Sunday, March 29, 2009

while it's on my mind...

This past week, I decided to purchase my own domain.

I made this decision for a few reasons. The first reason is that eventually, I plan to expand what I can do with this site and as awesome as blogger has been, I feel like I'm limited.

The other reason I am making the change is because at some point in the near (?) future, I plan to delete the blogspot address as well as our Photobucket account that stores all of our historic photos. I'm convinced it will take me some time before I can delete either of the accounts, especially since I have over 8,000 pictures uploaded to Photobucket that I'll need to move.

So, why am I doing this?

Let's just say there are some very creepy internet searches that lead people here. And although my sense might be totally erroneous, I'll feel more secure with a new web address and my photos in Flickr.

Now, this isn't creepy, per se, but would you believe that this photo of me 20 weeks pregnant with the triplets is the most commonly viewed picture on the entire blog with over 300 views per day?


Followed by this picture of me on "couch rest" with the triplets that is viewed around 25 times a day?

Personally, I thought for sure this picture would be the most commonly viewed ... seeing as it's one of the best Santa photos, ever. But it's not. No one ever looks at this picture. Am I twisted to think that it's hysterical??

Even now, I laugh every time I look at it.

For the time being, our blog can still be accessed via www.amazingtrips.blogspot.com. But once I figure out how I want my website to be set up, and then, once I find someone who actually has a clue about how to design a website, and then, once I can find some additional time every day to make all of this happen, you'll be able to find us at www.theamazingtrips.com.

Actually, you can find us at www.theamazingtrips.com right now.

This very instant.


And in case anyone is curious, the reason I deleted the "Followers" widget is because it was linked to blogspot and an error message showed up when I switched domains.

Honestly? I never really liked that widget in the first place. It would always make me feel terribly self conscious whenever I noticed that I was losing followers. Try as I might, I couldn't help but think that my blog is lame and/or I gravely offended someone. So, don't be surprised if that widget never makes a comeback.

I need to be who I am.


*******

So, why is it that the writers of one of the greatest children's movies of all time, a movie that has impacted people across several generations, a movie that is funny and touching and heroic, why is it that the writers of this movie would opt to name one of the main characters Woody?

Especially when they know that figurines of this character will be made up that children 'round the world will undoubtedly want to own?

Why on God's green earth, would they choose the name Woody?

Do they not realize just how horrified parents will be when they are standing in a crowded store and their four-year-old son starts screaming at the top of his lungs that people are touching his Woody and that they'll hurt his Woody? STOP PULLING MY WOODY!!

And anyone who visits your home will be told by your child how much he loves his Woody?

And would they like to hold his Woody?

And for Halloween, he wants to be a BIG WOODY!

Why not ... Cowboy Carl?

WHY?


*******

Speaking of Woody...

The other day Charlie told me about one of his co-workers who recently had a vasectomy. Apparently, when his co-worker spotted a coupon in the paper that offered 25% off, he decided that it was too good of a deal to pass up. Especially since included in the "package" was a voucher for a free buffet.

I kid you not.

So, he cut out the coupon, drove to the doctor's office and had the procedure completed the same day. And then, he got a free LUNCH!

I'm all about saving a buck. But I think if I was a man, I'd probably just go on ahead and pay full price for something like that.

What about you?

(Isn't it swell that I wrote this post the same day that I announced my new website address?? Good going, Jen. I can only imagine what kind of hits I'll get now with, "Big Woody costume for Halloween.")

27 comments:

  1. J--

    There is another possible explanation for the large hits on those photos. I don't know the official jargon for it, but spammers have programs that rifle though the internet at Mach 10 speed all day and night, finding innocuous words in digital photo names, in blogs, in websites, whatever. There could be something in your naming of the photos or in the blog in which those photos reside that attracts those programs , causing your blogging program to log them as 'hits'. Doesn't necessarily mean that folks are viewing the photos 300 times a day. Similarly, those photos or that blog could have been 'tagged' by a similar type of program so that spammer programs continually find it. It's happened to some of my posts, and I could actually SEE the unwanted tag in the 'view html' option for my posts, just sitting between two words as innocently as can be. Rename your photo, check the blog it's posted in for words that might attract creepy scans, and then check the html version of that post (you can do that in blogspot, yes?) for funky coding that you can just delete.

    My amateur suggestion.

    Still, the website is a good idea, and you can still blog from it. If you want, when I get home you can join me in a Dreamweaver class. I'm going to take it with another author friend of mine and then revamp my whole website to match the vision I have for it in my mind (FINALLY!). If you do it yourself, you won't need to pay a professional every time you want to add the slightest little word to your site.

    -Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on your own domain!
    (I bought mine 2 years ago and still haven't use it lol)
    I made all my thousands of photos private on flickr a while ago.....there are far too many weirdos out there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That Santa picture is AWESOME! If I had one like that I would frame it just to give myself a chuckle every time I looked at it. (shannon@livinginthegray.com)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hope you know that there are a lot of us out here who are connected to you via friends, though we don't know you personally. I read about your family every day just so I can laugh out loud and know that you are putting in to words the very same things that have crossed my mind. It is because of you that I am now addicted to Peppermint Joe Joes. It is because of you that I cherish my time with my kids. Keep up the good work. Kari

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope you know that some of us are connected to you via family or friends and though we don't know each other personally we enjoy watching your family grow.

    I get immense pleasure out of reading what you have to say about parenting because you are saying some of the very same crazy things that run through my mind.

