I wish all my readers Merry Christmas 2011. I hope that everyone have it good during the holidays.
Days off schedule during Christmas
During this Christmas I am going to take few days off. This means that I am not going to update this blog unless something major happens. The days that I am going to take off are 24, 25 and 26 December. This is according to how Icelandic people hold there Christmas. Some automatic posts are going to appear on the 24th December. But that is about it.
Reduced information for next few months on this blog
So, the school is out for me. This means that the second phase of my plan is now on. But that means I am going to live with my mom and dad for next several months. This however has that problem that I cannot run my main computers, this means my access to the data that I have collected during the years is limited to none. I also am not able to post high resolution earthquake traces in this time period. As my main earthquake computer is going to remain offline until I move back to Denmark. The earthquake traces are going to remain online as they have been. As the remote stations them self update the images for the moment. This is also going to be case with the new geophones that go up in December (2011) and in January 2012.
My plan is to move back to Denmark sometimes around the time May to July in the year 2012. But I start to look for apartment for an rent (around 3500 DKK) in March of 2012. All suggestions on good apartments in Denmark are welcomed, I prefer renting from an renting companies. Not private individuals. I already have some idea where I might be located when I move back to Denmark. I hopeful that I am going to be just outside Copenhagen. While I am living with mom and dad I am collecting money for the move back to Denmark, as moving from Iceland is not cheap (cost just for my belongings is estimated around 300.000 ISK, or around 14.000 DKK, 1.893€, $2.469 with current exchange rate on ISK). I have already collected some of the money needed for the move back to Denmark. But I need bit more so I can also pay insurance on the apartment + one month in rent ahead of time (at least) + one month with full rent without rental benefits in Denmark (at least). I also want to collect for new television (I do not watch television that much. I just like to figure out what I can get on it. It is one of my hobbies).
This is my current status. It is all moving along for me as I had planned (even bit faster then I had originally planned).
Until I move back to Denmark. I am going to do my best to update this blog properly with pictures and everything. It is also an factor that my mom and dad only have slow 3G internet connection. It can also drop out if there is heavy snow or rain taking place. So I might be out of internet connection suddenly at times. But I hope that does not happen often.
Other: Look what Foo Fighters did in New Zealand. Foo Fighters New Zealand gig causes ‘volcanic tremor’ (BBC News)
Iceland, Canary Island and Spain volcano and earthquake forum announcement
I was going to announce this for December. But things often change faster then I had planned. But sometimes it is just important to make the jump, as I did originally with this blog. Over the past year the traffic increase on this blog has been large. Way larger then I did expect when I did start this blog. With this type of growth there is a need for different ways to deal with all manners of issues.
No subscription for this blog and forum planned forever
It is my firm believe that science should be free for betterment of mankind everywhere. For that reason I am not going to change this blog into subscription forum. I also believe that access to science data should be free and open to all. As that encourages progress and new ideas. While that I can only do that here and nowhere else, so be it.
Because of this policy I am going to survive on nothing else then donations of good people and advertisements. But after a long consideration I find that to be a better option then a subscription plan for this place.
The forum is on different domain
I am going to have the forum on a different domain that I have already bought (it is not yet active. I am waiting for that now). The reason for this is to prevent confusion between the two. But they are going to be hosted on the same server anyway. But if the forum grows like this blog. I am going to start buying bigger hosting package, as this one is already getting too small when the traffic is at its highest. But with that comes increased hosting cost. This forum is going to support live chat for up to 50 users at the same time. I am going to be using Invasion Power board for this task.
I am going add the domain name here once it becomes active and when I finish setting the forum up properly. It is going to take 1 to 2 days until it is all up and ready.
name-of-the-forum-domain-is-going-to-be-placed-here.eu (it is a .eu domain)
Cost of the forum + domain
The cost of the domain was $15.99 for one year and 179.99$ for the forum for 6 month licence (upgrades). A renewed licence costs $25 every 6 months (I might take it, since updates are important for security of the forum).
Why forum ?
The reason for the forum is simple. There is a need for it. As this blog grows there are dull times that people like to chat about other things then just volcanoes and earthquakes. This blog has limited space for that due to its nature (its a blog). A forum is a way better for that type of chat. This also gives people chance to share pictures, charts and other things more easy then on this blog. The forum is however fully integrated part of this blog, even if it is on a different domain.
