Lying on my couch having just done my laundry and roasted a chicken, "a la DFB",

I put my thoughts down for the blog!

[audio http://media.libsyn.com/media/dfbmbe/kosovoreport3.mp3]

]]> http://dfbmbekosovo.wordpress.com/?p=48 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:03:29 +0000 David http://dfbmbekosovo.wordpress.com/?p=48

Waking up to the first Misty morning this summer.

More images HERE

]]> http://customweddingcaketoppers.wordpress.com/?p=40 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:45:18 +0000 customweddingcaketoppers http://customweddingcaketoppers.wordpress.com/?p=40 ‘Any cook can make food taste good but it takes a great cook to make food taste good til the last bite’.

I came across a post about a great Cordon Bleu chef and he said the above statement. For those that are interested this chef actually is in Kuala Lumpar and name is chef Lee. Don't know how many Lee's there are there but I bet there is a whole lot. So what is the point of this post?

Well I wanted to bring the point up that many people are happy with surface and superficial quality, but when it comes down to the crunch for memorable events you really want to go that little bit extra and have things "taste good til the last bite".

Especially for your wedding. Are you settling for something that is just "good" or do you want to make the even trully memorable.If you want to have your wedding cake that much more memorable, consider checking out and getting custom wedding cake toppers from http://www.MiniMeGifts.com - you'll be happy til the last bite ;)

- Ajguy

[audio http://media.libsyn.com/media/dfbmbe/kosovoreport25082008.mp3]

]]> http://dfbmbekosovo.wordpress.com/?p=36 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:56:16 +0000 David http://dfbmbekosovo.wordpress.com/?p=36 [/caption]

Got the new camera I've been lusting after today and shot this from my balcony. Its the first single lens reflex I have ever had. It takes gorgeous images. Will take night shots later and post the results.

]]> http://worklifeoffbalance.wordpress.com/?p=3 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:42:56 +0000 worklifeoffbalance http://worklifeoffbalance.wordpress.com/?p=3 Since this is my first post I wanted to see how the blog structure worked - categories, tags, archives, etc.

Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of a couple that wanted a cute Japanese themed wedding cake toppers for themselves. It's always cool seeing some new types ideas that people would like.

Here is the result (just click on the images to enlarge):

If you'd like to get a cool custom wedding cake topper, japanese style just go to http://www.MiniMeGifts.com and ask for something that you'd like.

Regards
Mark

Thoughts from my balcony as it gets dark across Kosovo

[audio http://media.libsyn.com/media/dfbmbe/balonymusings1.mp3]

Last week the Compucall site and blog were up in their new and improved form and we all started to contribute to the company blog.

I had no idea how hard it is writing a good blog post on demand. Even if it is on a subject I know and like. For some people blogging comes easy, not for me. Most of the time I find it quite hard to write a good blog post on any subject while trying to make it interesting enough for others to read as well as trying to remember to make it SEO friendly. I’m not saying I can’t and sometimes it’s easy even for me. My post on getting a page rank 5 was easy and fun to write, but for the most part I find it takes me a while to get the post just right.

For this reason I have decided to always keep in mind a few basic rules for writing a good blog post:

1. Always use a catchy title. Make it as short as you can while maintaining a high level of interest. For most blogs your post title will become part of the URL that’s why you should think of your title as a link anchor text and follow that same reasoning. It should include your keywords and be easy to read and understand. It should also arouse your readers' interest and make them click “the bastard” ;) to see what it has to say.

 

2. Optimize, optimize, optimize. Your blog post is as much a part of your site as any other page you might have on it. Use headers, bold text and correct indentation in your post just as you would in a regular page. Try not to make too many spelling and grammar mistakes either. Remember, if you want your readers to come back you have to give them a nice experience – don’t make them work to hard trying to understand what you wrote.

 

3. Added value. Your blog post should have something to say. Just re-writing what others are saying might work for a while but if you want to be seen as interesting and worth the time to read you should add to the things other say not just copying them.

 

4. Adding keywords. Writing a good blog post is not enough; people have to find it to read it. Adding the relevant keywords in the text will make it easier for visitors to find your blog.  For this post one of my main keywords was “writing a good blog post” . As you can see, I have used it and a few variations of it here without making it look like I struggled too much to place them in the text. As long as the reading remains smooth and natural you’re doing well.

 

5. Is it worthy? – O.K, this title I stole from a colleague of mine that wrote a short post on "The Top 3 Questions you should ask yourself before a post goes up ". I won’t add the questions here but I sincerely recommend reading them and keeping them in mind when trying to write a good blog post.

Well, this is my list and I can tell you it’s not as easy as it seems to keep it in mind when writing, but it certainly helps make my blog a better one.

Anyway..!

I should do some fessing up, huh.
You see, I tell you my thoughts on things, don't I?
Well, I've been holding back.
A lot.
Because I didn't want some people to know.  Because I was scared of what they would think/say/do.  Because I didn't want to make some people angry or whatever.  Because....Well, because I'm scared.
I don't know, it's just all confusing, so I tried to keep it all to myself and do the HINT HINT HINT thing, but without saying the HINT HINT HINT part, just doing it.  And it's obviously not working well enough.
So, I haven't decided yet,  and I've been trying to the whole time I've been writing this, but it's not going all that well.
Which sucks, because I was SO ready to just spill.
And now I'm not!  It's so confusing on top of it all.

