Tag: blog


Jan
2016

This is My Year

categories: goals

 

yougotrossed_full

I’ve had an epic 2015, but 2016 is going to be even better. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but haven’t we all? I will admit that I don’t have the greatest short or long term memory – my therapist attributes it to stuff in my childhood – so I don’t remember a lot that happened last year (ha! last year!). That is a big reason why I write my blog. Many people’s blogs are for a specific niche or brand and mine is all over the place – on purpose. I do try to write about the same topics when applicable, but a lot of the time it’s my own online diary to help me remember things later.

I remember verbally setting some goals with my husband at the beginning of the year. And I wrote some on the blog in July (as accountability). My biggest setback for a lot of these was fear, but let’s see how I did:

  1. Walk around Vulcan – Due to my fear of heights, I had not been able to walk around Vulcan yet – our city’s most iconic landmark and one of the best views in town. I had gone up there, but was unable to get off the elevator for more than 1 second. Earlier this year, I walked around Vulcan and took pictures to prove it!
  2. Flying – I used to LOVE flying back and forth from Wisconsin to Alabama between my parents. And then, in 2006, I had a rough flight and the fear set in. It’s manifested itself ever since and I’ve been deathly afraid of flying. I have done it when absolutely required (for work), but I mostly drive everywhere, including cross country. I told myself this was the year I was getting back on a plane, voluntarily. And I did! Las Vegas was awesome!
  3. Tattoo – I’ve always wanted one and have gone a few times throughout my life to get one, only to chicken out every single time. I turned 40 this year and I was intent on doing it. And I did! I love it so much.
  4. Fitness – While I didn’t shave a lot of the scale this year, I was a lot more active than I have been and I’m happy about that. I did a few 5ks, did a lot of dancing, some swimming and other workouts. I’m thankful for the amazing circle of friends who are of the same mindset that I can workout with any time I like.
  5. Donate my hair – Chopped off eleven inches in May and so very happy I did!

I just realized that 2015 also marked the 10 year anniversary of my blog. WHAT THE WHAT? I had no idea! Time flies when you’re having fun. So kick off 2016, here are some goals:

  1. Blog more – I blogged 50 times in 2015. I plan to double that in 2016. This is #1! 🙂
  2. Step outside my comfort zone more with fashion – I have fabulously fashionable friends. Sadly, that doesn’t rub off by osmosis or anything, so I’m going to make a concentrated effort to wear more than just black and more than just loose fitting everything. I have a beautiful shape and I’m going to show off these curves!
  3. Grow my side business – I’ve had a lot of fun doing social media presentations for a few groups locally. I plan to brand and promote that business to fuel my passion and make some extra money to pay down bills more, along with freelance technical work. So if you need social media or technical help, I’m your gal!
  4. Pay down bills – I have hella bills. I finished Financial Peace University not too long ago and would like to pay down my bills by at least 20% this year.
  5. Fitness – I plan to try even more new things in 2016 with my fitness including barre, kickboxing, and different types of yoga to find the best fit for me. I am also hoping to win a competition that will provide 7 months with a personal trainer for free. Fingers crossed!

What are your goals this year? How did 2015 treat you? I had an amazing year and this one is going to be even better! Cheers to the best year of our lives!


Aug
2015

#TechTuesdays: What is DNS and How Does it Affect My Blog?

categories: #techtuesdays
#TechTuesdays

Tech Tuesdays with YouGotRossed

Today kicks off a new feature on the blog called Tech Tuesdays (thanks to suggestions at the Bloganista Mini-Con this past weekend). With the series, I am hoping to help demystify some common technology terms and issues I’ve had bloggers ask me about. If you have a question you would like me to tackle in the series you can email me at sherri [at] yougotrossed dot com. While I do not know everything, I have a good handle on many subjects and will be glad to offer what I do know. I will try to explain it in simple terms, so please keep that in mind when reading.

DNS stands for domain name servers which are basically the “pointers” that direct people to your blog on the internet. There are DNS servers all over the world and they all work to direct internet requests to the proper web sites. All web sites on the internet are actually associated (attached) to an Internet Protocol (IP) address and DNS associates a web name (your domain name, for example) with its corresponding IP address. A request comes into a DNS server for a name and the server quickly runs through its DNS records (address book) and finds the requested name and then the corresponding IP address. It then points the incoming request to the IP address and boom, your site comes up!

