The Itinerary Review Post

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hippiewannabe
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by hippiewannabe » Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:33 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
hambone wrote:Is every post on the IAC just a marketing tool ultimately?
Love first, and the money (may) follow. If not, no sweat, move on.
Sincerely,
:bootyshake:
My presence here (particularly in Free Speech) lends credence to the notion that my posts are actually anti-marketing tools, what with the thousands of humans I have alienated over the brief seven years here.

On the one hand, those who survive my editing process and still invite me to sample their coffee and say hi to the dog know well that if I happen to be "friendly" it is because I am feeling friendly, no suck-up left in me.

On the other hand, I can count the people who have survived the Free Speech Tempering Process.
All four of you.
Colin :sunny:
Yeah, you can beat a dog, and for some reason they still want to be around you anyway.
Amskeptic wrote:I am terrible at self-promotion, I am disappointed with my psychological make-up which refuses to schmooze, and I am incapable of making a business enterprise out of something near to my heart, unlike my old appliance/HVAC business where it was easy because I was not so invested.

Once again, thank you for your input and insight and loyal patronage, my most-esteeemed cuzztomer.
Colin
We've talked about this for nine years, and the answer is both obvious and elusive.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... ight=colin

The purpose of work is to provide money to fund your life. Nothing more, nothing less. Once you accept that fact, it becomes a simple matter of optimizing the dollars earned per unit of suck.

You could make more money staying in one place and fixing BMWs or Porsches or HVAC systems, but that would suck more than driving around the country in a bus meeting VW people and teaching them to fix their buses.

Those of us who have the freedom to make such a choice should be astounded at why we were chosen over the other five billion people on earth who scratch to survive each day, with no notion of choice or self-actualization,
Truth is like poetry.
And most people fucking hate poetry.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:16 am

hippiewannabe wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:
hambone wrote:Is every post on the IAC just a marketing tool ultimately?
Love first, and the money (may) follow. If not, no sweat, move on.
Sincerely,
:bootyshake:
My presence here (particularly in Free Speech) lends credence to the notion that my posts are actually anti-marketing tools, what with the thousands of humans I have alienated over the brief seven years here.

On the one hand, those who survive my editing process and still invite me to sample their coffee and say hi to the dog know well that if I happen to be "friendly" it is because I am feeling friendly, no suck-up left in me.

On the other hand, I can count the people who have survived the Free Speech Tempering Process.
All four of you.
Colin :sunny:
Yeah, you can beat a dog, and for some reason they still want to be around you anyway.
Amskeptic wrote:I am terrible at self-promotion, I am disappointed with my psychological make-up which refuses to schmooze, and I am incapable of making a business enterprise out of something near to my heart, unlike my old appliance/HVAC business where it was easy because I was not so invested.

Once again, thank you for your input and insight and loyal patronage, my most-esteeemed cuzztomer.
Colin
We've talked about this for nine years, and the answer is both obvious and elusive.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... ight=colin

The purpose of work is to provide money to fund your life. Nothing more, nothing less. Once you accept that fact, it becomes a simple matter of optimizing the dollars earned per unit of suck.

You could make more money staying in one place and fixing BMWs or Porsches or HVAC systems, but that would suck more than driving around the country in a bus meeting VW people and teaching them to fix their buses.

Those of us who have the freedom to make such a choice should be astounded at why we were chosen over the other five billion people on earth who scratch to survive each day, with no notion of choice or self-actualization,
You are right-on there. So I sez to myself, I sez, "hey Colin, think you might get around to some #@%!&@ actual self-actualizing one of these DAZE??"
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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glasseye
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by glasseye » Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:17 am

Glasseye's Rules of Self Employment. Based on three decades thereof.

1) Self-actualization is the bane of the self employed. Ask any writer.

2) For the self employed, political schmoozing is a necessary evil. Ignore this at your peril.

3) The benefits of self employment generally outweigh the disadvantages. The disadvantages can be intimidating.

4) Income varies. Fiscal conservatism is mandatory.

