What Am I Really Doing on Medium?Am I wasting my time?

Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash

I often get ideas about what to write in the middle of the night. Sometimes I remember the ideas, and sometimes I don’t. Last night, I woke up at 4 AM to pee, which is not unusual for an old guy like me with BPH. What was remarkable was that instead of an idea popping into my head regarding an idea to write about, I was thinking, why do I even write on Medium if no one pays attention to my stories?

I don’t know why I suddenly started feeling down about what I was doing. Perhaps it’s because I have spent a good deal of time in the past couple of weeks creating a newsletter. Like many on this platform, my readership and earnings have declined dramatically. Last year, at this time, I had about 200 reads daily; today, I am lucky to get 10.I attributed this to the inability of the Medium membership, especially my followers, to find what I publish. I thought using a newsletter would help my readers find my stories.

Creating the newsletter was quite tiresome, as I knew little about web design and the technology used to develop and maintain a newsletter. However, I was quite proud of myself for completing this project. But then, after sending my first newsletter to my Medium subscribers, I began to have second thoughts.

Would my present subscribers unsubscribe once they receive the email with my newsletter? Would they delete it without reading it? Would it end up in the spam folder? Did I waste a lot of time for nothing? I’m not sure.

Soon after sending the first newsletter, I received a strange, if not rude, comment on one of my stories. The commenter basically told me that my stats were low because my work wasn’t very good, and I could improve my reads by following him and reading his stories. I didn’t know how to react. Before I deleted him, I checked his profile.

He joined Medium this month and had a few hundred followers and maybe ten articles published. What was striking was that each of his stories, which could have been better, had over 1.5K claps.

I began to think of all those articles I had read that had accumulated hundreds of claps within the first couple of hours of publication. Many stories I have found as fascinating as dryer lint have also had over a thousand claps. The writers often have fewer followers than me, which causes me to wonder about my followers. I know I shouldn’t compare myself to other writers, but I am human and can’t help but question what is wrong with me.

I used to follow and subscribe to many people, but I no longer do. One in particular is a very prolific writer, publishing several times daily. I tried to read as many of his stories as I could but soon lost interest. He seemed to always talk about himself in a braggadocios manner, but somehow his stories lacked feeling. He was more of a publishing machine than a writer sharing himself.

A few writers I enjoyed reading and getting to know disappeared after continued disappointing results on this platform. One writer I used to read faithfully and commensurate with is now rarely seen. She used to be a faithful follower and reader. Others I came to know have left for reasons unknown.

I publish in only a few publications I like and feel comfortable with, and I self-publish my political articles. I have writers I follow and subscribe to, and I make it a point to read most, if not all, of their articles. I won’t mention their names because I don’t want to drop names to get a few views. But they know who they are.

They may not always write masterpieces, but what they write from the heart about themselves and what they do. Reading their stories is like having a beer or cup of coffee and shooting the shit with a friend. I’ve gotten to know them and let them get to know me. I consider them to be friends. This is what I would miss if I ever left Medium.

I have done everything I can, within the limits of my ability as what others would call a writer. When talking with friends, neighbors, or family members, I cannot bring myself to say, “I am a writer.” But I cannot find a way to make my work interesting enough for people to read. I thought creating a newsletter would help, but it’s probably just another misadventure, like my futile attempts at writing blogs on WordPress and Blogger. Maybe someday I’ll learn.

I’ll continue sending my newsletter until my free plan runs out. Who knows, maybe things will pick up. Being an opinionated old fart, I probably won’t be able to swallow my pride and throw in the towel. So, I’ll stick around and rethink what I am doing on Medium. Thank you for allowing me to vent and wallow in self-pity for a while.

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Why Does TrumpWant You To Vote for Him,A question for his MAGA supporters

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

The 2024 Presidential Election is less than a month away. We’ve all heard from both candidates about their platforms. Trump is seeking revenge on his political opponents and those who will not vote for him. He also plans on mass deportation of immigrants or creating internment camps for them. His platform is retribution.

Harris, on the other hand, talks of returning Roe v Wade, offering a plan to fight the housing crisis, and plans to improve Medicare and healthcare for the middle class. Her message is uniting America and what her administration will do for you.

