New AnimalToyBlog entries

[Saarlooswolfhound]

CollectA Mongolian Horse https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/mongolian-stallion-horse-country-by-collecta/

[Gwangi]

Safari Ltd. marine iguana

https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/marine-iguana-incredible-creatures-by-safari-ltd/

[sbell]

Okay, just saying, for what seems like the third time in a while, I have a post scheduled that is getting more stepped on (I didn't mention it because I've caught it and adjusted). I'm adjusting it so it won't post until tomorrow.

Can I please ask that people look at the 'publishing soon' on the dashboard? Or look for the dots on the calendar? There's multiple places that tell us when something is coming up. Thanks

[Gwangi]

Okay, just saying, for what seems like the third time in a while, I have a post scheduled that is getting more stepped on (I didn't mention it because I've caught it and adjusted). I'm adjusting it so it won't post until tomorrow.

Can I please ask that people look at the 'publishing soon' on the dashboard? Or look for the dots on the calendar? There's multiple places that tell us when something is coming up. Thanks

I did check the calendar. There was nothing there. I even double checked.

[bmathison1972]

I don't know if this might be a contributing factor, and I myself have often fallen for it a couple times, but if you are looking at blue dots on the calendar, check both date and day, because the calendar is on a Monday-Sunday format rather than a Sunday-Saturday format. I know it sounds trivial but I myself have almost scheduled things on the wrong date or missed pre-scheduled things because of it. My mind is accustomed to a week starting on Sunday lol.

[sbell]

Okay, just saying, for what seems like the third time in a while, I have a post scheduled that is getting more stepped on (I didn't mention it because I've caught it and adjusted). I'm adjusting it so it won't post until tomorrow.

Can I please ask that people look at the 'publishing soon' on the dashboard? Or look for the dots on the calendar? There's multiple places that tell us when something is coming up. Thanks

I did check the calendar. There was nothing there. I even double checked.

Okay, just saying, for what seems like the third time in a while, I have a post scheduled that is getting more stepped on (I didn't mention it because I've caught it and adjusted). I'm adjusting it so it won't post until tomorrow.

Can I please ask that people look at the 'publishing soon' on the dashboard? Or look for the dots on the calendar? There's multiple places that tell us when something is coming up. Thanks

I did check the calendar. There was nothing there. I even double checked.

That's so strange. I scheduled them yesterday afternoon, and they showed up in the 'publishing soon' (I always check that to make sure it went in right.

Anyway, I have posts set for the 30th and 1st now.

[Gwangi]

I don't know why this has to be an issue at all. My strategy is to consistently post on or around the same day every week or every other week. I wake up, make my coffee, and sit at my computer. If there's no new review up, I post. If there is, then I wait another day and read the new review, and I don't mind waiting...because why would I? This strategy has worked for me for over a decade and I've never gotten grief from other reviewers over it. I realize other people have their preferred method and I don't take issue with it, which is why I now check the calendar every week for that blue dot, just for Sbell.

I have posted on Wednesday every week for the last 4 weeks. Before that, I posted on Friday or Saturday but I perceived those days as being too crowded so moved my reviews to the middle of the week, to leave more wiggle room between reviews. This week, Saarlooswolfhound wanted to post this Wednesday so I posted today instead, I didn't pitch a fit about it. It is not a big deal! My review will eventually still get to go up, there's no hurry to get it up. There are always days when no review gets posted at all.

Sbell's schedule is erratic. Looking back, we've got... Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Monday...you get the idea. He just claimed two days with a day in-between them. May I suggest, that if Sbell has an issue with someone posting on a day he intends to that he reserve a specific day each week. I don't need to feel anxious every day that I post because someone else might have wanted that day, especially when that day IS NOT marked on a calendar. BTW, @sbell, those days you just set reviews for are NOT on the calendar either. I even took screenshots but apparently Imgur doesn't allow images to be hotlinked anymore. 

[bmathison1972]

It is an issue when someone schedules on a given day and someone else posts in their place. Maybe we need better communication and when someone preschedules it, they announce it so everyone knows!

@Gwangi - I am curious how you go about posting?

If you click on the 'Immediately' in the sidebar:



Then the following calendar pops up:



As you can see, there are blue dots for the prescheduled dates. Can you not see this? Maybe there are some rights that for some reason you don't have access to?

[Gwangi]

No blue dots...





I agree, better communication is needed. Whenever someone announces on the forum that they intend to post on a specific day, I don't post!

[bmathison1972]

Ok. Thanks @Gwangi - you are clearly not seeing something that Sean and I are (you do @Saarlooswolfhound ?).

I will troubleshoot it with @AnimalToyForum on the side, but it might be a week or so before I can prioritize that.

In the meantime, if anyone wants to preschedule on a specific day, please let's note that in the ATB Review Schedule thread: https://animaltoyforum.com/index.php?topic=2616.0

thanks all!

[sbell]

I usually schedule when I'm done, often I'm working a few at a time, especially when they're related. Which is why the ones this week are close (closer now because I moved one forward).

I hadn't noticed that anyone had preferred dates, but it's why I generally avoid Fridays since there were issues at one time.

I'm hoping we don't need to start posting when we've scheduled, but I admit I forgot about that schedule thread! As it is, I usually already save drafts for my new posts... post...and taxonomic photo post. Saves time when it all goes up when it's all in front of me... so it's just one more post to do

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I think we talked about this before either here or in the schedule thread but I have had incorrect dots on the calendar before too. That's why I uave posted in the schedule thread that I have X planned to go live on X date but I'm always happy to reschedule my reviews- I don't have any preferences whatsoever.

