We take note of miles and points expiration fules, we visit Burma, learn of hotel manager secrets, save ourselves with the Toilet Finder app when you just gotta go, and have some fun with the State of the Union speech.
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I have almost no miles/points blog post to share. I am finding the state of blogosphere kind of sad. I have pretty much stopped reading the Blogs in the Ignore list, I can’t take it anymore. This blog is turning into my private tiny place where I practice #JeSuisTBB.
Complete Guide to Miles and Points Expiration Rules – Miles Remaining I added this to Evernote because I find myself referring to this once in a while. Please KEEP IT UPDATED!
Daily life around monasteries in Burma – Matador Network Very nice pictures!
24 maps that will change the way you see the world – Matador Network Some uniquely awesome maps here.
Career Spotlight: What I Do as a Hotel Manager – Lifehacker Interesting first hand account from a hotel manager.
Flush Toilet Finder Quickly Locates a Public Restroom Wherever You Are – Lifehacker When you gotta go…there is an app for that! When you finally find relief because you saw this here remember to use our links too, gracias!
This was sent to me on Twitter, thanks! This is just perfect for my blog 😉
Fit for which blogger? Please be nice, this is all about entertainment!
Went a little nuts on Twitter watching the State of the Union speech. Some of my tweets selected by yours truly:
I feel like standing up to clap too but I am too sore from carrying my soccer team last night scoring 3 goals. #SOTU
We may see the first blow up of a politician on TV tonight. John B looks so so angry. And Joe always looks like he just smoked a joint #SOTU
Time to open a bottle of wine, it’s #SOTU time. Did I hear faster internet? YES YES YES USA USA USA
#sotu I expect Mark Rubio to pop into the screen any second now and then….fade away reaching for that glass of water.
#SOTU Grand finale would be a selfie of Obama, Joe & John B a la Ellen style & then Joe finally lets loose with the fog machine & disco ball
RT @BoredElonMusk: The overall composition of Uranus is about 25 percent rock, 60 to 70 percent ice, and 5 to 15 percent Chipotle. #SOTU
#SOTU And its over. Where is the confetti? What happened to Joe’s fog machine huh? See you at the after parties amigos!
I declare Ernest the winner tonight! RT @OnlyInBOS: Need more #SOTU Ernest Moniz…#BreakTheInternet ”
A mini rant sparked by the unfairness of this whole blog pumping business: Everyone, with one credited (pun intended) credit card sale (I know you can handle it!) this month I am not seeing that I keep my non direct low paying creditcards.com links. And Amazon is now barely used. Come on, show me you care and prove that non pumping can work in this blogging world! In the meantime, it appears DansDeals may have lost his direct Chase links. Still amazes me how blogs like Points Miles & Martinis keep them…Anyways, get my point? Getting kind of old now doing this for a buck or two per day. It just demoralizes me that not enough people care to take meaningful action. I do like the positive feedback, don’t get me wrong. When Bankrate kicks me out I am going to once a week posting. Unless I hire an intern here to ghost write, just kidding. I feel really bad for typing this paragraph too. Don’t make me Join Boarding Area now all right? I can see myself between Delta Points and the crew at Points Miles & Martinis….oh noooooooooo!
Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs To Ignore
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First!
Mirror ball fog machine fireworks and lasers … The perfect SOTU … And Joey B with a bottle of Jack!
Joe must be the best Vice President to party with….ever!
second!!! life is good, life is great, this is my first time up here!!!
Don’t be like Avis…aim higher in life!
TBB
inspiring readers 24/7.
Under inflated football 3rd
Well, I would not be surprised if this was another scheme….to win. I expect the NFL to award the Superbowl to the Seahawaks and cancel the game and take away all draft choices of the Pats for the next 3 years to send a clear message. Waiting breathlessly for this to happen 🙂
George, people expect creativity to be given out for free today. Photographs – free. Videos – free.
Movies – free, blog posts – free. One most unique skill a human being can have is creativity.
You can’t learn it, you must be born with it. Still, it’s supposed to be free. A taxi ride – paid.
A toilet paper – paid. But a high resolution photograph requiring several trips to the same locations
just to capture the best light + hours of post production – free. A blog post requiring
hours of research – free. A sad world we are living in George…
Love to get toilet paper for free!
Yeah, I know what you are talking about. This online world is just a different beast. You need to pump hideously or take the very LONG way to commercial success. Doing it part time is kind of suicidal 🙂
So true about creativity and you just can’t learn it.
Plagiarism is free too. Killing deals is free by ripping other peoples work. You fycktards will never get it.The world will be just fine without your gluttoned scumbaggery, that is the big difference. Do yourself a favor and alienate yourself in a blind corner. You will be surprised that no one gave rat crap.
Fine rant, I give it 9 out of 10 🙂
I don’t.
I was kidding.
JeSuisFycktard?
Well, when you put it this way… Why does everything sound so nice in French? 🙂
You have always been the biggest scumbag after ricky baldman that visits this blog in order to convince themselves that you were not a born scumbag, just got made into one ….i know it is so cliche to rant online because it is true we are able to do that behind keyboards. But man this pricks adamant ballwashing of commercial businessmen over the last 2 yrs in the comment section gets on my nerves like no other.
I think after lying to themselves over the years they have started believing in their own lies and have convinced themselves we give a crap about their bald face scumbaggery.
Cliche? Oh, no! Your rants are so beautiful, pure, refreshing — just a breath of fresh air, which we’ve been devoid of for so darn long. Thank you for blessing us with your presense again and giving me, an “adamant ballwasher”, another chance to soak up your wisdom. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Please, don’t change.
“You can’t learn it, you must be born with it”
That’s BS. Creativity is even an academic discipline
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/education/edlife/creativity-becomes-an-academic-discipline.html?_r=1
Where’s your proof?
I think we are talking about talent and creativity. If you have no talent at all, I don’t care how creative you get, you still suck at it. Same with writing. You can improve but…even if you improve a lot you will still suck at it because you have no talent for it at all.
Same in acting
My proof is in my head and in my life experiences. Inquire with that Seth Wandering Aramean dude to build a mathematical data model and then enhance it with ads 🙂
Improving is one element of the learning process.
“Talent” is learned and earned through extended and intense practice of a skill.
Let’s take soccer.
You either have talent or you don’t. I don’t care how much you practice! Great players are just born with those genes. And then they practice a LOT to be truly great on the pitch!
Of course it takes lots of practice with talent to make it to the top!
