Archive for May, 2010
Bigger, Faster, Stronger, Updates
May 29th, 2010
To bring us one step closer to our goal of a bigger, faster, stronger Squidoo, we’re taking some time this weekend to make major updates to our servers. Basically, that’s geek-speak for beefing up the technology that runs your lenses so we’re better prepared for lensbuilding marathons and mega traffic.
We expect Squidoo to remain up and readable through the whole process. You WILL, however, see lens creation, editing, and publishing features become unavailable tonight for about an hour. It’s all to help avoid goofy glitches while you’re building your masterpieces.
Then, for about 24 hours, your stats and reporting will be invisible on your dashboard. Be assured traffic and clickouts will still be recorded at all times. You just won’t be able to see the reports.
As always, if you think something has gone awry, you can let us know via a bug report. Thanks for your patience, and once workshops are back online, be sure to take advantage of our limited time only, anyone-can-participate Purple Star event!
Posted in 
Purple Stars Awarded Week Ending 5/28/2010
May 28th, 2010
First a quick reminder about our Purple Star “Summer Kickoff” Challenge for this weekend. This is open to the entire community, Giants and Non-Giants are eligible to enter to win a Purple Star and a chance to be Purple Star King or Queen next week.
Learn more HERE.
Follow The Purple Stars on Squidoo on Facebook where we now record the newest Purple Star recipients in real time!
And now here’s the list of all the Squidoo Giant Squid lenses that were awarded Purple Stars during the week ending 5/28/2010.
As always, they appear in no particular order and each is worthy of a visit from you.
Japanese Movies – The Old, Modern, Fun, Bizarre
50 Ways to Fight Climate Change
Walking for Breast Cancer Research
Bears: The 8 Wonders of the World
Ancient Greece Odyssey: A Traveler’s Journal
Not sure if a Giant Squid lens you’ve found is Purple Star worthy?
If a lens makes you think EVERYONE should read it, or if you think the lens is really creative, or if you publish a lens you’d be proud to show your high school English teacher; NOMINATE IT!
You’ll know it when you see it!
And when you see it, please take a moment to send it to purplestar@squidoo.com
It’s a Purple Star Three Day Weekend!
May 28th, 2010
to the Entire Squidoo Community! We’re going to have a little bit of fun for the upcoming 3 day
weekend. All Squids, Giants and Non-Giants alike are invited to create a
(new) brilliant lens and nominate it for a Purple Star.
We’ll pick the best ones of the bunch and dust them with a little
purple goodness.
One lucky lensmaster will also get crowned the Purple Star King or
Queen for the week of June 7th. This means that they’ll get to pick all
20 Purple Stars during that week!
Rules, there’s always a few!
All lens submissions must be made NEW for this challenge with first
publish dates starting now through midnight EST Monday May 31, 2010.
Your lenses can be about any topic, and on any Squidoo co-brand
including RocketMoms and all SquidClubs.
You may create and submit as many lenses as you like but they’ll need
to be TIP TOP QUALITY to qualify for a Purple Star.
How to Enter:
1. Submit your Purple Star worthy lens link using the form you’ll
find HERE.
2. All eligible (Purple Star Winning) lenses will be featured at the official
Purple Star Facebook Page and the lensmaster’s name will be tossed
into a hat. One lucky winner will be chosen at random as our newest
Purple Star King or Queen for the week.
3. (And if you set the lens to charity you can also nominate it for
the Sunshine
Award!)
Good luck and have a fun and safe Holiday weekend,
Bonnie & Robin
Your Giant Squid Organizers
P.S. To those of you going for Giant Squid lensmaster and 100 Club by
our next deadline, June 30, 2010, these lenses WILL count towards your
50 or 100!
A Purple Star-Studded Opportunity
May 27th, 2010
Full details and rules are on the Squidoo blog but, bottom line, if you make a really great new lens between now and midnight Monday, May 31st, 2010, you can also nominate it for a purple star. Then, if the lens is deemed worthy, not only will it receive a purple star, but your name will be entered into a drawing to become Purple Star Queen or King for the week of June 7th and you will get to choose all 20 purple-star lenses for that week. What fun!
Giant Squids can play too, of course, but it’s particularly exciting that this challenge is open to everyone.
Remember, read the rules first, then get started on your next, or maybe your very first, purple star-worthy lens!
Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
May 27th, 2010
Today’s LOTD pick from a veteran lensmaster is making me drool. I have to hurry and write this so I can go make these!
Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe from Kharadriisa is another exciting recipe lens that makes one of our favorite meals super-easy. Like any good chef, Kharadriisa, aka Heather, has her own best method for preparing this recipe, which she’s shared with us as a versatile, low-maintenance method. That’s my kind of cook!
Heather has also monetized her lens by promoting the best appliances for this recipe, and cookbooks for using up those unique, leftover ingredients. With her simple instructions and progress photos, even I can avoid messing this up.
Oh boy. I know what I’m having for lunch today!
http://www.squidoo.com/Best-Chicken-Quesadilla-Recipe
Nominate a summer food lens at lotd@squidoo.com; discuss it on Facebook.
