what type of friend are you????

One of my goals in 2008...is to work on my friendships with a lot of people. I've kind of isolated myself as of late...and I don't want to do it anymore. So, I am going to reach out and reconnect.

It got me really thinking...and if I am completely honest...which I try to be...I don't really have that many friends. Those close friends that you hang out with and share everything with. Those relationships...are very few and far between in my life. Probably my closest relationship is with my dad. I adore him...and not just because he is my father, but because he might be the most fabulous human being on the planet. I've always felt that way about him...and I just feel even closer to him in the last year since we've spent a lot of time leaning on one another. The only other really close person I have in my day to day life...is my roomie. We have a lot in common and have a good time together...and share our lives, etc. She's a doll and I feel honored to not only call her a friend, but a close friend.

I have other close friends who aren't in my life. There is my childhood best friend. She lives in town, but we just haven't made time to see one another. It's completely my fault...since it just hasn't worked out. I fully commit and plan to see a lot more of her. She's someone who no matter what...loves me and supports me. I love her so much for that....and wish I had made more time to spend with her. We're going to get together soon.

And then there is my best friend from college...she's someone who no matter how long time goes in between seeing one another or talking, things are the same. She's a kindred spirit...I guess (Wow...can you tell I like Anne of Green Gables with that statement). Our lives have changed...she's married with 2 little rugrats, but no matter what...we just adore each other. She lives in Vermont...and I am planning a trip to see her very soon. I have another really good friend from college...who is always trying to get me to come out and visit her. I wish she lived across town...or across campus, like the good ol' days because then I would be seeing her and her family all the time.

There was a long time when I wouldn't have called my brother my friend. I've always loved him...since the moment I was born...and I'd say the feeling was mutual. But at the same time...while growing up...we loved each other, but didn't like each other very much. We were just very different people growing up. I think becoming adults...we truly grew into being friends. He and his family live in Florida...so, it's always fun to visit, but I wish he lived closer so I could see them all more often. I think the world of him now...how great he is as a dad...and just how much he has blossomed into an amazing human being. I see so much of my mom in him...and that's truly a beautiful thing.

Now...most everyone else in my life fits into those friend "categories"...but I wouldn't call them close friends. Maybe they were once, but now...not so much. Sometimes time just passed...sometimes we just didn't prioritize hanging. We all have those categories...the "work" friends who you adore at work, but you just don't hang out with outside of that setting....the "email/blog" friends who you catch up through email or a blog, but don't hang out...the "long distance" friends who you adore, but are forced to adore from a far, etc.

Ok, I'm babbling....I guess my point is that I adore the close friends I have in my life and just wish I had more. So, don't be surprised if you get a call from me sometime soon...and see if we can find some time to hang. Hugs all.

co-ops, co-ops everywhere!

I love the idea of co-ops. In an ideal world, I'd like to live in a co-op. I like to shop in co-ops. We had one of the best co-op stores in Bloomington...and I always loved shopping there. I even like banking co-op style...using credit unions over regular ol' banks. I just think the whole idea of co-ops are fascinating.

I was reading recently about a college that works as a co-op. At first, my initial thought was...umm, what does that mean? I didn't see how being a co-op could lead itself to a college setting. So, I clicked on the link and started reading. The school is Kettering University in Flint, Michigan (you know the place where Michael Moore's movie Roger and Me was based upon).



So, what does it mean? Well, Kettering has engineering co-op programs. They place students starting in their freshman year with different companies and rotate them in order to get training and on the job experience. I think a program like that is fan-freakin-tastic! You not only get the education in the classroom, but you get practical experience in your field from your freshman year on. There are so many benefits to that. One, you get to truly know if the field is for you...and know pretty early on. A lot of school require an internship in your senior year, but what if you do your internship...months away from graduation...only to realize that it isn't the right field for you. Two, you get to apply all the stuff you are learning in a practical setting from day one. And three, you get on the job experience...which we know is so beneficial in getting a job after graduation. I imagine a lot of these companies end up hiring someone who has worked for them in their "co-op" experience. I know that the job I am currently in...started as an internship and now I am a full time, paid employee. I imagine that happens all the time there.

When I was getting my degree in social work, if there was a school who had this co-op philosophy, let me tell you, I would have signed up in 2 seconds flat. The ability to get practical experience and on the job training as part of my degree...I would consider that invaluable.

So, check them out...Kettering University...a co-op institution. Who knows, maybe it'll be the wave of the future.

surprise email...

