East versus West

I have always been more inclined towards the natural. Natural remedies, natural processes, natural ingredients. I come from a culture that is more than 5000 years old and it is not unusual for people to look at western medicine versus eastern medicine as an alternative healing method.

Everyone's journey through life involves asking questions. The answers we get decide on how we make our choices. Unitl now I feel I have led a passive life - not asking enough questions. However, now I find myself wide awake, as if I have been freed of the unseen bonds that were forcing me to keep quiet. And the inflow of information that has been coming my way has been absolutely fascinating. My chance meetings with people who have read all the great books and my finding certain books that before I would never have thought of indicates that when the student is ready the teacher will come.

I have never claimed to be an expert in the great classics or the ancient texts - all I am is a student of life. Having been brought up in a traditional eastern philosophy household, there are certain things that were never questioned. You just did without wondering if it was good or bad. It was always for the best. However, in the west, you are encouraged to ask questions, a new concept for me.

Interestingly, many of the concepts that doctors, scientists and engineers spend many hours experimenting with, have already been explained and discussed in the ancient texts. However, the modern mind seeks a scientific explanation for all the happenings of the universe.

I will be journeying throught the ancient texts over the next few weeks, traveling to an ancient land and will be in the midst of scholarly explanantions. I am excited to hear what they have to say since I know that most of what is explained in the ancient texts is relevant today.

Stay Tuned!

Negotaiting with your teen

I consider myself a good teacher. I pick up on the subtleties and am able to read the emotions in the children's faces. I can even reason with them so that they see a different point of view. But have you heard of 'being so close that you cannot see the forest for the trees"? Well, that is where I was.

I do not like confrontation. I am pretty easy going. It takes a lot before anything can rattle me. But I never realized how much time I would spend negotiating with my t(w)eens. Ai yi yi! It almost seems like every conversation is a negotiation. By the time the kids are into college I can probably handle labor union negotiations.

It was one of those incidents where my teen needed to be dropped off and since us parents still need to drive it was a simple - so what time can we leave? It does not seem to be a big deal, except this was for a practise for which we would need to drive 60 miles one way for three days in a row!!! If you have teens of your own, you will notice they are very good at sales. They make you think that it is in your best interest if you do as they tell you - after all you don't want to embarrass your child now, would you?

Wait a minute - you almost committed to a time without thinking of all the other errands and schedules. Ah hah - that is when the tantrums start flowing - 'but you promised' will be the most vocal of them all. Don't let it get to you, do not react and be firm.

'I have to be at school in 10 minutes - so can you please hurry up and make your discussion and tell me what time we can leave?' will be the next strategy. Don't fall for it - be strong and say - we shall discuss it once we know the rest of the schedule. Interesting point to note is that they will only be talking to one parent.

Only when my spouse mentioned it to me - that is when I realized - present a united front. Safety in numbers especially for those of us who eat guilty pie real easy. Now the next question I asked is - have you asked your dad? If the answer is no - then of course all further discussion is suspended until further notice.

Ask for alternatives - that seems to work - you do want this to be a win win for all. I did present an alternative and asked my teen to come up with one. We did end up coming up with a compromise - in the end alls well that ends well. Phew! quite an exhausting experience.

My present please!

I think it must be in the genes - I don't know of any other family that come up with some real classic explanations/reasoning/logic. Both my son and nephew have come up with some amazing logic - you wonder where they get it from. (*cough cough - it must be from my side of the family!)

His birthday is in July but he asked for his birthday present earlier.
Why?
Because if I have a birthday - I will grow old.
I do not want to grow old - so I have decided no more birthdays.
But I still need my presents.

Hmmm Good thinking. Now, why didn't I think of that?

Thank you Pandora!

Can you imagine what would be the state of this world if Pandora had never been inquisitive enough and opened that box??? No matter - it is interesting to see how people react when the going gets tough.

I got laid off in November - I was not surprised but it definitely was a jolt to the system. On the other hand - those who still have their job are actually more worried because they do not know if at all they will be the next ones to go.

"Those who got laid off are so much better off, at least they have a sense of certainty", was the comment. I guess in some ways those who got laid off are better off - we can focus on what needs to be done versus what has already happened.

