Tag Archives | blog

It’s Time For a Change

Written by on March 23, 2011
Filed Under Blogging

I still need to provide updates from my trip to Texas, but before I get to that I need to deal with my blog’s backend first. The fact is I’m using so many plugins and scripts to drive some of the features you see here that my site takes a performance hit as a result, so much that once again it is going down twice a day for no apparent reason. My host insists that it’s my fault, even though it was working fine when the server host getting hosed by DDOS attacks or backup screwups before. But the fact is, because my blog sucks up so much juice, the merest load on the server causes it to go down in flames. I see this in my Google Webmaster stats and it’s simply unacceptable.

I’ve been putting up with this crap since I practically started this blog too. I’m not a coder, and because most coders I’ve come across are complete and utter stupid douchebags who were good to take my money while leaving my site still looking like ass, I’ve been forced to rely on my limited knowledge of hacking under the hood to get things rolling. I did the best I could, but because I don’t know how to optimize the code, the net result is a site so bloated people would mistake it for Windows 95. Or XP.

All the energy I could have had for writing is instead absorbed into keeping my precious blog from blowing up into an internet sewage of a mess. I want to change that. Like, right now.

I also want to change the direction somewhat too. I’ve always been a creative writer at heart, but this blog is about my real life, including occasional reviews on products I either buy or receive for free. No matter how I try to adapt my prose, it always feels like it’s… forced somehow. It doesn’t flow easily because it’s not how I usually want to write. What I want to do is write fiction.

So while I’m in the process of revamping things, I’m going to explore the idea of adding a sub-blog here that is completely fiction in content. The two blogs will be a part of the same site but will be distinct enough from another to avoid confusion. I won’t say what kind of fiction it will be right now, except to say that I hope it all makes you hurt from laughing so hard. :-D

With that in mind I’ll be taking a (hopefully) short hiatus to finally repair and fix this blog once and for all, and at long last reawaken the part of me that has been dormant for far too long.

Cowboy on horse

Time to cowboy up!

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The Lone Star State Will Soon Meet: THE LONE RANGER

Written by on March 8, 2011
Filed Under Travelogues

For the first time ever (I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but anyhoo…), this lone ranger will soon be rangering it up in the grandest state of them all: TEXAS!

I have been anticipating this trip literally since last August when I registered early to attend SXSW, which takes place every year in Austin, Texas. SXSW is short for South by Southwest, a multi-faceted festival and conference that focuses on film, music and interactive media. The trade show alone will hold over 500 booths, and many events, seminars and parties will be taking place for the duration of the conference. In my case, I’ll be attending the interactive media portion, which according to Wikipedia, has continually “attracted a strong following among web creators and entrepreneurs. Its focus on emerging technology has earned the festival a reputation as a breeding ground for new ideas and creative technologies.”

It’s where hi-tech entrepreneurs tend to go to announce new technology as a prelude to taking it mainstream, and in fact, that’s actually how Twitter got started too.

I was cajoled into going by the only friend I have left in the universe, who believes it would be an awesome opportunity for me to rub shoulders with some of the Internet’s elite entrepreneurs and network with them, which could lead to opportunities down the road that could help take my blog to the next level.

Cuz you know, that worked out SO well when I attended BlogWorld.

In fact, I don’t expect to accomplish anything of that nature while I’m down there. Because of my hearing loss and the sheer noise levels experienced at these types of conferences, any hope of conversation and dialogue is going to be a non-starter for me. Coupled with the fact that I am already anti-social to begin with, I simply don’t have the skillset needed to charm my way to success. If I was a hot looking babe, then maybe, but I have yet to successfully pass myself off as a ravishing looking brunette who can open doors simply by batting her pretty little eyes.

Just ask the only friend I have left in the world, he’ll tell you.

At least there will be seminars taking place that I might beneficial, including seminars on how to improve my writing skills, develop content for publication, how to evolve from a blogger to a marketer, and so on. Still, I don’t expect much.