🙂
George, if you want to make $, you need to fully commit to the dark side. Rename your blog MultiMillion Mile Secrets with a design that incorporates a bowtied nerd and a smiling homely female. If MMS can rip off FT and other blogs with impunity, why not rip off MMS?
Heck, start identical sites called Review From A Wing, View From The Wing, Won Mile At A Time, On Mile At A Time, One Mile At Time, Delta Pointz, Delta Point, etc etc etc and just blatantly rip the pimps off.
The noobs and incompetents won’t know any better and you can pimp dozens of links every day. And laugh all the way to the bank while generating 14 part travel reports which allow you to deduct everything you talk about…
I don’t get along with the dark side.
I think you make very good points by the way. A senior Titan told me to do exactly that a very long time ago but I refused. How could I look at myself in the morning if I pumped them newbies non stop how they can get that free trip to Orlando and then impress them with my family trips to Maldives while telling them I did all that with “stacking” LOL.
Yeah it is kind of a cruel world online…Getting disgusted by all the horse shit unleashed out there every single day.
And the beat, pumping I mean goes on and on…
Remember our fights vis-a-vis your mms slap in wrist back in late 12 early 13 George? I do. Sadly. It left the door wide open for the scumbags to remain scumbags without having to worry about anyone calling them scumbags. Its why i dropped reading you for a long time. Unfortunately travel job again and i am somewhat back to catching up what the thieves in bow ties are upto these days.
We all make mistakes, that was one in my blogging career. I feel bad about it but hey I moved on.
Caught how Mommy Points today was all gung ho about getting Hyatt points because a few hotels changed categories. Coincidentally, she recommended credit cards that pay her but neglected to recommend the Hyatt card that does not pay her. You raise points like that and they bunch you with the “angrys”.
Full disclosure, this site brought in $1.46 yesterday.
So, you not reading me, has not made a difference at all dude 🙂
Dan’s links now say “Invalid Publisher Code, Offer, or Publisher – Advertiser Partnership Status”
Maybe we need an investigative reporter—-Best Offers Patrol, where are you??–to break it down for us!
(Maybe there is a DanBOP out there who can spill it….)
Looks like Best Offers Patrol abandoned me too (subliminal SOS message to him!).. Can you DD forum members pump it with posts and redirect all the Chase cc traffic to me? If I got 1% of DD forum people to do apply with my link I may be able to afford me some free coffee at Panera….maybe even a few Greek salads too (exciting!). Maybe I will get DD back on the Like list #evilsmile #hint #TBBforsale #sponsoredpostsnext?
This isn’t a “gem of TBB” but I nominate it for best sarcastic comment yesterday. I almost blew my coffee on the screen I was laughing so hard.
From MP’s post “Parents in First, Kids in Coach”: Mark Freeman commenting on a comment by LarryInNYC:
We teach our 8-yr old son math, rhetoric, and maturity by sending him to the Target customer service desk with two Redbird cards, making sure he knows the $2500/day, $1K/transaction limits. Sometimes he comes crying about fraud declines, poorly trained employees, or maybe someone forgot to activate the new credit card. We say, “Boy. those lie flat seats don’t come through everyday spending. Get back up there.”
LOLOLOL. Classic! Woohoo! Can’t wait about the “stacking” lessons 🙂
Bwaaahhahahhahahaha. Literally snorted my tea thru my nose…
Good ol’ Mommy Pimp trying to excuse why her 4yr old “deserves” First class and trips around the world (and staying at the Vendome for good measure). Because they are sooooooooooo……wait for it………educational. Click here!
This business, er, hobby is so full of sleaze, I can feel it oozing out of my screen…
“Getting kind of old now doing this for a buck or two per day. It just demoralizes me that not enough people care to take meaningful action. I do like the positive feedback, don’t get me wrong. When Bankrate kicks me out I am going to once a week posting.”
When this blog started out it did not seem to be about the money. But the constant whining about not getting credit card apps or amazon link not paying is annoying. I’m sure you’ll defend it as satire but I think you are more kidding on the square then you’ll admit. Time to hang it up if this is about the money.
By the way, I care enough to take meaningful action which is why I don’t use affiliate links. The less bloggers doing it for the money the better.
Don’t get me wrong here but I just gotta tell you something. You are the reader that just demoralizes bloggers dude! Your “I never use affiliate links” mantra is just horribly wrong, in my opinion of course. You contribute to bloggers who try to do offer something useful to just hang it up and leave the field to the big time pumpers who monopolize the monetization avenues even more than they already do!
I blog about what I feel. I want to show how smaller bloggers struggle to do things right and the insurmountable obstacles they face. I want to help those bloggers continue contributing in a positive manner and not helping them quit. We ALL know your stance, please stop mentioning it here! Feel free to mention it in your blog of course. Of course I am not going to stop you from mentioning it here but…just saying dude.
This is NOT about the money for me. I could easily “flip” and do what P suggested above or go full commercial targeting newbies. But I don’t. After not making anything at all after two years I wanted to make something to justify my “business” to the IRS in case of an audit. Plus it helps me get more miles/points for my “business”. Readers have a choice who to help support. When I check in the morning at Panera how much support I actually got…it is, well, demoralizing. You like my blog, well show it! There is only so many $1 or $2 days I can take.
When I hang it up I will have an Online Travel Review post and you will be cited on it as a contributing factor.
Damn it, I am still sore!
Typing this from my iPhone so can’t quote stuff directly so I’ll just address each paragraph.
Paragraph 1- the fact that me reading what you write, generally enjoying it, and taking the time to comment in a positive way (well 90% of the time anyway) suggests to me you are doing this for the wrong reason. And maybe Rick is right that you are jealous of their success. I personally don’t think that’s true but it sure is starting to sound like it. Almost like 2 years in and your not getting paid so your true colors are starting to show.
Paragraph 2: I probably won’t stop mentioning it, sorry. By the way reasonable sure I’m not the only one who feels that way given your lack of conversions. I may be the most vocal. I like your blog I hope my reading it were enough. I’m sorry it’s not.
Paragraph 3: I show my appreciation for your blog by reading it, taking the time to comment and occasionally offering constructive criticism. Don’t tell me this is not about the money and then turn around and say you can’t do this for a buck or two a day.
Paragraph 4: Don’t blame me. You have hundreds of readers and I’m not the only one not using your CC links.
I think as an experiment you should stop posting daily. Try once or twice per week. Focus on your content. Maybe then you can stop focusing on the money and get back to enjoying it. It sort of sounds like you don’t enjoy it, at least at your current pace.
