First, we're happy to announce that the team has identified and fixed the issue with the YouTube conduit; you can now find and add videos from YouTube to your library and posts. As always, thanks for your patience!
The other news we have today is about a new addition to the Six Apart family: TypePad Micro, a new free level of TypePad that is streamlined for microblogging. We see a new form of blogging emerging that lives between the quick status updates of Twitter and Facebook and the long-form posts of "classic" blogging; TypePad Micro is designed to meet that need. You can read more about TypePad Micro in Chris Alden's post on the Everything TypePad blog.
A lot of the new capabilities we've added to TypePad this year were actually inspired by some of the best things about Vox: favoriting, member profiles, a dashboard to follow other bloggers, and easy ways to post content from other social media sites. But the things that make Vox different from TypePad are still there: Vox has always been -- and still is -- the best place for "friends and family" blogging, where you're in control over who sees what. TypePad, on the other hand, is built for the blogger who wants, no, craves, attention.
Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with people beyond your Vox neighborhood? If so, we'd love it if you tried out TypePad Micro. Maybe you've always wanted to start that obsessive blog that's just about waffle restaurants. Or want a place to share videos of your favorite band (Jonas Brothers, anyone? Anyone? ...). TypePad Micro's great for those topic-specific blogs. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think.
On the Vox front, our designers are working on some cool new themes (coming soon!). We'd also love to hear your thoughts about where we should take Vox in the coming year. What are the key things you'd like to see for Vox? If you've had a chance to use TypePad this year, what are the features there that we should bring over to Vox? And, if you're thinking big thoughts, how could we connect the Vox and TypePad communities in order to bring together bloggers and their shared passions? Your feedback is really important to us, so please leave a comment here, or shoot me a message.
And again, thanks for your patience as we found and fixed the YouTube bug!
~ daisy
As many of you have noticed, the YouTube Conduit is not working. I am so sorry about this; I know how frustrating it is.
The team is looking into how to get this fixed and I will update you as soon as I hear something. In the meantime, not all is lost... There is a work-around for posting videos.
When you're in the Compose Screen, just click on "embed." Ignore the fact that it says "Widget" before everything because you can definitely use this to embed videos as well. You'll just need to input the embed code from the video, enter a title (if you want) and hit OK.
It might not show up perfectly in your compose screen, but when you hit "Save," your video should appear just the way you wanted it to.
Hopefully this will allow you to keep posting videos while we figure out what's happening on our end.
As always, thanks for your patience.
Go forth and fill your libraries with media.
Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.
I was just told that the Amazon Conduit will be fixed by tomorrow. I will post here as soon as I get word that it's back up and running.
I know this has been frustrating and I am sorry there wasn't more I could do to make it less so. I really appreciate your patience though.
Cheers,
Bad news. As many of you have probably noticed, the Amazon Conduit was not fixed in the last week's release. Unfortunately, there was an undetected bug that is preventing the conduit from working.
We are working on this bug fix and hope to have the Conduit back up and running this week.
I will keep you posted.
Thank you for being so patient.
Blog Action Day is every October 15th, when blogger are asked to post something about a single issue to show our strength and conviction as an online community. It's a great way to feel connected to the greater good, and the participation of so many bloggers to support the world's leading non-profit organizations is something you can do to help, right now. By blogging today, you're supporting some of the world's leading non-profits and sharing your voice for change.
This year's topic is climate change, and we'd love to read your thoughts on the topic. If you participate, leave us a link to your post in the comments, so we know to check out your post!
Go to www.blogactionday.org to learn more, get a badge for your blog showing your participation, and see some ideas for your post on climate change.
Can't wait to read your posts!
~ daisy
The Amazon Conduit will be working again on October 15, 2009. Thank you to everyone for your patience.
Have a great weekend,
daisy, Team Vox
In my last Team Vox post, I let you know that we're aware that the Amazon conduit is broken and that we're working to fix it. Many of you want to know when it's going to be fixed and I'm so sorry I haven't gotten back to you about that sooner.
Unfortunately, I don't have an exact date to give you, but rest assured, the Amazon conduit will be fixed in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, I'm about to finish my latest book and I could use a few suggestions as to what to read next, so... if you don't mind, let me know in the comments what's on your nightstand and/or what book you think I absolutely must read next.
Thanks! :)
Some of you may have noticed that right now you cannot add books from Amazon to your Vox library. Giving people a glimpse into what's on your night stand is important to many of you, so I just wanted to reassure you that we are doing our best to get this bug fixed. I'll keep you posted.
So sorry for the inconvenience.
