog. I notice that you do some really great product reviews on your blog! I think you’d be really interested in this opportunity from Buick so, I wanted to reach out about an exciting new program that I hope you’ll share with your audience.

Something exciting is coming from Buick. A new kind of design and luxury. At the same time, Buick is launching a major social initiative and you’ve been hand picked to participate in an exclusive first promotion. We’re only reaching out to a select group of bloggers to rally readership participation, and we’re very pleased to offer the blogger who refers the most readers $5,000!

We hope you’ll refer your readers with this link [removed] and let them know that by “Liking” the Buick Facebook page they’ll be given access to view a specially produced live event at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit (NAIAS) that will be live streaming on Buick’s Facebook Page.

Buddy, all I can say is: SHOW ME THE MONEY. Or give me a Buick. Then, we’ll talk. K? By the way, all those funky characters in your email tell me that you copied and pasted the text and sent out emails in mass abundance. FAIL.

I would like to take a moment to speak with you in regard to blu electronic cigarettes www.blucigs.com and possibly working together with your site. Since 2009, many of our affiliates have seen great conversions promoting blu.
With new upgrades to our product, website, and higher commissions paid this is the perfect time to promote blu! Sign up for your free account here http://www.blucigs.com/affiliates. We have banners/links for you to start promoting right away!

While I know my readers– all two of them– would just FLIP BANANAS to read a fascinating post about electronic cigarrettes, I’m going to have to pass. I mean, WHO ISN’T talking about this these days? I don’t want to appear to be a team player or anything.

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And that, boys and girls, is just a tidbit of what drops into my email box these days. If it isn’t the telemarketers on the phone, it’s the solicitors in the email. Sheesh.

Egads!!! ANother upgrade?!?! What do they think we do, sit around in our desk chairs all day, waiting with baited breath to upload ANOTHER update for the week?!?!

I am sick of WordPress updates. Come on, already!

I’ve been terribly grouchy lately. Not crabby. Grouchy. There’s a difference. Crabby is more of a temporary fluke kind of thing, and can have humor associated with it. Grouchy is cranky with a sort of negativity associated with it. :-p I’m VERY grouchy that I have been grouchy. It’s no fun. Reminds of those days of doing all those diets for quick weight loss, boy, did THEY make ya grouchy!

It’s just a hard time right now. Lots going on, good and difficult. I’ll get through it, and I’ll even get through it SMILING. :D see?! —-> SMILING. But right now, I haz grouchy. *sigh* I will feel better when I get some chocolate and drink some luscious strawberry smoothie. My diet has been awful lately so that may be part of it. And I work long, long days. But I’ll get through it! I won’t walways be grouchy! Crabbiness will prevail!!! Muahahaha

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