It seems a very long time ago but, I was a candystriper at the local hospital. If you consider volunteering a job, candystriping was my first job. I had done other things to make money before that, but not in that day to day reporting for a job kind of way.

My favourite candystriping job was working on the main information and greeting desk at the hospital entrance. We were asked for change for the parking meters and phones more than anything else. But we also directed traffic to the right floor, looked up patient room numbers, took phone calls that the switchboard couldn't immediately direct to the right room.

I also worked as an escort, taking people from their room out to the front door where people were picking them up to take them home. I also took a library cart around to the patient rooms. I delivered and set up the little televisions in the rooms too. I never liked having to collect the money when people forgot or just didn't want to pay for it.

There were other jobs the candystripers did. I forget most of them now. We had the run of the hospital and could go almost anywhere. The place I most liked to go was the very top floor of the hospital. Not the roof, but the floor just one under it. It was never finished being built and didn't even have glass in the windows. Being so high up we could look out over the whole area. I was sure I could see my intersection at the highway. Mostly it was a sea of trees and forest.

What is a Candy Striper?

• Candy Striper & Hospital Volunteer Career Profile

• What is a Candy Striper?

Afterwards

Later I went on to volunteer in other types of businesses and charities. I currently volunteer at a medical charity (again). No uniform this time around, just a lanyard and a name card.

I still have my old candystriping uniform around somewhere. All my badges for volunteer hours are still pinned to the shoulder strap. After 100 hours we got a red bar to pin on our uniforms. I had three of them and then they changed the rewards to something else. I forget what it was now. Not something we could pin on anyway.

My Mother had hopes I would become a nurse after my candystriping days. But, I never wanted to be in the medical field.

Candystriper Paper Doll, 1965

Waterproof, Washable and Antimicrobial Mice? I really don’t know why a computer mouse cover or protector is so hard to find. I don’t want to protect my mouse from harm – I want to protect myself from harm FROM the mouse. I don’t understand people who claim to be so germ conscious/ obsessed and yet they ignore simple and basic things like washing hands and cleaning up the things we handle often, like the computer mouse.

If you could see the gunk which gets under the parts of your mouse you would be far more horrified than any movie could make you. Your computer mouse can (and possible already has) make you sick.

It isn’t hard to find a keyboard cover. People think those are the bigger issue because when you eat food over them, type with messy hands and all of that, you can see the junk that falls between the keys, gets stuck to the keys and all the day to day dust.

We seem to ignore all the dirt, germs and grime which we bring to the mouse, but it gets handled as much (if not more) than the keyboard.

Be honest – do you really wash your hands before you begin using the computer mouse, every time? Of course not. I wouldn’t even believe anyone who claims otherwise.

When did you last give your computer mouse a really good cleaning?

• I'm not sure. I don't really think about it.
• Fairly recently. I clean it when I think about it.
• Fairly recently. I clean it when I notice it looks a bit dirty.
• This week sometime. I have a routine for cleaning my computer hardware.
• Today. I give it a good clean up every day or close to it.

When did you last clean your mouse? I don’t mean a quick wipe. A spray of something isn’t enough either. It needs to be cleaned, as if it were a medical instrument, because it picks up and keeps, a lot of grime, bacteria and germs of all sorts. Everything you have touched during your day you bring back on your hands and transfer to that computer mouse.

If you can’t find mouse covers (I found them difficult to locate online and did not find any in my local area stores) then regularly sanitize your mouse and keyboard. You can use a round of kitchen type cleaner and then a second round with hand sanitizer to give it a better chance at decontamination.

I've decided to go a step farther and will see if I can find something to use as a sanitary mouse cover. Possibly a surgical mask which would fit over the roundness of the mouse and leave the underside still open.

I would have liked to buy a washable mouse but they are not so available and the one I did finally find will cost as much as my current mouse but lack the features, such as being wireless and able to work well on any surface (great for when you are not at your desk).

Make Blogging Fun Again

Keeping a site up and running isn't light work. Writing, scheduling, promoting, proofreading, maintaining, updating, replying, publishing... all of that takes time and energy. Bloggers get burnt out trying to keep up with it.