It’s a Purple Star Three Day Weekend!
May 27th, 2010
Good morning, lensmasters! Today we have a special announcement coming at you from your Giant Squid Organizers Robin and Bonnie. You’ll want to take notes, for sure. Enjoy!
*****
The Purple Star “Summer Kick Off” Weekend ChallengeOpen to the Entire Squidoo Community!
We’re going to have a little bit of fun for the upcoming 3 day weekend. All Squids, Giants and Non-Giants alike are invited to create a (new) brilliant lens and nominate it for a Purple Star.
We’ll pick the best ones of the bunch and dust them with a little purple goodness.
One lucky lensmaster will also get crowned the Purple Star King or Queen for the week of June 7th. This means that they’ll get to pick all 20 Purple Stars during that week!
Rules, there’s always a few!
All lens submissions must be made NEW for this challenge with first publish dates starting now through midnight EST Monday May 31, 2010.
Your lenses can be about any topic, and on any Squidoo co-brand including RocketMoms and all SquidClubs.
You may create and submit as many lenses as you like but they’ll need to be TIP TOP QUALITY to qualify for a Purple Star.
How to Enter:
1. Submit your Purple Star worthy lens link using the form you’ll find HERE.
2. All eligible (Purple Star Winning) lenses will be featured at the official Purple Star Facebook Page and the lensmaster’s name will be tossed into a hat. One lucky winner will be chosen at random as our newest Purple Star King or Queen for the week.
3. (And if you set the lens to charity you can also nominate it for the Sunshine Award!)
Good luck and have a fun and safe Holiday weekend,
Bonnie & Robin
Your Giant Squid Organizers
P.S. To those of you going for Giant Squid lensmaster and 100 Club by our next deadline, June 30, 2010, these lenses WILL count towards your 50 or 100!
Purple Star Weekend Challenge
May 27th, 2010
The Purple Star “Summer Kick Off” Weekend Challenge – Open to the Entire Squidoo Community!
All Squids, Giants and Non-Giants alike are invited to create a new lens and nominate it for a Purple Star.
The best of the bunch will receive Purple Stars and one lucky lensmaster will get randomly selected to be crowned the Purple Star King or Queen for the week of June 7th. This means that they’ll get to pick all 20 Purple Stars during that week and you can give them to whomever you want!
Rules:
All lens submissions must be made NEW for this challenge with first publish dates starting now through midnight EST Monday May 31, 2010.
Your lenses can be about any topic, and on any Squidoo co-brand including RocketMoms and all SquidClubs.
You may create and submit as many lenses as you like but they’ll need to be super good to gain a Purple Star.
How to Enter:
1. Submit your Purple Star worthy lens link using the form you’ll find HERE.
2. All eligible (Purple Star Winning) lenses will be featured at the official Purple Star Facebook Page and the lensmaster’s name will be tossed into a hat. One lucky winner will be chosen at random as our newest Purple Star King or Queen for the week.
3. (And if you set the lens to charity you can also nominate it for the Sunshine Award!)
P.S. To those of you going for Giant Squid lensmaster and 100 Club by our next deadline, June 30, 2010, these lenses WILL count towards your 50 or 100!
Good Luck!
My Biggest Squidoo Accomplishment… so far by LindaRandall
May 27th, 2010
I’m Linda Randall and I’m a Giant Squid.My Journey Through Ovarian Cancer
May 26th, 2010
Anyone who keeps up with LOTD knows I have a special affinity for personal story lenses, and today’s pick is another beautiful example.
My Journey Through Ovarian Cancer is lensmaster Rokusan‘s diary of how a pain in her leg turned into a six-month, hair-losing ordeal.
Rokusan’s daily chronicles are interlaced with videos of and links to cancer resources. As she writes about how a clot in her leg turned into a cancer symptom, she doesn’t hold back her fears and she doesn’t hold back her thanks for the many people who helped her through her journey. My favorite part is her “hair to no-hair” photo gallery. Yes, Rokusan, you ARE one of those stunningly beautiful bald-headed women!
Squidoo is such a perfect venue for sharing these important messages, and we all have one. Today, consider telling yours. It doesn’t have to be long, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be told.
http://www.squidoo.com/My_Ovarian_Cancer
Share a story at lotd@squidoo.com, and watch for it on your live feed.
Meetup Day update: Frontline news from Squids everywhere
May 26th, 2010
In just one day, 80 Squids have signed up to participate in Worldwide Squidoo Meetup Day on June 10th.
Here’s some fun reporting on the latest and greatest. (I’m feeling the bullet points today).
- The Triangle Squids group, the people who started the first ever Squidoo meet and greet day, are on board to host a Meetup in Cary, NC.
- Coolest places Squidoo Meetups are happening: Melbourne, London, Vancouver, Pasadena and more.
- If any of you Squids are local to Phoenix, AZ, our gangbusters front-end feature developer Blake has agreed to go to a Meetup you put together! He’s a great guy and would love to meet some lensmasters. Just don’t talk to him about any bugs on the site.
More as it happens. Keep the Meetups coming!