Anyone who uses WordPress (and there are over 70,000,000 websites that do) almost definitely uses WordPress plugins. Plugins are one of the best parts about this incredible open-source software, because they help to make it infinitely expandable and customizable to fit almost any usage requirements and desires. As a WordPress user, designer, and developer, I have probably installed hundreds of plugins throughout the years, and I have a list of about twenty that I use regularly for most of the WordPress websites I build. I think it’s fair to say that without plugins WordPress would not be nearly as popular or in use as much as it is today.

Yet how often do you and I and everyone else that uses a plugin take the time to express our gratitude for it?

I’ll confess: until recently, I have almost never even thought about what it takes to create a plugin and how I could at the very least say thank you to those who have developed the plugins I use.

However, in the past few weeks I took my own dive into the WordPress plugin development “deep end” and through the process became painfully aware of what a thankless job it is. I recently created my first two WordPress plugins, Pinterest RSS Widget and Google+ Page Badge, and, while it was somewhat fun to take on and conquer this new challenge, my eyes have been opened to what it takes and how negligible the return can be.

The view from the other side has inspired me to change my ways and do whatever I can to express my gratitude and support for the developers of plugins I use. One of the ways I can do this is to challenge you to do the same. If, like me, you’ve never known or thought about what it takes to create a WordPress plugin before, perhaps my recent experience will help you to also see this issue in a new light.

What It Takes To Create A WordPress Plugin

First, there’s the initial time it takes to write all of the code that makes the plugin function. For even the most highly skilled developers this can amount to hours, even days, depending on the complexity of its functionality. There are settings pages to construct, read me files to write, screenshots to take, and so on.

Then there’s the testing. Because WordPress is so widely used, it inevitably exists in countless configurations, on all different types of servers, and with a wide variety of settings. Any one of these variables – of which there are likely hundreds of thousands – could potentially create a conflict with the code that makes the plugin function. So there has to be quite a bit of testing in a variety of environments to make sure the plugin will survive once it’s out in the wild.

Next it has to be submitted to the plugins repository. This was a whole new experience for me, and I had to learn how to use Subversion, a software versioning and a revision control system. Believe me, it was not a pretty sight to see this designer trying to figure out how to make things work in a Command Prompt window.

Once the plugin is approved and published, it has to be promoted, at least if you want anyone to use it. Writing blog posts, notifying other websites, sharing it on social networks and whatever other ways you can think of take another chunk of time to make happen.

From that point on there is the support of the plugin, helping those users who, for whatever reason, are having problems making it work in their WordPress installation. Answering forum posts, emails and so forth could quite possibly end up being the most time-consuming portion of the process.

And unless you’re selling the plugin you created, not one second of this time is paid for.

So why bother?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I invested this time for the following reasons:

• To learn a new skill
• To give back to the WordPress community for all the things it has given me
• To fill a need that I saw for a functionality that didn’t exist
• To strengthen my standing and reputation as an authority in WordPress design and development

As far as my own experience, I am satisfied that I have already accomplished my goals. Of course, my plugins are still extremely new and the adventure is ongoing, so we’ll have to see how it all plays out. But I have definitely learned some unexpected lessons and developed a new outlook on how I will support plugin developers from now on.

So here are some suggestions for ways that you and I can express our gratitude for the plugins we use and love.

Donate To The Plugin Developer

This is the most obvious and possibly the best way to support a plugin. Helping encourage the developer to continue investing their unpaid time by offering financial support just makes sense (at least to me.) In most cases, a simple $5 donation would make a developer’s day. Not because they will suddenly be rich, but because of the gesture. It communicates genuine gratitude and appreciation, and it helps the developer know that someone thinks enough of their hard work to give of their own hard-earned income.

If the plugin developer is open to receiving donations, you can find a link to donate on the plugin’s page on wordpress.org. Sometimes they will also include a link for donations in the plugin itself. Think about how that plugin helps your website. Is it worth a $5 thank you?

For reference, my Pinterest plugin has been downloaded 3434 times since its release on January 16^th. I have received one $5 donation to date. I’m not complaining. That $5 donation made my day! But it’s pretty sad to me to think that other plugins that have been downloaded tens of thousands of times and are being used in websites all over the world may not receive more than a few meager donations to support their ongoing development.

Write A Review of Your Favorite Plugin(s)

Helping raise awareness, offering word-of-mouth advertising and personally recommending a plugin or plugins that you have found helpful is a great way to say thank you to its developer. Writing a review of it on your blog or as a guest post on someone else’s could not only encourage the developer, but it will also help the plugin’s numbers increase, which is another reassurance that the time invested was worth it. My Pinterest plugin has been written up on two different and well-known WordPress sites (WPBeginner.com and WPMU.org), and I found it very encouraging!

Give The Plugin A Star Rating

This has to be one of the simplest and quickest ways to support a plugin, yet it seems that so few users actually take the few seconds it requires to do this. Look at any plugin’s ratio of downloads to star ratings and you’ll see a drastic disparity. Yet star ratings on a plugin’s page are often the determining factor of whether or not it ends up being chosen for use when one is looking for a plugin.

My Pinterest plugin has received only five ratings out of 3434 users. The Google+ badge plugin has received three ratings out of 459 downloads. Wouldn’t it be helpful to others if they could know what all those other plugin users think of it?