For those who may not be familiar with technology terms, a server is (or can be) basically just a powerful computer. When I refer to “your domain name” I mean the internet address used to get to your blog. As as example, my domain name is http://yougotrossed.com. All you see and all you know, as a reader, is http://yougotrossed.com, but servers store web sites by IP address so when you type in my domain, a request shoots through the internet to the domain name servers (DNS) for my site and finds that domain in the DNS records, then finds the corresponding IP address, and then goes to get the web site associated with that IP address. Once that happens, YOU get my blog in your web browser.

One of the biggest problems with DNS arises if you move your blog or web site to another place (host). Many times the DNS will need to change on the back-end to point people to your new address. That can be confusing if people are not familiar with how DNS works, and – by default – it can take up to 48 hours to propagate once the change has been made on the DNS server. That propagation sometimes means that your site may be “down” for a while if you make a change to your host or the location of your blog or site.

DNS can be a tricky beast for newcomers and it took me years to master it, but I love troubleshooting it now. Typically, if you own your own domain (like I do – yougotrossed.com), then your DNS servers are with your registrar or hosting company (where you bought your domain or where you host your blog). But that doesn’t have to be the case – you can have DNS in a different place than your blog, but that’s a complicated story for another day.

I hope this helps you understand how people get to your blog on the internet a bit better and what issues can happen if you move it. Just remember, even if problems come up, everything is fixable when it comes to DNS. If you would like more information or help with DNS – or any other technology aspect of your blog – I’m happy to meet with you one on one if you reach out to me at sherri [at] yougotrossed dot com.


Nov
2014

I’m not perfect

categories: bloglikecrazy, truth

If you thought Truthbook Tuesday was good, wait until you read this. Not sure what to call today’s #bloglikecrazy post other than CONFESSION. I’ve been crying for the last 2 hours because I feel like I failed a friend. I messed up tonight and, while it’s not the end of the world, it was big enough to totally undo any good tonight brought. I am not going to get into specifics for the sake of my friend (sorry to be vague), but I did not do right by her tonight even though my intentions were good and sincere.

I have a wonderful friend who I am extremely proud of. She’s overcome a lot of obstacles in her professional and personal life and I really look up to her and all she’s accomplished. Tonight, rather than listen to her and what SHE wanted on a matter, I took things into my own hands and thought I knew best. The result was less than stellar.

I feel horrible that I put this friend into an uncomfortable position, especially on what may have been a very special night for her. There are no words to express how sorry I am or how bad I feel for not listening to her. But lemme tell ya, lesson learned! When a friend tells you something, LISTEN!

I have already apologized and I know she has already forgiven me. But that doesn’t take away from the sorrow I feel for having put her in that situation in the first place. Please know that I never, ever want to do anything but lift my friends up and if I’m trying and you tell me not to, slap me if I don’t listen.

That’s my rant for today. And my apology. You are loved. ALL of you. And know that I only have good intentions!

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Nov
2014

Wiping the tears

categories: bloglikecrazy, fiction

She didn’t blink. She wouldn’t blink. She opened her eyes as wide as she could and refused to let the lids touch. She wouldn’t let them see her cry. They didn’t deserve that satisfaction.
Once popular, she was now the outcast. She had burned every bridge that she touched and she didn’t even care. She would show them. She was fine being the lone wolf now; she didn’t need anyone. She wasn’t sure why she thought she needed them in the first place. They had never added to her existence. They simply drained her of energy.
She slowly backed out of the conference room, keeping her eyes wide the whole time. The piece of paper that she found was lying on the table. She didn’t write it, but they didn’t believe her. She didn’t know anything about Mark’s death, but they didn’t care. She got caught in one lie, so they now assumed that she was lying about everything. Why did she tell them? It was no ones’s business if they had been seeing each other. It had nothing to do with his death.
How would she prove it? How could she prove it? She was home alone when he died, far from his location. She knew if she thought long enough she would find a way. And then it came to her…..

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