So why am I going then? For one, my SXSW ticket is nonrefundable, so I kind of have no choice. I’ve also always wanted to visit Texas too, so this was as good an opportunity as any to finally visit the state, and I figured while I was down there, I could hang out for a few days longer so I could visit Dallas as well before returning home. I shall visit then, and I shall eat. And eat, and eat, and eat, and eat. BBQ, Tex-Mex, you name it, I’m eating it. I shall get myself utterly and stupidly meat-drunk, and I will enjoy every solid minute of it.

So, as my itinerary stands now, I’ll be in Austin for SXSW from March 10th to the 16th. After that I check out, rent a car, and lazily make my way to Dallas for another 3 days before returning home on the 19th. Yes, that does in fact mean I will be passing through Waco on the way. I wonder if I can start a cult of my own while I’m down there? Who knows, maybe instead of one wife, I’ll end up having 30. :-D But I hereby denounce myself.

It’s going to be another crazy adventure, and probably my last one for a long while. I hope it’s worth it.

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Developing My Travel Muse

Written by on January 26, 2011
Filed Under Blogging

I haven’t written anything in a while, partly because nobody reads my crap anymore, and partly because I can’t really figure out how I can write anything of substance on a daily basis. Yet if I’m to succeed in turning my writing into a career, I’ll have to find a way, somehow.

The reason I’m making this my goal now is because I read a study that the more popular a blog was, the more content it dished out on a regular basis. The average seemed to be about one post a day before the numbers start to level out, so I guess that should be my objective: one post a day. It doesn’t have to be epic obviously, but it should be engaging enough to attract the reader into coming back for more. If only I lived the kind of lifestyle that could draw the audience in and help develop a community around my crazy adventures, but I don’t. At least not now.

Instead, I work the most mind numbingly boring job in existence, a government job that saddles me with absolutely vacuous drone work and groups me in with shriveled up seahags, most of who have the mental acuity of a brain damaged snail. It’s a miracle that I can still manage to find my way home after ten years of this insanity.

Coupled with the fact that I have no social life, and thus my life is void of any drama (which is both good and bad), I haven’t been able to come up with much in the way of blogging fodder.

Most professional bloggers though simply resort to writing bland, forgettable content and follow a specific format. For one, they use bullet points to emphasize certain points under the assumption that their readers are complete morons. And they’ll often title their posts with phrases like “29 Ways to Travel Light” or “18 Tips to help You Save Money during your stay at Disney World.” Why? Because that’s what the experts tell them all to do. It’s a writing structure that makes it easier for readers to scan your content before they click away to read something else. Most users online have a limited attention span, so bloggers are instructed to present their content in such a way to make it easy and quick to read. It’s the nature of the Internet, and honestly, there’s really nothing inherently wrong with taking this approach.

Except the fact that 100 million other aspiring bloggers all do the same thing.

See, I can’t write like that. My writing only seems to hit its stride when I focus more on telling a story rather than informing the audience on the virtues of not forgetting to pack your underwear when you’re taking a trip somewhere. Unfortunately, my writing style is not a consistent money maker, so I can either adapt and be like everyone else, or go my own way and be poor.

And yes, as stupid as it sounds, I would rather be different than be rich. That’s just how I roll. It’s why I buck social norms and do virtually the opposite of what everyone else does. When most people take their vacations in the summer, I take it in the winter so I can avoid the crowds. People go up, I go down. They go to Disney World, I go to Bob and Mike’s Funsie-Fun Amusement Park, when the kids are still in school.

I’m an off-season kind of guy, and I like it that way.

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2010 – FINALLY a year that didn’t suck flaming hogballs

Written by on December 31, 2010
Filed Under Personal Reflections

For as long as I can remember, every time a year came to an end I would curse it, spit at it, then kick it in the groin and declare good riddance as I eagerly awaited for the ball to drop to finally put that crap year out of its misery.

But for the first time that I can remember, I’m actually sad to see the year go. Where the Zeros continuously served up one tall glass after another of FAIL, 2010 instead turned out to be a refreshing bowl of WIN, topped off with a sugary dose of AWESOME.