I know it is not easy out there - with unemployment numbers being the highest in history (I am not too happy of being part of that statistic). However I have to say there is a sense of hope - (I should say Thank you to Pandora for making it all possible) maybe it is because of the new year, new president, new outlook and a feeling that we are all in this together.

It must be the attitude.
How else can you explain even though there is fighting in the middle east there hope for peace, even though the economy is terrible, there is hope that it will not last for long, even though the banks are in terrible state there is hope that you will still keep your home, even though the bitter cold does not seem to let up, there is hope that the groundhog will not see his shadow and we will have an early spring.

O it most definitely is the attitude. It is hope.

Full circle

I have to keep asking myself to make sure I don't lose my focus - why am I doing this? When I first started blogging it was to get words on paper. Then I started thinking about making it a regular feature so that people could read. Not knowing anything about the web, I joined a course that walks me through the process. Reading other people's comments made me realize how much there is to learn.

Once I started on that route, it was about how do you create a viable business and what all are you willing to do about it. You have to come up with a plan and a goal and work towards it. Therein lies the key. You have to decide what you want. Does anyone know how hard that is? Knowing what you want, I mean. Sure you want money, fame, glory - who doesn't?

So I thought about it - read up all the literature I could find- and guess what - my mother was right - there is no substitute to hard work. (I knew that already but still) You want to be good - you better have something to show. When you look up how many people actually make a living by blogging full time - not very many. Those who do have been at it for a while.

So I finally came back and asked myself - why am I in this? To write. What do I want to accomplish - write and hopefully there will be those who read it. Now if I write and people read it and I get paid for it - in the voice of Eliza Dolittle - wouldn't it be Loverly?

I looked back at my goals for the year and realized I am short on number of posts for the year. So I ask myself again

Q: Why am I doing this?
Myself: To write - now get back to writing.

3 ways to keep upbeat

Optimists - start your engines. President Obama was right. It is going to get worse before it gets better. 2009 started off with the worst unemployment numbers. Then some brick and mortar companies like Microsoft, Citibank, Caterpillar and Harley Davidson started announcing layoffs of thousands. In an economy like this how do you keep your chin up and stay positive?

1.Where are you financially? This is huge for most people. It is recommended that you have 6-8 months of living expenses in your savings. I am not sure how many peole have that, cause I sure don't. So what do you do? This is what I did. I have become quite good at saying 'NO'. Mom, can I buy lunch - NO. Mom, can I buy these $40 jeans - NO. Can I have my lesson - Not right now, but we will work around it. Now that last one hurt but we have worked out a compromise. You will be surprised how much more kids value their stuff when they have to pay for it or earn the right!!

2. Be grateful: Yeah, I know, I can hear the skeptics go "yeah right, grateful for what?" But hey - in my mind for every door closed, a window opens. You just have to look for it. I am grateful for a roof over my head, my health, my family - no matter how many skeptics and realists there are and for my friends who keep me smiling with all the crazy things we say and do, so much so the kids have named us the "Wild Moms".

3. Surround yourself with positive people: Well, it is kind of hard for people to be positive in this environment of doom and gloom. Even the media are having a field day with it. I wonder if the news readers every get depressed after reading the news? Most of my friends call me - I am Miss Sunshine. But after I talk to them I have to shake off that cloud and maybe call my team of mood picker upper just so I don't go spiraling into that depression mode.

Now - Say NO and make your coffee at home instead of Starbucks, look up and hopefully your roof is okay and don't turn the news on.

Why are you so stressed?

Your tummy hurts, your head hurts, you have lost your appetite or you eat too much, you cannot focus, you feel like crying, you snap at those close to you and keep wondering why is everyone so mad at you?

You are probably under stress - but then in this day and age - who isn't?

I always thought only adults could be under stress - but that was before I became an adult. Then I had kids and the kids tell me that they are under stress. I look around even the pets and plants can be under stress!

Why is that? People want to be in control and when things don't go the way you planned it, you become agitated, get angry and your blood pressure rises and its all downhill from there. Hello? did you know you cannot control everything? But there are those of use who do want to believe that we can - control everything, that is.

Bee there, done that. So what did I learn - it is so much easier to let go. Take charge of the things you can change - the rest - let it happen the way it should.
So much easier - on yourself and everyone else around you. Result - happy body, happy mind and so is every one around you.

Now, how do I know if the cat is smiling?

Yes we can!

