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The blog this week – 27 Feb, 2014

Just a quick snapshot of the posts for the past week ;)

Mongrel Barks

Saturday | Donna’s reaction to the Nose command 
The Nose to Hand command can be so practical in situations like moving the dog around without tugging on the leash and also really cool in canine freestyle. But what does Donna say?


Sunday | Keep your eyes on the rope toy, human
Four simple lessons from 1stWorldDog, that Donna shows can be universal truths. :)

Keep your eyes on the rope toy, humans!

And don’t forget to treat. ; )


Wednesday | Reinforcing Heel and why she LOVES it!
One of the things I am inconsistent about, besides training, is reinforcement and proofing. I know trained behaviours need to be continuously reinforced so that it is proofed to stick under various situations and environments, but it is yet another thing that chips away at the limited time we have. That happy face is good encouragement though. ;)


Photography Bytes

Tuesday | Snappy H’appy Photo Challenge – Watercolour
I try to fill each Snappy H’appy Photo Challenge post with relevant information that I find interesting for the Effect that we are exploring for the week. This week’s theme is Watercolor. So if you love to do more with your photos on your phone and find it relevant, click here and check it out!


Monday | The Kitchen Table
Did you ever trying styling buffet items for a food shot. Not easy, but it was fun. And the good thing about food photography is always … well, the food that you get to eat.

I thought this one came out rather interesting with the watercolor filter.


I’ve started adding some affiliate ads from Amazon to a small number of old pages on the blog, where relevant contextually. You may notice this box on the sidebar labelled “Donna uses this”, which lists a few products that have appeared on the blog before. All such ads are labelled advertisement, so you know. :) I don’t know what I’ll get out of it, if anything at all. :P

The last two days have been mildly frustrating as this blog keeps going down, something wrong with the hosting server. So I do apologise if you were unable to load the site properly, if at all, at times. I noticed I have lost a draft I was working on and that I had saved before the server problem. But after the site came back up, that saved draft was gone.

Backup is just such a pain right, but it’s absolutely essential when something like “omg the server crashed” hits you. So I’m now on VaultPress. They backup my data daily for $5/month. So, if you do more on your site than I do, e.g. you sell things or you’re liable to deliver content or numbers to an advertiser or like me, you just care deeply about every “golden” word you type :P Make sure you have backups, and that the backups include your entire database, NOT just a few templates. 

Anyway, next week Thursday is our blog anniversary, so check back here and see what else is different!  

Some of the posts that got me thinking or cracked me up from other blogs this week:


Thursday Barks and Bytes is hosted by 2browndawgs  and HeartLikeADog. 2Browndogs compares the Chesapeake Bay Retriever to the Rhodesian Ridgeback this week and Heart Like a Dog talks about a little lump on her dog Delilah.

The blog this week – Feb 20, 2014

Just a quick snapshot of the posts for the past week ;)

Mongrel Barks

Saturday  Begging, it can be pretty cute and entertaining when it’s done to family who don’t mind, or in fact find it amusing. But it can also be downright embarrassing when your dog harasses a stranger who is pointedly ignoring her. Regardless of the human’s opinions, Donna did persist in testing every family member on their propensity to dispense food when they were here over CNY. This is an older video though.


Wednesday Donna was never a dog that loves the camera. She would always look away. A treat or two who have made her less sour, but too bad, the human was pretty happy with her grumpy face that day. :P I just liked the way she was resting with one arm on her bed.

Talk to the paw, human! – she says


Photography Bytes

Tuesday Week 2’s topic of HDR has got me excited, check out the Challenge post here. We’ve got a Challenge Pinterest Board just today! I think it’s a great tool to share good photo examples for the themes and also our work. Linkytools is popular for bloghops, but the Pinterest group board shows up our photos better with its bigger thumbnails, and makes our content more shareable. :)


Monday While on staycation at W Hotel, I had the leisure to try out Mr P’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and its panorama function. Here are some black and white photos from it.  And if you haven’t, check out the gorgeous iPhone panoramas on Tom Palladio‘s page.


Sunday Let me take you to the night I visited Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto. It was awfully dark and you can hardly see the people’s faces, but the temple buildings and surrounding trees were artfully lit. My camera is not great at night photography, but here are some shots from it. I probably will continue to put out the rest of my Kyoto pictures on and off.


Friday So Valentine’s day has come and gone. Here’s a last look at the Dogs of #DonnaGiveMeWings if you have not seen them yet :)


Next month is going to be exciting because this blog turns 1. And Donna turns 5 this March too. Just some random chitchat with 1stWorldDog today has got me thinking more critically about the blog content so far, and I realised that it really is still lacking in many ways!  

Some of the posts that got me thinking or cracked me up from other blogs this week:

  • The #WOOFsupport blog hop – totally in love with the concept of the hop. Blog about a challenge that you are facing/working through with your dog and get some support with the rest of the group!
  • “Touch” a must for any dog trainer – we’re a little slow, but we started training targeting yesterday. The human finds this video inspirational because the end shows what are the awesome things that can eventually be accomplished by training “nose” or “touch”! :D
  • Canine eye exam – good to know that eye health if one of the things tested to recommend for or against a dog being bred. And Melvin has such beautiful eyes.
  • Is my dog a drama queen – Zani is such a sweet little dog.
  • Going to Crufts – I really love the sheltie’s expression and how it all makes the story come to live. Great photos ; )
  • Impromptu totem pole – cool dog photo!

Install and configure wordpress.org on a shared host

got bug?We’ve moved! Yes, you know or you wouldn’t be here. :P

Here are my initial thoughts on setting up this new self-hosted blog using WordPress.org on a shared server. I will come back and update this at a later stage when the whole move is completed and I had had the time to crystallize my thoughts and also to correct on any factual errors.

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This blog this month

November 2013

Thoughts on Blogging is a monthly summary of how this blog is doing for anyone interested, topics related to blogging, blog stats and analytics.

This month’s topics:

  • Nobody likes to start over again
  • The blog
  • What are the options outside of WordPress.com
  • Of course there are conflicting thoughts!
  • Top November blog posts
  • How about the old posts published before November?
  • Instagram
  • Nablopomo

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Wrapping up August Break 2013

I started doing photo a day on Instagram for August Break 2013 somewhere in early August. It was a good motivational exercise for spending time daily playing with photography and apps. Something I never had the leisure or time to even consider before. Now that August is over, I thought I’d do a quick wrap up and move on :P

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Bloggers are noisy

My personal opinion only,

The ones that break through all that noise in the blogosphere to reach us are resourceful.

The ones that got us to “like” them are effective.

The ones that got us to follow them are interesting.

The ones that did all of the above and influenced our thoughts/actions are… versatile.

I had to use the word “versatile” because… you guessed it, this is yet another versatile award post! Well actually, it is a double award post.
I am sorry because award posts may be a little self-serving :( 

So who are these bloggers that have influenced this blog and its content?
(I have named some of these people many times so please bear with me! :P)

 

Versatile Blogger Award and My Favourite Things Award
Nominations

I thank you the one(s) that,

The remaining 2 links are not blogs, but I would still like to share because I just learn better from videos where you actually see people in action and can observe the way it’s done :P

Thank you guys, you keep this blog going. A lot of the posts wouldn’t have happened if it were not for you! Hahahahaha!

weliveinaflat would like to say that there is absolutely NO obligation to receive, repost or follow any of the Versatile Blogger Award (VBA) or My Favourite Things rules listed at the end of this post. We nominate (sometimes repeatedly) because we enjoyed your blogs, totally appreciate your friendship and love to spread the word about you but we do not want to inconvenience you in any way.

Thank you Dogs N Pawz for the VBA nomination!
Thank you Ku for the My Favourite Things nomination!

Seven things about me

How to follow blogs that are not on wordpress.com via the WordPress Reader

1. I found out recently that it is possible to follow blogs that are not on WordPress.com via the WordPress Reader.

This is how you do it:

How to follow external blogs on WordPress Reader

[1] Click “Reader” tab to go to the Reader page.
[2] Click on the “Edit” button next to the “Blogs I Follow” button.
[3] The list of blogs you follow will appear. There will be a field right on top under the “Edit Blogs I Follow” title. Fill in the web address of the blog you want to follow, in this case I put in the Dogs N Pawz URL.
[4] Click “Follow”. If nothing goes wrong, you should now see the website appearing in the list with the other blogs you are following.

More details from these pages on WordPress support and WordPress blog.

I don’t know why I’ve ignored that field all along even though it sits right on top of the page there! I must have been blind. Maybe you guys knew all along and I have been the only one in the dark. D:

I do use the WordPress Reader to follow blogs, much more often than the other service Feedly that I have on my web browser. However, it seems Wordpress sometimes had a moodswing and swallowed posts at times. I know it happened to Ruby the Black Labrador and me.

