To Draft or Not to Draft? That... is the Question

Started this article on Joe and Megalobox and I started thinking... 

Hey there. Quick question for all of you out there. If you post or write articles, how do you about doing it? Do you write a draft and then go over it many times before you write your final draft? Or do you write on the fly and essentially post your first draft? Late last night, I started writing an article for The Domain and started to wonder if I should change how I go about writing, or at the very least, tweak it a bit. For as long as I can remember, I rarely made any rough drafts. Need to write an essay for school? Just put down what comes to mind and submit. Get a short story going? Just start off with the main ideas and add in the details later. Rarely did I ever write something and then go back and make several changes to, "make it better." But maybe I should be... 

Writing for The Domain and Writing for Myself

Hey there. I wanted to check in with you guys real quick. I've been without my computer for some time (busted for quite some time) so I haven't been able to really write or post anything of substance. But I have my computer back now and I'm good to go! With that being said, I've been thinking of how I'm going to go about my writing going forward. If you've been following my work throughout the years, I'm sure you've noticed that I'm all over the place. The reason for that is because, I, myself, am all over the place. I am a jack of all trades, my interests are all over the place, and if something grabs my attention, I go with it. But I'm thinking I'm going to change that a bit... at least when it comes to what kind of content I post here. 

Popular Hobbies That'll Earn You Money

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It doesn't matter whether you are looking for a second income or not, there are plenty of hobbies out there that can earn you one. The good thing about these is that they don't have to be particularly difficult ones that you put hours and hours of your week into; they're just ones that you can enjoy and have fun with. If you have a hobby that you love already, you could try to monetize it, but there are others that you can learn to love that will put cash in your pocket even without trying!

Alternative Ways to Boost Your Income

Source: Pexels.com

We could all do with a little bit of extra money in our bank account, but of course, that’s often more wishful thinking that a real, viable option. Or is it? While we might not always convince our bosses to boost our income, there are often more ways to increase our income than we realize. There’s a lot of money in the world, and there are more ways to get it than via our regular old employment. Below, we take a look at a few options that you may not have considered.

Reasons to Join Boca Pointe

Hey there.  The wife and I are in need of a vacation.  When we want to get away, we usually head out over to Las Vegas for a few days and enjoy ourselves there.  But this time around, we want to try someplace different.  Someplace new.  I've heard many good things about Florida and Boca Raton may be a good spot to check out.  Especially after reading up about the Club at Boca Pointe.  No, this isn't some night life type club, this is a country club in Boca Raton that offers what we're looking for: amazing scenery, sports, arts, fitness, and best of all, worry free vacationing.

Online Writing Jobs You Can do at Home

Hey there.  You know, with Halloween and the holidays coming up, I found myself going online and getting stuffs more frequently.  You want to know how much of that I paid out of pocket?  Practically none of it.  Why is that?  Well, because I have an online job that is pretty damn awesome. I've been in the blogging game for well over 5 years now and throughout those 5 years, I have tried many things to find a way to provide my kids with what they deserve.  I've been fortunate enough that I have been in the blogging game for over 5 years so I've been able to provide extras for them AND spend time with them.  I know that there are many of you out there that do not have that luxury.  Whether it be because you are a traveling salesman or you simply want to add a little extra income without having to get a 9 to 5 job.  For those of you that are in those fields and want to stay home and spend more time with your families, you may want to think of finding extra ways of making some money.  Accepting some online writing jobs may be just what you need.  The best part about it is that there are countless possibilities for you make your fair share of money online and allow you to stay at home.  Just look at what I was able to do with my website.  Humor, parenting, technology, reviews, video games, movies, giveaways...  you name it, it's probably in here somewhere.  And because I have such a wide range of topics, I am free to write about practically anything.  That freedom has provided me with opportunities... money making opportunities...  money making opportunities that I will share with you guys looking to stay at home.  So, if you are looking stay at home and are looking for ways to make some money on the side, then you need to check out these top online writing jobs that you can do at home.

