A SHIP WITHOUT A RUDDER IS LIKE A BLOG WITHOUT A THEME. NO, WAIT. IS THAT BACKWARDS?

Title: A Blog without a theme is like a ship without a rudder.  When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was in for. I had no idea what I was doing. Not that I do now, but that should be fairly evident. I still like writing but the idea of the Blog’s name is really broad. Is that a good thing or a very bad thing?

 

 

My latest ridiculous theory: 

A blog is supposed to have a unified theme and a target audience. However, you can still be successful, even if you don’t.

 

Theory:

If you don’t have a unified theme and a target audience for your blog you can still find followers.

Hypothesis:

I have no idea what I’m talking about but believe you will find me and follow me anyway.

 

Research design:

Right now, I’m blowing in your virtual ears.  You know that old saying, “Blow in my ear and I’ll follow you anywhere”?  It’s from Dick Martin and the show was Laugh In. For you young’uns, it was something totally out of the box for the time. Not just the TV box. And here I go again. With yet another digression. [Maybe I should change the name to just another digression].

I don’t actually do research for most of my posts, because, well, they are so silly there isn’t any research. Or if there is, I’m too lazy because I hate research.

The reason for this section is simple. In one of my attempts to organize the blog, I decided that if it had a consistent template, that would help. Except that 80% of the time, I have no research design and sometimes, not even any facts. So now, I’m blowing smoke in your ears.

I would possibly have facts in the form of actual feedback from you, the reader. That’s why I am posting this blog in two places now, instead of just the one on Google where attempts to comment are mysteriously vanished into thin air when you press a button. Only two people were able to post there and I’ve no idea why, although Len has a theory.  Go Len!

 

I now, write this on Word and paste in into each blog. Then, I have to find pictures and put them in one blog, and then copy them into the other.

 

If that weren’t enough, I was directed by WordPress to FB who wanted me to make an app. Somehow, shockingly, I couldn’t figure out how. Miraculously though it made a Dr. G’s Ridiculous etc. page on Facebook.

 

So, I now have three places to annoy people. I do apologize for that. If I could figure out one hosting site that did all the things I want, I could keep it to just one. And that was another digression. Damn. I guess my meds didn’t kick in yet.

 

Findings: 

This blogger has found that she is directionless. Only in my writing. I do lots of other things when I’m not sitting here.

 I may not have a lot of followers, but according to Google + I’ve had over 54,000, I guess you could call them hits, on the blog, {or maybe it’s just my Google+ page, I don’t know,} which has been up since October 2016. I just did the math. With a calculator which unless I’m really off, would be 5 thousand a month? Is that possible? And I have over 30 actual followers.

 

Anyway. I think some of it is due to my posting pictures on one of Googles photography groups, which are thankfully amateurs like me so I don’t feel intimidated to put things up. Another digression. Even so, if someone has looked they have not stayed.

So, how does one get people to stay? That sounded pathetic.  Like, I love him so much and he just won’t commit. Oh, Abbey, how do I get him to stay and say he loves me?  And no. It’s 8:30 am and I am sober.

 

 

CONCLUSIONS:

I NEED YOUR HELP. {YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT I NEED HELP, BUT I’M GETTING IT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH}  for this I need you!

What I need to know, is what direction you would like me to take.

Maybe a different theme each week? (I’m so proud, I thought of that just now on my own). Maybe I could have a suggestion list from readers and write about them. The suggestions, not the readers. I’m not that dumb (yet).

Therefore. I conclude that it is your duty as my friend, acquaintance, relative, neighbor, associate, member of Facebook or the human race, to write to me with your opinions.

 

WHERE YOU CAN REACH ME:

I did not use my actual name because I wanted some level of anonymity but my real email is unfortunately associated with the WordPress blog. And I couldn’t change it. So there. You have no more excuses. You can write comments and suggestions on very own website @ Drgsridiculoustheories.com

Or

Dr. G’s Ridiculous Theories on BlogSpot although you’ll have to email them to me at drgsridiculoustheories@gmail.com

Or now

On Dr. G’s Ridiculous Theories Facebook page. You can do all the things you can do on FB. I think.

