We bring you the latest on the mega coronavirus surge, how to Chase Pay Yourself points, warn you about PPP Fraud, extinction for restaurants, the best Covid-19 coverage, best travel photography, where not to go to buy alcohol, travel to Dolomites and Barcelona, we go into a very long list of Trump’s cruelties, we dive into conspiracies, sex crazed cicadas, a good history lesson about China and a lot more as the blog is contemplating changes in July to make me feel better for pouring hours into it and earning $1.28 over the weekend, sad!
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I’ll see you Friday….
QUESTION FOR BLOG READERS
IF this blog goes down to once a week posting, what WEEK DAY would you like to see the post come out? Leaning towards Thursday, go ahead, change my mind.
COVID-19
I am still trying to understand how these viruses work in general. This is probably the best visual explanation I have seen: Inside the Coronavirus.
We have spent trillions of dollars and counting…only to get to this after all these months, WTF! The Second Coronavirus Surge is Here. For an updated chart, check this one out. I am starting with these because a blog reader recently called me unethical and clickbait whore (basically) for…focusing on the number of cases, so there… š
And just to pour it on: Florida reports massive single-day increase of 9,000 coronavirus cases. If only someone had warned them, smh!
Oh, wait, say what? CDC says COVID-19 cases in U.S. may be 10 times higher than reported.
I am noticing people around me and I see younger people totally oblivious to what is going on. Recently, up in East Lansing, Michigan, the home of Michigan State University, there were a bunch of students at a bar without any masks or social distancing (in a bar, lol!) and we are close to 100 who got infected by Covid-19. And I am sure they were all like “I could not beliebe it!”. What did we expect? So, I attribute this to them…but maybe there is something else going on? Bottom line, many of the younger infected people are asymptomatic and are most likely responsible for the spike in infections, no doubt!Ā As Virus Surges, Younger People Account for āDisturbingā Number of Cases.
āWhat is clear is that the proportion of people who are younger appears to have dramatically changed,ā said Joseph McCormick, a professor of epidemiology at UTHealth School of Public Health in Brownsville. āItās really quite disturbing.ā [Sure is dude!]
But we do have good news out there too! Coronavirus death rate falling in hospitals. The medical people have learned a lot about what works or not treating patients and this will continue.
We have a long way to go here…The Secret to a Safe Reopening
By contrast, countries that didnāt shore up their ability to test, trace, and isolate before reopening have proved much less able to respond to new outbreaks. The United States and Brazil are in this boat, but so are the United Kingdom and, to a lesser degree, Sweden, both of which have relaxed restrictions and taken steps to reopen despite lingering questions about their ability to identify and contain outbreaks and to protect the vulnerable.
Yeah, I think years from now there will be investigations about WTF happened to the CDC! The CDC Lost Control Of The Coronavirus Pandemic. Then The Agency Disappeared. The mistakes have been tremendous bordering to criminally incompetent, sad!
DJ Patil was the Chief Data Scientist of the United States Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2015 to 2017. He has some recommendations on what to do…if only we had competent people running things with proper leadership at the top hey? 6 lessons learned to get ready for the next wave of COVID. He may be lobbying to come back with Biden…
I think I read in the local press (online of course, not much in print anymore, how sad!) that out of the 107 dead from Covid-19 in my county more than half were 80 years and older. Not a huge surprise. But what shocked me was…that only one was under 50! Sometimes I feel…let me just get it so I get it over with…because I feel strong enough to beat the crap out of it. But, then, what if…
MILES & POINTS
HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: The Citi Business American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard offer is 65,000 AA miles. The IHG Rewards Club card offering 140k points too, highest ever. For a standard workhorse card I recommend the 60k Chase Sapphire Preferred card. For a standard premium card I recommend the 50k Chase Sapphire Reserve card. For a standard 2% cash back card I recommend the Citi Double Cash card. Available with my links. Lets move on!
I have added above the 65,000 AA miles offer for the Citi Business American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard. If you decide to get it, please support the blog by using my links, thank you. Ask in the comments or email me with questions.
