AirPigz Flight 99, Frequency Change Approved - Good Day
Friday, February 21, 2014 at 07:44AM 
The 19 year old me in 1980 (with hair) in my happy-happy-happy place
Here's the deal: I've put up over 1,300 posts in a little over five years here at AirPigz but I've generated very little revenue for all that work... I'm tired. Very tired. I started this might-make-a-poor-living project while I was as close to bankruptcy as you can get, but fought to avoid that end. The fight was successful, but as previously stated, I'm tired. Very tired. And as it turns out, I can't seem to turn my work here into even a poor living. Fortunately my work as a ceramic tile installer has recovered somewhat after falling off the cliff in 2008, but that work is very labor intensive and it makes me tired. Very tired.
So I requested a frequency change from the controller (me) and it was approved. I'm not talking radio frequency, I mean posting frequency. In an effort to keep the pig alive, I'm going to change the format to me posting when I have the time, energy, and something very compelling to share. My rather strong 50,000 page views and 35,000 unique visitors each month may drop off wildly, but my push for traffic has always been in the hope that I could use that traffic to generate revenue. Since I have never found a way for that to work out, what does it matter if the traffic drops off.
Did I mention that I'm tired? Very tired.
My financial situation has improved significantly in the last five months, but it's all relative. My attempt to get a loan last week for a measly $5K to buy a beautiful Culver Cadet restoration project that was only 6 months of hard work (and an engine) away from being in the air, was denied. It's gonna take a little longer to clean up the last issues of the hardship devastation from the last 5 years, but things are looking up.
I need to fly.
So I'm gonna free up some time and passion for finding suitable ways to get myself off the ground regularly now that I have a little cash to make that happen. I'm gonna free up some time and passion to try to push one of my creative make-a-profit projects forward toward success so I can stop being so tired as a tile installer. And I'm gonna free up some time and passion so I can figure out how I can get my butt back into the backseat of a Clipped Wing Cub (or homebuilt version) as soon as possible. The two years I spent as a teenager flying that Cub in the pic above was the best time of my life.
I'd really like to find the path back there.
Lastly, I hope you don't mind that I'm taking some time and passion away from AirPigz... for me.
Reader Comments (13)
Take a Break! Life is too short to live it feeling strapped to something that started out as fun but turns into a drain. Take care and thanks for sharing. rog
Good on ya, Mart !
Mike here. Get some stick time now that life isn't so hard on you. Fly with the windows open, make some wheel landings on grass. Grin some more.
Frequency Change Approved... well said.
Good luck with Mart I do hope you do get some stick time very soon . I don't blame you one bit life is busy and you need have some time to yourself
Martt, think reader-contributed content. You have lots of viewers. Many of them have interesting aviation experience/views/ideas/pictures/video. Perhaps you should solicit some content from your readers...
-Aaron
Do what you think best for you, Martt. It's your blog, and you can configure it to suit your own needs. You won't lose me as a reader. Good luck.
Martt, I recently made my 1st full-scale (rather than RC models) landing in over 31 years! It just got too expensive, and the military had me away from any convenient places to fly. What a hoot. My instructor did some coaching, but never took the airplane away from me. The Cessna 172 survived. Made me happy happy happy! Go fly! I'll still be lurking. 8-) Gary
It has been 69 years since I first climbed into the back seat and when I see your beautiful baby I know I could still have the door down and bounce it in! Great seeing your site. Good luck!
Mariam
I love AirPigs! That being said, I am very happy to hear that you are going to take a break/slow down to get back in the air. Getting current for you (in my humble opinion) is more important than an "affordable " project. I hope you find a nice little rag wing in your area. I have only about 30 minutes at the stick of a 43 Aeronca Champ and it's still one of my favorite flying experiences. Good luck, Martt! Please post about your first hour back in the air. I hope it is soon.
Best!
John Ford
PS: It's kind of hard to put money in a project when you have a payment hung on it. Wait for now. #ThingsHappenForAReason #ConsiderYourslfBlessed
Thanx everyone for the kind words... I need a little break here and then I'll get back to it, tho at a slower and easier pace.
Rest assured, there will be lots of bacon at OSH14 / CampBacon : )
I will add tho that donations to buy bacon will be cheerfully accepted! #pigsupport
(paypal donate button is near the top left of the page - thanx)
Good to hear there will still be bacon! I was worried. I sure you have thought about it, but guest commentary might be kinda cool!
Mart, thanks for the coolpix, and thanks for making this one of my go-to sites. You must strike a good balance between thrust and drag in aircraft design and in life. Good luck. Jim
Martt - Funny thing, but I'm late reading this post because I did something similar about a year ago - I focused on my passions. While aviation is a passion of mine, my bigger passions are woodworking and photo/video. So I reduced my aviation activity to OSH (because so many photo ops) and supporting my son in his pursuit of an aviation career. And thus, i infrequently visit aviation blogs, but yours is always my first.
I pray for the best as you make this change, and I hope stepping back may open a door for AirPigz growth that you hadn't even thought of when you were heads down working on it.
Personally, thank you for the influence you have been for my son (probably without even realizing it). Reading your blog yes, but moreso the personal time you spent with us waiting for the event to start at Theater in the Woods. Good stuff, and I appreciate it.
Steve