4 things to learn from Michael Jackson!

By Marcus A. Baker

Love him or hate him, you can't ignore who Michael Jackson was. He was and still is everywhere. The fact that his name still dominated news headlines a good week after his death is proof enough that he had an impact on millions of lives globally.

Despite the controversies, mystery and perceived unhappiness, Michael Jackson, the king of pop was a superstar, successful in ways we can only dream about. What if any were his secrets to success? Here are four observations I believe contributed to his legacy, all of which we can apply if we choose to be as successful in our own right.

Michael Jackson was passionate:

He did what made him happy - sing and dance. When you love what you do, you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. It's a drive that will come naturally from within, so even though it may take you a while to get to where you want to be, you will enjoy the journey so much that you will not mind the time it takes to get there.

Those who believe in the law of attraction will tell you that to be successful you have to be happy because when you are, you focus on what is working and the feeling of happiness that you experience. The more you do this, the more you will attract of the same to your life. If you want to be successful, do what you love. Connect with your passion. Be happy.

Michael Jackson was in touch with his inner child:

He knew that life can be outrageously fun, that it's possible to be audaciously happy when you connect with your inner child. He had a child-like quality, a playfulness that helped him dismantle the contradictory beliefs that cover up this most precious knowing.

His 'Never land Ranch' inspired by Peter Pan who refused to "grow up" was testimony to the fact that you CAN have life your way. The true act of growing up is recognizing that you CAN have everything you desire if only you will believe as a child believes, before we strip this magic from them. He may not have had absolutely everything he desired in his life but nobody attains perfection.

He certainly seemed to be doing better than the majority of us. If you want to be successful do what Michael Jackson did, don't take life too seriously. Believe anything is possible and believe in the highest good of all people as children do.

Michael Jackson constantly evolved:

He was a true innovator - continually re-inventing himself through time. It was this that made it possible for him to appeal to such a wide spectrum of people. He became his own brand which of course was totally unique. There was nobody like Michael Jackson, nor will there ever be.

He stood out by taking risks. Not all his behavior was appreciated by everyone but his actions defined the brand that was him. He also maintained an air of mystery. One never knew everything about him nor what he was going to do next. This ensured that his loyal fans remained intrigued followers.

If you want to be successful you need to express your unique nature, be your own brand and give up needing to conform. It's only then that you will be able to stand apart from the masses and be truly different.

Michael Jackson excelled despite his hardships:

His early years were difficult and challenging and missing out on a 'normal' childhood presented its own brand of issues, but he was successful despite this. Why? Because deep down he was true to himself and the belief he had in himself.

This always went deeper than any hardship he endured. As an adult he was often the subject of gossip and misunderstanding but he never let any of it hold him down.

Right till the end with a world tour just weeks away, he was about to emerge out of the ashes like a phoenix and prove that he could survive anything. If you want to be successful, you too will have to release the need to blame others for your failure, instead rising above your hardship and succeeding regardless.

No matter what it is you want to achieve, the key to your success will be dependent on your ability to use the power and influence of your sub conscious mind. My passion is for helping those who want to start and achieve a successful home based business. If you would like to be your own boss and have whatever you desire in life then I'd like to invite you to consider if and how I can mentor you to success.

Success With Marcus [http://www.successwithmarcus.com]

Amazing Bird Records: read about birds most important records

by the Colca Specialist

I found this information in a very interesting birdwatching site so I would like to share the information with you my birdie friends. Enjoy the article.

Amazing Bird Records

Find out which birds are fastest, heaviest, smallest, have the greatest wingspan, have the longest bill, lay the largest clutch of eggs, have the most impressive migration path, and much more...

heaviest and tallest bird: ostrich at maximum 156 kg (345 lb) and 2.7 m (9 ft)

heaviest flying birth: great bustard at maximum 21 kg (46.3 lb)

largest extinct bird: Dromornis stirtoni of Australia at 454 kg (1,000 lb) and 3 m (10 ft)

tallest extinct bird: giant moa of New Zealand at 3.7 m (12 ft)

greatest wingspan: wandering albatross at up to 3.63 m (11 ft 11 in)

greatest wingspan of landbirds: Andean condor and marabou stork tied at 3.2 m (10.5 ft)

smallest bird: bee hummingbird at 5.7 cm (2.24 in) and 1.6 g (0.056 oz)