A King was dreaming. Yes we can!
The layoffs are starting. Yes we can!
The gas prices are skyrocketing. Yes we can!
The food prices are going up. Yes we can!
The stock market is crashing. Yes we can!
The homes are foreclosing. Yes we can!
The war is not ending. Yes we can!
The election is happening. Yes we can!
The people are rallying. Yes we can!
Obama is winning. Yes we can!
Everyone is celebrating. Yes we can!
One President is leaving. Yes we can!
One door is closing. Yes we can!
A new President is arriving. Yes we can!
Another window is opening. Yes we can!
The dream is now living. Yes we can!
Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

3 Strengths for Success

It has only been a week since I started taking the online course but I feel like I have been swimming in it for a while - SEO's, twitter, Word press, domain, registrar, social network media, Cpanel, one click install...... the list goes on and on.

It is very easy to get intimidated listening to all those terms and you wonder what the heck are you doing. Then you have to keep reminding yourself - you are in this to learn - don't worry about being perfect, make a few mistakes - its OK. Most of the guys there know because they have been messing around with it for a while. So take a deep breath and keep going.

Reading all the posts definitely gives you perspective and also give you an idea how people think. But after reading all that - I found the 3 characteristics you need to be successful are:

1. Be courageous - don't be afraid - the moment you start to start doubting yourself - you can forget it. You cannot afford to wonder what if they don't like it. Well, if they don't like it - they will tell you. Then you change it - that's how you learn.

2. Be sincere - people will know if you are not. You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time. Whatever you do - do it sincerely and the results will show.

3. Be positive - This is hard in times of adversity, but this is key for your well being. You have to always think of the good in everything, be thankful for what you do have and then you realize it ain't all that bad after all.

Having said that - the above 3 strengths are not meant for blogging, it works for any field that you may be in. So buckle up, smile and carry on.

Creating Value

As part of the online course they ask you what value can you create? That got me to start thinking. In fact that is probably the reason why they ask that question right in the beginning of the course cause they want you to start thinking. What do you have to offer? What do you know or can show that will make other people believe you and come back for more?

As I watch history being made today, and as the world watches while the 44th President of the United States being sworn in, I think about the journey of Barrack Obama. His has been an incredible journey and his passion has ignited the nation and the entire world.

They look up to him for leadership and to provide direction. He brings with him this sense of calm, making you feel that you are in the right hands. All during the campaigns, he spoke with conviction, he was consistent in his message and what grabbed every one's attention was his sincerity. People seemed to trust him and they believed in him and that is what got him elected. He has value. His next 4 years will be a test but the people have put their faith in him.

Taking an example from Obama - the message is you have value when you are consistent with your message, your sincerity shows and you believe in what you are doing.

Now that I have figured that part out - lets gets to work on the details.

How is the writing going?

Weeell, not so good since I should be posting every day but I have a valid reason. I joined this course and that is keeping me busy.

I know, I know, no excuse for not writing since that is the whole idea of the blog - but the content is forcing me to think strategy and long term and I never realized I am my own worst enemy.

Even Daniel, who is running the course took a break from his technical/business writing to write a post about loving what you do and loving Mondays. Check it out. Totally agree with him - back to finding your passion.

Interesting how everything you look at always comes back to that question that is burning a hole in your brain eh?

Taking the next step

When you are focused on what you want to do - the Universe starts to make things happen - cause that is what you asked for. So I decided to put my fears aside and proceed. I joined a course online to understand more about blogging and internet marketing. (Check out www.onlineprofits.com)

I have to say this is the scariest move for me. I have been saying I need to find my passion, well the perfect opportunity presented itself. The first step in the course is to find your passion - talk about getting right to the heart of the matter. Now not only do I have to find my passion - I have to hurry up and find it so that I can create my website based on that.

As I read some of the other posts, there are those that sound so certain as to what they want to do - and how they want to proceed and it motivates me. There are kids as young as 14 and 17 - have a fresh perspective on life and yet they sound like they have been around a long time and they know exactly what they want.

Will keep blogging the progress on this adventure. In the meantime I need to get back to finding my passion.

Don't stop writing - no matter what

I had started writing this post couple days ago about how good I was about posting almost every day - then I fell into that hole - like most people do. Think I am doing ok, yeah sure I have enough time and the next thing I know a couple days have passed and I have not written anything on my blog.

