My Name is Arabic is authored by Reem, a native Arabic speaker. She is a part-time freelance translator, translating from both French and English to Arabic. Reem started this blog so that she could share the beauty of her language with the rest of the world.

If you’d like to have your name translated, just visit My Name in Arabic and send Reem an email. Be sure to explain the pronunciation of your name. She will write your name in beautiful Arabic letters and place it in a nice frame that you can post to your blog. She will also tell you whether there is an equivalent Arabic name. Reem’s service is free of charge. She only asks that you link to her blog to help spread the word.

My Name in Arabic contains the previous name translations that Reem has done. Your name may already be there, so be sure to check it out.

Without further ado, here is my name in Arabic!

Categories: Art & Music, Community, Reviews, Travel & Culture

Ten Questions with Christy of Christy’s Coffee Break.

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
Friendly, and I’d like to think, entertaining.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.

Me, attempting to be funny – Uh oh, She thinks she’s funny.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Sheer determination.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I discovered blogging seven months ago while searching online for freelance writing jobs. One of the sites I frequented turned out to be a blog. I had previously thought that blogs were only online diaries. I was immediately excited at the prospect of having my own website!

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
My biggest pet peeve would be the dark side of the web. The scams, identity theft, predators, and all of the selfish acts that ruin the level of
enjoyment of the Internet for so many people.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Technorati and Google. I’m not even sure I could go on without my Google search bar, I mean, why would I want to?

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog,who would it be and why?
I would love to see what L.M. Montgomery (The author of Anne of Green Gables) would do with a blog, wow! She was a writer, a poet, and had one of
the most vivid imaginations of anyone who’s ever lived.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Blogging has given me a greater confidence in my writing abilities, and has given me a much needed outlet to channel my constant overload of creativity into.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Be yourself, don’t copy anyone else’s ideas of what blogging is, you are not a carbon copy of the bloggers who came before you, be who you’re meant to be.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
I honestly read about twenty blogs on a regular basis, so I could never choose just one. But what my favorite blogs have in common are a sense of humor, cheerfulness, and a fun and interesting environment. Blogs that make me smile or laugh will always be my favorites.

Categories: Personal, Ten Questions

Pownce is a new social networking project by the creator of Digg. It is still in beta form, so it is available by invitation only. Pownce allows you to send messages, links, events, and files to your friends. You can even make new friends! For an excellent review of Pownce, read Jonathan Phillips’ post titled Pownce – Kinda Like Twitter But On Steroids. Mike and I have 14 Pownce invites to give away. If you’re interested, leave a comment below.

Categories: Announcements

Everybody put your paws together , stand in applause and howl in glee for winner number three, Johann! Johann has won himself a shiny new dog toy (aka polliwog). Try not to swallow it, Johann!

Bark your contact info into our contact form and we’ll let Polli know where to send your new doggie treat!

Categories: Announcements, Contests

Ten Questions with Bearuh of Monday Artday

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
A great place for artists to meet other artists and have a ton of fun!! Every week Monday Artday has 2 challenges you may participate in. Every Sunday awards will be given based on the artwork posted for the challenges! At the end of every month you get the chance to win the trophy.. oooo sparkly!

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Hmmm this would be hard.. there are sooo many posts with amazing artwork done by the members. Monday Artday

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Most artists are solitary people but this gives everyone a chance to meet fellow artists with similar interests while looking at their artwork for inspiration! Since there is a weekly challenge it helps the artists exercise their creativity and have fun while doing it.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I think I discovered blogging through the famous blogger Dooce. Im totally hooked!

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Artists who steal others’ work.. arrgh!!

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
I cant live without Monday Artday.. I have SOOO much fun with it!! Every day is like a birthday because there is always a great new work of art posted!

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog,who would it be and why?
Van Gogh. He just seems like an interesting fellow. I think all the other artists would love to hear from him as well.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
It has really helped me with the business side to art. I have learned how to deal with people more professionally on a more personal level.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Get to know other bloggers who share the same interests as you. Make your blog as fun and interesting as possible. Think of new ways to make it better even if you think it is at its best!

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
I read a lot of other artists’ blogs to gain inspiration. Every day I learn something new to use in my own style.

Categories: Art & Music, Ten Questions

1. Describe your Blog in 5 sentences or less.
My commitment with Live the Power is to help people discover the magic and the power within themselves to create their best life. Live the Power strives to provide Insights and Inspirations that make the reader think and ponder. I often write about personal development, self improvement and the wisdom from many spiritual disciplines. I believe that truth and wisdom can be found just about everywhere in this world and I am dedicated to providing that spark that helps people find the Joy and the magnificence that Life is.

2. Link to one post that describes who you are.
I have so many “favorite” posts on my site so I find it difficult to choose just one. I have posts on Joy and happiness and families. I have posts on “the Law of Attraction” and spiritual laws of success. But this post has come to my attention today so I am going to take that as a sign to link it here. It’s called “Life Assignment”. Enjoy!

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I think my writing is unique and unlike most others on the Internet. I put a lot of heart and soul into Live the Power. I think it shows and I think there are people who appreciate it.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
My husband has had a very successful Internet marketing business. He knew I loved to write so he tried to get me to write blogs. Unfortunately I found it difficult to write on some of the blogs he wanted me to write on because I did not have a passion for the subjects. I started “Live the Power” with the “Live the Power presentation” and by giving away one of my favorite books from all time, “The Power of the Subconscious Mind”. I didn’t really think too much about having a blog but the site evolved and a blog was the next logical step. It has worked amazingly well because I have a passion and I am fulfilling a purpose. I’m enjoying the ride and I love my blog!

