Several friends have asked for help with this lately, so here is the short of the long of it:
- Create a Google account here. Or, use a Gmail account that you have already created.
- Navigate to google.com/analytics. Click on "Sign Up".
- Enter your website's URL. Pick a name (just use your website name). Enter territory and timezone.
- Enter contact info.
- Accept user agreement.
- Add tracking info. This can be slightly tricky. By now, you should see a panel of code with a bunch of greater than and less than tags. Copy ALL this code using your command+C key.
- Navigate to Blogger. Login. Click on "Layout". Scroll to bottom of screen and click the bottom "Add a Gadget". Click on the gadget that says "HTML/Javascript". Don't enter a title. In the text box below the title line, command+paste the code you just copied. Click save.
- You're done. If you click back over to your Google Analytics page, you should a green check mark in the "status" column within a few hours (or a day at max). It is important to remember that Google Analytics has a 24 hour delay, but you'll figure that out pretty quickly.
I'm a wanna-be nerd at heart. I love the potential that the software world offers, and I constantly find myself frustrated at my inability to capture it. Sure, I can install a blog on a hosted domain. But there the satisfaction ends. There is so much more to the web than blogging, and I want to reach out and capture it all. I'm ready for Web 3.0 to be here.
Yesterday, I think I spent over 14 hours on the internet, researching project management software. I did this about a year ago as well, and what's exciting is that there are so many more apps out there now, several of which have launched in recent months, it looks like. For under $200 a month, they offer customer and client portals, and lead tracking, in addition to projects, tasks, to do lists, and milestones. We've been using Basecamp for a while, but it doesn't have a contacts feature and doesn't allow for file storage, and if we're going to add Highrise and Backpack to the mix, we might as well look at something more integrated (one login). Easy, right?
What I've been on for the past week is a search for the Holy Grail of web-apps. Each new app discovered lends different insight into what could actually be possible, tempting me to dig just a little bit further. I'm sure hubs would like for me to get off the internets soon, and actually show my face around something other than a Mac apple light. I did similar research last year, finally landing in ERP land, talking to the folks at NetSuite (bad reviews and high prices scared me off) and SalesForce (also pricey).
I have an excel spreadsheet with a breakdown of features and benefits covering every web-based Project Management tool and/or CRM tool, and I've still got nothing.
So, finally, last night, I googled "How to Write Your Own Web Application". The research has begun. Even if I don't actually write the darned thing, at least I'll have a better understanding of what goes in to the process, so when I finally pay someone to write it, I'll have a sincere appreciation for what it actually entails.
Wish me luck.
Sick of iPhoto, I downloaded Picasa for Mac. So far, so good. I just want to rid myself of all remaining iPhoto fluff. Who knew that photo maintenance would be such a pain?
We have comments, people. Working comments. And a February header (made in a pinch, forgive the lack of creativity). And imported archives (read at your own risk). I'll need to add some more features here and there, but it will evolve with time. I'm happy to finally have a decent-looking, in-good-working-order blog!
It's official. I've decided that I will not accept friend requests from people on facebook that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting in real life. Or at least exchanged emails with. It's gotten too weird, and I like my privacy.
Great day at work. I'm so proud of our team. Zero errors in 9 days! They rock.
Last night, hubs and I made shrimp and grits for dinner. Yum. Recipe here. I will definitely make some modifications for next time, like add cheddar cheese, and use pepper bacon and instant grits. We used half and half instead of heavy cream, and that turned out ok, though. Tomorrow night I'm thinking Chicken a la King, with flaky pie crust wedges.
This weekend, hubs is heading to Vegas for work. He's finagled three nights free at the Wynn. I'm so depressed that I can't go. C'est la vie.
One last, final, random thought. Today's drive from Dallas to OKC prompted some thinking about this blog, and I felt like I had to make some conclusions. I LOVE blogs--design blogs, scrapbook blogs, stamping blogs, photography blogs, wedding blogs, paper blogs. Love, love, love them. The people out there who blog are SO inspiring. I can only hope that someday I can be as inspiring to others as well, but here's the thing: I don't think it's going to happen on this blog. Sure, I'd like for it to. I'd like to be some super savvy great blogger who posts the best scoop first on a spectacular site. But, let's be realistic: that's not going to happen, for two reason. One, I don't have time. Two, I'm way too frank. As soon as something political happens, I'm going to want to rant. I can also be rather gripey about rude customers at times, and that's just not professional.
So, the conclusion I came to is: this blog is for me. I'll retreat to it when I can, and I don't promise it will be life-changing, world-altering, or utterly inspiring. It's just gonna be me.
That feels good. Cheers!
Just in case this whole Movable Type thing totally CRASHES and I can never post again, I would like to tell dear readers (found out I had 2!) that installing your own blog app can be infuriating. In the past two days, I've tried to blog three times, and to be quite frank, the text boxes only work about 10% of the time. One of those times being now, I thought I would alert you to the reasoning behind my lack of posting.
There is ice everywhere in TX and OK, and all I want are these: Cinnamon Sugar Puff Cupcakes and a Taco Bell bean burrito.
These evening naps are killing me. It makes no sense to fall asleep at 6 or 7, sleep for an hour, wake up, and then sit here wired until all hours.
In the blogging realm, I'm still having trouble with Movable Type. Can't get the comments to work, and half the time, the "new entry" button isn't working.
It is supposed to be really icy here tomorrow. Apparently, today was really icy up in OK. I'm looking forward to a day of home office catch up and organization.
Thrilling, I know.
So, progress on the blog was made. I WAY messed it up, and then had to reformat it back to this template. Much still needs to be done, but at least it's working for now. Minus the comments. Sorry, E, I still have to tackle that.
We had a really lovely night with my parents, aunt and uncle, and sister and bro-in-law last night. I meant to take photos, and completely forgot. Tonight, we're going to have dinner with the hubs family, and that will be fun, too.
My next challenge to myself is to start to add some photos to this blog. We'll see if I can come up with some for tomorrow.
And now I've gone and broke it.
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