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I have been practicing the Newbies trick of loosing money! I think I may have just worked it out. Over the past year I have spent far too much on wonderful splash pages that promise fabulous riches, and a life of luxury. So why do I still fall for all these glamour pages that spring on to my screen?
The trouble is that we are just so afraid that this really could be the one. We dare not miss it. Once more we pay up, full of hope, only to be disappointed yet again..
How much information do we need to get ourselves started ? I would think that after all the mistakes we have made with the splash pages, we should have gleaned enough information to be able to work out how to do affiliate marketing at the very least.
Pay per click may be a little more difficult, but look at all the information that Google can give you on this subject. It’s all there, but how many of us use it? There is no easy way to avoid the task of learning and study.
We don’t seem to want the responsibility of taking the plunge and trying ourselves to master even an affiliate program, we want our hands held all the way, and wait for the money to roll into our bank.
Well we know by now that this will never happen, or very rarely for a lucky person.
I think most of us would be surprised at how much we actually do know, all the bits and pieces are probably there,just waiting to be put together.

A short article, but one that may make you take stock of what knowledge you really do have. So my best advice would be for you to work out a plan that will incorporate all that you know. Simply start with affiliate marketing and do free advertising. Learn through the social site forums, there are a lot of experts out there that are more than willing to help, just by sitting in on some of them, a lot can be learned.

Stop wasting your money and just think about how much you know now since you first turned on a computer. I think you will be surprised.

Michael Chalke

IS THIS YOUR YEAR?

HAVE YOU DECIDED TO MAKE IT ?

Once again we are at the start of another year, and a period of our life.

Are you going to go through this year doing the same as last year?  Maybe you are. Have you ever wondered WHY you will PROBABLY be in the same place next year, as you are this year?

It’s because you gave up. You made excuses that, this won’t work, or I don’t have enough time to do all they say, or just saying “Idon’t think this will work”, without even giving it a fair trial.

OK, some, make money from home, programes out there are just after your money, so how do you get over that, your first hurdle. Have a look round first at the people that really are making money, they are the ones to follow.  If you keep checking programes, you will see some names that come up time and time again. They are the ones who live the Internet and KNOW how to make the money in. They write successful programes, have full instruction, and some video tuition, to show you how to make money, so they are the ones to follow.

But of course YOU are the one that fails because you don’t have what it takes. You give up at the first hurdle. How many Millionares had a smooth problem free ride to the top of the pile?

This is a bit hard hitting and straight from the shoulder, but let face it. You have accepted your place in life, and next year this time, you will be in the same job, doing the same things, having the same worries. It may even be worse, with this present economy, you may have lost that job that seemed so secure.

Now thats a pretty dim future, but how true is it?

Unfortunately it’s very true. We have been programmed to go to work for some one else and make them money. It is said that about 10 per cent of all the people in the world, have control of the wealth. The other 90 per cent work for them. So how does that happen.

I can almost hear the protests that you are shouting at the screen! But it is shouting in the wind for most. There is a difference in working out a plan to change your life, and actually doing it. Most people are too full of negatives and surrounded by negative people.  How many times have you come up with plans for a great money making opportunity, only to be told by “friends” that it will never work. And how many of you have been stopped by the first obstacle that comes up.

Why do you give up? The answer is a simple one, you dont turn your want into a need, and turn the need into a desire. You have no focus, therefore your mind wont let you have it.

So lets recap… Question: Why will you be in the same place next year (or in five years)

                        Answer: Because you don’t have the DESIRE and FOCUS to change.

Yes I know you WANT to, but you are just too full of negatives to focus. Need and Desire are missing.   YOU have to CHANGE your THINKING.

Here is one anniversary that seems to have been missed.
It’s been 50 years (or thereabouts) that National Service came to an end. Much to the relief of many 18 year old lad, and the deferred 21 year old as well.

How different it all was then. The British Isles were pre-multiracial, and it would have been hard to spot anyone who was not a white British person. It was still only 13 years after the World War 2 had ended, and the Government were wary of any further conflicts. So during those past 13 years, they had introduced National Service. But the end was in sight.

All male persons aged 18 years old, provided they were fit for military service, were by law conscripted into either the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force. Those serving apprenticeships or studying up to the age of 21 years were exempt till these were completed. Then they too had to go.

