Archives for August 18, 2010

Upcoming post idea and comments

ARRRRRRR

Two metablog topics for this post: one of which NEEDS your input, and one of which is ABOUT your input.

Ravenna’s Blogs

I’ve been slowly compiling a list of blogs written in/around the Ravenna area.  Most of them are listed in the Blogroll on the right side of the page (scroll down, scroll down). But I’d like to do a series of posts that promote them a little better than that.

If there are any local-to-Ravenna blogs that you follow, or even write yourself, and you would like to see them in a future “Ravenna’s Blogs” post, shoot me an email with the link(s).  The subject matter is incidental — it’s just nice to see what your neighbors are passionate about*.

Ravenna Blog’s Comments

I would LOVE to see more of you commenting on posts. And by more, I mean some. But I think the absence of comments is much more the blog’s fault than yours.

When I’m at someone else’s site and want to leave a comment, and I end up having to register at that specific site just to leave my one comment, I am about 100 times more likely to just say nothing and move on.

Unfortunately for me (and you), that’s exactly the comment system I’m using right now.

In the coming days, I’ll be playing around with different WordPress comment plugins to make post conversation easier. The one I’m likely to use is the one that My Green Lake and the Roosevelt Neighborhood Blog are using, which allows users to login with existing accounts (ex. facebook, twitter, Yahoo ID).

This switch-over may mean that old comments and logins are lost, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

There’s also a new comment-inducing technique I’m going to start trying:

What do you think about the Ravenna Blog switching to a new comment plugin? Would an easier login system make you more likely to leave a comment on a blog post? Leave a comment below!

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*So far, mostly food. SCORE.

Planet:Home – A Sustainable Living Festival, this Saturday

Did you know that we have one of the best sustainable living resources in the city right here in Northeast Seattle?  Well, now you do! And they’re having a festival this Saturday, chock-full of green learning opportunities.

Sustainable NE Seattle is hosting Planet : Home – A Sustainable Living Festival this Saturday, August 21st, from 10am-5pm at the Hunter Tree Farm (7744 35th Ave NE).

Event description, from the Sustainable NE Seattle website:

Free workshops, speakers, food, live music, demonstrations, hands-on science and art activities for kids! Come learn how you can reduce your environmental footprint and share your experiences in trying to live more sustainably! Learn about solar cooking, bicycle repair (bring your bike!), cheese-making, weatherizing your home, growing your own tea (bring a cup!), sod replacement, worm bins, bee-keeping, tool repair (bring your tools!), edible landscaping, knowledge-sharing with community elders, rain gardens, and much much more. Take home ideas for environmentally-friendly living and maybe win some eco products to help you on your way.

Morning schedule includes:

Afternoon schedule includes:

Cheese making? Fixing your own bike? Live music? FOOD? PRIZES?!

Eh, they had me at “cheese.”