And now that I got distracted, I'm not even on the same topic.  Sorry, after saying the confusing on top ofit all part, I went and read something else and singing to songs and IMing like I always do and got distracted.  You know, I miss the days when I could sit and just write a blog post.  I haven't been able to do that in a while.  Oh well, I should try it again.
Oh you wanna know what I decided?
I'm normal.  I'm fine.  Perfectly fine.  That's what I decide.  I mean, there can't be anything wrong with me,  can there?  I can function just fine, I think.  Sure, I see things sometimes that aren't there, but oh well.  Sure I have insane amounts of energy some days, but people can do that with energy drinks.  And the down-times?  Well, like, my mommy told me when I first brought up the issue of mentally-illness, everyone fits those descriptions sometimes......

Anyway!

I should fess up, huh.
Okay okay okay okay.
You know my I Heart List page?  It's only slightly true, I think.
I know it's all true, that's the thing.
You don't know it's all true, though.
I know it's all true.
I know who I just heart platonically and who I heart oh so much more than that.  I could tell you, but like I said, I'm still scared and am worried about what they would say/do/react if they knew.
So, any guesses?

This will be, of course, our 50th episode spectacular, so we hope you'll all enjoy it. Again, pardon the short delay.

- Mike

That shit is bleak. And I mean fucking bleak.

I was having trouble choosing a way to illustrate just how annoyed I have gotten when reading some sports blogs. I've read them for like 4 years; I will continue to read them. I'm just getting annoyed. So basically, I'd like to write an example of a sports blog post that I typically see. I have to point out, at NO point do I think our blog is "above," "better," or even "less annoying" than other sports blogs. And there are MANY sports blogs who aren't like this and are good and stuff. This doesn't change how mind numbing many blogs have become.

Blog posting directions/advice will be in italics.

Always start out with a bad euphemism. Get the readers attention.

"I Like That Fried Rice"

Good, that one doesn't even make sense. You get bonus points for that. Now get to the good stuff as fast as you can.

"Has anyone seen Stephanie Rice of the Australian swimming team? Nice."

Solid immaturity and lack of vocab. Now repeat yourself.

"She's hot and good at swimming."

My brain just stopped. You've accomplished your goal. Now throw in another euphemism, no need for good variety.

"I know Chinese people love their rice, but the Chinese dudes must REAlly be lovin this Rice."

Ok, borderline racism, that's acceptable. You didn't really use a euphemism. I'd say go back, but who gives a shit? It's a fucking blog! Just roll with it. Include some info.

"She's won a few golds in Beijing."

You are on a roll. You're like the Washington Times if they weren't owned by that Moon dude. Who cares that you were vague and didn't include any information that wasn't off the top of your head? People don't come to blogs for "facts". Now include the picture to drive the hits up.

"Check out this picture."

No! Rookie mistake. You only linked it! You need to post the picture on your site in hopes google will recognize you as the proper owner of the picture. It doesn't matter who actually owns it. Make it yours. O well, we can salvage this. Try a repetitive metaphor or euphemism.

"Steaming hot rice. Always nice. I think it goes well with pork if you know what I mean."

Oh! Awful. Doesn't even really make sense. Again, that's a plus. Almost a perfect ending to a blog post. I would've suggested throwing in a stereotypical Chinese name at the end to encourage crazy racist comments from your readers who ALWAYS try to be "witty." But hey, close enough. Good job. Now go collect your $105 bucks you made off google adsense this month.

Oh and don't forget to include your weekly "Talk crap about the WNBA to get the crazy lesbians to flock to your site and yell at you" post.

I may have been a bit misleading at the beginning of this post. This might not be a "countdown" to the end. It might actually be the end. We sorta had a "good" run. Hope you guys are getting as annoyed at this blog as I am at others. Oh, and keep reading East Coast Bias, (the now defunct?) This is our game, and Collegefastbreak. Those guys are our blog friends and aren't annoying. Peace. We're outie.

Postscript: Sorry for any profanity in this post or any of my other posts.  My B on that.

Lately I have been wondering if other people 'feel' like I do. I don't know what I am comparing myself to since I have never 'felt' someone else, so I guess its a robber rubber ruler, but I often think that I am not as mature as I think I am. I mean I often have 'little kid thoughts' on things, can't explain it but I do. People my age or close to my age seem to have it together. They know where they want to go and how to get there and are on a fast track. On the other hand I don't know where I want to go. Its really bothering me as of late. Do I let the ship sail on or do I grab the wheel? And that beacons another question, where do I turn the wheel too? I guess this is a case of flying blind or rather flying with out radio contact with GOD. I am still struggling with that issue of not trusting GOD on his plans. I am almost 18 right now so I think that some of those 'adult thinking juices' would be kicking in about now but I don't feel like they are. No clear solutions I know but talking about it helps me think things threw. Don't make the mistake that I complain about something and don't act on how to fix it, I don't, I work very hard on making it right.

This site will be undergoing major developments, as I just started designing it, so bear with me and Bookmark it if you like it!

Comments and suggestions are gladly accepted.

This site is not associated in any way with Jagex, the maker of the popular MMORPG RuneScape.