Weigh In On The Plugin’s Compatibility

Probably the least commitment and yet another way to assist others in choosing plugins and therefore encouraging the developer, giving your vote for a plugin’s compatibility only takes seconds but can help make or break its success. On each plugin’s page there is a section in the right sidebar labeled “Compatibility”. There you can select the version of WordPress and the version of the plugin you are using and then vote for the combination. It’s either broken or it works. If you vote broken, you will automatically be taken to the plugin’s support forum where you can explain your vote and the problems you’re having, giving the developer the opportunity to offer their support and possible solutions. If you vote that it works, then you’re done!

This simple vote helps others know if it’s working right, and encourages them to download it themselves. However, a plugin needs to have a certain number of votes in order for it to qualify as working or not, so it’s a relatively important quality that again few users take the time to contribute to. Doing your part to help a plugin reach this number can encourage the developer once their plugin is deemed “working”. Until it reaches this magic number it simply says there is not enough data, so take the few seconds and help your favorite plugins reach working status.

How Now Shall We Live?

Have you done any of these things for your favorite plugins? If not, will you take some time and do it now? Will you start doing one or more of them in the future? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and encourage your favorite plugin developers today!

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2. How To Build Your Online Presence On The Cheap – Step 6: The Do-It-Yourself Website Plugins
3. Benefits of Custom WordPress Websites Over Free or Premium Themes

It’s been about 6 years since the day my Dad sat at a diner in Hawaii with our whole family and told us he had prostate cancer. At the time it was not the worst news because although the cancer was all over his body it had not attached to his bones, so the doctors had told him he could still live for a significant number of years. Just a few months ago, however, the cancer did settle into his bones and he had to start chemotherapy. He’s been doing exceptionally well through this and is not experiencing many of the side effects that are normal at this stage. More importantly, he feels good and is enjoying every moment of his life to the fullest.

I share this with you because it is the most recent illustration of one of the many reasons why I am so proud to be this man’s son.

Today, January 21, 2012, is my Dad’s 70^th birthday. He is one of the most amazing people I know, and I want to share this fact with anyone who is willing to listen. I want to honor my Dad on his birthday by shouting his praises from the highest mountaintop to the most people within earshot. Translated in today’s technology terms, that mountaintop is my blog.

Just to clarify, it’s not his bout with cancer that raises him to hero status in my eyes. He has always been an exceptional human being, long before the disease arrived. He set the bar high for his children, his friends, his colleagues, and anyone else who has been a part of his life. His example of how to live has and will always be what I strive for in my own life, and it has had that same impact in so many others he has come in contact with.

Honesty. Integrity. Compassion. Loyalty. Sincerity. These are just a few of the characteristics he embodies and has passed on to me and my siblings.

I could go on and on, but instead I’ve summed up how I feel about my Dad in a poem. It is my birthday wish for him, and I share it with you in hopes that yet again my Dad’s life will influence others in positive ways. I also invite you to leave your own birthday wishes for Arlie L. McDaniel, Jr., in the comments below if you so desire.

Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!

In a world
Where many girls
And boys
Are faced with the choice
Between one parent or the other
It took some time for me
But eventually
I discovered
That I am the child of a man who rises above all others
A husband of only one
A father who not only loves his daughter and sons
But lived and lives his life to pursue
Their dreams coming true
His passion to see our satisfaction
Unrivaled by any other distraction
An example of man
Father
Husband
Brother
Friend
Son
That not one
Of us could dream we would become
Yet every day
In some small or marvelous way
I see his face
In my reflection
His influence affecting my direction
Hear his voice ringing in my inflections
His wisdom echoing in my decisions
His humor infiltrating my witticisms
His eyes
Lighting up in mine
His laughter
Dancing from my lips
This
Is the greatest gift
I have known
And I hope and dream and desire to own
Even just a fraction
For my children
For my wife
For my brother and sister
For my friends
For my Mom
For my Dad
You, my father
Are the best man I could ever hope to be
And I will always be grateful for what that means
To who I am becoming

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Downloaded 3434 times!

I am extremely proud and pleased to share with you a new WordPress plugin created by bkmacdaddy designs called Pinterest RSS Widget. It’s a handy little plugin for WordPress users who are also using the latest social sharing sensation called Pinterest. You can use this free plugin to display up to 25 thumbnails of your latest Pinterest Pins in your sidebar or anywhere else in your WordPress theme that uses widgets. You can also use it without a widget by either using template tags in your theme files or using the shortcode in your posts or pages. It’s easy to install and configure to match your theme’s design, and it has several options that will help you encourage your visitors to connect with you on Pinterest.

You can download the plugin from the WordPress Plugin Repository HERE, or you can install it automatically from your WordPress dashboard. Simply search the plugins for “Pinterest” and you’ll find it at or near the top of the list. If you find the plugin useful, please consider donating to encourage the further support and improvement of this and other plugins from bkmacdaddy designs.

What you can do with the Pinterest RSS Widget WordPress plugin

• Show thumbnails of your latest pins.
• Choose whether or not show the first few words of the title of each pin beneath it.
• Choose how many thumbnails to show, from 1-25.
• Set the height and width of all thumbnails.
• Set each Pin’s link to open in the same or a new window/tab.
• Choose whether or not to show a “Follow Me On Pinterest” button below the thumbnails, linked to your account.

How to use the Pinterest RSS Widget WordPress plugin

Installation is done the usual way. You can either download the plugin from the WordPress Plugin Repository and upload it via FTP or use the built-in WordPress plugin installer, or you can install it directly from within the WordPress Administration Dashboard Plugins area.