Need an Online Project Done? FreelanceClerks Can Help

Hey there.  You know, presentation can be everything when you're an online presence.  Whether you have a personal blog, an online store, an editorial site, etc. etc., you want to make sure that the site looks good and the content is worth reading.  I've been fortunate enough to have friends that have helped out when I need some online work.  Whether it be in the presentation side, SEO tips, or html coding.  But what if you don't have that friend that can help you out?  That's where our good friends at FreelanceClerks can help you out.

The Adventures of Softita and Crunchita

Hey there.  You know what I like to do for fun?  I make up little short stories (and songs!) about whatever pops into my head OR whatever is on TV.  I don't do it for me... I do it for the kids!  lol  My wife is not the biggest fan.  If she is, she has a pretty weird way of showing it.  Facepalming is a form appreciation right!  See!!!  You did it just now, huh dear?  lmao!  Anyways, it's pretty common for me to start singing Family Maaaaaaaaaaan (a la Rocket Man) while watching Stewie from Family Guy sing it or see an awesome commercial and then turn to one of the kids and say, "In a world..." and go off and do my own little drama filled commercial of whatever we just saw on TV.  Yeah... I do that.

Getting Back into the Writing Game

Hey there.  I would like to take this minute to say, I'm sorry.  Sorry for the short posts and sorry for the lack of more personal, "in depth" kind of stuff that I mean to post from time to time.  Sorry to the many sites that I SHOULD be contributing, but simply could not because I didn't have the means.  Well, let's rephrase that.  I had the means, but only during certain times of the day and for short period of times.  It sucks to have to squeeze out content within a few minutes and when it's rushed, it's not of good quality.  So instead of churning out crap, I decided to take a step back, regroup, and make sure that when I contribute to a site, it will be of some value instead of filler.  So again, I'm sorry if I have gone MIA the last few weeks/months but it's not because I did not want to contribute, it's because I respect your site enough to bow out in order to keep the content quality high.

Metallman's Reverie Has a New Look

Hey there.  Notice anything different?  No!  I didn't get new glasses!  It's my blog design!  You like?  My good friend at The Amazon Addiction made it for me.  I was in dire need of a new look and though I'm a fan of black and white, the site just needed an overhaul... and it needed it badly.  So now I have buttons, share buttons, some color, and nice scheme that works well for me.  I'm pretty damn happy with it.  I may be tech savvy and what not, but I just don't have much of the know how to mess around with the html code and get something like this done.  I feel that if I tried and spent the time on it, I would be able to do it... but I can't even find the time to play Modern Warfare 3, let alone screw around with some html code.  lol

Help Patients Across the US by Becoming a Traveling Nurse

Hey there. You know, I used to make fun of a friend of mine for wanting to become a nurse. It may not sound like a big deal, but he's a guy wanting to become a nurse and I had the mentality that females should be nurses. I know, I know. I'm horrible.  I was young and ignorant.  After meeting up with him after several years, he opened up to me about why he wanted to become a nurse.  He felt that it was his calling after seeing a nurse take such great care of a loved one.  It's a great story and it made me realize how much nurses are needed.  The doctors may get all the glory but the nurses are the ones doing the ins and outs of taking care of a patient.  That's why I suggested he become one of those traveling nurses.  Not familiar with the term?  Let me explain.

Metallman: The Committed Blogger

Hey there.  I'm ready to declare myself back!  I have been MIA for the last couple of weeks and I have been doing some on and off blog work while I was off but I am on step 1 of getting back into blogging form!  It's been a rough, few weeks and I think that the rough patch is now in the rear view mirror and I'm ready to devote more time to my blog and other commitments that I have made online.  I've slowly been inching my way back into Twitter and Facebook and now I'm ready to continue with my daily posts.  I've been a while since I've done a personal post and I have a few lined up.  I have my son's B day post, my wife's b day post, my dad's B day post, and several others that I have started and hope to have up in the coming days but first I want to discuss getting back into writing form.

