Let me start with a question. Is it sunny where you are? Cause it sure is getting summery 
Let’s chit chat about summer in the comment section… In the mean time here are some awesome posts I read lately.
Top 3 posts… ever
I want to open this round-up with three posts that are not only the best I read in the last month, but easily in the top 10 of all the posts I have ever read online. Call me crazy or just emotional…
All three are short but strong beyond comprehension. I love them and it will take you 5 minutes to read all 3 of them, so please do!
Danny Brown got me not only completely hooked to his blogging but his personality as well. And then he struck a cord and made me cry… He reminded us how Precious Time is. Don’t spend a minute of your life apart from people you care about. You might want that minute more than anything later, but it might just be too late.
After reading The Tao of Twitter, I started reading Mark Schaefer’s posts and learning so much from every single word he writes. You think some small every day situations that include coffee don’t teach you anything? How about shooting for the Starbucks of blogs?
I have read a kiss azz post this morning and felt like throwing up. I kid you not. Why do people do that? Please don’t. If you appreciate someone’s work and blog, by all means tell them and tell the world. But don’t kiss azz!!! Learn from Joey Strawn and Blog Violently.
What else is on our reading menu today?
My friend John, who is a great artist and promised to draw me as a super-hero for my book cover, posted a great Photoshop tutorial that I simply loved. I use Photoshop a lot, but I probably use only about 2% of it’s possibilities. Well, I can see that will change soon - Hypertransitory Academy, Lesson 1, Top 10 Photoshop How to Tips of Fury.
Although Kristi Hines was one of the bloggers whose posts I often read, after reading her Blog Post Promotion book, I started following her more closely and putting aside time to read all her posts (instead of reading it when I find a minute or two). Anyway, she always has great tips to share, but this post was one of my favorites in the last two weeks – 4 Free Tools for Researching Guest Blogging and Advertising Opportunities.
My friend Dahlia, over at That IM thing, posted a very comprehensive list of Amazon resources. Considering that Amazon is one of my money makers on my sites and that it can be a nice money maker on any blog, I thought you might wanna learn more about it. Well, Dahlia did all the hard work and all you have to do is read her Become a Profitable Amazon Affiliate post, visit all the links and become an Amazon expert.
While at Dahlia’s blog, here is another list she made, that you will probably find very useful. If you want to guest post, search no more. She handpicked more than 50 blogs where you can guest post – Internet marketing blogs looking for guest bloggers. Oh, and I do have to thank her for including my blog in the list
I’ve seen people talk and blog about list building lately, like everyone just discovered what list building is. Well, there is a guy most of us know, that has been building lists for years and years and has more subscribers than most of the bloggers will ever have. Steve decided to help all of the list building addicts. He created a list of 23 A/B split tests to get more e-mail subscribers that you can run and evaluate.
My favorite blogger Lisa Irby is rocking the blogosphere every single week, but I try not to link to all of her good posts all the time, because they are all great. Well this time, I can’t skip her. She started a great topic – Is it Better to Have a Fan Page or Forum. I made a comment over there, where, among other things, I said:
I was thinking about Forum the other day. Well not in a million years thinking of creating one but someone told me they heard a tip from a blogger that you should create a forum to get more traffic to their blog.
That didn’t sound right to me after all I have learned from you. Why would anyone go to your forum just because you created one? I thought this was wrong and that the person isn’t really sure what having a forum means.
Like you say, you need traffic to get them to go to your forum, not the other way around.
And you should remember this! Double check the info you read on all the blogs (including mine). If it took Lisa 2.000 visitors a day and 4 launches to get a Forum running, how do you think you would bring traffic to your blog from a brand new forum you create!?
Mark Collier wrote an amazing guest post on Lisa’s blog and I really have no words to write except -read the post and the comments! Guest blogging, why you need to brag more!
Another dear blogger and friend of mine, Kimberly, wrote a very interesting post about Twitter mention Spam policy. Will they manage to save us from the annoying twitter spammers that send us links in @ mention tweets, just because we tweeted the word iPad or e-book?
The Top Title of the Month
And I saved this for the end, as a cherry on the cake for those that actually read through the whole post. Stacey wrote an awesome guest post with the title that is more than awesome – 5 Things you Should do to Lose Your Blogging Virginity Like a Slut.
I live in South Florida. I am ten minutes from the beach. I love to take a break from writing articles and Internet promotion and take walks by the Gulf Of Mexico.
In fact, as I was reading about all of the suggestions you made for articles to read, my heart was longing for a walk on the beach.
Thanks for the reminder that there is a sunny place for me to enjoy today!