So. No more excuses. I appreciate all the thumbs up, but it’s not enough. When I go to the photography community, I don’t just like many of the pictures. I write a comment because I know that makes it more personal and the photographer gets to feel validated in a special way. And don’t we all want to feel special?

I do the same thing on FB when I have the time which is getting harder lately.

I know we all are, but sometimes it’s really nice to hear it from someone other than you family.

 

 

Thanks for reading.

REVIEWS, COMMENTS, OPINIONS. HOW HELPFUL ARE THEY REALLY?

    
                   

     

        On my goodreads page these are my available stats: 

                                          886 ratings (3.50 avg.)     27 reviews

 

Title Idea: Isn’t it great to be able to read other people’s ratings to help you evaluate a product?  I love Amazon (for their products) and Kindle and Goodreads, because you can read so many reviews and that can help you make a more informed decision.  Usually. Isn't that what its intent is?

 Except when you don’t like what they say and you are dumb enough to reply. (That was me).

 

MY LATEST RICIDULOUS THEORY: 

If you read my review of the Butterfly Garden, you’ll know that I really loved that book.  After reading it, I posted a review on Goodreads. I also looked at some other reviews. I read some that were only one star, because I was curious as to the reasons someone would not be liking something I thought was so good. There was one review, where the woman,  who,in my opinion, ranted about how awful the book was for five or six long paragraphs. Why would someone put so much energy into not liking a book?  In my stupidity, I posted a reply. Do you remember the term “flame war?”

 

THEORY:

People enjoy expressing themselves. They do not however, like, when they are disagreed with.

 

 

HYPOTHESIS:

 When most people express their opinions, they believe they are right. Well, we all think our opinions are right or why would we express them? (Except for our friend Fred, who enjoys stirring people up. You probably know someone like him. They're fun as long as you're on to them). Many people do not understand that an opinion is not an actual fact, and will fight til the death defending their words.

Research design:

In this instance, all I have to go on is my experience. Being old is always a good justification for that. Except maybe when it comes to technology. Although I have been on line for many years. Especially on Ebay. And I think that may have been where you could get in trouble because they didn’t have the rating system and monitors they now have.

Back in the day, if you said something someone didn’t like, you incited a "war." Nasty words flew back and forth and it was definitely not something you wanted to get involved with. I never did.  Not until, well, here’s the story.

 

In research we call this anecdotal evidence. Which is the fancy way to say, “oh yeah, this is what happened to me.” This is what we use when we don’t have any actual statistics to back us up. (Think of this like insider trading only since there’s no money involved we can’t get arrested).

Now I get to tell a story.

 You can check the year, since I’m too lazy. It was right after Michael Jackson died. I had this really cute broach which was a Mickey Mouse head, with attached, swinging gloved hands. It was gold tone with rhinestones and in perfect condition.

I couldn't find the pin on line. It must be really rare.

 

I had purchased it quite a few years before I decided that Michael was a sicko, so I decided it might be a good time to sell. I put it on Ebay and had one winning bid. From a woman named Dawn.

I waited for payment and it didn’t come. I sent her an email. Her response was an apology but she had bid on impulse and she and her family didn’t even have rent money etc. so she wouldn’t be buying it and it was my fault for tempting her. In retrospect, I should have let her go. But blaming me? That brought out my stubborn. I wrote back that I would inform Ebay and she would get a negative review. So, before anything happened she wrote an awful review about me. I don’t recall the deets, but it pissed me off. I had 100% positive feedback and was not going to let this nutcase get away with this!

I put in a complaint to Ebay because she was wrong, and I wanted that review removed and didn’t want to pay the commission on money I hadn’t received.

The next communications I received from Dawn, after berating me, were mostly her telling me I was the devil and she and her pastor were praying for me. I think that was her way of apologizing.

 

At that point I pursued the proper channels. I got them to drop the charges against her (since I was not looking to do anything more with her) and had Ebay take down the feedback. I never posted anything negative about her. It was like nothing had happened. Mostly I forgot about it. Until now.

