One Hundred Times But Keeping My Day Job

Taking the good with the bad is a fact of life and as a blogger/itinerary planner, I must admit the processing experience has not always been ‘rosy.’  Last week I submitted my one hundredth post and it felt good to reach that milestone, but it didn’t come without its challenges.  While I can’t speak for every writer/blogger I can certainly tell you that writing an interesting post from week to week is not always an easy task without running the risk of sounding trite or frivolous.

One of the promises I made as a blogger to my readership and to myself is to always be true and transparent.  When I started this website and blog, the intention was to keep my readership informed on travel related matters and publish at least once a week, but there were times that I missed deadlines.  There are several reasons for that, but the most important ones are these:  I had nothing interesting or important to talk about, over-extended myself and was too busy, or in a sad funk about circumstances affecting me.  These reasons are all subjective but nonetheless real.

I love to write but after this 100th post it is clear that I should keep my day job 😝. When I’m inspired, writing flows easily and naturally, especially when the subject matter is of particular interest to me.  All the posts that I’ve published so far are expressions of my thoughts, life experiences, and I hope my writer’s voice is clearly heard.

Community Peeps, even though you may not be keeping tabs on me, I still want to keep it real. I celebrate this achievement knowing that you have an interest in what I bring to the table, whenever I post.  Thanks for your affirmations, comments and likes.  It means a lot to me.

Readers, as usual, I invite you to click follow to receive timely updates, select like to show your love and support.  Share this post on your social media site.  Write your comment in the box below.  Your interest, time and attention are always appreciated.  Thank you for reading.

More times,

Itinerary Planner

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What’s Your ID?

There are many reasons why people blog, but the most basic reason is to share.  It is just that simple.  Everything shared may not be interesting, worthwhile, or profound.  However, whatever is shared has an audience.  No matter what is written or how it is written, the post will appeal to someone.  It will ring a bell, resonate and find a home in the heart of another blogger or reader.  That is why blogging is so intriguing.  It does not have to fit one particular mold.   It is flexible.  If you don’t like what you read/see, you move on.

For me, blogging and maintenance has become a relaxing activity to engage in at the end of the day.  My once-a-week posting commitment and daily perusal of other blogs works well with my busy schedule.  Since starting this online regimen, it has proven to be enlightening, informative, and even hilarious.  Over the course of time, responses are more forth coming and I am getting to know my followers, recognizing their work and receiving their feedback.  Likewise, I am more apt to comment on what I like, send kudos, and thumbs-up more readily.

A by-product of blogging is following and liking another blogger’s material.  One of the first things that capture my attention is the blogger’s pseudo-name.  I am drawn into wondering how they came about their name and the story behind it.  Some names are easy to identify especially when you can tell it’s a person’s name or their pet’s.  To help you understand what’s behind the name, their articles bare out their interests and makes the name choice clearer.

Paying close attention to those who connect with me through likes and follows, I often find myself reading their identifier to figure out what they are all about before I read their actual post (I know I’m not the only one who does this😊).  For example, I go by the name “Itinerary Planner.”   Self-explanatory, right?  At least I hope so.  Not all identifiers are that easy, but that may be the intention of the blogger.  If so, mission accomplished.  Still, many that I come across are puzzling and beg my attention, in such a way, that I conjure up possible meanings if it is unclear even after reading the post or from their specific posting tags and categories.

My moniker if you guessed, appropriately hints at what I like to do – organize events and plan customized vacations.  I even have the tag all to myself on WordPress 😊.  Other categories such as: itineraries, lifestyle, travel tips, places visited, food, accommodation, and more are of interest to me too.  When these categories are intertwined with travel, then I receive palmary inspiration for the blog.

Some IDs are creative, some combined names, some phrases even.  I simply like to guess what they are all about.  I may be dead wrong at first, but hooked, I must find out who they are and where their interests lie.

So, what does your ID say about you?  Does it make others go ‘hmmmm’ or is it clearly understood?   Here are a few pseudo-names from my community of followers (sorry guys I can’t list all of you).  Look at them, then check out their blogs to see if you guessed correctly.  Your guess may be spot on or you may be in for a surprise.

Readers, I’ve playfully involve these few in this exercise, but alternatively, I hope it gives them more exposure and drive a lot of traffic their way.  To do so you must click the links to their blogs below:

Sportsdiva64

PT Passages

Globetrotting Grandpa

Roadtirement

Nuh Mock Sport

Travelingpersecond

Alaska or Bust

Crank and Cog

Nikkidiscovers

Meshasexperience

Community Peeps tell me if you like to unscramble names and guess what the blogger is all about too.  It is always great when I hear from you.  Please share your thoughts.  Next post will talk of upcoming travel plans and what is on the horizon for 2019.

Readers, as usual, I invite you to click follow to receive timely updates, select like to show your love and support.  Share this post on your social media site.  Write your comments in the box below.  Your interest, time and attention are appreciated.  Thanks for reading.

More times,

Itinerary Planner

Travel Itineraries Celebrates 1st Year

It is amazing how time flies when you are having fun.  A year ago, this month, Travel Itineraries (TI) was created.   Made to talk about travel-related matters with a special emphasis on itinerary planning, TI took shape.  What started out as a fledgling website, supported by thoughtful planning re: leisure travel, budget information, and how-to methods to get the most bang for your buck in your travel experience, TI has morphed into a productive website where clients trust their bespoke itineraries will meet their specific needs.

In addition to the website’s pages, blogging too has become a fun byproduct and my creative favorite action, only if to share experiences, opinions, advice or industry information, and generally to express my point of view.  TI’s presence has gained a following who help to make the website a viable entity.  Without you, it would be less engaging.

Throughout the year of ups and downs, of navigating a steep learning curve on website creation and management, and of making decisions that one way or the other affected the advancement of the site, have brought me to terms on how to best manage the blog-website that works for my community peeps and me.

Here are some things I have learned in the past 12 months of online activity:

• Write what inspires me.  To thine own-self be true.
• The only person affected by a missed deadline is me.  Likes and comments will come anyway.
• Publish once a week but reserve the right to occasionally increase postings if there is pressing information to share.
• Do not overwhelm my followers with too many postings.
• Knowledge is power, share it.
• Own the website, don’t let the website own me.
• “Like” the work of my competitors, it does not detract from my business’s vision.
• A positive write-up goes a long way and is better than a negative comment.
• Be empathetic and generous with my “likes” and “comments.”
• Fun and enjoyment must be active ingredients in bringing each post to you.

Folks, it has been a wonderful year operating in blogosphere.  Thank you for your interest, and direct support in the forms of your likes, comments and follow.  Everyone is appreciated.  While there is every intention of growing the business and taking the blog-website to the next level, still it would be wonderful to hear directly from you whether a second year is justified and how TI can do it better.

Please express your comments and recommendations for TI in the box below.  As usual, I encourage you to click follow to receive timely updates, select like to show your love and support, and share on your social media sites.  It has been great.  Happy first anniversary Travel Itineraries.

More times,

Itinerary Planner