Well, our hobby is pretty much stuck in a weird suspended mode. Not much traveling going on. Yeah, some of us are still earning miles and points from current spend because, well, we don’t know what else to do lol. But the grand plans of scheming to earn miles/points in great quantities and planning amazing trips are…just not happening. And now we are looking to unload some of our banked balances: Why I Redeemed 1/3 of my Chase Ultimate Rewards Points with the Pay Yourself Back Feature.
I had a calendar reminder to log into my Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer account to burn 51,000 miles expiring at the end of June. Only to see that the airline extended their life another six months, phew!
TRAVEL
This is just wonderful: The Haunting Beauty of a Hut-to-Hut Hike in the Dolomites.
We continue with more amazing stuff. Breathtaking Aerial Shots Of Barcelona, Revealing The Cityās Symmetry.
Well, if you travel there, bring some dinero if you want to drink: These countries have the most expensive alcohol in the world.
PERSONAL FINANCE
Excellent read: Breaking The Rules.
I have stated this before…brace for shocking fraud to be uncovered in the future on all this PPP money given away: The rapid rollout of the Paycheck Protection Program raises fraud risk, government watchdog finds.
CURRENT EVENTS/POLITICS
I know my blog’s conversions absolutely suck more than ever. I could really help this goal if I made my blog completely void of politics so some of my conservative readers (whoever is left) may support it with some clicks. But then…that would not be me! So, I lay it all out here as always and let the clicks fall where they may…which is elsewhere, sad lol! And now something to drive away the few Trump supporters who found their way to my blog by pure accident woohoo! A Catalog of Trumpās Worst Cruelties, Collusions, Corruptions, and Crimes. Yikes!
It sure seems like we run into conspiracies so often these days! Youāre Living in the Golden Age of Conspiracy Theories.
āThis pandemic is ripe ground for conspiracy theories, precisely because a lot of the psychological elements that give rise to conspiracy theories are heightened: powerlessness and anxiety and uncertainty,ā Enders says. āIn the middle of a pandemic, all we have is anxiety. It stems from uncertainty: Whatās actually happening? When is this gonna be over? When will we have a vaccine? How are things going to work when states start opening?ā
Trying to reason with these conspiracy nuts is a waste of time, the key is to outvote them š
Thereās no amount of evidence, in some peopleās minds, that you could ever bring to bear on a question to make them disbelieve in a particular conspiracy theory, because every new piece of evidence is part of the conspiracy. So, if weāre talking about people on the reasonably high end of the conspiracy thinking spectrum, for them, thereās never an end. [the bold font was added by me for emphasis, I see you nodding your head š ]
There is a long history of how the Republican party is staying white when the country is becoming less and less white. The Republican Choice. How a party spent decades making itself white. And with that…the last Republican reader left my blog to go read…View From The Wing LOL!
ODDZ & ENDZ
In Ann Arbor we have had eleven restaurants that have already closed. There are more coming. It is sad to watch this…but this industry, along with travel and events (concerts/sports/conferences), are getting hit like never before! An Extinction Event for Americaās Restaurants. Start adjusting to the fact that there is going to be a lot less of them around…I must warn you that reading this may depress you too!
Sure, some of the restaurants you know and love will return. But anywhere from 20 to 80 percent will permanently close, according to the latest estimates.
This is a deep and long article on China’s Approach to Global Governance. And it is extremely educational!
Well, you would have never guessed: 8 Slowest Animals in the World. Half of them I did not even know! See all the cool stuff you learn here that you can use to show off to your friends…via Zoom?
Dude finds caterpillars in the broccoli he bought and…you won’t believe what happened next!
They are baaaaaaaack! Invading Cicadas May Turn Into Sex-Crazed Zombies This Summer. Wait, there is more…OMG! Millions of cicadas are making a joyous debut after 17 years underground ā except those whose butts and genitals have been eaten by a fungus.Ā
BLOG BUZZ
We are now entering BLOG BUZZ, a section for advanced hobbyists and veterans of this fast imploding hobby and also a section where I go on and on about some stuff that happens in my life because it helps me feel better about myself.
In June I ran 120 miles! Only two PR times, this 10 mile run this past weekend and an 8 mile run earlier this month. Both by less than one minute, sad! As I get older, these PR times are falling less and less…
Another song recommendation from my youth, 30 years ago Sonic Youth came out with the album “Goo”…which still sounds fresh to this day! And my favorite singer š
And I leave you with this…
TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com
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Good morning!
Thursday would be a good day.
The conspiracy piece was weak giving no historical context. There is a remarkable literature on the role of the Masons in the French revolution. Somehow Masons became Jews. Just a year or so ago one of the local elected officials around here was explaining how the Rothschild family controlled the weather. (And not using this for bets on futures. This was to make think it couldn’t be Jews who wouldn’t pass up a sure bet?)
Conspiracy gets rid of randomness.
The alcohol price stat is a classic case in which median would be more illustrative than mean. As it happens, I was in Sri Lanka in March (would totally not have gone on that trip knowing what we know now) and alcohol was cheap everywhere – even at high end resorts.
āAnywhere from 20 to 80 percent will close…ā
Standard deviation doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Why not just say 0 to 100 then?
Mean or median, either way it looks like I’m going to have to move to Azerbaijan…
Picky readers today, bitchinā about TBB nits. I sure got my $1.28 worth.
Hey, Buzz-
Q3 is 5x for Amazon on those Freedom cards. Letās all hit the Buzzerās links. If that doesnāt work, go paywall but leave the intros open to everyone. Sorta like the WSJ-tempt āem into paying up.
Meanwhile, Iām plotting to sell 3/3 of my URs, hoping Citi gives us a similar bailout. This party ran out of beer a half hour ago but nobody noticed since their cup is still half full. Long faces to follow.
I think Thursday or Friday would be good, maybe even Friday evening. I’d actually prefer a longer newsletter once a week because it’s hard to resist each newsletter consuming my time as I receive it. Too hard to save it for the weekend!
Hi George, thanks for linking to my Chase Pay Yourself Back post. Are you planning on cashing in any UR points? I had a great road trip and stay in Lake Tahoe that energized me to explore other road trip ideas around CA. Hope your family is doing well š
Once a week? I’d say Thursday or Friday and maybe release in the afternoon or evening. SO much good stuff always, it is at times hard to read all the things I wish to due to time constraints.
But whatever you decide to do, make it what YOU want to do. Ever think about just a Facebook page and post what you want when you want? No charge and say whatever. Just a thought.
Thursday or Friday sounds great Buzz. Thanks for the great post again.
Bill, I’m curious about your trip to Sri Lanka. If it was something other than costs.
Best to the family!
Sri Lanka was fantastic. I just would not have been on a plane at that time had we competent leadership that wasnāt downplaying a global pandemic.
Wow, it’s been 30 years since that iconic Sonic Youth song. I can still remembering listening to Goo 100+ times on my Walkman. It was odd hearing Chuck D on that song but I enjoyed PE back in the day. Back when politically and socially conscious music was prioritized over $$.
Life changes, now I’m listening to Fire Saga from Eurovision (the movie). Thanks Will Ferrell! It tells you a lot about Netflix movie making skills when this turns out to be one of their best movies. Netflix, stick to drama and series.
Will respond later…trying to justify the $1.28 lol.
From DansDeals:
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/check-see-youre-targeted-bonus-points-select-bill-payments-chase-cards/
Hey TBB do you have any injuries from running so much? I’ve been averaging 4 miles every other day (before things got smoking hot in the afternoons). I’ve got a pair of Brooks that are a good fit and comfortable but I’ve been picking up nagging blisters on my big toes, toenails turning purple, and some pretty decent calf pain. Just wondering what you do to mitigate any of those things?
I’ve switched to toe socks to try to prevent some of the rubbing of the toes but still having the blisters. Might try taping those hot spot area up next…
Also, Thursday sounds good. More time to read your bounty of articles over Friday – Sunday.
