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Sunday, May 31, 2009

I was concentrating so hard on getting it together.....
that I didn't notice the top edge was crooked until it was all finished. I have tunnel vision sometimes, a one track mind, and I'm not paying attention to the details.
There is no doubt that it isn't perfect, that it was made by a human.
Inside the front cover
Inside the back cover
I made this one a couple weeks ago and every time I walk by and look at it, it reminds me to pay attention next time.

I have noticed that a lot of blogs have added music to their site. I wonder how many of them know that people who are still on dial up or slower DSL have to wait forever for their blog to open because the music box has to load before anyone can scroll down the page. A couple of the blogs have had the volume set quite loud so that even with sound on my computer turned down low they blast out and scare the bejeebies out of me. Also then the music in my house is mixed with the music from the computer. Am I the only one who doesn't care for everyone else's choice of music being forced upon me? Maybe I'm being too sensitive. Sorry if I have offended anyone. I know it is freedom of choice. Or maybe someone will tell me why it is a good thing that I should be thankful for.

46 comments:

  1. I must say, it's a relief to know you're only human! :)
    Thanks for saying something about that music on people's sites! I hate it! It's annoying, it's distracting, and it means I can't scroll through blogs while someone else in the room listens to music or watches TV or reads. I have quit going to a couple blogs that have loud music.

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  2. I agree with you! I see no need for music since if I want some I've already got it on!
    Your blog has been so inspiring! I cut a bunch of strips the other day and made a top yesterday. I'm just doing the "stitch in the ditch" now and trying to decide how to do other quilting. It looks nothing like anything you've done (by plan)but it was so fun picking and arranging strips into something I like. And...of course I cut way more strips than I needed so I'll have lots more to play with and keep me amused!!!!

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  3. I could not agree more about the music. I tend to move away quickly from any blog that has music and I NEVER send a link to a blog with music because I don't want a friend to click on it at work or wake their sleeping baby, etc. with the music. I guess the blog owner just doesn't realize that it puts some people off.

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  4. Not a perfect solution but there is a little "speaker" icon in your system tray and you can click it to mute all sound. You do have that control from your end.

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  5. I'm so glad you've mentioned the music thing. It drives me to distraction, especially when the blog won't load. I've stopped visitng blogs that have music.

    That's not crooked. It's wonky!

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  6. Oh I so totally agree about the music!!! I have quit going to some sites because of the music - there is only one on my google reader that has music and I have to keep remembering to shut the volume off before I open her site because I like her blog but do not like the music. I wonder how many of these bloggers realize they are loosing readers from their sites because of the music?
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

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  7. I agree about the music. I sometimes want to sneak a read at work and have been caught when the blog plays music! I guess I shouldn't be doing it at work!!

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  8. I'm with you on that one. I'm often listening to my own Pandora station while I'm on the computer and when I get on a blog that has its own music, the two play at the same time...not a good thing. Or if I'm not listening to my own, I jump two feet when I go to a blog with music.

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  9. ditto on the music. I'm all for simplicity on blogs, quick to load, easy to read, no distracting backgrounds that take away from the lovely quilt photos, and no sounds competing with what's already around me. good for you for saying it!

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  10. I NEVER keep the volume turned up on my computer...it's always at the lowest setting and only turned up a tiny bit if there is something I WANT to hear, so I'm totally unaware of how many bloggers even have music on their blogs. The loading for those without high-speed internet, though, would be a bit of a problem no matter WHAT volume level someone uses on their computers.

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  11. Yup, I agree with the dislike of the music. However, since I always keep the sound off and toggle it on when I want it, it took a while for me to realize that people were adding the music.

    I also dislike the news sites that open up with an ad or clip from the news show. Those are always set too loud.

    Liz

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  12. Hi Wanda,
    I agree with the music thing. For one thing, even if it is music I like, I can't listen to music and read or sew at the same time (confuses my brain I guess).

    Now, wouldn't it be nice if the music-on-blog people have the music icon right at the top of the blog so you could see right away what's going to play and if you want to mute it. Most of them are at the very very bottom.