It is going to take some to fully set-up and work on. But one thing is clear is that a forum needs a different strategy then a blog. So I am going have to add some moderators to it with time along with Administrators as the time goes on. But it is going to take time and work as everything else.
Thank you all for the patience in this matter. I also want to thank everyone for the support and understanding in all this.
Update 1: Even if I open up forum. This blog is not going anywhere. If you think that, you are wrong. This blog is not going to be part of the forum. But it is going to be part of the same whole thing. But the blog and forum are going to be separated in therms of what is going to be discussed.
I find that some people are to are to quick to judge this. Since the forum has not even opened up yet. But I know from other large web sites that this works and it seems to work well for them.
Blog post updated at 19:46 UTC on 13 November, 2011
Money needed for buying two geophones has been reached!
I just want to know that the amount needed to buy two new geophones has been reached. So far total of 7,341.86 DKK has been collected. But I needed 6,731.18 DKK to buy two geophones. This however does not cover the cost of 25,5% VAT and possible customs that I might have to pay. Update 1: I am also missing one of the PC computers that I need to run the software for the data collections from the geophones. How I solve that problem is unclear at the moment. There is a computer ready on the Eyrarbakki geophone location. As the man how is going to house the geophone and the hardware for me there is in computers and had one spare computer at least.
This thing here is just a repeat of a comment that I made earlier.
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Finally good news about my financial status.
I am going to get paid a computer job that I was working on for several weeks. That is a good amount that is going to cover my cost on moving back to Denmark. But that is why I am not going to touch that money. But given the circumstance this month I am going to give my self a loan of that money at 0% interest to cover this month and the import of the two new geophones if donations do not cover this on there own. The loan is going to get paid back into that account when I am finished paying up my debt with the bank. I hate to do this. But for the moment it is the only way that I have to make my financial work in reality. I’ve been the other path and I am still cleaning up that mess!
This still however leaves out paying up my debt in the next few months and it is clear that I cannot cut into this money that I am just earning now . As that would just leave me worse off then I already am. I don’t want that.
But at least the worries that I had about the cost of moving to Denmark are over. I am happy about that for a change.
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I want to thank everyone that donated for this. When the time comes there is a e-book about volcano in it for those how donated. Just drop me a email if you want one of the e-book when the time comes (I can register you for the future release, that is no problem). I do not yet know when I finish writing and releasing them. But I hope that is sooner then later. This also goes for people how donate directly into my Danish bank account. But you have to send me email if you do donate that way. As the bank might not let me know if I get a money that way.
Blog post updated at 15:29 UTC.
Please donate too support me
This is a off-topic blog post.
I feel that I have made too many of this “please donate” blog posts. But my money problems are not over and I am also trying to get enough donations so that I can buy two new geophones so that I can monitor Katla volcano and Reykjanes, Reykjanes Ridge (and all the volcanoes that are on it) and also SISZ. Donations post for that can be found here. So far 4,486.82 DKK have been donated so that I can buy the geophones, so I am not far from the target of 6,731.18 DKK that I need to buy the two geophones (I do not have the customs and VAT number, since I do not have a clue what that is going to be).
However, that is not enough I feel. As I need something to survive this month. Thankfully I spend less on food as I have already paid for it with the school. But there is always something that I need to buy outside of school kitchen. Almost all of my welfare income goes into paying up the debt with the bank. That is what does not go into paying bills that needs to get paid and sending money into my Danish account, so I can pay the bills there too. Today I owe the bank around 3.346,05 Euro, 4.518,96 USD, 24.894,14 DKK (I am going too lower that amount today (3 October 2011) by a good amount.). This month I did get paid from Google Adsense amount of 1,128.77 DKK (but nothing from Amazon, not enough money for a payout). So that improves the situation a little bit for me. But that is not a lot for me too have during a month. I have some savings in my Danish account, but they are being cut by spending. That I am trying to keep in total minimum and I do not allow my self a lot these days. What is also a problem for me is the costly hardware replacement that I had go into in September. As my hard drives where failing (one failed completely) and needed a replacement.
This blog has become a big part of what I do today. When I did start this a little more then one year ago that was not the direction that I had planned for it. The original idea was too just have it like my other Icelandic blog. But this turned out differently and here I am. Working on what I want to do, writing about volcanoes and earthquakes. Alongside that I am trying too write books (not going so well at the moment, but that is up for a change) about fiction, volcanoes, earthquakes and what ever I want to write about. But until that gets going I am rather depended on the income that I get from this web page.
I am not asking for a big donations. Just a little something. