Sunday 28 June 2015

The Stages of AdSense Approval (Blogger)

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My story behind blogging began years ago when, sat in a job interview and asked what I like to do in my spare time, I answered, "I like to write."

To which they asked, "Do you have a blog?"

So I set one up. Luckily, my friend had set up a very entertaining, yet slightly oversharing, blog on Blogger so I decided to follow suit since I liked how simple the platform was.

I would update the blog as and when I felt like it, with no real schedule. It turned out to be very therapeutic. And surprisingly, people were reading it.

Not just friends (although even this had a surprisingly wide reach - a post I shared on a mutual friend's Facebook wall led to a guy asking my friend if I would be interested in working for him as a copywriter), but people all-over the world who, judging by my stats, found the content engaging enough to stay on the page long enough to actually read the articles.  

It made me think, I may not have many talents but I guess writing descriptive and engaging content is one of them.

Sunday 21 June 2015

eBay Sellers At Risk Of Scams

So recently I had to deal with the moral dilemma of deciding what to do when a refunded item I had purchased off online auction site eBay eventually turned up.

I ended up repaying the seller on Pay
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Image credit: geralt
Pal, even though it was a bit of hassle to do so.

At the risk of sounding sanctimonious, I’m not sure many people would have done the same. Instead, they probably would have been chuffed at having nabbed a freebie.

I’m sure the seller was even surprised I went out of my way to get in touch informing him of the situation with the intention to pay; he may have initially thought I was an eBay scammer and learnt a lesson about sending out items without a tracking option.

I dunno, I just don’t have it in me to shaft people. Thumbs up for the moral compass!

Some people do though, and I’m sure there are people who have picked-up on this eBay loophole and plan to exploit it.

Sunday 14 June 2015

My Laptop Charger Exploded!

So, a few months ago my laptop died on me. I traded it in for parts as well as for a refurbished laptop.
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Image credit: OpenClipartVectors
 

This refurbished laptop came with a cheap-looking adapter which, despite appearances, seemed to do the job okay. Until yesterday.

I suddenly heard this weird ticking noise. Then I heard a crackle. Then I saw smoke. I ran to switch the power off at the mains before I heard one final POP and the charger decided to permanently exit the world.

Tick-tick-tick-tick…BOOM!

Saturday 13 June 2015

Comment Of The Day #4

Backstory: Rachel Dolezal, a civil rights leader in the US, has been passing herself off as black, until her biological parents revealed that she is in fact…white.

rachel-dolezal-transracial

[Read the original article here: "Twitter goes to town over white NAACP leader PRETENDING to be black"- Daily Mail, 13/06/2015]  

Saturday 6 June 2015

Social Media: Land Of Make Believe

So I updated a picture on a couple of social media channels recently, a rare personal one, and it sparked-off a few convos with many people curious as to where it was taken.
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Image credit: LoboStudioHamburg

It’s funny seeing people pounce/start up a conversation as soon as you upload a picture, almost as if they’ve been waiting eagerly, bless 'em.

I don’t flatter myself though – I think it says more about their social media addiction than their fascination with me.

We all have that one social media outlet we favour. For me, it’s Instagram.

I go through phases with social media, though. Sometimes I’ll post regularly but when I start to find it exhausting, I ghost on there and find more useful things to do with my time. Because creating the perfect post, posting it online then dealing with the notifications… it feels like work.

Whenever I do post however, I post general lifestyle pictures - views, architecture, nature shots etc. The odd personal picture/selfie does make it on there sometimes but I guess because I don’t post those types of pictures too often, it piques people’s interest when I do.

It got me thinking how easily people are duped by social media and how curious they get when the story behind a picture is left a little ambiguous, or you stop posting as much. It’s strange how people want/expect to know every detail about your life.

Monday 1 June 2015

Petty Reasons Why Friendships Fall Apart

You know, I sometimes look back and miss some of the people I had close friendships with before I cut them out. Then I remember what a manipulative nightmare they were and it passes.

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Image credit: Steven Depolo [CC BY 2.0]
But despite my seemingly breezy ability to cut people out without a second glance, I’ve mourned the end of these friendships just as much, if not more, as a romantic relationship ending.

It’s a shame that female friendships can come with so much pettiness. Since ending these friendships, I haven’t had to deal with that type of petty drama for nearly a year now. And my life is better for it.

I don’t want to become a complete loner though and understand the importance of making the effort to socialise. And not to sound judgemental, I also don’t want to end up like my ex-landlady, the archetypal cat-lady bless her. All she really did was work and she didn't spend much time cultivating a social life. Which is a shame, because I had some great in-depth convos with her and she regularly gave me advice.