A Local Blog

In addition to this blog, I decided to create a blog about my hometown of Independence, Kansas, since I could find very little information online about our local businesses and community's events. If you're ever in the area, please feel free to visit our great little town and all that it has to offer.




Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.




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New Stuff

For those who don't know about it already, I've added a few new freebies on my Anti-Depressionist Blog. If free stuff just isn't a big deal to you, don't worry.... I'll be back with some new stories in the next few days.

The Anti-Depressionist

I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but I have another blog that I post to when I find the time. It's called, The Anti-Depressionist. The blog houses freebies that I find both on and offline. Also at times I may right about ways to save money in this economy in every day life. So if you're interested in free goodies and cheap savings, feel free to check it out and let me know what you think of the blog. As time moves on and I have my life organized, I'll add other blogs of interest.

Blog Change

I made a change to my Economy blog, The Anti-Depressionist. I moved it to blogger instead of wordpress. I don't want to have to log into different websites to write a blog post, so that was my biggest reason for the change. Plus, I just wasn't impressed with wordpress's features. I also learned that entrecard doesn't work with wordpress, so that's now another reason for the change. The new address for the blog is: http://www.theantidepressionist.blogspot.com

Also, I'm considering deleting all of my other blogs on here except for The Insane Writer and of course The Anti-Depressionist.

Economy Blogging

I've actually been busy with another blog, that I'll be posting at on a weekly if not more, basis. I started the blog due to the economy crisis. I'll be posting money saving tips, freebies and more. The blog is actually on wordpress and it's called The Anti-Depressionist's Blog. The blog can be found at: http://antidepressionist.wordpress.com/ or you can find it on my official website at: http://www.theinsanewriter.com/ under blog.

Writing for a Purpose

One of the biggest things I am battling right now is what sort of content to put on my website. My blog is easy enough because I can just talk about day to day things that are going on, but I want to do something different with my website.

I've considered working with budgeting ideas due to the economy since it's a very popular topic right now. A lot of families are looking for ways to trim their financial budget and still live without feeling like they're being seriously deprived from everything. It's hard I know, I've been there.

One of the things that I discovered was that you can actually buy content for your website. Places like Purecontent.com are offering content in various forms for a reasonable fee.

Although sites like these are not for me, there are many website owners who are not all that fond of coming up with their own content or simply don't have the time. For myself however, I find that keeping things real is a much better approach. I don't mind having an author post something on my site once in a while, but I write because I love writing. When I'm having someone else write it defeats the purpose of my passion and readers are not able to get to know me.

What do you think?

Don't Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

You'll notice a few minor changes to my blog. I won't name names because there is no reason to, but I woke up to find that I was removed from an advertiser without a given reason. So I asked them about it and got the same results. Then I did a little research and learned that if you blog about something they don't like, you're dropped. Or if you have a sudden leap in visitors as I did when I wrote about actress Megan Fox (yes, she's that hot!), you're dropped.

The funny thing is I remembered John Chow's knowledge about not putting all of your eggs into one basket, so I didn't. The money that the advertiser held was ghost money to me, but when I reached the payout limit I was removed from their system and told I would not receive any money. Funny that it took me over two years to get to that very small amount. So in reality they received free advertising from my blog. I was so very generous!!! LOL

The morale to this story is, if you're putting your eggs into one basket and you are relying on that money, please don't! I learned many years ago not to rely on extra money because in the end it's never there. Now if I have it in hand, then that's great! But if it's on hold somewhere I just base my income on what I do already have and go from there.

DON'T PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS INTO ONE BASKET!

Elvis Tagged Me

Good News! I've been tagged by the greatest rock n' roll singer of all time! Not really, but I have been tagged by the greatest Elvis fan of all time.

She goes by ElvisLover and her blog is awesome! Ironically she had tagged me on my birthday of August 19th. I am way behind on my emails. So here's my meme.

The rules here are simple:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag six bloggers by linking.
5. Leave a comment for each blogger.

Hmmm my quirky list of.....


1) I am an absolute die hard sushi lover. I could eat it 24/7! When I moved back to the small town of Independence, KS it was a given that there would be no available sushi here. So, I started making my own. And right now, I'm craving sushi!!

2) I can't stand the taste of soda or any drinks that are really sweet. I'll stick to my unsweetened Iced Tea, thank you!

3) I'm a karaoke nut. Sure I could go out and buy a karaoke machine and sing in front of friends, but I'd rather sing in front of a crowd in a public place! I love singing.

4) I don't like really big dogs. At times my own dog scares me. When I was five I had a doberman break it's chain and jump the fence as I was walking home from school. He was abused by his owners and tried attacking me and my friend who had walked home with me at the time.

5) I love reading. I can get lost in a good romance novel for hours. It's a great escape and one of the reasons I love writing novels.

6) If there's a tornado on the ground and headed our way or a really bad storm, I'm outside in it. Storms and tornadoes fascinate me.

