Currently Creative

I said I would not fix it, but I am annoyed by things not working as they should.

As I said before, I changed no settings in the MT4 back end. Everything all of a sudden stopped working. This morning I confirmed this by going through the system activity log. It logs everything being done in this blog. I mean everything. Every comment, trackback, search, post, settings change. Everything. I went through 385 entries, and not one was there any setting changed.

So, now that I know I did not break it by tweaking a setting, I decided to mess with the settings. Can’t get any worse can it?

Nope, I fixed it. I changed it from dynamic archives to static archives (which is what it should have been). Republished and all is normal now. Individual post pages work. Monthly archives work. Comments work. All good.

Now that it is fixed, I do not know if I will switch to WordPress or not. Simply because if I completely redo the blog, I will lose ranking in the SERPs. Plus need to do a lot more work to rebuild. But I still might switch. I want my blog to merge seamlessly with the new site design, so I will need to “investigate” the depth of customization I can do with MT4.x.

Will see in due time.

EDIT: Craptastic system is broken again. Back to the very first problem I had with MT3.x. Comments just don’t work. Choice is made, I will upgrade to WordPress, and suffer and SEO loss that might incur.

Share This Blog

Filed under: Business by MrMyles
No Comments »

It finally happened. As of yesterday it was official. I got paid by Google.

It took 3 years to get it. But I got it. $100.67

I started using AdSense in September 2004. End of September 2007 and I clear the $100 mark and got me a paycheque. although it took 3 years, it has nothing to do with Google. Just me. I do not promote the AdSense heavily, and many times over the years I have added it or removed it from sites. Unsure if I wanted to keep it or kill it.

At one point I decided, to hell with it. A few people click here and there, so eventually I might make a buck. And I decided to keep it. And I was right, I made a buck. A hundred of them. And a few pennies to boot too! Just wish I knew what site has the earning AdSense on it. Since I do not pay attention to it, I never bothered to use channels, so everything shows from the same site.

Checking my stats in AdSense, it appears my earnings are doing quite well since last payment. Not getting rich, but nice to know I can earn a few dollars without putting in much effort. Guess I will start setting up channels so I can figure out exactly where the clicks are coming from.

Now if only it was in Canadian currency so I won’t get the boot on the conversion.

So, I repeat, Thank-You My Dear Google. Beer’s on me!

Share This Blog

Filed under: Business by MrMyles
No Comments »

I said in my last post I had an idea for a new design for Creative Compulsions. The new design will be “similar” to the current design in essential structure, but different colors, and a modified layout.

Biggest changes would be to features and ease of use. Although not a difficult site to navigate right now, I would like to streamline it more. More user friendly. And add more user functionality.

I know of several things I will be adding to the site, such as:

• Social Bookmarking
• User Comments/Ratings on the galleries & articles
• Quick Contact Option
• Update ALL Galleries
• RSS Feeds for galleries
• Improved blog interface
• Actual testimonial page, with links to those clients sites

I would love to know what others would like to see added or changed about the site. Post your comments to let me know how to improve Creative Compulsions.

Design won’t roll out till the new year, so plenty of time for input.

Thanks

Myles

Share This Blog

Filed under: Business, Web Design by MrMyles
No Comments »

Is it possible? Designing something while I sleep?

Maybe if my mind was connected to a computer while I slept, sure. But then I would need to be Bluetooth enabled, and ensure the firewall is up, and make sure anti-virus is up to snuff. Otherwise I could wake up with a massive head cold. Bah! Who needs that hassle.

Rather just chalk it up to a dream. If I remember it when I roll out of bed in the morning, it was a good one. If not, best to be forgotten.

But, I guess it is true, I do design in my sleep. Some of my best designs came to me as I slept, or more commonly, just as I am drifting off. Happened just last night, and I scribbled them both down on paper sometime this afternoon. If they stuck with me that long, they must be gold!

One of them is for a new project. I had another idea planned out, but this one looks better on paper I think, so it is a keeper. The other is a new design for my main site, but I do not have the time to implement it yet, so it has to get filed under my massive to do list. Roll it out in the new year I think.

I got lucky with these two, by having a use for them both. Often times I will come up with a concept, but it will not suit any project I am working on currently. In which case it gets jotted down on a small scrap of paper, and filed somewhere. Possible forgotten … most likely lost …

Good dreams, good dreams
Myles

Share This Blog

Filed under: Business, Web Design by MrMyles
No Comments »

NOT SPAM!!!

Not a big fan of spam. I get enough of it to know I do not like it. And yet it seems some email providers feel I am a spammer. I’m not. I do not send out unsolicited emails trying to sell anyone anything. If you get email from me (and it actually is from me) then there is a reason for it. I do not even send out my newsletter anymore. Just post news on the blog and hope my clients read it and keep updated.

Some time ago, I ran into an issue sending emails to a client using AOL. Apparently AOL was blocking me due to spam. I followed their steps and procedures to get unlisted. It was corrected quickly and all seems well with them now. As far as I know.

Last week a potential new client contacted me via my RFQ form about taking on some new projects for him. All my replies to him, went into the “Bulk” folder of his Yahoo account. Meaning it was teated as spam. I tested this with my own Yahoo account and sure enough, same result. I searched through Yahoo help files but they show NO way of ensuring my messages get through (at least no way I have not already done).

At least my message got there, it just got junked. This can be overcome, simply by “white listing” my address in your Yahoo account. Then I won’t get thrown out.

Today I replied (tried to anyway) to an email from a client, whom I have had PLENTY of contact with over the past several months. When I try to reply to him, I get an immediate bounce telling me I have been blocked due to spam. ARRRGGGHHH!!! I cannot even reply to a clients email now. Sorry Syd, I will email you from another account later today.

I am now in the process of following Microsofts procedures to delist me from their spam database. Almost an hour since I submitted the form, and they have not sent me the follow up steps yet, so this could take awhile.

I apologize to anyone not getting my messages. I am not, and I do not send spam. If you feel you are getting spam from me, I have an address for you to send it to, to let me know and I will check into it asap.

Here is Creative Compulsions official info, incase you or your email provider thinks I am spamming, you can give them this info:

• IP Address: 66.228.114.146
• Privacy Policy: http://www.creativecompulsions.com/privacy.php
• Web Address: http://www.creativecompulsions.com
• Physical Address: 488 Lansdowne Ave Winnipeg, Mb R2W 0H4
• Phone: (001) 204.586.8407
• Phone: (001) 204.802.3487 - Mobile
• abuse @ creativecompulsions.com - Send complaints and spam reports here.
• sales @ creativecompulsions.com
• myles @ creativecompulsions.com

Thanks

Myles

Share This Blog

Filed under: Business by MrMyles
1 Comment »