My philosophy in life is to enjoy everything I do. So, by me continuing here I must enjoy it. Or maybe I am a masochist 🙂
I have the balls to say what I feel and I bet you I am expressing here A LOT of what many other bloggers feel, especially in this quirky place where the “expertise” is wrongly rewarded. That was exactly what Drew felt when he went on his rant some time ago. I am having some fun with it too.
Bottom line is the amount of time/work that goes into this is wildly OFF based on the monetary rewards. Which was expected. BUT there is a limit to that after a while dude. This is NOT a hobby blog. If it was I would be cutting and pasting a la PMM style or make posts about, well, crap once in a while. I am asking readers to HELP sustain good bloggers. It is up to the READERS to do that. Yes reading and commenting sure helps but that will not sustain them after they get fed up with it.
All I am asking is you refrain from posting that you proudly never use affiliate links. It demoralizes bloggers. A LOT!
Thanks for reading and commenting by the way and always love the criticism.
I am waiting my hideous cc links to be taken away and then I am going once a week. When that happens please comment at FTG, they need them. Lol.
To other readers: Don’t be like Scott. CLICK our links if you find value in their work. If not, the terrorists win. Sorry, I meant the mega pumpers.
JeSuisMoi
This is not a hobby blog? So, I guess you are doing it for the money. Here, I thought this blog was about taking the pumpers to task. Clearly that purpose has morphed.
I have nothing to do with you being demoralized. You’re demoralized because you clearly thought you could cash in and you haven’t. All those people who told you to get links gave you a false impression that you had a profitable thing going. Reality has now sunk in. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Sometimes I think I am trying to reason with Rick 🙂
Keeping up with Feedly ALONE smashes the “hobby” criteria. I am not sure how many times I can explain something…
Cashing in? You are serious? Come on?
>>>>>>>>>Reality has now sunk in. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Shaking my head now.
Actually, if you ever clicked on my links I would give you a refund, geesh.
Low blow! I call foul.
You deflated them balls too, no doubt!
Actually, this is exactly a hobby blog. a blog that doesn’t make money has to be a hobby blog.
Whining about not making money from your blog is tiring and quite honestly I don’t care. If you want to make money from blogging, then figure out a business model that works for you and execute it. If that is ad dollars, then fine, if that is sponsorships, then fine, but that should be behind the scenes from the readers. Don’t blame your readers for not buying what your are selling, because quite honestly, you aren’t selling very well. I don’t buy from whiny salespeople, which is what I read more and more on this blog.
No doubt I totally suck in selling. Accounting was my major in college for a reason 🙂
But THINK about something. If I go and get me a “business model” to make some real money imagine the backlash here. Shoot, here is all the backlash I am getting with just a few whiny posts explaining away what goes through every little non pumping blogger’s mind….how tough it is to survive in this online space. A big part of the whining is done for educational purposes and, of course, entertainment. Just watch if I start implementing a piece of the “business plan” you will see more whiners come attack me. Reread Drew’s rant about this….I think we are talking about the same thing here!
Dude, ad dollars. Really? In a part time blog focusing on educated readers? Not happening!
Sponsorships? If it is Robo Form, sure. I am just not going out to bust doors to get someone to pay me to sponsor something, just not my style. And all the unsolicited pitches I have received I just could not agree to do business with them. Told them to stick their money up they know where! I do not understand what you mean “behind the scenes”. I don’t like doing this in a non transparent way, it is so slimey. I absolutely hate it I can not tell you what credit cards bring in. But when they kick me out I will…for educational purposes again.
Thanks for the feedback, it is appreciated you took the time to share it with me.
Now that I have my mini rant out of the way, here is why I doubt you will never make any money that is noteworthy off of this blog. It comes down to one thing organic traffic. I’m willing to go out on a limb and guess that your traffic is mostly direct traffic. To make money off of traffic you need organic traffic, that is traffic from search engines. Why? Because they convert, meaning they click links. Looking at your 3 main income streams, CCs, Amazon, and Media.net all require conversions to be profitable.
Media.net is not going to pay you jack based on pageviews unless your pageviews are massive. You need clicks on those ads, which you don’t get from direct traffic, you get it from people who are searching for something.
Same thing is true with the Amazon link. The type of site that will do well with Amazon are sites about product reviews or shopping deals, which this site is not. No one comes to TBB looking for information about the best blender and then clicks your link.
With respect to CCs the money is in newbies which again comes back to organic search traffic. Why do you think MMS has a million interviews with bloggers no one has ever heard of? Because linkbacks boost SEO ratings. Better SEO means more organic traffic which means more clicks and more conversions.
Your readership is the same group of people and it is not profitable.
I like your blog. I think you have a unique voice and I enjoy reading your opinions about the state of miles and points. Does that mean we are a bunch of ingrates and expect things for free like Andrew seems to imply? Maybe, but I don’t think blogs are about that. I think blogs are about putting ideas and thoughts out there. Most bloggers would be happy just to have a group of people as large as yours who enjoy reading what they have to say.
The problem is you categorize FTG, MMS, TPG, and all the other whores out there as blogs. They’re not blogs. They’re businesses. They are credit card advertisements disguised as a blog. It is insidious and profitable. You write a real blog. Most blogs are not profitable.
Ok, this is much better. Still glad got my rant out of the way responding to your rant 🙂
I would be happy if I got me a Greek salad at Panera every day out of my blog. Coffee too would be a bonus.
I know everything you said and I agree.
I just need to reduce the time spent on Feedly and blogs in general down by A LOT to make it congruent with most other personal blogs I guess.
Awesome post Scott.
DATE…FEBRUARY 31ST TIME… DUSK TILL DAWN LOCATION…SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS in the General Antonio López de Santa Anna meeting room located in the basement of THE ALAMO. HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS/DISCOUNTS…due to last years partying destruction and damage by Ric, Renee and Ramsey at the Motel 5, all TBB members will be banned from staying there this year. We are pleased to announce that Juanita’s Motel and Taco shop will be giving a 10% discount off there already low hourly stay rates. Also check to see if you were targeted by Amex Offers for additional 5% off Juanita’s Motel (as featured in Travel with Grant). FOOD…catering again this year by Sol and Irv’s Pizza and BBQ. BYOB, BYOP. for more info call 312-943-5397
Juanita Motel sounds very tempting, can’t wait! 🙂
Need some brainstorming help. Hey Scott, since you never click on links anyways, feel free to comment 🙂
10 years from now, what will people see as the biggest story in personal investing?
Pros and cons of providing students w/ 2 years of free college education per latest Obama proposal
Biggest mistake (or mistakes) people make when it comes to health care costs?
Any feedback is welcome. Brainstorming time.
How about realizing houses are not investments.
I think that already happened…many times. Maybe this time is different hehe
Free college is fine, if it’s online. What’s the point of college —as a physical place–anyway? Why should I travel in my car to the local school to learn Calculus from a prof that stands in front of 200 students? We are not interacting—he is talking AT me. And, for math, which hasn’t changed in, what, 100 years, there is no reason whatsoever that the class cant be taught by the best guy, on line.
Colleges are NOT adapting to the times. I would not support 2 years free education to prop up that institution as it currently is.
Hmm,interesting view point. Maybe the value is in interactive formative “college experience”?
Ok, I need to step away…..dang comments, all for free hehe
Dissenting opinion: free items are perceived as having no value. I know for myself I didn’t care about college until I had to pay for it. Graduation couldn’t come fast enough.
Great point. Thanks!
Can we start a change.org position to ban Lucky from the first world, on behalf of first-worlders everywhere?
“And even the good stuff, like the caramel creme, lacked any creativity in presentation.
Service throughout the meal was fine. Service was reasonably good when it actually happened, though I kind of felt like I only saw the flight attendant every 15 minutes or so”
Oh no! You had to suffer through a caramel creme looking like….. a caramel creme!!
And how is one supposed to get by on 14 WHOLE MINUTES between seeing flight attendants! Who do they think I am?!?!?!?
He has an army if idiots who’s gonna
defend him no matter what,
he’s the new Jesus. still waiting for
an explenation how his miles thing works…
I think the explanation is simple: use lots and lots of money.
i have stopped reading the trip reviews, they all look the same!
I did read the how I travel so much post. Not sure he explicitly stated i SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY to travel so much. Shockingly, he said the world “Churning”. Then, he proceeded to pump every freaking credit card he sells.
I was going to barf but then took my daughter to Starbucks intending to work on my other writing gig but instead here I am responding to Scott’s zingers and to some kid who recently did not have any credit cards.
I am now craving macadamia nuts 🙂
TBB, I don’t think Scott’s criticism is out of line. You *do* complain a LOT about how the blog doesn’t make you money. It’s reaaaaally boring to everyone.
Also, you talk about how you are going to change up the format of the blog and post less often and THAT is also very boring to read now.
I thought you were happy with what you were getting out of this hobby of yours: a place to vent and a way to improve your writing. Also, the neat things you shared with people and the money you saved them from not going down the wrong path—yup, you’re not getting paid for any of that but, WTF, I bet you are comfortable enough that you don’t need the extra cash.
When you talk about the money you are not making because people don’t click on your links, I think to myself that , yeah,maybe you are jealous of the pimpers. How sad is that , that you are jealous of them?
You are better than that, no?
I challenge you to go ONE WEEK without mentioning money and the time you spend on this blog. Just vent about the bastards, show us the neat things you found, and, for ONE WEEK, don’t think or talk about the money.
Another great post. Another reason why many of us just came for the comments from steve, harvson et al. We didnt want to be too presumptuous but hopefully George gets it.
I miss harvson.
I get it.
It is my blog and I can blog what I want.
You are just one reader. I respect your opinion. I don’t agree with it.
So many free loaders online…
I appreciate the feedback…and the criticism.
I think about the money, it is my job 🙂 I am going over Obama’s proposal to “simplify” college tax credits and I am getting angry. But I digress.
For 2 years straight I don’t think I mentioned money much at all here. So I talk about it here to show what goes through my mind and the struggles of what smaller bloggers go through.
I will be MORE happy if someone posted here “Hey TBB I used so and so’s ccl links to help the fight against the pumpers”. Instead I get people who say stuff “I never use any affiliate links”. You have no idea how demoralizing that is to me AND to many other bloggers out there!
I am very comfortable. I don’t need the money. I also don’t need this blog anymore. But I believe I am making a difference in some way and I still dig it. BUT believe me when I say I have OTHER uses for my time that could have a heck of a lot more meaningful impact to soften the coming steep college education bills. Yet I choose to spend lots of time going through Feedly and making a daily post and to be told “I never use your links” is, well, like I said previously.
Why are all of you jumping at me and telling me to shut up talking about the internal struggles of keeping up a blog of some standards? You are not paying for any of this anyway! I am starting to feel like Drew now 🙂
Just fuckit. No post tomorrow, I am going on strike.
I also think the Patriots should be given the death penalty…
This blogging world just keeps amazing me. I am starting to feel like FTG and DP just now…about all the angry haters 🙂
One thing I learned is…online you must take all kinds of crap so since I deal with so much crap in Feedly all day long I think I am qualified to take it.
All I am saying is PLEASE SUPPORT the good bloggers. Go out of your way to support them. Ciick the crap out of their links. If not, they fade away. Leaving behind the big mega pumpers to win who then keep pump even more. And THAT is the most hurtful & unfair outcome.
It takes a special kind of insane person to do this in this pace for such a low monetary reward. I don’t have to do it, I could spend the time on my own job, earn more, burn more, exercise more, have more sex, watch more movies, whatever. But I feel kind of obligated to my friends and family and many readers who tell me not to quit. I wish they told me to quit to make it easier 🙂
I am rambling. Or it is I am avoiding writing about this Obama proposal which does not make sense at all and I think it is dead on the water.
I am not jealous. It is what it is. I am blessed and grateful of what I have. I am really blogging what is in my mind, about myself unlike Gary Leff lol. How hypocritical of me it would be not to say what is on my mind? I see the point of the other bloggers how so many people expect everything for free online. It is kind of fascinating actually what transpires and behaviors and opinions develop. Second to last client has been reading me (obviously not here lol) and said he only wanted to work with me because he was convinced I would be the best person to take care of his wife if he is gone. Wow, talk about being sold. Did I just say that, wow! I am being affected by all this selling I guess.
Ok, back to Obama. If you have a 529 Plan you should be very pissed. Story at 11. Not at TBB though. Dealing with deflated balls.
To infinity and…macadamia nuts!
You’re getting jumped on because the tone of your blog has changed. In the last month or so you started bitching incessantly about us not using your clicks, implying that we are ungrateful, and calling us freeloaders.
Even if I did use links why would I waste them on person who thinks his readers are freeloaders?
Thank you for reaffirming why I think affiliate links are the devil in this hobby.
Affiliate links are the devil in this hobby for sure. But you don’t want to support someone like Drew?
The only thing you accomplish by not clicking on affiliate links is helping smaller blogs lose their links quicker. Out of those smaller blogs, a lot of them are complete crap and deserve to lose them. But among them there are also good ones as well who should be supported.
