Blogging 101, Day Ten: Build a Better Blogroll

Blogging 101, Day Ten: Build a Better Blogroll

Today’s assignment: create a blogroll to share a few links you love.

For Rantings of a Third Kind site, I have a set of links to guide the visitor through the blog:

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On the sidebar, several search methods to browse by:

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The blogs I follow:

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Some of my personal favourites:

Writing quotes

Photographers I adore

Social sites for writers

Photo 101: Day Ten: Mystery & Lighting Effects

Photo 101: Day Ten: Mystery & Lighting Effects

Today, share an image that creates a sense of mystery. A lone mitten on the sidewalk. A trail leading off into the distance. Your dog’s deep brown eyes. Intrigue us with uncertainty.

Today’s Tip: To stretch yourself, manipulate the light available to you to create a particular effect — use it to cast shadows and highlights to create a moody image. Work with natural light, or find an artificial light source like the stage lights above.

Click on the images for higher resolution

Sunrise

sunrise

sunrise2

Cloudy

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marina

Backlight

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against-the-light1

Softlight

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ann2

Blogging 101: Day Nine: Get Inspired By the Neighbours

“It’s a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I’d be a drag queen” Dolly Parton

Blogging 101: Day Nine: Get Inspired By the Neighbours

Today’s assignment: write a post that builds on one of the comments you left yesterday. Don’t forget to link to the other blog!

I am cheating a little and writing today’s post from an inspiration I got while browsing the world wide word (press). This is a new acquaintance and the topic hit right home. For several reasons, first being that I am a *huge* fan of drag queens and RuPaul’s Drag Race, but also of the topic itself.

This is the post Open letter to Ginger Minj as written from the heart by this wonderful lady, Elizabeth, in her blog: Inside the Mind of a Dramatic Mother

I can relate to some extent on the issue of body image and the falsified images presented in the media. Being of an “older generation” the pressure wasn’t as bad when I was growing up, but looking at my younger sisters and their daughters, it seems the effect is quite clear.

Don’t take me wrong, looking nice and putting a little make up on, or a lot if you go on stage is great. A pair of nice heels and a pink dress, great, but as long as you do it for yourself, making yourself feel good, not for the benefit of others.

I am turning fifty in a week’s time and am finally comfortable with who I am, what I am and what I want. I have gained and lost weight over the years, but still felt mostly comfortable in my own skin. Apart from the dubious task of having to buy a new wardrobe with each size (or maybe that was fun after all!). I posed in nudes for artistic photographs, which was never a big thing for me. After all, us Finns like to sit in the Sauna naked with family, friends and even strangers!

I guess this summarizes the rant rather nicely:

“If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” RuPaul

nude