Trump talks of what you can do for him. Harris talks of what she can do for you. It’s pretty simple.

If you study what Trump has been doing for the past four years, you will realize why he wants you to vote for him for two reasons.

He mainly wants you to vote for him to stay out of prison. He is a convicted felon with 34 indictments to his name. He has several pending trials in his future, a couple of which could result in lengthy prison terms. If he wins, he will make them all go away. But if he loses, he most assuredly ends up with jail time.

The other reason he wants to win is a financial one. During his time in office, he and his family used the Office of the Presidency to enrich their coiffures with hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money. Because of all his legal problems, he owes millions of dollars in legal fees. He needs the Presidency to steal from the government.

So, if you can’t afford his $100,000 watches, gold sneakers, or trading cards, you can do the next best thing. You can vote for him so he can steal what money you do have.

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We’re The Greatest Country in The World, And here’s why

And here’s why

Photo by Carlos Gilbert on Unsplash

The statement, “The United States is the greatest country in the world,” is heard everywhere at every event and gathering. It is one of the most common comments coming from the mouths of American politicians, especially those involved in a campaign. USA! USA! We are number 1!

So, how did we become the greatest? Let’s take a look at what makes us so special.

We have freedom of religion. This is true, but there are some catches; you must be Christian, especially the Evangelical or Protestant kind. Catholics are acceptable, except for that Pope thing. Jews are permissible as long as they don’t own any big businesses. Buddhists are okay because they seem to be quite docile. Muslims, well, that’s another story.

We consider no one above the law. There are some exceptions to this idea, however. If you are wealthy, politically connected, or your name is Trump, the Supreme Court guarantees that you are above the law. Also, if you are a white male and a Republican, you, too, may be considered to be above the law. If you’re a young Black male, forget it! You don’t count.

Every American citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote. Well, that’s almost true. If you’re a white Christian Republican male, you almost certainly have the right to vote. As it stands now, white Republican women also have the right to vote. If you are white and live in a part of the country that votes Democratic, you’re on shaky ground. You can vote for now. If you are a Black man or woman, you may vote, but you may have a great deal of trouble getting to the polls, proving you are a citizen, or confirming you are registered to vote. In the future, especially if Trump is re-elected, you probably won’t be allowed to vote.

We are the land of the free and home of the brave. Yes, we have many brave veterans who served their country and many who have given their lives to preserve our democracy. However, as far as the land of the free goes, this freedom has some exceptions. In particular, women do not have the freedom to manage their healthcare and have no reproductive rights. Their gynecological decisions are not theirs; they belong to Conservative politicians.

We are a country that welcomes immigrants. Every American is, of course, a descendant of immigrants, except for our indigenous peoples. This was true long ago, but a few minor changes have occurred. We do welcome immigrants into our country, but they have to be white, Christian Europeans. Black and Brown people, known for being criminals and mental patients, are no longer welcome.

The United States has the best healthcare in the world — if you can afford it. However, it’s also the most expensive — many Americans who go without healthcare because of the high cost end up dying. Millions more go into insurmountable debt because of their overwhelming medical bills. Along with the high cost of medical procedures, we also have the highest prescription drug costs in the world. Millions of Americans have to choose between purchasing their prescription drugs or paying for rent or groceries.

America has been known to have streets paved with gold, where everyone can aspire to the American dream of owning a home or business, having a good-paying job, and raising a family. Well, maybe for rich, white guys like Elon Musk. Today, many people can’t afford the high cost of renting a home, much less buying a house. But that’s alright; they can join the thousands on the streets of our American cities. This is good for now, but some communities are making it illegal to be homeless.

Every American can tell you we have the best educational system in the world. Our high school athletic programs are unequaled. We have the best football, basketball, and soccer teams. To ensure this, our high school coaches are among the best-paid educators in the country. At the insistence of parents, students have minimal homework to devote more time to athletics. Our math and science scores are some of the worst in the world. But hay, how about that champion football team? No one wants to be called an elite by MAGA because they are educated.

There is one aspect of our American education system that no other country experiences. We are the only country in the world where a student can leave home for school and not return alive. Yes, America is number one in mass deaths due to school shootings. But that’s okay. Trump says, “Just get over it!”

