Do I Dare?

logoIn another week, I will be teaching a 4-week class on Blogging for Beginners for our Elderhostel Lifelong Learning Institute (ELLIC) program. Is this a joke? No! Even though, I am not posting 3 – 5 times a week like some folks, I know the mechanics, and I am a good teacher.

My passion is to help people learn about the technology they use or want to use. I get questions all the time as the leader of the Apple Charlestown User Group.

  • How do I do change settings on my iPad?
  • How to I use Evernote? My professor says I am supposed to use it, (that was a FaceTime chat with a friend in St. Paul).
  • Should I get a Kindle or an iPad?
  • My new Gmail account isn’t sending my emails.

Many times, I do know the answer, but Google is also my friend for getting answers.

When I reflect on my blogging history, it started in 2003. I set up a Blogger account to write about our travel adventures with our new class B camper. That Blogger site is still available at GTRV Westy Travels. I stopped writing on Blogger when we sold the camper in July 2007.

My next effort was this self-hosted WordPress blog that I started in August 2008. Not content to use a standard theme, I picked the Atahualpa theme with over 200 customizable options. What a learning curve! I tried to use a large font for readability.

I started working with the Georgia Houston Peach branch of  AAUW website to send content changes to the web designer, the daughter of a member. I was interested in getting under the hood, so I took an online class, the Fundamentals of HTML,  at the Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, GA.

I wasn’t able to make changes to the mechanics of the AAUW website, but I knew enough HTML to be able to add text between the code. In April 2008, I was asked to review the state AAUW website and make recommendations. That is when I discovered WordPress.org. When the state Board approved moving the out-of date-website to a WordPress platform, I volunteered to do it. Again, a learning curve but I really enjoyed learning. I converted the branch website to WordPress in April 2009. When the national association developed a WordPress platform for branch sites in 201, I encouraged both the state and branch to move the national platform.

As I write this, I realize I have spent hours working with WordPress. I was even hired by the Atlanta branch to develop their website on the WordPress platform. I then worked with their webmaster as he learned how to work with the platform.

Now I work with the Charlestown Residents’ Council website helping tweak the organization and content. The web developer is moving the site to WordPress this fall so we can do the updates as needed rather than sending emails back and forth.

I realize I have been blogging for over 11 years. Yes, I do dare!


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