Across the top...
is the banner that Edger so kindly put up for us.
It not only looks lovely... it's also a link HOME
The Tab Bar
is directly below the banner. Edger also put these up for us (thanks edger!)
It has several Tabs that you can click on:
HOME
About Us
Here you will find:
~ a link to an extended mission statement
~ a link to how/why the name firefly-dreaming was chosen
~ a link to fascinating information about fireflys(lampyridae) and a miscellany of firefly links.
Help
These are all posts to help you navigate the toobz & make your blogging experience easier. All these links will open in another tab.
The links are:
~ So You're a New Blogger... a guide to making comments & publishing Posts.
~ Finding Your Way Around... (you are here) a guide to this site (& other SoapBlox sites work similarly.)
~ HTML Text Help... a guide to help you make your comments & Posts glow with their own special light.
~HTML Photo/Video Help... a guide to inserting, resizing & placing photos & videos in your comments & posts.
~ Blog-cronyms... a guide to what these crazy people are saying!
~ Contact info for Edger who will help you develop or enhance your website or blog.
Series
Here you will find:
~ regular (& some not so regular!) series written by our members.
~ firefly-dreaming generated info on a variety of subjects.
Resources
Here you will find:
~ links to pages set up with links to other sites, lists of books, etc on each topic.
We Endorse
Entrepreneurial Bloggers... a list of sites &/or emails for bloggers who have crafts or services for sale.
~Links to products, businesses, manufacturers that are above average.
We think they are doing it correctly by providing quality products, being environmentally sound, employee friendly....
The large center section of the page is commonly referred to as the FRONT PAGE
This is where posts of outstanding merit are placed so everyone can see them.
It is a good idea to keep the Front Page in mind when you compose your post, putting a beautiful picture &/or an enticing paragraph or two in the 'main text' box & placing the rest in the 'extended text' box.
The columns on either side are commonly called Side-bar
Each is divided into sections called blox
The left side-bar (column)....
consists of the following blox:
We Are...
~ there is a brief mission statement.
~ a donation button. (if you like what you see/read here please give a little bit to have it continue)
Front Page Poll
Sometimes this is here, sometimes not.
It just depends if I have a burning question.
(^.^)
Recent Comments
These are the last 15 comments made on this site. Some people just click on these to read others comments. I like to go to the Post so I can see what the comment is replying to.
Active Users
Clicking this link will let you know who is actively* blogging at firefly-dreaming.
*If you do not sign out & navigate away from this site your name will remain in the list for 15 minutes. Be aware that you may be waiting on a reply from someone who has already left the site.
Search
Self explanatory.
With TAGS below. (soon to appear!)
Do it DAILY!
These pictures are links to Free Click sites that donate money to worthy causes based on how many clicks they get. They will open in another tab so you don't lose your place here.
Please take a few seconds each day to help others in need.
And be sure to click on the additional tabs you'll find on some pages (at the top of the page on the "Click Every Day puppy paw"; on the side of the page at "Care2")
The bottom picture is "Free Rice"... this is a game that helps two ways. For every correct answer 10 grains of rice are donated AND you gain knowledge. There are a variety of subjects you can choose from.
Please play "Free Rice" daily... but set your timer, it's addictive!
The right Side-bar (column)....
the first blox is MENU
Under this are several links:
HOME
POSTS
YOUR PAGE
NEW POST
*FUTURE POSTS
*FUTURE PROMOTED POSTS
*DELETED POSTS
**HIDDEN COMMENTS
YOUR COMMENTS
HOT LIST
LOG OFF
*ADMIN
**- this is ONLY accessible to those with a 'trusted peon' rating or above
*- these are ONLY accessible to 'the powerful'
HOME is a link to the firefly-dreaming home page.
POSTS will take you to ALL the posts written at firefly-dreaming. This differs from the "Recent Posts" in that you can go through the pages, in effect going "backwards in time" & see every post ever written.
YOUR PAGE takes you to your very own page...
filled with wonderful, useful features!
First on YOUR PAGEyou get:
your Username (in case you'd forgotten!),
your PersonId(aka 'UID'),
& your firefly birthday! (the date you signed-up)
Then there is an RSS link,
& your email.
Under this are FOUR TABS:
POSTS
COMMENTS
RATINGS
PROFILE
the POSTS tab
gives you an additional five tabs
(* available only to the powerful)
Recent...