I understand that. In the big picture I think the hobby is better off without them so I choose not to use them. When you tell people to only support the good blogs it’s too subjective. While I think TIF is a great blog a lot of people might think OMAAT is a great blog and support him. I think it’s an ill-defined principle. I’m not going to support a system that is ruining things.
My thoughts exactly. Affiliate links have ruined this hobby. The only solution is to not click on any.
I dunno why that’s so demoralizing? This blog wasn’t about making money to start with – or was it – and you were just building an audience? As Scott has mentioned, the audience you’ve attracted isn’t The Lazy and The Incompetent – those fools are preyed on by the Titans with all the click bait and dubious recommendations (click here!!!).
Most of us here understand how insidious it is to “support the good blogs”. As far as I’m concerned, you are as close as it gets – because you rip on the sleazebags that infest this hobby. People like Frequent Miler are often praised (for whatever friggin reason) for his “good” blogging. But he’s the Devil from my perspective – worse than the pimps – because his raison d’etre is to out means and methods – which has killed this hobby in the last year, as dozens of formerly good methods have vanished thru obscene overexposure, all being done so they can pimp credit cards. So while I detest the likes of Mommy Pimp, who pimps her daughter and pretends she’s some sort of “family” blogger, she does less ultimate destruction to the hobby than those who out methods to the ever-watching corporations we are trying to prey on.
As for the smaller blogs, 99.9999999999% are pure shite and deserve to die, the sooner the better.
I once voted for Ralph Nader, please hear me out 🙂 The reason was I was sick of both parties and just wanted to vote my consciousness and send a message to the establishment/system/entitled douchebags. I felt better for doing something right. Well, WTF, it was a wasted vote! I am now embarrassed even mentioning it here and people will bust my balls about whining again lol.
Sometimes you gotta fight the system from within. Affiliate links exist and they are NOT going away! It is a part of doing business online, PERIOD. Have they ruined our little obscure quirky hobby? YES, I don’t think too many doubt that by now, I mean look around the Titanic landscape every day posting hideous crap they pass as “expertise” and just keep on pumping the newbie crowd!
But there are good bloggers out there who work hard and do things right and post stuff that could enhance people’s lives. My little blog here is primarily for entertainment and being an unofficial blog reviewer (have always been a fan of Ebert!). You have NO IDEA what it takes to produce something here CONSISTENTLY, NO IDEA! Sometimes I bang my head on the wall saying “WTF am I doing here still, this is complete insanity”. For some insane reason…I keep going while knowing my blog will never make Titanic money and I very fine with that. But making $0 or $1 every day & seeing that IS demoralizing dude. This is not a cut and paste operation like PP&Ms! I put effort into this and I do enjoy it or maybe I am just into S&M lol.
Here is my main point: Small worthy blogs that enhance our space GIVE UP after three months or so because they see no tangible support. At one point, sooner or later, they say “Phuck it, this is not worth my time anymore”. My whining here about this is more designed to get this point across so everyone becomes more aware of it and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, new bloggers read it and learn and think HARD before they start their own blog to, you know, help friends & family.
I could use a ghost intern replying to comments so I could be pumping my links hey? LOL
>>>>>bitching incessantly
We have very different versions of what constitutes “incessantly”!
>>>>>implying that we are ungrateful
You can imply whatever you want, out of my control. Some surely are. It happens a lot online, no problem.
>>>>>>and calling us freeloaders
As far as I can recall, this is my FIRST time I ever used this word.
>>>>>>>affiliate links are the devil in this hobby
Yes, they are. They completely changed this quirky hobby. It has now become a business. Instead of fighting YOUR way, do you think you may be hurting this hobby instead by driving worthy smaller blogs out of trying to offer something constructive? I believe your way is NOT the way to do it! Sometimes you got to fight the system from within. Reveal all book is coming out when I get kicked out #hint. Because we can all use some transparency you know.
I think readers should do what they can to help bloggers THEY find helps them in whatever way they find important. Yes it is subjective. It is up to THEM to decide which ones deserve the support. If a reader wants to support OMAAT (why are we picking on him anyway?) so be it, fine. If you want to support no one and still read us fine too. But please don’t keep commenting “I do not use any affiliate links”…it drives me nuts as much as a legendary MMS cc barrage or multi part trip report.
Again, what I am saying is…Your chosen behavior to improve the system is harming it because the systems can be changed when smaller blogs steal clicks from the bigger commercial blogs because of their QUALITY content. Not SEO crap.
Can someone check my Alexa rankings? All these comments must have raised them way up hey? 🙂
Chris: I agree with you. Please tell me you used Drew’s links every chance you get, it makes me happy. What does NOT make me happy is coming here and being told I never use any affiliate links. Just don’t say it Scott. Thanks.
I’ve never even thought of my readers as freeloaders let alone saying it, even just once. Granted I only know your online personality but, wow, I can’t believe how contemptuous you are.
i used the word once & you are making it sound like “Ballghazi” or something, geesh.
In the online world there is a lot of freeloading. FACT.
Dude, you’re giving up sex to read through feedly and write this crap? Moron.
My blogging career “hits” just keep on coming…Aren’t we allowed to have headaches too? Right leg (scoring one) pains?
Can’t make enough for a small coffee at Panera
Giving up sex to blog to make less than enough to buy small coffee at Panera
JeSuisMoron
No blog post to protest my moronic ways. Sticking to it this time…
JeSuisKardashian’sAss
JeSuisGreekStupidGoat
JeSuisMalakas
I love you guys 🙂
Oh my. I was happy to see 55 comments after some time but after reading all of them, sort of feeling bad. As a reader, i agree that good bloggers need to be supported. If readers dont, who will? I dont see anything wrong in affiliate links as long as it supports good bloggers out there. I dont pay anything for it. The companies pay from their profit or funds allocated for that purpose. If good people dont get it, it is going to go to the crappy bloggers. Is that what we want? Also i love these people who are providing good content and showing the right path to a generation struggling to find the right path in all dimensions of life. I want to show my love for them by using the links. I will continue doing so till i am able to.
I love you man!
I still want to know why Pumpmeister Dan lost his Chase links. How could that guy not have enough conversions?
In other news, I see he now says he has an AMEX commercial relationship in his posts.
So, on the debate of whether or not links are a good thing, should we be happy or unhappy that Dan lost his links? Will he now write about other cards more, and less about Chase? My guess is “yes”
I think Steve stated his position about Dan above which I agree with.
Yes 🙂
Good news, George — I have a few things to order on Amazon. Enjoy the unexpected windfall!!!