5) "The purpose of work is to provide money to fund your life. Nothing more, nothing less" is a very saddening perspective. Especially the "nothing more, nothing less" part.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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hambone
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by hambone » Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:32 pm

How can a camping section offend anyone? Why even drive a camper then?
If that, and the Lucky Lab are indeed offending and turning away customers then I will stay away from either.
Have a Nice Day.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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hippiewannabe
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by hippiewannabe » Fri Dec 27, 2013 5:39 pm

glasseye wrote: 5) "The purpose of work is to provide money to fund your life. Nothing more, nothing less" is a very saddening perspective. Especially the "nothing more, nothing less" part.
I think it's quite liberating. I means don't tie up your self esteem in your job, or let it come between you and your family. Remember it's a means to an end. A Park Ranger making $25K but having his office be the great outdoors can be happier than a corporate cubicle dweller making four times as much. An artist who barely makes ends meet but spends his day pursuing his passion can be more fulfilled than an investment banker raking in a fortune and never knowing his kids. It's not about maximizing income, it's about the ratio of income per unit of suck.
Truth is like poetry.
And most people fucking hate poetry.

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airkooledchris
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by airkooledchris » Fri Dec 27, 2013 11:54 pm

Wouldn't the elephant in the room here, for the conversation I think were all having right now, is how do you make the IAC more self sufficient when everyone is over at thesamba already - right?

In short, you can't. the samba is a monster and while there is so much happening there it can sometimes feel like the valuable bits get lost in the shuffle( with all of the misinformation and BS that goes on) - the simple fact is that's where all of the aircooled people in the US go for information once they are online and looking up information on how to take care of their vehicles. There is still a ton of very good information there and a large group of regular posters who will quickly respond with idea's, suggestions and feedback as quickly as it comes up (Randy in Maine, busdaddy, Wildthings, SGKent, Desertbusman, hazetguy, VDubTech, ratwell, EZ Gruv, Amskeptic (hey, we have one of those here to!)

so driving traffic here just for the sake of making the site become more frequented, if that's the goal, or getting more people to take advantage of the itinerant visits, if *that's* the goal, is always going to depend on taking that traffic away from the samba and driving it here instead. your not going to get enough people via real world 'word of mouth' to create the kind of numbers that would make either of those potential goals realized. it's just how it is. If either of those things ARE the goal, and it isn't to continue doing what's been done thus far and just pushing forward as is - then I think the focus needs to be pointed at that more directly. (promoting more on TS, in different ways depending on which of the above goals is strong enough to want to put in the effort/change)

I don't agree with what hippiewannabe said about the other forums in terms of putting people off, but I do agree with the sentiment that this place does feel a little cliquish, in that there is a core group of people who all know each other very well and who have been here since the start - many of whom all live in the same general region even. When I started coming here I very much felt like an outsider, and for a little while felt like this was the Portland and Seattle specific club until I started really paying attention the the other regulars from the midwest and east coast as well. The quality of the technical information here is second to none, so I stuck around long enough to get to know everyone a little better. But that's hard to do with the smaller volume of traffic that takes place. Hell, ill admit it - when I think about posting about something im working on for a bus project - I still go over to thesamba to do it a lot of the time, because that's where most everyone is who has the same model bus as I will be. I almost feel guilty saying it, but that's the truth so there it is.


FWIW, im real happy with everything exactly the way it is. when someone asks how things could be better, most will have a million thoughts on what might work better than it does now, so maybe that thought gets washed in this process - but if *nothing* changed from exactly how it is right now, i'll still be visiting these forums and signing up for my visits each year. (and spreading the word to those when I have the opportunity to do so.)
1979 California Transporter

Jivermo
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Jivermo » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:08 am

This forum works very well, as does Colin's method of conducting business. When I came aboard, I did not feel any clique sort of thing going on here. I saw some mention of the site on Samba, and came to investigate. After I gained an understanding of the concept, I signed up for a visit from Colin, and we got to work. I don't view this as a competitor to Samba, I look at IAC as a complement, and a tool to use in furthering our common goal of keeping our vehicles roadworthy. Colin has had a number of years to refine his process, and I think it works very well. He has late fall and winter to work on his book, and tinker with his Lexus. Based on my geographical location, I've determined that it would be beneficial if he had a couple more clients here in South Florida since it's a grunt to get here for only one customer. So, I'll be speaking with other air cooled owners to see if I can get them signed up for 2014, in order to keep things cost efficient for him. Happy New Year to you all!

