Blogging with Blogger and a Model Post for Blogger Talk

this blog's home page as a collage

In this post, I don't want it to be about me, but about the story I have told in the last four years.

And in this case, what I've used to tell it, Google's +Blogger.  This site or blog is written by me and no one else.

It's also a model post which will be posted in the Google+ Blogger Talk Community - it's an example of a blogger showing other people about the work they have produced and the choices they have made.

I value whitespace and especially how google, to this very day, have white blank space surrounding their search home page. I carry no ads on this site, as a teacher I value learning far too high for that distraction (however, I do turn on Ads from time to time to see what kind show up).

I've used an old classic template called Minima which dates back to 2004 (If you are new, use the white Simple template, that will do just fine).

define blog

I have a custom header that's in the same style as my other profiles like Google+ and YouTube.

I use a left column of 580 pixels and a right column of 265 pixels. The right column contains of 21 widgets. I've tried to order them in order of importance. I also realise about 80% of readers may visit the site from search, so they may never really take notice of the widgets.

At the base of the main column are four more widgets - two of them display popular posts in the last 7 and 30 days.

I've made about 945 posts so far. I always include at least one main image which sits top left of every post. I then alternate images as I write the text. I usually end each post by embedding a YouTube video, or a chart.

I've also enabled the Google+ commenting system on this blog. This helps me as each comment made at g+ will cross post to this blog. And any comment made here will cross post to g+.

Although I know a little html code and know how to manipulate it when needed, I strongly believe blogging should be 99% about being creative and making creative decisions with words, images or video.

As a teacher, I know all too well how children (and adults) will use many avoidance strategies like sharpening a pencil, going to the bathroom or getting another drink rather than writing a word. I remember one of my classes writing a three word title and spending the next minutes choosing a font and a color scheme.

If you want to know more on how I work, then ask me a question or take a look at my video series called #bloggertalk (16 videos, running time 2 hrs 47 mins).

As an end point, here's the brilliant Google Books Ngram Viewer at work comparing blog with weblog. As we can see, weblog is all but forgotten..