MoocH’s Tenth Annual, “Regulars Only,” End of the Year Check In Thread

[damooch916]

1 hour ago, donnovan86 said:

I started doing more cardio, faster paced walking, some strength training here and there

In the bodybuilding world, mine would be considered a late start. I began aggressively and truly pursuing body recomposition goals at 30 as a reaction to giving up cigarettes.

Also … honestly, I was still a somewhat active live performer and it wasn’t lost on me that most of what happens in live entertainment is judged through the eyes. As a touring child entertainer/songwriter - you’re keenly aware of the sunken in, ashtrays for faces that most child performers develop as they age. Luckily, I had transitioned to full time writing as a teenager and the biggest irony is that it wasn’t going to matter … still, my wife deserved better than going to bed with me and waking up with a 42 year old Leif Garrett (which - since we’re having a heart to heart - is my exact age as of Tuesday). 

I couldn’t have realized the obsession that weight-lifting would become. While it very obviously caters to the aggressor operating my voice box, it totally contradicts the equally baffling bohemian compulsions I lean toward and my unusually erudite pursuits.

There’s something far north of usual about a guy in a Dodge Ram and cowboy boots, reconfiguring imaginary debates between Jordan Peterson and the late Christopher Hitchens, sipping espresso en route to the local gym while listening to Little Anthony and the Imperials.

I hope you stay with it. Lifting is so full of intricate minutiae and creatives owe it to ourselves to see if it pings our particular brand of neurosis. 

[designhub777]

1 hour ago, damooch916 said:

In the bodybuilding world, mine would be considered a late start. I began aggressively and truly pursuing body recomposition goals at 30 as a reaction to giving up cigarettes.

Also … honestly, I was still a somewhat active live performer and it wasn’t lost on me that most of what happens in live entertainment is judged through the eyes. As a touring child entertainer/songwriter - you’re keenly aware of the sunken in, ashtrays for faces that most child performers develop as they age. Luckily, I had transitioned to full time writing as a teenager and the biggest irony is that it wasn’t going to matter … still, my wife deserved better than going to bed with me and waking up with a 42 year old Leif Garrett (which - since we’re having a heart to heart - is my exact age as of Tuesday). 

I couldn’t have realized the obsession that weight-lifting would become. While it very obviously caters to the aggressor operating my voice box, it totally contradicts the equally baffling bohemian compulsions I lean toward and my unusually erudite pursuits.

There’s something far north of usual about a guy in a Dodge Ram and cowboy boots, reconfiguring imaginary debates between Jordan Peterson and the late Christopher Hitchens, sipping espresso en route to the local gym while listening to Little Anthony and the Imperials.

I hope you stay with it. Lifting is so full of intricate minutiae and creatives owe it to ourselves to see if it pings our particular brand of neurosis. 

Why didn't you start early, man? However, your body looks bold.

[damooch916]

1 minute ago, designhub777 said:

Why didn't you start early, man?

My life was totally consumed with live music, staff songwriting and industry networking. I stopped performing to focus my energies on writing, arrangement and raising a family. That allowed me to structure a daytime routine for the first time in my life and with it - new pursuits that I could control and expand the variables. 

[designhub777]

1 minute ago, damooch916 said:

and raising a family.

Nothing is happier than this mate. I appreciate your hardworking.

[smartdezigns]

Check In: Though I am not even tagged here. 👀😊

This year (2023) has been pretty tough and difficult for me but somehow I made it through. 

Family: It was tough because of my mother's fractured arm surgery so I was the caretaker for her (now she's doing well but her right knee is hurting these days due to usage of so many stairs 😢), taking care of everything and family at home (overheads, kitchen, cooking, driving etc.). It can be said that I have been managing everything at home and my family alone.

Fiverr: A lot of updates have been rolled out on Fiverr this year but nothing has been affected me so far. In terms of sales, it went good too but I can say that it was 5% less than 2022's sales, it's fine for me. Been trying to stay active on the Forum though it's messy but still I'm here. 