But I thought I'd scheduled both of my last ones to publish on a timer but neither one did. And as previously discussed, my tags weren't saving for some reason. Pretty sure these weren't user error but I will admit the possibility.

[Gwangi]

@Gwangi - I am curious how you go about posting?

Not sure what you're specifically looking for here. I write my reviews in Word, not on the blog. On the day I plan to post I copy and paste the written review. And I don't upload pictures until the day I plan on posting. If there's a new review already posted, I don't post. If there's a blue dot on the calendar, I don't post, but they apparently don't show up for me. So much for that. If someone posts on the forum that they're going to post a review on a specific day, I don't post. I tend to only post once a week per blog and I try to post on the same day each week. 

[sbell]

Replica Toy Fish greenback cutthroat trout https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/greenback-cutthroat-trout-by-replica-toy-fish/

[AnimalToyForum]

Re: the blue dots. I suspect that Blaine (and I) can see dots for all scheduled reviews because we are admins, while everyone else can see dots only for their own scheduled reviews. Do any non-admins see dots for posts scheduled for other authors?

My approach to posting reviews on the blogs, admittedly not much on the ATB because I don't own or collect many animal figures, is similar to the pragmatic approach as Gwangi, but more random in my case. If I'm in the mood for writing, I do, and post it as soon as I'm finished (maybe in a few sittings over the course of a few days, but usually in one sitting). I regard publishing it as my reward to myself for writing it, so I don't like sitting on a review once its ready for no good reason. If someone has posted something already that day, I'll save it for the next day, but scheduling my own reviews wouldn't work for me. I write for fun so it has to be spontaneous, otherwise it will feel like a chore. I know other reviewers schedule posts on the DTB but I honestly don't pay much attention to that thread unless it's a special occasion like April Fool's or Xmas day. I really don't think the schedule matters that much and I think it would be easier if everyone approached it my way, but everyone's different, and it isn't something to fret over either way.

[sbell]

Re: the blue dots. I suspect that Blaine (and I) can see dots for all scheduled reviews because we are admins, while everyone else can see dots only for their own scheduled reviews. Do any non-admins see dots for posts scheduled for other authors?

My approach to posting reviews on the blogs, admittedly not much on the ATB because I don't own or collect many animal figures, is similar to the pragmatic approach as Gwangi, but more random in my case. If I'm in the mood for writing, I do, and post it as soon as I'm finished (maybe in a few sittings over the course of a few days, but usually in one sitting). I regard publishing it as my reward to myself for writing it, so I don't like sitting on a review once its ready for no good reason. If someone has posted something already that day, I'll save it for the next day, but scheduling my own reviews wouldn't work for me. I write for fun so it has to be spontaneous, otherwise it will feel like a chore. I know other reviewers schedule posts on the DTB but I honestly don't pay much attention to that thread unless it's a special occasion like April Fool's or Xmas day. I really don't think the schedule matters that much and I think it would be easier if everyone approached it my way, but everyone's different, and it isn't something to fret over either way.

I always see the blue dots, as well as the listing on the main dashboard of 'upcoming'.
I usually schedule because when I finish, vs the best time to post, rarely overlap

[sbell]

Replica Toy Fish Colorado River cutthroat trout https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/colorado-river-cutthroat-trout-by-replica-toy-fish/

(the last original trout! More or less...)

[AnimalToyForum]

Re: the blue dots. I suspect that Blaine (and I) can see dots for all scheduled reviews because we are admins, while everyone else can see dots only for their own scheduled reviews. Do any non-admins see dots for posts scheduled for other authors?

My approach to posting reviews on the blogs, admittedly not much on the ATB because I don't own or collect many animal figures, is similar to the pragmatic approach as Gwangi, but more random in my case. If I'm in the mood for writing, I do, and post it as soon as I'm finished (maybe in a few sittings over the course of a few days, but usually in one sitting). I regard publishing it as my reward to myself for writing it, so I don't like sitting on a review once its ready for no good reason. If someone has posted something already that day, I'll save it for the next day, but scheduling my own reviews wouldn't work for me. I write for fun so it has to be spontaneous, otherwise it will feel like a chore. I know other reviewers schedule posts on the DTB but I honestly don't pay much attention to that thread unless it's a special occasion like April Fool's or Xmas day. I really don't think the schedule matters that much and I think it would be easier if everyone approached it my way, but everyone's different, and it isn't something to fret over either way.

I always see the blue dots, as well as the listing on the main dashboard of 'upcoming'.
I usually schedule because when I finish, vs the best time to post, rarely overlap

According to me, the best time to post IS when you finish.

Weird how you see all the scheduled blue dots but others don't... can't make sense of that as you and Gwangi, for example, have exactly the same permissions, as far as I'm aware. I'll look into it.

[Gwangi]

Safari Ltd. Queen triggerfish

https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/queen-triggerfish-incredible-creatures-by-safari-ltd/

[Shane]

Safari Ltd. Queen triggerfish

https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/queen-triggerfish-incredible-creatures-by-safari-ltd/

Great review. One note - the other Safari Queen Triggerfish was not from a TOOB, but from the "Flippers, Fins and Fun" box set.

It contained a coral formation, a snorkeling kid, a sea turtle, and most interestingly, a queen triggerfish, goliath grouper, and a bottlenose dolphin sculpt that is one of the more accurate for the time.