Rocks in the River

Just go with the flow is a popular saying that sure sounds good if there is nothing other than water to contend with, but what about the rocks in the river?  Some particular jagged ones I have smashed into while trying to go with the flow of managing [SiteHoundSniffs.com] has been technology and people.  Yeah, that pretty much sums up the whole deal with the new site directory, which has left me grimacing in agony more than once since the beginning of this ordeal dream.

In regards to technology, adding new sites in alphanumeric order has been a serious pain because of having to do it manually because of not knowing the code so that it can be done automatically from the database.  What made it especially painful was having the displayed headers mixed in with the text links.  Now, I can sort the lists with MS Word during the processing, but I have not found an app that will do this on WordPress.  To make it somewhat easier on me, I have moved all of the displayed headers to the top, with the text links underneath in each category and country.  When it comes time to add new sites, I will delete the old text links and replace them with the updated listings.  When someone allows their header to be displayed, it will be added in alphanumeric order at the top and their text link is deleted.

What I continue to be beat up by the most is people—especially those who just do not get the simple concept of replying to their comments on their sites.  Maybe it is just me not getting their logic behind returning comments everywhere but right there under where a comment was left, but it is a genuine pain trying to figure out what site is theirs when they give permission without letting me know where it is coming from.  I have even had 5-6, who answered my comment on someone else’s post on my Google+ page!  You see, Google+ works a lot like Facebook, in that when you leave a Google+ comment somewhere else, it will show up on your own page.  Then when someone leaves a comment for you on that thread, their comment also shows up in the comments on the original post (as if they were leaving a comment for that person).  Hopefully, having this post at the top of my Google+ page and not leaving anymore Google+ comments elsewhere will solve that problem.

I really need to get rid of Google+ altogether, but it has shown some potential.  When I checked how many had visited my Google+ page a year and a half ago, the number was just short of 2 million, which is double how many have visited here over the years.  In all fairness, I cannot attest to just how accurate that headcount may have been.  For a year before, the number was over 6 and a half million.  I have no idea what the count is now.  For that statistic is no longer available.  The biggest reason I am sticking with having a Google+ profile is that I am afraid of going back to just a Google profile will mess up access to my Google stuff.  For my old Google profile has been evidently deleted, and the thought of making a new one has me spooked.  After all, all it would take is a half-microsecond glitch in the data stream to have me locked out in the cold with no way to claim my Google account.

Okay, I will continue to just go with the flow.  I suppose I have no other choice.  By the way, have I failed to mention that I have an aversion to drowning?

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[SiteHoundSniffs.com]
[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

SiteHoundSniffs' Revenue-Sharing Program

I have always taken rejection rather personally, and it especially hurts when being rejected by those who know me.  For almost everyone included in the first round of listings on [SiteHoundSniffs.com] were included in one of the editions of the Sites To See series we had on here over the years.  Yet, only around 10% of those contacted so far have given permission to have their headers displayed on SiteHoundSniffs, and a few of those who did give permission did not know me from before.  No, there was no actual relationship established with most.  In fact, most never even acknowledged being included in a Sites To See edition, but it should have been proven in their mind that I am not trying to run any sort of spam-scam.

What am missing?  For I do not know how having your header displayed on SiteHoundSniffs could cause you any harm.  If anything, it should be of at least some benefit.  For a linked 300 x 150 (pixels) image certainly stands out over just an 18-point text link.

Sure, we are benefiting, too.  For the displayed headers enhance the experience for those stopping by to look for something of interest, but the links are of the greatest value, which are provided out of the juicy goodness of our little ‘ol pea-pickin’ hearts.

Okay, I do have an ulterior motive, but it is as pure as the freshly-fallen snow.  For I hope SiteHoundSniffs will generate enough revenue from outside advertising to make me a contributing member of society again and off of the welfare rolls.  If I could work enough for someone to pay me, I would do about anything, but I have not been able to for over 15 years now.  So, the 2-3 hours (on good days) that I can sit in front of this desktop and do what I do has to do.

Furthermore, I plan on sharing 90% of the advertising revenue with those gracious enough to let us display their header.  Of course, there will not be any advertising revenue to share unless the site has enough traffic.  So, if you could say something (preferable good) about SiteHoundSniffs here and there, it would be good for both yourself and us on this side of the screen.  Besides, if Grayson does not get enough treats…

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[SiteHoundSniffs.com]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

SiteHoundSniffs.com has Launced!!!

After a year and a half of setbacks, the new site directory is finally up and open for business.  Well, not exactly.  For any business to be conducted will have to wait until enough traffic comes by.  Until then, everything [SiteHoundSniffs.com] has to offer is completely free of charge, and after enough traffic starts coming by to attract advertisers, I hope to institute a revenue-sharing program.  Needless to say, I need your help with drawing attention to the site before there can any money to spread around.