Once installed and activated, you simply navigate to the Appearance > Widgets area and drag and drop the Pinterest RSS Widget to the sidebar where you want it to appear. Once you drop it in the sidebar you are presented with a number of options as follows:

• Title: enter the title of the widget as you want it to appear in your sidebar.
• Pinterest Username: enter the username of the Pinterest account you wish to display Pins from.
• Max number of pins to display: enter any number from 1-25. It’s best to figure out the size of the thumbnails and how many will fit in a row or rows within your sidebar. You may need to play with this option a little to see what works best for your theme.
• Thumbnail Height in pixels: enter the height of each thumbnail as best fits your sidebar and theme. This measurement is in pixels and defaults to 150. You only need to enter the number and not the ‘px’ that follows in CSS.
• Thumbnail Width in pixels: enter the width of each thumbnail as best fits your sidebar and theme. Just like the height, this measurement is in pixels and defaults to 150, and you only need to enter the number.
• Where to open the links: select either “New Window” or “Same Window” from the dropdown to choose where you want the Pins to open when clicked on. New Window is better for keeping visitors on your site.
• Display title below pins? Selecting “Yes” will show the first few words of each Pins title/description directly beneath its thumbnail. Selecting “No” will, of course, not show the text.
• Show “Follow Me On Pinterest” button: select “Yes” to show the official red “Follow Me On Pinterest” button below the whole group of thumbnails. The button is automatically linked to your Pinterest account and will take the visitor there to follow you. Select “No” to refrain from showing the button.
• Use RSS enclosures? This should be left at “Yes” for most websites.

Click the blue button labeled “Save” and you’re good to go!

How to use the Pinterest RSS Widget WordPress plugin in your theme (not as a widget) with template tags

The plugin also works well outside of the widget usage, so if you’re a theme developer or someone who knows their way around enough to mess with the code, you can display the list of latest Pins thumbnails by placing the following code in your theme files where you want them to appear:

<?php get_pins_feed_list($username, $maxfeeds, $divname, $printtext, $target, $useenclosures, $thumbwidth, $thumbheight, $showfollow); ?>

Here are the variables and how to use them:

• username is the Pinterest username you wish to display Pins from (mandatory)
• maxfeeds is the maximum number of Pins to display (optional, default = 25)
• divname is a name suffix for the list class. “myList” will become “pins-feed-myList” (optional)
• printtext must be 1 if you want the image title/description to show below the image (optional)
• target is “samewindow” or “newwindow”, depending on where you want links to open (optional, default = samewindow)
• useenclosures is “yes” or “no” (optional, default = yes). Use this if you don’t want to use the tag in the feed and force the script to find an image link in the feed item description.
• thumbwidth is a number that will set the width in pixels of the Pin’s thumbnail (optional, default = 150)
• thumbheight is a number that will set the height in pixels of the Pin’s thumbnail (optional, default = 150)
• showfollow is “yes” or “no” (optional, default = yes). Use this if you want to show the “Follow Me On Pinterest” button below the thumbnails.

Here’s an example:

<?php get_pins_feed_list('bkmacdaddy', 10, 'myList', 1, 'newwindow', 'yes', 125, 125, 'yes'); ?>

The code above will display ten 150×150 pixel thumbnails/Pins from my bkmacdaddy Pinterest account with each list item using the CSS class “pins-feed-myList”. When clicked on, the pin will open in a new window or tab. The “Follow Me On Pinterest” button will display beneath the entire list of thumbnails. Here’s an example of how it can look in a footer:

How to use the Pinterest RSS Widget WordPress plugin in your posts and pages with the shortcode

You can also use the plugin’s shortcode to display your latest pins in posts or pages. While editing the post or page that you want to add your Pins to, enter the shortcode [prw username="Your Pinterest Username"]. At the very minimum you have to include the username parameter, substituting “Your Pinterest Username” with your actual Pinterest username. The rest of the parameters are the same as listed above in the template tags explanation, and the defaults are also the same. Here’s an example::

[prw username="bkmacdaddy" maxfeeds="10" divname="myList" printtext="0" target="newwindow" useenclosures="yes" thumbwidth="100" thumbheight="100" showfollow="medium"]

The above example will show the 10 latest Pins from my (bkmacdaddy) Pinterest account, in a div class titled “pins-feed-myList”. Each thumbnail will be 100 x 100 pixels with no description below them. When clicked on, the Pin will open in a new tab/window, and the Follow Me On Pinterest button at the bottom will be the medium sized one.

If you leave out any of the parameters they will revert to the defaults listed in the template tags explanation above.

If your images are not showing, here are some of the possible reasons

There are so many variables that are related to hosting servers and such that it’s impossible to provide all of the possible answers. However, images not showing is most likely a problem with the timthumb.php image resizing script that is included in the plugin. Here are some possible solutions:

• TimThumb requires the GD library, which is available on any host sever with PHP 4.3+ installed. Make sure your host has this installed (most do).
• Once installed and in-use, TimThumb will automatically create a /prw_tmp/ subfolder in your/ wp-content/uploads/ directory with proper write-permissions. If your host server doesn’t allow this by default, be sure to manually create the /prw_tmp/ subfolder in your/ wp-content/uploads/ directory and set the /prw_tmp/ folder permissions to 755. If this still doesn’t work, try setting the /cache/ folder permissions to 777.
• Known issue with timthumb.php on Hostgator: If your website is hosted on Hostgator, you may need to contact HostGator to request “mod_security whitelisting”. More info here: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/timthumb-basics

If for some strange reason you’re still having issues, please use the WordPress support forum for the plugin or send me a message via my contact form or on Twitter to @bkmacdaddy and I will do everything I can to help you get it working.