smallest flightless bird: inaccessible island rail at 12.5 cm (5 in) and 34.7 g (1.2 oz)

longest legs: ostrich longest legs relative to body length: black-winged stilt at 23 cm (9 in), or 60% of its height

absolute shortest legs: virtually non-existent in swifts (Apodidae)

longest toes relative to body length: northern jacana at 10 cm (4 in)

longest bill relative to body length: swordtailed hummingbird at 10.5 cm (4.13 in)

absolute longest bill: Australian pelican at 47 cm (18.5 in)

fastest-moving bird: diving peregrine falcon at 188 km/h (117 mph)

fastest flapping flight. white-throated needle-tailed swift at 170 km/h (106 mph)

fastest level-flight. red-breasted merganser at 161 km/h (100 mph)

absolute shortest bill: glossy swiftlet at just a few mm

largest and fleshiest tongue: flamingo

longest tongue relative to body size: wryneck at two-thirds of its body length excluding the tail

smallest hearts relative to body size: Central and South American tinamous at 1.6-3. 1 % of body weight

longest feathers: onagadori, a domestic strain of red jungle fowl, at 10.59 m (34.75 ft)

longest tailfeathers: crested argus pheasant at 173 cm (5.7 ft)

longest tail coverts: Indian and green peafowl at 160 cm (5.24 ft)

widest tail feathers: crested argus pheasant at 13 cm (5.1 in)

longest tail feathers relative to body length: fork-tailed flycatcher at 27 cm (10.75 in)

longest primary feathers relative to body length: permant-winged nightjar at 60 cm (2 fit)

shortest tails: virtually non-existent in kiwis, emus, rheas, cassowaries

greatest number of feathers: whistling swan at 25,216

lowest number of feathers: ruby-throated hummingbird at 940

most secondary flight feathers: wandering and royal albatrosses with 40 secondaries and 11 primaries on each wing

largest eyeball: ostrich with a diameter of 5 cm (2 in)

fastest-moving racing pigeon: 177 km/h (110 mph)

slowest-flying bird: American woodcock at 8 km/h (5 mph)

fastest wingbeat: hummingbirds, e.g., amethyst woodstar and horned sungem, at 90/sec

slowest wingbeat: vultures at 1/sec

longest soaring bird: albatrosses and condors

smallest soaring bird: swift

highest flying bird: Ruppell's griffon vulture at 11,274 in (7 mi)

most aerial bird: sooty terns at 3 to 10 years without landing

most aerial landbird: common swift at 3 years without landing

longest two-way migration: Arctic tern at 40,200 km (25,000 miles)

longest migration (assuming a coastal route): common tern at 26,000 km ( 16,210 miles) in January 1997

most aquatic bird: penguins with 75% of their lives spend in the sea

keenest sense of smell: kiwis

keenest sense of hearing: barn owl

keenest eyesight: diurnal raptors with 1 million cones per sq. mm in the retinal fovea

best light-gathering capacity at night: owls, e.g., tawny owl

greatest G-force (acceleration due to gravity): beak of red-headed woodpecker hitting bark at 20.9 km/h (13 mph)

highest daily frequency of pecking: 12,000 times by black woodpecker

most intelligent bird: African gray parrot, crows, "bait-fishing" green and striated herons

most talkative bird: African gray parrot with a vocabulary of 800 words

birds that use echolocation: cave swiftlets and oilbirds

largest recorded nesting bird colony: 136 million passenger pigeon nesting in an area in Wisconsin covering 1,942 sq km (750 sq mi)

most abundant bird: red-billed quelea at up to 10 billion

fastest running bird: ostrich at 97.5 km/h (60 mph)

fastest running flying bird: greater roadrunner at 42 km/h (26 mph)

fastest underwater swimming bird: gentoo penguin at 36 km/h (22.3 mph)

deepest dive for non-flying bird: emperor penguin at 540 m (1,772 ft)

deepest dive for a flying bird: thick-billed murre at 2 10 m (689 ft)

deepest dive for a flying bird under 210 g: Peruvian diving petrel at 83 m (272 ft)

longest submerged: emperor penguin at 18 minutes

greatest weight-carrying capacity: bald eagle lifting a 6.8 kg (15 lb) mule deer

greatest hibernator: poorwill with body temperature lowered to 18-20 degrees C (64.4-68 degrees F)