Breaking Out of This Writing Lull

Hey there. One of the worst things that can happen to a blogger is taking a few days off from writing. I did just that. I try to post something every day just to keep it fresh but I have not written a post since Saturday.  Blame it on the DTK loss, blame it on laziness, blame it on Final Fantasy XIII, or blame it on whatever you want.  I made it clear to myself that I needed to get on the ball and create more quality articles as opposed to small snippets of stuff because I don't have time.  I used to be able to get work done at night with the laptop, but since that's out of commission at the time, I'm regulated to work on the desktop computer and I'm not really feeling that.  Well, it's time to snap out of it.  I have plenty of great ideas that I'm working on and I have a few awesome reviews that are coming this way.  The giveaways are also a huge success and I have a few winners posts that need to go live.  I've been invited to events and would like to get those up as well.  Things are happening, people, and I need to let you guys know what's up!!!

It's happening, friends.  I'm evolving.  It's time to shed this skin and break out into bigger better things.  Stay tuned!  Later!

Finding the Best Price for Your Old Cell Phone

Hey there.  What are your experiences with recycling your cell phones?  I've heard of the service before and even some big name chains are beginning to offer recycling service but I don't think I know anyone that has actually done.   Friends and family usually just hand down their cell phones to family. A cousin of mine makes a living selling cell phones and I'm not sure that he recycles them. Well, I decided to look into it, since I have a few old cell phones that are collecting dust in my closet.  The best that you can hope for is getting money back for your old phone.  Especially since they can be so expensive.

Experience Buying a Home

Hey there guys.  You know, we've been in our home for about 4 years now and a question that we get asked a lot is how difficult is it to get a home?  I usually answer that it's a different expereince for everyone.  People with an awful credit score and no money will have a more difficult time securing a home than those with an awesome score and lots of cash on hand.  Our experience wasn't a bad one, but it wasn't so smooth either.  I didn't have the best of credit and becuase of that, it took awhile to get pre-approved.  We needed to show that we were more than able to pay for the mortgage.  And on top of that, we had money in the bank to show that we had some cash saved for a rainy day.  All in all, I'm sure that if I were to have had a better credit score, the process would have been easier and we would have saved a lot more money in interest.

What Weight Loss Method Has Worked for You?

Hey there.  I've hit a plateau.  I've been doing so well in my exercise routine but now I've fallen off the wagon.  I haven't been to the gym for well over a month and I've probably only worked out home once or twice.  I need to get back on track!!!  I need to lose some of this weight!  I'm beginning to feel it.  I'm beginning to feel the shortness of breath after climbing up a flight of stairs.  I can't keep up with the wife when I've gone for a walk with her, I can't keep up with my toddler when he's running around (to my defense, their little balls of energy!!!), and I can't keep up with my oldest son when we're playing sports.  It's unacceptable!  I need to get some of this weight off, build some muscle and gain some endurance.

I Hate My Mailbox

ey there.  I hate my mailbox.  It's a crummy, old thing that is dangling from my door by a wire frame.  Don't believe me?  Look...

Not very attractive

Yup...  Held to the door by a metal wire

See.  I just don't like it.  I think it's lazy and a little on the hideous side.  I guess that doesn't speak very highly of me, huh.  lol  Anyways, I've been thinking of getting a new mailbox.  Maybe something a little more fancy, but definitely something a little more detached from the door.  lol  I've seen a few mailboxes that sit on posts that look pretty cool.  My only problem with that is that I don't have a fence and it would be pretty funny looking to see mailbox posts around the neighborhood and not have a fence nearby.

It's funny, actually, how you don't give it any thought when you buy a home.  You start thinking of changing some things around in your back yard, inside the house, and what not, but you never give your mailbox any thought.  I guess because it's just a box for mail and you figure that you'll give it a second thought at a later date.  But then that keeps getting pushed back because of many other projects around the house.  I know that I am definitely guilty of that. 