Health: It's Winter season here but winters have never been good to me as it always brings my cough allergy back (according to Doctor, it's Asthma but I think it's not). It only happens in Winters not in other seasons. Nowadays, I am doing well because of anti-allergy medicines. 

I hope in 2024, everything goes well in terms of health, wealth, happiness and life. ✌️

Edit: Oh I forgot to add one more thing: I have always been obliged to all the experienced sellers here as I have been learning a lot from them.

Cannot tag everyone here but gonna mention their names (filipdevaere, smashradio, vickieito, vickiespencer, catwriter, uk1000, melanielm, imagination7413, Lena, milos_siena, priyank_mod, katakatica, vibronx, maitasun, breals, mandyzines, donnovan86 and others too).

Thank you for everything.

Edited December 15, 2023 by smartdezigns
Additional Content

[zeus777]

Greeting to you, King Mooch.
Thank you for checking in on us. It's less than 10 days till Christmas, and I was planning on having a takoyaki/sukiyaki party with my buddies on the 25th, but then just a few days ago he got COVID and he ended up using all of his pad vacation, so he needs to work on the 25th. (Hey it's Japan, working on Christmas is normal sadly) but we will still have a New Years party on the 8th.
So plan B, I'll go out with my other friends whom I've known for...wow, over 20 years on the 25th and we'll be eating chicken wings.

 

OK, so how was 2023...
I think it was pretty ok overall. I didn't get sick, I didn't get into an accident, I didn't get arrested (JK), I didn't get physically hurt, I had several problems here and there just like everyone else but can't complainf much. After all I have a roof over my head and a job and good people around me. Plenty of wonderful things happened. 🙂

Fiverr-wise I think the number of orders are sadly down compared to the past years; I mentioned this somewhere but I'm guessing more and more people are using AI to have their documents etc translated. The good news is since I am being paid in dollars and the Japanese yen has been pretty weak for the past several months ( maybe an entire year?) when I convert my Fiverr income to yen I end up getting 30~40% more which is quite nice.

One little problem though, my cat escaped and while I am sure he will come home ( he's escaped twice before), it is pretty cold outside and he's a bit old.
if you guys can pray for his safe and swift return, I'd really appreciate it. 
 

[priyank_mod]

1 hour ago, smartdezigns said:

I hope in 2024, everything goes well in terms of health, wealth, happiness and life. ✌️

Edit: Oh I forgot to add one more thing: I have always been obliged to all the experienced sellers here as I have been learning a lot from them.

Cannot tag everyone here but gonna mention their names (filipdevaere, smashradio, vickieito, vickiespencer, catwriter, uk1000, melanielm, imagination7413, Lena, milos_siena, priyank_mod, katakatica, vibronx, maitasun, breals, mandyzines, donnovan86 and others too).

Thank you for everything.

More power to you @smartdezigns. 🙌🎉

And yes, relatively this year's numbers have been on the lower side compared to 2022. So I suppose we are all sailing in the same boat.😇

 

[vibronx]

Hey! Thanks so much for the tag!

I just wrote such a long post, but I moved to another page, moved back here, pressed the wrong button, and it's all gone. 😡

Anyway, I'll summarize it:

2023: Trying to heal my traumas from taking care of my girlfriend for six years when she had cancer, depression, etc. I feel like I'm starting to get a little better with the help of a therapist. Working on getting back to feeling like "myself" again as I can finally start doing stuff for myself again. I earned less on Fiverr than in 2022. I'm working on a narrative game, and people have started making fan art of my characters, which makes me happy.

EDIT: And I was made Pro, but I don't really care about that. Felt kinda random since I didn't apply for it, and it doesn't feel like an accomplishment.

Hopes for 2024: Release a demo for my game, run a successful Kickstarter, and restart my YouTube channel, which got demonetized this year at 90K subscribers but with new content that will allow me to get monetized again.

