** If you already have a Google Account, skip to Step 2.**   

1. Set up a Google Account 

• Although you do not need to, we recommend setting up a Gmail Account first.
• Go to google.com and click on Sign In in the upper right-hand corner.
• On the lower right-hand side, click on Create an Account Now.
• Enter an Email Address. (This becomes your username, so be sure to use an email address you don't mind typing in every time you log in.  If you decide to use a Gmail address for your Google Account username, you do not need to type the "@--------.com" part of the address when you log in.)
• Choose a Password.  Remember, you will have a lot of usernames and passwords in the web 2.0 world, so choose something that is easy to remember -- and write them down!
• Fill out the rest of the required information and click I Accept. Create My Account.
• You will get a page telling you to access your email in order to verfiy your account.  You can do so now or click on the link Click Here to Continue.   

2. Log in to Blogger.  

• Go to blogger.com and enter your Google Account Username and Password at the top of the page and click Sign In.

• Enter your Display Name (your real name or a nickname), accept the terms of service, and click Continue.

3. Create a name and address for your blog.

• The Blog Title is the name that will appear on the banner at the top of your blog. The title does not need to be completely unique (unlike the URL), but it should be descriptive and/or similar to your URL.
• The URL is the unique web address of your blog. This URL is how you will find your blog and tell others how to find it. We recommend a short, easy-to-remember URL that signifies you and/or your participation in MILI. You must be sure that no one else has registered the URL you want on Blogger: click Check Availability and Blogger will tell you whether or not the URL you want is available.
• Once you have a Title and URL, WRITE THEM DOWN!

4. Select your template.

• The first Choose Template screen has only a few templates; choose one and click Continue -- you can choose a different one from more options (under Layout) later. You will get a message that your blog has been created; click Start Blogging.

5. Post and play.

• Write a post about setting up your blog or your MILI experience so far. Note that there is a toolbar where you can edit and add links, pictures, etc.
• Add Tags ("labels" in the box below the textbox) so that your blog posts are organized and searchable. For example, others may want to look at the posts you've tagged as "Resources." 
• Click Publish Post.  Note that you can Save Now without publishing; you can publish posts later under Edit Posts.
• Go to View Blog to see your post and template. You can either backspace back to the editing page or  click  Customize at the top right-hand corner of the page.
• Continue to explore and edit your blog. It is probably a good idea to systematically explore all of the links under each tab in the editing page. For example, when you click on Settings you will see several links below it: Basic, Publishing, Formatting, Comments, Archiving, etc.  Also, look through the Blogger Features handout or go to www.blogger.com/features to explore more.  Continue to update your blog.

!!SEND US YOUR TITLE AND URL!!

 Once you are finished setting up your blog, please follow these instructions:

• On the MILI Wiki (http://metronetmili.pbwiki.com), click on Log in at the top, right-hand corner of the page.
• On the right-hand side of the page, you'll see a link to Contact the Wiki Owner -- CLICK ON THIS LINK.
• In the From box, enter the primary email address you would like us to use to contact you. In the Subject box type BLOG. In the Message box, type the title of your blog and COPY/PASTE the URL. (Please be sure to COPY/PASTE your URL so that it is absolutely correct!)
• Type in the security verification word and click Send Message.