To be completely honest about it, I am not real happy with the way the site looks so far.  One of the things I have learned is that WordPress will not accept any fancy text formatting that can be done with MS Word.  So, aside from wasting a ton of time upon MS Word formatting, I have had to settle for working with just the Arial font.  There is a plugin to allow for the use of Google Fonts, but it will not work with the current version of WordPress.  I suppose the same situation applies to first copying text to a Google Doc, which will accept a great deal of MS Word formatting, and then pasting it into the WrodPress text editor, which is supposed to work according to last year’s [Tessaract Theme/WordPress tutorial] by Tyler Moore.

Alas, I have made too many mistakes to get into.  At least I think I know a little more about what I am doing, but that has meant that the next disaster just has not happened yet.

The next step is to ask the 1,767, who have not yet given permission to display their header, for permission to do so.  I will then start adding sites.  The original plan was to launch with at least 5,000 sites listed, but when I discovered a better way to process them and had to start almost completely over, the first round was cut-down to 1,785 from 78 countries.  Learning the country of origin for sites has been really interesting to me, and I hope it will be for you, as well.

In regards to our physical health issues, Arlynda has not fallen since the last time almost two months ago, and she has regained almost full use of her right arm.  Her primary care physician moved to St. Louis, and we are now having a hard time finding her another to write the dozen (or so) prescriptions she has for her non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and other things.  Her specialists will not do it.  My primary care doctor also moved out of town, but I have an appointment to see his replacement next month.  My high blood pressure and other “stuff” is being well-controlled by the medications I am currently taking.  So, I am hoping that he will not be hard to deal with.  There appears to still be no treatment for my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome condition.

Please let me know what you think about [SiteHoundSniffs.com].  Hey,  Grayson will probably most definitely agree with you if you think it is not all that.  Sigh.

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[SiteHoundSniffs.com]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Lost on a Dirt Road

A couple of weeks after announcing that the new site directory was basically ready to launch a couple of months ago, I had one of my epic dreams.  I consider them to be epic because of how realistic they seem to be and how very clear memories of the dream stay with me for days.  This one involved being on the truck and heading across the country with a load of produce bound for Brooklyn, NY.  The dream started with me being behind the wheel and noticing that I was now driving on a dirt road somewhere in western Pennsylvania—not I-80.  Even though the dirt road was firm and smooth, I panicked.  For I did not know exactly where I was, nor if there were any bridges insufficient to hold my weight just around the bend.  Oh no, there was no place to just turn around and go back to where I had got off of the interstate.  My panic grew and grew each time I stopped in a small town (without any side-streets, nor intersecting roads) to ask just where I was and how to get back to the interstate because the only answers I received were that I was where I was at and that they had never heard of an interstate highway, nor where I might be on my map.  Furthermore, I was running low on fuel and only had $100 in cash to buy diesel since no one in the towns I stopped in had ever heard of a fuel charge card—let alone accept the one I had.  The dream ended without me making it out of the nightmare alive and left me with a very uneasy feeling about heading in the wrong direction with the development of the new site directory.

While finding more and more mistakes I had made in the processing of the information the new site directory will provide, I swallowed hard and played with a new process, which would involve starting almost completely all over.  Thankfully, it is a much better way, and I was amazed at how much faster the processing was going.  In fact, I was even planning on launching a scaled-down version of the new directory on the anniversary of the beginning of my nightmarish hospital stay last year on September 4^th.

On July 19^th, Arlynda was out with her mother and fell hard on her rear on the sidewalk to an auto parts store.  This was the first of four times she has fallen since.  I will forego including anymore details, but work on the new site directory has come to an almost complete halt because of me spending my available energy upon doing what I can for Arlynda.  Be assured that I really miss visiting your sites, and I hope you-all have been doing at least relatively well.  I still have hope that things will at least get back to normal for us, but I have no idea when that might be.

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Independence Day

Wow, it has been over a month since my last posting.  I have been keeping as busy as I can on the new site directory, and it is basically ready to launch.  I just need to work on a couple of things that might make things go more smoothly later on.

Alas, with me not really knowing what I am doing, I am quite sure I am doing everything the hard way.  A lot of that has to do with my eyesight still being fairly poor, which keeps me from learning the codes that could automate much of what I am (and will be) doing manually.

No, I did not get the cataract surgery on my eyes.  The plan was for the doctor who has been treating me with the Avastin shots to pass me along to another doctor (over him in the clinic) for the cataract surgery as soon as the excess fluid in the back of my eyes was gone.  The excess fluid has been gone since last March, but I was informed that my cataracts were not bad enough to warrant surgery at this time, which has left me not being able to read anything that is not at least in a 20-point emboldened font.  There is not a doubt in my mind that the real reason why I could not have the cataract surgery is because I am on Medicaid.