Acknowledgements and thank-yous

This was my first journey into the world of WordPress plugin development, and I could not have possibly succeeded without the assistance and brilliance of the following:

• Yorik van Havre, who created the Image Feed Widget plugin that became the basis for this one. His code made it much easier for me to get my feet wet and figure this thing out.
• Aida B. (Aida of Nubia), who first brought the need for this plugin to my attention and then proceeded to help me test and improve it. Connect with her on Pinterest or at her website.
• Dee Teal, who offered great suggestions, helped clean up the code and tested and tweaked the plugin with Aida and me. Connect with her on Pinterest or at her website.

Let me know how the plugin works for you

Please be sure to leave a comment below letting us know how you fare with the plugin, along with a link to where you’re using it. If you really love it, please consider a donation for the time spent developing and supporting it. At the very least, please submit your star rating of the plugin on its WordPress Repository page. Oh, and you can connect with me on Pinterest here. Enjoy!

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2. How To Build Your Online Presence On The Cheap – Step 5: The Do-It-Yourself Website Theme
3. How To Build Your Online Presence On The Cheap – Step 4: The Do-It-Yourself Website Install

As this year comes to an end I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone who reads this a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It has been another amazing 12 months for bkmacdaddy designs, and I can’t thank each of you enough for the role you have played in our success in 2011. Whether you have been a client, referred a client, interacted with me online or offline, or somehow been a part of my life, you have been an integral part of what I do and I value each one of you. I wish you and your loved ones the very best in the coming year, and I hope your holiday celebrations exceed your dreams and desires.

Specifically I would like to express my gratitude to the clients who worked with bkmacdaddy designs in 2011. It has been a pleasure and honor working with all of you and I look forward to continuing our relationships in the year ahead. Here is a list of bkmacdaddy designs’ new and ongoing clients for 2011:

• 8 Locks Consulting
• A Notary On The Go
• Alliance Strategies Group, Inc.
• Assa Abloy Canada
• CF Modern
• Crow Hill Conversations
• First Baptist Church of Vacaville
• Freaking Fitness
• Guru of New
• Hawaiian Rainforest Salon and Spas
• Immumetrix
• JDS Builders Group
• The Kaleidoscope Partnership
• Lindsay Fultz
• Local Thrifty, Inc.
• Melbourne Orthodontic Group
• Michelle Foley
• My Virtual Project
• Nutritional Healing Technologies
• Old Republic Home Protection
• Pandora de Balthazar
• Preventing Harm Minnesota
• Quintessence
• RB Oppenheim Associates
• Ruff Love Dog Training
• Tandem Antiques and Design
• TEMcare
• Nikki and Chris
• Your Virtual Assistant

May everyone enjoy safe and wonderful holidays and a prosperous 2012!

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1. How Freelancers Can Have A Holiday “Staff” Party Like Everyone Else (And Why You Should)
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3. A Musical Christmas Card from bkmacdaddy designs to you

As the winter and holidays roll around each year, many freelancers watch from afar as friends and family attend their respective employers’ holiday staff parties. Some independent or introverted souls may see the lack of a staff party as a positive, avoiding those inevitable awkward moments with inebriated co-workers and embracing the freedom from trying to find the perfect Secret Santa gift for someone you’ve never really spoken to in the office until now. Others, like me, see this absence as one of the few negatives of freelancing and long wistfully for an invitation or try to live vicariously through the morning after stories of our corporately-employed friends.

Until last year.

In late November of last year my wife made the most interesting suggestion: “Why don’t you have a bkmacdaddy designs Staff Christmas Party?”

“But I don’t have a staff! bkmacdaddy designs is a one-man web and graphic design studio. How could I possibly have a staff party?!?” I was intrigued, as usual, by my wife’s seemingly strange thoughts outside the proverbial box.

So as we began discussing her thoughts we formulated a plan, and the 1^st Annual bkmacdaddy designs Staff Christmas Party was born. This year we followed it up on December 9^th with the 2^nd Annual version, and it was even better than the first. In this post I’ll share how we did it, how you can have your own and why you should. Time for a new tradition!

Start With Redefining “Staff”

In essence, the term “staff” is used to describe the personnel who assist a director in carrying out an assigned task, or the officers chiefly responsible for the internal operations of an institution or business. If you want to be creative (which most freelancers are) you can summarize this as the people who provide support for your freelance business. Think about who that may be in your situation. For me, it is my wife, my family and my friends. They may not do any actual web or graphic design work for me, but they absolutely do help me make it through the rough times, inspire my creative spirit, encourage and challenge me, and help me grow as a person and a freelancer.

These are the people you should be having a party with, don’t you think? I do! My wife and I invited just a few of our closest friends, asking them to come be a part of our “staff”. They joined in the premise and started coming up with titles they wanted to assume as part of the organization, and you can see how it can progress. Soon we were all enthusiastic about the upcoming festivities, possibly more than we would have been in anticipation of what others may call a genuine staff party.

Plan Your Party

This part shouldn’t be too difficult. Make the party all the things you might like best about an office party – food, drinks, games, music, dancing, gift exchange – whatever you want it to be! You may find yourself having more fun with this than you would have had at your corporate gig in the past.

