WELCOME to Wil Mosher - our new Follower! Thanks for joining us, Will. I hope you enjoy reading along as we prepare to sell everything this year, and hopefully purchase an RV to full-time in early 2012. If you have a blog, let me know so I can follow along with you, too!
WELCOME also to the GYPSY G-MAS, Life on the Road! I've followed your blog from the beginning and have always looked for your posts to pop up on my Blog List (no pressure!). I really enjoy reading about your adventures. I hope we meet up on the road some day; we can exchange "tree through the roof" stories. : )
We have a new Governor, Mr. Jerry Brown, in California. I didn't vote for him, but have to admit I liked him the first time around, and have high hopes that he will do his best to fix all the problems in California. I think that's how it should be: no matter who you vote for or support, when the election is over, stand behind the winner. I think we'd all benefit from that. Especially at the national level.
Governor and Mrs. Jerry Brown
39th Governor of California
39th Governor of California
Speaking of Jerry Brown, who ran against Meg Whitman, I did find out what happened to my Ad-Sense ads, and I think I know why I was dumped. A reader who doesn't like Meg Whitman saw her ad on my blog and multiple clicked it a bunch of times, which was apparently picked up by Ad-Sense who investigated and canceled my account FOREVER. Apparently if you are canceled due to invalid ad clicking, you can NEVER have an Ad-Sense account again. That doesn't seem fair. I didn't do anything wrong, and I am the one penalized.
I know that this person, who feels awful about the account being canceled, also made purchases by clicking on ads on my blog, and was just exercising a political opinion against Meg, who I actually supported. This reader had no idea what the result of her clicking would be. I was surprised to see a political ad on my blog, Meg Whitman was the only politician I saw advertising, but I guess she had so much money she was appearing everywhere. Little good it did her, or me.
After seeing Tioga George's Income/Expense sheet, and seeing how much you can actually earn through blog ads, I may do some research to see if I can place ads another way. I know they can be a nuisance for my readers and apologize in advance if I do find a way. I'd never earn what George earns, he has a HUGE following, but any extra income would be a help next year when I'm living on Social Security and probably little else. I just ignore the ads on blogs, unless it's for something of interest, then I do click. We'll see...
On that depressing note, I'll add another. In 2010 I gained 8 pounds. Ouch! There was some discussion in the office today about weight gain last year. There were four of us there, and we all gained from 8 to 20 pounds. I know the fifth person in the next office, who remained silent on the subject, gained 15 pounds in the last months of 2010. So, 5 for 5. I sure hope 2011 is a year of better self control, less candy, and more exercising for me.
When Katie and I gained some weight three years ago, I put us both on a better eating plan, and we were walking a lot. I lost my 20 pounds and she lost her 3 pounds. Well, Katie is still thin and energetic and I'm not. She gets two treats a day, maybe that would work for me?
Kind of a mish-mash blog today. But, as I seem to be saying a lot lately, "It is what it is."
From Me and My Dog, Katie, have a great Monday evening, everyone! : )
There are a lot of things I don't like about Google, and their arbitrary ways are not fair. I can see that they pay people to have ads on their blogs because the main reason is to get serious lookers, but to not hear your side of the story and to ban you forever is just totally wrong. But they are a pain in the neck to most readers.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the Jerry Brown thing. From the youngest to the oldest is kind of neat, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about doing the ad thing, but I know how most people feel about them. That is the main reason I quit reading George, it seemed like he was always asking people to click. I am reading him again, and realize he is making his money honestly, so who am I to begrudge anyone that?
As a reader, I think those ads are a pain in the asparagus! But, worse than that, in my opinion, are the people that ask for donations so they can stay on the road without working. Give me a break!
ReplyDeleteSorry about the rant. :)
Like you, I hope Jerry can fix some things. CA is in pretty bad shape. I love the state but don't think I would consider a job there now after I graduate as it is ridiculously expensive.
ReplyDeleteI'm burned-out at the gym (it happens) and have resolved to ride my bike no matter what the weather. Then I googled the health benefits of cycling & learned a lot.
(I was just thinking about your new bike and how you might want to use that as a fun method of weight control).
Thanks for the welcome! I am looking forward to traveling with you (in blogland for now, and beyond when the opportunity arises!)
ReplyDeleteI've thought about the Ad-sense thing, but too many times I've gone to blogs advertising the kinds of things I don't want to see on TV, either. Might think about it if I could control what's advertised. Besides that, Google is VERY invasive, tracks your every move and shares it with everyone.
Do you get pay by the # of users clicking the link, or when they actually buy a product thru your link? My guess is the former, and that's why Google disable your acct thinking you have staged the ad clicks.
ReplyDeleteI also don't understand why the reader kept clicking your ad link when she doesn't like Meg Whitman.
Don't be too down... feel better, k?!
Thanks for being a longtime follower and a frequent commenter on my blog. I have followed you for awhile but it's taken me this long to become an official follower. Sorry for my procrastination! :) Good luck on the advertising thing. I agree that it's not fair and we all know that every penny helps!
ReplyDeleteFunny that you should mention weight. In addition to following RV blogs my other love is weight maintenance blogs (due to my 79lb weight loss) and that's been my focus lately. I'll write more on my blog about what I've been doing. I, too, don't like advertisements on blogs, especially the moving ones. They drive me crazy!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the decision to run ads on your blog should be determined by the purpose of the blog. I've been approached by some business owners about "professional blogging." I may do it, but not on my "fun" blog, since I want my readers to visit a relaxing place, void of advertisements.
ReplyDelete(I'll probably read yours regardless though since I like your writing!)
Kathy
http://seashellsandoveralls.blogspot.com
Thanks for the warm welcome. You can read my doings over at The (not even close to) Daily Snooze. Our canine companion, Ignatz "Iggy" McGraw, Schipperke Extraordinaire, occasional posts his thoughts on Doggyspace. Hope to see you there.
ReplyDeleteLike you, recent weight gains caused by a more sedentary lifestyle (being stuck in Maine for the winter severely curtails exercise opportunities) are concerning. I wish you great success as you attack this issue.
I've never much cared for advertising on personal blogs. On a business blog site it is completely different and totally appropriate.
Good luck with your search for your first RV. Rest assured that it isn't a "forever" decision and it is perfectly OK to change your mind. I strongly urge you to rent a Class C before making a final decision, just to get a feel for these things. Always better to make a decision from an informed position. That's also something I'd urge anyone to make before jumping in with no prior experience. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but I do know there are quite a few places in Southern California that rent RVs for a week or so at a time. Hit the shows, too. There's a lot to learn. Seeing things in person often provides that little extra bit of understanding that provides those "Aha" moments. Just don't let those slick salespeople near your checkbook!
thanks for the interesting information
ReplyDeleteI wonder about Adsense ads myself. At my level, the earnings are non-existent; do bloggers reach a point where they are actually generating passive income that way? I did the math (wore my pencil down), and I will be just shy of 80 when I get my first payout.
ReplyDeleteGoogle ads only bother me if they're visually invasive, like the blinky ones. I suppose if they increase page loading times, that would be a factor, too.