On 12/14/2023 at 5:50 AM, damooch916 said:

It’s like Reddit with less emotional stability. 

That's some burn. 😂

16 hours ago, mandyzines said:

I deleted my 15 year-old account once the censorship got far too thick for my liking. I already knew how much of an illusion the place was in general for about that long. Most of my posts became satirical, which is probably the only reason I never experienced a site-wide ban.

It's an insane asylum.

Edited December 15, 2023 by vibronx

[coerdelion]

Thanks for checking in, @damooch916 - sometimes, even here, we can become isolated from real life, forgetting that our friends here are just as reaal as the ones we interact with physcally.

This year has been better for me than last - significantly so in my little corner of Fiverr.  Wary about the new "transparency" being introduced to "help" us all in our businesses here and how it will affect everyone going forward into 2024. 

My health has significantly improved over the year, due to dietary changes and a stubborn determination to be unpopular with my doctors.  Whatever works, right?

@zeus777 - sorry to hear about your cat.  Hope he returns soon, no worse for his adventures.

My cat will be 21 this year.  He is diabetic, toothless, loud, but still able to jump up onto chairs and beds - and generally imposing his will on the household.  We are, apparently, pretty useless servants to his magnificence.  Hey ho.

Someone sent a small Paddington Bear anonymously that arrived yesterday.  No note, so no idea who. It's good to have a Christmas mystery to think aboout over the holidays!

Good luck to all in 2024!

 

[breals]

Thanks for checking in @damooch916 - Your updates keep me sane in this crazy world. 

As I look out of my window on a cold and crisp Welsh afternoon, the same question slips into my mind day after day.  WHY DON'T I LIVE IN FLORIDA?  

God, I hate the cold! 

What did 2023 bring for me?  - Well, this was my first full year of being a 'grown up' freelancer. After giving up my job in education to chase the dream, I'm glad that I actually broke even and earned the same as I would have done in full time employment.  Sure, I worked about 400,000 extra hours, but hey! it feels good to be my own boss now.  Plus,  I no longer have to wear a suit, underwear or even shave. 😀  Which is always a bonus. 

I was also able to be part of the Fiverr certified program, which is a pretty cool corner of Fiverr where geeky web designers live and talk geek stuff. 

On the flip side, working from home did allow me to help my wife support our 6 year old daughter who became T1 Diabetic as a result of COVID.  this has meant endless sleepless nights, and lots of education on what she can and can't eat.  Ironically, this kick in the teeth has now resulted in us becoming healthier and more active than we ever planned.   

I may even consider buying a 'Tommy style tank top' as a reward for my slimmed down figure.  Although I'm not quite sure it will slip over the residual beer belly just yet.

What's in store for 2024? - Like everyone else, I guess there is the realisation that Fiverr can't and shouldn't be my only source of income. So, I will be focussing on growing my website design agency in Wales, and trying to step back a little for even more family time.  With two young daughters I want to be around long enough for them to bankrupt me with their expensive tastes.  No offence ladies. But girls are costing me a fortune.  

Let's keep checking in and staying in touch! 

cael nadolig gwych pawb!

Have a great Christmas Everyone

Ian

 

 

[frank_d]

13 hours ago, damooch916 said:

but I’m interested in all the training that you guys are doing.

I’m doing cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week for the past 4 months or so.
 

Started consciously watching what I eat a couple of weeks ago.

[donnovan86]

11 minutes ago, breals said:

Plus,  I no longer have to wear a suit, underwear or even shave. 😀  Which is always a bonus. 

Ah, the joys of freelancing :))))

[damooch916]

5 hours ago, smartdezigns said:

Check In: Though I am not even tagged here

Don’t think of it as neglect. Think of it as “selective respecting of privacy.” I’m glad you chimed in. 
 

5 hours ago, zeus777 said:

Greeting to you, King Mooch

Greetings to you. As always, your addressing of the King is both prestigious and totally warranted.  

