David in Spain

A little bit of everything

Category Archives: Life

Writing for a living

Since December I have written more than 75,000 words, mostly for articles, some for one off blog posts. The income from it is rising, with adsense it is small but growing, Same with Kontera, infoLinks and the sales of an eBook, small but growing.

InfoBarrel

InfoBarrel is a site I have been posting articles to and I get a good click through rate on it. So far I have 62 articles on there and I can see it will be good to keep putting more up. I don’t have such a good click through on the sites I own, even the Amazing iPad which is getting 250 – 400 visitors per day. Important to build up my own sites and even more important to choose the keywords more carefully, to get the search traffic. On a couple of the sites I have the sites are not even on the radar yet. I have to get more articles on there to build up the authority of the sites.

Back Linking for SEO Juice

Following the tips from Pat Flynn, which he got from Joseph Archibald for building the site so it goes in the right direction on the Google searches. So I am using Unique Article Wizard and I am a member of The Keyword Academy to get the tools for gathering the links back to my web sites. On TKA there is PostRunner for posting articles, which you have to do the work manually with totally original articles. With Unique Article Wizard there is a spinning at paragraph level and it can have some nested spinning within that. Care is needed with spinning to make sure you end up with articles that make sense.

Campsite Work

Back at the campsite for a few days at the end of the month. It will be the Easter Weekend. I expect to be working both in reception and also on the gate security. The gate is easier, less stressful and less hassle with the other person working there who is not what you would call a team player. I will not be able to get so much writing done but I will get practice with the Spanish and a bit of cash. The money is not much – Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

I Enjoy The Writing Process

I have a nice system where I write one article first, then do re writes on a per sentence basis, to end up with four original articles. I can then use those as I see fit. One to the blog or money site, one to InfoBarrel and then two to Postruner which is part of The Keyword Academy. Or I could use Three for Unique Article Wizard and then the other to whichever place I feel like sending it to.

I also spin the articles on a per sentence basis that gives me another ten spun articles to send where ever. I haven’t been using many spins lately, I should send a few of them into some article directories.

Anyway the whole point of the writing is to make some money. So far it is extremely slow going to make increases, but it is happening. If I could get to 500 articles on InfoBarrel I should be doing OK with some earnings. I have to write some more eBooks too as I have had a couple of sales this month of the Footy Money Maker eBook and spread sheet.

iMac woes part deux

I took the iMac into the Apple Store in Barcelona nearly 2 weeks ago now and I was told that they would call me when they knew what the problem was, to let me decide what to do with it. That was mainly because they wanted to rip me off with the cost of a hard drive. €140 for a 500GB drive is a bit steep when I just bought a 2TB for under €100.

Like a bit of a prune I waited for them to ring me and in the end I thought I had better stir it up a bit and call them. It took me four attempts to get through and the woman on the other end tells me that the problem is the logic board. I knew that the drive was OK. But then she tells me that they still have not got the parts in to fix it. I always feel I get unlucky with these sort of things.

The cost of the fixing will be over 500 euro and I have no choice but to pay it. I need my machine back. Working now with my MacBook and my MacMini is not good enough for me. I need more screen space to work with.

When I was at the Genius Bar when I left the computer in to be fixed, I was talking to a guy that spoke English pretty well and I don’t think the problem is due to things being lost in translation. I suspect that they forgot about me because the shop is new and they are inundated with work to do. You know how it goes 50 people working there but each of them thinking someone else was taking care of it. Or more likely not even thinking at all.

I am a bit miffed that I will now have to wait probably another week before I get my computer back, I was told that the repair would be 7 – 10 days because it was a busy time in the new store, instead of the usual 5 – 7 days. So you can see that really I am having to wait 3 time longer than I should have to be looked after.