Hey everybody. It's Friday and I have the day off from work. I spent the day relaxing and really rocked a workout. I love my job, but I also loved having the day to myself...where I could plan by day around what I wanted to do instead of around work.

So, the thread title is a surprising email. Last Friday, I came home from work and logged on to the computer to check my email and what do I see inside my inbox, an email from Katy Johnson. My first thought was, "Oh crap!"

Oh, I should update people who are wondering who Katy might be...and why I might respond that way. I wrote a post back in September about Katy Johnson AKA Miss Vermont and my thoughts about her and interactions with her in college. It would be an understatement to say it wasn't the most positive blog in the world.

First, I was surprised she read the blog at all. It's not like my blog is incredibly popular or well read. The same 4 or 5 people read here (Hey y'all!!) and that's about it. Who would have thought the blog entry would end in her hands...I sure didn't.

Well, a quick overview of the email...it was really nice. She was nicer and more humble than I would be in the situation. I said some really horrible things about Katy. Let's be honest...I am not perfect either and if I had come across someone else's blog who wrote something about me that was not very flattering(whether it was true or not)..if I emailed them, it would probably be a pretty nasty email. So, I give her class and grace for that. She talked about when we went to school and gave me a little update on the girl she worked with on the MTV Made show.

I still have issues with some of the hypocritical things surrounding Katy's pageant platform and how she seemingly was choosing to live her life. It's one of my biggest pet peeves is when people say you should be doing one thing...but themselves are doing another. So, I don't take back what I said...just maybe how I chose to say it.

The thing I am most sorry about...in retrospect, is that I forgot that Katy was a human being when I wrote that entry. I re-read it last week after I got the email from Katy. I could tell how happy I was with myself...for telling a funny story of how I knew someone in college. Honestly, it's a funny, entertaining story, but it's also mean and callous. I forgot while writing it...that Katy, even if she was a walking hypocrite...is also a walking human being.

So, I don't see Katy as an angel....but I am humbled by how she chose to handle the situation. She handled it with more maturity than I would have...and for that, it says something.

Fasting diets...I don't think so!

First off...whoo hoo...it's snowing outside. It's fluffy, pretty snow. It's a pain in the arse to drive in, but it's fun none the less. SNOW!

I posted on my site about weight loss the last day or so...the post where I mentioned Celebrity Fit Club and Biggest Loser. Well, someone left a comment...suggesting I should try a fasting diet and a link to their site. I deleted the comment...because I don't think they need the advertisement, but I do want to write an entry on what I think about what I think about fasting diets. So...here goes:

Fasting diets. Do I think they are a good idea? Do I think they are healthy? Do I think people should do them to lose weight? Hell no. I think they feed right into the quick fix mentality of people and weight loss. Do they work...in terms of long term weight loss? Nope. They put your body into a starvation mode...and mess with your metabolism. They don't help you lose fat...you lose gylcogen levels...you lose water...you lose if anything, muscle.

If people think that a fasting diet...is going to get them to their long term weight loss goals, please THINK AGAIN! I have lost close to 40 lbs in the last 3 months...and I didn't have to starve myself through a fasting diet to do it. Losing weight is a great goal for anyone to have...but go about it in a healthy, smart way. It may take longer, but you will actually be losing weight/fat....not playing the game of smoke and mirrors that happens when you go on a fasting diet.


Fasting diets? Pfffft!

Where am I from?

I opened up my blog this evening....and I looked over at my stats section and saw this:



Now...if that isn't hilarious, I don't know what is! I wanna know what night I went to sleep and woke up in Afghanistan! lol

I changed it to the right info...but well, I had to capture it because it is worth a giggle.

Making alternative energy research a competition!!

I just think this is the coolest thing ever. BP is sponsoring something called a BP Solar Decathlon. BP is partnering with the US Department of Energy to sponsor a contest where 20 university teams from across the country compete to design and build completely usable homes that function solely on solar power. The competition takes place every two years and the next competition is coming right up the week of October 11-19. There is a weeklong competition that each team participates in held in Washington, DC.

I know that BP is an energy company and that they make their money selling oil, but I think it is awesome that they are sponsoring something so environmentally friendly. They are encouraging Universities and the next generation of bright thinkers to be thinking about alternative energies. I can't wait for a day when all homes are powered by renewable energy. It seems like something so far away, but it is well within my lifetime, if the research is supported and funded.

Check out their site throughout the week because there are having each team blog about their successes and challenges throughout the week of competition.

Oh yeah...and if you get the opportunity, choose to go GREEN!

beauty queen katy update

Hey everyone...I posted my little story about Katy Johnson and what a hypocrite she is this weekend. It's a story that I like to share with as many people as possible...so, if you didn't read it, click away. I'll wait.

