Blogging, blogging, dieting, blogging, exercise, watching a soon to return BBC sci-fi series, beer, indie music, smiling, blogging, and cake.

Lots of interesting discussion in the office today about how to write good blog headlines (sparked by Copyblogger). Key tips (beyond the obvious “Don’t sound dull”) seem to include engaging the reader by phrasing the post title in the third person – “How you can lose weight!” rather than “Dieting guidelines from semi-professionals” – numerical lists, enticing secrect and questions.

Obviously it’s not quite as simple as that, and the tricks you use depend on what fits with the blog content, but how to construct post titles that draw the reader in is certainly something worth thinking about, at least in a “professional blogging” context. Readers can rest assured that this site, however, will continue to use tongue-in-cheek, humorous, or just plain lazy headlines.

Paul off of Hot Ginger and Dynamite has tagged me with ye olde book meme.

1) Grab the closest book to you.

The nearest two books are software manuals, but neither of them has normal page numbers. Looking further afield, I have found a book in the nearest cupboard. (The other option was the big dictionary I got from Countdown, but I’ve not unwrapped it yet.) So, the book is The Welfare State We’re In by James Bartholomew.

2) Open to page 123, go down to the 4th sentence.

Okey doke…

3) Post the text of the following 3 sentences on your blog.

Thrillingly, it is this:

This section of the 1943 pamphlet also stressed the importance of research for good medical care. ‘The service must be amply equipped and endowed for research,’ it states. We have already seen that prior to 1948, Britain was a world leader in research.

Voilà.

The 2007 Bloggies voting phase is now on – voting closes tomorrow, so vote now. The marvellous Peter is up for the lifetime achievement award in a very difficult field – against Slashdot and Wil Wheaton amongst others – and will be getting my vote.

Nominated in the Best-Kept Secret Weblog category is Woof Woofington, a blogging dog. Hmm. I can’t help thinking I’ve seen that template used elsewhere – maybe 8 out of 10 dogs prefer pink.

Via Ryan comes the news that Iain Dale has started blogging. This could be confusing.