Next time you are driving by your neighborhood, take a look at the many styles of residential mailboxes that adorn your neighbors yards.  You'll be surprised at how many seem ignored by the owner.  I know I've ignored mine for far too long and I think it's time for an upgrade.  What do you think?  Is it worthwhile to have a mail box that suits the style of the family?  Later!

Orchid Recovery Center for Women in Need

Hey there.  You know, I was chatting with a friend not too long ago about a special someone in her life that is in need of some help... You know, to point where she is being destructive to herself and her family.  It kind of got me thinking and since I have a small voice in the online community, I'd figure that I'd do a public service announcement for the Orchid Recovery Center. 

Drug abuse and alcoholism are not only harmful for the user, but harmful to their families.  Where it be a loss of self control or their hallucinogenic tirade, family members can be angered, saddened, ad confused as to why this is happening to their loved one.  If you see anything unusual and suspect drug use or alcohol abuse, you should look into checking them in at Orchid for Women for an evaluation.  It's better to be safe than sorry and people under the influence are not in the right state of mind to make the decision to clean themselves up.  There are many programs out there for people under the influence and for the family members that are trying to deal with their destructive ways.

Don't hesitate to ask questions and don't hesitate to look for help.  There are many resources for women to find the help that they need.  Friends and family members should urge them to better themselves and to see the damage that they are causing.  They don't have to do it alone and with help, they can get better.  Later!

Great Deals for Mother's Day Flowers

Hey there friends.  Mother's Day is tomorrow!!!  Have you already made your dinner reservations?  Have you ordered your mother flowers?  No?  Oh man...  Mother's Day is one of the busiest days for florists everywhere.  Whether it be in a brick and mortar shop or an online shop.  But there is still time to order, and you can save more than a few bucks by using online coupons.

There are many Mother's Day Flower Delivery Deals going on right now so it's not too late to pick up your mother's favorites.  Coupon codes for next day and same day delivery are still out there so make sure you check them out before venturing off to a florist and being forced to pick whatever flowers are leftover.  A quick search at FlowerDeliveryDeals.com, and all the best coupon codes available are displayed.

One popular online flower shop is 1800Flowers and I have nothing but positive things to say about their service.  Their flowers are guaranteed to stay fresh for at least a week and the flowers are always neatly packaged and delivered with such care.  They offer flowers in a box and flowers in a vase and I've ordered them both before and I've been extremely satisfied with the delivery. You can easily find 1800flowers coupon codes to score a great deal on an awesome bouquet.  I simply do not go shopping for flowers without some 1 800 Flowers coupons.

There's still time, my friends.  Mother's day is tomorrow but that doesn't mean you have to pay top dollar for an awesome floral arrangement.  Get searching for those coupon codes and save yourself some time and money.  Best of luck and hope you guys have a great Mother's Day!  Later!

What's the Deal with Gold Coins?

Hey there.  Am I the only one that wonders why we see ads on TV selling gold coins for less than the market value?  I was up late last night watching TV when I saw an advertisement that claimed that the coins were worth hundreds but they're selling them for $20.  It got me wondering if the price of gold is wildly fluctuating that one day, an ounce is worth $20 and the next day, it's a few hundred.

That got me wondering if it's a good investment to keep track of gold prices.  It seems like a good idea.  Invest some money in a commodity that is in demand.  You see gold everywhere.  Watches, necklaces, teeth... Donald Trump's place.  lol  I mean, if gold is that valuable, I don't see where you can go wrong in investing in it.  But then again, it is investing and there's always that risk of it's value decreasing.  Maybe if I go to a gold spot, where they buy and sell gold, to see what's up.  If they say that it's profitable, it may something to consider.  If they say they're barely breaking even... then it's something to think hard before doing.

I'm wondering if any of you have had any experience with the gold trade.  I know that now there's a service where you mail your gold scraps and you get cash for it.  Is that any good?  Would you rather just go into a shop and see what you can get?  I'm curious, friends.  Let me know.  Later!