But don’t worry. Students aren’t the only ones who can die in school shootings. Because of our American love affair with guns, especially assault weapons, we all are kept on our toes. You never know whether you will come home alive from your visit to Walmart, a concert, a parade, or even church.

We can’t forget that the main reason for our greatness is our democracy. We have a democratic form of government in which the citizens elect our leaders. Well, it’s not really that democratic, especially in our presidential elections. Our president is not elected by majority vote but by an antiquated institution called the Electoral College, which is a holdover from our slave-owning days. The president is elected by the votes in about four or five states, regardless of what the rest of the country says. We’ll never get rid of the Electoral College because so many Conservatives want to go back to the days of slavery.

In short, what makes our country great is that our Declaration of Independence guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life, for those who can afford the healthcare to stay alive or can dodge the bullets from the weapons of a mass shooter while living their life.

Liberty for those seeking the freedom to love and marry whom they choose or be who they choose to be, as long as those choices refer to straight, white Christians and not members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The pursuit of happiness is for those who wish to pursue the goals of a career, family, business, or life without government interference, except for women who want control over their own bodies.

On second thought, maybe we’re not the greatest country in the world, but we could be if we eliminated all the hate and divisiveness in our country.

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Please Tell Me It’s Not Happening Again. Not another toilet paper shortage.

                                                 Photo by Jas Min on Unsplash

After exercising at my gym this morning, I stopped at one of our local grocery stores to pick up something for dinner. While wandering the aisles, I was again reminded of just how stupid Americans can be.

I was walking down the paper towel and toilet paper aisle when I noticed something. There were only a few rolls of toilet paper left on the shelves. Oh no, not again!

On Tuesday of this week, the Longshoremen’s Union went on strike in major ports on the Eastern seaboard. This situation would affect items imported from Europe and Asia that would not be unloaded from cargo ships. The products most affected are autos, electronics, and other consumer goods — not toilet paper! 90% of the toilet paper sold and used in the United States is produced in this country.

Of course, mentally challenged Americans acting without any reputable information or knowledge of world trade immediately crapped their pants and headed to the stores to hoard toilet paper. Panic, not seen since the pandemic!

Of course, the strike was suspended until January, after the election and new year, thanks to Joe Biden’s negotiating skills.

The American public is assured of getting all the imports from Asia and Europe right on time for the Christmas buying season. But here’s a warning: don’t eat or drink too much during the upcoming holiday season, fearing getting diarrhea. If you’re unlucky to get the runs, you’ll have to run over to the moron next door who’s hoarding toilet paper.

Will There Be An October Surprise? And if there is, will it matter?

      Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

We are already in October in a presidential election cycle, and both candidates are in a dead heat. Older Americans are well aware of a phenomenon known as the October Surprise and are waiting to see if we will have one this year.

An October surprise is an event or scandal that is revealed in the month before the November election and can change the election results. One of the most recent and well-known October Surprises was during the 2016 election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Eleven days before the election, FBI Director James Comey announced he was reopening an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. His investigation previously found that Clinton may have been careless in using a private server, but she did not commit any crimes.

At the time of the announcement, Clinton held a substantial lead over Trump, but this quickly disappeared after the announcement. Trump went on to win the Electoral College and become President, while Clinton overwhelmingly won the popular vote.

Political pundits continue to say Clinton would have handily won the election had it not been for Comey announcing his decision to reopen the case publicly. Some say he broke the tradition of the Department of Justice to get involved in political investigations so close to an election. Others say he did it intentionally.

Yesterday, Washington, DC District Court Judge Tanya Chutkin unsealed Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s filings of evidence in Trump’s January 6th election subversion case. This is the evidence that will be introduced at Trump’s trial if and when it takes place in the future. The revelations included testimony that Trump said, “So what”? When he was told that his Vice President, Mike Pence, was taken away to a safe place in response to threats against his life.

All of the evidence presented was shown to be Trump’s actions as a private presidential candidate, not the President’s official actions. The new filings supposedly negate the Supreme Court’s declaration of immunity for Trump’s official duties.

The filings included evidence that Trump was responsible for planning, overseeing, and implementing the January 6ty attempt to overthrow the election of Joe Biden. In other words, Trump acted with criminal intent.