greatest bird mimic: marsh warbler with up to 84 songs

most songs Sung per unit time. 22,197 in 10 hours by a red-eyed vireo

coldest temperature regularly endured by a bird: average temperatures of -45.6 degrees C (-50 degrees F) for emperor penguins

coldest temperature endured by a bird: -62.5 degrees C (-80.5 degrees F) by snowy owl

coldest temperature of land where a bird has been recorded: -89.6 degrees C (-129 degrees F) in Vostok, Russia for south polar skua

warmest temperature regularly endured by a bird: larks and wheatears at 44-45 degrees C (111-113 degrees F)

lowest altitude for nesting: little green beeeater at 400 m (1,307 ft) below sea-level in the Dead Sea

longest fasting period: 134 days for incubating male emperor penguins

most northerly nesting bird: ivory gull at edge of pack ice in Arctic Circle

largest ground nest: dusky scrubfowl nest at 11 m (36 ft) wide and 4.9 m (16 ft) high with over 2,700 kg (300 tons) of forest floor litter

largest tree nest: bald eagle in Florida at 6.1 m (20 ft) deep, 2.9 m (9.5 ft) wide, and weighing 2,722 kg (almost 3 tons)

largest social nest: African social weavers with a 100-chamber nest structure 8.2 m (27 ft) in length and 1.8 m (6 ft) high

largest roofed nest: hamerkop at 2 m (6.5 ft) wide and 2 m (6.5 ft) deep

longest nest burrow: rhinoceros auklet at 8 m (26 ft)

highest tree nest: marbled murrelet at 45 m (148 ft)

smallest nest: Cuban bee and Vervain hummingbirds at 1.98 cm (0.78 in) in breadth and 1.98 - 3.0 cm (0.78 - 1.2 in) deep

foulest smelling nest: Eurasian hoopoe

greatest number of sperm storage tubules: turkey at 20,000

greatest longevity of sperm inside a female: turkey at 42 days

largest egg: ostrich measuring 17.8 by 14 cm (7 by 4.5 in)

largest egg laid by a passerine: 5 7 g (2 oz) by Australian lyrebirds

largest egg laid relative to body weight: little spotted kiwi at 26%

smallest egg laid relative to body weight: ostrich egg at 1.5%

smallest egg: West Indian vervain humming bird at 10 mm (0.39 in) in length and 0.375 g (0.0132 oz)

largest collection of bird skins: British Museum of Natural History with 1.25 million

most valuable bird: 8 billion domestic chickens produce 562 billion eggs annually

most valuable nest: gray-rumped swiftlet for bird's nest soup

roundest eggs: owls, tinamous

longest interval between eggs laid: maleo at 1012 day intervals

largest clutch laid by a nidicolous species: 19 eggs laid by a European blue tit

largest clutch laid by a nidifugous species: 28 by a bobwhite quail

largest average clutch size: 15-19 by a gray partridge

smallest clutch size: 1 egg laid every 2 years by albatrosses

greatest number of eggs laid consecutively: 146 by a mallard

longest uninterrupted incubation period: emperor penguin at 64-67 days

longest interrupted incubation period: wandering albatross and brown kiwi at 85 days

longest incubation period by a passerine species: 50 days for Australian lyrebird

shortest incubation period: 11 days by small passerines

longest fledging period of flying birds: wandering albatross at 278 days

greatest number of broods raised in one year: 21 by zebra finch

pair fastest to breeding maturity: common quail at 5 weeks

slowest to breeding maturity: royal and wandering albatrosses at 6-10 years

longest-lived wild bird: royal albatross at over 58 years

longest-lived captive bird: sulfur-crested cockatoo at over 80 years

largest domesticated bird: ostrich

earliest domesticated bird: jungle fowl at 3200 BC

heaviest domestic turkey: 37 kg (81 lb)

country with the most endangered birds: Indonesia with 126 (Brazil second with 121)

country with the highest percentage of its bird species endangered: New Zealand with 30%

country with the most introduced species: United States (Hawaii) with 68

most recent species of bird to be declared extinct: flightless Atitlan grebe of Guatemala in 1984

most recent North American bird to be declared extinct. dusky seaside sparrow, a race of seaside sparrow, in 1987

rarest bird in the world: ivory-billed woodpecker, Jerdon's courser

highest price paid for a bird book: $3.96 million (U.S.) for a set of John James Audubon's The Birds of America in 1989

highest price paid for a mounted bird: 9,000 British pounds for an extinct great auk by the Natural History Museum of Iceland on 1971

highest price paid for a live bird. 41,000 British pounds for a racing pigeon named Peter Pau in 1986

highest price paid for a cage bird. 5,000 British pounds for a hyacinth macaw

highest price paid for an egg: 1,000 British pounds for an egg of extinct Aepyornis maximus

first bird featured on a U.S. postage stamp: bald eagle

Bird Records
Taken from The Bird Almanac
by David M. Bird, PhD

Read more at Trails.com:

Amazing Bird Records

http://www.trails.com/arts/amazing-bird-records.aspx#ixzz1hxnljlJQ

How can travel agents promote responsible travel?

Traveling with a purpose

by Shelley Seale

One of the biggest trends these days is “going green” – that is, living in a way that lessens impact on the planet and moves from a mentality of consumerism to that of sustainability. And the greening of America presents both a debate and a huge opportunity in the travel industry.

According to The International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of traditional vacationing, increasing annually up to 30 percent. Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel – in other words, leaving a smaller footprint in the places we travel, both on nature and the people who live there. Travelers are growing increasingly interested in more sustainable experiences, and not only out of a sense of guilt or responsibility.

Traveling in a way that respects the environment; gives something back to the indigenous communities rather than merely taking away or, even worse, exploiting. Responsible travel immerses the traveler in the local culture creates deeper, far more enriching experiences.

There is a vast difference between a trip in which you dutifully leave your chain hotel, follow the tour guide to the “must-see” sites which are seen through the viewfinder of the camera, and watch local life pass by outside the windows of the tour bus; and a trip to the same destination where you stay in a locally-run inn, meet people who actually live there and ask them where to eat or shop, and explore leisurely – perhaps even being willing to get lost. As Henry Miller wrote, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

The benefits of traveling in such a way long outlast the trip itself; the traveler is left with far more than just the photographs, and this is highly appealing to a growing number of people. Itineraries that include homestays, language lessons, visits to local artisan villages, cooking or surfing classes, and volunteering abound.

How can travel agents and tour operators take advantage of this trend to grow their business, and fulfill customers’ needs, while making sure their own practices are truly responsible and sustainable?

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) provides the following guidelines for those who wish to implement and participate in ecotourism activities:
• minimize impact
• build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
• provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
• provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate

It is clear that consumer interest in sustainable travel is high, but for many in the industry the question remains: Is it feasible? Kelly Bricker, Executive Director of TIES, emphatically believes it is. “Ecotourism has proven its place in the world, that if done well and with principles in place, it is one of many solutions to biodiversity conservation and wise use of resources around the globe,” says Bricker. “I think we all hope that when we leave, some place, community, or person, is a little bit better off because of efforts we achieved together and ideas we implemented to make things work in a sustainable way.”

Tourism businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by meeting the standards for social and environmental practices that have been created by leading certification programs such as those offered by TIES or another similar group, Sustainable Travel International (STI). Both are non-profit organizations that provide education and resources for travel providers, and develop sustainable tourism standards. Worldwide, there are more than fifty such certification programs for ecotourism, and more are being created every year.

The Sustainable Tourism Conference, initiated by Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization, launched the Sustainable Tourism Criteria in October 2008. These criteria will serve as the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for poverty alleviation. TIES is planning to launch its first workshop on implementing the GSTC at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2009 to be held in Portland, Oregon.

Shelley Seale is a freelance writer based out of Seattle and Austin, but she vagabonds in any part of the world whenever possible. Her forthcoming book, The Weight of Silence, follows her journeys into the orphanages, streets and slums of India where millions of children live without families. Her mantra is “travel with a purpose.” You can reach her at www.shelleyseale.com

Tips for Bloggers

by the Colca Specialist

I received a nice letter from my fellows asking me about blogging! So I was looking around and I found this nice article called THE ZEN OF BLOGGING ,article written by Hunter Nutall. Since I love Zen I would like to share it with you my friends. Thank you for writing.

The Colca Specialist

THE ZEN OF BLOGGING

What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping?

If you're into Zen and you're into blogging, read and share this ebook.
If you're into Zen but you're not into blogging, share this ebook.
If you're not into Zen but you're into blogging, read this ebook.
If you're not into Zen and you're not into blogging, read it twice.

Up the Mountain

They say that when the student is ready, the master will appear. One day I felt ready, and I began the long climb to the top of Mount Blogmore. Was the legend true? Did the old man really exist? No one knew for sure, but we knew that every aspiring blogger had felt compelled to seek him out when their time had come. We also knew they were never seen again.

And so I climbed Mount Blogmore, with a strange force pulling me to the summit even though my knees quivered with fear. It wasn't my choice, it was my destiny. I had to know if I had it in me. I had to know if my inner blogger was ready to be awakened.

As I got closer, I was greeted with heavy snow and bitter cold winds. I was stopped in my tracks several times, unable to breath the freezing air. I pressed forward but didn't know if my body could take it. The old man, if he was real, sure didn't make it easy to be found. But when I reached the top, everything changed.

The snow melted away in a brilliant flash of sunlight. The clean mountain air was filled with the sounds of chirping birds and a babbling brook. My aching joints and muscles felt the pain slip away. But wait—was this real? While my mind was here, did my body lie motionless on the side of the mountain? Was I in heaven?

No, this was real. I still had my wits about me, and I knew I had not left the earthly plane. But this was a very special place. I felt a strange sense of euphoria spreading through my body. And somehow I was not surprised when I turned around to see the old man standing before me.

He pulled down the hood of his robe to reveal himself. He was easily a hundred years old,yet seemed to have astounding physical strength and mental clarity. He had a long white beard, and a solemn look on his face.

I tried my best to stammer out an introduction.

"I...I..."

"Yes, I know who you are, fool," said the old man. "You came here because you want to be a great blogger. I can help you. I can reveal all the secrets of blogging. I can teach you to write posts that pierce the souls of the toughest warriors, or make angels drown in tears.
Yours can be the blog that launched a thousand ships, all full of people dying to subscribe."

The old man paced back and forth, touching his bearded chin.

"And yet," he said, "I sense great doubt within you. You're not sure if you can really do it.
You're not even sure if you really want to. This will not do. Doubt leads to conflict. Conflict leads to indecision. Indecision leads to bad blogging."

He reached to his belt and drew a sword that gleamed with a faint yellow glow. Walking up to a pile of boulders, he paused for a second. Then with a quick, smooth stroke, he sliced clean through solid rock! He then turned to me.

I slowly backed away, but tripped over my own feet and fell to the ground. He continued moving towards me, and slowly raised his sword above his head.

"I'll make this very simple for you," he said. "If you start a blog, I will cut off your head, and if you do not start a blog, I will also cut off your head. So, will you start a blog?"

I sat there completely silent and motionless for what seemed like an eternity.
He then lowered his sword to tap me gently on the shoulder.
"The student is ready," he said.

Day 1: Getting Started

"What time is it?" the old man asked.
"It is now."
"Where are you?"
"I am here."
"Why are you here?"
"To understand."
"Who are you?"
"I am a student of blogging."
"Who am I?"
"You are the master."

"Good," the old man said. "Now you begin your journey. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. We will study those who have walked the path before you."

The old man then booted up a laptop that was running Windows Vista. He opened Internet Explorer 7, and then opened many blogs in different tabs without it crashing. What a magical place this was!

I took a closer look, and saw that we were looking at some of the greatest blogs in history.
There were blogs about gadgets, fashion, politics, sports, productivity, finance, travel, the Internet...just about anything you could think of.

"There are only two places you will find answers," the old man said. "One is within yourself.

The other is in these blogs. For now, you have no answers within yourself, so we must start by observing these blogs. For the rest of the day, you will read them, but not think about them. Keep your mind perfectly clear. Begin now."

I read those blogs until I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Day 2: Choosing a Niche

"Today you will learn about choosing a niche," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and
tell me what you see."

"Well, this one is about a topic that so many other people are writing about. There must be a lot of competition for this topic. Is this a bad niche?"

"No, it's a wonderful niche," the old man said. "It may be crowded, but a voice that's worth hearing will always be heard over ones that aren't."

"I see. And what about this one? This blogger is not concentrating on a narrowly-focused topic, but writes about many different things. Is this a bad niche?"

"No, it's a wonderful niche," the old man said. "While the content may be diverse, it's all related when you see the big picture. This blogger is focused on a particular audience, and serves their needs well."

"I see. And what about this one? This blogger is writing about their personal life, which I thought was a big no-no, an exercise in vanity. Is this a bad niche?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 3: Domain Names

"Today you will learn about domain names," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one is very long. Is this a bad domain name?"

"No, it's a wonderful domain name," the old man said. "While it may be a lot of characters, it's only two words. It's simple and memorable."

"I see. And what about this one? This one is made up of nonsense words. Is this a bad domain name?"

"No, it's a wonderful domain name," the old man said. "While the words don't make sense,they have a nice ring to them. They roll off the tongue and flow with the blog."

"I see. And what about this one? This one is long, has five words, and they're even
misspelled. Is this a bad domain name?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 4: Blogging Platforms

"Today you will learn about blogging platforms," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, it seems that almost everyone uses WordPress.org because it's free, easy to install, and offers a lot of features and plugins. But this one uses WordPress.com. Is this a bad platform?"

"No, it's a wonderful platform," the old man said. "WordPress.com provides the hosting, so it's extremely quick, easy, and cheap to set up. It's faster to get a blog going with a hosted platform, and that was the most important thing for the blogger at the time, although they might move to self-hosting later in order to have their own domain name and more control over their blog."

"I see. And what about this one? I can't even figure out what platform this one uses. Is this a bad platform?"

"No, it's a wonderful platform," the old man said. "The blogger is a programmer, and he actually created his own blogging platform to have the highest degree of flexibility. Most people can't do that, but it's an option for those with the inclination."

"I see. And what about this one? It uses Squarespace. That's not even free. Is this a bad platform?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 5: Themes

"Today you will learn about themes," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one uses a free theme. You probably get what you pay for, and there are
probably many other blogs that look just like it. Is this a bad theme?"

"No, it's a wonderful theme," the old man said. "Today there are many free themes out there that are very high-quality. And as the number of themes grows, it becomes less likely that another blogger is using the same theme. This one has also had some simple customizations made."

"I see. And what about this one? This is a paid theme. What you just said makes it sound like paid themes aren't needed. Is this a bad theme?"

"No, it's a wonderful theme," the old man said. "This person found someone who made them a completely customized theme for a low price. It's truly unique, because it was made just for them. And it's designed to perfectly accommodate the advertising they have."

"I see. And what about this one? This one looks awfully complex. It has so many different sections that I get a little bit lost. Is this a bad theme?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 6: Plugins

"Today you will learn about plugins," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one only uses Akismet to filter out comment spam, and no other plugins at all.That doesn't seem very sophisticated. Is this a bad use of plugins?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of plugins," the old man said. "The blogger doesn't need any fancy features, and wanted to keep it as simple as possible. It makes it very easy to maintain the blog, because the plugins never have to be upgraded and there are no compatibility issues."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has a number of plugins. Maybe that's too complicated. Is this a bad use of plugins?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of plugins," the old man said. "There aren't too many plugins here, so it's not too much maintenance overhead. But they have some useful plugins to do things such as improving their SEO, making database backups, and letting people subscribe to comments. This is an easy way to provide some additional features on their blog."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has every single plugin under the sun. Is this a bad use of plugins?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 7: Blogging Voices

"Today you will learn about blogging voices," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one is written very formally. It almost seems like I'm reading a textbook. Is this a bad blogging voice?"

"No, it's a wonderful blogging voice," the old man said. "Because of the nature of the blog, the readers are expecting a more formal tone. The blogger understands the target audience and writes the way that best speaks to them."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog is written in a very friendly tone. It seems a bit casual. Is this a bad blogging voice?"

"No, it's a wonderful blogging voice," the old man said. "Because this blog attracts readers who are interested in hearing about personal experiences, the blog is written in such a way as to make them feel at home."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog sounds very sarcastic and even condescending.Is this a bad blogging voice?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 8: Posting Frequency

"Today you will learn about posting frequency," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one posts only once or twice a week. That doesn't seem like enough. Is this a bad posting frequency?"

"No, it's a wonderful posting frequency," the old man said. "Because there aren't enough posts to overwhelm anyone, someone who subscribes is likely to remain subscribed. Also,when a post stays on top for a longer period of time, it gets more comments. And of course,it takes less effort to post less often."

"I see. And what about this one? This blogger posts multiple times per day. That seems like way too much. Is this a bad posting frequency?"

"No, it's a wonderful posting frequency," the old man said. "Because this blogger is one who breaks the news in his industry, he has to make a post to announce every relevant event.His readers trust him to provide all the available news on this topic."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog is very unpredictable. Sometimes there will be a few posts in one day, and then there won't be any more for a couple of weeks. It's hard to know what to expect. Is this a bad posting frequency?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 9: Post Length

"Today you will learn about post length," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one has very short posts, about 250 words each. That doesn't seem long enough to be useful. Is this a bad post length?"

"No, it's a wonderful post length," the old man said. "This blogger is mainly reporting the news in her industry. She's gotten good at quickly saying what needs to be said, and pointing her readers to where they can get more information."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has longer posts, about a thousand words each.
That seems a bit much for busy people to read. Is this a bad post length?"

"No, it's a wonderful post length," the old man said. "This blogger has a reputation for adding original thoughts to the topic. The posts are a little longer because they're deeper.While fewer people will read them, those who do will get more out of them."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has very long posts, several thousand words each. That seems to be a lot more than people want to read. Is this a bad post length?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 10: Images

"Today you will learn about images," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one doesn't have any images at all. It's just text, without a single picture in sight. Is this a bad use of images?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of images," the old man said. "This blogger writes about a topic for which it's hard to find relevant images. The time it would take to try to find good images can be better spent on writing new posts."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has an image for every single post. That must be a waste of time. Is this a bad use of images?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of images," the old man said. "Great images on this topic are easily found, and putting one in each post is a great way to bring the posts to life."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has several images on each post, and they don't appear to be relevant to the topic of the blog. Is this a bad use of images?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 11: Monetization

"Today you will learn about monetization," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one has no monetization at all. The blogger is basically working for free. Is this bad monetization?"

"No, it's wonderful monetization," the old man said. "By having no monetization on this blog, the blogger gains more readers and builds a reputation. He then turns around and sells services by leveraging that reputation."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has some AdSense ads, text link ads, affiliate links, and private advertising. People might think this makes the blogger look greedy. Is this bad monetization?"

"No, it's wonderful monetization," the old man said. "Maintaining a blog is a lot of work, and the blogger has the right to earn some income. The ads aren't too distracting, and they actually complement the blog by providing offers relevant to the blog topic."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog is completely plastered with ads. I can't even find where the content is on this page. Oh, here it is. Is this bad monetization?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 12: Comment Management

"Today you will learn about comment management," the old man said. "Look at these blogs,and tell me what you see."

"Well, this blogger responds to every comment with a thoughtful reply. It seems like that would take too long. Is this bad comment management?"

"No, it's wonderful comment management," the old man said. "Although it takes some time to reply to every comment, it makes the commenters feel appreciated. They become more likely to subscribe, leave more comments in the future, and link to the blog."

"I see. And what about this one? This blogger barely responds to any comments. The commenters must feel neglected. Is this bad comment management?"

"No, it's wonderful comment management," the old man said. "Although some readers may wish that their comments received a response, the reality is that there are too many comments for the blogger to keep up with. Her time is better spent by responding to only a handful of comments, and concentrating on writing new posts."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog doesn't even allow comments. What's the point of a blog that doesn't allow comments? Is this bad comment management?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 13: Guest Posting

"Today you will learn about guest posting," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this blogger doesn't have any guest posts on their blog, and they don't seem to write guest posts for others. That seems awfully isolated. Is this a bad use of guest posting?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of guest posting," the old man said. "This blogger has such a unique voice that it would be extremely difficult for someone else to write a complementary post. Any guest post would be distracting. And it would be hard to find another blogger who would want posts like this on their blog."

"I see. And what about this one? This blogger frequently has guest posts on their blog, and often writes guest posts for others. Wouldn't it be better to focus more on their own blog? Is this a bad use of guest posting?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of guest posting," the old man said. "This blogger is developing a reputation by writing guest posts on key blogs in his niche. It's a good way for him to grab the attention of people who are interested in the niche but don't necessarily know him. And as his reputation grows, he's able to attract guest posts from bigger bloggers, which lightens his load and builds relationships with those bloggers."

"I see. And what about this one? It seems that practically every post on this blog is a guest post. I'm not even sure who actually owns the blog. Is this a bad use of guest posting?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

Day 14: Social Media

"Today you will learn about social media," the old man said. "Look at these blogs, and tell me what you see."

"Well, this one just has links to Digg and StumbleUpon at the bottom of each post. But there are many more social media options than those. Is this a bad use of social media?"

"No, it's a wonderful use of social media," the old man said. "The blogger is making it simple for readers. The more options you overwhelm someone with, the less likely they are to use any one of them. By restricting the readers' choices to just the two that are most important to the blogger, he increases his chances of doing well with them."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog has buttons for every social media site on the face of the earth. I didn't even know there were so many. It seems a bit much. Is this a bad use of social media?"

"No it's a wonderful use of social media," the old man said. "This blogger is known as a social media expert and has derived much of her traffic from various social media channels.
Because she teaches her readers how to effectively use all of them, it only makes sense that she provides buttons for all of them."

"I see. And what about this one? This blog doesn't have any social media links or buttons at all. How can a blogger completely remove himself from that world? Is this a bad use of social media?"

"Ponder that question," the old man said, "and tell me the answer on the last day."

"But master," I said, "the last day is tomorrow."

"Yes," the old man said, "so you'd best get a good night's sleep."

The Last Day

"What time is it?" the old man asked.
"It is now."

"Where are you?"
"I am here."

"Why are you here?"
"To understand."

"Who are you?"
"I am a student of blogging."

"Who am I?"
"You are the master."

"Good," the old man said. "Now you will face your destiny. Every day, you have asked a question that I did not answer. I told you to ponder the question, and tell me the answer on the last day. The time is now. Are you going to tell me the answers, or am I going to cut off your head?"

While I had searched long and hard for the answers, they had not come to me. My efforts had been in vain. I sat there in silence, for I could think of nothing to say. I stared deep into the old man's eyes as I awaited certain death.

And then I found that the events of the previous days were flashing before my eyes, as in a dream. A vivid, intense dream full of sights and sounds. It felt like a mighty river raging through my mind, clearing out my thoughts and replacing them with a peaceful void. And then I smiled.

"I am not afraid, master. I have the answer."

"Only one answer? But there were many questions!" He scowled and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Do not try my patience, fool, for I will not have you make a mockery of blogging!" And then, the corners of his mouth betrayed him, as for the first time they curled into a faint smile. For you see, he knew that I had solved my own riddle.

"All this time I had cluttered my mind by filling it with so many questions, until just now, when I see that they were all the same question. And that question is: why do great bloggers sometimes break the rules? It's because every great blogger is unique. I wouldn't ask why that leopard has so few spots, or why that bird has so many feathers. So why should I ask why a great blogger isn't like everyone else? They break the rules because they're good enough to understand the reasoning behind them, and they know what makes sense for them."

"Very good!" the old man said. "And what else?"

"Well, I've been so busy trying to figure out how to make a great blog, but that's
impossible. Instead, I only need to realize the truth."

"What truth?" asked the old man, now smiling more than before.

"There is no blog! A blog has no inherent value; it's just a medium for conveying value from one person to others. There are no great blogs, only great bloggers. For a person who has nothing worth saying, trying to create a great blog is an exercise in futility, like trying to teach a duck to sing like Pavarotti. I need to start by looking within myself to find my inner blogger. The rest is just details."

"Excellent!" the old man exclaimed. "You've figured out all the secrets, and I have nothing more to teach you."

Finally, my journey was complete. I now knew what I had to do, and the path was clear. I breathed a sigh of utter contentment, and the old man and I started walking together.
Then he smiled again and said, "Actually, there's one more thing. Have you figured out the last secret yet?"

"What secret?"

And then I woke up.

Down the Mountain

I awoke lying face down on the side of the mountain, shivering in the snow. I slowly stood up, freezing and disoriented. I had no idea how much time had passed. I looked around and didn't see anything...no old man, no chirping birds and babbling brook, nothing.

For now, I had to get out of there before I froze to death. I started stumbling my way down Mount Blogmore, and before too long I reached the bottom, where it was much warmer.
What had happened? Was the whole thing a dream? Impossible. For two weeks I had studied under the old man. It was real, I know it was! Wasn't it?

I was disenchanted to think that perhaps I had somehow imagined it all. But in a way, it didn't matter. Regardless of how it happened, I had found my answers.

I didn't want to stay in town anymore. I felt like I needed to go someplace else, where I could be alone with my thoughts. I knew I awaited many great adventures in blogging, and I wanted to be where nothing would distract me from that purpose, where nothing would remind me of reality.

I started walking in no particular direction, thinking of what Havelock Ellis had said:

"Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life?"