I found new bloggers’ communities lately but I have been skeptical about joining. Some sites seem to be convincing but I don’t particularly like the one that’s offering to query my latest posts for other members to read but my post links are prefixed with their site’s address. It will come out that the post is not from my site but from their own. Ridiculous. There were two sites I discovered having this kind of linking strategy. I’ve become a bit apprenhensive about joining blog communites since I learned about it.

Anyhow, I’m now back to getting active in more communities and recently I joined Fuel My Blog after learning how easy it is to visit other blogs from there. Perhaps you can fuel my blog by voting and giving it a thumbs up, too.

A blog is just out of place if it doesn’t belong to any communities. Through FuelMyBlog, I wish to discover more blogs and bloggers around the world-wide web.

• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Where Have They All Gone? (5)
  I think I need to update my blogroll or the right phrase should be to delete the links of those who disappeared in the blogosphere. I was cleaning my inbox the ...
• Should You Claim Your Blog? (12)
  How often do you check your Technorati authority? Was it rising or falling? As for me and my account on that site, the last time I login was oblivious. Meaning,...
• Transition Period (22)
  Guess what, not only humans and everything on earth  go through a period of transition. This blog has gone through many changes of themes and colors but in a co...
• Image Viewer Plugin (27)
  I have finally found the right image viewer plugin for this blog.  I've always wondered how those thumbnail images on other sites just pop-up when clicked right...

As you may know, there is no magic in installing a theme, whether paid or free. The need to modify a little or tweak some codes are the things that a blogger should have learned in the process. Although this theme from Gorilla Themes comes in different packages which includes support and forum depending on the package you choose, I preferred the cheaper, no support and forum included. Hubby and I spent the whole day to make it appear as it should. He fixed the header while I worked on codes. Problems like square banners appearing vertically, smileys taking the whole line in a post and adding necessary page templates.

Because of this theme, I’m back to working with widgets. I normally go into the files when adding contents in the sidebars. But doing what I used to do would ruin this theme and losing all the features as shown. Anyhow, I liked how my blog looks now, and so did hubby. I skipped the slideshow feature for now. If you want to see more of Gorilla Themes, just head on to their site. 

• Image Viewer Plugin (27)
  I have finally found the right image viewer plugin for this blog.  I've always wondered how those thumbnail images on other sites just pop-up when clicked right...
• Upgraded To WordPress 2.7 (17)
  I'm getting allergic to the sticky note that Wordpress automatically posts everytime there's a new version coming up ready for download.  It's the first thing I...
• Feeling Good With My New Theme (14)
  I should have uploaded this theme earlier yesterday but my headache prevented me from sitting in front of my computer longer. I'm having a little cold despite t...
• Having Fun Learning By Doing (10)
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• Lemback dot Com Turns 7 (22)
  It's been 7 years since Me and Leif conceptualized this site as our very own virtual home. The idea of registering this domain name came on March 17, 2001 when ...

When I met with broken links from my blogroll, I wondered where they all have gone. Some links are broken, some have not been updated for months and some have changed to a brand new site. I laughed when one or two blogs greeted me with a Happy New Year post and in my mind I was telling, Happy New Year to you, too! It was also a surprise when some blogs have been revised where old posts have been deleted and what remained as first post was the WordPress welcome title, Hello World!

I thought my persistent complains about my lack of time for blogging would persuade me to abandon this blog completely but I’m still here. And my batch-mate bloggers are gone! Although there are new blogs out there, the spirit is not as intense as when I started. I guess it’s the downcycle of blogging that’s taking place now. Many must be disappointed in the money-making schemes integrated to blogging or they just totally gave up for personal reasons. Blogging is not easy if you have nothing to write about (laughs).