Problems with my Mac

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I have had this iMac for a couple of years now and I have been really pleased with it. Lately I thought it had been a little sluggish but thought it was down to the heaps of software I run on it. The newer models can take more than 4GB RAM but not this one. I have even wondered about selling it and the MacBook too and getting a newer one with the proceeds. I could easily use the iPad for out and about computing and just have a nice 27in iMac on my desk.

I have got used to the pleasure taken from sitting on the sofa with the iPad surfing, checking emails and looking at Twitter. I can see also that there are some good apps too for writing and I quite like punching out some words on the iPad. The predictive text works well and speeds up the process a bit too, when you think that the on screen keyboard might be slowing you down.

The story of the latter part of this week though is this. All of a sudden I got purple lines across the screens, I have two screens. I was able to close the computer down only by pressing and holding down the power button. Then I tried turning back on and it was the same. Time to curse a bit then go out for a walk with the dog.

When I get back I was able to have the machine running again as well as before the problem. I am starting to think that the problem is due to overheating, it was quite hot to touch the top of the computer. I manage to install iStat Menus which is an application that monitors all sorts of things including temperatures in various places and what speeds fans are running. Best though to use when you have it running perfectly and make a note of the temperatures and settings so that you have a benchmark to work off.

I didn’t really have time to look at it much anyway before it locked up again. Kernel Panic is the title for the problem. I had never experienced it before in five years of being a Mac user. I was able to install a small utility called AppleJack which does tests of your basic Mac Systems, so I have been able to run that. Also have tried the Apple Hardware Test. Done so many things here with the computer that I can’t remember how I got that working but I did. Probably by pressing on of the keys during start up does that job for you. The full Apple Hardware test took over an hour to complete but the short version took only a minute or two. Whichever one I did it reported no trouble found,

After all of the testing, resetting pRam and doing other things I am in a worse position that when I started. Now I can’t get it to start at all even when it is cold. I keep getting a grey screen which tells me to power off and to power on again then repeats.

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My son jack the Irish artist

Really pleased to have Jack and Orla visiting for the week, like many of their age they spend too much time unconscious in the bed. But when they do get out of the sack we have had good times visiting places. Today it was the hanging bridge in the gorge nearby which lots of scrambling up and down rocky slopes and paths. The hanging bridge is not that high but is mildly spectacular when you are walking across it. The dog came with us and seemed to think she is a mountain goat, I was amazed at some of the things that she climbed up.

Jack sat down by the hanging bridge to do some drawing of the rocks and the bridge. I shot a bit of video of the time we spent there. I also shot video of the human castles that we saw in Castel d’Aro at the weekend and aside from the video I will make of it to post here and on YouTube I am giving the footage uncut to Orla to play with, seeing as she is into television and video.

Yesterday was a beach day with a visit to beaches on the other side of Platja d’Aro. To get to the beach we wanted we had to go through a small tunnel and walk around the small cliff walk which is called the Cami de Ronda. It is what the authorities use to use to watch out for smugglers on this Mediterranean coast.

bringing in the video from the camera right now – will grab a still from it and some video to post tomorrow.

Wacom Tablet

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Steve Carty from Toronto – Behind the scenes

I interviewed Steve a while back and he is a talented photographer so here is a chance to see behind the scenes. He shows how he works with his model on a shoot.

Snowed in – Costa Brava

On Monday the weather was blizzard conditions and since then we have had no electric, no phones and no internet. There is a possibility that the electric might come back today but I will not be holding my breath waiting.

It is amazing how much we depend on the electric. My neighbour was lucky enough to have a generator available but for the rest of us mere mortals we have to survive on batteries. I do have an inverter but it just gives me light to be able to see where I am going in the evening and to be able to read without messing up my eyes.

The news said there were about 30 or 40 pylons blown down with the wind on Monday. I think it will take ages to get back to the way things were before. If I had internet through the phone line then I could have internet before that but mine comes in through Wimax and that needs the electric power to work.