What can you do to avoid burning out while still being productive with fresh inspiration to go on creating more?

• Change where you write.
• Change how you write.
• Get some sleep!
• Make writing fun (again).

If all else fails, reconsider your topic. Maybe you just don't have a blog niche which really suits you? Make a list of the things you really do love to read about, find out about and above all - what do you like to DO? Chances are something you are actively participating in will be a much better topic than something you watch from the sidelines.

Write Something Different: Interview Troubleshooting - problems with solutions Profile someone or something Quiz or polls Personal stories Quotes Conversations Explain decisions Answer questions Thank someone Round ups Goals Update old posts Q & A Follow up Checklists Trends Controversial Live blogging - report on an event Life streaming - report on yourself Video posts Promotional - talk about your ebook, etc Contests Ask questions of your readers FAQ (Frequently asked questions) Top ten list Podcast Review Editorial Rant Critique Special reports Post in a series, linked together Cheat sheet Infographic Hand drawn post Web comic Art journal Jokes Webinar Repost a discussion held on Twitter Debate Curated links Collaboration (trade posts with another blogger). Historical Future predictions Shopping ideas How-to Seasonal On this day... Whatever happened to... Tutorial Images with minimal text Advice column Hypothetical (What if...) Satire Inspirational/ motivational News Definitions of words/ jargon Directory of links Join in on a meme, blog fair or other project

Write it Differently

Stop writing everything like a standard blog post. Look at other formats. If you run WordPress make note of the formats available in the toolbar menu to the right.

Get out of your same old post rut and try something new.

Work on scheduling too. Put together a few posts ahead of time and schedule them to be posted in the days ahead. This way you can actually take a few days off from your daily blogging grind. Do something else. (Besides blog stuff - there is a whole world out there, offline).

Write in a New Location

Do you always write in the same place, at the same time, with the same tools? Why not make a change, something simple which will give you a fresh perspective, fresh scenery and people to watch.

I especially like writing in a coffee shop. I find a window seat and let myself procrastinate for awhile with a good latte. Once I stop trying to write it becomes easier to think of things to write about.

Another great discovery is the local transit system. For the cost of a few dollars I can spend an hour on the bus (it doesn't really matter where I'm going) and let my mind drift. I keep pens and paper in my purse or backpack and make notes with ideas as I get them.

Write outdoors too. Put yourself under the open sky with all sorts of room to breathe, relax and wander. Just being outside never fails to lighten my mood.

Unclutter your mind. It's funny how much easier it is for new thoughts to seep in once you have given them some space. Sleep (That thing you close your eyes for). People who keep blogs work for themselves, set their own hours and can have the most demanding boss. Themselves.

How many times have you stayed up late to proofread a post? How many times have you worked through lunch to put in time posting on Twitter? How many times have you not taken a day off in an entire week? What job has such poor hours, unless it is also someone self-employed?

Go to bed. Take a weekend off. Take a vacation and really stop blogging. Don't check email. Don't write a few lines to Facebook or Twitter. Don't do anything... except maybe jot down a note or two when you get a great idea you can work on tomorrow when you're done with your day off blogging.

Remember When all this Seemed Fun? I began blogging because I loved it.

In time that gets forgotten buried and lost. There are so many demands we put on ourselves. So many things others tell us we should do if we care about marketing, traffic, SEO, readers, comments, guest posts, advertising, monetizing and the list goes on. It's all pressure. A lot of it is just plain peer pressure.

Consider this... why do you read a blog (other than your own?) In some cases you may be looking for news and information and nothing more. But, even then, why do you choose one blog over another?

Something sparks your interest, beyond the text content. Most likely the blogs which get and keep interest from their readers are the blogs which have some spark of life, a sense of fun or at least of not being anti-fun, all work and a real chore.

Put fun back into your own blog and your work there.

Do you still love your blog topic? If not, what can you change about it to make it interesting and fun for you again?

Is there a new niche you would love to know more about yourself, something relevant to your topic? Something you just haven't taken the time to find out about or dive into?

A stale blog can't be fun to write. Bring something fresh to your blog and to your time and energy spent on it. Don't be afraid to boldly renovate and go forth in a new direction. Better to make progress in a new way than to burn yourself out and have nothing at all left to say and no real desire to say anything.

If you are truly a Canadian science fiction fan/ geek you must know Starlost.

If you have never heard of Starlost you need to catch up on it! Starlost was a Canadian science fiction TV series created by Harlan Ellison and broadcast in 1973 on CTV in Canada. Ben Bova was the science advisor.

It was quirky and people will say it was not very good but I would say it had personality and was loads of fun to watch. But, I like science fiction when it’s not very good. (I do draw the line at down right awful though).

The Starlost was 16 episodes (1973 – 1974)

• Keir Dullea as Devon
• Gay Rowan as Rachel
• Robin Ward as Garth

One Day you Discover your Planet is Actually One Community on the Spaceship, Ark

The Starlost is about Devon, Rachel and Garth who grow up in a backwards pioneer sort of community, Cypress Corners . Rachel, Devon and Garth are in a romantic triangle. Rachel wants Devon but is told to marry Garth. So they run away, Garth following. This is when the bottom drops out of their world.

Garth, Rachel and Devon are on a spaceship, the Ark, which is on a collision course with a Class G solar star. Cypress Corners has just been one domed community in a giant spaceship. They find this out when they discover a computer set up to provide assistance and answer questions should any of the Ark inhabitants wander outside of their community domes and discover they aren’t on a planet at all.

The TV series becomes the three of them working together, in spite of their differences, to try to keep the Ark and all it’s inhabitants from destruction. They meet other cultures who have been isolated in their own domes (biospheres) and evolved in unique ways. They also find out more about the Ark itself and those who built and ran it. However, they discover the crew of the bridge are dead when they find skeletal remains in spacesuits.

The most memorable part of the show for me was the computer man. Sometimes he was just a disembodied voice and other times he was the face on the screen when they interacted with the ship’s computer. The actor who played the computer and voice was William Osler. He was very distinctive and a bit intimidating (even scary) when I watched the show long ago.

Quirky, old science fiction TV series and movies are a treasure to be shared.

No matter what we tell others or deny to ourselves, we all want to be one of the popular people. One of those blogs which seem to have endless faithful readers. One of those blogs people are commenting on almost as soon as a fresh post is published. One of those blogs you know everyone will link to, refer to and praise as being so great, wonderful and fabulous. But, how do you get from here to there? How do you become one of the popular bloggers? It isn't something anyone or everyone can do. A lot of it takes personality - if you are introverted the social part with be hard for you. Still, there's nothing keeping you from trying and seeing how close you can get to reaching your lofty goal. Don't get discouraged. Not everyone can find fame and fortune. You may get to the point where you find your plateau and realize you are happy right there. Goals should never be so rigid you can't change them to suit yourself. They are after all, your goals, for you.

• Don't give up!
• Stay focused!
• Be friendly!

Don't Give Up Too Soon

Getting a site off the ground takes time. Even if your site is a few years old but you have not been active in the niche community of your site, you are going to need to give yourself time to find your feet and build those social connections.

Take a weekend sabbatical because you shouldn't push yourself so much that you burn out too soon. But, don't give up too easily. If you take more than a weekend off you will lose momentum. Treat blogging like a job with a regular work day. Once you have done your 9 to 5 take the rest of the day off and keep your weekends free.

Focus on One Niche Topic

Pick a niche and stick with it.

You may fear not having enough to write about. So, take paper and pen and brainstorm a list of ideas in your niche. Give yourself an hour or jot down notes over the day as you go along. How many ideas did you get? Review them and see which are not as relevant, which are related to your niche and which are just what you want to write about. A niche can be flexible. Consider seasonal posts which are still relevant content but have a seasonal spin.

A niche does not have to be restrictive. But, it may seem that way if you don't have enough knowledge or really love the topic, theme or niche. Over the long haul you need both knowledge, resources and passion to sustain a blog. You also need the focus to keep on topic so readers will know what to expect and come back for more. If you stray too far out of your niche too often you lose credibility and that nice predictability readers are looking for.

