Moderation in Blogging; For Your Health

Many bloggers push themselves to get more and more done without watching for the indicators of blogging addiction. Although, blogging itself isn't usually considered unhealthy, even this type of addiction can pose health risks. A good blogger will learn to pace themselves and will learn that, through that, they will generally have a fresher mind and better content to follow. An addicted blogger, however, can find themselves meeting consequences of their activities such as loneliness and tension.

1.) Insomnia - Bloggers who stay up past their usual bedtime can easily disrupt their circadian rhythm, by staying up late and sleeping in. However, bloggers who regularly stay up late and yet maintain their daily schedule (ie. working in the morning, taking the kids to school) are risking major health problems such as breathing problems and heart problems. Also, recently there was a link found between insomnia and certain type of cancer.

2.) Obesity - As with anything involving sitting down for long periods of time, there is a risk of weight gain. This is because instead of moving your body around throughout the day, addicted bloggers are sitting in one spot. Like insomnia, this can lead to heart problems.

3.) Blood clots - In travel guides, you'll often see a tips saying airline passengers should get up and take a walk around everyone once in a while to prevent blood clots. This is because sitting in one spot for an extended period of time has been known to cause blood clots and like flying overseas, excessive computer usage has been linked to blood clots. Get up every once in a while and take a short walk. This may even help with problem #2, if you're walking to bed, then you've got #1 covered too!

So next time you find yourself spending a long while at the computer, don't forget to get up and prepare yourself a healthy meal, drink plenty of water, and take the dog for a walk. If you set a schedule with the times that you plan on blogging and stick to it, you should be fine. Keep this thought in your mind: Fit blogging into your life, don't fit your life into your blogging.

Four Different Types of Advertising

Many bloggers have been blogging away for months, sometimes years without realizing the potential for making money with ads. There are many different types of ads that can be shown and it's important to have the right type for your blog.

Pay Per Click - Google AdSense ads spider your page looking for keywords, which match then match up to ads. These type of ads are generally pay-per-click, which can pay high or low amounts depending on which keywords it picks up. Google Ad Sense is a controversial subject among many bloggers with complaints that they are too strict and have banned users without cause. I've had no problems, so I'm still a happy Ad Sense user. There are other ad programs similar to this scheme such as Yahoo's ad campaign.

Contracted Payment Scheme - There are many ad types that offer webmasters the opportunity to get a set rate for an ad slot per month. These types of ads usually feature, but not always, one company's ad which does not change. An example of this ad scheme that used by Matched.co.uk which currently pays users £3 per month per ad. This method is becoming increasingly popular amongst top bloggers, but they generally hire out their own ad space instead of going through an agency such as Matched.co.uk.

Paid Blogging - This is another ad program that is controversial with Google as many bloggers participating in this ad scheme have been experiencing the lowering of their page ranks. Paid blogging is a program where users are given the opportunity to write blog posts to post in their blogs for a set amount of pay per post. The earnings can range anywhere from $5 to several hundred dollars. This is also a method that many top bloggers use, but hire out themselves. An example of this scheme is PayPerPost.

Affiliate Earnings - This is a program that allows users to show products they like on their blogs. These products link back to sites where they can be purchased. If someone buys a product through a blog, that blogger gets a certain percentage of the pay. An example of this method is Chitika.

Free Tibet -- In France?

My husband was talking to me about this over dinner tonight here in town. He was telling me that people were upset about this and I agreed with my husband that the French were correct in this and this just made me want to move to France even more.

Apparently in France, when running the Olympic torch, there was trouble afoot. People throwing themselves in front of the torch and basically making it hard for the torch carrier to get through. This was because the Olympics are being held in China and this is a message that the French are unhappy with China for Tibet's occupation.

People were unhappy about this and I just want to say that the French are right on this. I think that if I were in the same position I would do the same.

A Video From Our Wedding

At our wedding, our friend Dave sang "David the Gnome." It was hilarious and awesome at the same time and was surprised to find that the moment hadn't been lost. Overlooking pictures on a disc, I didn't see the video initially but am glad to have located it today. I immediately threw it on YouTube and then embedded it on my MySpace.

I can't wait to show Bill tomorrow. He is going to be so happy that this was video taped. Awesome!

FreeCreditReport.com Is a Scam

I signed up to FreeCreditReport.com to get my credit report. I was aware of this "membership" that I was signing up to and kept it in my head that I was going to cancel during the free trial period which is 7 days. I used my husband's credit card and then viewed the credit report. Within 7 days, I cancelled, like I promised myself. Done, right?
Today, I see on my credit card that I was charged for the membership. I called them up and told them I cancelled in my seven day period. She kept calling me sir for some reason, which is weird because I don't have a masculine voice, I ignored it. Anyway, I explained to her that I don't have the credit card that I signed up with on me, but I have my social security card. She said that wouldn't be a problem. I gave her the number and she pulled up the account and said "it says here: female." I'm like, "yeah, so."
"Well you are male."
"No, I'm female."
"Well you didn't correct me when I called you sir"

What was I supposed to say to that? I just ignored her because I didn't want to be a bitch and correct her. I could give a fuck what she called me. I'm not calling FreeCreditReport.com to correct pronouns, I just want to see why my service with them wasn't canceled and I why I was charged.

Anyhow, she wouldn't let me cancel the service even though I could provide a maiden name, address and all that based on the fact that my voice sounded male to her. Apparently I sounded like a scammer with my "male" voice trying to cancel a service. I got pissed and hung up on her.

Right after hanging up, I decided to go on a hunt for the credit card and found it on my dresser.

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I called back and it was the same woman. I told her right off is a shitty voice, "Look, I'm female, I have my husband's credit card, and my social security number, a maiden name, and an address"

I gave her the information and she said that I never called and cancelled and that I was rightfully charged. I said, "Well what do I do? Cancel payment with my credit card company?"

"No, you can't do that because we don't have a record of you calling and cancelling."

"Ok, then I would like to speak with a manager."

"Just a moment."

---The line goes blank for a bit, crackles, and the same woman gets back on the line---

Okay, we are going to remit your payment and cancel your account. Is there anything else I can help you with.

"Nope, that's it. Thank you."

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In the end you have to get really shitty with companies to get money back that is rightfully yours. If they still refuse, contact your credit card company. AND NEVER USE FREECREDITREPORT.COM. There are ways to get your a free credit report online WITHOUT being scammed.

Like AnnualCreditReport.com. That one's not a scam. I know this for a fact because it's the one I usually use.