It was there on the back of my mind that I need to write, after a while it starts to bother you cause you have not written - for a writer it is a cathartic process, for me my mind starts to overflow and I start to forget important things.

As I spend the time - since that is all I can afford at this time - I look at the various blogs and read all about the nuts and bolts about blogging and come away with a lot of information.

However one thing I have noticed - there are different types of bloggers. There are those that are the traditional writers and use their craft to create a blog and eventually make money out of it, there are others whose sole aim is that of internet marketing and there are still others who provide the support to the blogs and internet marketing and make an income out of that. There are still others whose joy is writing and don't care whether or not they make money on it or not.

Now the question is which category do I want to belong to? In this age of instant gratification - everything happens so quickly. There are ways that you can make money in a blink of an eye, however there are some things that take time - like building a reputation.

Years used to be the measure to accomplish certain goals but now it looks like days is more like it. If I am a reader to a particular site because I enjoy the content, I will go to that site all the time to check out what is new. However, if there is no update to that site, it is only a matter of time before I stop going to check it out.

I don't want my readers to think I am not serious, so it is important that I keep writing - cause no content means no readers. At this point I want to stick to the writing. The money will follow.

So like Dory sings in Finding Nemo - Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming - I say to myself - just keep writing, writing, writing.

Ok now that I have convinced myself - I have a few more posts to write.

Reality Check

There is something about January that forces you to do a reality check.

The Christmas holidays are over and the presents don't seem like presents any more.
The tree and decorations have been put away.
The New year party is over and everyone is wondering what made them think of the resolutions that they came up with. The weather is cold and if you live in my part of the world - you are probably tired of being snowed in.

It is time to start looking at your bills and gather your information for the taxes. It is time to start looking at your goals for the year and start planning accordingly.
You cannot even think about gardening because when you look out the window the whole place is covered in snow.
The economy is slow, there is not much going on and the airlines and travel agents send you deals to travel to some warm beach on the other side of the world.

Yet, in spite of all that - there is something very hopeful about January.
It marks the beginning of Uttarayana - or the northern movement of the sun, Makara Sankrathi is celebrated - Sankranthi - is a Sanskrit word - that means the transmigration of the sun from one zodiac sign(Rashi) of the (Indian) zodiac calendar - from Sagittarius (Dhanur) to Capricorn (Makara). It is considered very auspicious.
It feels like even the Heavens have given you permission to start afresh. The houses are cleaned, old things thrown out, new clothes worn, kites are flown.

So as the sun moves more to the north, I am looking at the goals that I had made for the year and see that I can move north too - up, that is, keep progressing. Goals are great - now to come up with a plan to keep it moving.

So here is what I came up with;
1. Evaluate your goals.
2. Reevaluate your goals to make sure you are where you want to be.
3. Come up with a timeline to make sure you are on track.

So far so good.

It is all about the writing

The more I think about it - I keep coming back to the same point - It is all about the writing.
As I go through all the blogs and see what people came up with and how - it comes back to the same thing - it is all about the writing.
I see those who are successful - it is because they have been doing it for 15 years- the writing that is.
I watched the Golden Globes as Slumdog won 4 of them - an amazing sense of pride for India - it grabbed the attention to be made into a movie, because it was written so well - it was based of a book - once again it is all about the writing.
At this point it is not about how many readers - it will be at some later point - but right now - it is all about the writing.

So let get back - to the writing.

My first month report - Happy Anniversary to me

It has been a little over a month since I started blogging yet it seems like I just started yesterday. I started the blogging cause I needed to write. There were too many ideas and words overflowing in my head that needed to be on paper. This was the the perfect forum - where I could keep track of everything I am doing and see how my thoughts and ideas shape my writing.

As is only natural while on the web, you start to surf and one post leads to a link and then to another and the next thing you know three hours have passed. The most amazing thing about blogging is the amount of information that is available at your fingertips. Do you know what the most overwhelming thing about blogging is - you got it - the amount of information that is available.

As I read some of the blogs (I have the link on my fave reads) there are some points that I have taken into consideration, some that I am not ready for and some that makes sense depending on what you want to do.

In the last month - I learnt a little more about how to use blogger, adding links etc, write almost everyday, added AdSense, figured out how to read the stats, found a few great blogs that i like to read, subscribed to a couple and still finding my voice. There is enough information to tell me how to go about doing all of the above.