The huge irony of it all is that I could get off of Medicaid and become a contributing member of society again if things go well with the new site directory.  So, I am looking forward to the launching of the new directory in a couple of weeks as being an independence day for me and Arlynda in that regard, as well.

Herein lies one of the things I hope will make the new directory stand out.  For if you do a regular search (Google or some other) on Independence Day while looking for some information on the new movie by the name or maybe the American holiday, this article will show up—even though it has nothing to do with either.  The reason why is because computer algorithms are set to find the name, which may have nothing to do with the content while every site on the new directory is actually checked to see what they are all about and placed in appropriate categories.  Of course, my poor eyesight sure factors in, and changes will be made when they are needed.

Our Heavenly Father has sure given me some hard lessons to learn.  For I was raised to believe that He only helped those who helped themselves and that anyone down in the gutter (so to speak) had placed themselves there and was getting what they deserved.  I now know that He helps me the most when I am helpless to help myself (even before I beg for it) and that one can find themselves severely down and out despite how hard they tried to do things right.

Oh yeah, I have done plenty wrong, but it sure seemed right at the time.  I hope the new directory is not another one.

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

ATF: Honorable Mentions

This series will include as many of my all-time favorite (ATF) tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way your musical tastes could be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions you might dare to make.  For I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [Dion]

Abraham, Martin and John

Dion

Has anybody here

Seen y old friend Abraham

Can you tell me where he's gone

He freed a lot of people

But it seems the good they die young

You know

I just looked around

And he's gone

Anybody here

Seen my old friend John

Can you tell me where he's gone

He freed a lot of people

But it seems the good they die young

I just looked around

And he's gone

Anybody here

Seen my old friend Martin

Can you tell me where he's gone

He freed a lot of people

But it seems the good they die young

I just looked around

And he's gone

Didn't you love

The things that they stood for

Didn't they try

To find some good

For you and me

And we'll be free

Someday soon

And it's a-gonna be one day

Anybody here

Seen my old friend Bobby

Can you tell me where he's gone

I thought I saw him walk up over the hill

With Abraham, Martin and John

Link: [The Commodores]

Nightshift

The Commodores

Marvin

Marvin

Marvin

Marvin

He was a friend of mine

And he could sing a song

His heart in every line

Marvin

Marvin

Marvin

Sang of the joy and pain

He opened up our minds

And I still can hear him say

Ah talk to me

So you can see

What's goin' on

Say you will

Sing your songs

Forevermore

Ever more

Ever more

Gonna be some sweet sounds

Comin' down

On the nightshiff

I bet you're singin' proud

Oh I bet you pull a crowd

Gonna be a long night

it's gonna be alright

On the nightshiff

You found another home

I know you're not alone

On the nightshift

Oh

You found another home

I know you're not alone

On the nightshiff

Jackie

Jackie

Jackie

Hey what you're doin' now

It seems like yesterday

When we were workin' out

Jackie

Jackie

Oh

Oh

You set the world on fire

Fire

Fire

You came and gifted us

Your love

It lifted us

Higher and higher

Keep it up

And we'll be there at your side

Say you will

Sing your songs

Forevermore

Ever more

Ever more

Gonna be some sweet sounds

Comin' down

On the nightshiff

I bet you're singin' proud

Oh I bet you pull a crowd

Gonna be a long night

it's gonna be alright

On the nightshiff

You found another home

I know you're not alone

On the nightshift

You found another home

Gonna be some sweet sounds

Comin' down

On the nightshiff

I bet you're singin' proud

Oh I bet you pull a crowd

Gonna be a long night

it's gonna be alright

On the nightshiff

You found another home

I know you're not alone

On the nightshift

You found another home…

Lyrics From: [eLyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

ATF: Legends

This series will include as many of my all-time favorite (ATF) tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way your musical tastes could be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions you might dare to make.  For I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [Gordon Lightfoot]

