About Mr. Linky Linking
I really enjoy sites that use this cute little widget called Mr. Linky.
I first learned about these little projects for blogs to which one adds one’s own link from Robin, who regularly posts on Wordless Wednesday. I found Robin because she sometimes comments on Mother In Israel. And I want to wish Mother in Israel a safe and happy trip to America. And thank her for coming to visit us when we were at the Kings Hotel in Jerusalem.
OK, back to Mr. Linky. At one point several months ago, I posted a composition for Project Blue, which also uses Mr. Linky. That was a lot of fun. Soon after, Ilana-Davita posted for Ruby Tuesday. I also posted a recipe in a recipe box swap that uses Mr. Linky. Today, I “met” a blogger named Dina, who was posting as part of an ABC project that uses Mr. Linky. Dina, who lives west of Jerusalem, wrote about the attack last week. If it hadn’t been for Mr. Linky, I wouldn’t have found her blog.
What is very cool about all this is that you can connect with people you really wouldn’t otherwise meet. What you have in common is the desire to share something simple, a photo or a recipe. But it’s a nice start, sort of like an ice-breaker at a party full of guests.
It seems you can use Mr. Linky on almost any blogging platform, including one’s own WordPress installation, like mine. More about using Mr. Linky here. So if anyone has any good ideas for a Mr. Linky scheme, let me know. I was thinking of an alephbet one, like every week bloggers write something about a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Would it work? An artistic one, where artists can post a link to their latest creation? Any ideas welcome. Also, if you have a favorite Mr. Linky project that you’ve found on someone’s blog, please let me know.
baila says
I am woefully ignorant. I have no clue about this techy stuff. I'm actually surprised I got as far as I did with this whole blogging thing...:(
mother in israel says
Thanks for the good wishes. I'll try to think of a project.
Ilana-Davita says
I'd prefer an alphabet project for purely selfish reasons. Indeed since I am no artist I would have no artisitic creation to submit.
Leora says
Baila, participating is super easy. You post something on your blog (photo, recipe), then you put in your first name and link to your blog post in the Mr. Linky box. You get commenters from all over. Unfortunately, I find few look at your other posts. Which is a bit of a shame. But it's fun, anyway.
Mother in Israel, may you have a safe journey. Don't fret too much about the air travel.
Ilana-Davita, I'm still stuck on what do next for Pirkei Avot post. So I'd feel bad if I started a Mr. Linky before writing at least something about Pirkei Avot!
Juggling Frogs says
That's a great idea!
I've used Mr. Linky as a commenter at WFMW and other sites, and have always been impressed at the ease of use for the linkers, and the diversity of the participants.
What about something parsha-related? It could be open-ended, with everyone sharing whatever is in the theme of their own blogs. It could be light-hearted, like a project or craft (either for kids or for adults) or a recipe, or a housekeeping tip, an observation, or a photograph that somehow relates to a theme in the weekly parsha.
This would be easy to set up, with a brief description of the themes of the parsha in the post, in order to inspire ideas.
As an example, through the e-mail list JewishFlyBabies, I set up a housekeeping-related "Mission of the Week" based on the parsha. These included silly things like checking and replacing blown-out light bulbs for parshat lech lecha, where Avraham starts the Jewish people who are to be "a light unto the nations".
Shifra, the list owner, reruns this list every year, and it seems quite popular. (list is at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JewishFlyBabies/ , ladies only).
It could be called something like "Living in the Parsha" (or something more lighthearted and clever than that) to make it clear from the title that it isn't just a collection of divrei torah, but rather open to lighter, personal, content as well.
Leora says
Juggling Frogs,
WFMW =Works-for-me-Wednesday?
I think the parsha might be a bit much for a linky project. When I started this blog, I wanted to say one thing about the parsha each week. I got stuck around Parshat Mishpatim, where the stories kinda end. I still do a parsha post every now and then, but I'm currently I'm struggling with a short Pirkei Avot post.
So maybe I'll go with the AlefBet idea. If someone doesn't know Hebrew, this could be a great way to learn. One could easily make the week's letter into a parsha post. For example, if the letter is Beit, I could suggest anything to do with Bayit, a house. Or one could do a parsha post about Batya or Besamim or Har HaBayit or Barad or anything that fits with the parsha that week. Photo or artsy bloggers could come up with a Beit or Beis related subject.
I'll have to look up the Flybabies group. Thanks for the encouragement, in general.
Ilana-Davita says
The whole project sounds great. Maybe this could be something to start after Simchat Torah; when we start the whole cycle of Torah readings all over again.
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