Jul 5, 2012 |
I’ve written about Pinterest before.
I introduced you to This Thing Called Pinterest. I wrote an open letter about Pinning to Dear Pinners….
I’ve shared with you my own Pinterest account, and updated when I create new boards.
Today I discovered that not all my own Pins were linked accurately. Of course, as a blogger/writer, it’s important that my articles are attached to the Pins I create for them. So I spent about thirty minutes reviewing and correcting. It wasn’t that bad. In fact, it was a little fun seeing Pins from months ago that I’d forgotten about.
I tweeted about today’s revelation, which brought about the conversation “What exactly is Pinterest, and how do you use it?”
The best way to describe it is it’s a digital scrapbook. It’s a spaceless way to store your ideas, suggestions, likes and adventures. If it’s online and you like it, you can Pin it.
It’s easy to get an account. Typically, you need an invitation from a friend or you can request one directly from Pinterest. Once you have an account, you can Pin one of two ways.
You can search Pinterest itself. For example, in their search bar type “coffee” and you’ll be inundated with a mass assortment of flavors, cups, stores, ideas, stories… when you see one you like, move your cursor over it and you’ll see buttons appear: “Repin”, “Like”, “Comment”. You can pick and choose which actions you want. If you choose to “Repin”, a new window will pop up and you can select which of your Boards you want it Pinned to.
The other way to Pin is to download their “Pin It” Button. It’s a small download that you set in your internet toolbar. When you see something online that you like, you click your “Pin It” button, and it asks you which picture to Pin, and to which Board.
Your boards are your categories. Pinterest sets up a few to get you started. You can edit, delete, and add your own. My friend Keri has a board strictly dedicated to all things “Purple”. I have 36 Boards ranging from writing ideas to recipes to people and places and even a bucket list!
There are a few things to remember when Pinning:
- The Pinterest Terms and Privacy are very clear that you cannot Pin any copyright material. Many professional photographers have removed their photos due to this requirement. An alternate option is to include a watermark on your own photos: an unremovable mark that indicates you hold the copyrights.
- I pin my photos to Pinterest because I know they link back to my Blog. And traffic is currency in the Blogosphere. This doesn’t give others the right to claim my work as their own, but it does give you the right to Pin and share and say, “Hey, this is worthwhile stuff.”
- Laura asked if you need to get permission before Pinning. I’ve checked around and the main consensus is, that’s sometimes impossible. In the digital media world in which we live, everything is everywhere. You can’t always track back to the source. You should try, definitely. But if it’s already online, it’s shareable.
- You can’t Pin personal photos from Facebook or your computer. It has to be already online.
- Pinterest has very easy-to-understand Etiquette guidelines. Their Terms are written for every person to understand, not a lot of Legaleeze.
I love the idea of storing ideas online instead of odd-shaped magazine clippings stored in paper boxes. I love that I can put the same Pin on several boards. How often have you had to decide whether a clipping should be placed in “Recipe” or “Holiday”? Is a Dictionary a “Book” or “Writer Wishlist” item? Is a great blog article “inspiring”, “faith-based” or simply “A Good Blog”? With Pinterest, you don’t have to decide. You can Pin the same article to as many Boards as you have.
I also discovered that to get to the main article, you needn’t “backtrack” through other Pinners. Just click on the Pin itself. It will enlarge on your computer screen. Click again on the Pin, and you should be directed to the original posting whether it be from a blog, company, photographer’s page, or wherever it originated. It’s important to make sure that your Pins link back to the source as much as possible. It’s only fair to give credit where credit is due.
So. Are you ready to starting Pinning?
Just click. Pin. And share.
You’ll be glad you did. (And so will I!)
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jul 4, 2012 |
It’s summer! Time to bring out the sunscreen and road maps and take a drive.
One of the most favorite drives in America is “The Mother Road”.
From Los Angeles to Chicago. And it runs right through the middle of my town.
Nearly 17 years ago, the Route 66 Museum opened in Old Town Victorville, CA. Run purely by volunteers, this great little place has a plethora of displays that send you back into an era of carefree travels, bobby-socks and malteds, and adventure.
I fell in love with this TearDrop Trailer. It’s the original RV!
Just past this display is a Diner booth and a refurbished jukebox. For a quarter, we picked three songs! Dot loves Brenda Lee so we heard “I Want to Be Wanted”. I picked Dinah Washington’s “What A Difference A Day Makes”. I don’t remember the third song we chose; but later I was bopping to Elvis and Sinatra. I was just thrilled to use the Ol’ Jukebox. What great tones old 45’s have!