Hope you have a great weekend!
daisy
i don't know anymore.
really.
i don't get it.
i am at a loss for words or thoughts.
i am officially flailing against the ocean.
actually, i think i am drowning.
and i hate it.
i fucking hate it.
people say this is a test of faith.
and i want to scream and say I'VE HAD ENOUGH TESTS!
i'm breaking. i'm bending. i'm falling apart.
i want to turn it around, but i don't know how.
it's been two months.
i can't remember the last time i had a real good nights sleep.
i can't remember the last time i was happy.
i replay that scene on a daily basis and depending on how the day went, sometimes i just see his body on the floor.
dead and lifeless.
and sometimes i feel all the feelings i felt at the time i found him there.
my heart racing and breaking at the same time.
knowing what i was going to find.
i can see my hand on the doorknob. i can hear his tv.
i can feel my fear, knowing what i was going to find.
i can hear my mom on the phone, telling me to just open the door.
i can smell that hallway.
my last connection to my dad, fading out in the same way.
why did it have to be me?
why did i have to find him there?
because i was the closest? because i was working for him? because that's just the way things go?
i don't know.
and i keep trying to let it fade.
you must press on, right?
and now he's dead, and i there went my uncle and my job.
and how many jobs do i have to interview for?
how many resumes do i have to post? even when i have connections, they're not good enough.
it starts to wear you down.
i know i'm good enough, i don't know why anyone else can't see it.
and then.
THEN.
we have to have my sister make her yearly reappearance as me.
i can't believe i haven't posted anything since the last time this happened.
this time she gets arrested for an OUI and fails the breathalizer and tells them she's me.
thanks.
appreciate it, you fucking bitch.
and so my license gets suspended.
2 weeks later and several faxes to the RMV later and it's still suspended. for something i didn't even do.
and the police assure me they're trying to reverse it, but really.
why do i have to call them everyday? why does she get to just go on doing whatever the fuck she wants and i get punished for it? why can she just claim to be me anytime she gets in trouble and it's ok??
why does everyone run to help her "get better"? why doesn't anyone run to my side?
is my drowning not dramatic enough?
am i not making enough waves?
apparently there's nothing i can do to stop her from telling people she's me. they didn't figure it out this time until they finger printed her. and obviously, her fingerprints are not the same as mine. but here i am, still dealing with the repercussions of her bullshit.
and i see her.
we are in the same space and she can't even apologize?
she can't even say i'm sorry? i'm sorry you have to deal with this bullshit i caused you? i'm sorry i use your name everytime i get in trouble?
no.
i get silence.
i get nothing.
i get to watch everyone run around and try and save her.
and then today.
the real kicker.
the thing that sent me over the edge.
my mom calls me from work. oh.. good news and bad news.
my sister is getting some settlement from when she got bit by a dog. a totally pointless lawsuit. a totally selfish thing.
but she. the one who can do heroin for 4 years and fuck all our lives up. who can pretend to be me whenever she wants.
SHE.
she gets $45,000.
she gets $45,000 from a stupid dog bite.
and i'm on the phone, and i start to break down. because i can't understand this. and i haven't slept good in months and there are joan of arcadia reruns on sci-fi and i'm freaking out because i can't find a job and i have shit to pay and my mom tells me this.
shannon is getting rewarded for being a junkie with a huge amount of cash.
and i start to cry. and hate. and i tell my mom that i can't understand why she gets to fuck everyone over and she gets rewarded. why do i try and be good and i can't even get a job?
and my mom says.
oh..
shannon just got a job too.
and i said.
FUCK HER.
and she hung up on me.
but what else can i say at that point?
what am i supposed to say? or feel?
i feel like it's all pointless. like why do i even try?
why not just go shoot up?
it seems to work for her.
she has everyone helping her out. she has a huge amount of money. she can use my name and get my license suspended and have zero consequenses. and i can just stand by. and try. and find my fucking family memebers dead and not get so much as a chance.
a test of faith?????????
did i really need another?
she even got my dead uncle's x-wife to give her $1000 for a sober house. and this is AFTER she stole several thousand dollars from him for drugs. i worked for the man for 3 years and put up with all the bullshit and the addiction and the shit and i don't even get a thanks.
i have jack shit.
i have nothing to show but bad memories burned into my brain.
and i've been trying.
i've been trying to turn this around.
every night i go to sleep and i lie there and i try and be greatful. i lie there and think of all the things i am greatful for. i try and recount the dwindling things that i am glad to have.
and i feel like i just get slapped in the face.
i'm trying to understand.
i'm trying to get it.
my mom tells me every dog has their day.
i could really use my day soon.
or at least something good.
anything good.
or a direction or a hand or something.
because my faith is wearing thin.
my positive thoughts are starting to wane.
if this could just be the last test of faith for a couple months, i would really appeciate it.
because as much as i want to just give in and give up.
i can't.
i can mope and cry and not be me, but i can't completely give up.
it's almost a curse. because i don't want to be just another family statistic. i don't have it in me. i get to be sane enough to see everything crumble, but not smart enough to change it.
i'd like to use a lifeline, Regis.
i'd like to phone a friend.
i need a hand before i drown.