Well thats about the outline of what was happening 50 years ago. Most schools at this time had Cadet activities after school hours, Army, Navy and Air Force Cadets, was an activity enjoyed by many. Lots of marching and drills, and visits to different camps to do what the “real” soldiers, sailors and airmen did. A ride in a tank or on a boat, and the lucky Air cadets got to fly in aircraft, and take gliding lessons at the Air Force Camps. We all got to fire live ammunition from rifles and machine guns under strict supervision. So all the training was worth it.

As a cadet we were probably around 14 - 16 years old, and with all the semi military training around the country at this time, and in most schools, I can never remember any one getting murdered like there is today and almost every day. 

No, we were not all goody goodies, there were fights, but nearly always one on one, and never a fight to the death.

There was a pride in the country at this time, and although many would run to avoid the “call up” and others once called up, would not enjoy the forced discipline of real life in the forces, It was a great leveler. The poor, the middle classes, and the upper classes and the just plain rich boys would be moulded together into a team, the discipline was strict, and the playing was hard, but as time went on, we became competitive with other teams and fought fiercely to win any tournament. Gradually the general feeling was one of great camaraderie. Class, backgrounds and wealth disappeared, we were a Military fighting machine.

Many would enjoy the life and became regulars. But many would do the 2 years, and leave to continue carreers, all the better for the experience.

I was lucky to be in this last group of call ups, and I stayed an extra year to do 3 years in the Royal Air Force. My time was done in a time of peace, and I was not involved in any action that the brave military personel are facing today. That may have been a different story.

I just thought that there are many of you out there, may never have even heard of a time when everyone was conscripted. With every boy at school, possibly being a cadet, were all prepared mentaly to go into the forces, learning extreme discipline, tough combat, using deadly machinery and weapons. With all this knowledge, it was seldom if ever used on our streets. It was safe to walk out at night, our neighbours lived side by side peacefully, with no marauding gangs creating havoc.

 How sad this deterioration can take place in such a once peaceful law-abiding country, in so short a time. All lost to one word - Respect.

It is not until I look back at my early life, that I realise I was so lucky to have lived through this era. I don’t think I would like to be a born in this age. Today is not the  England of my youth.

Michael Chalke.

I named this Blogsite “You’ve Got to Start Somewhere” when i first started Blogging, and and called the website “Bloggingnewbies.com,” you will have guessed that this was a new field for me to get involved in.

Well I am truly ensconsed into it now. I still make mistakes and I might write non to elegantly, but I am still enjoying it. I see from my previous posts that some of you actually read what I write. Thank you all for that. It’s nice nto see the numbers add up. I think I can now promote myself out of the “Amatuer Silver Surfers” group, and I can just qualify for the “Professional Newbies Club”.

Now I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, as you might ask me a question, and you will see a blank expression on my face!  Yes I know I still have a lot to learn, but I do show off to some of my friends when I ask them If they would like me to write their notes or adverts in HTML. Fortunately they decline, and I can breathe a sigh of relief.

It is however, that with out realising, how knowledgable you become. Things that were just technical gobbledegook to me, are coming out of that dark void and into the light. I am surfing like a greyhound now, running all over the Internet, look ing into every corner of the world. I have been place that most people would love to see. I talk to people in every country and learn of cultures that are still emphatic about respect and honour. So many places have lost this basic rule of life.

But there are other facinating aspects of the World Wide Web, the desire for Money. I don’t think we can go to far without an advert offering us fortunes in five minutes! I am afraid that I have sucummed to some of these adverts, but why do they always loose me money? So I have to put it down to the learning curve I am still on. Unfortunately, the saying, “It costs you money to learn” is a very true one.

So to all you wouldbe Bloggers, keep it up, the jungle slowly clears the more you do.  (And I am typing with three fingers now)!!

Michael Chalke.

Getting near retirement?   Maybe this is not a good time! If you were like me when I first retired, I was hit by the 80’s slump, wiping more that £20,000 from my “Nest-egg”. How sad is that. AND NOW IN 2009 IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN.

So living with what was left over turned out to be OK with a bit of planning, but the luxuries and holidays planned, just never happened.

Like so many on this Internet, we look for the ultimate way to make money. How many reading this have been down this road, looking for the “Holy Grail” of Internet marketing. It’s amazing how knowledgable we get at picking out the no hope offers, and the things that just don’t work. If we believed the one telling us we would earn Thousands of dollars or pounds in 24hrs, we would be REALLY loaded by now.

We see some progams that  give us a glimmer of hope - We work hard at it for a week or more and not one result, and only too soon we realise that it’s another one with empty backing, and we are expected to pass it on making the same claim.

That makes us liars and con-men.