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hambone
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by hambone » Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:54 pm

it's about the ratio of income per unit of suck.
that ther, is very cool
pain often brings fortune, then what? Are we paid in advance by healthy "suck"? Lots of mud in this here world to muck thru.
It is hard to put it into words. It is hard to plan for the future, ever elusive....
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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Runamuck Bus
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Runamuck Bus » Sun Dec 29, 2013 3:44 pm

I don't start many threads here, or post many replies. I start and post less on TS. GMAG69 (remember him?) directed me here after some 'old timers' took a couple of shots at 'the new kid on the block'. I usually come here first to read my selected topics; I avoid a few others that don't hold my interest. I use this site for knowledge, entertainment and motivation. I've had a few IAC visits that I have benefitted from immensely.
I recently added my $.02 to a couple threads on TS. Both threads now have a direct reference to IAC and this site. Now, if I can remember IAC topics that apply to TS threads, and it is appropriate, I can 'kindly' refer the readers to an additional source of a wealth of VW information. For example:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=580469

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=85153

(2nd did not turn out perfect cause I suck at posting pictures). There are many new faces on thesamba that might need to know more, and this seemed like a good way to spread the word.
Endeavor to Persevere.
'72 Weekender

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glasseye
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by glasseye » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:33 pm

hippiewannabe wrote:It's not about maximizing income, it's about the ratio of income per unit of suck.
Now that I can agree with. I think I musta mis-read your post because we seem to agree on the work/suck relationship. You said that work is a necessary evil. My take is that it's one of the most important choices you make in life. It better be a smart one.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:29 am

Runamuck Bus wrote:
I recently added my $.02 to a couple threads on TS. Both threads now have a direct reference to IAC and this site.
There are many new faces on thesamba that might need to know more, and this seemed like a good way to spread the word.
Thank-you, thank-you. And yes, I may need to spend a little time over there, too.
Colin16*???
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:34 am

glasseye wrote:
hippiewannabe wrote:It's not about maximizing income, it's about the ratio of income per unit of suck.
Now that I can agree with. I think I musta mis-read your post because we seem to agree on the work/suck relationship. You said that work is a necessary evil. My take is that it's one of the most important choices you make in life. It better be a smart one.
Due to a deep-seated need to wake up and play! instead of being trapped in horrid endless chores like in my earliest childhood, I chose jobs where I can play. As a matter of fact, looking back at my resume, all of my jobs have felt like play.

You do have to convince yourself that you are having fun, sometimes.
ColinItIsAFUN16*ThisMorning :blackeye:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:35 am

hambone wrote:How can a camping section offend anyone? Why even drive a camper then?
? ? ? ?
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Mr Blotto
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by Mr Blotto » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:18 am

Amskeptic wrote:
hambone wrote:How can a camping section offend anyone? Why even drive a camper then?
? ? ? ?
Come on guys - what I implied was that the various non-technical forums may turn off some, and may contribute to the cliquey-ness factor. Hey, I have gotten a lot out of and have contributed a bit to the Camping forum in the past, and would be sad to see it go, but if I was asked what parts of this site might be a turn-off for new customers or possibly retaining old members, I would honestly have to say the personal-interest forums (most significantly Free Speech) are the cause. Do I agree with it? No. Do I think it happens? Yes.

In the end, I (as well as all of us here) want to see Colin prosper and continue to provide his services.

I see a lot of value in Belleplaine's post, and the notion of creating a "street-team" of members that gently guide nubies from other sites to Colin's services.
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles :-(

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yondermtn
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Re: The Itinerary Review Post

Post by yondermtn » Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:39 pm

I knew exactly what you meant, Blotto.
1977 Westy 2.0FI
1990 Vanagon MV 2.1 Auto

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