Summer #BlogChallenge Day #14: 15 Tips For Life

--Give your followers 15 tips to get through life--


1.  Live each day like it is your last because you never know which day will be your last!  Live your life to the fullest and try not to let anything bring that down!

2.  This ties into number 1.  Always let everyone know you love them because you never know if you won't have the chance to tell them later!


3.  Hold your head high and let your smile shine!

4.  Don't let others beat you down, no matter how nasty they may be to you.


5.  Always have a companion in your life whether it is family, a significant other, children, or pets.  You have no idea how much help it can be to lift your spirits after a hard day to see someone or something excited to welcome you into the house!  I love coming home to my boyfriend and pets!  Everyone is always so happy to see me even after a tough day!

How to Make a Grab Box

<div align="center"><a href="http://parsimoniouspash.blogspot.com" title="Parsimonious Pash"><img src="http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u418/lauralynnstudio/Kits%2010-29/ashley_button.gif" alt="Parsimonious Pash" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I know I hear bloggers ask all the time "How do I make a blog button?".  I have read tons of posts online about making blog buttons and you can make them in a bunch of different ways.  In this post I will tell you about the HTML code that you need for a blog button.  This is only one portion of making a blog button.

*This is not how to make the IMAGE for a Blog Button.*

What you will need to do:


1. Create a 125x125 image


2. Upload it online.


3. Create the code for your button.


4. Create a Grab Box for your blog.

1. Create a 125x125 image

You can refer to my other post about how to create a 125x125 image for your blog or you can use one that you already have created for your blog.

2. Upload it online.

You can upload your image online either to your blog or another website.  If you have blogger I would suggest uploading it to Picasa Web Album because using that is so nice and easy if you decide to post that image onto any posts on your blog.  There are many other options out there like Photobucket, Imageshack, or Flickr.  

Once you have uploaded it onto the website you will want to get the image URL.  I will use the URL for my blog button that I uploaded to Picasa as an example.

MY URL:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kguPPqXtXHvRCaBip7MxGbhOla-RyEt6ByiCSQbE7zo?feat=directlink

3. Create the Code for your Button

First, you will want to create your basic code that will be used for putting your button on someone's blog or webpage.  This will look like this:

<a href="YourSiteURL"><img src="YourButtonImageURL" /></a>

The first portion of this code: <a href="YourSiteURL"> is for your website.  The URL that you put in here is where clicking on the image will take you.  In most times you want to choose your homepage however you could choose any page on your blog.

The second portion of this code: <img src="YourButtonImageURL" /> is for your image.  You will be putting in the URL that we found in the step above this one.  This will be for the image that you want as your blog button.

4. Create a Grab Box for your blog

Now, this part is the tricky part.  You will just want to copy and paste this HTML code and edit on your own because it is a little complicated.  Anything that is bolded you will want to fill out with your information.  This code will be put on your blog in an HTML widget.

<div align="center" style="padding: 5px;"><img src="YourButtonImageURL"  title="Your Blog Name" alt="Your Blog Name" /></div><pre style="background:#fcfcfc;border:solid 1px #cccccc; color: #777777; font-size:90%; height:45px; margin:auto; text-align: left; padding: 10px; display: block; overflow: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;  width: 90%;">&lt;div align="center">&lt;a href="YourSiteURL" title="Your Blog Name"&gt;&lt;img src="YourButtonImageURL" alt="Your Blog Name" style="border:none;" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div></pre>

 **The red text in the code is for a WHITE background.**

Top 11 Benefits of using ASL Signs

Photo Courtesy of The Orange County Register

American Sign Language is a language that most people don't know.  They may know "I love you" or a couple of letters.  I know in Elementary School I was taught how to spell our school "Tyler" in ASL for our little school song.  I thought it was cute, but I never knew that's what we were doing until I was older.  Over the years I have studied ASL and in a couple instances have held some shorter conversations in it since my sign is a bit choppy since I am not fluent in it.  I found this list of reasons of benefits to learning ASL.  I think that this is something that could be done when children are young along side learning to read.

Top 11 Benefits of using ASL Signs in Second Language Learning

1.  Everyone uses gestures when they speak. Gestures naturally support and enhance spoken language.


2.  ASL sign vocabulary is very expressive and frequently depicts its meaning visually. (e.g., the ASL sign for COOKIE looks as if you are using a cookie cutter.) Easy!


3.  This visual association of signs with their meaning makes them easy to remember.


4.  Signs become a powerful common "bridge" that links two spoken languages. This helps the brain travel back and forth more easily between those languages.


5.  Established signs are what links people together successfully (not gestures that each individual invents on their own). When people make up their own signs it's just as if they made up their own spoken language...not too useful beyond just one or two other people!


6.  ASL is a kinesthetic language (it depends upon movement) and when linked with spoken language, it actively helps connect both hemispheres of the brain. That adds another powerful bridge.


7.  Signs act as a prompt to assist the brain in the recall of new spoken words. When you can't remember the spoken word, make the sign and you will be amazed at how it triggers the memory into action.


8.  Adding signs to the language-learning process provides a basis for a third language. Today, ASL is recognized as a fully-accredited foreign language in most high schools and universities.


9.  Signing adds focus, lowers noise levels, and helps boost self-esteem.


10. Almost all kids love to sign! It's simply fun!


11. Signing creates an environment for the inclusion of ALL children in the process.

This list was provided by Sign 2 Me