The Skyrim Blog

In the usual year-end culmination of gaming that befalls holiday season, we've seen a lot of spectacular videogames and the shifts in gaming power that comes with them. Modern Warfare 3 made some lines at GameStop's midnight release so long that they could put World of Warcraft's releases (a notoriously big winner) to shame. Battlefield 3 failed to meet the hype its own distributors generated, and EA dredged up the wrath of many of us angry videogame nerds. Minecraft has spawned a fanbase so devout that they can hardly bring themselves to leave the game.

One particular game this year, though, has caught not only my full attention, but that of a great portion of the gamer base. It has essentially launched a bid for Game of the Year against the Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Uncharted bigshots of previous fame. This game is the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In the nearly three hundred years following the Oblivion plot, dragons, as well as their mortal kin the Dragonborn, have returned to the province of Skyrim amid mass unrest between the Empire and a Nord-centric rebellion group.

Lifehacker

It's about that time for another Gawker Media network blog here on Blogographer (and, no, they do not sponsor me, haha)!

This time, I will be featuring Lifehacker, blogging kin to such other successful sites as Jalopnik, Kotaku, and Gizmodo (among others) by Gawker. According to their about page and byline, Lifehacker is about, "tips, tricks, and downloads for getting things done." If that is not descriptive enough for ya, then their about page also has a helpful little video on it.

Life Advice from Archimedes

Humanity has always been stricken and divided by our differences, whether it be religious, physical, etc. However, one thing that we all have in common at all times is that we have problems in our lives. Everyone, no matter how big or how small, experiences trouble at one point or another, and this unifying factor may just be what keeps some people's heads out of the clouds.

Just because they bring us together doesn't mean we can't work to solve them, though, so that we might hopefully enjoy ourselves more. Life Advice from Archimedes does just that. According to the writer, Archimedes, "Enough advice from women's magazines. They have never had a clue. I on the other hand can give you the truth, all based in facts and logic. leave the emotions at the door." The Reverend Archimedes is here to help.

Whether or not he is right in what he says is up to the reader (and there is much discussion, as displayed here, in the comments), of course, but from the looks of it, he has helped out a considerable number of people with his advice. It's obvious he has a good head on his shoulders, and much of the advice is easily agreed with. Sometimes it just takes other people to tell you what you need to do, and that's what he does.

Let the good reverend fix all of your problems at Life Advice from Archimedes.

Birthday Time

Today was my birthday!

Unfortunately, that means I will not be posting any blog reviews. Sorry. Updates will continue as normal next Wednesday, so just keep your pants on until then.

Hasta miercoles ('Until Wednesday' for those of us who are espanol-illiterate),
Randall A.

Template Faerie

"Blog add-ons and advice for hobbyists"

Most 'web surfers' (a phrase I'm sure is outdated even now) have at least read a blog. Many of them have made one, as well, even if it was unsuccessful. There's so many blogs out there about this topic, or that -- but what about a blog that helps you make your blog?

Surely it's not the only blog of this kind out there. In fact, a cursory Google search will net you quite a few. So, for Sarah, the writer of Template Faerie, the blog is not about a perfectly unique niche, but rather about perfecting it. Sarah strives not only for a well-done blog about blogging; she adds her own (sometimes abrasive) flavor to her posts.

Everybody knows a little controversy here and a little controversy there can go a long way for readership, especially in the Internet Age when we're all so jaded that it has become our sustenance. This leads many writers to think that they must curry the favor of their disloyal readers with offerings of tasteful dissatisfaction, and Sarah makes it clear that she is often dissatisfied with the blogging world.

Whether that attracts you, or scares you, is obviously up to you -- sometimes it's a fresh read from those overly nice writers that praise everything they can without acknowledging the bad (a trait I, myself, have been guilty of once upon a time). However, there's more to Template Faerie than just abrasiveness, of course; there's helpful information.

If you're not a blog writer, you won't find this particular blog particularly useful. If you are, though, you'll discover that there's quite a few useful add-ons and bits of advice. From "5 Reasons Why I Won't Read Your Blog" to "How to Feed your Blog to Twitter", there's much help to be had.

There's no reason your blog shouldn't make the grade, so why not get some advice from Template Faerie?

Tips for Saving

"Please join me for a journey to learn unique ways to save money, maintain your health, help the environment, and get things for free! Subscribe, follow, and enjoy the journey."

Who doesn't like to get free stuff?

Certainly you've seen your fair share of blogs about thrifty mothers -- I know I have. Most of the time we shrug them off as just another nitpicky blog that will provide more waste of time than we'll actually be saving.

That couldn't be farther from the truth with Tips for Saving, though.

The author of the blog, Rose, is indeed a thrifty mother blogger. There's no denying that. It's the concise style of her posts that makes the blog so worthwhile when it comes to this category, and you can see it for yourself when you visit the blog.

That doesn't mean that she's always making short posts -- she has her fair share of lengthy, but detailed, posts on products, such as her review on the Boon, Inc. Flo. Rose's powerful skills lay in her ability to post about useful products in a useful fashion. Mothers don't have time to be on the computer all day, after all.

The blog does have a few drawbacks, however. On a slower computer, the sheer size of the blog becomes a lag-inducing nuisance. The post limit seems to be six full posts; coupled with all of the images and links in each post, less-than-optimal computers will be in for a difficult time scrolling through. In addition, there are quite a few ads on the sidebar of the blog, and this contributes to the slowing power of the blog, and the clutter.

The layout, despite the key difficulties created by the front-page post count and sidebar ads, is simple and pink, which matches her post style and general theme. Rose has repeatedly improved upon her layout over time, and hopefully she will continue to do so as her blog expands its readership, and its quality.

Go on and visit Tips for Saving today, and put a few extra dollars in your pocket.