With so much out there it does become a “money making” lottery. But sometimes your number comes up.  We know there are real earners out there and we just want the same. But we are left to figure the way through. So the point of this blog, is to say to you that there is a way.

I am not a salesman, I dont think I could be,  I can only pass things on and let you decide what to do about any information that comes your way. I have respect for people.  I just know this has changed my lifestyle (at last) and you would not  believe my income now. We can at last plan all those trips we had to abandon. By the way,I don’t do MLM or send anyone $10, they don’t work and I think this type of “Earning” will fade away.  The newstyle W2.0 sytstem may see the end of this type of marketing.

 Learning from people who are there, done it, and still doing it. Try this one, it’s giving me some income.

Now you can belive me, or you can think I and telling you a load of you know what!. But it doesn’t matter, as I said just have a look. It’s your life, and I don’t want the tyre kickers anywhere near me. If you are a serious minded hard working person. Ok look. But it’s your decision.

At last I know who I am and what I have achieved. Thanks for reading this far.

Michael Chalke

Pensioner

After writing my “Can You Think Back” Article, I started thinking back again. Sometimes memories get lost with time, and I am now going backmore than 50 years!.

The youth of the country at that time, really only had one chance to take to the road, it was the motor cycle. Dads buying cars for their sons never happened. Dad most probably did not have a car anyway. Walk along the street and not all drives had a car in them. So it was the day of the motorcylce and scooter rider. Getting the first motorbike was a milestone in my life. Albeit, I had an old BSA  bike to start with. It was old and very tempremental, not always starting on first kick. KICK? Yes the day of the electric starter was a long way off and never happened until after my motorcycling years. We stood astride the machine and kick started them. Many time an aching leg would force a stop while the carb and spark plug were adjusted and cleaned before the engine would burst into life. The engineering of the engine was after all very basic at that time.

But when it did go, we entered a different world, we were mobile, at 16 years old we could discover a new world. Places where we had never been before, and sights we had only read about. We were obliviuos to danger. We screwed the thottle back to max on every gearchange, fitted silencers that didn’t silence, and showed everybody how brilliant we were. I don’t think that first BSA could reach 60mph!. But who cares, I had a bike, I was mobile, and I could show off with the lads.

There were no safety rules or laws regarding crash helmets, hardly anyone wore one, partly because of the danger of being called a wimp. A flat cap or ratting hat as they were called, was standard headgear, and you could be upmarket with MkV111 (Mark flying goggles. Many still used the gasmask goggles that were issued during the 2nd world war. They were in plentiful supply.

But we all suffered the same desire as many do today, we wanted faster, bigger and better machines. England was the choice of the world for a while. with the BSA’s, Matchless, Aerial, HRD Vincent, Norton and of course Triumph.  (There were many more, but you know what my memory is like!)  Japan was only at the edge of our world. It wasn’t until later that Kawsaki’s and Honda, Yamaha etc. came to the front. It was also the era of the scooter, Lambretta’s and Vespa’s led the way.

But back to my Triumph, there it was sitting in the showroom, second hand, but perfect showroom condition. It had to be mine. As a young motor mechanic earning just £3.00 per week, it was out of my money range, so it was a case of selling my soul to my father, and promising the earth, that led to him letting me have the big deposit. The total price was £150 .00 a fortune for me, (and my father), but winging prevailed and I was soon wheeling it out of the showroom. Now I could go where the old BSA could not. I had to learn to ride all over again, it was heavier, faster and so responsive, that I took a couple of weeks to really be at one with the machine. It would pass anything on the road, and it would do just 100 mph.  the white line in the middle of the road was my road.  (they were painted in those days so none of the thick raised ones). I could go from Basing stoke to Salisbury (50miles) in 30 minutes. It was fantastic. But remember there was not the traffic to contend with then and many miles were just clear. Motorways were not built then.

I needed to have sparks come from my footrest, otherwise I knew I had not taken the corner right, and had not impressed anyone. They were such fun days, and looking back I realise I was lucky to survive on that bike. Inevitably I got so “good” and was king of the road, when I started to fall of it!. Now performing daring stunts and riding out smiling the other end is an ego boost, but fall off, and where do you hide. I can tell you that coming off at 60 plus mph, you don’t actually remember leaving the bike and hitting the ground. Having started this silly falling off game, I believe I actually got sensible and thought for the first time about the dangers I was putting myself into. It was so bad I even thought about buying a crash helmet, but of course I couldn’t loose face on that one! Once you see all the dangers of riding a motorbike, you have that little bee in your bonnet, that says give it up before it’s to late. So a sad day for me when I advertised it.

