If you blog you are aware that there is a whole blogging community out there with diverse groups of writers. The smartest thing a novice can do is to figure out where they belong in these groups, not just in terms of subset of blogs but also in connecting with people who write differently, but are people you find interesting.
I’m not really sure where I fit in when it comes to blog genres. I think I’m a humor blog, but I’m certainly not the funniest person out there. I bake and, per request, added recipes but I’m hardly a food blog. But the connections I’ve made are all over the place; humor writers, food writers, tech writers, sewing, and home schooling.
If you don’t blog, there’s still a sweet story worth reading here and even a moral at the end.
Peppermint Bark
I can’t remember when I found A Little Unhinged, but I do know how I came to know Bonnie. She writes mostly about enhancing the blogging experience. I learned from her posts and what I didn’t understand, I asked. And she answered.
If you need help, as I did with many issues I’ve had with my blog, she jumps in and figures it out. Above and beyond. Bonnie, a person I’ve never met, has spent hours on my blog and more hours researching things that I will probably never understand. In a last ditch effort to figure out what I could possibly have done to derail this poor innocent blog, she went through 59 pages of my blog’s HTML. Yes, 59 pages.
One time, when Bonnie and I were working together (remotely) on my blog (meaning she was working on it and I was sitting here in awe) she surprised me with a gift. I’m still trying to figure out how this works; she spends multiple hours fixing my blog and she’s bought me a gift? I’m a little fuzzy on the logic, but she did. She bought me my domain. I have been gifted www.BakingInATornado.com. And, because I’m who I am (let’s call it technically challenged, shall we) and she’s who she is (tech savvy), she set it all up for me.
In return, I did the only thing I could think of. I noticed that A Little Unhinged was naked. So I worked with Bonnie and designed a logo/button. It’s a piece of jewelry my blog will proudly wear. Whether your blog is fine and you want to enhance, or your blog is a little unhinged and you need help, click on the button in my sidebar and you will be magically transported to a place where tips, tutorials and assistance are available. Even to Strangers.
I have (as most of you already know) started two different link-up blog series, the Secret Subject Swap and the Fly on the Wall challenge. The logistics involved in running 2 link-up series just from spreadsheets, word documents and my email is staggering. I'm now spending hours on them every week.
And now the moral of the story: I hope that everyone, whether you’re a blogger or not, views this effort the way I want Bonnie to see it; as me paying it forward.
12 ounces of dark chocolate (can use semi sweet)
12 ounces of white chocolate
about 35 peppermint hard candies, crushed (or you can crush candy canes)
Directions:
*Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
*Crush candies or candy canes in a food processor or put into a sealed plastic bag and crush with a food mallet.
*Melt the dark (or semi sweet) chocolate in the microwave for one minute. Stir. Microwave one minute more and stir again. Continue at 10 second intervals until the chocolate is completely smooth.
*Spread the chocolate in a thin layer over the wax paper. You may have to hold the wax paper in place with one hand as you move the chocolate around with a spatula in the other hand.
*Put in refrigerator to start to set. This shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes. Don't let it completely set or the second layer won't adhere to it.
*Melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 40 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir again. Continue at 10 second intervals until the white chocolate is completely smooth.
*Mix the crushed candies into the white chocolate and spread this mixture over the dark chocolate on the cookie sheet. It’s alright if the dark chocolate and the white chocolate mix together in places.
*Put in refrigerator to set. Break into pieces.
*This is best if stored in the refrigerator and taken out about a half an hour before serving.
