Where were you... the sequel

I cannot hide the fact I've not been here for a long time as the posts have a date stamp on them. *mutters*

Through one thing and another the project/adventure has not had any attention from me, but now it's time to try and kick it up the backside.

Trade offers are still welcome, and if they have to be postal then so be it. Just make some offers!

Also, please leave comments, well-wishing would be nice but constructive criticism will do :P

Simon.

We were here, where the heck have you been dude?

I DO apologize. I've had a few things to deal with (some mentioned on this site, some not) recently, but I haven't given up on the project. So, here's an update. One rather important one is that I have a friend working on altering the template of the site so that I can display trade offers (and maybe eventually... actual trades!) rather than they get lost within posts or comments on posts. This I see as pretty important, as well as visually pleasing. Next, although I have allowed some time to pass I'd love for the people who have made trade offers for the Two Red Paperclips to get back to me letting me know if the offers still stand. The fact that you made the trade offers means the world to me, thanks guys. In other news today, I have had a message from Cristina in Barcelona who wants to make a trade offer if I can get my sorry butt across the water to trade face to face. I have replied in the previous post's comments to see what I can hope for if I can get there, and feel that it would be a cool first trade! I however realise a few downfalls in the project so far which I need to address.

One is that I am flat skint and don't have the money to travel for trades at this time. I am not a beggar, nor a publicity-seeker... just a guy who saw another guy do something cool and wanted to have a go at having a bit of fun like he did. To this purpose I am offering for nothing more than a bit of travel to complete a trade or two. I don't want any cash. I don't have a PayPal link. All I am thinking at this time is that postal trades would be boring and bring no photo opportunities to the project, so face to face trades would be the best. If you are in the travel game and can get me (and maybe the other half too) to a trade or two I will offer you all that I can in return which is links and mentions on this site... whether that benefits you is down to me and how this all goes so I guess it would require a tiny bit of a gamble, but life is too short not to have some fun surely?

Second is my lack of a definite end goal. As I stated from the off, I already have a house so I don't want one of those. Ferrari's are cool but the insurance would be too pricey! So, I think I have cracked it... I really want a boat. I live by the sea and love boats, however I don't get the chance to get afloat very often but when I do I grin like a Cheshire cat so that has decided me on the final goal. Now, I can hear what you are thinking. That isn't two of something or a pair of something, so I have thought that I will work within my own trading rules by naming the boat "Two Red Paperclips", so it will be a Two! However all trades up until that point must be twos... I made my bed and I'm going to lie in it! I don't have a make or model in mind, just something decent with a fair sized lump hanging off the back end of it that I can fish off (I love fishing) and maybe take family and friends out on during the short summer season we have here in the UK.

** Congrats to Kyle on completing his trading up project and finally achieving a house! You have worked hard for it and totally deserve it. I can only hope to achieve a percentage of your success and the fun you have had along the way. **

Comments and suggestions are welcomed as usual, please tap that keyboard! Trade offers are always particularly welcome (the sillier the better to fuel interest!) as that's what this whole thing is about.

It's 2am here now and I have run out of things to say, but hopefully after one of my recently usual long breaks between posts I have said a fair bit. Thanks to all the people who have been any way involved so far... it is really appreciated! :-)

Later.

And, in other news...

Came across this today, the Stolen Sidekick saga. Seems that somebody is going to regret (regretting already?) not being honest. There is speculation that it's a hoax or a scam, but it looks genuine. Take a look if you haven't come across it yet, while I look into how to edit the template to show the current offers (if they are still current after the passing weeks!).

Later.

Even quieter week or two... and a fourth renter

Those of you who have been a returning visitor will have noticed no activity or posts recently. This is partly due to the illness and eventually the passing away of a family member. Other pressures have been contributing factors too, but now it's time to pick up the pace again! One of the things on my "To Do" list is learn how to play with the template, so I can show offers and trades somewhere prominent. Unfortunately I am a bit clueless about this kind of thing so if anyone can help or offer suggestions, leave a comment please!

Oh yeah, time to get around to giving a shout out to my fourth Blogexplosion renter, "Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta."
Good luck with the blog :-)

Later.

Quiet week for updating... and a third "renter"

Loads been going on the last week or so, hence no posting. However, it has been interesting to watch for trade offers without banging posts in every day for the sake of updating and maybe clouding up the site. *shrug*

And, in other news... I have a new tenant! Check out Confessions of an IT Hitman and let him know who sent you! :-)

Later.

My second "renter"

I've been rather rude, and lazy, in not introducing this week's BE renter. Here I am making amends!
Pictures from my world is a photo blog, showing what you can achieve when you actually know how to use your camera unlike me and the awful show of the Two Red Paperclips. (Did I mention that I am still inviting trade offers for these... I need to start trading!!)