I've really been out of the loop as far as reading my favorite blogs lately. So I'm breaking the rules and ending this here! Besides, I have way too many blogs that I love reading! If you want proof and some great blogs to check out, see the right hand side of my page for Blogs I'm reading. :)

The Beauty of Free WordPress Themes. Would You Move?

I love blog themes. It's great being able to create something wonderful and unique for a blog, rather than staying with a simple and plain layout. I can't say much about my own theme right now because honestly, it's pretty bland. But that's only because I haven't had the time to really play around with themes and because there are not a lot of themes that I really like, available for blogger.

I have noticed however, that there are quite a few fun and unique wordpress templates available for bloggers like you and well, I...if I ever move to wordpress. My god, I think I am impressed with Top Wordpress's website. They have some great wordpress themes. I'm loving them compared to what blogger has to offer. It's hard to choose which are my favorites, but take a look at these:

Culinaire
Musicophilia
Modern Marvels
Shopping Manual
Vintage Bleau
Purple Passion
Sucession of Moments
Entwining of Two Lives
Hall of Excitement
Intellectual Avenue
Flora Scent WP Theme
Voice of Heart Beats
Japanese Fleur

The best thing about all of these wordpress themes? They are absolutely free! How insane is that! I love them. So many wonderful themes to choose from, unlike what I have found for blogger. Makes me want to move to wordpress.

Either that or I really wish someone would make themes as awesome as these are for blogger!!!! So what do you think? Which ones are your favorites? Would you move to wordpress just for a great theme?

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with the females about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers ~ simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer.

4. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you'll be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

7. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Losing Almost Everything I Had

Lately I've been wanting a digital camera really bad. I've entered a few contests on some blogs and I am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I used to have a digital camera and I loved it. But I lost a lot of things when I decided to move away from a very negative relationship. Materialist things like digital cameras can be replaced. Lives cannot. But, it would be nice to have another digital camera some day so I can do great things with my projects like, Just Believe and continue to make revenue on this blog. Someday. Sigh. Someday.

Female Bloggers Wanted!

Not too long ago I met a fabulous person. She is the owner of Her Blog Directory and Her Blog Radio.



Her Blog Directory is an all in one spot where female bloggers can find other female bloggers. her Blog Directory features over 170 blogs and is working to become one of the largest women blogger directories online. Some of the great benefits about becoming a member of Her Blog Directory is there is no cost to join or post your blog's link and you can meet other fabulous female bloggers who are making their mark in this insane world. Like Me! I became a member of Her Blog Directory and would love to see you become a member as well. It's a great way to advertise your product, share your opinions and become a part of something spectacular. Let's change some lives, let's make this world a better place for our children!




Her Blog Radio wants you to get your voice heard. If you're a female blogger like me, Her Blog Radio wants to hear from you. They want to know about your blog and what you're up to.
I have always believed that the best way to grab someone's attention is through voice. Live conversation. Writing is wonderful, but to really be heard you need to take a step beyond what is simply ordinary. You need to add to your writing and Her Blog Radio is doing just that. Her Blog Radio allows you to listen to other wonderful bloggers just like you, for free. You can easily subscribe to their RSS feed or you can simply visit the Her Blog Radio website.

Right now the greatest advantage of Her Blog Radio? They are offering websites the chance to sponsor Her Blog Radio at no cost. That's insane, but I love it! Right now Her Blog radio is looking for bloggers to be interviewed for an upcoming radio show. A great way to get your blog noticed!

They are also looking for female musicians to help with their radio show. This could be a wonderful opportunity for anyone with musical talent that is looking to expand herself.

The Best Blogs. A Contest

Yearblook is a unique site that I found. It's a contest that is looking for the best blog posts out there to put in a book. Kind of a cool idea. You can check them out and submit your blog posts or blog posts of someone you know. Am I going to submit mine? Probably not. I really don't think I have anything worth talking about.lol

Yearblook organizes the posts by category, popularity, date added, etc. Definitely an added bonus since I hate having to surf a site just to find what I am looking for. The only downside I noticed, you do have to register (it’s free) to be a part of the contest.

But I know there are a lot of blogs out there who do have posts that should be seen and heard. Yearblook is also featuring a cash prize of $100 for every post who gets the most votes every month.

Is Yearblook worth it? It doesn't hurt to drop by and submit something. I mean, who knows. And the $100 cash prize isn't a bad deal either. If you do decide to drop by and you submit something, let me know. I'd love to take a look and see what your post is all about.

I'll Miss That Damn Rental Car!!! :*(

Today has been a very busy day which is kind of nice. The reason I say that is because I've had quite a few articles and reviews to work on today. The more articles and reviews, the more I get paid. And getting paid again will definitely be nice! While it might not be outstanding pay, it's at least some money for now.