 

Working definitions.

Every site has a different term or format for feedback from its customers. On

Goodreads you write and give a numbers of stars for a review of a book.

Facts:

I read a review that I responded to on Goodreads. Honestly, I had no idea that Lucille would be so offended. As I mentioned she really put what sounded to me, like vitriol into this review. I disagreed with her reasoning and the only thing that I said that seemed to set her off, was, “where is all this hate coming from?”  (I have since deleted my posts because I didn’t want them there).  I assumed she would understand that I meant hate for the book. Here is where I will say that I was picking up something in my unconscious. My training was kicking in. Because if you read her replies, she actually was rather hateful.

I got a reply and was a bit surprised at how angry she was. She thought I was calling her hateful, I think, and then lambasted me for my opinion of the book.

One other woman wrote something that supported what I said, but then a couple of other women and Lucile kept coming back with me being an awful person. I had of course apologized initially. I never meant to say anything hurtful and said so. I also said everyone was entitled to their opinions. And she wrote back something else. And something else.

I decided, okay. Another Dawn. I stopped responding. Actually, I only responded twice and let it go. Then, a month later, I get another email about a new thread. She is still on me and saying something like she’s going to be happy to ignore me. Huh? I hadn't been writing.

Just another day in my life.  That’s when I deleted all my posts.

Findings:  Most of the time, reading other people’s reviews of products is a good thing. I like sharing (as you know since I’m writing this blog) and understand that not everyone will give a thumbs up. I actually appreciate the negative reviews, you know, like the product wasn’t well made, the screws don’t line up. Things that are helpful. I suppose, one should keep this in mind. Reviews of an actual product that has dimension and purpose is easier to write. about. It can be based on facts and not just opinions.

 

 

CONCLUSIONS:

Reviews, comments, thumbs up or thumbs down are useful tools.  However, they are probably best used when there is an actual product involved. If you are reading an opinion, you have to remember that. It is only a person’s opinion. And a person you don’t know. Looking at the overall stats is probably better than reading the individual remarks. Also, if you don’t like something, it’s probably best to keep it to yourself. At least in my humble opinion. It's just an opinion. And only mine. It really bears no weight anywhere. Except in my head, and oh yeah,

 on this blog.

I don’t want only positive comments. I would love to have a dialogue. Discourse and disagreements are places where you can learn. Just be careful where you leave your footprint.

Thanks for reading. As always, your friend in cyberspace.

Guess which one is Fred.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO THE ER LAST NIGHT

emergency rooms in port saint Lucie Florida

 

I was looking forward to an evening of reading. In peace. My husband was going surf casting at high tide ( maybe it was low) and it was happening at, get this, 7:30 PM.

That meant he's leaving at 5PM, not am,  and not return until 9PM.
Usually he goes in the morning so that he's home by the time I'm ready for my peace and quiet. This was a very special bonus with a bow on top.

The thing is, I love to read in [the living room ]and he talks to me even though he knows that with my ADHD, I need to concentrate without distractions. His being out at night was a gift.

I was cherishing my gift until a little after 7 pm when the house phone rang. Normally I let the machine pick up and left the caller hang up. That's what it is 98% of the time. But,  I had the feeling that I shouldn't ignore it like I always do and I got up and saw it was my husband. Then it stopped ringing. I assumed and ass dial.

"You're the one that I want" [from Grease} starts singing which is my hubbies' ring tone. I ran to the room where the phone was because I never have it near me,  and he's like, oh hi, how are you, I'm going to the ER.

What???  "Well, I cut myself on my leg and it's kind of bad so I think maybe I should go to the ER. You don't have to come but if you want you can meet me there."

My stomach is in my mouth. Apparently also up in my ears.  I asked him where he was. He said he was maybe 20 minutes away. I now know that time is not an actual location which is what I should have gotten.  I asked which ER.As you can see on the above picture, there are many in this area.  He said St. Lucie. This is where our memories differ. I assumed he was still near wherever he had been fishing, so he would go to the nearest ER. He was already on his way home and not where I thought he was. This is why communication is so important. And why we get an F.