So what made this year so special? Well…

  • It began with my first ever trip to Boston last February. I had so much fun that I was effectively bitten by the travel bug, and I knew my life would never be the same again. My blog would also complete its metamorphosis from a blog where I whined about my failure of a life, to a blog about traveling and geocaching. Although I still whine every now and then, just to a slightly lesser degree. :-D
  • After that trip, I invested in completely upgrading my desktop for the first time in 8 years. I now have a powerhorse that can not only play all the latest games but also makes it SO much easier for me to work on my many blogging projects.
  • By this time (after purchasing my new computer) I was breaking records with the income I was generating from my blog. 2010 would prove to be the most lucrative year I’ve ever had in terms of sponsorships, revenues and giveaways I received as a direct result of blogging.
  • Then came the long awaited GPS cradle for the iPod Touch that I had been pining to get my hands on for months. This was one of the most CRUCIAL purchases I have ever made. It not only made it feasible to use my iPod for geocaching, but it also powered all my geolocation apps from Whrrl to Navigon. It allowed me to do everything I ever wanted to do with an actual iPhone, at least until it finally becomes available on the Verizon network (hopefully next month!)
  • And then came… the MACBOOK. If 2010 had been nothing but a pit of death and destruction, my MacBook’s arrival alone would have ensured that 2010 would still go down as the GREATEST year in history.
  • Although not as important or exciting, It’s still worth noting that this was the year my car received its 60,000 mile service. It’s one of the most extensive (and expensive) service jobs to ever have done for your car, but once it was out of the way I was confident I could rely on my beautiful ride for another 60,000 miles, as well as for the future road trips I was planning.
  • 2010 also marked the first time I ever went to a Drive-In movie theater. The movie sucked, but the food was teh awesum.
  • I would finally, at long last, transform my wardrobe from Walmart drags to Banana Republic/Gap awesomeness. Let it be known that from now on if a girl rejects me, I will at least have the consolation of knowing it wasn’t because I was donning a $5 sweatshirt from Wally World.
  • I also joined Collective Bias, a marketing agency that opened doors for new sponsorships, new possibilities for generating revenue for my blog, as well as a trip to Las Vegas to attend BlogWorld.
  • In October I began my first ever road trip, traveling over 4,000 miles to at least 14 different states. and at least 20 different cities. The experience will stay with me forever.
  • I experienced my first ever car accident too, just outside of Columbus, Ohio.
  • I hadn’t flown on an airplane since I was 14, but that streak was finally broken when I flew to Vegas to attend BlogWorld with my friend Casey. It was also the first time I have ever gone on a flight on my own.
  • And of course, VEGAS! Easily one of the noisiest, busiest and most unbearable cities I have ever been to. Not even the buffets could lure me back there again. The trip to Vegas also marked the first time I’ve ever attended a major conference like BlogWorld as well.
  • After 7 or more years, I would finally meet one of my closest friends, Casey, who discovered my previous blog circa 2003, and has been a thorn on my side ever since. :-D While in Arkansas I had the pleasure of meeting his wife, kids and parents, and in a unusual twist of fate we met up again only a few weeks later, this time on my home turf in New York. For you Psych enthusiasts, I am the Shawn to his Gus, and occasionally vice versa, although we don’t know what started first. It’s like the chicken or the egg, minus the chicken. And possibly the egg.
  • While in Las Vegas I could honestly say the biggest highlight of my trip was meeting Bailey of MakeoverMomma.com. To meet such a beautiful woman who was also hearing impaired like me, but so fiercely determined not to let that keep her down was inspiring. Meeting her family was also a treat and gives me a reason now to visit Virginia in the future. I am so blessed to have her as a friend as well.
  • And finally, I would close the year out with a trip to New Hampshire for an early Christmas getaway, where I took an unbelievable driving tour of the gorgeous White Mountains and feasted on the bestest nachos and pancakes evahs!!11!1 The trip also gave me the occasion to meet yet another Internet friend, who by now I’m sure regrets that decision. LOL, I keed, I keed… I hope.