This is nothing new to all who are not glued to Fox News. Oddly enough, Fox News has reported these filings showed Trump acted criminally before and after the insurrection. Some pundits believe these revelations could be a real October Surprise. They reason that for many Americans with short memories, they could be a reminder of that horrible day. Those intending to vote for Trump may be influenced to have second thoughts.

I believe these new revelations will sway very few people. People who have always supported Trump, knowing he is a pathological liar, convicted felon, rapist, racist, and misogynist, will continue to support him. They are too much like him. Even if proof is revealed that Trump had viciously raped and slaughtered a kindergarten class of small children, they would still support him.

The only candidate an October Surprise could hurt would be Harris. Trump has ample time to fabricate the evidence for such an event. Be prepared for some nastiness ahead.

I Will Soon Be Sending Out a Newsletter to My Subscribers.

                                           Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

I am working on creating a weekly newsletter to send to my subscribers. My newsletter will contain the articles I published in the previous week and possibly a photo or some interesting tidbit of what I have experienced in my everyday life.

My newsletter will be free to subscribe to. That’s right, it won’t cost you a cent. It will be a weekly newsletter, so I won’t clog up your email inbox.

Once I have finished tweaking my newsletter, I will be ready to send it to my current subscribers. For new subscribers, I will include a link to subscribe at the end of my future articles.

My newsletter will not be hosted on Medium but by Kit.com. Once again, it will be free to subscribe to. At some point in the future, I may try to monetize it with a donate button or an affiliate ad, but it will always be free for my readers.

If any of my current subscribers do not want to receive my newsletter, please unsubscribe to receive Medium email notifications. I will be importing the current list in a couple of days. Whatever you decide to do, I thank you for your past support. Wish me luck!

I Don’t Want Medium’s Algorithm Choosing Who Reads My Stories,I want my followers and other Medium members to be able to choose what they read.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Yesterday, I published a story titled “You Can’t Read What You Can’t See.” Today, I have been thinking about how there must be some way to circumvent the algorithm and let readers choose what they want to read.

Some people say that following a favorite writer or subscribing to their work is the best way to ensure people who want to read your work can find your articles. However, since I have been a member of Medium for quite some time, I feel this is not correct.

Even though most of us have numerous followers, we realize that often, once some of those followers follow us, we never hear from them again. Also, the fact someone is following us does not necessarily mean they will see our work once it’s published,

I think hitting the Medium subscribe button is entirely unreliable. I have had some bad experiences with subscribing to writers. In one incident, I noticed I was not receiving email notifications from those I subscribed to about newly published articles. After researching, I discovered that Medium had unsubscribed me from every writer I had previously subscribed to. The same thing happened to some of my subscribers.

I know some Medium writers publish newsletters in which they promote their work and offer products or services. I’m not interested in starting an e-business or making a bundle of cash, but I wonder if I could publish a weekly newsletter with my published stories for the week.

I plan to start a newsletter and place a link to subscribe to it in each of the articles I publish. If someone subscribes, they will receive one email each week that includes the stories I have published. I won’t try to sell them anything, either products or services, but I may share an interesting fact or something about my life. They will also have the option to unsubscribe.

If my newsletter is well-received, I may monetize it through ads in the future. But that’s wishful thinking for now. I will continue to publish my stories on Medium, as usual. If anyone feels they connect to my work or enjoy reading and interacting, they can subscribe. Otherwise, they can scroll on.

In the past, I tried something similar to a newsletter by creating a publication where I published a weekly summary of what I had published that week. The same problem existed — no one saw it. I also considered using Substack but soon realized it wasn’t right for me. I didn’t want my readers to pay for reading my work. I am also not a super prolific writer, which would hinder my progress on that site.

The problem with both Substack and Medium’s subscriber notification processes is that the subscriber’s mailbox is inundated with emails on a daily basis. If I implement my newsletter, I will only publish and email it once a week.

My newsletter is only an idea right now. I don’t know that much about starting and maintaining a newsletter at this time. It could be just another hair-brained idea that came to mind and will soon disappear, but I think it’s worth further thought.

I would appreciate it if any of my readers could share their thoughts about what I have just proposed doing. I am not tech-savvy or an entrepreneur, so I may be way over my head considering a newsletter. Thanks in advance for your input.