Oh Jordy, lucky you. Well I am only about 3.5 hrs away from Daytona beach now, but can’t just decide to hop over there at the moment, lol.
I am sure glad you are gonna spend the day at the beach, cause I can’t think of anything better to do
Wow, this contest thing is blowing up; I clicked to receive e-mail notices and by a long shot, this thing is a monster. Do you still need help pimpin’ this thing? How long does it run?
I like your Sat posts; it provides a source for me to check out some interesting people. Some I already ‘know’, but I’m an inclusive kind of guy so I always like to meet new people.
Yes, it’s sunny where I live; it’s always sunny in the F L A…….paradise….:)
You know you are the best and I’m not kissin’ ass……….but I don’t think one’s nose can be too brown, huh?………:). Just let me know how I can support ya’, thanks for all of your advise.
Hey Bill,
the kiss azz thing was so bad… I mean really bad… I love telling people I like them and I love hearing it. But this example was soooo bad, ha ha ha. I just turned into a relatively polite person lately so don’t want to call the names out, ha ha.
Anyway, yeah, the contest is still on, I can use any comments, shares, retweets, votes, diggs, Facebook likes I can get
I hope to have some good news for me and everyone after the contest is done
Thanks for including me! I’m all over that Amazon Affiliate link. Time to start rocking it.
Oh yeah, BEWARE: once I draw you as a super-hero, your secret identity will be revealed to the world! haha!
Lol, I think I will be prepared for that… thanks for the warning though
And by the way, there was no way I could not include you, I so love that post.
Hi John… I’m glad you like that post! Commence to rocking it.
I was just looking at your Photoshop post. I actually mastered (in an amateur sort of way) Illustrator last year. I love Illustrator, but I really want to get into Photoshop. I have to download the trial this weekend and start fiddling around with it.
I know there are a lot of books out there, but do you have any recommendations for a beginner?
Thanks!
Bankica,
I have been on the trail of some of these bloggers, but it is nice to come here and see what you have been up to. Nice choices, I can get lost for a whole morning.
I have been taking a closer look at Kristie Hines too. Smart!
You contest post is great!
Hey Sheila, thanks so much for the nice words. I hope these won’t take too much of your time, I often find myself blog hopping when I didn’t really plan to, lol.
It’s been sunny & in the 80s already in SC, but today’s going to be cloudy and rainy, HOPEFULLY washing away the pollen clouds in the air. Summer usually isn’t much of a slowdown for me other than vacations, actually find it more productive since the kids & wife/teacher are off for the summer and it’s just me still working.
Hey Rick, don’t even mention the pollen to me. I have never been allergic to anything until I came to USA obviously in the wrong season. I can’t stop sneezing and pollen is just killing me.
Hi Brankica… It’s sunny, but cold here in Philadelphia – 35 degrees right now. Worked late last night, slept late this morning and missed the friggin’ farmers market. Sucks because the Amish guy has the BEST string beans ever.
I had planned on sending my kiddo to Texas this summer, but now my sister wants me to come too. So I’ll be in Dallas doing who knows what… sweating a lot probably, lol.
Thanks for including my Amazon affiliates post! I was never much of an affiliate marketer until I started doing Amazon last year. Now I wish I’d started much sooner.
Have an amazing Saturday, and get away from your computer to enjoy yourself a bit.
Dahlia
That is a great advice, except I am pretty addicted to my computer, lol. Hubby had his B-day yesterday and got loads of PS3 games so you can imagine what will be this weekend’s top thing in our house
If I go to TX again this summer, I might get with ya on that Dallas thing, lol
Oh boy do I have alot of reading to do! That is what I’ll be doing this weekend.
I live in the San Francisco Bay area and I know I shouldn’t complain, but it has been raining all week! And I’m tired of being cold. . . bring on summer!
Oh, I really hate rain and cold weather so I can’t wait for real summer to start!
Hi Brankica
After reading the 3 short posts you linked to I would say yes. Can short be powerful. Have a nice weekend Brankica.
It has been sunny today where I am and after a long wither it almost looks like spring finally is coming
Hey Thomas, thanks for the comment and I am so glad you liked those 3 posts
Hey…just a small correction. That post was written by Stacey who was a guest blogger on DIY (see author box). She gets all the credit on that one. Would be awesome if you linked to her blog mylifestylemax.com as the authoring writer for that post.
Hey Dino, corrected the author mistake, thanks, haven’t even noticed it wasn’t your post. I link to posts in these round up, not authors, though. Will have to check if Stacey got something for the next round up
Rock on! a I just finished my saturday blog post roundup, where I had a post from you and I saw the trackback and found I was in your list too! What a pleasant surprise! Thanks for including me with this great list of bloggers.
