Squidoo News

Archive for November, 2009

I wrote bdkz's Best Squidoo Tips
almost two years ago. It was written to give people an idea of what it
takes to succeed on Squidoo. I just read the entire lens again and I
believe that the tips still hold true today. Success on Squidoo is not
an overnight achievement. It takes time, dedication and perseverance to
become a veteran lensmaster but the rewards are plenty…a wonderful
community, a chance to be a Giant Squid and an income. So to those of
you who are justing starting out, keep at it, learn the ropes and find
some Squidoo friends to help you out…trust me it'll be worth the
investment!
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There’s nothing black about this Friday here at the Giant Squid Community Showcase.

This Friday, as always, we’re celebrating the color PURPLE.  Only this week we’re REALLY celebrating those purple stars in a BIG way.  In addition to listing our weekly purple star recipients, we’re also kicking off this year’s Giant Squid Awards!

Voting for the 2009 Giant Squid Awards begins today and continues until December 20, 2009.  All nominees (except in the NEW potential Giant Squid category) have been selected from the past year’s Purple Star recipient lenses.

Vote for your favorites.  Get your friends and family to vote too!

Vote Now for the 2009 Giant Squid Awards

Winners will be anounced December 22, 2009.

And now for this week’s Purple Star Winners:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Convert Your Prius to a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
• Tipi the Tipigal is Susie Lehto
• Making Your First Lens Mentor
• Sarah Albom
• Have a Merry Ben 10 Christmas
• Creative Holiday Office Gifts
• Success at Blogging Tips
• 100 Things I’m Thankful For
• Lensography of JPTanabe
• Christmas at AJ’s
• Elizabethtown Kentucky
• Geckos Wall Climbing Lizards
• Loving an Alcoholic
• Tips for Getting Kids Interested in Reading
• Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
• Momography Parenting a Deaf Child
• 10 Places to see in Europe Before You Die
• If I was a Reindeer
• The Miracle of the US Constitution

And please DO keep those GREAT Purple Star nominations coming in!

Send us the link to any deserving Giant Squid lens you find to: purplestar@squidoo.com.

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We’ve been giving away $1000 a day to charity throughout the month of November. Every winning lens from the Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff for Charity is now eligible to win the $5000 grand prize for the charity it supports. But only one takes the cake, and it’s up to you to decide who that will be.

Voting will be open to everyone, starting Thanksgiving Day (today!) and running through December 1st at high noon EST. After that we’ll tally up the votes and the charity supported by the winning lens will get $5000 from Squidoo.

The list is here. Voting is now open.

We need your help getting the word out, because the real win here is this: Contests aside, every single day, lensmasters are making great lenses (about everything and anything) that are raising money for charity. It’s free. It works. It’s simple. It’s fundamentally game-changing for nonprofit organizations.

And we’re grateful to the people who get it. That means you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe and happy Thanksgiving! Also be sure to cast your vote in the: The Official Squidoo Thanksgiving Cookoff (for Charity). The winner gets $5,000 donated to their charity.

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Turkey is the traditional center stage at Thanksgiving feasts across the country, but while we’re all reaching for the wishbone, let us not forget about the other superstars at the table – our favorite side dishes!

BrandyT cuts right to the chase and shows us the Top 10 Holiday Side Dish Recipes. I’m hungry just reading this lens! All my favorites are on there for sure: yams with marshmallows, mashed potatoes, and everyone’s top side of the season, green bean casserole! She even has the secret for just-right gravy.

Take a cue from these recipes and use photos that cover your topic perfectly. Not just any photo of pie will do; only a true Millionaire pie pic will do this dessert justice.

On Brandy’s behalf, we’re sending $1000 to A Day of Hope.

http://www.squidoo.com/top-10-holiday-side-dish-recipes

PS – don’t forget today is the last day of $1000 winners. Stop back tomorrow to vote for your favorite lens, and send $5000 to a deserving charity! Get the whole family involved. Create an account for everyone, show them how to vote, and then build lenses together!