Don Quixote

Gordon Lightfoot

Through the woodland

Through the valley

Comes a horseman

Wild and free

Tilting at the windmills passing

Who can the brave young horseman be

He is wild

But he is mellow

He is strong

But he is weak

He is cruel

But he is gentle

He is wise

But he is meek

Reaching for his saddlebag

He takes a battered book into his hand

Standing like a prophet bold

He shouts across the ocean to the shore

;Til he can shout no more

I have come over moor and mountain

Like the hawk upon the wing

I was once a shining knight

Who was the guardian of a king

I have searched the whole world over

Looking for a place to sleep

I have seen the strong survive

And I have seen the lean grown weak

See the children of the earth

Who wake to find the table bare

See the gentry in the country

Riding off to take the air

Reaching for his saddlebag

He takes a rusty sword into his hand

Then striking up a knightly pose

He shouts across the ocean to the shore

‘Til he can shout no more

See the jailor with his key

Who locks away all trace of sin

See the judge upon the bench

Who tries the case as best he can

See the wise and wicked ones

Who feed upon life's sacred fire

See the soldier with his gun

Who must be dead to be admired

See the man who tips the needle

See the man who buys and sells

See the man who puts the collar

On the ones who dare not tell

See the drunkard in the tavern

Stemming gold to make ends meet

See the youth in ghetto black

Condemned to life upon the street

Reaching for his saddlebag

He takes a tarnished cross into his hand

Standing like a preacher now

He shouts across the ocean to the shore

Then in a blaze of tangled hooves

He gallops off across the dusty plain

In vain to search again

Where no one will hear

Through the woodland

Through the valley

Comes a horseman

Wild and free

Tilting at the windmills passing

Who can the brave young horseman be

He is wild

But he is mellow

He is strong

But he is weak

He is cruel

But he is gentle

He is wise

But he is meek

Link: [Don McLean]

Vincent

Don McLean

Starry starry night

Paint your palette blue and gray

Look out on a summer's day

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul

Shadows on the hills

Sketch the trees and the daffodils

Catch the breeze and the winter chills

In colors on the snowy linen land

Now I understand

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen

They did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry starry night

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze

Swirling clouds in violet haze

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue

Colors changing hue

Morning fields of amber grain

Weathered faces lined in pain

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand

Now I understand

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen

They did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

For they could not love you

But still your love was true

And when no hope was left inside

On that starry starry night

You took your life as lovers often do

But I could have told you Vincent

This world was never meant for one

As beautiful as you

Starry starry night

Portraits hung in empty halls

Frameless heads on nameless walls

With eyes that watch the world and can't forget

Like the strangers that you've met

The ragged men in ragged clothes

The silver thorn of bloody rose

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen

They're not listening still

Perhaps they never will

Lyrics From: [eLyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

ATF: Fading Memories

This series will include as many of my all-time favorite (ATF) tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way your musical tastes could be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions you might dare to make.  For I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [The Oak Ridge Boys]

Y’all Come Back Saloon

The Oak Ridge Boys

She played

Tambourine

With a

Silver jingle

And she must have known the words

To at least a million tunes

But the one most requested

By the man she knew as Cowboy

Was the late night benediction

At the Y'all Come Back Saloon

In a voice soft and trembling

She'd sing her song to cowboy

As a smoky halo circled ‘round

Her raven hair

And all the fallen angels

And pinball playing rounders

Stopped the games that they'd been playing

For the losers evening prayer

Faded love

And faded memories

How they linger

In her mind

Miles and years played the cowboy

Like an old melody

Out of tune

And out of time

Every night in the shadows

Thinking back on Amarillo

He'd dream of better days

And ask for faded love

Lifting high his glass in honor

Of the lady and her song

He paid his check

Then lonely walked

That broken cowboy home

She played

Tambourine

With a

Silver jingle

And she must have known the words

To at least a million tunes

But the one most requested

By the man she knew as Cowboy

Was the late night benediction

At the Y'all Come Back Saloon

She played

Tambourine

With a

Silver jingle

And she must have known the words

To at least a million tunes

But the one most requested

By the man she knew as Cowboy

Was the late night benediction

At the Y'all Come Back Saloon

She played

Tambourine

With a

Silver jingle

And she must have known the words

To at least a million tunes

But the one most requested

By the man she knew as Cowboy

Was the late night benediction

At the Y'all Come Back Saloon

ut the one most requested

By the man she knew as Cowboy

Was the late night benediction at the

Y'all Come Back Saloon

Link: [The Smashing Pumpkins]

1979

The Smashing Pumpkins

Shakedown 1979

Cool kids never have the time

On a live wire right up off the street

You and I

Should meet

Junebug skipping like a stone

With the headlights pointed at the dawn

We were sure we'd never see an end

To it all

And I don't even care

To shake these zipper blues

And we don't know

Just where our bones will rest

To dust

I guess

Forgotten and absorbed

Into the earth below

Double cross the vacant and the bored

They're not sure just what we have in store

Morphine city slippin dues

Down to see

That we don't even care

As restless as we are

We feel

The pull

In the land of a thousand guilts

And poured cement

Lamented

And assured

To the lights

And towns below

Faster than

The speed of sound

Faster than

We thought we'd go

Beneath the sound

Of hope

Justine never knew the rules

Hung down

With the freaks and ghouls

No apologies ever need be made

I know you better than you fake it

To see

That we don't even care

To shake these zipper blues

And we don't know

Just where our bones will rest

To dust

I guess

Forgotten and absorbed

Into the earth below

The street heats

The urgency of now

As you see

There's no one around

Lyrics From: [eLyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]