5. What is your one biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the Internet?
I really don’t have many things that I don’t like about blogging or the Internet. But I have found that the thing that causes me the most frustration is how there is so much I could do and learn and implement that I could be at my computer 24 hours a day if I allowed myself to do that. I find it difficult to step away at times but I often need that rejuvenation that comes from “turning off the computer”.

6. Name one plug-in, blogging widget or service that you can’t live without.
I have been resistant to putting too many widgets on my site as I love the clean look of it. There are some plug-ins that I use but I’m not sure that I couldn’t live without them. I would like to think that I could do without any that kind of stuff but of course I would be lying! The only thing that I do have a small addiction to is Mybloglog. Like many bloggers I like to check my stats (too often) and mybloglog gives a quick and easy fix for “stataholism”, even so the back office of my site actually provides the best information.

7. If you could choose anyone living or dead to write a guest post, who would it be.
That is a tough one because I have put so much of my own heart and soul into Live the Power. Even so, in the future I may consider guest bloggers, it would depend on how it evolves. But if I could just choose someone out of the blue I think I would choose Louise Hay, the founder of Hay House publishing and the author of the bestselling book “You can heal your Life”

8. How has blogging made you a better person.
Blogging has helped me find my passion. I love to write. Writing is my joy, my muse, my purpose. Blogging has allowed me an outlet for that passion and it has also allowed me to share and get feedback on that passion. Blogging has helped me find some of that power and magic that I try to help others find in my writings in my own life.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
I have discovered that while blogging requires writing, it definitely is not just writing. I would say to get involved and meet other bloggers by posting comments, participating in carnivals, reading other peoples blogs. Also if you are going to be a blogger, be consistent! Whenever I see a blog that nobody has posted on for weeks or months or when a blogger writes a big long post apologizing for not writing (excluding vacations, everybody needs a vacation occasionally) I tend to not want to go back. If you want committed readers you have to commit yourself! Post and update your blog consistently!

10. Name one great blog that you read on a consistent basis. What makes it unique?
I read quite a few blogs (on my google reader) on a consistent basis, especially self-improvement and spirituality blogs that are like mine. I would find it hard to choose one specific one so I am going to name a blog that is on a completely different subject. This is a blog that I absolutely love. It’s called “Wool Gathering”. Every day Elizabeth Perry draws or paints something new and she posts it on her blog. They are beautiful and I completely appreciate her joy and creativity in her Art!

Categories: Personal Development, Ten Questions

Just a quick note to let everyone know how winners are being chosen for the polliwogs and how the Amazon gift card winner will also be chosen at the end of the Blogathon. Tish is randomly choosing winners via the very handy website Random.org. It’s working out extremely well. I’d suggest to anyone that has any plans on running a blog contest in the future to check it out!

Categories: Announcements, Contests

Ten Questions with Rob of Confessions of a Freeware Junkie

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
A blog dedicated to freeware reviews, handy tips, and other items of note for an IT administrator. CFJ relies heavily upon my 14 years professional experience in the IT field with a somewhat skewed sense of humor. My blog caters to the systems administrators, home users and just about anyone else who wants to gets something done, but don’t have the money to do it any other way.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
The method to my madness…the origin of Confessions

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Probably my passion for finding free solutions for people. I’m a huge fan of DIY and making something out of throw-away parts, so this mentality has bled (if you will), into my blog a little bit, especially when I feature scripting posts.

Not only that, but there is some strange humor thrown in there as well. For example when talking about the XDrive service:

“Choosing a username you can remember is not unlike drilling a hole in your foot whilst simultaneously pouring a mixture of lemon, salt, and a bucket of rabid tigers into the wound.”

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I had known about it from the onset, but at the time, I considered it a form of personal soap boxing. I didn’t really think of it as something I could use until relatively recently (2005), when I figured out that everyone was always asking me the same questions about “what program would you use to…?”, so I decided to make my blog a running inventory of stuff that I like to use (and the reasons why). It evolved into the blog you see today.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Bad writing and visual styles. I once came across a blog that was filling the same niche as CFJ, and English was obviously not their primary language. It was extremely annoying to read, since they interspersed badly structured personal commentary along with a biased review (you need non-bias to perform an objective review).

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Feedburner! Can I name two? MyBlogLog is great because it puts a ‘face’, if you will, on people who just happen to stop on by, allowing me to check out some cool blogs belonging to my passive visitors.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Stephen Colbert, because he would bring a truly geeky and patriotic flavor to my blog! Not to mention that, but it would be just hilarious…also, think of the traffic it would bring in!

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
I think this involves meeting as many people as possible, allowing you to see the various degrees of humanity. Blogging is a platform on which we can attract the dissenters or supporters to listen to what we have to say, and have a very safe and open conversation about topics (at least with the reasonable folks). That being said, the anonymity also offers up a dangerous aspect which we have to be aware of as well.

Either way, blogging has enabled me to take many opinions and personalities into my own subconscious, giving me the composite you see here today! The more people we meet, the more diversified and tolerant we can become.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Create a format for your blog – something consistent that your reader can expect from visit to visit (unless the idea of your blog is not to be consistent!). Offer up topics for discussion, and link back to your favorite blogs – it is a great way to meet friends and gain opportunities! Finally, keep an open mind to whatever your commentators have to say – you don’t know everything, even if you’ve been working in your field for a long time. People like humbleness.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Daily Cup of Tech at http://www.dailycupoftech.com. I like Tim’s blog not because I contribute articles there(!), but he is a normal joe-techie with lots of great information to offer, and is extremely humble. Not only that, but he shows his appreciation for his readers all the time and has a great sense of humor.

Categories: Technology, Ten Questions