A few I know and whose articles I have seen, but surprisingly more who I am unfamiliar with. now I have something to do for the next 45 minutes!
(or so)
Have a wonderful remainder to your weekend.
Hey Steve, how do you come up with those ideas for your posts, lol
I had a laugh, had to read it before I reply to the comment. Just a little note, it’s publishing on Kindle, not Google. Thanks for the mention!
It was sunny here in London but it got very cold in the evening.
I really wish you win the contest Brankica. Your hard work deserves some recognition.
Awww, thanks so much Alexis! I was looking at the plugin you recommended the other day. Bookmarked to go back to it when I have a bit of time to dig in
Hi Brankica
I didn’t blog last night. Must be a first for me!!! So just arrived here now. Sone bloggers I don’t know so later I will be checking them out. Especially the post about Amazon affiliates
Not long now and we will all know how you have gone with the competition. Here’s hoping that really informative post has gone all the way to the top
And although it is meant to be autumn here, we are still getting summer temperatures. So very warm and even though it’s now evening, just turned off air con and got a fan on. Maybe in a few weeks it will get cooler. Here’s hoping anyway. Thanks for sharing with us Brankica. Much appreciated.
Patricia Perth Australia
So you are getting winter soon? Wow… I am glad I am not there, lol, don’t deal well with cold weather. I think you will like the Amazon affiliate post, just make sure to have some time on your hands for it, cause there is a lot to read and a lot of links to visit over there. But it’s worth it, especially that you are dealing with Amazon anyway.
Thanks for the comment, Patricia
Winters here are mild. Perth has a Mediterranean climate and as I have survived winters in the UK with sleet, snow and rain, it doesn’t really seem to me to get too cold here which I’m very glad about
Patricia Perth Australia
Oh, I love Mediterranean climate
It is very warm here in USA where I am at the moment. I am just glad I didn’t spend this winter back home, cause it was cooooold
I am loving the take no prisoners style of your blog. Keep up the good work and thanks for the mention!
Thank you so much! Your post was simply wonderful and I had to mention it
I appreciate the visit, Mark!
Happy Sunday afternoon Brankica! We’ve had a couple of warm, sunny days, and then just because hubby had a weekend at the Alton Towers theme park (rollercoasters) it cooled off. At least it didn’t rain on him!
I much prefer warm weather, it can ease the pain by 20%-50% on good days. Plus i don’t have to go five rounds with a coat and scarf and gloves just to go out!
I’m rambling, wish I could blame some alcohol but alas…
Lol, I ramble with no alcohol too
It’s cold, minus three and full of ice where I am. But this post warmed me up. A lot.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Brankica (though I’d prefer them if I hadn’t made you cry, gah!). And Mark and Joey are awesome folks with amazing smarts when it comes to blogging, so double thanks for placing me with them.
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know your blog (and you, obviously!) recently – here’s to many more (less weepy) times ahead.
Danny, thank you so much for the comment. I am actually a very happy person, always smiling, so I definitely needed that. Just to clear my eyes, you know…
I love those three posts and it is just so great when you send a message like that in only a few sentences. I am so glad I met you and hope to keep reading those awesome posts you write for yours to come
Good grief! Out of all the posts and authors you mention, I only recognized a few of the posts from other sites, and two of the authors. Think I need to find some more time to read the posts you mention here in the coming week before you post even more next Saturday.
Great variety of reading material by the looks of things.
good I’m really really slow, lol. It’s amazing to be included in this, and it was a great opportunity guesting over at Dino’s blog. Thank you guys (I’m blushing). My fingers are well and truly crossed for you to win the post competition..That monster post was off the chain, and has been duly saved for future reference, its already come in handy. Thanks for including my gp in your round up, I really appreciate it.xx
Hey Stacey, the title alone would get you in
And any other time you have a great post, send me the link. I would love to feature more posts like those and I hate when I miss the good ones due to lack of time. I loved it and you are really kickin’ some azz.
Hi Brankika, I am supposed to be working on my book tonight and getting organized for a few posts this week… then I came across you again… (dammit) and I’ve spent this last while reading your blog and checking out your faves.
What a fantastic roundup of awesome posts and bloggers. Honestly woman, how do you find them… and the time. Shouldn’t you be out sharp shooting?
Fantastic post Brankica. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the read(s) even if I am so far behind I feel like I’m going backwards!
Talk soon,
Jayne
OK, I have no clue what you are talking about.
PS This is an automated message posted any time someone spends too much time online because of me.
LOL, sorry and since you already lost too much time, I think you should check #7 from the same series
“not listening” “not listening” “not listening”…”la la la la” !!! (you’re just rubbing salt in it girl!