He need clothes, since everything he had was soaked. I told him I'd get his clothes and I'd be on my way.
I packed up his stuff. And being so considerate I even remembered his Kindle in case there was a wait.

There hadn't been time to ask what he'd done to his leg. He just mentioned that he was worried because of the toxic algae and his cut had been in the water.
I thought maybe he hooked himself or maybe worse, used his knife and slashed his leg by mistake. I drove safely , which was hard, but it took about 25 minutes to get there.

I went in and asked for him. He wasn't there yet. The guard was very nice.

He gave me a visitor's pass.


Don't pay attention to pad I put it on. It's supposed to help me be organized but I forget to use it.

 

The guard couldn't find him on the computer. So, I called his phone from the outer desk only  it went to voice mail.

 

I had visions of him passing out from lack of blood and I had no idea where he had gone so I had no clue where he might be bleeding out in his SUV or crashed or dead. The guard sent me into the waiting room because maybe he'd check in and he missed it.  While the woman told me he wasn't there my phone rang. "you're the one that I want" too loud and at that moment, it was more like you're the one that I want to strangle.

 

He asked where I was and I asked where he was. Bloody Hell. He'd gone to the ER in St. Lucie West, five minutes from our home.  I was at the wrong ER. Or he was. Depends on your point of view.

 

I left and was really, really pissed off. You moms know how it is. When you find our your child isn't dead and just scared you, you want to kill them.

Ditto for husbands.

 

And so I drove back and went to the ER where he was.

 

 

 



this isn't the exact place but I didn't think to take a photo last night.

 

Of course the fist thing I did was yell at him. Anger is my friend. When all else fails, I can count on my anger to keep me grounded. It also keeps me focused so I don't have an accident while I'm driving.

 

So, we had a fight in front of the nurse and he did the usual crap about his wife always being right, while insisting he told me St. Lucie WEST. Fuck!

 

Okay. time to calm down. I'm with him. He's waiting for the Dr. to staple his calf and I'm about to pass out. Did I mention that I get queasy and faint when he's in the ER?

 

The nurse practitioner ( hereto be known as the NP)  comes in and looks at the wound, which by the way was gotten when he slipped on the rocks and got more scratches than from an angry bob cat.

 

There's only one bad one that's bleeding a lot. The nurse instructs him to hold the gauze on it to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. He does, but then he decides to take a look, so it starts bleeding again. This time they apply a pressure bandage and wait. And wait.

 

The NP comes back and decides he needs either two or three staples and that the numbing process will hurt more than just doing the staples so he forgoes that part. Two staples and he's hurting. We both wince. Okay.   He's done.

 

Now we divide up the division of labor. I'll go to the pharmacy and get his prescriptions and gauze rolls and Neosporin and he'll go home. He wanted to go to IHOP because he's hungry. I'm nauseous. We go our separate ways.

 

I'm checking out at Walgreen's and again, my phone rings. It's already 10 PM. The news flash.

He's going back to the ER because it's bleeding. I don't have to meet him, I can go home or whatever I chose to do. He's very kind that way.

 

I still have his kindle, so I think, okay. I'll deliver that and go home. I'm tired, nauseous and can't take any more drama.  Plus, I have the water to bring because of course there wouldn't be any in the hospital. Yeah. I think I had lost it a few hours ago. I also have his antibiotics and other meds so I'd best go back to the ER.

 

Receptionist: "Hi, he's in room six, go on in".  And back I go. At least this time he's dressed. I sat down and gave him his antibiotic which should be spelled Keflex but starts with a ce and I can't spell it.

 

The NP comes back and decides that maybe he could use some more staples and gives him three more. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. He asks if it's an artery. It's not, but it's a skin arterial something but they wrap him up real good this time and leave the pressure bandage on. Why am I still here?

 

He was reading Men's Health, so I didn't need to bring his kindle. Before he leaves they say he should walk around a bit to make sure it's okay. I guess they don't want him to come back.

