Sunday Reading 07 October 2007
October 7th, 2007 by Richard CockrumGroovin’ . . . on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn’t get away too soon
I can’t imagine anything that’s better
The world is ours whenever we’re together
There ain’t a place I’d like to be instead of . . .
Groovin’ . . . down a crowded avenue
Doin’ anything we like to do
There’s always lots of things that we can see
We can be anyone we want to be
And all those happy people we could meet just . . .
Groovin’ . . . on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn’t get away too soon
Ah-ha-ha [3 times]
We’ll keep on spending sunny days this way
We’re gonna talk and laugh our time away
I feel it comin’ closer day by day
Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly . . .
Groovin’ . . . on a Sunday afternoon
Really couldn’t get away too soon
Ah-ha-ha [3 times]
Groovin’ by The Young Rascals
I love that song. Just reading the lyrics I start to hear it. A smile forms. My head starts to bob in time with the music. It’s a wonderful thing to hear, a wonderful way to feel on a Sunday morning. Maybe these posts from my reading in the past week will make you feel the same way.
Lyman Reed writes at Creating a Better Life. In The Secret to Failure he talks about a feeling that is common to many of us at one point or another - the desire to just stop and get on to something else. We give ourselves many reasons for this - afraid we’ll fail, afraid we won’t fail, guilt over having more than others, incompetence, inadequacy - a litany of fear. We handicap ourselves in so many ways.
Some handicaps we bring with us when we are born. One writer I recently met is Stephen Hopson. At the moment Stephen blogs at Adversity University. As Stephen says in his profile, he
…started this blog in April 2006 because I wanted to find a way to share my personal experiences in dealing with adversity and other life experiences through stories, observations and tips.
This video shows how he dealt with the profound deafness that has been with him since birth.
In large part personal growth and development is the work we do to overcome the handicaps we are born with, and those we develop during this life. There are many different views on just what is involved in personal development. To find some of these, Gleb Reys started the What Is Personal Development project. He has posted the first submissions to the project in What Is Personal Development: Part 1. Click over for some thoughtful writing. After you’re done, submit your own article.
Implicit in personal growth and development is the idea of having one or more goals. Six months ago, Alex Shalman started the Gotta Get Goals project to see what lifetime goals we have. He posted the Gotta Get Goals Roundup this week. There were 80 posts, from which he teased out the top ten goals and also lists several others, both common and unique. The primary input was from personal growth and development bloggers. Can you see your goals anywhere in here? It’s a fascinating look into our minds.
I thank you for finding value in the things you read here at Shards. Special thanks to those of you who have found something you thought was worth linking to . These include
Jeff at Anything But Computers in Shards of Consciousness : Exploring Pathways to Freedom
Shelly Tucker in the October SAS Update. If you haven’t made any squares, please send in a few or encourage someone you know who knits or crotchets to do so.
John Wesley added Shards to the 101 Online Self Improvement Resources
Deb Call in How To Cut Myself Some Slack
Stephen Hopson in Some News and Link Love
Alex Shalman in Gotta Get Goals Round Up
Lyman Reed in The Secret to Failure
Technorati Tags: personal growth, personal development, handicaps, Lyman Reed, Young Rascals, Stephe Hopson, Gleb Reys, Alex Shalman, Anything But Computers, Shelly Tucker, John Wesley, Deb Cal
Popularity: 18% [?]
Del.icio.us
reddit
October 8th, 2007 at 7:04 am
Richard:
Thanks so much for posting my YouTube video. It is greatly appreciated! I also appreciate the link love!
Two more days before I launch my new blog! Thanks for being part of my journey and for becoming a blogging buddy!
Stephen
October 8th, 2007 at 11:08 am
I was happy to post it, Stephen. It fit right in. I’m looking forward to your new site.
Have a great day!
October 10th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Hi Rick:
Once again thanks SO MUCH for posting my YouTube video and giving me a little link love.
Now that I’ve moved to my new blog site, would you mind updating the link here? I would really appreciate it. It’s http://www.adversityuniversityblog.com
Thanks so much!
Stephen
October 10th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Rick:
Awesome! Thanks, thanks and thanks. And I have a little gift for you too. If you visit the homepage of my new blog, you’l see that I have you on my little blogroll.
Have a great rest of the day. Thanks for the compliment. It’s hard work but fun! I have so much more to do but I’m getting there.
Stephen
October 10th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Thanks, Rick, not only for the linkage, but for introducing me to Stephen Hopson. What an inspiration!