It was a reluctant sale that saw the Triumph go out of my drive and out of my life. But a chapter in it that was worth every bruise. Michael Chalke.

Can you think of a time when you did not have a television? No I thought not ! That got me thinking about the things that have happened in my lifetime, and some of the things that my Father would never have believed.
He was born at the turn of the century (not this one - the last one), and it was a time when the motorcar was the latest invention, probably only a few hundred in the country at that time. He has long gone now, and I am 71 yrs old, so it suddenly dawned on me that I could look back through my father and myself, more than a Hundred years. Wow! a sobering thought.
What has gone on in that time? Try telling the youth of today that their best form of transport was their legs, and no TV, computer, mobile phones, iPods (or even McDonalds), I am sure they would take a while to digest this, and probably think I was nuts.
Could my father believe that one day a man would land on the Moon? No, I think not, that would have been just to much for him to imagine. But we slowly grow up with these major milestones in our lives, and just don’t realise the change that’s happening and what speed it’s happening.
How far have we come from the first telephone call from America, or the first Radio signal. We now have the Internet that can contact anyone anywhere in the world, at any time. How scary is that.
My childhood was a playtime with a difference, walk to school, no “Mums Runs”. (whoever heard of a woman driver then?) This was something to run home and tell Dad you had seen a woman driver! And playtime was PLAY time, we climbed trees, made bows and arrows, and had sword fights. (with sticks of course), and we were actors of scenes that involved cowboys and Indians, enemies, and armies. Great battles were fought in the fields and in our minds. Sometimes we argued, and a fight was started, but the unwritten rules were that the first boy to have a bloody nose or knocked down was the looser. We didn’t kick or stamp or stab anyone.
The Summers were long and hot. But we had few holidays. Lucky if we ever saw the sea, it was more likely we would stay with “Auntie or Uncle”, always the family.
Now most of you reading this, could never ever visualise the world as it was then, no instant news round the world, except the Pathe News at a cinema. This is the only view we had of the outside world. Some difference now!.
So I have seen the changes and had to adapt to them or get left behind, and as time goes on it gets even harder to remember when we didn’t have all this technology. Where is it all going? You tell me, I am enjoying my later years playing with this technology and writing useless blogs like this, but it keeps me happy. I would love to come back for a couple of hours in a hundred more years time just to see what I am going to miss. Well maybe not, i’ll let my imagination roam around like I did when I was young. By this century, I feel the world should be an easier place to live in, we know so much and have all the tools, but I am saddened by the apparent deterioration in many areas of peace and harmony, which we should all be enjoying from the fruits of this technology. But that’s Political and another story and I’m not going there. Thanks for reading. Michael Chalke.

DONT EVER RETIRE?
But we have to one day. Maybe you are very young reading this and retirement is a long way off, but I bet your birthdays are seeming to come round quicker as you get older. My point is that one day you will be retiring (if your boss hasn’t worked you to death) and I wonder why people look forward to the day. The bad news is that you become a Pensioner, ok, a Senior Citizen then, but no matter what the title, you are past your sell by date, according to the government!
Those that have had the wisdom to save for this day, and made money, may well have their plans in place and actually enjoy a pleasurable retirement. They see the things they want to see, and go to the places they always dreamed of. Maybe even have a cottage to retreat to in their country or abroad. Well they are the lucky ones who have climbed the ladder of success and have been amply rewarded through their working life. Well done to them.
But what about all the other people that have not had well paid jobs, or different circumstances that has kept them out of a high financial bracket. The people who have had to face the rising costs of all that surrounds them in everyday living, they have been unable to bank for the future.
This is not saying that they haven’t worked hard all their life, maybe opportunities have just passed them by. But whats the best for them?

The transition from a working person to that of “I haven’t got to get up early anymore,” seems ok for the first week, but slowly you realise that your life has no routine. So with no reserve of funds to let you do what you would love to do, you are at a crossroads.
The worst thing anybody can do is sit back and complain about their plight. A sure way to deteriate and consequently you will have a very short retirement! Now you could bore everybody with reasons why you can’t do what you want to do, and how life has been hard on you. This is a sure way to loose friends and respect for what you have got.

It is imperative that you stay active. Having only just retired we assume that you could have still worked a lot longer. So first thing is stay fit. How much does that cost? Nothing. Walking and swimming are to very good exercises that will keep you in good order. Take a bus somewhere. Well done the UK, free bus passes, and free access to swimming.  Wow, retirement is looking up! But best of all there are jobs, part timejust to help you make money, and full time, which could give a better income, for the seniors. Now that sounds a bit retrograde having just retired, but sometimes getting back in a routine with something you like doing will provide a little income and a lot of satisfaction.