I love you too!
Wow quite the day yesterday. Some of your readers are right George. As an ex blogger Ii can tell you I wa
Sorry I hit the wrong button As I was saying, as an ex blogger I never felt demoralized when somebody used a public link or that of another blogger. I just figured I had not earned the business and somebody else had. It is always the readers choice and “begging” for the clicks by talking about how little you are making is the wrong way to go. I think the message George is getting here is one of two things are in play:
1 His readership is too small, and they have lousy credit scores OR
2. George hasn’t earned the business
I’d redo the basic “template” of the blog which in its following form is not working. At present you have:
1. Synopsis
2. Begging for the business
3. The blogs strongest point, George’s ability to find great online content
4. Whining with envy about the bloggers that decided to make their blogs commercial enterprises.
5. Complaining about how little you earn and pumping again for your readers to support you.
Why don’t you think about a model like this:
1. Synopsis
2. Provide more great content that you find online. Then provide some more great content. Then even more positive content. Blogs are successful only by content content content that the READERS want, not what you want to whine about.
3. If you must beg for the business, at least do it at the end of the post, AFTER you have provided the worthwhile content.
Hasn’t it become clear that the content the newbies want is coming from the commercial blogs. Hasn’t it become clear the content the advanced players want is coming from the blogs like Travel is Free? Your whining is not going to change that. If you stay on this course 3 years from now you will have written another 1000 posts without increasing your audience and still be earning close to NADA.
We’ve have our disagreements over the years, but the facts and the results of the time in the space and the results you are now getting from your lack of reader support are the facts.
If you want to continue to whine and criticize others, like you say, that is your choice. I for one would, like more off the wall interesting content that you fine online. That you do a great job of.
Best to you George
Just another reader, NOT using your links
Well, that was not too bad, so thanks 🙂
I could respond in more detail but I am behind today as I started my day with a physical and a prostate exam. Thankfully, it ended with a ‘You ‘re in excellent health”. Now I am downing coffee at Panera since I had to fast for 12 hours.
I wanted to show the world non pumping blogs can succeed commercially too. Obviously, this is not the case and that is truly sad for the state of our quirky hobby. It means pumping blogs “selling” fake expertise and pummeling their readers non stop with sales pitches without truly educating them and putting them FIRST continue to succeed in commercial terms. Definitely not on quality which we obviously differ on the standards.
Funny how it has now come to “begging”. Maybe I want to discourage potential Titan wannabes that they are better off focusing their time and efforts elsewhere. There are so many misconceptions of working online. It comes back to education. If TBB with so many readers makes this much from his blog why would I bother even starting one? I can think of many cases of people who should just stop blogging, they are hurting themselves!
As I said many times, I have been around the block and can judge quality when it comes to this space. TIF deserves to do better comercially and I would love it to have readers tell me “I never use your links TBB because I use TIF’s every freaking time!’. Or others in the Like and Ignore list. Or some other smaller bloggers too they like. Heck, a big bulk of my blog’s revenue went to some good souls TIF knows trying to adopt children and give them a better life. And no tax deduction either!
Ok, no more “begging”. I do intend to have an all out reveal post when I post my OTR-like epitaph 🙂 The reason: Real job is kicking my ass and I like it more than this mental escape.
I am taking the day off to protest all your whining about my whining lol.
I beg only to help quality blogs and use their links to help them keep going…
You should do a book (e-book) writing about juicy details about what transpired in your blogging career. Give us numbers & give us names. Get a ghost writer to interview you to weave into some good stories. And sell the crap out of it 🙂
Rick, I think you are exaggerating what TBBs readers are saying, to suit your purpose.
For example, I think this (what you wrote) is flatout wrong:
“I think the message George is getting here is one of two things are in play:
1 His readership is too small, and they have lousy credit scores OR
2. George hasn’t earned the business”
George is not getting clicks because his readers are ultra savvy. As such, we don’t click on a link unless it is the best one out there. George only has a very few, via creditcards.com, that fall into this category of “best out there”, so we go elsewhere.
The other reason he is not getting clicks might be for “philosophical reasons” (read what Scott wrote).
He has certainly earned the business but his readers are not lemmings that click because some “travel guru” told them it was a good idea to.
Rick has never been about the truth. Just what lines his pockets. He’s a dinosaur and irrelevant.
All that coke he snorted must have scrambled his brain. That would explain a lot of his senseless ramblimgs
Its this kind of comment that helps shows the true color of some of your readers. Angry and out of touch. I never had the guts to try coke.. I would have liked it too much
I was offered coke once in a party in college. I refused. I did not refuse the joints that came out later. I am all for natural ingredients. Legalize it, not just in Colorado! Get the profits out of the system, release all pot use law violators in jail now, no more war on drugs, fight back on ball deflators and pickup flag zebras!
I agree with bluecat.
I miss Best Offers Patrol 🙂
Hey James, not really necessary, don’t be angry 🙂
My Alexa rankings must be off the roof lol.
I am going to use his links next app spree. Just need to quit whining like bluecat alluded to.
I love you too when you do that 🙂
rick I makes some good points on what TBB currently presents. He misses the mark by a mile on TBB readers having poor credit scores or not earning their business (may be seeing the world through his own dark sunglasses there).
The big-and I think fundamental-error is thinking that TBB criticizes bloggers for making their blogs commercial enterprises. Classic debate strategy-assign an easily attackable attribute to the other side, then attack. TBB has criticized blogs for pushing products that pay them while ignoring those that do not pay them, all while giving out advice (some good, some terrible) clothed to seem like they are your pal, just there to help you. That’s at best disingenuous (look it up), and in some cases outright deceptive.
TBB does not provide “content the newbies want” and if that’s your goal, jump right in and have dinner at McDonalds.
And if all that’s building a commercial enterprise you’re proud of, then beam me up, Scottie.
I have no doubt that TBB readers have very high credit scores. Obviously i have no data to prove it. But I am as confident saying that as I am that Delta Skymiles still suck 🙂
I think Sam absolutely nails it here:
TBB has criticized blogs for pushing products that pay them while ignoring those that do not pay them, all while giving out advice (some good, some terrible) clothed to seem like they are your pal, just there to help you. That’s at best disingenuous (look it up), and in some cases outright deceptive.
Thanks.
With line of thought, have you ever seen a ford dealer pushing Chevy? How about coke pushing Pepsi? Mcdonalds pushing the Whopper?
