It is a pleasure helping one another. The internet is full of free information and tons of people willing to help without asking for anything in return. You only need to ask. If I don't help, somebody else will. Well lets get back to the issue at hand.
1. Categories - This feature is already in your blogger account. Go to your dashboard, click on layout, page element, click on add a page element, a dialog box with several options to choose from will pop-up. Click on LABELS and name it whatever you want. After that, write a new post. After writing the post, you will notice that there is a feature down at the bottom of the page where you are given the option to write, LABELS FOR THIS POST. Input whatever name you want to give a particular category on your blog. For example, if you write ENTREPRENEUR, blogger will automatically create a category for ENTEPRENEUR on the side bar for you. Subsequent posts giving the same label will be added to that particular category.
2. Recommended Resources Link - This feature is also available in your blogger. Go to your dashboard, click on layout, page element, click on add a page element, a dialog box with several options to choose from will pop-up. Click on LINK LIST. The remaining steps are quite easy to follow.
3. Free Counter - This is not provided in blogger. You need to get a 3rd party script for this. You can try BraveNet for example. After getting the script, install it in a new page element for HTML/JAVASCRIPTS. Note, this particular page element, HTML/JAVASCRIPTS, can be used for displaying all manner of scripts and images from third parties.
I hope this answers your questions. If you need further help, just ask question in the forum. Cheers.