This is where ALL the essays YOU've ever written here and all the comments to them are kept.
Recommended
This is a handy-dandy list of all the essays you've REC'd.
*Static
This is NOT on Everyone's Page.
The HELP posts are available to you here.
Draft
This is where you'll find that post you were working on & saved but didn't publish. You can have many posts 'in the works' & publish only when you are ready.
*Deleted
This is NOT on Everyone's Page.
If you do NOT have this tab & you deleted an essay you didn't really mean to... let me know. I might be able to get it back for you. (YaY!)
the COMMENTS tab
gives you an additional two tabs
Recent Comments
these are the comments you have made to others. You can quickly see if any very recent comments have been replied to and see how many 'recs' you've gotten for each comment.
Recent Replies
This, imho, is The. Coolest. Feature. on the SoapBlox. This is THE TAB to check often! Not only do you get the ease of checking who has replied to you, but this allows you to reply TO someone in a not-so-recent post & be assured of your reply being seen. Check this tab early & often!! (I usually have this page open in a separate tab, while blogging)
the RATINGS tab
gives you an additional two tabs
Ratings Given
I like to check this every now & again to make sure my finger hasn't slipped.
Ratings Received
This is where you see how many 'recs' your comments have.
the PROFILE tab
gives you an additional four tabs
Account info
This is info you don't mind being displayed to the world & filling these in is optional
This is the info ANYONE will see when they click on your name.
Public e-mail:
An e-mail anyone can see/use. Many people spell out 'at' & 'dot' so their e-mail will not be as apt to get put on junk lists.
Home Page:
If you have your own blog or site put its address here, or put in the address of somewhere you frequent.
User Image:
if you would like to display a small image in ALL your comments, this is where you put the link to that pic.
Bio:
you can write a description about yourself here. Other people will see this only if they click on your 'name' & go to your page.
Comment signature:
commonly referred to as 'sig line'. This is where you can put a quote from somebody (yourself?!) & change it whenever you want to.
Comment prefs
This is where you set up how you want your comments displayed to you in each essay.
I really have no idea how this works. I haven't changed mine, so the default is : NONE, NONE, NESTED, YES.
Display prefs
This is where you set up how you want your essays/home page displayed to you.
I don't know much about this one either.
Default Comment/Diary Format Type : LEAVE THIS ON "AUTO_FORMAT"
User time zone : Set this to YOUR time zone.
# Of Recent Comments: this is how many recent comments are shown on the home page in the left-hand side-bar. The default is 15. I have mine set to 50.
Recent Diaries : this is how many recent diaries are shown on the home page in the right-hand side-bar. The default is 20. I have mine set to 30.
The next six boxes let you set how comments boxes/new diaries are displayed. I have not changed mine so these are the defaults:
Width of Posting Comment box : 60
Height of Posting Comment box : 20
Width of New Post Title Box : 67
Width of New Post Boxes : 50
Number of Rows in new post's Main Text box : 15
Number of Rows in new post's Extended Text box : 15
E-mail & password
This info is private. No one but you can see it.
This is where you can reset your password.
(seeSo You're a New Blogger for instructions)
NEW POST
Please see So You're a New Blogger for instructions.
HIDDEN COMMENTS
These are visible to anyone that is a "trusted peon" (don't blame me for this term- it's a SoapBlox thing)
These are comments deemed so heinously offensive by the community that they have been hidden.
YOUR COMMENTS
This is a quick link to your Recent Comments, explained above. Check this early & often to see who has replied to you!
HOT LIST
When you go to any Post, just to the right of the title you'll see (+)
If you click on this it will put that Post in your "Hot List"
You may want to do this for a Post that has info you want to easily access later or a Post you want to read when you have more time or...
Whatever your reason, this is a cool 'bookmarking' tool.
LOG OFF
When you're done blogging at firefly you can Log Off using this link. The next time you visit you will be required to sign in again.
If you do NOT log off, after 15 minutes your name will come off the Active Users list. When you return you will already be logged in & your name will go back onto the Active list.
continuing down the Right Sidebar...
Recommended Posts
These have been deemed by the community to be worthy of extra recognition.
They have attained this place of honour by having members click the "Recommended" button that is on each Post.
Recent Posts
This is a list of the 15 most recent Posts.
You can change how many YOU see through "YOUR" page.
Links to Enjoy
These are places I frequent. Check them out!
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