Commercial is “for profit” and George ain’t gonna change it. They sell what they get paid for. Makes sense to me. Why two plus years with the same complaint? If he highlighted the blogs he likes and actually ignores the ones he doesn’t instead of whining, he’d actually be contributing positively to the space
>>>>>If he highlighted the blogs he likes and actually ignores the ones he doesn’t instead of whining, he’d actually be contributing positively to the space.
Wrong! Someone needs to tell the newbies before they take too long to figure it all out. It is part of the “education” part of the mission dude!
Nothing wrong with selling product. Just flat out admit you are a credit card salesman first and not an expert. Got me a binder full of credit card salesmen experts, they are all in the Ignore list. I want to help smaller bloggers who still do this as a hobby and are heck of a lot more experts than the pumpers who excel in, well, pumping 🙂 If money comes along for them, sweet. Because they deserve it. Soooo…how are my Alexa rankings? 🙂
TBB
RobinHoodofNewbies
Will I make it to the Post Office before it closes? Discuss 🙂
“Wrong! Someone needs to tell the newbies before they take too long to figure it all out. It is part of the “education” part of the mission dude!”
Well, I think this is where the failure of your business model lies. If you are looking to educate newbies, then I bet your are missing your target audience by a mile. I would bet newbies aren’t coming to this site to be educated very often. Only the more veteran advanced audience that has already soured on the commercial bloggers are coming here to be entertained by your rantings. How are newbies going to find your site and be educated? Are you SEO optimized? Do you have links back to your site on different travel sites? How would a “newbie” even find your site to be educated?
If your purpose is to be sarcastic and criticize the blogging community for the entertainment of the jaded, then you are probably a success. However, if your purpose is to educate the “newbies” and ensure that they are educated, then you are probably not a success for the simple reason that you are not reaching the newbies at all.
In addition to not being able to find the site, when they do, 99.9% leave because of the negativity and demeaning way people are treated and talked about. The .1% that stay enjoy the tearing down of others or at least condone it. And to think that the readers here are the advanced player is a stretch as well.
In my humble opinion, it more correctly reflects the part of the hobby that enjoys or at least condones the tearing down and demeaning of others:. aka the “Angries”
But then again, just my opinion, that happens to be born out by the lack of income and small audience.
Yawn.
You are so wrong it is inconceivable to even attempt to logic with you. We’ve been here before many times so it is just fun messing with you.
Never got a report on my Alexa numbers. Rats!
Over 100 comments wow. And I don’t even have to give anything away to get a fifth of that 🙂
Waiting for the zinger about the comments next…
Thanks for contributing to the entertainment part of the TBB mission as always. You know you like this back and forth 😉 I sure do. You know I am laughing right now…again, thanks!
@Rick
By your logic, the majority of people on FT are also angries then. I don’t see many people on FT liking the bloggers. Some of them do enjoy OMAAT. I don’t see many people on it saying good things about FTG, TPG or the bowtie esp people on the MS forum. Not that it (MS forum) is a good forum to begin with.
Well I guess we can continue to agree to disagree and that’s just fine with me being irrelevant and all 🙂
But it doesn’t seem to get to George, that he is going to need to change a few things if he wants to meet expenses. I’d hate to see him write that extra 1000 posts in the next 3 years with the same results he’s getting now.
The fact still remains (and you can call me all the names you want) the current model is not working, It has been in effect long enough to go through all his readers churning cycle and many of you are complaining about his whining.
Spin it however you want. Some of you are pissed. The Mrs. is pissed, and George is frustrated and its beginning to show.
The ball is in George’s court to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results (insanity) OR ???
Could always try the Roadhouse approach “Just Be Nice”
I am pissed that readers go to the big commercial blogs for miles/points advice when they can get much better advice elsewhere. If it is worth being pissed at something, THIS IS IT!
Revenues have way out done expenses (in relative non pimping levels). TBB is even contributing its share to the SEP IRA for 2014. Actually, it is probably more than I expected and am elated on the response by readers so far. The whining is part of the entertainment and the education.
Is it frustrating sometimes? Yes. So is life, relax.
I have proved to myself I can keep a blog with some audience for more than three months. Commercial success was never part of the agenda. Heck, making enough for a greek salad and a coffee at Panera is good enough for me. Actually in 2014 I managed to get the greek salad paid for daily #winning.
Change is part of life, there will always be tweaking. Frankly, I am getting a little bored lately…
I need another challenge perhaps…
So, dear readers, let’s prove Rick wrong, click all my links. Just imagine one of my links was clicked every time an affiliate link appeared on FTG!!! OMG, best fantasy ever!!!….I could retire and blog on here amusing myself and everyone every day then and perhaps start a real non profit organization hehe.
Thursday sandwiches lunch special at Whole Foods went up by $1, booooooo!
Whether George’s blog is a success depends on how you define your terms. As a blog, that is putting forth ideas and engaging with your readers, I think TBB is a huge success.
As a business? It would seem like it has not been a success.
If I were George I would figure out what my priorities are and move on from there. Is it making money off a blog or is it having a place to voice your opinion and sharing ideas with others? If it’s the later then forget about the money and just do what you want.
For the last two years it would seem like TBB was about putting out a message. Now? It seems like there is a lot of complaining about not making money. I know I am not alone in being turned off by the tone.
George you say you don’t pay attention to the numbers but I think you should. Has your readership gone up or down since adding links? If it’s down, I don’t think the decline is due to links but it might be to the change in tone. From a loyal reader I hope you take my critique seriously. Stop talking about no one using your links. Put your support TBB thing at the top and bottom. In between focus on content.
Hell George, you’re well traveled enough put in a review on a product you use and why you like it and include a direct link with amazon. You’ll probably have much better success with that than current approach. Hmm, I think I just gave myself an idea for my blog.
Great comment, I believe in you 🙂
If you had told me I would have a blog that is read by more than friends and family I would not believe you. My original goal was to just give it a shot for 3 months, be different, contribute something positive. Never spent more than 1% (stretching it) on monetizing stuff for two straight years! Don’t get me started about comments…In this department it has been a huge success…which is even MORE surprising to me!
But you know how much goes into a blog. Especially one that is about reviewing other blogs and is being kept up daily (except today, I went on strike!). So I would like to make a little bit of money from loyal readers who know their stuff anyway. The ratio of labor vs $$ is so far OUT OF WHACK that it amazes me people are still starting blogs. I got another email today “hi, I started a blog, please be gentle with me, would love your feedback”. My first question would be: “Why??”.
Ok, I got the message. But, for the record, two readers got credit cards in the past two days. Whining works dude. Just like pumping does. It is..kind of sad 🙂
If this was about the money it would still not be going strong after 27 months. Sometimes I feel like Drew who is busting his butt for what $20k per year? So ludicrous. It is about supporting worthy bloggers dude to keep going.