I always hated running, and even in my best shape I couldn’t be competitive (6’4 and medium to big build depending on level of health). I started rowing last year and bought my own concept 2 rower in December and it’s been a life saver. No impact, works more muscles than virtually anything else, I can do it in my basement with multiple fans pointed at me. If running doesn’t work for you, consider rowing.
@ DML and Bill: Ok, doing my best here for $1.28…You can ask for a refund lol!
@ Brenton: You may have to wait for the move to Azerbaijan…when they let us in again! Should be plenty of award space…Actually, how do we even get there with miles…if I only had an intern to assign this task š
@ Sam: Thanks for not complaining man…Glad to make today’s read worth your time š Good point on my Amazon links, thanks. I need to burn some of those UR points too…
@ Avi: Thanks, definitely leaning towards Thursday evening at this point…In July and then we see how it goes…If I keep getting $1.28 over several days…well, you know, there is a song by The Doors “the end”, sad lol.
@ Grant: Yeah, very timely post. I have not pulled the trigger yet but sure will look into it as burning for travel is pretty much shut down for a while…Road trips are in, yeah! Maybe this is the year I finally do a road trip around the Michigan Upper Peninsula, long held dream of mine.
@ Carl: Yeah, leaning towards Thursday as of now, thanks. No Facebook page for the blog, I don’t even have one for my main business. And I am only on FB to keep up with my Greek high school class mates and the soccer team and…to see what my wife posts lol. Lean and mean online. And Twitter š
@ David: Yep, most likely it is going to be Thursday. I just hope I force myself to…let some articles go and not be guilty about it for failing the blog mission here. We shall see what happens…whatever happens it will be announced on the blog š
@ JA JA Ding Dong: Hey, nice handle, very creative lol. Oh yeah, Kim was my crush. Before that it was Debbie of Blondie. And before that Kate of the B-52’s. And then I came to American and discovered I was into Asians LOL. I absolutely adore the Goo album, I have lost count how many times I played it. I am into this type of music…where $$$ was not prioritized. I remember as a kid growing up in Greece watching Eurovision…it was such a big deal…then I moved to the US and completely forgot about it for many years…oh yeah, Ferell’s movie looks silly…reminds me that movie he made as a skater, which was silly of course but did have some special moments!
@ Bob: Injuries is part of running. I have not had any for a long stretch now…hope I do not jinx myself. Yeah, shoes are hugely important. New shoes must be broken into…slowly. Don’t get a new pair and go and run 4 miles or more! First few times with them should be just walking, then 1 mile, then 2 miles…In the summer, must avoid the heat, go very early or after sun starts going down. A relationship with a local running store is also important…spend time trying on new shoes to get that very best fit! Calf pain may be due to…running too much at this point, you need to have a day or two per week RESTING, it is so important to let the muscles recover! And you need to mix it up a little, just running 4 miles around the same pace every other day is not good. Do some speedy runs, do some hills, do some biking, and exercises at home to strengthen glutes and abs.
Two things I use that have pretty much eliminated blisters/chafing are:
I run wearing only “Wrightsock” running socks and before every run I apply “2Toms Sport Shield”.
Of course there are many socks and other applications but those two absolutely work for me.
Oh wait, I am going to drop below the Amazon affiliate links for each product just in case you want to see what they look like and…buy them with it. If yes, thanks in advance:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00460IANY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00460IANY&linkCode=as2&tag=trave08a-20&linkId=6827260f949e4ef9f7713145a761c856
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CJX1UY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001CJX1UY&linkCode=as2&tag=trave08a-20&linkId=60558ad977cfc8310181bd9a8a663de6
Ah, I wasnāt trying to be critical of the TBB editorial department- rather I think itās good to discuss proper/improper use of statistics and data in the media and the comment section here seems to be several tiers above the average mouthbreather in this country.
Whatās that old saying? Love your job and youāll never get paid a day in your life….something like that, right?
“Standard deviation doing a lot of heavy lifting here”- a great line I will work into my repertoire.
