J Angelo Racoma

Performancing Releases the Herald Theme for WordPress

November 23, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

screenshot Considered one of the premier sources of blogging news, commentary and information, The Blog Herald has gone through different iterations since its inception in 2003. Among the most successful designs was Brian Gardner‘s grey-themed three-column layout released in 2007. Performancing is releasing this theme as our latest free WordPress theme as the Herald Theme.

Sporting a grey-dominant color scheme, with red and blue highlights, the Herald Theme looks clean and crisp, with a wide main content area, and two sidebars to the right. The middle sidebar us wide enough to contain an ad block of 125×125 pixel buttons or a 250×250 banner, and supports featured posts which will display only posts from a defined category or tag. Each sidebar block and footer column can be customized using widgets for easy drag-and-drop rearranging.

The Herald Theme is optimized for use with WordPress 2.8 and newer. Dropdown menus use jQuery.

Preview the Herald Theme

For a live preview of the theme, click here.

Download the Herald Theme

To download Herald Theme, click here.

Paul Scrivens to Take Over as Splashpress Media Publisher

November 18, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

Splashpress Media, the parent company of Performancing, has recently announced that Paul Scrivens will take the helm of the network as publisher.

Scrivs will be our captain and conductor, managing our assets, coordinating our efforts and hopefully expanding our reach. Along with this new leadership comes a bit of reorganization. Andy Merrett (a regular contributor here), who has been a community manager and channel editor to sites like Forever Geek, 9rules and Performancing, will take the creative lead as Editor of the network. Andy plans to continue outgoing editor Jayvee Fernandez’s thrusts to enhance the networks’ reach and status, and we are confident that Andy will use his creative vision well in ensuring that momentum is maintained.

This announcement also comes with news that the core Splashpress team is being revamped, with Andy Merrett–who is also a Performancing contributor and community manager–taking the top creative role as Editor. The core team aims to continue Splashpress Media’s thrusts in enhancing the reach and authority of its online properties.

Buy, Sell, Trade at the Performancing Marketplace

November 12, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

The Performancing Marketplace is just another one of those things that had been put on hold when we made the big move from Drupal to WordPress. After some thought and tweaking (plus a bit of elbow grease), we’re pleased to announce that the Performancing Marketplace is now back online.

On the Marketplace, users can advertise blogs, domains, blogging services, themes, design services, or just about any related products and services. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, you’re most welcome.

The Marketplace is an open forum, so we won’t be limiting users to outright sales, bidding wars, or such. We’re still in the process of crafting the FAQs (which would mostly entail Marketplace members being polite with each other, and being on topic). We’re starting from a clean slate, though, so everything here is new. Therefore the Marketplace waiting to be filled in! For better visibility, the latest Marketplace posts will also be listed on the main Performancing site sidebar.

5 More Common Distractions to Bloggers and How To Deal With Them

November 8, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

Pencil on paper Last year, James Mowery posted about five common distractions that bloggers face in the course of a writing/blogging workday. James cited TV, games, mobile phones, social networks and even the web as top distractions. There are a host of other things out there that can get your focus out of writing. Here are a few, and some tips on how to deal with them.

1. Chores

Most probloggers and writers I know work from their home offices or from their homes. While you get to save a lot on daily expenses when you work from home, one big challenge is managing your time between work and domestic life. Face it–there are just a lot of tasks and chores that one might need to take care of while at home. You might have to do some cleaning and organizing. You might need to prepare food for lunch or dinner. You would inevitably find some pressing task to do. Even when you’re not actually doing these, the mere fact that these are on your mind can take your focus off blogging and writing work.

One way to deal with this is to finish quick tasks as soon as you can, so they don’t accumulate and overwhelm you. As for the bigger ones–like cooking–you can perhaps schedule a thirty-minute break. Hey, you need to eat, too! Then, perhaps, you can relegate the big, time-intensive things to the weekends, like grocery shopping, washing the car, and the like.

2. Kids

One of the reasons I chose to run my work and business from home is so I can keep tabs on my kids. I bring them to school in the mornings, and fetch them before lunch–that way, I’m assured of their safety, the paranoid dad that I am. But as my kids are only starting to learn independence (they’re in their early primary grades), I find myself being asked to do this and do that every so often. Kids need snacks, after all. Kids need their bath. Kids need their afternoon nap.

A good way to deal with this is by blocking off a few minutes of your workday to spend quality time with your kids. This way, they don’t feel left out, and you get to do things together without distractions (yes, they need your focus, too). But make sure they understand that you need to work for a living, and that you shouldn’t be disturbed while on the job. Another good way to deal is by giving them activities to do while you’re at work. Let them play. Let them do their homework. Or how about assigning chores to them, if they’re big enough (distraction #1 and #2 solved!)?