I've also been expanding my blogs. In addition to my insane writer's blog I will be adding a new blog soon. I'll post more about that and a link to it later. I've also added another new blog. It's sort of a diary from my characters for my novel, "The Generation." So, yep... I've been a bit busy. Which as I said, has been kinda nice.

Sadly, in about an hour I have to return our little nissan that we rented for the weekend. I love that little car and I will miss it. I can't wait to be able to drive a car again instead of walking 4 miles or more a day to get to the library, store, etc. Granted, my husband does drive me on Friday's to the store, but if I am out of something while he's at work, then I'm on foot. I love the exercise, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's a bit much!

SocialSpark Needs to Light My Fire

I have been a member of IZEA's SocialSpark for a few weeks now. To be honest, so far I am not excited about it. Social Spark is a lot like payperpost, only it's supposed to be better. You can chat with other members there, get a prop and wait in line for an opportunity.

While waiting in line may seem nice vs. first come first serve basis with payperpost, so far it's not. I have about 5 opps that I have been waiting for. None of which I have heard back from. Also, I have noticed that when a person takes an opportunity from socialspark and blogs about it, you get this annoying popup that blocks your view.

Also many other paying posts sites don't like those type of ads and find them to be a problem since they take up the entire page.

Okay, so there are some added bonuses to socialspark that are a nice feature. One of my favorites is the members comments about opportunities. This can come in handy if you're not so sure about writing for a certain opp.

Another is the hot blogs feature, although this is somewhat similar to payperpost's featured blogs area. Still, I love being able to check out other blogs!!!

All in all I'd say that socialspark does have some potential. I just really wish they'd get rid of those damn popup ads!!!!


Please Note: This is a paid post from payperpost.

A GOOD PUN IS ITS OWN REWORD

* Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery.

* A pessimist's blood type is always b-negative.

* Practice safe eating - always use condiments.

* Shotgun wedding: A case of wife or death.

* I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded.

* If electricity comes from electrons... does that mean
that morality comes from morons?

* Marriage is the mourning after the knot before.

* A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

* Corduroy pillows are making headlines.

* Sea captains don't like crew cuts.

* Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?

* A successful diet is the triumph of mind over platter.

* A gossip is someone with a great sense of rumor.

* Without geometry, life is pointless.

* When you dream in color, it's a pigment of your
imagination.

* Reading whilst sunbathing makes you well-red.

* When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.

I Wish I Knew!

I had some time to sit down and view keywords that are used to link to my site. Some are quite obvious, like The Insane Writer....while others have me baffled. A few that have stuck out are, Tom Cruise's Favorite Tea. Wow. I wish I knew! I don't even know if Tom Cruise drinks tea.lol

Another was, a man's body stocking. Really? Do they make those? I think that would actually be interesting to write about! And last, but certainly not least....Lehunt, Kansas. I honestly did not know Lehunt was that popular. Kinda cool, I think!

So here's a question for other bloggers... What are some of your favorite keywords that get linked to your blog?

Out with the Old, In With the New

I finally decided it was time to update my links a bit. Yes my friends, It's time to face reality....Elvis has finally left the building and gone home, forever.

Okay, so maybe that was just a little bit of my insane side seeping out. Seriously though, I needed to update my blog, so I started with links. Here's the rundown.

Out with the Old:

• If the link hadn't been updated in months, it was deleted from my blog.
• If it's not something I'll promote, it went bye bye.
• If the page to the link was changed and it's not something I think my readers would really be interested in, it went out the door.
• If I added you and you promised a link back and never delivered, you're gone.
  

In with the New:

• I added a blogroll from the good old state of Kansas
• I added a few new links and blogs that I am currently reading
• I added a blogroll called, The Top Recommended Products

In time, I will probably update my blog with a fresh new layout. So stay tuned! By the way, if you find your blog has been deleted and feel it's an error... Let me know and I'll be happy to check your link out and go from there.....

This Site is For Real, Means More Money For Us

If you're still with me, I apologize for the size and quality of the video. I am still new to uploading videos.
If you by chance for some odd reason, liked the video, and want to see more personal videos on my blog, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know.

If you're interested in joining This Site Is For Real, please check out my referral link. if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

BuzzFuse. Lost, But Not Forgotten

For some reason I had actually forgotten that I was a Buzzfuse.com member. How odd since this website is a service I can see myself using. I guess I just got sidetracked and busy, and their site was lost amongst my other favorite links.

The interesting thing about Buzzfuse is, you can make money from your posts through them. Pretty darn insane, I think. Once you've posted your content through Buzzfuse, other members can view the post, and the more points you earn through them, the higher your ranking. The top 100 rankers get to share that month's earning pool. For March, the amount is $3500. I know that it's not much, but hey, $35 is still pretty good and better than nothing at all.

By the way, Buzzfuse isn't just for posting blog articles. If you have a favorite photo or some artwork you'd like to share, you can post that as well. Check Buzzfuse out.