Have a look at some of the jobs on offer , like adverts wanting retired active couples for house sitting. Part time gardeners, holiday park wardens, and lot more jobs that might not pay much except cover your expenses. Check out all the volunteer groups who are always looking for people to help them. But DO SOMETHING !
Remember even if you were unable to plan a financially worry free retirement, just make the most of your later years. You are still a valuable person. You can be appreciated in many ways and areas. Don’t give up. Life goes on, enjoy every bit of it. You can do it. How are you at using a computor? If you are reading this then I guess you can at least switch one on!  Now there is the whole world at your fingertips. For the less able, make friends across the world. Visit all the countries that you would like to know more about. Do the same as me, get a blog  going! You could start an online business, get rid of a few things on ebay! So in conclusion, it’s not all doom and gloom for those that have had to go into retirement with little funds, there is a way. The message is “Dont ever Retire,”  Good luck. 

With this information I pestered them for all the information I could about the Markets and about Spain itself. I had only one problem - I had never been to Spain!,   Well with-out the long story, my wife and I decided to go on this adventure. What would we sell? I had a Donut Machine which we were currently using, and thought, why not! So our plans were made to leave the country, I had a Transit Van, a large Caravan, and enough stock to last for six months. That consisted of about half a ton of donut mix. Gas and cooking oil for the machine and all the rest of the stall and related items for that plus all the things we would need for our personal well being. Wow! were we loaded, and we had a thousand miles to go!

 It was that after our summer markets had finished, our friends agreed to “Show us the way to Spain,” The day arrived for us all to set off, heavily loaded , even the Transit seemed eager to go. We boarded the ferry at Portsmouth and it was to take us to Santander via the notorious Bay of Biscay . Luckily the passage was smooth, and two days later saw us embarking onto Spanish soil.  And the Sun was shining !  We followed our friends with their car and caravan to Benidorm, and it was nice to have company on this our very first venture into Spain. 

 We arrived in Benidorm three days later, after a long journey only stopping at Motorway Stations and for fill ups, We were both anxious to get to the destination, but still a little wary of this new adventure. We arrived at a campsite called La Torreta, and got settled in. It was only just a ten minute walk to the centre of Benidorm, just as they had told us, and the beach with the Mediterranean lapping at the sand.

But first priority was to book in for my first market. Now if you want to get on a market in Spain, and you’ve never been there before and you don’t know any Spanish language. That’s a pretty daunting task. Remember I had never been to Spain before!.

My phrase book gave me two words, and I knew por favor, (please). Well most people do! I spotted the words Plaza and Domingo, and decided this was all I had to remember. Hm.. not much you can do with that in a conversation! But it might work. So it was a trip to the Town Hall, and find the market office.

Ok here goes, “Plaza, Domingo, por favor”

Well I must have hit the right words as an official looked at me for a second and much to my relief, a pad was produced and The Man rattled off some Spanish at me and thrust a paper with a pitch number and the cost towards me. I paid hurriedly and left.

The market was just outside Benidorm, and I had a pitch in La Nucia where the town hall was.

Oh and my Spanish words? Plaza, Domingo, por favor.( Pitch, Sunday, Please.)

I am glad to say that the people at the market on Sunday were a real mixture, seemingly most had come to Spain from England to avoid the winter there. And they all liked donuts! The Traders were Spanish, English, Dutch and German, and we got on well with them all.

 We joined other markets and it was not long before we started using Spanish words and understanding maybe more than we knew. Three markets a week was enough to keep us in Spain from October till May. What a wonderful time we had. working just three days a week and the rest of the time enjoying the Sun and finding our way round Spain. Eventually of course, we had to return to do our regular and summer markets. But this journey, thanks to our friends, was a real adventure and holiday in one.

This was in 1995 and for the next six years we went to Spain for the Winter. with the lovely weather, Christmases in the hot sun and a new host of camping friends and traders welcoming us back.

We still go to see friends in Spain, but have long since given up the Market life. We look back and say, it was some of the best times of our life. My point to this story (if there is a point) is that sometimes you just have to get up and go, even if you don’t know what’s on the other side.

That’s why as a pensioner now, I am attempting to do a bit of blogging. I may not get it right, but I ‘m going to have fun trying.

(Comments?)