Anyways...a little update. I mentioned in the story that Katy sued some guy who posted a post about her being a hypocrite and her behavior when they dated...and that she won and he had to take her name and the words Miss Vermont off her site.

Well, I clicked on this guy's link...and it comes to find out that he hired lawyers and took the case all the way to the Supreme Court and won. See, Katy didn't say he lied...she just said he should not be able to use her name like that.

Now, I will say...I have read this guy's website. He's a douchebag. He's slime. Every feminist bone in my body just loathes this guy and how he treats women. He should be ashamed of himself instead of making a living of treating women like garbage. But well, if it takes a guy like this to get the word out about how Katy lives her life...while she judges others on a national platform for doing the same thing...then, GOOD! It's the hypocrisy that gets me about Katy...and other like her. She says don't drink or have sex...while doing both. Ted Haggard says how horrible it is to be gay...while he is paying a gay prostitute to satisfy him. Strom Thurmond lives a life full of racist hate speech and then is found to have fathered a child with a black woman. Senator Larry Craig puts anti-gay legislation into office...while he is found trying to engage in gay sex in a public bathroom, etc.

He's a shmuck...but because of him, every time someone googles the name Katy Johnson, they get the real story behind that sweet and innocent beauty queen face.

Alright, I am done giggling over a story that is well...years old.

P.S. The pic on his site...with him and some girl with "your face here" over her face. That's a pic with him...and Katy. *giggles*

sometimes it pays to be a bitch...

So, as I wrote a while back...I got very angry with Blockbuster recently. Here is the Cliff Notes if you don't want to click on the link and read my angry rant. Basically, Blockbuster raised their prices by 50% and said it was to better serve their customers. Now, I don't know how having people pay more for the same level of service is serving them better, but well...that's why I would never belong in a huge corporation. I know it is about the almightly buck...and be hidden in providing better customer service, etc.

But anyways...I digress. So, my last billing date at the old rate was on 8/20/07. I paid my monthly fee and thought to myself that I would use the service for the last month and decide if I was going to stay with the service or go elsewhere. There are some benefits to Blockbuster, so I was weighing my options.

Well, since my last billing date was 8/20...I should have service until 9/19, right? And Blockbuster sent an email saying that if you did not sign up for a new service plan, they would be terminating your plan at the end of the service month. At first I thought...good...I am glad they are not just signing people up for the more expensive plans without their permission. I'll decide what I am going to do when it gets closer to 9/19. I might stay. I might go.

So...last week when I am on vacation, I return 2 online movies to the Blockbuster store on Tuesday and get 2 new movies. I saw on my account that they had been received and my new movies should ship anytime.

Tuesday came and went. No movies shipped. No biggie...sometimes it takes a day.

Wednesday came and went. No movies. I started to get cranky. It usually never takes this long for the website to say it is sending you new titles.

So, I sent in an email customer service ticket. I explained that I returned movies and none had been sent to me. I got an email back on Thursday saying that my account had been terminated because I did not pick a new service plan, etc...and that I must have missed the email, etc.

Huh? My account was terminated....suspended...whatever word they used??? It was cancelled before my month that I paid for was up. So, to say that I was livid was an understatement. I emailed again and said that I paid on 8/20 and therefore, how can they cancel my account before I get the month I paid for?? I got another email back telling me that since I didn't pick a new plan, I was cancelled.

So, I decided to call them. The only problem is...finding the phone number is almost impossible. David Blane's next trick should be finding the phone number on Blockbuster's website. So, to find the number...I had to send in another email ticket asking for it. I got it...4 hours later....and then I called. I spoke to a nice young man, who sounded so much like a girl...I thought I was in an episode of Pat on SNL. I explained the situation and told him that if I did not receive the month I paid for, I was going to contest the charge on my credit card. I told him I had emails printed out showing the last billing date and when I was told my account was terminated, etc.

He said he was sorry and that he was going to put the 2 weeks I was owed back on my account. My next billing date would be Sept 27th....so that I would get the 4 weeks I paid for. Okay, I was actually happen...well, as happy as Blockbuster came make me lately. This all happened on Thursday. The guy(?) said that my next 2 movies would ship out on Thursday or by the latest Friday.

So, Thursday came and went. No movies shipped. No biggie...the guy(?) said it might take til Friday.

So, Friday came and almost went. It was 2 pm...and I knew from Blockbuster's website that they have 4 hours to answer an email, so I needed to email now. So, I emailed...gave the person the history and asked why movies aren't being shipped yet again.