When we get together with our friends, my wife and I enjoy unusual food (like the bacon-topped chocolate and butterscotch pudding shots pictured below), partaking of wine, beer and cocktails, dancing, singing, and talking with the people we love the most. So we planned a party atmosphere and elements that would provide everyone with these opportunities. iPod playlists were created, new tapas and appetizer recipes were discovered, decorations were placed throughout the house, and more. Probably the most key element was the White Elephant Gift Exchange, but I’ll explain more about that later.

Whatever you do, make it yours! The rules are only whatever you make them, so enjoy the freedom of creating a holiday expression of yourself and those you love.

Build The Buzz

Sure, when your friends get over the initial surprise of suddenly becoming part of your staff they will likely assume that this is just another time you are all getting together. How could it be a time that is special or different from the others? This is where you can really get creative.

We used Facebook to set up an event associated with the bkmacdaddy designs page and invited the ‘staff’ to the party. This gives you the ability to keep updating everyone, and for the attendees to see who else is coming. You can build the buzz of anticipation by talking about it on your event and/or Facebook page, providing hints as to what will be happening. Try to come up with at least one unexpected surprise that you can give clues about. This will always build up the enthusiasm before the event itself. Besides, it’s a lot of fun!

Make Your Party Unique

This year my wife and I came up with an idea that turned out to be the highlight of the evening, and we couldn’t wait for everyone to arrive so we could spring it on them. We decided to buy each attendee a small but unusual or funny gift that was specifically related to an employee ‘title’. For instance, the Director of Sales would get the Emergency Bow Tie, a bow tie in a small tin box ready for all social emergencies. The Chief Meditation Officer (CMO) received a large wooden Buddha figurine, while the Assistant to the CMO received a smaller version of the same Buddha. You get the idea. The point was to have fun making up some unheard of titles and then associating gag gifts with them.

Then we added another twist. As they arrived, we had each of our friends draw a pin-on name tag with their new ‘title’ from a Christmas Stocking. They were told this would be their title at bkmacdaddy designs over the next year, until the 3^rd Annual Party. Each of our friends took on the role they drew, from CMF’er to Janitor, and played it up throughout the evening.

But the real fun began when we had the White Elephant Gift Exchange.

The gifts that we had bought were given to each person by title. Before they opened their respective title’s gift, however, they were given the option to steal a gift – and the corresponding title – from any of the previously opened gifts. It became a very interesting, entertaining and humorous part of the party, and many laughs were had by all.

This was just one of our ideas, and it was certainly a hit. You are welcome to use it, but I encourage you to also come up with your own ideas that fit you and your ‘staff’. Have fun with it, and they will too.

Why Freelancers Should Have A Holiday “Staff” Party

Just because you work alone at home doesn’t mean you should miss out on one of the potentially fun social events that your corporate-employed friends enjoy. In fact, I believe it should mean that you can have as much fun as, if not more than, they do! Make time for yourself to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Otherwise, what’s the point of working so hard?

Another reason you should have this party is to express your gratitude to those around you who are there for you all the time as you are working away at being a freelancer. They truly are your support system, and they should be shown how much you appreciate them. Give them a party, a staff title, and let them know how much you value their contribution to your business, whether it’s direct and obvious or more subtle. I know I couldn’t make it without my family and friends, and this party is one of the ways I let them know.

Finally, freelancers often work long hours and find themselves missing out on having what others might consider a normal social life. Taking time to create social opportunities such as a holiday party will only improve your quality of life, your enjoyment of it, and ultimately your freelance business. The happier you (the person) are, the better you (the freelancer) will become. Make it a priority, and I guarantee you will see positive results.

How Do You Celebrate The Holidays?

Perhaps you’ve been doing something like what I’ve described for years. Or maybe you have your own freelancer holiday traditions you can share so others will be encourage and inspired. Please let us know in the comments below – we would love to hear your stories!

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We wake up in the morning and check our Facebook news feeds, our emails, any new tweets we may have missed overnight, our LinkedIn messages, our Google+ circles and anything else we’ve connected ourselves to in the ever growing online world. Many of us don’t even get out of bed until we’ve done all of this on our phones. It’s become a part of our daily routine, sometimes even before we whisper “Good morning” to our spouse or feed the starving pet or brush our teeth or taste our first sip of coffee.

The explosion of social media combined with the mobile revolution has given us the ability to be and stay connected anytime and anywhere. We have unlocked innovative ways to discover and grow personal and professional relationships via the internet, and millions of people all over the world have not only embraced but voraciously devoured this new lifestyle and it’s accommodating online tools.

But to what extent?

I take my kids to a restaurant and once the waitress has taken our orders we are all checking our phones, until I catch myself and remember our “no phones at the dinner table” rule.

I drive somewhere with my wife and in between discussions she is updating her statuses and responding to others. Sometimes I’m asking her to read a message I’ve received to me while I drive. I almost always see someone in a car beside me texting while they drive, too.

I make a run to the grocery store but delay the acquisition of a shopping cart until I have checked in on Foursquare.

If you really stop and think about it, it’s enough to make a person tweet “WTF?!?”

I am probably the guiltiest of all offenders, because I am a social introvert. I do not enjoy being in a party or a meeting or something of that nature with a bunch of people I don’t know well. I will never be that guy that ‘works the room’ from the moment I walk in the door. Yet in the online world, I can thrive. I can communicate in a calculated manner, thinking about or deleting or editing what I say before I say it. I can be funny, witty, and engaging. And I can do it in the safety of my own home, in my pajamas if I choose, without any of the worries or insecurities that can be associated with a face-to-face conversation.

