First, we're happy to announce that the team has identified and fixed the issue with the YouTube conduit; you can now find and add videos from YouTube to your library and posts. As always, thanks for your patience!
The other news we have today is about a new addition to the Six Apart family: TypePad Micro, a new free level of TypePad that is streamlined for microblogging. We see a new form of blogging emerging that lives between the quick status updates of Twitter and Facebook and the long-form posts of "classic" blogging; TypePad Micro is designed to meet that need. You can read more about TypePad Micro in Chris Alden's post on the Everything TypePad blog.
A lot of the new capabilities we've added to TypePad this year were actually inspired by some of the best things about Vox: favoriting, member profiles, a dashboard to follow other bloggers, and easy ways to post content from other social media sites. But the things that make Vox different from TypePad are still there: Vox has always been -- and still is -- the best place for "friends and family" blogging, where you're in control over who sees what. TypePad, on the other hand, is built for the blogger who wants, no, craves, attention.
Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with people beyond your Vox neighborhood? If so, we'd love it if you tried out TypePad Micro. Maybe you've always wanted to start that obsessive blog that's just about waffle restaurants. Or want a place to share videos of your favorite band (Jonas Brothers, anyone? Anyone? ...). TypePad Micro's great for those topic-specific blogs. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think.
On the Vox front, our designers are working on some cool new themes (coming soon!). We'd also love to hear your thoughts about where we should take Vox in the coming year. What are the key things you'd like to see for Vox? If you've had a chance to use TypePad this year, what are the features there that we should bring over to Vox? And, if you're thinking big thoughts, how could we connect the Vox and TypePad communities in order to bring together bloggers and their shared passions? Your feedback is really important to us, so please leave a comment here, or shoot me a message.
And again, thanks for your patience as we found and fixed the YouTube bug!
~ daisy
As many of you have noticed, the YouTube Conduit is not working. I am so sorry about this; I know how frustrating it is.
The team is looking into how to get this fixed and I will update you as soon as I hear something. In the meantime, not all is lost... There is a work-around for posting videos.
When you're in the Compose Screen, just click on "embed." Ignore the fact that it says "Widget" before everything because you can definitely use this to embed videos as well. You'll just need to input the embed code from the video, enter a title (if you want) and hit OK.
It might not show up perfectly in your compose screen, but when you hit "Save," your video should appear just the way you wanted it to.
Hopefully this will allow you to keep posting videos while we figure out what's happening on our end.
As always, thanks for your patience.
Here is a link to my website for school. Some of the art work my kids have done astounds me. I am really enjoying teaching this year.
Go forth and fill your libraries with media.
Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.
I was just told that the Amazon Conduit will be fixed by tomorrow. I will post here as soon as I get word that it's back up and running.
I know this has been frustrating and I am sorry there wasn't more I could do to make it less so. I really appreciate your patience though.
Cheers,
Bad news. As many of you have probably noticed, the Amazon Conduit was not fixed in the last week's release. Unfortunately, there was an undetected bug that is preventing the conduit from working.
We are working on this bug fix and hope to have the Conduit back up and running this week.
I will keep you posted.
Thank you for being so patient.
Last week I was kind of pushing it. Maggie had the croup, I had a bad cough and couldn't sleep through the night, Kevin had 15 hour work days. And I had a full weekend planned. I had planned it without really consulting Kevin. Because Kevin didn't have to DO anything.
On Saturday, I had signed up to volunteer at the bounce house at 10 AM and at the science club booth at noon. This was for our school's main fundraiser, a walk-a-thon/carnival. Since I am a teacher and a parent, I feel it is only right to volunteer. Maggie would be participating in the walk-a-thon while I volunteered. No problem. Kevin? He would probably be working. It is crunch time at his office.
Then on Sunday, I had planned to teach Sunday School, take in the coffee time goodies and meet with another couple to plan our Social Concerns actions for the Fall. Right after church Maggie and I were going to meet Kevin and drive up to the city to meet his parents and go to the King Tut Exhibit. I was really looking forward to that!
But...On Friday I felt really awful. Queasy and light headed, and doubled over with coughing bouts. I should have called in sick, but I was already covering my classes AND another teacher's classes who couldn't be there. If I had gone home, they would have had to find TWO subs. Plus, I only work part time. How hard could it be?
I almost fainted a few times. It was ridiculous. Those poor kids. I managed to wait until after the last bell when the kids had all gone, to barf into the art class trash cans. Then I called Kevin. Kevin, who was working on a deadline that Friday night. And had planned to worked very late to get stuff done....
I called Kevin, and he jumped into action. He left work, got me medicine from the pharmacy, got dinner for Maggie, put her to bed, and just took care of me.
Saturday came. Guess who went to the walkathon? I stayed in bed.
Sunday? Kevin taught Sunday School for the first time. He said it wasn't too bad. He took in the coffee time treats, met with the social action crew. Then he and Maggie went to the exhibit. I stayed home. Boo.
The man is a rock. I love him so much. He must be exhausted after all of the work he has been doing. And then there were Maggie duties, and Natalie created duties on top of that. But he never said a thing. And I am still sick. I took off work yesterday, and as soon as I finish this blog, I plan to go back to bed.
H1N1? Probably. Ehhh -- Swine Flu. You don't scare me. I have my husband taking care of me.
