How Can You Miss Your Own Birthday?

Travel blog birthday

Have you ever been so busy you missed a special birthday? Well that’s what happened to me.

August was the big birthday month for Get In the Hot Spot so now we are two years old.

Happy Belated Bloggy Birthday to US

I can’t believe we’re two already.

Yes, now we can walk AND talk. Now we’re into the terrible twos we can really go on the rampage. I can’t wait.

I wanted to have a big party with balloons, cake and a red carpet so all you readers could strut your stuff and I could take photos of your lovely smiley faces. But somehow time slipped by.

I’m so sorry. Let’s have a big bash next year.

I know it won’t be as good as a party but I just want to take a moment to say how much this blogging birthday means to me and how BIG it really is.

Thank You Darling Reader

As one of my blog readers you’ve literally taken me from writing wallflower to self-published pole dancer.

Thank you so much for your involvement, the comments and most of all for being here.

It’s given me huge pleasure to connect with interesting, inspiring and diverse people from all around the world on this blog.

Thank you so much for your support, for spreading the word about Get In the Hot Spot and for your beautiful feedback.

What’s Next on Get In the Hot Spot?

Like all social media Get In the Hot Spot is still evolving and growing but the developments are thrilling.

We bloggers are no longer on the fringes of society. We’re in the newspapers, we’re on telly and we’re being courted by brands.

It feels like a great place to be and I’m excited to be sharing this adventure with you.

Get In the Hot Spot will be mainly about travel from now on. That’s my first love and I think it’s yours too.

As usual we’ll keep it fun, positive and uplifting. As always the focus will be on:

  • entertaining you;
  • giving you hot travel tips;
  • inspiring you to set off on your own adventures and share them with us here or on your own blog.

What’s Next at Get In the Hot Spot?

Since I set up Successful Blogging I haven’t been earning much here because the main source of my blogging income is through book sales of Successful Blogging in 12 Simple Steps.

In the past I’ve shied away from advertising because it can look ugly and tacky.

But recently a professional online entrepreneur and someone I trust told me I could be earning as much as $1,000 a month from advertising here.

Quite frankly if I don’t advertise I’d be stark staring mad.

Me and the Mucho Man want to save up for more travel adventures and they don’t come cheap when you’ve got the three Candy kids along for the ride.

So in the future you’ll probably see some advertising and sponsored blog posts here.

I’ll make sure our site never looks ugly or tacky but having an income will also help make Get In the Hot Spot bigger, better and brighter than ever.

I hope you’ll stick around to watch how we grow and evolve over the next two years because I think exciting things are going to happen.

I also hope you’ll welcome any advertisers and sponsors who are joining our community by checking out what they do.

I know many people worry about losing credibility by using advertising and sponsored blog posts but I see it as a sign that we have a fabulous community that other people naturally want to be part of.

This has to be a good thing for all of us: for you, for me and for our sponsors.

Of course I’ll only work with people, companies and brands who share our values of fun, integrity and passion and who appreciate us for what we are.

What’s the Best Gift For a Blogging Birthday?

I hope you enjoy my blog and that it helps you. I try hard to write useful and motivating posts that will help you stay positive and fired up.

If you like Get In the Hot Spot the very best thing you can do for me it to spread the word about it.

If a post is particularly fun, interesting or helpful I’d love it if you do some or all of these things:

  • Include Get In the Hot Spot on your blog roll;
  • Post a link to it on your Facebook wall;
  • Mention it at your favorite hangouts like Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn;
  • Promote it using your preferred bookmarking service like Stumble, Digg or Delicious;
  • Mention it on your blog.

What Can I Help You?

We’re in this together.

When you hang out here you’re part of our winning team with me as your personal cheer leader in your quest to achieve your travel dreams.

I promise to keep writing posts that are:

  • Fun and fast to read;
  • Uplifting and inspirational;
  • Full of hot tips.

I’m excited about what the future holds and look forward to sharing it with you.

What would you like to see more (or less) of on Get In the Hot Spot?

The main source of income from my blogging is my book Successful Blogging in 12 Simple Steps.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

28 Comments

  1. Seana Smith September 7, 2011 at 12:04 pm - Reply

    Happy Birthday to Get In The Hotspot, you’ve done a lot in two years Annabel. Congratulations. Please get through the terrible twos ASAP… and have a lovely big celebration for three years.

    On the subject of earning money, I am one of those who is all for it. You have got a lot of credibility with your readers and they trust you, to remain very honest and very reliable as an information source. In the same way that I learn things from the ads in some magazines, I am happy to learn from sponsored posts, adverts etc on blogs.

    So long as they remain classy, which yours will of course!

    • Annabel Candy September 7, 2011 at 12:29 pm - Reply

      Hi Seana, thanks for the well wishes and for the feedback:) I think classy can be done and I’m looking forward to doing it!

  2. Wanderlust September 7, 2011 at 12:27 pm - Reply

    Self-published pole dancer. I like that! Congrats on your second birthday. Mine will be rolling around soon, too. You’ve done some incredible things with your blog. Can’t wait to see what the next year brings.

    • Annabel Candy September 7, 2011 at 12:31 pm - Reply

      Hi Wanderlust, great to see you here:) There’s definitely been an evolution in my writing and how much I dare to bare. It is a bit like a strip tease though – knowing how much to reveal and what’s best kept tucked away;)

  3. […] How Can You Miss Your Own Birthday? […]

  4. Catherine White September 7, 2011 at 4:34 pm - Reply

    I’m with @Wanderlust, Self publishd pole dancer is an apt description.