I would like to dedicate the $0.13 cents the blog earned yesterday to the one and only
Rick Astley
Off to today’s workout before the heat comes!
Jog 1mile to warmup + 3 strides
2x 2mile run. Jog a half mile in between each 2mile run (walking some if needed). Aim for 8.0 pace in first mile and 7.45 in second mile.
Jog 1mile easy to cooldown
Core work: Body Saw planks x 30 (in as few sets as needed) Side plank hip dip x 20 on each side in as few sets as possible.”
Physical Conference in January 2021 just turned viral. It will be a loooooong ride. Not booking any trips this year. And not sure about Q1 next year as well. Time to cash out my UR balance.
I give Powell credit for wearing a mask at the congressional hearing today (and unfortunately having to open the monetary floodgates)
I can’t wait to do my annual “This is How I Burned ____ Miles and ____ Points in 2020
LOLOLOLOL
Yeah, we are in it for much longer…all this money blown away to…get to 40k plus cases per day, unbelievable. And the phucking moron tweeting away his racist moronic BS…self inflicted tragedy…damn Hillary’s emails…sad covfefe
Friday post will be very downbeat, you have all been warned!
Approaching two weeks since the last cc conversion…How is it possible TPG just keeps paying all these salaries is beyond me!
Buying Renespoints/Deltapoints must have been a pretty bad deal. Is there much name recognition left? I suggest changing it. And stop talking about mileage runs during COVID.
I am guessing here but maybe buying FTG was the greatest deal in the miles and points space. This assumes TPG never made a profit for the new owners.
I would love to know how much he paid for it.
Blogging about mileage runs these days…smh.
FTG was squeezed for cc conversions as long as they could…then let the body just lay dead, what a sad legacy…
TPG profitability: We would all be shocked if the numbers I hear are right…
Seriously, TPG makes a profit? Most cool companies have a high burn rate and hire like crazy until…. the party is over. Or does that only happen to Masayoshi Sonās investments?
The number of newbies falling from SEO searches will BLOW your mind…Same as it was for FTG…before he sold way too early.
In the meantime, the amount of posting at Million Mile Secrets has now slowed…way down. Maybe they are about to throw in the towel?
Thank you to the reader for the $5 monthly Paypal donation.
Thank you to nobody for yet another day with no cc conversion and $0 in Amazon earnings AND clicks yesterday.
Onward!
Epic post coming tomorrow before we slow down posting here too…
Does a TBB comment or post ever go by without a mention of how little profit this blog makes?
You have a full time job, why are you trying to justify blogging based on the revenue it brings in? And accepting donations as if this is a charitable affair? I don’t get it.
Clearly if you worked on bringing in more financial clients the ROI for your time would be exponentially greater than blogging.
If you enjoy blogging, then blog as often as you find it enjoyable. But as a reader, hearing about how little the blog makes or how posting will go down if people don’t apply for your cards is very tiresome.
If the comments are in jest, why does it come up in nearly every post and comment? The joke is stale.
My blog feeds my family of 6 and my 29 year old brother’s family of 6, but you’ll never hear me whine to my readers about blog revenue or adding a link to donate to us.
This is an entertaining and informative blog and comments section, but the revenue whining has jumped the shark.
/rant
>>>>>Does a TBB comment or post ever go by without a mention of how little profit this blog makes?
Probably not.
>>>>>You have a full time job, why are you trying to justify blogging based on the revenue it brings in? And accepting donations as if this is a charitable affair? I donāt get it.
I don’t get it either dude. Maybe it is…because I spend enough time on it to be a full time job? I find the donations to be a lot more acceptable than doing sponsored posts or too many Amazonlinkfest posts about diapers. Or Lysol š I should probably quit this and go on with my life…but then Ingy will call me a quitter lol.
>>>>>>>>Clearly if you worked on bringing in more financial clients the ROI for your time would be exponentially greater than blogging.
Absolutely definitely…I have turned away potential clients from this blog because…I don’t know man, there is something about TBB that I just can not walk away from. I need a therapist for sure!