I got an email back that was semi-nice and semi-snark. They said that 2 movies were now being sent to me...and they suddenly appeared in my queue. And then the person said that I got 2 free weeks on my account, so I was compensated enough and I shouldn't be complaining.

This is when I lost my shit. I got two free weeks? No the hell I didn't...I got the 2 weeks I paid for. My billing date was moved forward ONE week to compensate me for the week I missed when my account was cancelled.

So, I emailed this person back and said that I did not get 2 free weeks, I got what I paid for. I told them that if they were offering 2 free weeks, please feel free to move my account billing date to indicate that.

I got an email back saying I already got 2 free weeks, booyah!

I got all snarky again...and emailed back. Saying that I appreciated the person making right what Blockbuster did wrong (the person on the phone, not the email person). But, I wanted to make clear that I did not and have not received anything free. I got what I paid for, nothing more.

Then, I informed them that giving this level of service and that the price hike was supposed to increase the level of service, I would be leaving the company after the 2 weeks and returning to Netflix, a company that never cancelled my service and then called giving me what I paid for a free gift.

See...that's my pet peeve. I do appreciate the phone rep making it right, I really do. I was impressed with how quickly he took care of it. But, I hate it when you don't get what you paid for and then people say they will give you something for free. It isn't free, I paid for it. If I order a pizza and you mess it up...don't tell me you will send me out a free pizza. It isn't free...I already paid for that pizza, you just didn't give it to me.

So, anyways...after my last email...telling them that I had enough and after my billing period, I was taking my ball and going home, well...going to Netflix. I got an email saying that I was being given an extension on my free trial.

So...my billing date is now October 20, 2007. I am actually now getting an actual free month of service from them. I am now actually getting something for free. And you know, I never wanted something for free. I wanted them to make it right. But once they kept telling me I was getting something for free and I wasn't, I got pissed.

It's sad...that being a bitch and being aggressive is what worked. It's too bad that being calm and nice just doesn't cut it. They say no...and move on. I had to come back at them and get a little nasty. And two, threatening to leave the company is what did it. And trust me, it's not a threat, it's a promise...I will use my account until the end of the free period...and then return to Netflix.

So...if you need something from customer service...ask for a supervisor...get mean...and threaten to leave your company. I should have threatened to walk on email #2.

There ya go...my "I Hate Blockbuster" story of the day. Given how things are going, I will probably have a new one for tomorrow.

pimptastic!

You know, I have seen a lot of really nice blogs and a lot of really crappy blogs. I happen to think my blog is middle of the roads. I think I have done well in terms of adding things on sidebars, etc...however I still hate that my blog is one of the standard blogger templates. I just don't know enough yet about blog design to change it and I haven't been motivated to pay someone to make it look nice and pretty.

I did get a myspace page last year. I mainly got it to catch up with friends and what not. I didn't know anything about myspace when I first signed up, but I am slowly learning. I got a template and everything, but I haven't added songs or videos or anything like that. I want to figure out how to do it well before I get started. I have seen too many people make overloaded crappy myspace pages...chuck full of videos and junk that take a million years to load, etc.

One site I am going to check out is pagefetti.com. It's a website which has layouts, backgrounds, music generators, etc for a bunch of different blog types. It obviously looks like it works with myspace, but the site also says it works with different types of blogs, including blogger.

So, while I am too poor or unwilling to pay someone to "pimp my blog"...I might take a look at their site and see if I can change things up on the cheap. If you're like me and you want a pretty blog, but really have no idea about design...check em out!

adding traffic to your site!

I have been blogging since 2001 or 2002...I can remember when I started and didn't know what I was doing, at all. I learned some tricks of the trade while I was trucking along. I gained some blog friends...some daily readers, etc. I added myself to some search engines, blog directories, listserves, etc. I slowly got my blog out there is the world wide web. In the last year, especially since I have been doing paid posts...I have been working hard on getting my blog listed on different site and in different directories. Alive is a blog directory where you can submit your blog under whatever category fits best, etc. There are a million free directories out there and I am not sure what benefit there is to a paid directory, but information sharing is key these days, eh?

since i seem to be in a gossip mood...

My roommate gets Entertainment Weekly in the mail. I never would order it myself, but since she gets it...I do enjoy reading it. It's got all that TV and movie news and gossip, but unlike the other magazines, it has a high level of snark to it. Anyways...the newest magazine has an overview of the fall lineup, so I took a gander. I am excited to see a lot of shows return, but also looking to pick up a few new shows this fall as well.

