Optimizing your blog/site for the search engines is the process of selecting the most applicable and targeted keywords or keywords phrases to enable your blog/site to rank highly in the search engines, so that when someone is searching for those specific keywords or keyword phrases, your blog/site is featured on the first page of those search engines listings.

This involves ensuring your keywords are in the meta tags of your site/blog, as well as having a certain percentage of them in your content and building outside links (known as backlinks) that point back to your blog/site. Because search engines keep their methods secret, a search engine often uses hundreds of factors to determine where a blog/site may rank. Not only that, the algorithms they use change constantly. So much so, a blog or site could rank #1 in one search engine and, theoretically, not rank at all in another. More likely, however, you’ll see results similar to how my blog ranks: #4 for my keywords in Google, #10 in Yahoo and #3 in Bing (formerly known as MSN Search).  Read more... (291 words, 15 images, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

Thought I forgot, didn’t you? Much thanks for all of you, not just my top droppers, who visit my blog. I truly appreciate your visits, your comments and your encouragement.

Dave Lucas 31
Guitarbench.com 31
My Outsourced Brain 30
Free Free Free 30
Here Anything Goes 30
Cloud Musings 30
a site for women 30
Are You Hungry? 30
Behind the Bit 30
Online Social Networking 30

I hope this finds you well.

I received a call yesterday from Alex, my enrollment adviser @ WGU to inform me that I’ve successfully passed the WGU entrance exam. I feel pretty good about that, particularly seeing as algebra and geometry aren’t my strong points. Next challenge: the $65.00 registration fee. I speak with Alex again on Tuesday, so we’ll see how that goes. If it is to be, it will be, so I’m not too overly concerned the fee will be much of an issue.

As a couple of you know, I’ve been having some technical issues with my blog, 500 Internal Server Errors, among other things. With the help of the great people over at Hostgator, I believe we’ve got that fixed. In addition, you should notice my blog loading in your browser significantly better, especially my 300 EC pages and my free ebook pages. Speaking of my 300 EC pages, I’ve finished (finally!) debugging those pages. The first two pages of cards are each an even 100. The final page of EC is 101. This enables everyone on the list a shot at 300 EC a day.  Read more... (328 words, 14 images, estimated 1:19 mins reading time)

do you anticipate will be required to succeed at WGU and achieve your goals?” That was the essay question in my entrance exam at Western Governor’s University. I thought long and hard about how to answer that question and I thought I’d share my essay with you.

That is an excellent question.

Due to some poor life choices, I’ve come to regret not continuing my education. Not pursuing a higher education has hurt me career wise, financially, and personally over the years. I intend to do something about that and it starts by my enrollment in WGU.

Given the importance of setting a good example for my daughter, as well as the importance of quality time spent with both her and my wife, one significant lifestyle change will be the commitment of at least 4 hours a day, 5 days a week to my studies while my daughter is in school. This will allow me to keep to a schedule that will not have an adverse impact on other importance aspects of life, as well as setting a great example for my daughter not just by my words, but by my actions as well.  Read more... (379 words, 14 images, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

No, that’s not a trick question. The fact is, if you choose money, there’s no guarantee you’ll have time to enjoy it. If you choose time, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to function financially.

Ever since the creation of the World Wide Web, the search for ways to have both the time and the money is endless. Millions of people scour the Web on a daily basis looking for that one banana boat that will vault them into internet marketing superstardom.
Unfortunately, few of them wind up breaking the code that allows them to live large without spending every waking moment working.

No internet guru is likely to spill the real beans, you know. The beans they use to make a great living without being a slave to their computer are tightly held secrets; its not like they want you taking any money from them, you know what I’m saying? These people don’t want to really share. Of course, they want all that money for themselves.  Read more... (389 words, 14 images, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)