Pop by, and tell them who sent you ;-)

Later.

Yesterday was not a good day

If you are a returning visitor you may have noticed absolutely no activity here yesterday... I was really ill. Beast of a headache and a couple of "technicolour yawns" (the concept of too much information is wasted on me!)

Fresh start today. Been back to my addiction to "Surfing for credits" and one one blog came across a nifty twist on a hit counter which maps your visitors, so I get me one of those too. It's under the links and stuff on the sidebar. Looks a bit more interesting than a plain counter.

Anyway... this is all about the trading up project, and although I am getting hits I still haven't received any offers for the gig tickets. I thought they would be a difficult one. If you want the tickets (scroll down for details of the gig) or have another trade offer for the Two Red Paperclips then jump in!

Later.

Getting the hits

I was going to post earlier, before nipping out to the shops etc. congratulating myself on my hit counter (right at the bottom of the page) reaching the 300 mark for unique hits, and this blog/site/project/adventure type thing has only been live for thirteen days! However, I didn't and popped out first. Now, as I look at the bottom of the page it's on 339 ... today is a "good hit day"!

For those familiar with Blogexplosion I have been "Surfing for Credits" for days, and currently have rented a little space on 12 people's blogs ... man that's a lot of surfing. In fact I'm doing it now in another window! It's become addictive. I find it hard to leave the PC because I am missing out on credits I could be earning ('scuse me a second ...another 0.5 credits! ... okay I'm back, where was I?) and the highlight which is the random Mystery Credits. Once I got 50 (once!) but usually it's 2 or 3 now and again. (Another 0.5 ... and I'm back) At least the results are showing. The hit counter now shows 340 and rising. Hard work (well, surfing) *does* pay off!

I made a banner at addesigner.com which looks ok, which is "Awaiting admin approva" at BlogEx. Hopefully I can get this displayed and get some more traffic.
Traffic = people = (hopefully) participation.

What else was I going to say? (...bah, another 0.5 not a Mystery Credits prize...) oh yeah, I'd like to say thanks for all the nice comments and emails wishing me well on this journey, and to those who have blogrolled me or mentioned me in a post. BIG thanks guys, good health to you. I still of course need all the help I can get so, although there isn't much progress with the trading *yet*, if you can link to me, or just tell someone about this that would be great! I ain't too proud to beg ... sounds like a song ;-)

Later.

Frist "Renter" - reposted !?

Unless its just at my end, this post seems to have disappeared, yet it still shows up in my list of posts in Blogger control panel / dashboard thingy... weird. Apologies if you've seen/read this already but I thought it only fair to make sure it's up here.

I'd like to introduce my first "renter" - Tor's Rants - check out his blog straight after reading mine and participating!! Thanks for the rent, mate :-)
Hope you get lots of hits.

Later.

Just a quick one...

I have a couple of minutes spare, going to work now then got to be somewhere tonight and most of tomorrow, so just popped in to post a quick "thanks" to those who have posted comments or sent emails in the last few days. Nice to get some interaction, if not offers of trades... I still have the Two Red Paperclips! More positings Sunday evening, when I get back into town. Until then, take care :-)

Later.

How are things progressing?

I've made some efforts to get links out there, and submitted my URL to Google. Also, joined BlogExplosion, looks like a nifty way to get traffic to your blog if you have one, and made some moves on there. Another way to get more traffic to your site or blog is a link exchange *HINT HINT*...! Whilst on the forums at BlogExchange I found a post about Glass Palace Directory and I have submitted myself to that. All links count, so if you have a blog or site PLEASE PLEASE link to me. It's not like I am sitting back asking others to spread the word or promote this, I've spent hours and hours over the last few days but there's only so much one person can do!

Oh yeah, I'm slowly learning about HTML and stuff and I've managed to insert links and some scripts but I really need to make major changes to the layout and colour scheme! If anyone has any tips, pointers, constructive criticism (I didn't make the template!!) or can offer any help at all please get in touch, by hitting "Comment" at the end of any post and messaging me there. Oh yeah, I know the Adsense looks ugly and out of place, but I've still to find out how to move it somewhere better!

Later.

I've got mail!

I've had an email back from "Stew 1000" with more details about these tickets. I emailed him for more info... basically the ins and outs of a duck's rear end.

Here's the info:


(What's it all about, Stew?)

The battle of the bands is something friends and I launched to get people interested in the festival at Gosforth Park we are arranging in August, where over 30 unsigned bands from all over the country have played for a chance to win the opening spot of the main stage on on Saturday and the other on Sunday giving them a chance to play on a big stage to lots of people.
The festival, The Gosforth Gathering, is in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust, and will showcase some 40-50 bands over two days.