Having said that you really do need a great writing voice. Your own personality should shine through your words. Your own experiences, opinions and ideas will engage readers and make them feel they are connected to a real person. You need to become your niche and don't be afraid to show some humour too. Think about the blogs you read versus those you just skim.

Be Engaging and Encourage Interaction with Readers

Engage readers and encourage comments.

Remember you are writing to people. Think about others as you write. Ask them questions, encourage them to give feedback. Leave open ended posts where readers have something to add rather than just the bland, good post, I agree, sort of comments. Stir things up in some way to give people a reason to leave you a note.

When someone does comment follow up on it. Find out who they are, check their own blogs (if they have one) and find them on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and so on. You can choose to follow them or not. Don't automatically follow everyone. Be sincere in who you follow and stick to people you have a reason to want to get to know or find out about.

Keep Them Reading

Get writing and then make sure your posts are easy to find on your site. Promote your own links to relevant and related content on your posts. In the sidebar you can gets lists of your most popular posts, most commented on posts and even your posts from a year (or years) ago. Give people more to read and they won't read one post and move on so quickly. Also, you are showing your own knowledge and authority in your niche.

Don't forget tags and categories. These are a great way to build an index to the content on your site. Tags can cover more ground, smaller and more focused topics. Categories should be limited to the main ideas you want to write about. Think of categories as a table of contents in a non-fiction book. While tags are more like the big index in the back. Both categories and tags, and the search you should also use, give readers the ability to find more of your related content.

Learn to Love Social Media

Make sure readers can follow you and repost your links too.

There are a large variety of widgets you can add to your blog for social media sharing and getting followers. What's a great way to get someone to follow you back? Let them know you followed them and why you did. Everyone likes to know you actually followed them for a reason (other than wanting to beef up your own numbers). Plus, people who have a lot of followers usually don't notice the addition of someone new. So announcing yourself, in a positive way, is a great way to get followed back and likely get your blog noticed too.

Be Active in the Online Community

Get to know other bloggers and those who work for other sites and social media.

This is not easy for me. I'm very much an introvert and I like not being too social. However, if you set yourself the goal of becoming a big fish you need to be a joiner and keep your accounts active. Not just Twitter, the odd repost to Tumblr or StumbleUpon. You need to jump right in there with both feet and become a social butterfly.

Build up your small talk skills. Learn more about the art of conversation. Even though the medium is not face to face your sincerity will show through. So work on becoming socially skilled and do your best to shine.

Of course, there is the other extreme, the troll. Know where the limits fall. Don't become the person who has to have something to say about everything, always has to make their opinion known and makes everything about themselves. If you find yourself taking over too many conversations in the forums step back and take a full day off. Decide to not even read a few of the forum threads. Set limits you (and others) can live with.

Not everyone will want to try things like blog fairs, carnivals, memes and such. But, these are a great way to break the ice and meet your fellow bloggers.

If there is a particular blogger or group you want to notice you, write a review of their site and talk about what they do and what you like about them. Share the link via social media.

Write Outside the Blog

Guest blogging gets a lot of mention but I'm not wild about it. As a blogger I tend to get awful posts in the name of guest blogging. People ask me for space on my site before knowing (or caring) what I post about. I have had amazingly terrible submissions. Never accept a guest blogging post unless it really works for your niche and you actually think your readers will want to have the information or the point of view the guest blogger is promoting. Of course, check any links they want you to post. Check them at the HTML level to be sure you aren't getting more than you expected.

As someone trying to find a place to guest blog... it isn't easy. Most bloggers have not had great experiences with guest blogging. Many won't even read requests because so many of them are useless. So, you have a real up hill battle to get your foot in the door and even be heard. Start by leaving comments (good comments) in the blog you want to guest blog for. Get noticed for something you are doing right and then, when you do have your foot in the door, suggest writing a post for them.

An alternative to guest blogging is to write for networks. They do seem to be disappearing but HubPages and others which are still pretty new, are still around. Get your feet wet, create a profile you can link to with good posts. Build up a readership and direct them to your own site as a source for extra information and more resources.

Both guest blogging and network blogging will give you links to your own site from an outside source. As you write more posts on outside sources you will be giving yourself a nice selection of links back to your site and the search bots (and actual human readers) will find you.