I don’t know if my readership has gone down or up. I have not been at google analytics in months or Alexa in years. I see daily views as I log into WordPress. It fluctuates. Saturdays are always the lowest traffic days…consistently!
I have always had the “Support TBB” blurb on top, never at the bottom. I will stop whining…but it does kind of entertain me and my blog is primarily an avenue for my own entertainment 🙂
I did the personal finance books post. They are awesome. And I did a post about amazing Robo Form software. Other than that, I am not going to go out of my way to do posts and insert my affiliate link in them. I just can’t do it.
This online world is weird. Doing business online is even more weird. I have learned a lot and keep learning every day.
You all chillax a little. Show your outrage against the pumpers, who cares about this whining angry Greek dude who had never heard of macarons 🙂
I was a newbie once, and now i know – how i wasted my time in FTG site. Wish i could educate others like TBB (with less whining :))
Thanks. If it wasn’t for comments like yours I would have folded a long time ago 🙂
Is stating the blog’s revenue whining? I think of it as full disclosure 🙂
I am taking a day off from Feedly, just spending it here working on my Alexa rankings #whiningpimp
I am having this intense craving to eat a macaron today and see what’s the fuss all about!
Can we get a response from the CHASE MARKETING MACHINE on what happened to Dan’s links?
I see that in my absence, Rick hasn’t dropped the Grandpa Simpson routine – excellent for entertainment purposes
Does he have an onion tied to his belt? It was the style at the time…
YOU THINK JUST ANYONE CAN GET OUR LINKS? THINK AGAIN, FRIEND.
LOL…
Got a sweet email from reader that he applied for a CSP with my links. So…together we will take over the World CHASE MARKETING MACHINE!!!
Enter youtubevideo of Hanz & Franz : “We are here to, clap, pump you up”
I’ve been a lurker for a while. While we’re all piling on, it seems in the beginning you were outraged at all the Travel bloggers and calling them out for selling credit card links. You were to be the lone voice of reason in, according to you, a murky, smoke filled, illicit credit card pimping world.
Then you thought, well this looks easy – anyone can do it and make money, so you had a go. You bought your own domain, hosting account, and relied on content that basically consisted of critiqued others writings.
Now that things aren’t going your way financially, and no one has changed anything in the travel blog world according to your outrage, now you’re outraged.
It seems you’re links and credit card links aren’t making it a break even or profitable affair, so why not go back to the beginning, and go back to a blogger.com account or something free?
Then you’ll have to freedom to do your rants without worrying about trying to break even which I think will give you the freedom to return to what your original purpose was.
From my standpoint, i think it’s funny that you are so outraged that people would push credit cards. I’m not sure what you do in the financial world, but I can imagine that you’re not always giving your clients “the best offer out there” and have built in financial incentives to push / buy / sell different things. I’m not begrudging the fact as we all have financial incentives that makes us pick A over B – but this whole outrage over people having links and being financially motivated to push those links is amusing.
I hope you find your niche again as it seems the very small amount of your “fans” who also were originally outraged and now outraged over your change in tone in the same way that you have your vitriol toward travel bloggers and are turning on you as well.
Just like First2Board giving in after declaring from the roof tops that their differentiation was being link free, it’s time to exhale and just admit that it’s ok to earn some additional money.
I’ll now return to my lurking, thanks.
Mr Lurker
Mr Lurker,
Thanks for de-lurking (real world?) and giving me your feedback. I think people who do that are showing me they care. I know even Rick does. Just not Stevesucks 😉
Who said I have stopped being outraged by the relentless pumping selling fake expertise? No sir, never. I have always said nothing wrong with using affiliate links! It’s the ridiculous pounding of them every single blog post….I am not sure you have been reading me from day one,how can you think that??
I still think I am the voice of reason. If you disagree oh well, not the end of the world.
Doing this in Blogger hosted at Google was a big mistake. I should have bone WordPress from day one. To all new bloggers, screw Blogger and blospot. Get own domain & hosting, use WordPress from day one! Saves you so much headaches!
>>>>>>>>Now that things aren’t going your way financially…
Seriously, it’s okay. I may whine a little bit more here but it is more to educate wanna be Titans that this is THE way to get rich quick. It is not!
It’s a work in progress. Blogging is profitable if you consider no charge for the labor involved 🙂 It is fine, If I did not enjoy it I would not do it. Greeks like to bitch in general 🙂
About the real world out there, how come you have not figured out what I do, almost everyone has! I don’t sell products whatsoever. I sell advice. Fees are fully stated for all to see and clients pay me directly. No funny commission or other behind your back crap. Feel free to email me if you want more. And I am no longer accepting new clients at the time being. Too busy selling credit cards. And that was a joke 🙂
Nothing wrong with selling credit cards or pushing affiliate links, they are not going away! Its the extent of it, how much they drive content and whether you are a true expert. I think readers can get so much better advice than the big commercial blogs. That’s all.
My blog is about entertainment, education and rarely inspiration.
Frankly, I can’t believe I am still here.
And tomorrow’s blog post will be very good! If you missed me today blame all the anti TBB whiners here.
Ok, that was a joke too. Or just blame Scott woohoo!
TBB
neverhadmacaronsyet
What did I do? Also I’m pro TBB. That’s why I care (que sappy music)
Kumbaya…with macarons!
Ohcrap, got my piyo class tonight. That’s pliates with yoga mix. I am still sore from last Thursday. There I go whining again lol.
I’m sorry but this is just pissing me off and making me an ‘angry’.
You do know it’s ‘macaroon’ and not ‘macaron’, right? The number of times you’ve spelled it the second way the past couple of days leads me to believe you don’t. But I’m just checking…..
Actually they are two different things. A Macaron is a French meringue pastry. A Macaroon is a coconut or almond based cookie type thing. George s referring to the French Macaron thus his spelling is correct.
Love to Scott, who understands the French 🙂 and gets the difference.
Actually I had never heard of this thing, only macaroni!
I was thinking macaroon was misspelled…you know someone typing on their phone & held the o a fraction of a second longer!
And now you are telling me they are two different words??? It is freaking me out, after downing a large quantity of red wine lol.
So, thanks to Scott, I was right all along. Who knew! And THIS is an intangible benefit of blogging, actually learning from YOU!
And for Pete’s sake…don’t be angry!
Now I am going to go to the new blog post and just laugh at the weight lifting gifs before I go to bed.
Thanks!