(When and where, Stew?)

The battle of the bands will be held on Stage Two, at Northumbria University (Newcastle city centre) on the 5th of May (Friday).
The bands playing are El Bistro, Soliloquy, Beyond the Grave, Entanglement and one from the following Jimmy Two Times, Lazy Baker, Jonny Foreigner and Idols are Higher.
So 5 bands in all, it starts at 7 and they are playing on a decent stage with an excellent sound system.
The judging will be done by Tim Healy (Aufwedersein Pet) ... his wife Denise Welsh will also be there... a local guy from Destruction Records (a local label) and we are working on a few others.


(Any hot tips, Stew?)

My tip to win would be El Bistro or Beyond the Grave (there will be two winners on the night one for sat and one for sun)


(Show me the money, err i mean tickets, Stew)

We don't actually have tickets but I can send you an official letter, signed by me that will give access on the night.

(Seems fair enough... a letter granting a "pair" of entries to the gig, yup)

So, kids, if you're interested then I need some offers for these in order to be able to trade. Use comments link to send 'em.

In other news today, I've submitted this blog/project/adventure type thing to Google so hopefully it will be picked up soon!! I really have NO patience. In the meantime if you have a website or blog etc. It would really help me if you put a link to me (http://www.TwoRedPaperclips.com) anywhere on there, more prominent position the better but any links will help! If you want a link to yours in exchange then email me or comment letting me know the URL where you have placed the link to me and I'll get one up here super-quickly :-D

Later.

The Two Red Paperclips in the flesh!

First trade offer received!

After only 3 days of the site being live, I have received my first trade offer. Awaiting more details by email but all I know for the moment is it's two (a pair of!) tickets to a "battle of the bands" final where the winners will be the opening act at a gig that seems to have some top notch bands on the bill. To see the line-up for that gig go to GosforthGathering
On the downside the final that the tickets are for is a little over two weeks away and I'm concerned I may not offload *COUGH* I mean trade these off to the next item before the date of the gig. If you're in Newcastle or can get there and want a pair of tickets to this final then post a comment with your trade offer for these tickets bearing in mind I have to trade for two of the same item or something that comes in pairs ... a pair of jeans etc.

And, in other news today ... I came across a cool site that combines "people power" AND beer. Some dude down under got bet 20 cases of beer that he couldn't make a site that would get One Billion Views. My natural love of beer and the internet tells me this is the kind of project I should support so please follow my lead and click this link to help him get closer to his One Billion Views ... OneBillionViews.com

Oh yeah I borrowed a lead and the crappy result is that I photo'd the Two Red Paperclips. Will work out how to upload the piccy either tonight or tomorrow. Like you don't know what two red paperclips look like... Oh yeah, I thought in case this actually defies logic and takes off I'd do a Certificate or Letter of Authenticity for the paperclips. Maybe buy a frame and mount them into it. Comments PLEASE !!!

Later.

**Update ... uploading the piccy is easier than I thought (lol) so here it is ... I'm no David Bailey as you can tell!! The (soon to be) famous Two Red Paperclips can be seen in the next post (above) :-D

Objective One accomplished

I got me two genyooine red paperclips!! Okay, I actually have some other coloured ones, a stapler and some elastic bands too cos they all came in a set. The elastics will come in hand for my other pet project which will be launched soon.

Oh yeah, no sign of the flippin lead, so I'll have to borrow one off someone. Maybe the first trade could be two red paperclips for a USB A to mini-USB lead?? Thing is, I hopefully wouldn't have it long as it would be the next trade. Oh. Maybe not then. At least I am thinking. Oh hang on it's things in twos or pairs, but then again I'd have to trade off the pair of leads for the next trade so I wouldn't get to keep one. Crap! Hmm... this needs more thought!

Time now to promote the project, and get the URL out there.

All comments welcome... insults and naughty words will be removed. Of course.

Later.

First post ... getting the ball rolling!

I could well be on a hiding to nothing with this, but it could also be fun. I need to do several things now ... a lot of thinking about the logistics of carrying out the actual trades, a target (I already have a house, so maybe a Ferrari or something instead... any suggestions?), oh yeah I had better nip out and buy me two actual red paperclips!!

I will have to get the hang of Blogger too, and find the lead to connect my digital camera to the PC so I can immortalise the 'clips !

I don't know if the "two of each item or items that come in pairs" concept will corner me and exclude many people who want to trade either, it was just a twist on the original idea. Any suggestions, comments or thought on this let me know :-)

Later.