I’ve recently rediscovered reruns of the the old TV Show as well. What great drama. ROUTE 66 was the first and only television fiction series that was filmed all over North America. There was this great display dedicated to the show. The photos were provided by someone associated with the show. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the details, so I neglected to get the personal information.
Of course, I was thrilled with the old communications “technology”.
Other great displays include the Hula Ville display, the Model-T Ford, and other various blasts from the past.
Tucked into the Gift Shop Corner is this great selection of books and media that range from the simple and inexpensive to collectors’ editions.
While at the Museum, I put together this collection of Route 66 Memorabilia.
Would you like to win it? You would? I was hoping you’d say that! Well, then. Here’s what you need to do:
1. MANDATORY ENTRY: Leave a comment on this post: What was the best summer trip you had? This entry is mandatory. If you don’t answer this question, all other entries are void. [Canadian entries only: Since I’m opening this giveaway to my Canadian friends as well, if you live in Canada your rules state you must answer a skills test in order to enter. So if you live in Canada and want to enter, you must correctly answer this question in your mandatory comment/entry: If I start the day with ten apples and eat three, then later buy seven at the store, and the next day eat half, how many apples do I have at the end of the second day?]
2. ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: You can earn up to four additional entries (for five entries total) by doing each of the following then leaving a comment here telling me you’ve done so. If you already do any of these things, that counts as an entry only if you post it in the comments. (Additional entries will be verified):
a. Follow me on Facebook and share this giveaway.
b. Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway.
c. Follow me on Pinterest and pin this giveaway.
d. Share this giveaway on your own blog and leave the link in the comments below.
If you earn any additional entries, please leave a comment so I can verify.
Here’s the fine print:
SUMMER VACATION TIME: Get Your Kicks and A Route 66 Gift Pack Giveaway!
- This giveaway is solely through Molly Jo and the blog Frankly, My Dear…. There are no corporate sponsors and is in no way endorsed by any other person, business or entity.
- Persons affiliated with New Inklings Press, Frankly, My Dear…, or the Route 66 Museum in Victorville are ineligible.
- Only legal citizens of the United States and Canada aged 18 years and older are eligible to win.
- This giveaway begins at 5:30 a.m. PST on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 and ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.
- Winner will be selected from all eligible comments on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 through Random.org.
- One prize pack [$20.00 value] consisting of an historic map of US Route 66, a 2013 Calendar, three postcards, a coin purse, deck of cards, and pen, plus a pamphlet and brochures about Route 66 and Hula Ville will be given. No substitutions or transfers allowed.
- Molly Jo and Frankly, My Dear… are not responsible for any damages that may occur during shipping.
- You may comment as much as you like, but any comment that does not meet the requirements will not be considered for this Giveaway.
- By leaving your comment on this post, you agree to be bound by the rules of this giveaway in their entirety.
Ready to get YOUR kicks? Enter to win with Route 66!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jul 4, 2012 |
Happy Independence Day! It’s time to celebrate!
What does Independence really mean? Well, for America, today, it means we stand on our own.
But in general terms, “Independence” means freedom, liberty, self-reliance.
It can also mean ability, qualification, aptitude. I like that! I like that freedom doesn’t necessarily mean being separate from others; it just means being an individual.
For me, today is about creativity, learning to make-do with what I have. Being able to take care of myself and my family without wholly relying on others to do so.
There’s no shame in needing other people. But there’s a great satisfaction in being Independent.
There’s a certain pride in being able to say, “Look what I did!” and “See how far I’ve come!”
There’s also a joy in being able to pay it forward.
I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the support of my family, friends and readers. And while collectively I love you all, I appreciate each of you Independently.
Have your own stories to tell? Leave a comment or link up your blog posts and share!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
What’s the Word? Wednesdays is a linky that allows other bloggers to share whatever is on their minds that they want to talk about. Think of it as a virtual coffee date with some great friends. What’s going on in your world? Tell us all about it!
A few things to remember:
- Each week’s linky is valid from Wednesday through the following Tuesday. So if you link a post today, you can still come back and link another post tomorrow!
- If you add a link, please put the badge on your post as well.
- Be sure to check out what others are posting, and even leave a few comments.
- You can now show your “likes” by voting for your favorite links.
So, c’mon. Join the conversation. After all, a great coffee date is one where everyone gets to chat, dontcha think?
Just click. Pin. And share.