Belgian Chocolates or A Mac20Q Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I love eating chocolate but unfortunately it is a poison to me and the next day I have a migraine. But that is not the case when I talk to a man from Belgian, especially when it is the great guy that uses a Mac called Peter Boodts. Last week we hooked up on Skype and had a chat for Mac20Q podcast and now it available for you to listen to as a podcast.
Peter tells me that for a hobby he like the Samba drums, which was excellent seeing as I filmed that bloody marvellous group of drummers from Girona that were taking part in a contest in the big venue in Platja d’Aro last Thursday. I want some drums to play with myself now.


Drummers at the Carnaval

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In the previous years here in Spain I have got dressed up and gone to see the Carnaval procession and then gone out for a meal followed by a visit to a disco. Never enjoyed the disco because people were smoking in there and it is always difficult to breathe and it is so smelly. More fun while outside on the street seeing everyone walking around looking ridiculous and loving it. Some very good costumes there.
This year for the night of the dancing I ended up babysitting nephews and we survived! Two boys roaming the house dressed as pirates, so we were constantly being stabbed with plastic swords.
The best of this years’ Carnaval was the Talent competition on Thursday evening. Magicians, singers, performers and the most excellent group of drummers. Here is the video of the drummers doing there show.


The Sound Sleeper – Film of the week by Kingisafink

I wonder who was making the foley effects for the movie? So far no one has owned up?? Seriously though here are a couple of film makers that are going to go one to bigger projects, This one goes for funny but they like to make social comment in their movies shorts.

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Apple getting ready to premiere the iTablet

Later today Steve Jobs will be getting on stage to tell us about his new toy for us all. 

Time for all the rumours to be quashed and all the picking apart the bones of whatever Apple comes out with today. 10 inch form factor with an iPhone like interface. Will it be fast? Will it have Kindle like abilities? Will it be a game changing platform that will take the world by storm. Are you going to buy one as soon as it is in the store?

It is still all questions right now as I write this but in eight hours time there will be an explosion on the internet when every Mac fan has one topic to talk about. The iSlate, iTablet or the iPad. For sure some will be deleriously happy with the new toy and many will snipe at it, saying well it doesn’t do this or doesn’t do that. It will depend on whether the hype has been over done or not.

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Adam Weiss talks to Mac20Q

Latest podcast from Mac20Q

Adam Weiss is a successful educational podcaster and podcast consultant, as well as a sought-after digital media strategist. An expert interviewer and communicator, he aims to show that digital communication is more about story, presentation, and technique than fancy gear and tech toys.

He is the creator of the award-winning Current Science & Technology Podcast for the Museum of Science in Boston, which he hosted for more than two years. He now hosts his critically-acclaimed Boston Behind the Scenes Podcast, and has profiled everyone from street vendors to senators and astronauts in his career.

Read more and listen to the podcast.

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Backlooping on waves

My son has been in Australia for nearly two years now and here is a picture that shows what he went there for.

What about the iSlate or iTablet

So what do you think Apple have planned for 27th of January will it be the iTablet and will you want to buy one. Have you got money put aside to be able to get one as soon as Apple pulls the trigger?

I just saw a video on Metacafe which purported to show the new device from Apple.
Hmmmm I wonder is it real or is it a fake?

Watch this video http://metacafe.com/w/4034253/ on Metacafe – Youtube Apple Tablet Islate Video. Tell me what you think about it/

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Video20Q talked to Tyler Weaver about movies

Movies and Macs with Tyler Weaver

Tyler Weaver Movie maker, was introduced to movies by his Grandad. He would go out and rent movies that he thought the young Tyler should see. Tyler has a music background and has gravitated more to the visual aspect of the film making art.

Tyler has been working for a non profit organisation and has produced some movies for them. There is ‘Il Mio Canto Libero’ in  which there is some totally enchanting music that just swept me away. Means something like ‘Its my song of freedom’ then there is Gather ‘Round the Mic’ which is broken up into parts and available on Vimeo.

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