Embed YouTube Video in Blog Post

Okay, I just learned how to do this, and thought I'd better write it down so I can remember for the next time I want to do it...

To embed a YouTube video into a blog post (to embed is to have a video screen appear in the body of your post, rather than just pasting in a link to a video in your post...click here to see an example), follow these steps:

1. Find the YouTube video you want to embed.
2. To the right of the video on YouTube, you'll see two codes, one called "URL" and one called "embed." Copy the "embed" code.
3. If you want a border on your video, before you copy the "embed" code, click on the asterisk icon to the right of the code. A drop down menu appears, giving you various border color options. Click the color you want, make sure you check the box that says "Show Border," then copy the "embed" code.
4. On your blog, start a new post. Write whatever text you want to appear before and after the video you'll be embedding.
5. Click on the "Edit Html" tab of the post.
6. Paste the code you copied where you want the video to appear in your post text.
7. Publish post.

Pretty fancy and pretty easy!
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Fitness and Retirement Funds

As I was viewing my 401(k) balance the other day, I began to realize that retirement funds or other long-term savings accounts are very much like fitness. You can work and work at it and still feel like you're not getting anywhere when viewed on a daily basis, but it's the long haul that counts.

With working out, I come home thinking that I MUST be buff by now. But when I look in the mirror, I don't look much different, if at all, from yesterday. How could that be? I've been sweating, my muscles ache? Why haven't I dropped a size yet. Why is the scale still showing me that horrible number?

With saving, I look at my balance and think, I must have a sizable chunk saved up by now. But when I view my account, it doesn't look much different, if at all, from last month. Why is my balance not huge by now. What has happened to all the money that's been deposited directly from my paycheck?

I've finally concluded that these two processes are very much the same. If we look at our bodies or our balances on a day-to-day basis and make comparisons, we won't see much that's changed. However, if we look at ourselves or our accounts at the beginning of the year, do our work during the year, and then look again at the end of the year - that's when we see the real progress.

The secret to savvy workouts or savvy saving is to do it with purpose, but give it time to take shape. Then, after a good amount of time has passed, check again. That's when things should be looking pretty good.

So, I'll continue to just buck up, save up, and work out.
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Things I've Learned in the Blogosphere

While bloghopping, I come across sites from all over the world. I see some trends, some similarities, and I also learn about new things. Here's what I've discovered:

• Etsy Store: I'd never heard of this before, but kept seeing it on blogs. I googled it and found out that it's an online store that allows individuals to post handmade items for sale. Great idea, and what a terrific place to find special gifts for people. Many bloggers show the items they're working on that are for sale at Etsy.
• Family & Friends Update: many people use a blog to keep family and friends updated about their life, the growing kids (or new ones!), new marriage, new house, etc. It's a terrific way to let people know what's going on and to see the related pictures. People also use these update sites when they've moved to a new place, and want to let the family back home know what life is like in, say, Alaska (some of my favorite blogs show life in this interesting part of the US).
• Practice, Practice, Practice: photographers and writers use the blogosphere to practice their writing, practice their photography skills, and learn the concepts of posting effectively to a blog, find their "theme," try layouts and templates, etc. This is where I fit in.

Overall, here are blogging words of wisdom from my point of view:

• Short posts are best, because they don't seem too daunting to read.
• Bullets or numbered lists are nice because they break up the text and allow for quick browsing of content.
• Photos are especially appealing because they give us a window into a world different from our own. Interestingly, a blog with just photos and no text isn't quite as much fun because we don't get to learn about the writer or the subject of the photos.
• Updating photos on a fairly regular basis is good so the look of the site doesn't get stale.
• Conversely, blogs with just text with no photos aren't quite as enticing to read, no matter how great the writing (and there are some VERY clever writers out there!).
• It's nice when the blogger leaves the Navbar in the layout, so we can easily get to the next blog.
• The interaction of getting a comment from someone, someone voting on my poll, or having a blog follower is part of the fun of blogging.
• Advertising blogs are just so wrong.

Well, I'll keep practicing my blogging, bloghopping to see how others do it, and tweaking my site as I learn from all of the experts out there!