    Congratulations Annabel, that’s quite a feat.

    Onward and upward me hearty
    Catherine

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:24 am - Reply

      Hi Catherine, thank you! Definitely onwards:) I’d love to be able to see in the future and know where all this will end!

  5. Eric | Eden Journal September 7, 2011 at 9:49 pm - Reply

    Happy 2nd Birthday. It’s been a great 2 years!

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:25 am - Reply

      Hi Eric, thanks for being part of it. Two years! Incredible:)

  6. Barbara September 8, 2011 at 1:29 am - Reply

    Hard to believe it’s only been 2 years. You were the first blogger I followed (after The Pioneer Woman, but who doesn’t?) that became an inspiration. I followed your bold moves, sometimes with trepidation, but you were always right on.

    Realizing you are only 6 mo. ahead of me in blog years is hard to believe. I have miles to go…

    Keep up the good work!!
    xob

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:26 am - Reply

      Hi Barbara, that’s a glowing recommendation. Ah, well, 6 months in social media years must be at least 12 months in normal years;) Thanks so much for being here!

  7. Kate Hayes September 8, 2011 at 2:38 am - Reply

    Happy birthday baby!

    Hard to believe it’s been 2 years. As usual, time goes by so quickly –

    You have been an inspiration and a source of comfort and happiness for me. I love the fact we can stay connected through your writing even though we are now so far apart.

    I hope to make you proud and become a certified blogger myself in the very near future. I’ve got posts in queue that just need to get uploaded. Where does the time go!?

    Cheers!
    Kate

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:27 am - Reply

      Hi Kate, thanks for the lovely feedback:) Time flies, you just need to hit publish, we want to read your stuff too.

  8. Penelope J. September 8, 2011 at 5:08 am - Reply

    Happy birthday! It’s hard to believe all that you’ve achieved in those two years. As you put it best, from “blushing wallflower to self-published pole dancer”. As you must have been told many times, you are an inspiration and a big motivating force to many of us.

    I salute your seeing this as an opportunity to make some money off your blog. Why not? You’ve worked long and hard at it and now it’s time to reap the rewards. Wish you a very successful third year.

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:28 am - Reply

      Hi Penelope, thanks for the feedback re making money. It’s definitely the way forward. Otherwise this blog is just a hobby and it’s hard to justify the many hours spent on it. I want to make it bigger and better so this should help:)

  9. se7en September 8, 2011 at 5:46 am - Reply

    HAppy Blog birthday… You know I love your writing already!!! Just can’t believe how the years fly by!!!

  10. Sandra / Always Well Within September 8, 2011 at 6:07 am - Reply

    Happy Birthday GITHS and Annabel! I feel I’ve been a part of your evolution so it’s wonderful to celebrate this marker of time. I love your posts on writing. Would also love to see more of those here.

    Good luck with developing a balanced ad effort.

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 8:30 am - Reply

      Hi Sandra, thanks for all your encouragement. I’ll try to slip in more posts on writing. I went to an author talk last night which inspired me so will definitely share that. It is another thing we have in common, thanks for the reminder!

  11. Sonia Marsh/Gutsy Living September 8, 2011 at 1:37 pm - Reply

    Annabel,

    I was so scared you forgot your own birthday, or worse, when my husband and 3 sons forgot my birthday, and I had to point out how many FB friends wished ma a happy birthday.
    Hope that never happens to you as I felt awful.

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 6:23 pm - Reply

      Hi Sonia, that’s terrible! Never happens in our house as I buy all my own presents ahead of time to prevent such occurrences:)

  12. Andy MacGregor September 8, 2011 at 3:24 pm - Reply

    Hi Ani
    Happy Birthday. There is no need to apologise about a few sponsors banners. I work in the advertising business and if sponsors want to place their sales message next to your content it means they like what they are reading and want to associate themselves with you ! Its a positive thing !
    Andy xx

    • Annabel Candy September 8, 2011 at 6:25 pm - Reply

      Hi Andy, woo hoo, thanks for the positive feedback. I hope we pick up some hot sponsors:)

  13. Jen Gresham September 8, 2011 at 8:07 pm - Reply

    I can totally see forgetting my own birthday. I like people to celebrate me all the time, not just one day of the year! :)

    And so it is with GITHS. You keep going with your awesome “pole dancing” self. We’ll be here listening! (or is it watching? hmmmm….)

    xoxo

  14. Linda ~ Journey Jottings September 9, 2011 at 12:52 am - Reply

    Congrats on the birthday –
    I’ve made a note in my diary to make sure you don’t forget next year – I’m already looking forward to the cake, and maybe even a little champers being an odd number, since aren’t odd numbered posts better than even? ;)

  15. Teresa Long September 9, 2011 at 2:16 am - Reply

    Yes nothing tacky please you have very high-class readers! haha

  16. Sara at Saving For Someday September 9, 2011 at 9:53 am - Reply

    Happy Belated Birthday, Annabel! I doubt you’ll do anything to the site to turn it into a $3 floozie. I wish you the best as you move forward and grow!

  17. Cate September 10, 2011 at 3:19 pm - Reply

    Happy Birthday! Always enjoyed your tidbits and appreciate your style. Keep it up… and hope you do well with getting those Hot Sponsors. You deserve it!
    Cate x

Leave A Comment