3. Problems

Everyone has problems. These could be money problems, family problems, health problems, or such. Thinking about these big things can take your mind off your concentration. How could you write great blog posts, after all, if you’re constantly thinking of how to pay off a big debt, or if you’re coughing and sneezing all the time.

Why not focus on solutions, instead of the problems? This way, you might be more inspired to work. Money problems? Then being more productive would probably help solve that in the long run. Health problems? Do something about it–rather than worry, why not be proactive? Family problems? Talk!

I can classify problems as those that can be set aside for a later time, and those that need to be addressed urgently. If you have some serious illness, then you have to take care of it as soon as you can, especially if it’s debilitating and if it can sap you of energy you need to be productive. Some problems can be set aside for later. If you need money, why not just focus finishing your work now, so you can get to bill your client earlier, for instance?

4. The temptation to slack or sleep

Another big problem faced by home-based professionals and entrepreneurs is the allure of the bed. And I don’t mean this in a naughty way. When you feel sleepy and tired (and unfocused and uninspired, as well) there’s always the temptation to just sack it out. It’s not just the bed. There’s also the couch, the recliner, and even your desk.

Here lies the importance of dedicating a certain room–or at least a space–just for work. Don’t work in the bedroom. Keep it sacred: just for sleep, rest, and those other private things. Set your environment such that it’s conducive to work, and that it’s not too relaxing. Avoid dim lights, very soft furniture and boring environs. I sometimes find my office chair too comfortable, that I move to a less comfortable seat, so I don’t fall asleep.

However, sometimes, you just have to succumb to your tiredness. If you feel you’re too tired to be productive, then why not take a nap? After fifteen to thirty minutes, you’d feel refreshed and full of ideas to work on. If you’ve spent all day working, then you do deserve a good night’s (or day’s) sleep. When you wake up, take note of dreams or ideas you might have had, as these might be valuable later on. Early mornings are conducive to writing, in my opinion.

5. Work

Many multitaskers would agree with me that work can also be a big distraction. When you juggle a lot of tasks, every other ongoing task can take your mind off the important thing you want to focus at the moment. If you’re a freelancer, you might be working on more than one client or project, and you just can’t give 100% to just one at any given time. If you work for someone, then you might find yourself working on an ever-growing task list, that you’re confused with which item to address first.

This can be best addressed with GTD solutions, or at least by organizing your workflow. Keep a task list, and keep it prioritized. More importantly, try to keep it short. Why not get the small things out of the way early on? Those things that can be done in two minutes or less should only take two minutes or less. And once these are out of the way, you can spend big chunks of your time on the bigger stuff.

Dealing with other distractions

Sometimes, distractions are not all that unproductive, though. For instance, online discussions, forums and social networks can be great breeding grounds for great ideas and for connecting with the right people. Even downtime can be productive if you know how to make the most of it. For a writer, you can use this time to observe your environment, and take stock of current events–things that can help give you ideas on what to write about later on.

The best way to deal with distractions is identifying these, and knowing the best way to deal with them. It’s a matter of managing your time and resources such that you are productive in those things that matter.

image credit: flickr/tomsaint

Would You Consider a Dedicated Twitter Device?

November 5, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

Since I’ve started appreciating Twitter for both personal discussions and promoting my blogs and online content, I’ve been exploring ways to access the service conveniently, even while on-the-go. For this purpose, I’ve settled with a Symbian Series 60 application called Gravity. The application is a fully-featured Twitter client that supports practically anything that a desktop-based client can, such as retweets, direct messages, searches, TwitPics, and even multiple accounts.

I’m satisfied with the application, but I only have one gripe, which is connectivity. At home and other WiFi-enabled establishments, I can roam around and still be able to Tweet, since my phone has WiFi. When I’m out of coverage, I can simply use my 3G or HSDPA connection. While the cost is nominal, this is a bit limiting.

On ForeverGeek, I recently read about TwitterPeek, a dedicated device for reading, receiving and posting tweets. What’s appealing with the TwitterPeek is the unlimited connectivity it offers. The device sells on Amazon for $199 with lifetime unlimited service or $99 with a 6-month subscription ($7.95 monthly thereafter). Developed by Peek in partnership with Twitter, the company behind the device hopes to be a big part of Twitter’s mobile strategy. If all goes well, then this is also one good way for Peek to promote its dedicated email device.

The TweetPeek is affordable, and it’s out just in time for the holidays. I’m not sure if it will work outside the US, though, given network limitations. If it does, then I’m going to grab a few for myself and my loved ones.

Would you consider an unlimited Twitter device?

