I wasn’t planning on blogging much today or this weekend because today is my birthday (34) and a nice little break doesn’t hurt from time to time.. but go figure, I get on the computer this morning and her it is late in the day and I’m still going to town.

~ After WordPress Stats started not working this morning and I was pretty ticked about the sudden change, I’m actually happy now that I have Google Analytics installed because the stats are so much more detailed. Wow, I have a new hobby to do just looking at those babies! If you missed my post this morning about it and you use WordPress Stats on any WP sites, I would suggest adding the free Google Analytics to your site if you do not have it.

~ I wanted to try another little test today when I noticed a domain name in the PendingDelete drops today. Why was it different than what I normally pick up? I never went for a .org PendingDelete domain before but I did today. BlowUpDoll.org is the domain and I put a site up on it right away this morning. I consider it an $8.02 test and well worth playing around and see what happens.

There are some interesting things I want to test and this is why

BlowUpDoll.com and BlowUpDoll.net are parked… so BlowUpDoll.org is the lone of the top 3 TLD’s as a developed site with real products and prices on it! Will it get direct navigation? I’m not sure but I will find out.

Google shows NO love towards adult related term. What do I mean? They do not suggest search terms like normal terms and no results are displayed unless you click enter. I’m not sure if this is good or bad, but I will find out.

A blogspot site ranks # 1 for the search term (blow-up-doll.blogspot.com) and NO domains in the top 10, contain the search term in the domain at all. I think one should rank well with an exact match that is developed.

Good exact search results. According to GAKT 49,500 exact global phrase/ 27,100 exact local phrase & 12,100 exact global / 6,600 exact local + blowup doll gets 4,400/2,900 and 1,300/720

Since I like product domain names, this fits into what I like to buy and build. It’s a .org, so this is the first development for me on it. Again, it is a test and one I think worth running!

~ A little bit of a continuation from a post I did the other day, talking about recent domain names I purchased.

RedTaco.com I didn’t purchase this domain for any "adult" reasons… but after purchasing it and thinking about it for a day or two.. some may see it and think that, which is a downfall for me unless the buyer wants people to think that way.

That is the red taco that I was thinking when I grabbed it on the drop. Color+Animal and Color+Whatever seems to be pretty popular, so it was purchased by me as a brandable type domain name.

BlueBarrels.com I purchased this domain name as an expired domain name at GoDaddy Auctions. I see "blue barrels" all over the place. People use them as rain barrels and I think the first use of many of them are food/product storage for companies. Another place I see blue barrels are under floating docks. People use the 55 gallon drums for cans in garages, trash bins at outdoor events and so on. Some search volume for it and I just liked it.

Clovs.com Brandable 5L domain. Also appears to be a surname. Urban dictionary term and a way some people may try to spell cloves.

~ This may come as a surprise to you or it may not.. but I have been barely hanging on to continue what I am doing. Blogging/Domaining. I have stated several times that my main income from domain sales has all but nearly dried up. If you work full time and do not get paid, it sucks! I have been going for months and months without a pay day, so things are very tight. With our new baby, it makes things even tighter but I keep on trying!

So if I stop writing one of these days, that is why. I spend a massive amount of time writing this blog and it simply doesn’t make me much money. It does make some (thank you for your clicks and affiliate purchases because every little bit helps) but it’s dollars a day for the most part.

I have considered switching DotWeekly away from domain names, because I do test posts from time to time (I’m sure you can tell which ones they are) and DotWeekly does very well with these types of posts. Yet I write about domain sales, domain processes, how to’s for domaining etc and they product little to no revenue. So in a way, I think if I write that style of posts (not focusing on domains) this site could way better.

The problem.. I love domain names! I love writing (even though I am not very good at grammar or spelling etc) and I enjoy you reading and writing comments! It takes a lot of work just to keep the site up and running. Approving and commenting to comments. Finding good stories to write about. Offering good ideas. Finding relevant links and products for ads/affiliates. Answering the tons of emails I get with questions and so on.

I have been looking for a full time job, with benefits but just haven’t been lucky enough to find something. I have been looking, just nothing that was a good fit for me yet. I have been domaining for so many years, that isn’t helping me with most of the positions available in my area. I’m not a developer. I’m not a designer.

It is very hard to give up on something you love. Something you pour your heart and soul into day in and day out for years. When you help a lot of people, it gives you a feeling you never know unless you have done it. That is what I will miss the most if I have to stop.

When your domain sales hit rock bottom, domain parking hits rock bottom, affiliate sites only do so/so and the thing that takes up the majority of your day (DW) isn’t helping much either… the end of my rope is about a fine thread now. I just haven’t hit that sweet spot that something is working for me but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up. I have been writing for months and months when I really shouldn’t but  I’m trying.

OK, enough about me! Time to go have a birthday beer!