It’s a perceived safety and freedom that the entire online world has become somewhat of a slave to.

I’m not saying it’s all bad. In fact, the benefits of social media for my business have been countless and somewhat phenomenal. I have met many people I would have otherwise never met. I have learned things I would have otherwise probably have never learned. I have discovered and read and enjoyed people, places and things that I know I would have otherwise never encountered.

In fact, it would be very, very tempting for me to refrain from ever walking out the door and meeting new people or growing relationships face to face.

But I cherish the conversations I have with my kids over dinner. I treasure the moments my wife and I get to be alone. I value the true, deep friendships I have with people I have met in my life offline.

How terrible would it be to lose those things?

I don’t know if that would ever really happen – a complete loss of face-to-face communication – but I do know that at least some of those moments have vanished. They are no longer a part of our culture. A culture that absolutely must stay connected. At all times. At all costs.

So, while I know I can’t eliminate the newfound adoration of nonstop connection and online social communities, I have to write this to at least remind myself (and anyone else listening) of what is most important: real life, true and physical relationships with people we love. My wife. My kids. My friends who I actually hang out with in their homes or ours. These are the relationships and social activities that should never be replaced by my online activities. And I think a good step to take in the pursuit of this is to keep them from being interrupted by the online world.

Can we put the phone down when we’re with our friends and family? Can we bear to spend an hour or an evening or a meal without responding to that text or email or Facebook message or tweet?

It may be difficult at first, but I think that, if we give it a shot, we may see the priceless value of our offline relationships in a new light. I want to give it a try, at least. How about you?

Related posts:

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It seems that every week I see at least one new article about how to get inspired, get motivated or how to get past a creative block. While I do understand that sometimes these things can happen, especially to freelancers and people working in creative fields, I personally have never experienced it in over 16 years as a freelance web and graphic designer. This simple fact has caused me to question the endless flow of articles that are providing solutions and tips for how to overcome these walls that some run into. In this post I am suggesting a different perspective and thought process you may need to consider if you find yourself battling a lack of inspiration, motivation or creativity.

Identify Your Issue: Is It A Wall Or A Hurdle?

Before we go too far, let’s get a clear understanding and definition of the problem. Sometimes feeling uninspired, demotivated or blocked creatively is simply a lull in your routine, or it might have something to do with other things going on in your personal life that are affecting your creative spirit, or you could simply be worn out due to long work hours or not enough sleep. I think everyone has probably experienced this at some time or another – I know I have. I identify these issues as “hurdles” because hurdles exist to provide you something to jump over. They make you stronger. They stretch your muscles. Hurdles are ultimately productive challenges that you are meant to move beyond.

Walls, on the other hand, exist to keep you out. Or to keep you in. They are not meant to be climbed, conquered, or broken through. If you are running into a wall, again and again, you know it’s a wall. If you continue banging your head against it, you have the bruises to show for it and you may even find a sense of calming familiarity when you hit the wall yet again. Personally, I see this as abusive and even worse when you’re doing it to yourself.

If You Keep Hitting A Wall, Maybe It’s Time To Change Direction

Before I was a full-time freelance web and graphic designer, I was a Southern Baptist pastor for 10 years. Before I was a pastor, I was a singer and keyboardist in various alternative rock and cover bands for 8 years. In each of these instances I came to a point where I realized the wall in front of me was dictating a new direction.

When I first started singing and playing in bands, I had dreams of making it big, writing and recording music for the rest of my life. Although I had some success at it, there came a time when I realized I could either continue to bang my head against the wall or I could walk away from it and embrace change. My first daughter was born, and I knew that I had to start doing things differently in order to be the father and husband I wanted to be. I had pursued music as far as I could, and in my heart I knew I was finished with it.

In a similar fashion, after 10 years serving in organized religion, I realized I had been spending the last 2 years of it banging my head against a wall of what was considered acceptable and allowed, and I had lost my passion for it because of this. It was a painful change of direction when I walked away, but it opened the doors for my full-time freelance web and graphic design business.

The Key To Knowing When It’s Time To Change

For me, the key to knowing when it’s time to change is passion. Do you still have an intense passion for whatever it is that you are doing? If not, then why are you still doing it?

If you are still passionate about what you’re doing, but perhaps have run into some difficult, uninspired or demotivated times, then you know it’s absolutely worth taking the time and energy to find a way over the hurdle. Pursuit of your passion should be enough motivation for anyone to make it through the most strenuous of dry spells.

But if you realize that you are continually banging your head against the same wall and are wondering why you even bother, you may have lost what was once your true passion and it could be time to change.

Our lives are far too short to spend them trying to stick to a 5 or 10 or 20 year plan. Who says once you set your foot on a career path you can never leave it? Why bury yourself behind the blinders and miss out on what should be an ever-evolving you?

I’m not saying that every time you run into difficulty you should give up and walk away. That would be ridiculous. Challenges will always come and, when dealt with correctly and productively, will make you stronger. Embrace challenge, especially when the driving force behind your acceptance of them is the passion deep within your soul for what you are doing.

But if your passion is gone – not in a dry spell or running low, but literally gone – why would you continue to spend your days heading in the same direction?