How to Maintain Focus When Writing

November 1, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

Quill As a blogger and writer, I must admit that there are days when I’m just on a roll. I’m able to achieve significant output. I’m able to manage my time wisely, and I’m generally productive. But then there are also those days when I uselessly stare at the computer screen for hours on end, never able to come up with anything sensible enough to publish.

The difference between these two scenarios is focus. I’m that kind of person who needs to really concentrate in order to accomplish what I start.

Most of the time, I can best focus when there are no outside distractions. This is mostly attainable very late at night or in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else is asleep. However, just being alone in silence is not an assurance that one can focus. I, for one, often have a lot going on in my head. Sometimes it’s the internal distractions that are the bigger deterrents to focus, and not the external ones.

When producing content, such as blog posts, articles, contributing to online discussions, and the like, here are a few things I like to do, which oftentimes make it easier to focus and concentrate on writing.

Research beforehand

I must admit that a lot of my blog posts have been based on information that I happen to have chanced upon. These are more difficult to write than content that I’ve been able to do prior research on, though. This is because I tend to open too many windows and links when I simultaneously write and look for information. I tend to navigate away from the main task at hand, and before I know it I’ve already forgotten to finish what I’ve started writing.

When one gets all the information ready before even starting the first word in an article or blog post, then all that’s needed is to refer to the source information every now and then, which will not take time because these are already available readily. So when you find something interesting to write about, you should already spend the next few minutes learning all about it, before even saying your own piece.

Have all your tools ready

Just like a soldier marching into battle without ammo, writing without the proper tools would require you to keep marching back to base for supplies. You would never accomplish anything this way, though. So it’s best to have your tools ready. And I mean anything that’s related to your writing, and anything that helps you along the way.

In my case, I like having a freshly brewed mug of coffee beside my keyboard while writing, so I can take sips while I compose thoughts and sentences in my head. It’s one of those habits that one cannot do without. If I find myself without a very hot (or very cold, depending on the weather) beverage beside me then I find myself rushing to the pantry to prepare something. Along the way, I would’ve already lost focus and the drive to finish my piece.

These tools could include your favorite word processing software, your favorite browser, and any other tool that you directly or indirectly use when writing. If you often write on a portable computer, make sure you have enough battery power for your writing session. If you need to publish a blog post, you’d better have a live Internet connection. It just isn’t the same saving a post offline and publishing only when you get the chance to connect.

Maximize

One of the more popular posts I’d written on in the years past is about maximizing windows. Some people prefer maximizing the current window so they can focus on the document or whatever application they are working on. This definitely helps reduce sources of distraction. Among other things you can do are turn off your IM client, switch your phone to silent mode, and generally try to reduce distractions in your periphery. Also, try to resist the urge to check your email inbox every two minutes or so.

Take a break

Sometimes, maintaining focus requires taking a break, too. Marathon writing sessions are great as long as you can keep the energy and focus up. But standing up and stretching every thirty minutes or so can surely help with circulation. Try to do breathing exercises, too. Or just walk around for a couple of minutes. These can help clear the cobwebs up in your head. If all else fails, sleep on it. You might be able to develop on your ideas better in the morning. Sometimes, you will realize it’s an idea not worth building upon at all.

Everyone has his own preferences, and his own notion of a productive environment that’s conducive to creativity. The common denominator here is that one often needs to be in the zone to be productive. For a writer, that’s where the magic happens.

image credit: flickr/b1gw1ght

WordPress.Com Goes Mobile

October 22, 2009 by J Angelo Racoma

With the popularity of the iPhone, BlackBerry devices, and other web-capable smartphones, it’s easy to take for granted the fact that millions of people read blogs on their mobile phones. However, not all devices are capable of displaying full HTML. And even those that do, not all screens are large enough for comfortable viewing of web content.

With this in mind, WordPress.com has recently launched several mobile functionalities, namely a few mobile-oriented themes, and (limited) dashboard access from mobile browsers. WordPress.com will automatically detect whether a reader is using a mobile browser, and assuming you have set your site to display a mobile theme when viewed from a phone–activated by default–the reader sees a predominantly text interface, with any header image miniaturized for small screens.

For mobile browsers capable of full HTML, there’s an option to switch to full view. Commenting and limited navigation features are also available on mobile view, making the viewing experience as functional as possible. As for the mobile dashboard, this mostly just involves stats, posting and bookmarking. This is simple enough for those times when you absolutely have to blog about something, but don’t have access to a computer.

This is one functionality I’d like to see built-into self-hosted WordPress installations. While you can usually enable mobile viewing and posting thru plugins, having this out of the box would surely be one good way of expanding readership and giving you a wider array of options when mobile-blogging.

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