 

5 hours ago, zeus777 said:

Fiverr-wise I think the number of orders are sadly down compared to the past years

This has been the unfortunate (and unintended) theme of our small gathering. 
 

1 hour ago, vibronx said:

I just wrote such a long post

For short hand you can say “I Mooch posted.”

1 hour ago, vibronx said:

I earned less on Fiverr than in 2022

Apparently no one is safe from this virus. 

 

1 hour ago, vibronx said:

Hopes for 2024: Release a demo for my game

Massively ambitious. I’m currently working with a video game developer on some off the wall stuff. That’s code for “if you need music, my plugs are shameless sparky.”

[damooch916]

1 hour ago, frank_d said:

I’m doing cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week for the past 4 months or so.

If you reverse this, you will add more muscle - which will attack more fat, which will make you look slimmer by adding more proper weight. 
 

I prescribe 40 grams of protein every three hours and enough coffee to swim in fully standing. 

[damooch916]

1 hour ago, breals said:

I may even consider buying a 'Tommy style tank top' as a reward for my slimmed down figure.  Although I'm not quite sure it will slip over the residual beer belly just yet.

I’m aware that my musical contemporaries have lowered the bar on decency so low, that it’s somehow average looking to parade around in tank tops. This one comfortability prevents my entry into the “creative writing” freelance world. Sure, I’d pump the income with more offerings - but is it really worth zoom conversations in a sports coat? I think not.

In the music field - if I arrive promptly, coherently and somewhat covered by clothing, I’m the epitome of cultivation. 

[imagination7413]

Checking in.

Was sick (with what I'm pretty sure was Covid) twice this year, and both those months are rather hazy in my memory other than the 'bleh' feeling. I stopped drinking coffee the first time I caught ill, and found out I sleep way, way better when I'm not having a cup a day, so I never really resumed. Which is sad, because all the holiday flavors are out and they smell delicious, but I (shockingly) like sleep better than I like coffee. 

(I beseech the King to forgive this transgression, based on the number four. I'm not sure why 'four', when 42 is the answer, but his Highness seems to like the number a lot, since he repeats it regularly along with the numbers one, two, and three.) 

AI is here to stay, and even after a year I still have mixed thoughts. I've seen some incredibly good AI art, and I've seen incredibly bad. I can usually pick out AI writing, as long as it's longer than a sentence or two, but it's abused so much. I have not tried AI prompts for myself, and I don't plan to anytime soon. (I've always been a 'late adapter' type of the market segment.) 

Fiverr hasn't been my main source of income for more than two years, but I also have noticed fewer inquiries/orders. My day job has also seen noticeable decline, and the owner is close to retirement, so the business might not even exist this time next year. I don't particularly like the job, so I won't be upset if it vanishes.  I've got decent savings, in case something happens. 

It's been a really rough year for some of the people close to me, but I've been mostly fine.

[damooch916]

8 hours ago, imagination7413 said:

I beseech the King to forgive this transgression, based on the number four. I'm not sure why 'four', when 42 is the answer, but his Highness seems to like the number a lot, since he repeats it regularly along with the numbers one, two, and three

For the right price, I’ve been known to venture upwards to 7. Galaxian middle weights may hang their astrologic whispers on 42, but according to humanoid-cybertronic mainstays like - Dave Brubeck - the answer is more than likely “five.”

That completes another rousing rendition of “losing the room” the home edition.

8 hours ago, imagination7413 said:

I also have noticed fewer inquiries/orders

I’m almost appalled that I’ve called all the most respected forum members - and by a significant margin, the most respected sellers of certain verticals - to some apocalyptic dance party with music provided by the local mortuary.

I may feel compelled to cap this traditionally joyous exercise with a gut thrusting speech about the opportunity that uncertainty unleashes. No, it’s not my usual forum function - but I do soap boxing and proselytizing like a house on fire. 