• Taking Part in Bloggers’ Communities (2)
  There used to be a few bloggers' communities that I joined when I started blogging. I remember the first community that I actively engaged in was MyBlogLog but ...
• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Should You Claim Your Blog? (12)
  How often do you check your Technorati authority? Was it rising or falling? As for me and my account on that site, the last time I login was oblivious. Meaning,...
• Transition Period (22)
  Guess what, not only humans and everything on earth  go through a period of transition. This blog has gone through many changes of themes and colors but in a co...
• Image Viewer Plugin (27)
  I have finally found the right image viewer plugin for this blog.  I've always wondered how those thumbnail images on other sites just pop-up when clicked right...

This blog is already listed on my accout way long ago. But I wanted to change the url as it didn’t have the www prefix. I don’t know why but I always have the three w’s in my url. I’ve learned that there’s a difference between with and without www. Anyway, I did not delete the one without www, instead I claimed the same blog this time with www. But the new change has been added is to verify the blog with an assigned code. The said code should be inserted within a new post on your blog. I had second thoughts so I ignored it and said this blog was already there. Then without second thoughts, I deleted my claim and abrakadabra! The blogs are gone! My new claim and the old one that’s listed. Now, I have to do the claiming process for real or I can no longer see my authority and the rise and fall. So if you’re seeing this MZJAS582SMFF, it’s the code probably generated automatically for my claim. I’ll check my Technorati profile later if the code verifier has found it.

Speaking of claims, Alexa has the same strategy too, but the process of claiming is not the same as this one on Technorati. I am not particularly aware of what good it is to claim your blog on any blog search engine. It might be useful to get your blog visible and involved in the blogosphere.

• Taking Part in Bloggers’ Communities (2)
  There used to be a few bloggers' communities that I joined when I started blogging. I remember the first community that I actively engaged in was MyBlogLog but ...
• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Where Have They All Gone? (5)
  I think I need to update my blogroll or the right phrase should be to delete the links of those who disappeared in the blogosphere. I was cleaning my inbox the ...
• Transition Period (22)
  Guess what, not only humans and everything on earth  go through a period of transition. This blog has gone through many changes of themes and colors but in a co...
• Image Viewer Plugin (27)
  I have finally found the right image viewer plugin for this blog.  I've always wondered how those thumbnail images on other sites just pop-up when clicked right...

• Taking Part in Bloggers’ Communities (2)
  There used to be a few bloggers' communities that I joined when I started blogging. I remember the first community that I actively engaged in was MyBlogLog but ...
• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Where Have They All Gone? (5)
  I think I need to update my blogroll or the right phrase should be to delete the links of those who disappeared in the blogosphere. I was cleaning my inbox the ...
• Should You Claim Your Blog? (12)
  How often do you check your Technorati authority? Was it rising or falling? As for me and my account on that site, the last time I login was oblivious. Meaning,...
• Image Viewer Plugin (27)
  I have finally found the right image viewer plugin for this blog.  I've always wondered how those thumbnail images on other sites just pop-up when clicked right...

I have tried the plugin on my previous post if you have noticed the thumbnails.  Oh, I haven’t mentioned the name of this plugin yet.  Silly me, talking about it this far already.  It’s called Lightbox 2 for Wordpress blogs.  I don’t know if it works on Blogger blogs.  You can see it again in action on my thumbnails below.

There are other image viewer plugins I tried but this one works well for me.  It’s simple set-up is one that I can guarantee of.  I am the type who just download, upload and activate.  Although it’s challenging to handle some after activation-procedure sometimes, it’s still easier with my three rules.

• Upgraded To WordPress 2.7 (17)
  I'm getting allergic to the sticky note that Wordpress automatically posts everytime there's a new version coming up ready for download.  It's the first thing I...
• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Feeling Good With My New Theme (14)
  I should have uploaded this theme earlier yesterday but my headache prevented me from sitting in front of my computer longer. I'm having a little cold despite t...
• Having Fun Learning By Doing (10)
  When I'm not having any problem with my time, I could spend hours sitting in front of my computer, that sometimes I find myself staring at the monitor, thinking...
• Lemback dot Com Turns 7 (22)
  It's been 7 years since Me and Leif conceptualized this site as our very own virtual home. The idea of registering this domain name came on March 17, 2001 when ...