    Like your journal cover, by the way. Perfect colors for a father's day gift (if you have a dad who journals or keeps lists).
    Vicky F

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  13. I keep the volume turned off on my computer and only turn it on when I want to hear something specific. I visit a blog for the visuals and to see all the creative ideas out there.

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  14. I love the journal cover and am glad that even someone as accomplished as you can have tunnel vision once in a while! LOL

    I'm not big on unexpected music either although I try to keep the volume setting such that I won't be overly disturbed by its presence. I've never encountered a site whose music couldn't be squashed with a quick turn of the volume down to zero.

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  15. I totally agree about the music. I try to remember to eep the volume off on my computer at work lest I get caught reading blogs! I also am on the computer a lot while Chris and I watch TV and the music is very distracting.

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  16. I am totally in agreement about the music. I have a couple that I follow that I always hit the mute button on my computer keyboard before I go there. I love that mute button, all keyboards should have one, but they don't. And it is annoying when I am somewhere withOUT highspeend and I can't get to the blog. Sometimes they cause the browser to crash too.

    Feel free to visit my blog. I don't have a music player there. After all, I don't know what music you might like (or dislike strongly for that matter!)

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  17. I prefer NO MUSIC. My time on the computer is usually my 'quiet time' .. Mostly the sound is OFF, but sometimes DH has left it ON, and it's always a jarring surprise. Even if the music is pleasant, and many of them are lovely, I want it quiet.

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  18. ... if forgot to add ... just because some toy or gimmick is available, does not mean one has to use it. (Oh gosh, now I'll make people mad ...)

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  20. I'm a big fan of "no music". I am usually listening to the radio on my computer while browsing blogs and the 2 different "musics" blaring at me is extremely annoying. Yes I can turn down the sound on my computer but then I miss what I was listening to on the computer. So far we're pretty much in agreement. No music wins the day.

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  21. It seems that everyone agrees with me. No music please. If you want music you can add a video at the bottom that people can hit if they want to hear your choice of music.

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  22. Love the journal cover - makes something mundane look classy :-)

    As for the music, I've written a blog post about that (and a couple of other twitches), too - it is my most commented-upon post ever. Lots of people agree!

    Hitting the mute button is an option, but it is not helpful in the least if you still are stuck on a slow connection, waiting for the %#& thing to load. I can even tell the difference in loading speed on my DSL connection.

    If you're using Firefox, you can get an add-on that blocks audio and video auto-play. Don't know if other web browsers offer that option.

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  23. People who integrate music into their website should have read all these comments! Actually, almost nobody likes the stuff. If the video in my profile starts automatically, I'll remove it right away! I use a flash blocker in my browser -- firefox -- which stops automatic applications from starting. Maybe this might help?

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  24. The two latest comments were written almost simultaneously -- and look at the last sentences! LOL

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  25. Thanks for all the comments about the music; I'm guilty of adding it to mine, for my own enoyment!

    There appears to be no way for me to set the 'base' volume, it's just the default, I think. Also, you can turn it off; click on the controller once to operate the controls, then just hit the pause/play.

    That said, given the overwhelming opinion, when I get a chance tomorrow evening (it's 1.30am now!) I'm going to reset mine so it doesn't automatically come on.

    (Eva - at least one of us HAS read these comments!)

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  26. i should'nt add since everyone said the same thing, but i agree , we should not hit the mute button if we not want to hear the music, it is so annoying to listen to something you do not want to hear at that time, already we have to listen when we go other places....hope this is loud and clear to the ones who have chosen to play music on their blog....Wanda your work is beautifull, i enjoy it every time i visit your blog, and remember what you told us many times: the quilting police does not exists!!! Love from Italy, Roberta

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  27. Your journal cover is lovely - and I like the slight 'oops'! I agree about the music, very frustrating that it takes so long to load, and I have broadband. My speakers are always on, as I watch movies on my computer at night while hand-stitching - so yes, I've lost a few years of my life to sudden music scares, lol!

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  28. I love the journal cover. And ven though you may regard this an imperfection, I just think it adds more character to it!