This month I am plan is to write everyday, comment on a few blogs, understand what affiliate marketing is all about, and keep writing. Strange how I feel about it. If I have not written in a couple days, I get antsy, like I am missing something. It only takes 21 days to create a habit. I am trying to make it a habit to write everyday. So far so good.

Q: Why am I blogging?
Answer: To write.

I have read about folks starting to blog for various reasons - whether it be meeting with like minded individuals or making money or both. I have subscribed to a couple posts where they show how you can make a $100 dollars in a day - yet there are so many terms that I don't understand, or I don't get the concept - cause I am blogging to write.

I have seen blogs that say that you should have your own domain hosted website so that people will take you seriously - but is there anything that is free? Yes there is and I am using it. Right now I cannot afford to buy my own space - I am still finding my voice.

Some of my favorite blogs are about people who write cause they love to write - and they do it consistently and they write about what they know and what they have experienced - and I like that - cause I am doing that too.

I see articles about blogging, search engine optimization (SEO), increasing views and readers, twitter, face book, RSS feeds, interviews, podcasts, e-books and the list goes on and on. Just goes to show how much is out there to learn.

I am still finding my voice. When I do, you will be the first to know. In the meantime you can tell me how did you find yours (voice, that is) or are you still looking?

Have you found your passion yet?

No, I am still looking. But I think I am on the right track. In my earlier posts I had mentioned the power of intention. One of the techniques that is mentioned about increasing the power of intention is to write down how you want your life to be. The trick is to write it like it is in the NOW as opposed to wishing or in the future.(By the way, writing on yellow paper with a red pen also helps.)

I had started doing that a while ago. Being affected by the economic layoffs, i figured there was nothing to lose in writing what I wanted my life to be. Before, if any one of my projects was not going well I would write that the plan is going well and I have successfully completed it. Once I completed writing the post about finding my passion, a thought came to me - I should be writing about finding my passion instead of finding a job.

I am happy to report that the power of intention is definitely working. How else can I explain three people tell me my strength - which is teaching - in three different avenues and how I can make it work. That is definitely is a sign. Besides it answered the question that I was asking myself - is that truly my passion or is it just convenient?

Now as I evaluate my question, I realize therein lies the true difference between a passion and work. If it is a passion - why do they call it work?

Below is a list that gives you a good indication whether or not it is a passion:
1. It is something that I don't mind doing even if it is hard.
2. I am excited about new projects versus getting heart burn.
3. I can sleep at night without worrying.
4. I can work for hours and still feel that it has only been a few minutes.
5. I have fun.

Having said all of the above - I know I am on the right path.

Have you found your passion yet?

I love my new name!

I have to say thanks to my fan club for suggesting this name - Gorgeous Dancing Diva - where words dance to my tune. They know me well. It seems to have captured that part of me that I did not know was visible.

I love the tagline. I did modify it a little for posting purposes but it is definitely part of my profile.

Love you guys!

Pseudonymn

What is in a name? After all a rose is a rose is a rose no matter what other name you call it. Even when you name a child you are told to be careful what you name it. Each name has a personality that is reflected in that child. As I am in the process of creating this blog and finding my passion, I am trying to see what kind of name do I want to use.

I have been reading a number of blogs and look at the names that people use. Some use their real names, some use names that indicate their personality, some others create a name that reflect their passion and yet others create a totally different name.

Reading some of the reasoning behind the names is also quite interesting. Of course you have a pseudonym so that if you are in a profession that everyone knows who you are, you don't want to be identified or you have a contract job and don't want your employer to know. But there are other reasons too - women pick a name of a man so that they are taken seriously, men who write romance novels take women names so they are taken seriously (after all who wants to read a romance novel that is written by a man :))and some pick a name with the last name that would be right between two very famous authors on the bookshelf.

Yet another interesting way of figuring out what name to pick is to see what shows up when you type your name on Amazon.com. I never thought of that. With Amazon carrying so many products and so many people buying online - it is interesting to see how many other people have the same name as you. Apparently there are quite a few with mine.