I had no idea how this small site could pose a risk to advertisers and other publishers when I haven’t even got a single cent after running Adsense for four years.  I even seldom check my account and as far as I can remember, my earnings have only reached $42 the last time I peeked on it which was about two months ago.  I don’t know how much it was when the account was disabled.  I have done all the readings about this situation and I’m not hoping anymore for a reinstatement.

When I clicked the link to submit an appeal it led me to a page where it explains why the account was disabled.  It’s about invalid clicks, redirecting, requesting someone to click your ads, blah, blah.  And did I perform invalid clicks on my own ads?  Request someone to click my ads?  Not that I remember.  I admit I was tempted to click an ad but that was a long time ago and I didn’t do it again because I was completely aware of this “clicking” policy.  I visited the forums site to get a clear view of the matter and somehow, my sadness had alleviated when I found out that I was not alone in the clamour against this act.

Well, what can I do more?  Blogging must go on.  If I am a victim of click bombing, I don’t know yet.  And if there’s somebody doing this to my sites must be a glad nitwit by now.  I won’t be lurking or sobbing because of this.  Well, not forever, just a couple of days more.  Adsense makes my heart grow fonder?  Hardly.  I better finish reading “The Lost Symbol” (by Dan Brown) than pondering over my lost Adsense.

• Taking Part in Bloggers’ Communities (2)
  There used to be a few bloggers' communities that I joined when I started blogging. I remember the first community that I actively engaged in was MyBlogLog but ...
• Dressing Up Lemback Blog (10)
  It's about time to make changes and perhaps change the traditional face of a blog. Lemback Blog has undergone a lot of changes even before but never adopted a l...
• Where Have They All Gone? (5)
  I think I need to update my blogroll or the right phrase should be to delete the links of those who disappeared in the blogosphere. I was cleaning my inbox the ...
• Should You Claim Your Blog? (12)
  How often do you check your Technorati authority? Was it rising or falling? As for me and my account on that site, the last time I login was oblivious. Meaning,...
• Transition Period (22)
  Guess what, not only humans and everything on earth  go through a period of transition. This blog has gone through many changes of themes and colors but in a co...

“I didn’t come to school yesterday because I was feeling like I was going to be sick, but thankfully I wasn’t!”

I am not writing about students absences and excuse notes but I just find those statements humorous to start with.  I can’t remember if I had written excuse letters when I was in school but I do remember I had few absences.  I went to a public school in my place and telephone was not an ordinary means of communication at that time so we couldn’t call the school to inform our absences.  The only thing we could do is to ask someone a favor, in my case, I used to ask my sister to inform my teacher whenever I was sick.  Otherwise we could always tell the teacher the next day or when we’re back.

Anyway, I wish to tell my own absences from blogging these past few days and at the same time I wish to express my gratitude to my blog buddies for visiting my blog despite the frequency of my postings.  I am obliged to say that I have some priorities that need much attention than blogging.  Foremostly, my work has been consuming much of my time these days and my task has been up a notch higher since I was assigned to teach Filipino in the upper secondary education.  It needed careful preparation since I would be dealing with students aged 16-20.  I met them the first time yesterday and I am already looking forward to meeting them again.  I always love to be in front of older students.  It’s overwhelming to hear the students speaking in Filipino in a non-Filipino school.  I know it will take more days for me to be adjusted to this level of teaching and I’m hoping for the best that I can do.  This will be valuable to me and to the students since this is the first Filipino class in the upper secondary level.

It’s just one of the priorities I’m dealing with now.  Let me end this post with another funny excuse: “Please excuse me for being absent last week. I am in pursuing my life’s dream and training to become a Master Burger Flipper at McDonald’s.”

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• Taking A Break From Teaching (7)
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