My Plans For 2012: Survival, Flat Pack Disposal and America

2011 was one of the most eventful years of my life. I started it by living the high life in downtown Bangkok (literally, on a 15th floor apartment), and ended it sloshed on the dance-floor of Shepherds Bush Walkabout, an experience that has become uncomfortably familiar over the years.

In between, I’ve travelled to Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore. I’ve moved house no less than FOUR times. And I’ve singlehandedly kept the coffee economy afloat – firstly via Gloria Jeans and now Cafe Nero. If there’s any life lesson I’m eager to take in to 2012, it’s that I’d be an utter dipshit to kiss goodbye to as much deposit money as I did last year; a grand total that ended up a few notes shy of £5500. FML.

Indeed, the moment where I’m asked to commit my signature to any dotted line is now met by a ferocious growl, followed swiftly by brooding silence. The kind where you could be forgiven for anticipating that I’m about to eat said contract.

My new home is the Greater London suburbs. Greater London by name, Greater London most certainly not by nature. My stress levels have tapered off significantly since finding a semi-permanent home. But that’s not to hide the fact that the closest I get to an adrenaline rush is when an elderly neighbour trundles in to a pile of dog shit outside my driveway. Such is the pace of living in ‘Greater London’…

I think the most excited we’ve ever been was when we thought we found Hitler on a bus.

Hitler on a bus

Alas, moving house has proven, without doubt, that one of life’s greatest miseries is the struggle of relocation. If I have to accept one more flat pack from a courier, I’ll be greeting the merciless prick with my very best “Here’s Johnny…” impression. That and obviously, the point blank refusal to “sign fer it, mate“.

Christ, there’s already one room in my house dedicated to the shit I’ve yet to recycle.

Christmas recycling

That’s my dining room, believe it or not. Correction: That will be my dining room when I get hold of some recycling bags from the council.

Travel Targets in 2012

I already have some trips planned for 2012.

In May, I’ll be heading to America for a wedding, and to meet some of my partner’s friends.

New York, Chicago and Indianapolis will be our ports of call. Can you spot the odd one out? Yep, I’ve been told that Indiana’s biggest tourist attraction is the Indy 500 race, which doesn’t bode well for my souvenir hunt. I’m not a fan of motor racing at the best of times, but especially when it’s the retarded American version that takes place in a circular ring.

The only time I’ve found circular rings and cars to be compatible was in Destruction Derby on the Sega Saturn. And something tells me a Nascar event has gone badly wrong if it resembles as such.

Digs aside, I’m looking forward to visiting America again. It’s been a while since I last had my anal cavities probed at immigration. Remind me not to provoke Passport Control by smiling next time.

I’m also excited to travel back to Thailand at the end of 2012, although I’ve learnt another vital life lesson: don’t come home with a puppy. Unless you like handing over £3000 to government quarantine, as well as the puppy.

With trips to Spain, France and ‘somewhere beginning with B’ (hold hands, let’s pray it’s not Birmingham), it should be a good year.

Business Targets in 2012

Like most affiliates, my gameplan for 2012 is survival. Don’t get banned from Facebook, don’t get sued for false advertising, don’t get swallowed up by the competition.

Generally speaking, if I can succeed with just one of those targets, it’ll be a bloody good year.

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to many people that I’m slowly moving my business away from affiliate marketing. As much as I love the money, the job is about as satisfying for the soul as a bicycle kick to the bollocks. The sooner I become less reliant on mindless arbitrage, the sooner I’ll be able to force myself out of bed in the morning.

My most important target for the year is to get published. I’ve always wanted to be an author, and this is the year where I’m determined to make it happen.

I’m currently writing a book that sums up the sleaze of working in the Internet Marketing business. While it could be difficult to find an agent for my profanity woven prose, I’m hoping one will take pity on me. Or read this blog and get in touch. Nudge wink ball tickle.

Recommended This Week:

  • Don’t forget to subscribe to the FinchSells RSS feed. And if you don’t already follow me, add FinchSells to your Twitter. Have a banging 2012!

About the author

Finch
Finch

A 29 year old high school dropout (slash academic failure) who sold his soul to make money from the Internet. This blog follows the successes, fuck-ups and ball gags of my career in affiliate marketing.

12 Comments

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  • Hey Finch, I wish you to reach your business targets for 2012.
    I can’t wait to read your book 🙂

    I don’t know where you’ll go in France, but if you come to north, I can bring you the most insane beers you’ve never drinked in your life 🙂

  • Another great post, as usual!

    As for the publishing stuff… Find a couple of books with the writing style you have and go for the jugular! Or just ask them to publish you, anyway.

  • It has been interesting plans! I would like to commend that you have found Adolf a during your bus ride, lol. That’s cool!

    I don’t know if I’m going to travel this year but I’m looking forward for your adventures.

  • You are already an amazing writer to me and I wish you great success on the book you’re planning to publish. By the way, that man really is a Hitler look alike, I thought it was Hitler. Glad to know you also traveled so many beautiful countries.

  • Do you mean Koh Samet? I went to Rayong, which was pretty close-by. But not to Koh Samet. Would love to go back on holiday soon!

  • Send me an email when your book is ready/you need proofreading. I’ll be one of your first customers.

  • Hi, just came across your blog. very good stuff, I’m already signed up. But as an American, earning online, I can’t BELIEVE you are considering relocating to America. You do not have enough stress, bullshit and government intervention in your life? You want to lie down and beg for more?

    I am US born but I couldn’t WAIT to leave. I’ll likely never live there again, especially as long as I am still earning online … I see, like a great many online guys you drank the Thailand Kool-Aid. Nice country, I lived there two years as well, but I’m in the Philippine snow. Sooo much better, especially for visas and the business environment. And, no taxes on income earned form outside the county. And even the omnipresent US IRS, to whom I will always have to report, exempts nearly $100K a year as ‘foreign earned income” as long as I stay the hell out of America.

    You’re moving in the wrong direction, in this American’s view. I’ve been in the Philippines 7 years now and compared to living in the USA, it’s been great for me.

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