[zeus777]

15 hours ago, frank_d said:

I’m doing cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week for the past 4 months or so

Not trying to one-upper you, but i pick up my 10 pound cat at least 20 times a day, I lift my coffee mug hundreds of times while I'm working, and I also speed walk over to the store to get some munchies during my break. I'm gonna have abs by the end of this year. 😁

[damooch916]

7 hours ago, zeus777 said:

Not trying to one-upper you

It would be totally ill-mannered to engage in some sort of virtual, ego clash and if my years at the forum have proven anything - it’s that I’m the embodiment of culture, decorum and quiet reservation.

But … 

I don’t even consider it proper squat form unless the elbows are aligned with your mouth to support the espresso sipping as you lower.

I judge pushup quality on how far I am from the straw in my pour over.

I use liquid caffeine as a coffee condiment.

My prework is railing lines of medium roast grinds off the weight rack.

When I say “drip coffee” I’m referring to intravenous therapy. It makes it easier to consume double shots during chest press.

Not to brag, my sweat is resold as “Fitness 2000 house Blend.”

If you use the weight bench when I’m done with it, you may experience dehydration from caffeine poisoning.

I put ankle weights on my coffee cups and always sip to full extension.

I don’t use self tanner - I just work up a sweat and the coffee does the rest.

If I’m lifting in a crowded gym and I breathe too hard, the guy next to me experiences increased heart rate.

My body spray is “French roast.”

I can perform cardio by standing still and appreciating the jitters.

My tooth paste is “Guatemalan” - because it’s only considered “coffee breath” if you actually want it to stop.

And that’s where we’ll stop. I wouldn’t want this to become a big gloating session or anything. That and I need to make coffee. 

[vickiespencer]

On 12/15/2023 at 8:44 AM, frank_d said:

I’m doing cardio 5 days a week and weight training 3 days a week for the past 4 months or so.

Hmm, there are 8 days in a week in Greece. 🤔

 

Or do you do cardio and weights both one day a week?

 

@damooch916, can I hire you to work out for me? Would I get in shape that way? I wish! 

Edited December 17, 2023 by vickiespencer

[frank_d]

13 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

Hmm, there are 8 days in a week in Greece. 🤔

 

Or do you do cardio and weights both one day a week?

 

@damooch916, can I hire you to work out for me? Would I get in shape that way? I wish! 

Monday-Wednesday-Friday are cardio+weight training days.

Tuesday and Thursday are just cardio days.

Weekends are rest days. 🙂

[miiila]

On 12/14/2023 at 6:21 AM, damooch916 said:

I’d also like to invite @miiila, @kaneswriting, @sunboatrecords , @visualstudios to check in.

I didn't actually get the invite, maybe I shouldn't have dropped that highly suspicious envelope without postal stamp into the next river after all, but some irresistible force made me check the forum, and there it was, the much anticipated Mooch post.

I'm still there, somewhere, not sure why, maybe my coffee addiction, life is still weird, I hardly have the time and or energy to even lurk, but peek in from time to time, for a dose of known names and friendly faces and the reassuring (or was it dreadful) confirmation that nothing really ever changes, umm... Long live the King and Espresso Bars... over and out (with reverently bowed head, slowly, backwards).

[bitwiseauto]

Hi, just wanted to say this was an entertaining read and was nice to learn a bit about some of the regulars I see while lurking on the forums. I'm relatively new, having just earned my "no longer gets triggered by 'why no order' posts" badge.

Thanks for the laughs.

I brought Shawarma, but only one, because times are a bit tough.

P.S no double dipping the chips in the tahini.

[bitwiseauto]

23 hours ago, vickiespencer said:

Hmm, there are 8 days in a week in Greece. 🤔

Ohh you just reminded me of this. Theatrical recreation of an argument in a body building forum about the number of days in a week. (Language warning)

[melanielm]

18 hours ago, bitwiseauto said:

having just earned my "no longer gets triggered by 'why no order' posts" badge.

There's a badge! Maybe I'll have to try harder.

Food looks delicious.