I thought about what I wanted to be called - do I want a name that shows what I do, and be taken seriously when other people see my name and describes my passion. So here are a few that I came up with - sunny girl - I have a sunny disposition, dancer - even though I am a dancer none of my writing is about dance - yet, what am I passionate about? - everything in Life - life lover - as opposed to death lover - I don't think so.

So that leaves me with what am I doing all the time - writing. So for now I think I will stick to busyriting. What's in a name you ask - everything. Does it describe what I do - yes, does it sound interesting versus silly - yes, am I passionate about it - if that means seeing my thoughts on paper whether or not people read it - yes.

So do you have a pseudonym?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

As Aretha Franklin belted out in her song - I got to have just a little respect...

What is it about human nature that drives one to treat people without respect. It looks like if you treat me well, I treat you like dirt, however, if you treat me like dirt, I will treat you very well. Why is it that people never take each other at face value? Why do people see the worst in others?

Every person is good, there are no bad people, just bad circumstances. But in my observance of human nature I see that when one is nice to someone - they wonder why? They expect the worst. What is in it for you? - they ask. Husband or wife, brother or sister, teacher or student, friend to friend, employer and employee - it does not matter what the relationship - that question is always in the back of the mind - what is in it for you? Or on the other hand - walk all over them cause you think they are weak. Why? Is it human nature to want to be in control and control others?

The ancient texts say that what you receive is a reflection of what you project. Keeping that in mind, in order to gain the respect of those around you, you have to project the vibrations that will encourage the same feeling. Be confident, be true to who you are and what you want from life, have the courage of conviction to stand up for what you believe in. It is a hard concept to follow if you are not used to standing up for yourself.

Children watch adults and imitate them. Or children see the downside of not standing up for yourself and swear they will never be that way. If a child lives with kindness and consideration they learn respect. In this fast paced competitive world, I see more disrespect - whether it be towards parents, elders or teachers.

Are we as parents setting a good example for our children? Are we being kind and considerate towards others and their beliefs? Are we raising a generation that is respectful of their past, cherish the present and care about the future?

Are we?

I am building it - so will they come?

Ok, so I wanted mine to look like all the other professional ones out there and did not know how. So thank you to http://www.howtomakemyblog.com/ for simple instructions for novices like me. I wanted the Feedburner stats like everyone else had so I just had to go to Feedburner and follow the instructions. Duh! I figured out how to add the number of readers (which at this time is only me) and the RSS feed (which stands for Really Simple Syndication - which means that people will know when I have updated my blog and they can read it without going to the site, sort of like a bookmark).

Now just to figure out how to let people know about my blog. Hmm, I guess posting about it will help, any ideas where to start?

Blogging 101

As mentioned in earlier posts, this whole blogging experience is very new to me. As I keep my eyes and ears open about blogging and ever since I have made a conscious decision to write everyday on this blog, I hear and see more and more information about blogging. (That, by the way is the Law of Attraction taking place.)

I read somewhere it takes a year to learn and another year to perfect a new skill. Considering this is my new skill, I am giving myself a year to educate myself in this creative task of writing and you will see the progress I make along those lines.

To start, I decided to go with something relatively simple that gave you all the tools - so that I can focus on the main topic which is writing. That was the main idea of creating the blog - developing the habit of writing everyday. As I forayed into the blogging world, I see the endless opportunities out there - depending which way you want to go. But, whatever the intention - Content is King - as I have read in countless of the posts out there. If you write something that is worth reading - they will come.

So having said that - the next is understanding what all the terms mean. I can see that there are some that specialize in the novices on setting up their blog and others in helping them monetizing the blogs. There are others that will help you understand the nuances of marketing and some others that will help you increase your page rank or readers.

Adding Google AdSense was easy - sign up and it walks you through it. It says it is the easy way to generate income but I have yet to see it in action. The way I understood it - based on your article and key words - corresponding ads will be placed on your site. If a reader clicks on it - you get paid for it. Hmmm - I hope it is working.

I am still learning the terms and I see - twitter follower, reader, subscriber, follower, RSS feed to name a few. At this point I wanted to know how many people read this blog. I haven't done any publicity. So I went to Bravenet and downloaded a counter. From the looks of it - I don't think it should count the times that I log in - I am still checking that out. The stat counter does tell me how many unique, new and repeat hits I have.

Now to understand what the RSS feed is and what does feedburner do and do I need it.

Feel free to educate me on the blogging terms and how they can help.