After all that, it makes me wonder how 2011 will stack up in comparison. Can the new year continue to carry the torch of awesomeness just as 2010 did? There’s certainly a lot expected to happen for 2011 that makes me hopeful. For one, it will mark the arrival of the iPhone on Verizon. YES, YES, THANK YOU GOD, YES.

Not only that but I will probably purchase my first iPad too when the second generation comes out, completing my trifecta of owning an iPhone, MacBook and iPad. I will be an unstoppable force of ubergeekness then.

I also have a few trips and meetups planned already, beginning with a meetup with Bailey in the city in January, then again in February when she comes to attend the fashion show. I trust by then she can sneak me in so I can ensconce myself in a sea of the world’s hottest models, where any one of them could be looking for a downtown man like me. Just like Billy Joel says, so it must be true! :-D

After that I would immediately flee New York (on Valentine’s Day no less) for a trip to Portland, Maine (and possibly beyond), a return to New Hampshire for a day or two, and finally a four day stay at Boston, where everybody knows my name, and they’re always glad I came.

March will be even crazier with a flight to Texas(!!!), where I meet up with Casey again at SXSW for a few days of Texan BBQ, funsies, and possible new networking contacts (read: people who can save me from my current dead-end job.) After SXSW I might rent a car and take a drive from Austin to Dallas for a few extra days of sightseeing around the state before returning home.

In April or May I’m planning another trip to Tennessee for a week long stay in the Smokies, hoping this time around I’ll have a chance to explore Knoxville and some of the surrounding areas before vegging out once again in a gorgeous luxury log cabin. Tee hee. It will also give me a chance to stay in Virginia for a night and meet Bailey and her family again (at which point I have to think that they’re all going to get sick of me by then, lolz.)

After that things get a little fuzzy. There’s a travel blog conference taking place in Vancouver in June and as much as I want to visit the city, I’m not sure it might be worth the investment then. There’s also the tornado chasing expedition I want to join in late June or July in Colorado, something I need to keep hush hush because my mother would be very upset if she knew what I was up to.

I do know it’s a given I’m going to be in either Colorado or somewhere in the Rockies for my 35th birthday in August, because there is absolutely no way in HELL that I am going to be celebrating that here in stinky New York.

2011 could also possibly be the year I travel abroad for the first time. My friend Casey will be traveling to Germany sometime in the fall and I may (permission pending) tag along for the ride, presuming there’s enough room in the trunk to hold me.

The only downside I’m seeing for 2011 has to do with my blog. Despite the record breaking year I had in generating income from it, my traffic level actually went DOWN by 10 percent for the year, and Google reduced my ranking from a PageRank of a studly 5 to a paltry 3, effectively setting all my efforts to bring in traffic back 2 years. Thanks Google! Motherf—- but anyhow, something will have to give in 2011, otherwise my blogging income will eventually evaporate, along with my dreams of becoming a full-time and self-employed blogger AND my ability to travel on a semi-regular basis.

For 2011, it’s make or break time. Bring it, baby.

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The Last Day

Written by on October 25, 2010
Filed Under Travelogues

I’m in Pennsylvania Dutch Country now (Lancaster County, PA) to recuperate before making the last leg of my journey back to New York tomorrow. Still need to recap the events from the past week, beginning with my trip to Vegas, but that should all be forthcoming soon.

In all, I’ve traveled over 6,500 miles in a little over three weeks, both by car and plane, spanning 14 different states. My coworkers have probably forgotten what I look like now.

As much as I hate the thought of coming back to New York, I do need a few weeks of down time while I recharge, have my car fixed up with remaining repairs, finish a few projects and get myself prepped for my next adventure. I suddenly have a few things on my plate I’d like to get done as well to bring more traffic to this site, enhance my blog’s profile and move forward from there.

I also learned a lot of things that can help me figure out how to successfully function as a travel blogger, but one thing’s for sure: I definitely need a real iPhone. And an iPad. And maybe portable Bose speakers. :-D

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take the time to enjoy my last day with tasty foodsies from the famous Shady Maple smorgasbord, then cry into my pillow for a good while.

Blog later!

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