Blogging – Page 4 – Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math

Christmas in July?

Posted on July 24, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Being moderately tech-illiterate, I don’t pay much attention to SEO (Search Engine Optimization, the magic art of convincing Google to fetch me more readers). Even so, I enjoy browsing through the list of search terms that have brought visitors to my blog. Sometimes I find ideas to write about, or motivation to move an old draft off the back burner, or simply a chuckle at the funny things people look for on the Web.

This month, however, the most popular search term seems strangely out of season — more than 300 people have come to this site wanting “Christmas” or “Christmas tree.”

Continue reading Christmas in July?

My New Blog: Frugal Homeschooling

Posted on May 14, 2008March 27, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Photo by ninjapoodles.

As if I didn’t have enough things to do, ~~I have started a new blog: Frugal Homeschooling,~~ [It’s still there, but no new posts since Sept. 2008. I was stretched too thin, trying to do two blogs.] inspired by the popularity of my math resource page. For months, I have been wanting to write a similar page about homeschooling, but it always seemed like too big a chore even to get started.

On the new blog, however, I can enter links one post at a time — ~~check out the latest Frugal posts in the sidebar widget, just under my Popular Posts list.~~ Bit by bit, I hope it will grow into a helpful resource list for homeschoolers.

Continue reading My New Blog: Frugal Homeschooling

Welcome to Blogland, Niner!

Posted on May 9, 2008March 27, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Photo by Niner.

The daughter who supplies my header photos has started a blog to show off her pictures:

Niner’s SnapFair
[It’s pronounced “NEE-ner.”]

Update: She no longer posts to that blog, but has been writing and posting photos, recipes, and craft projects to her new blog — College & The Years After.

Her photography skills continue to improve, and her sense of humor comes through in the stories that accompany each photo. I’m sure she’d love to have you stop by and visit!

Continue reading Welcome to Blogland, Niner!

Checking for Old, Rusty Links

Posted on April 18, 2008March 27, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Photo by Clearly Ambiguous.

If you blog about MathCounts, beware that they recently overhauled their website — which made almost everyone’s links to them obsolete. I ran a routine check for dead links and found quite a few on my blog. I hope that I’ve caught most of them, but if you stumble across one of those nasty “Page not found” messages when you click a link on my blog, I hope you will report it in the comments section.

Continue reading Checking for Old, Rusty Links

March Update: Expanding Blogroll

Posted on March 31, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

At our house, we’re fighting persistent colds, and I think these “new and improved” Puffs would be just the thing to cheer up my 9yo! Now that the season has officially turned, I need to put my talented photographer daughter to work on spring pictures for my header. Meanwhile, here is a round-up of the happenings at Let’s play math! blog this month…

Continue reading March Update: Expanding Blogroll

February Update: Blog Evolution Meme

Posted on February 29, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

This picture is my all-time favorite LolCat, because it is so true to life. Every time I sit down to read a book or grade homework, one of our kittens plops herself on top of it and starts chewing the corners.

Blog Evolution Meme

Jonathan tagged me for the blog evolution meme, in which one chooses five posts that represent the development of one’s blog. Hmmm…

Continue reading February Update: Blog Evolution Meme

January Update

Posted on January 31, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Are you getting ready for the big snowstorm — or is it balmy and nice where you live? For us, the weatherman is predicting 6 to 10 inches, plus drifting. Sounds like a great night to snuggle down with pizza and a movie, assuming the power doesn’t go out.

Major Blog Changes

January was a month of major and minor changes for Let’s play math! blog. My biggest change was moving my blogroll to a separate page. This move gave me enough room to comment on several of my favorite blogs, and I hope to add more notes over the next few months.

It also freed up space in my sidebar for my new Blog parties for teachers widget. (Scroll down to see it.) I was getting frustrated posting little blurbs every time a new blog carnival came out, only to see the posts become outdated within a week — those announcements were threatening to outnumber my on-topic blog posts. Aargh! Now I can post the latest links where they are easy to find, without diluting my main-column articles.

Continue reading January Update

Goals

Posted on January 19, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Apparently unreachable goal: To tame the tyranny of the urgent and find time to write blog posts.

Continue reading Goals

I Need One of These!

Posted on January 6, 2008May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

It might really help with the 2008 Game. My morning coffee is not doing the job.

Blogging Notes

I confess: I am a FlyLady drop-out. Housecleaning has never been my strong point. But I read 50 Tips to Unclutter Your Blog, and I thought Skellie had some good points. I hate crowded sidebars, and moving my blogroll to a separate page sounded like a great way to declutter. If you want to browse some great blogs, the link is at the top of this page.

Now, I suppose, I should put my math notebook away and start clearing off the mess on my desk…

Best of “Let’s Play Math!” in 2007

Posted on December 31, 2007May 13, 2022 by Denise Gaskins

Farewell to 2007. We have snacks on the table so we can munch the night away, and the little ones are giggling over their Barbies, thrilled at the prospect of more sugar than is good for them.

The teenagers have launched their annual movie marathon. This year, it was the girls’ turn to invite friends over, so the men in my life have all found excuses to run into town.

Meanwhile, I am hiding in my den, indulging myself in a sort of blogger’s nostalgia. Some of the following posts got a lot of attention when they were published, others not so much. Topics range from preschool to high school, from kindergarten games to teaching fractions to Shakespearean insults, so I hope there is something to interest everyone.