Since I seem to be gossiping all over the place lately...about Britney...about Tommy Lee and Kid Rock and all their craziness...the new show Gossip Girl on The CW caught my eye. It's made by the creators of the O.C. and even though I don't want to admit it, I watched the O.C. from time to time. I know...I know...I'm almost 30...I know.



Anyways, Gossip Girl is about all these incredibly hip prep school kids in NYC...and they get all their news and info about their school from this "gossip girl" website. It sounds like Perez Hilton, but of course the gossip girl is probably thinner, hotter and better dressed. I guess no one knows who the gossip girl is...but she is the one outing the best gossip and info in the school to the shagrin of the people she is writing about.

You know, I thought I outgrew the teen based shows or maybe I just don't want to admit that I watch them. lol Gossip Girl premiers on the CW at September 19th at 9pm. I might watch it, I probably just won't admit to it! *winks*

politics is personal

I've always been someone who likes a political debate. We constantly are talking about political issues at work...whether it be women's rights, global warming, immigration, the war, etc. I have always flocked to political issues and debates. Of course, I always like a debate with differing points of view, but without resorting to shouting and calling names. There is this one guy at work who I won't debate with because he always throws the insults around when he is making his point. So, check out the forum and if nothing else...it'll give you someone to argue with. I do wish the place didn't have so much low blows and name calling, but I guess...what can you expect with a place called Argue With Everyone.

Today is the 3rd Annual Blog Day!

So what does that mean??? It's Blog Day??? Yes, it is.

So, what does that mean?? Do I win a prize for being a blogger since it is Blog Day and all??? Well...not quite, but it is a great opportunity to highlight some new and different blogs.

What you are supposed to do...is go out there in the internets and find 5 new blogs that you like, that peak your interest and that hopefully are a smidge different from you. Check out your friends' blogrolls...check out all those random people that go to the same forums as you, etc.

Once you find the 5 blogs...let them know you will be highlighting them and then give them a lovely shout out on your blog. It's a way of sharing the wonderful blogging love. And finally, you add yourself to the Blog Day tag and you are all done! Simple, eh? If it's so simple....get to doing it yourself!!! *winks*

So, here are five of my favorite newly discovered blogs:

Need to Be Debt Free: I also found this blog while searching for like minded people who are trying to pay off all their debts and quickly. It was inspiring to find someone who was really willing to sacrifice in order to get their goals accomplished. I find that a lot of people talk about paying bills, reducing their debt, but not many are willing to give up those luxuries in life to do it. This guy is.

101 Reasons I Hate Being Fat: I have been reading this blog for a little while now. I found it through a search of my one of favorite health and fitness sites. I just think she is daring and talks honesty about her struggles with weight, self esteem, etc...all while trying to exercise and eat healthy, etc. She's much more honest than I am...so I really respect reading her posts. I do wish that her blog title wasn't so negative because I imagine it's hard to change your self esteem when you are always reminding yourself what you hate about your body, etc...but then again, it's telling the truth and there is honor in that. Check her out. She already has more visitors than me, but that's okay...I'm not jealous.

Suburban Turmoil: I found this blog from reading some of the people who read Y's blog. Y makes me laugh...and so does this blog. I like people who tell real life stories and leave me laughing so hard...that soda is now coming out of my nose. Read this post about her using a fake name in the phone book...if you aren't laughing...well then, I don't want you reading my blog either.

The Incovenient Truth: No. this isn't a blog all about Al Gore and his plan to make the whole world green...not that I would mind that blog either. It's Leigh's blog...she is someone I found through the Alexa project at PPP. (If you don't know what that is...it's ok!) I love her blog...her stories. We don't always agree, but that's cool. We got into a little debate on chicken and egg farms. It was a nice conversation that didn't turn into snippy fighting. She's awesome...check her out.

Don't Fear The Truth: I love this blog. It's funny. It's snarky. It's political. Basically, it's a good time had by all. I found it through the forums over at PPP. One of the things I like best is that it is mainly a political blog, but it doesn't take itself SO seriously that it makes you throw up in your mouth a little bit while reading it. It is also funny...and doesn't apologize for it, etc. So...if you like getting some politics with a side of tee, hee, hee...check them out.

There ya go...I love ya all...they have basically become daily reads lately. Who knows, I might even add you to my blogroll! *winks*

Any other interesting blogs out there I should be reading??? Lemme know.

Thoof happens people!

There is a new website out there, Thoof.com...where normal people, like you and me...can post articles we found or even posts on our own blogs. So, we can read the news that our fellow bloggers found interesting instead of what the media circus thought we should be reading. It's like a personalized news service for the internet.