    It is because of you that I am addicted to Peppermint Joe Joes. How can I every repay you? Kari

    ReplyDelete
  6. Too funny! now it wouldn't be nearly as funny if it wasn't named Woody, you wouldn't have these hysterical things to write. I have dial up so the pictures you are talking about haven't even bothered to load on the page yet but the santa one sounds amusing. thanks for letting us follow you to your new home.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So, what's the process of getting a new domain? I'd love a tutorial on that front...

    ReplyDelete
  8. So are you deleting your whole blog and all your previous posts? What if I need to make O'Henry bars or chicken pot pie????!!!! Are belly pervs really that creepy? :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Found this interesting on msnbc.com about triathalons and heart risks.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29930076/

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jen, what site do you use that tells you such things about creepy searches?

    We're going through the Toy Story love right now, and the same thought crosses my mind. every. time.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is by far, the best Santa picture of all time. It puts all my "screaming on santa's lap" shots to second place. I understand the comedy, as I don't think motherhood is complete until you have a photo of your child screaming on santa's lap!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations on the switch. I'm going to subscribe to you in my reader RIGHT NOW, don't know if it will show up in your stats :)

    I'm amazed that you'll be able to switch it all over like that.

    Good Luck!

    (Don't know why those pictures are viewed so often...is it because they are part of your "waddle in time" series or something? I bet those posts are popular. Sorry about the creeps out there, I'm glad you've continued blogging.)

    ReplyDelete
  13. the santa picture? I'm laughing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm actually not that surprised that your pregnancy pic is viewed so often. When I was pregnant with my first I was really obsessed with how long it would take to start "showing" so I checked out tons of pregnant pics on the internet. If I were pregnant with trips I would definitely want to know how big I was going to get and how soon. Your pic tells that you are 20 weeks pregnant with trips so it makes it very searchable...

    ReplyDelete
  15. too funny! nothing like shooting some diet coke out your nose and all over the computer screen! thanks for the sunday laugh!

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOL.... kids definitely keep us humble. Big Woody.. oh my! You've got to maintain a good sense of humor.

    It IS creepy to hear what people search for and then find your blog.
    I'm more naive than I'd like to admit, I guess.

    Visiting your blog is one of the bright spots of my day!

    hugs

    ReplyDelete
  17. My son, bless his kind little heart, is always offering to "share his Woody" with his brother.

    I think I'd rather he was telling people not to touch his Woody!

    He so needs a new name.

    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think Woody is a perfectly fine name. Haven't ya ever heard of Woody Allen? (This thing doesn't happen to be made of WOOD, does it???)

    I think your WAY over-reacting to people looking at your public pictures. I bet 99% of the people that read your blog found it by accident, and just kept reading.

    ~Cindy! :|
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  19. I just have a basic site meter on my blog for statistics. But, it will tell me which pictures were actually "clicked through" from various websites.

    When you look at the details provided through site meter, you can see that IP addresses are spread far and wide across the world. So, I don't think it's just a function of various programs finding the photos. But, then again, I could be wrong...

    I'm not creeped out by people seeing my "belly" shots. And I'm definitely not over reacting to people viewing my public photos. If that was an issue for me, I would have made this blog private.

    I am, however, disturbed by people who Google "picture$ of n@ked little girls." I've done my best to delete any photos that I considered to be innocent that might fit those criteria from my blog, but the fact that people search for those kind of images - REGARDLESS OF THEIR INTENTION - and arrive here, makes me want to throw up and then hit them in the knees with a baseball bat. Ya know??

    ReplyDelete
  20. email my friend Mindy at mindimer@mac.com regarding website design :)

    She's owner of themommyblog.net

    ReplyDelete
  21. I have to say that the second half of that post made me laugh so hard I had tears. A big woody....hahahaha! I think that picture of the triplets with Santa is down right pee my pants funny!
    As for the pictures and switching to a new blog. I don't blame you!
    Oh and by the way 20 weeks with triplets, DANG GIRL, you looked great!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I found your webiste when you posted the Santa pic on Dadcentric (was it two Christmases ago?). It was SO funny, and you had such good humor about it that I had to check out your blog. And I've been coming back ever since. :-)

    I think the people who wrote Toy Story named him Woody just to embarrass all the parents!

    Good for you, getting your own domain! I hope it helps with the security some. And if you find out who is doing the creepy searches, I will join you with a baseball bat!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'd say "Woody" is right up there with whatever scientist named the Sperm whale or the blue footed booby bird. Oh, the joys of being a middle school teacher.
    lol
    We're not related. We have the same name and our babies are 2 weeks apart, and I have a set of 6yo twins instead of triplets.
    Thanks for keeping your blog open!Jen

    ReplyDelete
  24. Jen,
    It is so enjoyable to read your blog, and while I can appreciate your need for privacy, I hope you will allow us to continue to enjoy your excellent writing skills and stories about day to day life with your family. I read you and www.thepioneerwoman.com daily, and find reading blogs very relaxing. My daughter will be 27 on April 2, and I wish blogging had been available in 1982 as a way to record her childhood for her to read about in her adulthood. I know your children will appreciate the legacy you are writing for them, your fans certainly do. Keep up the good work! Vicki Tauriello, Succasunna, NJ.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love, love, LOVE that Santa pic. Every time you post it, I get a big smile! It's priceless!

    I bet a lot of the belly pic viewers are people trying to see what they might look like at that stage of gestation with trips. Or a twin mom wanting to feel glad she's not even bigger. It's amazing all the blogs that come up when I do a google image search for something pregnancy-related.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi, it's my first time here in your blog. I was reading your posts and scrolling down... and then I saw that Santa picture. OMG! That is by far the funniest picture I saw. I have a 15 mo old daughter and I hope we'll have a similar one next Christmas. (I hope I didn't sound creepy by writing this, but's it very funny and I want one too!)
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  27. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete