Wordless Wednesday

Super Cool Online Blogging Class

Mom's taking a new class that she loves. It's a live 'online' class called 'Profitable Blogging for Beginners.' It's targeted at blogging moms, but Mom took a chance and signed up as a 'cat mom' and was welcomed with open arms. The class is at a site called Blogelina is run by a very nice and knowledgeable woman named Tanya Peterson, who told Mom that while she's targeting moms, she wouldn't turn anyone away.  ; ) 

Tanya Peterson, aka Blogelina

Mom told some anipal friends about it and now the class is being inundated (in a good way) with anipal moms! I think there were five or six of them there tonight. We actually first heard about the class in a Two Little Cavaliers newsletter. (Thanks, girls!)

The price can't be beat. It's $5 for four 2 hour live online chat-room-style classes, with a 60 page class manual that you print out. You can have no blog at all, (really, really a beginner) or already have a full blown blog or website, and still find this useful. 

AND you get a year's FREE GoDaddy web hosting, which Mom's never bought before because it's normally $84/year. This has given her the push she needs to move to self-hosted blogs and websites. You'll notice Mom hasn't made the switch yet, but it's next on her list, and she's already received her web hosting account information from GoDaddy. Tanya's gotten Mom all signed up for their Deluxe Linux web hosting plan.  : )

The class meets from 9-11pm EST on Tuesdays, and just keeps repeating starting over with Class #1 every four weeks, with some folks coming back every week to learn and share more. Tanya emails participants the class notes with all the tips and links that were discussed during the class, so they don't have to take notes during the class. Everyone can focus on the chat and slides.

Everyone follows one another's blogs and giveaways, and helps each other figure things out. It's really nice - and fun spending an evening with anipals' moms - and 'regular' women! LOL.

Blogelina also has a free email list and a lot of free tips and stuff. You don't have to buy anything. For that matter, if you really can't afford the $5, Tanya says to email her and she'll work something out! And there's a 30 Day Guarantee. If you're not satisfied after 30 days, you get you $5 back. Srsly.

Mom paid her $5 by Paypal and enrolled in the class, downloaded class manual, and looked around the Blogelina site. Tanya has another offer for her 'Blogging Bundle - 8 Resources for Your Blog' for $10, a package of other downloads. (This bundle and the class are the only things she's selling). Mom bought those, too, then found out that if you buy the Bundle, you get the class enrollment free - including the GoDaddy web hosting. 

Mom emailed Blogelina and said she'd already paid the $5 for the class, but also bought the other $10 package - and Tanya immediately refunded $5 to Mom Paypal account. We're very impressed. You could skip the extra package and just take the class and get the free web hosting for $5. 

We assume Blogelina's trying to get tons of people taking the class so she can eventually charge more money, but first she has to have lots of people raving about it, like Mom (and me), which we obviously are, so her strategy is working.

Blogelina also has an affiliates program. If you, or anyone, signs up from Mom's referral link, she gets a 75% commission - which is, are you sitting down? $3.75. Whether you use our referral link or not, we do think a lot of our friends would like this class, and Mom would love to have you in the class with her next week!


Cokie 
=^..^=

Anipal Photo Hunt: What The Heck Is That Thing!??

Welcome to this week's Anipal Photo Hunt.

So this is the thing... Last month, Mom and Dad suddenly began denying me my greatest joy in life: Drinking out of the bathtub faucet. I used to drink from the dripping faucet while listening to my lovely bride @jazzydacat meowing at me through the drain hole. (She lives in London, and it's the best way for us to communicate.) Dad insists it's bad for the plumbing somehow and I was cut off cold turkey. It's not something I recommend to any cat Moms or Dads out there, FYI. It's been brutal.

To add insult to injury, Mom ordered some crazy contraption through the mail, and when it got her, she  put it in my room, filled it with water, (get this) PLUGGED IT IN, and it started making weird noises! Water started gurgling and then coming out of the middle of the thing in a stream down into the bowl.

They insist that it's mine - like that's a good thing. They had the nerve to call it a Gotcha Day present!  : /  Srsly. Who's idea was this?? It says China on it. Is this what they call Chinese water torture? 

Chinese Water Torture

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Mom took away my water bowl, so if I want to drink water, I HAVE to drink out of this whachamacallit - and try to avoid getting my ears wet! What the duck?? It has this stupid stream of water that I have to twist my neck around to avoid. I have a sneaking suspicion they think that this is in some way a replacement for water streaming out of the bathtub faucet. What part of "that thing is not a bathtub faucet" do they not get??

It's been more than a week now, and they continue to expect me to drink out of this gizmo. Hopefully, they'll get tired of it and throw it away, and let me back into the tub.

I'm considering starting a petition.




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The 2011 Anipal Census - Sit & Be Counted!

I'm taking an anipal census in an attempt to figure out how many of us there are, and just a little about who we are.

For those not familiar with the term, an 'anipal' is basically an animal with an online presence. Are you a dog, cat, bird, guinea pig, teddy bear... and do you have a blog, Facebook page or Twitter account? Concatulations! You're an anipal!

Please take the survey, then tell all your anipal friends (even plushies!) to join the 2011 Anipal Census. The link to the census is here, below, or at www.anipalcensus.com.

Wordless Wednesday

OK, one word:  Rain.

The Anipal Times' 1st Anniversary #Pawty!

One year ago, The Anipal Times was born. It's come a long way since then, and we're pretty proud of it as a real newspaper for the anipal community with high standards, wonderful all-volunteer staff, and generous advertisers who donate to our designated animal charities in lieu of ad fees. 

The Anipal Times Publisher @Snick_the_Dog

We're throwing a Twitter #Pawty for 24 hours from 11am PST on Saturday, April 2nd through 11am Sunday, April 3rd, PST. Our last #ATPawty was a blast, very highly attended, and anipals kept pawtying on for most of the day on Sunday!

Since it will be the day after April 1st, our theme will be APRIL FOOLS! So come dressed in your finest, most foolish regalia, and we'll try to get everyone's avatars on a Pawty Wall for posterity.

Da Shibbering Cheetos will be performing at 11am PST on Saturday April 2nd, so be sure not to miss that!

Please join us, get to know our staff and advertisers, dance, drink, be merry - win fun prizes, and help a good cause. I know we're all tapped out, but the AT's current charity is the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, where our Managing Editor, @BrutustheDane came from! If you can make a donation, it would be much appreciated, but is not by no means mandatory. Please come whether or not you can spare a dime.  ; )

Please RSVP here: http://twtvite.com/AT_pawty

Our Pawty webpage is here. Click on the "How to Pawty" tab (and "Quizzes" drop-down) if this is your first Twitter #Pawty!

If you'd like to pawticipate in the pawty behind the scenes as a BarkTender, a DJ, a QuizMaster (or Mistress), or by donating a prize, please email me at cokiethecat (at) anipaltimes.com. I'll be right here tweeting - I mean working out the details, so give me a shout!

See you there!

Cokie the Cat
Editor in Chief

The Anipal Times

日本を助けてください

We're all watching and worrying and wringing our paws for our friends in Japan. March 17th has been designated "Paws for Japan Day," in an effort to pull us all together in one effort to help, and you may be seeing this badge all around the Internet: 

@CheshireK wrote an article in The Anipal Times this week entitled, "Earthquake, Tsunami, Anipals, Animals," with lots of great information on the situation in Japan. Please read it here.

I found this touching video at Your Daily Cute's website:

You can donate below to help the World Vets organization in their efforts in Japan.

This week's Thursday night #NipClub will also be raising money for World Vets at their St. Patrick's Day Bash. Please try to give something, even a dollar, to help those faced with this triple disaster. 

ありがとう

Wordless Wednesday

Join blogpaws.com's Wordless Wednesdays here:

Well, He Was Just 17, You Know What I Mean ♪

♪ And the way he looked was way beyond compare ♫

So how could I dance with another (Ooh) When I saw him standin' there...

John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Yes, it's true. I'm 17 human years old today. It may not be precisely today, but this is definitely the 16th anniversary of my Gotcha Day, and the shelter said I was 1 year old when Mom and Dad adopted me. Of course, they also said I was a girl, so take that with a grain of salt. I could be a little younger or maybe even older!

Here's a video my mom just took of me. Is she trying to embarrass me talking in her baby kitty mama voice!? Srsly, mom. Sheesh.

Anyway, here goes another year! Look out world, I'm still here!

If you want to do something for my birthday, join the revised Anipal Photo Hunt blog hop (next post down) and/or sign my TV guest book (above on the right).

Here's to me! Cheers!

♡Cokie

Return of the Anipal Photo Hunt! Mardi Gras!

OK, OK...

I've been guilted into bringing back the Anipal Photo Hunt. I admit I've missed all your pics every week. Just check in here each week to see what the theme is, post a photo (or several) related to the Anipal Photo Hunt Theme each week, then link up with us at the bottom of my post.

Then visit the other Photo Hunters' blogs to see their pics, and be social: Comment, follow, sign their guest books - make friends!

I'm also bringing the photo hunt back to my blog (here) rather than keeping up the separate website, & using inlinkz, since linkytools is no longer free.

So let's get hopping!
(This hop is open until Monday March 14)

HAPPY MARDI GRAS! 

Put your Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) pics on your blogs & hook 'em up with the "Add your link" button below. Add the Anipal Photo Hunt badge to your post and link back to this site. Be social! Remember to visit the other blogs, comment on their pics & sign their guestbooks! And follow thy brothers & sisters.  ; ) 

Let's see those beads!