Still, I am quite glad that I can add outside blogs to the reader. I’m just too lazy to use multiple readers. :P

The other six will be Six of Donna’s favourite things, to satisfy both award requirements. :P

2. the humans in the house
3. the humans in the shelter Donna came from
4. the grass outside!
5. chicken and eggs, fresh boiled ones
6. the toy of the day, but only if the human is throwing it
7. yogurt and milk, mmmm-mmmm!

Leaving you with this cute video via nodogaboutit. Both award requirements below if you are interested to respond.

Note:
Versatile Blogger Rules:

  • Add The Versatile Blogger award photo on a blog post
  • Thank the person who presented you with the award and link back to him or her in your post.
  • Pass the award along to 15 favorite bloggers. Contact the chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.
  • Share Seven Things About Yourself:

My Favourite Things Award Rules:

1) thank the blogger who gave it to you,
2) post the award on your blog,
3) name 6 of your favorite things and finally pass it on to as many bloggers as you wish.

BUT, weliveinaflat would like to repeat that there is absolutely NO obligation to receive, repost or follow any of the above rules. We nominate because we enjoyed these blogs but we do not want to inconvenience them in any way. :P Naggy, naggy~

Previous VBA responses:

If it’s written, it’s meant to be read – 4.5th installment

July 24, 2013 – 4.5th installment

How the blog looked like yesterday:

What it looks like from today: 

Sorry for any disorientation caused! :P

For previous installments,

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My dog is a mystic “pack leader”

human: You know Donna, you should really pick up your toys sometimes.

dog: At home the Aries Ox can be rather untidy usually as they are busy people who find domestic chores tedious.

human: And pray tell, what you were busy with?

dog: Arian Oxen are generally happier in the garden than the house as these personalities love the great outdoors.

human: But you were not in the garden, I didn’t take you there.

dog: An Aries Ox may think cleaning and tidying incredibly boring but they are hardworking in any other task. They enjoy work that involves challenges and where there is the opportunity of progressing based on effort.

human: Oh no my dear, if I was busy sweeping the floor, doing laundry and going out to interviews and driving lesson, we could not be doing any sort of training at the same time.

dog: The Arian Ox must be ‘sitting’ and ‘waiting’ for you to come home. Now gimme my treat!

human: But I didn’t ask you to sit and wait for me to come home. I just asked you to behave yourself when I am not around.

dog: Same thing. The probability of the Arian Ox getting into mischief is high when it is not “sitting” and “waiting”.

human: I see. Well if you don’t mind me saying, its quite ridiculous for a dog to keep referring to itself as the Arian Ox when it is clearly a dog.

dog: The Arian Ox will refer to herself however she likes as befits the pack leader of this household. This matter is not up for debate.

human: Mr P do you hear that? Your dog thinks she’s a pack leader.

Mr P: Bwahahahahahaha. Look at her, just look at her.

human: Nope, we don’t think you are the pack leader around here my dear.

dog: We shall not entertain further discussion of this matter. *snorts loudly* The Arian OX will now go poke her blog friends Ruby the Black Labrador and Simba. Being a Leo and a Sagittarius, they get along best with an Arian dog. Not like some humans…

human: Just behave yourself so they don’t feel forced to chew your tail to take you down a peg or two.

dog: *has changed into costume of a mystic* The Arian Ox intends to read to them their sun signs so they may better know themselves and know that I am the one true pack leader among us all!


human: Baby, I think they already read their sun signs here and here on their human’s blog.

dog: *snotty snort snort* I am the pack leader, they will listen to me!

human: You’re hopeless. Go fetch! *throws hippo; mystic costume slips off dog as dog gives chase*

dog: *snort snort* You will not be rid of the pack leader so easy! Now throw again!

human: But I thought you are going visiting?

dog: I suppose I should visit Angel and Chaos first since their human gave me the WordPress Family Award. That makes me their pack leader too! And since I’m starting a pack, I think we should have lofty ideals. I think we should take over the world! And that means I need wise dogs, big dogs, dogs who can gobble up to world to join the pack. So these dogs and humans should all get the WordPress Family Award and join my pack: –


Nominees

Angel and Chaos and Yashie,
Ruby the Black Labrador,
Sonel and Simba,
Kuruk and Victoria Julianne,
Linda Arthur Tejera,
Lens and Pens by Sally,
Linda Trunell,
Artscottnet,
Artinstructor and
Completely Disappear.