There are a few articles on there right now...which caught my interest. There is one about the 7 credit traps to avoid...another about 15 unfortunately placed ads and how it just made them ever so funny...one about Keira Knightley posing naked and the digital enhancement of her misquito bites. So...there is a little bit there for everyone.

I think the concept is really interesting and I am definitely going to put some of my blog posts up on there when I think it is something people might want to read. You can even install a ThoofRank Badge on the posts that you have put up there and it will tell you how many people are clicking through from Thoof to your site. So, in essence...it will tell you how popular your article is. Oh...and of course, the more popular an article is, the longer it stays up on the top of the front page.

So, find some interesting articles and get them all Thoofed up and ready to go!

PPP hits the jackpot!

Hey everyone! I was lucky enough to snag one of the Lucky 7s opps from PayPerPost in celebration of their bringing in 7 million dollars to their site. Of course, it wasn't a $700 opp, but well...I'm not being greedy.

What should PPP do with all that money? I think they should give it all to me. Sounds like a good plan, eh?

I kid, I kid. I do think though, they should put that money in promoting the site more (which they have already done with the site relaunch and with these promotion opps). I also would love to see them offer more conferences about blogging, especially how paid blogging plays a role. I know there is PostieCon, but maybe having more of them and making them regional events.

And we could also have special conferences on special topics. And because not everyone can travel, they could make them tele-conferences where people could log onto the site and experience the topic at hand as well.

I think some great special topics could be building site traffic, switching from a free blog to your own domain: Common FAQs, blog ethics, etc.

So...other than giving all the money to me, which I still think is a viable option, I would say promotion and tele-conferences.



PayPerPost released the following press release about the 7 mil that they just received:

The PayPerPost Revolution Accelerates, Sponsored
Blogging Marketplace Secures $7 Million Series B

Draper Fisher Jurvetson leads round and joins Board of Directors

ORLANDO, FL – (June 12, 2007) – PayPerPost, the leading marketplace for advertisers to reach bloggers and other consumer content creators, today announced it has completed a $7 million second round investment led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, an investor in the company's Series A and one of the world’s leading high-technology venture capital firms. The financing brings the total amount of capital raised by PayPerPost to over $10 million, giving the company considerable resources for further development as the industry’s leading Consumer Generated Advertising marketplace. Additional participants in the round include existing investors Inflexion Partners and Village Ventures as well as new investor DFJ Gotham. With this investment, DFJ Managing Director Josh Stein also joins PayPerPost’s Board of Directors.

“PayPerPost created this exciting new advertising space and has established itself as the industry leader,” said Ted Murphy, chief executive officer of PayPerPost. “Although we’ve only used a portion of our first round capital, this added support from investors unlocks significant growth potential. Our content creator and advertiser ROI metrics clearly demonstrate the upside for PayPerPost’s model. We intend to use this capital to build the infrastructure, visibility and professional expertise necessary to reach and retain a greater network of advertisers and content creators than ever before.”

Since its founding in June of 2006, PayPerPost has signed more than 6,500 advertisers to its groundbreaking service, which has enabled Consumer Content Creators to be compensated for their efforts discussing specific companies, products or services via blogs, videos or other media. The content creators are required to disclose relationships with advertisers on their blog, providing transparency for the end reader. Over 125,000 Internet postings, most in the form of blogs, have already earned money for their creators through PayPerPost’s innovative marketplace. PayPerPost recently released PayPerPost Direct, a disruptive new service that allows advertisers to contract and negotiate directly with individual bloggers they identify through a safe, managed system.

“PayPerPost has laid a strong foundation for the future,” noted Tim Draper, founder and managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. “It continues to attract a critical mass of participants from both the advertising and blogging communities. Analogous to Overture’s sponsored search model, we believe PayPerPost’s business model holds disruptive potential and will enable the company to thrive in the evolving paid-content arena.”

To mark the $7 million dollar funding, PayPerPost has launched a new website detailing the company’s service offering at http://www.payperpost.com. Bloggers and advertisers can easily sign up at the site and begin leveraging the self service marketplace.

Smorty to the rescue!

Hey everybody! I have been checking all the different paid sites out there. I have spent some time researching the different sites and Smorty is the newest one I have come across. Smorty is a site when you can get paid to blog about different products and services. It works a lot like the other places out there, but of course some things are different. And the different things I LIKE!

Smorty rates you on a bunch of different factors and give you a Smorty score. I don't really know what the scores mean, but I like that if you write hugh quality posts and get rated well, your smorty score can go up.