>>>>>>>>If you enjoy blogging, then blog as often as you find it enjoyable. But as a reader, hearing about how little the blog makes or how posting will go down if people donāt apply for your cards is very tiresome.
Yep, going down to once a week starting…next week. Let’s see how that cuts down my time spent on my blogging “venture”. No doubt it is getting tiresome…I am tired too, you have no idea!
>>>>>>>>If the comments are in jest, why does it come up in nearly every post and comment? The joke is stale.
Because it helps me…keep going? Yeah, I need a therapist for sure man. But I could be doing mega affiliatelinkfest posts and SHUT UP completely about whining here…And I would STILL have readers bitching…so, I just whine a bit for MY coping with this addiction. Thanks for reading š
>>>>>>>>My blog feeds my family of 6 and my 29 year old brotherās family of 6, but youāll never hear me whine to my readers about blog revenue or adding a link to donate to us.
Of course…because your blog makes in one hour as much as I make in a month? If my blog had a FRACTION of your revenue…I would NOT be whining AT ALL. And I would not be accepting the type of sponsored posts you are…omg!
>>>>>>>>This is an entertaining and informative blog and comments section, but the revenue whining has jumped the shark.
Ok, got the message. The whining is a small part of the whole TBB experience (lol) and, you know, I STILL think it acts as an EDUCATIONAL WARNING to other who may have a very distorted view of what blogging can do for them…yes, I had emails thanking me about that too!
It is what it is…like you always say, you don’t have to read anything…
Will see how my brain copes with once a week posting…I fear the withdrawals symptoms but I have to fight to blogdetox…Hopefully, it gets me to a state where I go once a month like Mile Nerd.
Happy 4th!
P.S. Tomorrow’s post lays out the reasons for whining so you may not like it #warning
And now I am going to do some reading laying out in the shade on my deck while eating organic cherries, yum!
>>>>>>>>I donāt get it either dude. Maybe it isā¦because I spend enough time on it to be a full time job? I find the donations to be a lot more acceptable than doing sponsored posts or too many Amazonlinkfest posts about diapers. Or Lysol I should probably quit this and go on with my lifeā¦but then Ingy will call me a quitter lol.
Personal preference I guess, but I’d rather feature a sponsored fundraising post from a charity or Amazon seller than ask readers for charity.
>>>>>>>>Absolutely definitelyā¦I have turned away potential clients from this blog becauseā¦I donāt know man, there is something about TBB that I just can not walk away from. I need a therapist for sure!
It’s like any hobby. It’s not supposed to make financial sense. If it brings you joy, then do it. If not, quit.
I’d love to see you go back to 3 days a week, but I’d also understand if you went to once a month. You should do what makes financial sense and emotional balance for you.
>>>>>>>>Yep, going down to once a week startingā¦next week. Letās see how that cuts down my time spent on my blogging āventureā. No doubt it is getting tiresomeā¦I am tired too, you have no idea!
Of all of your readers, I think I have an idea š
16 years of putting in some 10-18 hours a day gives me some authority on the subject. It’s not as glamorous or easy as any non-blogger thinks it is.
>>>>>>>>Of courseā¦because your blog makes in one hour as much as I make in a month? If my blog had a FRACTION of your revenueā¦I would NOT be whining AT ALL. And I would not be accepting the type of sponsored posts you areā¦omg!
Can’t compare a full time job for 2 people to a hobby blog. But I’m sure as you know, commission cuts and card approval rates during COVID-19 have been painful for all bloggers. But that’s not something I’d kvetch about…in every blog post and comment.
>>>>>>>>It is what it isā¦like you always say, you donāt have to read anythingā¦
Fair enough, but I enjoy reading the posts and comments. Nothing wrong with some constructive criticism š
>>>>>>>>Happy 4th!
To you as well. And here’s hoping for a better 2nd half of 2020.
And although you didn’t ask, Trump’s COVID-19 response has gone down to a 1. We are rudderless.
Sad!