October 10th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Lyman:
Wow, thanks for the compliment. I’m so glad you are inspired by what I’m doing. I went over and looked at your blog. It’s AWESOME! I just subscribed by RSS Feed. I look forward to receiving more of your wisdom. When I have more time, I will go through it and find tidbits of wisdom from you. It looks like a very exciting and uplifting blog.
Am I glad you took the time to write to Rick and mentioning my name! Thanks a bunch.
Stephen
October 10th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Thank you, Stephen. Adding Shards to your blogroll is quite a compliment in itself.
Moving is hard, but well worth it. It’s kind of like a physical house. There’s always something you can find to do.
October 10th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Hello Lyman,
I’m glad the two of you could meet. Every day on the web is like playing six degrees of separation.
October 10th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Rick:
Isn’t it awesome how we can all play that game of “six degrees of separation”?? Amazing what the internet can do for all of us out there. It goes to show that we are all connected.
Yes, moving is like moving to a new home. That’s why on my old blog, I wrote a post using words and phrases like “new home,” “virtual realtor gave me the keys,” “painting,” “decorating,” etc. etc. Cuz it’s just like the real moving experience!
Thanks for your continuing support and Lyman, I look forward to getting to know you more. Can’t wait to get some updates on your site through my RSS feed! I’m telling you, your blog looks really exciting for some reason! I just feel it.
Stephen
October 10th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Rick - You’re such a matchmaker!
To echo Stephen’s comments, it is amazing how connections can be made on the ‘net.
Stephen - New stuff is coming soon! I’m also subscribed to your feed, and I look forward to reading your stuff as well.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Lyman:
Seems like I’m meeting matchmakers everywhere these days! LOL
New stuff coming soon? Cool! Can’t wait to see them and I’m glad to hear you’ve subscribed to my new feed. Thanks.
Got a question for both you and Rick and anyone else who might be reading this:
How the heck do you guys reply to your commentators without having to go back to the blog and respond there?
And also, how do you get an email notification if someone leaves a message on your blog? How is that set up? I can’t figure it out. There’s no clear cut way saying, “you should do this or that.”
Stephen
October 10th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Hi Stephen,
I don’t know how Lyman does it, but I’ve got Wordpress set up to email me whenever anyone leaves a comment. I check my email periodically to see if there is anything I should answer quickly. In the email Wordpress sends me there’s a link to the comments section of the post that has the new comment. I just click it to go directly to the post and comment there like I’m on any blog.
To set up email notifications:
1. Log into Wordpress. Click the Options tab.
2. Click on the General subtab if it didn’t open automatically. In the email edit box enter the address you want notifications sent to, then click the Update Options button at the top or bottom of the page.
3. Click on the Discussion subtab. Under the E-mail me whenever section, make sure both options are checked - Anyone posts a comment and A comment is held for moderation. Personally I have everything checked on that page except for requiring administrative approval for all comments. Click the Update Options button at the top or bottom of the page. You’re good to go and should receive email notification of comments and comments in moderation.
Let me know if anything else is unclear. Wordpress has documentation a geek would love, but people are always glad to help out.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Stephen,
While you’re in there, click on the Users tab. That will show you a list of users. Presumably, you’re the administrator. Click on the Your Profile subtab. On this page you can fill in your first and last names, your preferred name, what name you want displayed to the public (author, comment replies from within Wordpress primarily), email address, website address, password, username, and other contact information. Click one of the Update Profile buttons when you’re done.
I hope this helps.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Rick:
Thanks for the detailed instructions. I followed it to the letter and so we shall see what happens.
Stephen
October 14th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Rick:
As I mentioned earlier, I followed the steps you gave me to update the email address I want email notifications to go to but for some reason, it isn’t coming to me. I’m using my regular email address which is stephen(at)sjhopson(dot)com However, I find that if I put in my other email address which is sjhopson(at)yahoo(dot)com, it seems to work.
But that’s not the email I want to use. I want the first one. Any idea why this might be behaving in this way?
P.S. I want to say “congratulations” on guest blogging for Alex Shalman recently. I thought it was a great post and I hope you get more assignments from him. He’s a great guy. Interestingly enough, I will be posting something for him this Wednesday under Productivity. I’m in the process of writing the article now. Should be interesting to see what happens.
Stephen
October 14th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Hi Stephen,
I look forward to reading the post at Alex’s site. You’re right, he is a great guy and a pleasure to work with.
Re the email notifications. I’m out of my depth. That’s the way I have mine set up, and it just works. One thing you might consider. Your normal email filters may be sending them to the spam bucket. I’ve had to rescue a few that ended up there, but most of them get through okay. If that doesn’t work, I would recommend searching the forums on wordpress.org for the issue, and if you can’t find a solution, ask someone there.