The rates for posts can range from little amounts like 4 bucks...to big amounts like close to $100.00. I don't imagine I will be getting $100 posts anytime soon, but I like the idea that the possibility is out there.

You have about 3 days to write a post once you click accept...which is awesome. I hate feeling rushed and not being able to write a high quality post. And, unlike some other places, you don't have to leave the opp window open until you write the post or risk losing it.

The thing I think is the COOLEST...that's right, I said coolest...is the payment system. They pay out on a WEEKLY basis. Once your post is approved (which takes about 5 days), your payment is approved the first payment day of the next week. There is no waiting 2 weeks/30 days/etc. I think that kicks some major arse!

And one other thing I think is cool...is how quickly they approve sites. I submitted my site yesterday afternoon and was approved this morning when I logged on and checked my email. At another site, I had to wait well over a week to be approved.

So far, I am liking Smorty. If you like to get paid for blogging, check them out!

The Police are coming!!! Watch out!

I am a huge music fan and not only music, but a HUGE classic rock girl. I was in 77 and think that I missed out on a lot a really great music movement. I like bands such as Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Mellencamp, Queen, The Clash, etc.

Another band from that era that I LOVE is The Police. I grew up as a little kid being a fan of Sting and then realizing that Sting was part of the Police long before he was a solo-artist. The music from The Police has really stood the test of time. I was in the car this weekend and "Everything Little Thing She Does is Magic" came on the radio and there I was...driving around...singing along at the tops of my lungs. And don't forget "Roxannnnneeeee" *giggles* Blake, the runner up for this year's American Idol, sang a great cover of 'Roxanne' this season. The Police just made a bunch of really good, fun to hear songs. The Police are coming out with a new album to support their world tour! They are coming out with a new, 2 disc police cd which includes a bunch of their greatest hits. The hits include:

Disc: 1
1. Fallout
2. Can't Stand Losing You
3. Next to You
4. Roxanne
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Hole in My Life
7. So Lonely
8. Message in a Bottle
9. Reggatta de Blanc
10. Bring on the Night
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Don't Stand So Close to Me
13. Driven to Tears
14. Canary in a Coalmine

Disc: 2
1. Do Do Do de da da Da
2. Voices Inside My Head
3. Invisible Sun
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Spirits in the Material World
6. Demolition Man
7. Every Breath You Take
8. Synchronicity I
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Walking in Your Footsteps
11. Synchronicity II
12. King of Pain
13. Murder by Numbers
14. Tea in the Sahara


Great list of tunes, eh? I would LOVE LOVE LOVE this CD. And, I heard that 100 people will be winning this CD. Really? Well...PICK ME, PICK ME, PICK ME! I would have the police cd in my car all summer and be tooling around to some great, rocking tunes.

You know what I think of every time I think of The Police? I smile and think of a scene from the movie, 'Footloose'...where Ren and Willard are talking about music:


Ren: You like Men At Work?
Willard: what men?
Ren: Men at work.
Willard: well where do they work?
Ren: No, they're a music group.
Willard: well what do they call themselves?
Ren: Oh no! What about the Police?
Willard: What about 'em?
Ren: You ever heard them?
Willard: No, but I seen them.
Ren: Where, in concert?
Willard: No, behind you.

*giggles*

Random dump of how my weekend went...

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday! Here is just a random lowdown on how my long, holiday weekend went.

On Saturday I went with my dad to Maine for the day. My dad and mom used to always go sometime over Memorial Day and clean up my grandparents' stone, etc. He has been doing that for years and years. I wanted to make sure he still went, so I offered to go along. It was a really nice trip. It's such a beautiful area up there and the weather couldn't have been nicer. We spent more time in the car than we spent in Maine, but it was still very, very nice. We walked by the house my mom grew up in and then drove by the house my dad grew up in. What's amazing...is the property values up there. There were tons of houses for sale and they were all going for insane amounts. One house had the asking price on it...and it looked like a decently sized 2 or 3 bedroom home...listed for $450,000. That's just insane...absolutely insane.

I went over to the local Blockbuster on Sunday...to exchange out some movies. When I went up to the counter to check out...the manager was the one renting me my movies. We ended up talking about the movies I was renting, etc...and it ended up coming up in conversation that I used to work for the rival video store in town. She asked if I was looking for work and said that if I ever am, to apply...because she would love to hire me. That just made me giggle...and got me thinking. I mean, I am so happy I left the video store, but sometimes I miss that extra video store money. So, I don't think I will be applying anytime soon, but I am going to let the thought linger in my head a little bit. Plus, I like the idea of basically getting a job I wasn't looking for...didn't apply for! *giggles*

On Memorial Day...I went over to the Saratoga cemetary and brought some flowers to place by my mom's marker. I hadn't gone down since the services, so I knew it was time. Of course...because it is a veteran's cemetary...it was insane there....had to drive around forever to get a parking spot. It was really nice though...tons of people there...and flowers everywhere. I was really glad I went up. Then I went over and spent some time with my dad...we returned some dishes to people that brought food and such. Then...I went grocery shopping and came home.