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The RocketMoms are sponsoring a Thanksgiving Weekend “SquidQuiz” Quiz-A-Thon. Just for fun, no strings attached, no deposit required. Learn about the RocketMoms AND your fellow lensmasters. What’s Bonnie’s favorite food? Does Megan curse on Twitter? Does Rob really want to be in a shark cage? Trust us…people really want to know! So build a quiz about YOU…add it to this lens and learn a little about your favorite people on Squidoo. Have fun.

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New Giant Squid Lensmaster Macs would like you to take a look at  Welcome To My Home .

Here’s why:

This lens showcases a topic that is close to my heart, and that is special needs children. I contribute my own special needs children with giving me the foundation necessary to share our story with others and have many lenses devoted to topics surrounding special needs children. This one gives you a peek into our home.

Unless you are faced with a similar situation, it’s difficult to comprehend what life is like for parents raising these special children. This lens gives readers a peek into the world of special needs families. My hope is that upon reading it, people will come away with a better comprehension of what life is like. That in the future, rather than staring and judging those parents, they will show compassion and understanding.

This brutally honest lens is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.  Well worth a visit by you.

http://www.squidoo.com/welcome-to-my-home

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Thanksgiving is so close I can almost smell the traditional dishes we love to eat: mashed yams, green bean casserole, and jellied cranberry sauce. While we’re chowing down on our holiday favorites, boutiqueshops reminds us that dinner for our troops can be a far cry from comfort food.

Thanksgiving Dinner With Our Troops explains how meals are made in the military, from freeze dried MREs (meals ready to eat) to 120 gallon kettles of chili.

“There are twenty-four different varieties (menus) of meals right now. Everything from meatloaf with gravy to beef stew, chicken breast and pork ribs to chicken fajitas and beef enchiladas. The “sides” are picked to complement each entrée as well as provide necessary nutrition. These can include mashed potatoes, Mexican corn, wheat bread, fruit items and even pudding and toaster pastries. Beverages included might be cocoa, coffee (even flavored ones), electrolyte drinks, and dairy shake powder (oh my!). Each meal also contains an accessory packet with seasonings and eating utensils.“

Whew! Serving 4000 hungry troops at a time makes me grateful for the dozen or so I get to serve at my house. Thanks to this informative lens, we’re sending $1000 to Soldiers’ Angels.

http://www.squidoo.com/thanksgiving-dinner-with-our-troops

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Today’s Spotlight post highlights new 100 Club member  Hlkjgk.

1. You’re a photographer. Do you find yourself building your lenses around great photos you’ve taken or do you create a lens first and then take the pictures?

It seems that because I am always recording what I do with my camera I build lenses around photos I’ve already taken. My Black Squirrels lens is a good example; I had this great photo of a local phenomenon – good reason for an informative lens!

2. Your vegetarian recipes look delicious. How long have you been vegetarian and why should I become one?

I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I eat some dairy and eggs; although, I recently stopped eating eggs because of learning of the practice of culling male chicks…) for 13 years. Since, I have experienced raw foodism and veganism as well. To be honest, I’ve outgrown the urge to convert people into vegetarians; I came to it on my own because of personal circumstances and I was ready. BUT if you’re interested and ready to begin eating a more plant based diet, here are 13 Breathtaking Effects of Cutting Back on Meat you might find interesting.

3. Which of your many lenses is your own personal favorite and why?

Well, as narcissistic as it seems, My Life in Pictures is my favorite lens. It’s fun to see how I’ve changed over the years and to be reminded of the highlights of my life. And it’s something I look forward to adding to.

4. Summer or Winter?
As if it were that easy… I’m a New Englander through and through. I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “If you don’t like the weather in New England, wait 5 minutes.” Well, I truly enjoy the ever changing and surprising weather here;  I couldn’t be happy without the compliment of each of the seasons.

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