So far I have lived a life of pursuing my passions. I have definitely made mistakes along the way. I’ve hurt people, made bad choices, found myself in undesirable situations and sometimes wondered how I ever got there. Yet without a doubt the risk of living day to day, open to possibilities and opportunities, free from blinders and in pursuit of the things I am most passionate about has proven to be worth it all. I am confident that I will reach the end of my life without regrets and with my passions fulfilled. For me, that is the most important measure of a life worth living.

What about you? Are you constantly fighting the same battles against designer’s block, or endlessly looking for some type of inspiration for your writing or other creative expression? Do you find that every time you start a new project or job that you approach it with some level of dread in anticipation of the challenge of coming up with something new?

If so, maybe you should ask yourself some real questions about your level of passion for what you’re doing right now. Is it gone? If so, what are you passionate about today? It may be time to figure it out and head in a new direction, rather than reading the weekly articles giving you tips on how to find new ways to bang your head against the wall.

Related posts:

1. Behind The Avatar #6: Get To Know Sarah Camp of Camp Creative Group
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3. Behind The Avatar #5: Introducing Freelance Graphic Designer Beth Daniell of EDGD

I started blogging in 2009 for bkmacdaddy designs with little understanding of the benefits for my business. My main motivation was that I actually enjoy writing about things that interest me and the subsequent conversations that would take place. It wasn’t long, however, that I discovered several excellent returns that blogging brought. Earlier this year I got so bogged down in work that I neglected blogging for seven months, and when I evaluated the negative impact it was substantial enough to move blogging back to the top of my priority list. In short, I have learned that blogging is a necessity for my freelance web and graphic design business and I believe it is essential for any business as a catalyst for continuous growth. In this post I will share some of the things I have learned and how these transferrable principles will work for others. While this list is not exhaustive and I am by no stretch an expert, it is my hope that my own experiences will help others understand how blogging can benefit your business and motivate you to make it an integral part of your marketing strategy.

A Blog Gives Your Business A Voice And A Personality

Transparency has become a buzzword in today’s business world. A blog has the potential to let readers see beyond your online presence and into the people behind it. Of course, if your blog posts are sterile and refrain from speaking with your personal style, humor, and other personality traits, this potential is limited or possibly completely untapped. I have found that my writing gives readers insight into who I am, what’s important to me, and how those things can translate into the type of business I run and customer service I provide. It can also work the other way around if I happen to write about something I am passionate about and it offends or disturbs others. Writing strategically is important, thinking about how what I say could impact and influence potential customers. When done correctly, blog posts can be a fantastic way to show that a business has real people behind it with real concerns, real passions, and real life experiences. This transparency can be very beneficial to those who are looking to not only engage my services but desire to know more about the person they are considering working with.

A Blog Gives Your Customers A Way To Connect With You

When comments are utilized on blog posts, existing and potential customers are able to communicate with you about whatever you blog about. The opportunity for conversation, discussion and even debate can provide an excellent and valuable tool for others to interact in ways they may not elsewhere. Depending on your topics, you can inspire scintillating discussions that can bring others to your website that may not have otherwise ever visited. I make a point to respond to and interact with commenters as often as possible in order to encourage this discussion. I have also discovered that I truly enjoy hearing others’ viewpoints and learning from their input. Some connections that started in comments have carried over to other social networks and even turned into clients and referrals.

Blog Posts Can Increase Traffic To Your Website

Without blog posts, how do you bring visitors to your website? Writing regularly about topics of general interest in your field or things you are passionate about gives you somewhere to send them that is new, rather than a static home page or portfolio. Blog posts are easy to share on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+ and can be tracked via analytics to see what visitors are coming to your site for. As your blog audience increases, so will your site traffic, and the more you write posts that gain popularity, the more you will potentially see the viral sharing and its impact on your site’s pageviews. Getting people to visit your business’ website is one of the main challenges, and a blog provides an entry point that can be utilized over and over again with each new post.

Blog Posts Can Help You Get Found In Search Engines

Strategic content marketing is invaluable to a business website’s search engine optimization. Blog posts can have headlines, images and text that will get your site found in search engines like no other content on the site. I learned this through a post that has become one of the primary generators for new clients for bkmacdaddy designs: WordPress: Hire A Pro or Do It Yourself? I have had numerous potential new clients contact me specifically because of this post, which they found through search engines while looking for WordPress help. Several of them actually became paying clients, and all because of a blog post they found in a search engine. It is not unreasonable to assume they would not have otherwise come upon my website. Regularly updated content that is written strategically in this manner could radically impact your business.

Blog Posts Can Establish You As An Authority In Your Field

If you are able to share some of your expertise and knowledge on your blog, you can relatively quickly establish your business, brand and person as an authority in your field. I have learned this almost accidentally, as the more I shared on my blog the more I became known as someone who knows something about designing and building websites, working with WordPress and other content management systems, creating Facebook page tabs and apps, designing Twitter profile backgrounds and more. Before blogging I was just another little-known freelance designer making my way through my little corner of the world, but blogging opened doors and opportunities to engage with the design community worldwide and establish myself as a worthy and contributing member. I’m not anywhere near the top designer or developer in the world, but I do offer unique services and a distinctly personal approach that has expanded my reach and influence. The possibilities of growing your reputation and ultimately your business’ impact are greatly increased by blogging. Period.

Start Blogging For Your Business Now!