Speaking of grocery shopping....I am a walking hypocrit when it comes to Devil-Mart. I went to Wal-Mart three times this weekend. I went on Saturday night...not to buy anything, but to get a walk in. I spent so much time in the car on the way to Maine and back that the number on my pedometer was just pathetic. ick. So, I wanted a good sized walk, but didn't really want to be outside. So, I went to Wal-Mart and walked and walked and walked. The store is huge, so walking through it a couple of times adds on a lot of steps. Then...I also went back to Wal-Mart on Sunday...for a walk and to buy some stuff. And then on Monday, I desperately needed to go grocery shopping, so I went back to Wal-Mart. I walked throughout the whole store once and then got a cart and got to shopping. Of course, I saw a bajillion people while I was there. I always get busted at Wal-Mart...since I talk a good game about how much I hate the store and what they stand for. But alas...sometimes I can't help loving their low, low prices. I bought all the groceries I needed for the week (which wasn't A LOT, but still) and it only cost $27.00...at Hannaford that would have cost a lot more.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day...and if you had the day off, that you enjoyed it!

the newest thing from PPP!

I have written a million, bajillion times about paid posting with PayPerPost.com. I have been posting with them for a few months now and been really happy with the results. I figure, I get a little bit of money and also get to promote stuff that I think it pretty cool anyways.

Well, PPP has a new feature on their site which is called PPP Direct. What's different about PPP Direct? Well..how PPP generally works is that you sign up your blog, you get ranked and then you can read what blog ads are available to you, etc. You can then take opportunities and write about them. All in all, it's a pretty great system.

It works pretty well from my experience. However, PPP Direct takes it one step farther. My blog for example tends to focus a lot on fitness, weight loss and politics from time to time. Those are the niches that I would most fit into. My blog could really be attractive to a company which sells pedometers or protein shakes, etc. I write about both of those things ALL the time. But, if that company just writes a standard opportunity, I may or may not get that. With PPP Direct, that company can click on the link/badge on my site and request that I write a blog for them, etc. You set a price, they agree. Done deal. Oh and let's not forget that PPP charges the advertisers so much less than other sites...which ends up being more money in our pockets. Sites like ReviewMe.com end up keeping close to 50% of the advertisers money...not PPP...they charge a markup fee of 10%. So, if an advertiser is willing to pay $50...you'll get paid $25 with ReviewMe.com and $45 with PPP Direct. Which one would you choose???

I think this is fabulous and I am definitely getting a badge. I have often seen opps which I know I would fit perfectly for, but one of their criterias I don't meet, etc. (My alexa score is hella high!). So, this company might see my blog and ask me to write a post. I think it's a win win for both the blogger and the advertiser.

I *heart* PPP!

Over the last few months, I have spent a good deal of time talking about all the different ways people can make money blogging, etc. I have talked about the different sites I have gone to and even compared them against each other. All in all...I really feel the best is PayPerPost. They have the most opps, pay the best and just seem to have the best service. Probably 80% or more of all the paid posts I have done have come from PPP. The others are nice, but don't offer the whole package that PPP does. So...if I was rating them, PPP would get the shining gold star!

I know there are people on PPP that make thousands of dollars a month, but well...I am just not one of those people. I don't do paid posts nearly often enough for that and I also don't have a blog which can bring in the big bucks posts. I signed up sometime in February and since then I have taken a total of 40 paid blogging posts. All in all, I think I have made close to $400. For me, that's AWESOME!

I used to have a part time job working at a local video store and I gave that job up in January because it was becoming more hassle than it was worth. I didn't miss the job, but I did miss the free movies and the small chunk of change that I got. With the PPP money, I have been able to pay for my subscription to the online Blockbuster program and save a bit of money as well. As soon as my PayPal account reaches $100, I immediately transfer it into my savings acct, etc. I am not going to buy anything super exciting with my PPP money, but well..saving money is always exciting for me!

So, if you are interested in paid posting...check out PPP. I think they are a great company and a great place to make a little bit of money blogging about the things that you would talk about anyways!