    I have high speed (turbo) Road Runner, and still every time I visit a blog or web site with music, it takes longer to load. There are times I scramble like mad to hit the pause button on someone's playlist just so I can read their post and scroll down without any problems. So I know what you mean. Oh, well. It's still quicker than waiting for the postman!

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  29. I agree with the music...I don't care about it either. I just stop it once it opens.

    I like your journal cover. I don't think the little wiggle is even noticeable.

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  30. I'm glad you wrote about the music. Even if the blogger's taste in music is like mine, I don't necessarily want to hear it when I'm trying to read what she's written. I did put "Sweet Caroline" on my blog for three days when my granddaughter was born. And then I took it off.

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  31. I totally agree with you on the music. Even if I like their choice, I just want to read and I may have other music on at my house. It also takes longer to load.

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  32. You're not the only one. If I realize there is music coming as the blog loads, I just click out.

    I always have music coming from my puter speakers, and it just makes a MESS.

    I'm sorry about your crooked book cover; boy do I know how that kind of thing just rankles.

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  33. I'm with you all the way on the music. Not only is it distracting but those sites take for ever to load and more often than not I don't like their choice of music. If I come across a blog with music I just leave even if there might be some good sutff there. I just don't need the irritation.

    I like your journal cover with the little opps in it and all. As one gal said it's a wonky cover LOL.

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  34. I like the journal cover -- it's a bit quirky.
    As to music on blogs, I can't stand it! I stopped reading certain blogs because of the music. Even with high speed, some of the blogs with music playlists take a while to load.

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  35. I'm glad to see that you and so many others feel the way I do about music on blogs. I really can't stand it on blogs, or on shops or any other sites. If I want to listen to music online, I'll go to itunes or you tube or some other site where I can choose what to listen to. I do turn off the volume when I get to a site with music I don't want to listen to, but then I have to remember to turn it back on later!

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  36. I, too, have jumped at the sudden loud music spoiling my nice quiet music choice. I suspect the people who place music on their site are the same ones who blast their radio so loud the entire neighborhood has to listen. Such arrogance.

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  37. I HATE music on blogs. In fact, if a blog has music, I don't return to it! If I want to hear music, I'll pick it out myself and turn it on myself!

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  38. Ditto on the musak!!!! I HATE it. It scares the bejeebies out vof me too. I immediately get OUT and go elsewhere.......who invented it anyway?????
    some computer geek????
    certainly not a quilter!!!!!

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  39. Music: I keep my sound turned off so I can listen to what is going on at my house. I usually am watching TV while I am on the computer plus I prefer sound of my own choosing.

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  40. I agree completely about the music.. if there is music on a blog I usually click away from it immediately and don't return! I have DSL and it makes blogs take FOREVER to load. ~ Jennie

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  41. Wanda,are you sure it is 'wonky'? I think it is where the pocket of your journal is stitched to the front cover. Once you put the journal in the cover it tends to pull the stitching out of line. I love the looks of it - very tailored looking.

    I too do not like blogs with music. I immediately close them and look elsewhere. If music is present, it should be optional with the deferred setting of off. If you wish music you can select it.

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  42. I too also dont return to blogs with music.it is so annoying to try and find the darn thing to shut it off or lower it.
    If I want music, I will listen to my music while surfing, not someone else's.
    gets crazy!

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  43. Love those rich colors and design for your Journal. Looks like suede... Not one person will see what you feel is not perfect.

    NO MUSIC ! Sounds like everyone else agrees with you also.

    J~MT

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  44. I love the bookcover...and the lesson it teaches. I rarely even have my speakers on..just for that reason. Maybe I miss things that I would want to hear but I guess I'm willing to pay that price. My choice of music changes with my mood. And sometimes my mood is....silence.

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  45. I vote for no music. It is an unwelcome surprise when I'm reading blogs at the office LOL

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  46. I know this is an old post, but WOW! Maybe I'm not as cranky as I thought -- or I have a lot more company than I thought. Silence is golden. I love music (I'm a professional musician), but I don't want to hear someone else's idea of 'good' music. It's bad enough you can't even pump gas without it blasting at you, without having it sneaking in via your computer. I'm sure bloggers who add music think they're enhancing their blog, but judging by the comments here, it turns a lot of us off.

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