There are obviously other reasons beyond what I’ve shared here, but just these five should be enough for anyone to see the importance of a blog for your business. One of the main reasons I started blogging again after seven months of nothing is because I saw a significant drop in website traffic, which was beginning to translate into a drop in potential business. Almost all of my clients come via word of mouth or search engines, and the rate at which I was receiving emails requesting proposals or information was starting to decrease. I can’t prove that it was because of my failure to write consistently over the past seven months, but the circumstantial evidence is enough to get me started again. Besides, I miss the outlet of expressing myself in this way, so I’m looking forward to getting back on the horse and sharing what I can.

If you’re not already blogging, I have to ask why not. And if you are, I encourage you to keep going and work on being strategic about it, whether you are already seeing significant results or not. Nothing comes easy, but blogging should make some things come easier. Please share your thoughts and personal experiences related to blogging for your business in the comments below – I would love to hear how it has worked for you!

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Now you can earn cash and/or services from bkmacdaddy designs simply by referring new clients our way. Anyone is eligible and it’s free to sign up! For every client you refer you can earn 5% of their project price or 10% in web and graphic design services from bkmacdaddy designs. If you refer enough people you could earn a whole website for free! Or you could choose to pocket the cash – it’s up to you.

More details are available here. Check it out, sign up and start referring clients to earn your rewards today!

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The fact that you are reading this means you are currently looking at the new design of bkmacdaddy designs’ online home, bkmacdaddy.com (unless you’re reading this in a RSS feed reader, in which case I recommend you break out and visit the site.) It has been over 5 years since this site was redesigned, and although it was overdue I never saw it as much of a priority because I consistently received compliments on it, even as recent as a month ago. Still, there were so many things I have been anxious to improve, update and clean up, so I finally seized the opportunity of a slower workload last week and took the plunge. In this post I want to share some of the key differences, motivations and personal favorite parts of the new design. I would also love to hear any thoughts you may have about it.

WordPress Everywhere

In the old site, I only used WordPress for the blog, primarily because when I first built the site I wasn’t blogging at all. So when I decided it was time to begin writing (in 2009), I added on a WordPress installation in its own blog directory. The rest of the pages were static HTML, and this always drove me nuts because I wanted to move everything into WordPress for consistency throughout the site. I also needed to get more regularly updated content on the home page, which I couldn’t do easily in the old configuration. Now the entire site is built in WordPress, with the footer bringing content to every page. The result is a more consistent administration of the site, better SEO, and numerous other benefits.

Smaller Header

In the old version, the header is very similar. However, I decided to take my own (and other designers’) advice and make the logo smaller. There wasn’t any solid reason for it to be that large, other than to inhabit the span of the entire width of the page. Now with the smaller logo, I’ve added my trademark sideways avatar on the end to provide additional branding, and left space to the right for potential advertising, should I choose to go in that direction. I also moved all the social media icons down to the footer, which we’ll look at momentarily. The result is a cleaner, smaller, more focused header with room for expansion and/or advertising.

Massive Footer

This is probably my favorite part of the new design. I’ve never been a fan of busy sidebars, and I love how a single-column layout brings the focus on the content and eliminates any other distractions. By placing what is normally in the sidebar down into the footer, it now becomes a bit of an information center, providing an overview of everything that is happening with bkmacdaddy designs (latest blog post, recent comments, social media status updates, and more.)

The rotating client testimonials is another element I have been wanting to add, encouraging visitors to see what our clients have to say about the work we’ve done for them.  Giving insight to the music that’s playing in the studio, photos added on Flickr, and Facebook and Twitter status updates combine with the large image of myself to show and share the more personal aspect of who I am and what bkmacdaddy designs is all about.

New Improved About Page

The old About page was only a paragraph long and contained a Flash animation that was outdated. It was pitifully empty and void of information – pretty much the opposite of what an about page should be. So I took this opportunity to create a rather long, expanded About page that contains almost all of the information a visitor could possibly want to know about bkmacdaddy designs: services, bio, process, and pricing. I believe this will help potential clients by answering many of the questions they tend to ask when we first start discussing the possibility of working together. In short, new clients will have a clear understanding of who we are, what we do, how we do it, and what we charge, before ever sending an email or making a phone call. I know this will be helpful for me and for potential clients.

Better Blog

When I originally started blogging, I just found a theme I liked and added it on. I didn’t have time to design and build my own theme at that juncture, so I ended up being stuck with what I had found. Although it was considered a “minimalist” theme, it didn’t take long for me to stuff it full of all types of sidebar widgets and plugins to make it feel good and crowded. On top of that, the font-size was too small and difficult for some to read.

With the new theme I designed and built myself, everything just feels cleaner and simpler. The main content font size is 16 pixels with 1.5em line-height, for wonderfully easy reading. No sidebars, and only a floating share button roundup that moves with the page as it is scrolled. Large circles display the publish date and the read more links, directing the visitor’s eye with a smooth flow. All in all, I believe it will make for better legibility while encouraging discussion and social sharing.

Other Bits and Pieces

There are still some things to do. I have to go through every post from the past three years and add a thumbnail to it in order for the layout on the main blog page to be consistent. I need to fine tune some of the SEO settings and clean up some little things as I spot them here and there. But for the most part it’s done and is going to be the inspiration to get me blogging again. The last post I published was in March of this year, and I have made a personal commitment to publish a post at least once a week from this point forward. It’s my hope that the new digs here will motivate me to keep that commitment.

Your Thoughts, Critiques, and Responses

So there you have some of my thoughts for the new design. Now I am curious to hear what you think. Please share in the comments below. Looking forward to hearing from you!

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