Aren’t I doing a good job as pack leader already? :3

human: *has wisely left dog alone to her piped dreams*


I was never really into Sun Signs. Even until now, the only things in the sky I can effectively point out are – the sun, the moon, the clouds, Orion’s belt and Mars. That’s about it. So isn’t it lucky that Donna the local mongrel’s sun sign just happened to be Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20), because hey, at least I can pick out an Arian’s ruling planet – Mars – in the night sky. Nevermind that I can’t pick out the actual Aries constellation :P

I was influenced by Sonel and Ruby the Black Labrador’s recent posts on Dog Sun Signs and couldn’t resist checking out what Donna’s will say. I thought the Arian in a nutshell could describe most local mongrels – Loyalty, Trust, Heart breaker, Forgets past failures, Active, Energetic. :) I also thought it would be interesting to see what the Chinese horoscope says, that’s why Donna is above referencing to herself as the Aries Ox. :P

This comes a little late, but I would like to thank The Thriving Pessimist, Angel and Chaos’ human, for nominating this blog the WordPress Family Award. :)

I was on WordPress many, many years back in my youth :P and there wasn’t such a great community back then compared to what I found now. I am very thankful for that. I’ve enjoyed all the fun dog and other posts from various bloggers and also the idle chit chat in the comments now and then when we happen to be online simultaneously. Besides individual blogs, I also think that photo challenges such as those being hosted by Lens and Pens by Sally and Sonel also help to fuel the community towards a common endeavour and engendering very positive interaction within the participating bloggers. It takes time and commitment not just to host but to foster continued interest and active participation in such blog hops and these awesome people are making the time and effort to host and keep it going.

But mostly I would like to give the WordPress Family Award to these people because they have thought it worth their time to interact with me and commented so often it feels like we’re just having an on-going conversation day by day. They took the time to write advice in detail when it comes to training Donna or when I experienced difficulties or just when they think I may be doing something not so advisable. I have only named the more interactive bloggers/commentors, but I do have to say that I really appreciate the readers who regularly came by, and also the little things like liking a post or saying good day because it all adds to that sense of being part of the community as well. :)

So thank you :3

If you would like to pass on the award to somebody else whom you feel have made an impact on your WordPress experience and family, visit Shaun’s page on the WordPress Family Award for more details.

p/s: “Mugshots are ugly” has recently been reblogged on the Versatile Blogger Award (VBA)  site. Thank you so much House Full of Dogs for the nomination again :3

Sun sign references:
– http://www.astrologyweekly.com/sun-signs/dog-horoscopes.php
– http://dogingtonpost.com/your-dogs-horoscope-aries/#.UcvkWTudiSo
– http://www.gotohoroscope.com/chinese-astrology/aries-ox.html

Now I know my ABCs

So Donna the local mongrel doesn’t know how to read, no.


A room with books is boring, says Donna the illiterate local mongrel.

That is despite having to spend a significant amount of time holed up in the air-conditioned study to hide from the haze.

So her dear poetic blogger friend Kuruk has strongly urged his human Julianne to give Donna some basic training in her ABCs.

So the lovely Julianne@Through the Peacock’s Eyes* decided to send us a distant correspondence learning kit called the ABC Award.  Thank you very much Julianne!

The Awesome Blog Content (ABC) Award was created by http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk on a whim, it seems :P To accept, just post the ABC Award logo and link back to the site and share a word or phrase about yourself for each letter of the alphabet.

If you are new to this blog, each of the words/phrases below will take you to a previous post where these words were used.  So, here goes –

A Already stupid B Bones
C Child-friendly D Dobby ears
E Everyday eat, sleep, play F Floor full of hair
G Green is for envy H High-rise dog accident
I I adopted J Jump and lick
K Kibble L Local park
M Microchipped N Nothing in life is free
O Ordinary mongrel P Pedigree dogs exposed
Q Quiet evening R Repetitious photos
S Scary dog T Tug
U Urban agility challenge V Vexed
W Well-trained versus well-behaved X (e)Xuberance
Y Yawning Z ZzZzZzZz

Nominees

A House Full of Dogs
B&W Challenge Host Sonel
Completely Disappear in Thailand

Not so many dog blogs this time, but our cautious little note still applies :P. We nominate because we like these people/dogs and would love to hear more about them. The nomination is without obligation, you are free to decline to receive, repost or nominate other people should you prefer not to. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

By the way, do hop over to send your kind wishes to Ku, who is having his bump biopsied/removed. I’m sure he would appreciate the encouragement. ;)

*As the original award post is not longer available, I have relinked it to Julianne’s main page.

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