Blog Action Day is every October 15th, when blogger are asked to post something about a single issue to show our strength and conviction as an online community. It's a great way to feel connected to the greater good, and the participation of so many bloggers to support the world's leading non-profit organizations is something you can do to help, right now. By blogging today, you're supporting some of the world's leading non-profits and sharing your voice for change.
This year's topic is climate change, and we'd love to read your thoughts on the topic. If you participate, leave us a link to your post in the comments, so we know to check out your post!
Go to www.blogactionday.org to learn more, get a badge for your blog showing your participation, and see some ideas for your post on climate change.
Can't wait to read your posts!
~ daisy
Recently, I had been patting myself on the back for how darned efficient I was being.
Errands run? Check.
Work out DVD performed? Check.
Floor mopped? Check.
Articles typed up for the church newsletter? Check.
Lessons planned and papers graded? Check. (mostly...Ummm.... okay, not all of my papers are graded. most. not all. Alright, fine, I still have a stack on my kitchen table, so sue me!)
Dinner planned out for the week? Check.
But in order to do everything, I have been getting up each morning at 6AM. This is a big difference for me. Especially since my darling daughter is NOT an early riser, so I can actually sleep in pretty late. But this year we all need to be up and out of here by 7:40. I have to drive the carpool in the morning. And if I am going to exercise every day, then I need to do it before Maggie gets up at 7. So. I get up at 6. But I don't like to go to bed at 10 PM. Too early. Too much to do. I am NOT getting the amount of sleep I need. Which is 8 hours a night. (ha ha, right? Who gets eight hours of sleep? Single people. Retired people. Vacationing people) Not moms. But still. I need to try. Because when I get tired, I get a little absent minded. Here are some examples of why I should maybe hit the snooze button....
1) Last week, when I was helping Maggie brush her teeth, we got to the part where I pump the mouthwash into the little cup, and add water so she can slosh it around. I performed the nightly ritual, and handed her the cup. Maggie looked at me, wide eyed, and said, "Mom, you put the hand soap in there!" And yep, I totally had. The concoction had even gotten a bit bubbly. And I hadn't noticed a thing. Thank goodness one of us was aware!
2) Last Monday, I was driving the kids in to school. I had one extra kid, and was a little flummoxed over how to fit three car seats in the back of my Subaru (Oh mini van, how I covet you....) And I was just getting over heated and frustrated, and of course, we were totally running late. (I always seem to be running late, and the kids are like, pushed out of the car, while I yell, "go go go , hurry, I hear the bell ringing!" and they grab their little back packs, and run wildly. Oh, and I WORK there! Thank goodness I don't teach art classes until later in the day!)
ANYWAY-- We were late. Just getting out of my garage. And I broke a nail while buckling them in. And I still had to run into the kitchen to grab my coffee. (Mommy loves her coffee) and Josh, from the back of the car, yelled, "I need water, I am so thirsty!" Poor kid had been asking for 10 minutes while I buckled them in. So I opened the fridge and grabbed one of our aluminum water bottles that I keep in there, to make sure the water is cold when I want it. I unscrewed the cap, and passed it back there. "You guys share!" I yelled over my shoulder as I careened onto the highway, "Pass it back and forth!" Josh took the first chug, and said "Natalie, this water tastes bad."
Oh God. When he said that, I realized what I had just handed that dear, sweet little six year old. "STOP!!!!" I yelled, and almost crashed the car. "Don't drink any more! Don't pass it to your sister! Give it to me!" . The kids were looking at me in the rearview mirror like I was a crazy person. I was a crazy person! I had just handed Josh a full liter of Sangria. And he drank some. At 7:40 in the morning.
Lord. I don't usually have water bottles full of sangria just sitting in my fridge. But we had gone camping with the girl scouts that weekend, (more on that later) and I had taken the sangria for the adults to drink when the girls were in bed. And I totally forgot. And now Josh was going to smell like a wino when he walked into 1st grade. Please don't call Child Protective Services. I told his mom, and she just laughed. But. Ummmmm. I need a nap. Or something. (Maybe some sangria?)
I actually have been reading a bit, even though school has started and I literally feel breathless All Day Long, but I haven't blogged yet because Vox's book attachment is on the fritz, until some time in October. And you know, when it's not ONE-CLICK EASY, I just can't be bothered. So I'm going to write about the books and put in some unrelated visuals to break up the monotony. Not unlike my 6th grade history lessons.
So I just read two very enjoyable, if not AWESOME, young-adult novels, one by an author that I liked as a Grown Up too.
One is Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins, the necessary sequel to last year's favorite: Hunger Games. She's a great storyteller, who writes fantastic action scenes, but I feel manipulated by the cliffhanger endings. I hate waiting for sequels.
And where the book photo would go, here's my super-beautiful former nanny, responsible for any good child-rearing that Ainsley has experienced, and her two beautiful flower girls:
(Mad props to Corndog Queen for providing the dress and the shoes to Ainsley, and the peace of mind to me.)
The other book is called The Other Side of the Island, by Allegra Goodman, who won reasonable accolades for her grownup book Intuition (which was not a dirty book, despite the title) but rather another one of those Environmental Dystopia tales where weather is the great enemy ... Or So We Think. I wonder if she started this as a book for adults and was told that only Young Adult and Non-Literary Authors write about environmental dystopias.
And where the book would go, here's why Johanna was the best nanny ever:
