The Knoji Disappointment

I have been a Knoji writer since July 2012. I was very impressed with the site on my first few months there. It took me quite sometime to get the hang of it and level up to Expert - around 3 weeks. But, after that, it provided me steady writing income. On my first month as Knoji Expert, I earned around $150. It was fairly decent. It was my biggest online pay. Blogsvertise paid more for its written articles (I used to write blog posts for the site) but, blog post assignments were few so I didn't earn from it as much as I earned from Knoji.

The following months were great as well. My total earnings from September-October was $255.

Then, things started to be problematic in November. Changes on payment amounts started to happen - article payments were lower and Admins don't answer writers' inquiries. I still earned decently that November but I had to exert more efforts to earn. I had to write more articles. A 400-word article used to be $4 but in November, the same article only cost $3. By December, web article assignments went down to $2. The same went for product reviews. In December, product reviews which have a maximum $20 bonus payment were lowered to $12.

While there were surprising feature additions for more income opportunities since November, such as the Paid Q & A Ambassador Program, Consumer Reports Writing and Coupon Submission, writers' complaints were nonstop. Bugs would remain unfixed for days and weeks.

Sure, I have my problems, too, with Knoji. I was very vocal about them in the Knoji forums but I stayed with Knoji because it still provided me great income. I earned $319 in December - the highest I earned from the site.

I noted the problems, anyway, many times. I posted on the forums and even sent numerous messages to the Knoji Admins. Other writers did the same.  But, it took time before Knoji Admins explained what were happening and why they made the changes.

The problems were not just the payment changes - it was the inability of Knoji Admins to provide explanations for changes and when they came, they were months or weeks late. Writers are kept guessing and wondering why payments were lowered - thinking it was because of the quality of their work - but, was just a re-structuring technique for the site when it wants to focus to a particular part of the site - it increased the  Q & A bonus and decreased the article payments when it wanted the writers to concentrate on the Q & A, for example.

Despite these problems,  I still counted on Knoji. Because despite the complaints and problems, I was earning decently. Its Coupon Codes Submission provided me steady income. Since July 2012, I already earned $476.70 through coupons I submitted to the site.

I started to be disappointed with Knoji last January. I was one of the most active in its Q & A long before it provided payments for non-company Q & As. I love answering questions I am knowledgeable with such as relationships, marriage, children, health and travels. But, I was never accepted in the Q & A Ambassador Program. I was always encouraged by other Knoji writers to keep trying but, after weeks of that, I just let it go.

There were other Knoji opportunities like Web Article assignments which I love doing. So, despite losing the Q & A income, I concentrated on writing article assignments and product reviews. I also got busy since January so the income wasn't as high as my previous income. Nonetheless, I still believed that Knoji is a great site. How can it not be? It is still a site that provides income as it promises.

Only 2 days ago, when I visited the site, that I learned recent changes and bugs. While writers are furiously pleading the Admins to explain, there are no answers.It was the same thing that happened in November before they introduced changes.There were serious problems on the site. There were bugs, product reviews which are already weeks old remain unapproved and Web Article assignments are now gone.

The bad thing is, writers do not know if these are just bugs or product reviews and web article assignments are already gone for good. The only thing they bothered to inform the writers is the discontinuation of Coupon Codes Submission through a brief note.So, from now on, Knoji writers can no longer share coupons. Fortunately, coupon codes that were submitted before the changes will remain earning commissions as long as they remain valid to be used by shoppers.

Still, the way Knoji is handling these changes are driving writers furious. Many feel disrespected, especially veteran writers who have contributed so much for the site.

I feel pissed off as well. I have written numerous articles for Knoji that helped boost its ranking and reputation. And in turn, it has rewarded me with money. I am thankful for that, though, I also think that I deserve every penny that Knoji paid me. The same goes with the other writers.

Now, this is no longer just about getting paid or having access to the Knoji earning opportunities. The issue now is Knoji's ability to take care of its writers - its writers are the reasons why it is doing so well as a consumer knowledge site.

Knoji writers deserve attention and respect from Knoji. We are being ignored for our inquiries and that should not be the case. Knoji should be more responsive otherwise, it will lose the best writers it got.

There is still this small hope in me that Knoji can fix the problems but I do hope it does soon or it will be too late. Writers are already bolting out and looking to other sites because the income has been very unpromising (no product reviews and no article assignments) and most of all, Knoji does not bother and refuse to explain what is happening.

It will be a waste, really, if Knoji does not act fast. Its reputation is at stake.

Pinsal Falls

I can spend a whole afternoon admiring this wonder of nature. Located at Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur, Pinsal Falls is just a few kilometers away from the UNESCO World Heritage site, Sta. Maria Church.

Bus Ride

My head is spinning. I feel drained. It must be because last night's travel was exhausting.

I caught a ride (Partas bus) at 10 minutes before 9pm. I didn't eat dinner and decided to have it at any bus stop. A few minutes after finding a seat at the end, I already wanted to step out of the bus.

The driver was driving too fast. Since I was at the end, it was very uncomfortable. I decided to change seats and found a vacant seat 3 rows just behind the driver. I realized too late that that was more dangerous.

Since I was really exhausted from the seminar, I wanted to sleep. It's what I usually do at bus trips - sleep the entire time. But, by the time we reached the next town in only 6 minutes, I decided to forego my plan of sleeping.

I just busied myself in making sure I remain awake just in case something happens. I saw how the bus almost bumped into a fuel tanker's rear and a mini-elf. A van was also almost hit when when our bus tried to overtake it.

The bus speed didn't change even in those part of the highway with really sharp curves. I had to grasp firmly on the headboard of the seat infront of me. If not for the arm rest, I would have easily been thrown many time out of my seat. The arm rest helped me stay in place.

I reached Vigan after only 2 hours. That's one of the fastest ride I took. It would have been alright if I didn't feel like I was going to die every minute or so. I took down the bus number and I swear that I will never ride in that bus again. The number is 342.

Okay, we didn't figure in an accident. I arrived home safely. But fast rides are known to be the cause of accidents.

Too many news of highway accidents have made me fearsome of fast rides. I surely don't want to die in a bus accident. It is not only messy, it is horrible. Who wants to die with a body part missing?

Fruitful Day

It is only the 4th day of January 2013 but I have already done a full day's work while many are still home shedding off their Holiday hangover.

Yes, I can be workaholic. But it is what makes me happy. I always feel like I am always running out of time. There are so many things to do. And, if immediately switching back to work mode is being workaholic,then, I am guilty.

I am happy and guilty. This is not to claim that I am the only one who was able to report back to work, anyway. Colleagues in other departments may have actually reported earlier. Especially those with jobs that are highly-technical.

Anyway, another reason why I am happy with today's schedule is because I had a little walking exercise with a half-day of fieldwork. It was the best thing to do after days of simply staying home and eating.

I didn't I lose all the calories I ate up during the Holidays but at least an hour of walking helped shed off those calories.

What better way to start the year but a combination of fruitful workday and exercise?

If I am going to do a half-day fieldwork everyday (and probably, a whole day at times), I can lose enough wait in time for a Maxi dress two weeks from now. Haha.

Exciting 2013

from: thepaperie.wordpress.com

It's 2013.

There are many exciting things about to happen this year. For one, the Mayans were wrong. We survived 2012 and we came this far (*wink).

Personally, many exciting things are also going to happen for me. The feeling is like finally having a lick at an ice cream I deprived myself for so long. I'm so tickled just at thinking of what it's going to be like when it will finally happen.

Yes, I am no longer a teenager that should be feeling like a giddy teenager. In fact, I am only a few days away from my 28th birthday.  But, I can't help it.

The only reason I can't reveal what's this exciting thing to happen is because it's supposed to be a secret until it's over. When it's over, I can say everything I wanted to say about it and will probably write several posts about it until you will get sick of reading the same story over and over again. Haha.

I can't even say a clue, except that I am 28 and it's finally going to happen. And for many great reasons, I am not the only person who is happy it's going to happen. And, certainly, when some people who will find out about will not like it and will probably have a lot of bad things to say about it.

Either way, people who love me and people I love will be happy for me. They will be happy for us. 

Another post after a very long time

My last post was 10 months and 4 days ago. Funny, because that post talked about how long since I last wrote a blog entry and here I go again. That first line referred again to the last time I blogged.

I have been busy. Very busy. I am never without any Internet connection yet everytime I go online, it's always down to business. I just started visiting 9gag again a week ago after not finding or forgetting, rather, to visit the site.

Online writing has given me a very good amount of extra money yet because of it I almost didn't have time to browse the just for fun. I was very determined to earn.

I tried Knoji, Mediapiston and iWriter. Mediapiston says my expertise is not something they need for the long term after only more than a month of writing articles for them. iWriter pays too little at first. And Knoji, it's the most promising among the three I have tried.

I've learned to deal with Knoji now, though. So, I'm now able to juggle writing for it while browsing 9gag and doing this post.

It's not a promise. I don't know if I will really be able to write as often as I should from now on. I hope I will be able to. If not, then, I always will find time to write again - no matter how long.

After all

It's been quite sometime.

It took me this long. And I am truly overwhelmed by how long it's been since my last post. I miss blogging. I miss ranting in this virtual place. I miss letting all these emotions take form into words - letting them out as if I'm just vomiting a bad food that got its way into my stomach because I was too polite to say no.

But, it is not only the sad things that had their space in this blog that I miss. I miss most the exuberance, the little joys of other posts that point out to the beautiful things that still find their way in making this already fucked up life a little better, at times.

Yep, this blog is a testimony to life. A life that is not solely sad or happy. It is a testimony that life is a mix of the two and that life is not a series of events that simply happen to you. This blog proves and reiterates the point that life sometimes get out of control but you, you as a person who decides to take matters into your hands is all about choices.

Why have bread when you can have a salmon