>>>>>>>>Personal preference I guess, but Iād rather feature a sponsored fundraising post from a charity or Amazon seller than ask readers for charity.
Ok. If my blog was my living…I would probably accept them as well…but maybe just one a month…ok, two!
>>>>>>Itās like any hobby. Itās not supposed to make financial sense. If it brings you joy, then do it. If not, quit. Iād love to see you go back to 3 days a week, but Iād also understand if you went to once a month. You should do what makes financial sense and emotional balance for you.
Going almost eight years…obviously, it must bring me…something. I know I sing a different tune but if this brought me pain and was still doing it after so long…I would have to be committed for sure lol! It never made financial sense…but, you know, I think I put in ENOUGH work and giving up other areas of my life that I still would like to make a tiny bit of financial sense….never going to be big…I am ok with that obviously by now. But just each morning when I check the CC portal and the Amazon link and I get nada…it feels like a knife…there is a song “cuts like a knife”…just came to me, forgot who sings it, anyone? And you know, if you have been reading, the whining magically stopped when I saw a few clicks. I know, I know it does not make sense but…it does to me to keep going. If the clicks had at least kept part of the pre Covid phase I would still be posting three times a week, I have no doubt about that…I am doing my best to deal with my addiction, thank you.
>>>>>>>>>16 years of putting in some 10-18 hours a day gives me some authority on the subject. Itās not as glamorous or easy as any non-blogger thinks it is.
Definitely.
>>>>>>>>Canāt compare a full time job for 2 people to a hobby blog.
Defintely2
>>>>>>>>But Iām sure as you know, commission cuts and card approval rates during COVID-19 have been painful for all bloggers. But thatās not something Iād kvetch aboutā¦in every blog post and comment.
Yeah…maybe I quit after seeing some of my “favorite” blogs quit! Kvetching about it when silence reins helps me…keep going. Maybe it gets across the idea that things we value go away when people just expect them to be served for free!
>>>>>>>Fair enough, but I enjoy reading the posts and comments. Nothing wrong with some constructive criticism
Absolutely, constructive criticism is the best! Thank you for dishing it out, I appreciate it.
>>>>>>>>>And although you didnāt ask, Trumpās COVID-19 response has gone down to a 1. We are rudderless. Sad!
I knew it was only a matter of time. It is beyond sad at this point, it is an ongoing horror show/tragedy. Let’s all pray we and our loved ones will make it. Came very very close with one my own family members…
My only suggestion would be to decouple blogging from earning revenue. If you’re getting stressed over seeing 0 card conversions, then it’s not worth trying to make the blog justify itself financially. It never will unless you make it a full time job and baby it every day.
Hobbies aren’t meant to be profitable, so linking its success to making financial sense seems silly to me. I certainly don’t link financial success in my other hobbies to my enjoyment of them. So, just do what you enjoy doing!
Having battled COVID and COVID whiplash myself before anyone even knew COVID was spreading in the US, it’s certainly not fun. I shudder to think what would happen if I was 65 instead of 35. But that’s why my grandparents haven’t seen my newborn yet š
my site has been around long enough and hopefully has done things right (not commercially speaking lol) AND provided a hell of a useful product that seeing absolute 0 conversions should not be happening after 8 years. I am okay with a few clicks here and there. I whine when…silence reins.
It’s complicated.
Like ABC said, after numerous links to your site, do your readers a favor and link to my site so they can enjoy it as much as you. Would that be so hard? Don’t worry about cannibalizing any $ clicks…In the auditing world, they call such clicks “immaterial” š
Give TBB a generous donation of add his referral link to the next Amazon diaper deal on your amazing site and maybe, maybe heāll go back to 3 days a week!
I thought u were at 3 kids. Congrats on the chaos of having 4. Make sure they get HPV vaccine and weāll be able to eradicate some forms of cancer. As we know from our horrible COVID response, prevention is remarkably cheap.
I am okay if ANY blogger links to my site ONCE!
Maybe I diversify my whining going forward and whine about them š
I already felt old, and hearing Goo is now 30 really makes me feel old. Sigh…