So, I'm sitting with his magazine. He's very nice and as he leaves me in the room, he says they usually have some very hunky men in that magazine so I should enjoy myself. So, I take a look.

 

I sit and read. About will female sex robots take over for real women. This is in men's health?  The only pictures are of Mike I think that's his first name,  Cena. He's too dammed big for my likes. However, there was an Armani perfume ad on the back cover of Chris Pine's head and shoulders.  So, while no one was looking, I ripped it off and took it home. I apologize for being a thief.

I'm looking at him now. On my bulletin board next to my computer.

 

My husband got two stickers for being a good boy. All I got was the loss of my quiet night. 

 

thanks for listening.

I'M SERIOUSLY WORKING ON GETTING THE COMMENTS TO GET POSTED. SO FAR, SO BAD

I just want to give an update on how things are going with increasing my readership. It's working. A little. My husband and one of my God daughters were able to tell me how frustrating it is that they try to comment and it never goes through.

This has been a problem since day 1. I gave  fixing this a shot, but was unable at that time to do anything. So, I did what every red blooded American does with a problem. I forgot about it.

PS. There is no where in the help page or tools about comments. At least not that I could find.

Now, since it's come up again, I thought. Ah. Maybe if I pay for whatever "they" offer, it will allow comments to be posted.



So......... I looked this up on Blogger and it shows up as 'ads'.  So.
 I don't want what in the hell I'd be advertising, but I looked anyway to see what the cost was. Get this. For only $30, and I think I remember this right, but it doesn't seem possible, any time someone clicks on your link, you pay 30 bucks. Maybe I read it wrong. Maybe it was 30 bucks a day. But, even at that, who can spend that kind of money for people to click and possibly/probably not even read the damned thing?

I have friends who own a business and they pay big money to be at the top of engine searches. Some years ago, I think they paid $5 a hit, plus whatever it cost to be listed on top.  Any time anyone clicked on their site it cost them five dollars. Or did.  Well, Thank God they have a really thriving business, although I still can't imagine the cost.




In my fiendish little mind, though, I did have an idea. If I wasn't happy with a particular seller, I could repeatedly hit their site and cost them lots of money. On the other hand, they probably would have trackers and I'd get arrested. So, I'm glad I didn't do it. I know. I have morally reprehensible thoughts but I don't act on them. I suppose if I were Catholic I'd be going to Hell anyway. At least I wouldn't be lonely. So.  If I could, I'd hit Walmart's. Constantly. For hours and days.  Could I be sued if I suggested doing this to all of my readers?  On general principal I hate Walmart. Not just for what they did to our mom and pop stores. That was bad enough. So I have basically boycotted them for 4 years. Like they care.

When I found out that they are such horrible employers, I decided I couldn't shop there. They pay shit wages. They don't take full time employees so they don't have to pay medical or over time. They don't give their staff their schedules in advance, so having a second job, which when you work for them is necessary for survival, they almost can't have that second job, because you have to know what hours you can work for someone else. 

 Last year they made a big hoo ha ha about increasing wages. Apparently my boycott is working.
 My sources tell me it was a weak and unfulfilling gesture for most of their workers.  We, the public are not appeased you Bastards.

 

There I go off topic. Anyway, I am trying. On the comment thing. Maybe you forget also what I started out with.

 Remember you can comment on my face book page or on Google + or write an email to (I wasn't thinking when I made this ridiculously long address) Dr.gsridiculoustheories@gmail.com.




OMG. I hope that is an actual link. Maybe you won't have to retype it and can just write to me.  I will not get excited in advance. That leads to disappointment. I won't get excited in advance. I'll keep saying that to myself, and say, til the next time.

oops.  theory:
Life is difficult. It becomes more difficult when we care about something or someone.

          HYPOTHESIS:
If you don't care about something or someone, you will shrivel up and die.

ps.  I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO PROVE THIS ONE. WE ALL KNOW IT'S TRUE.


So, again. Until the next time. keep reading. no matter what it is. Knowledge is power.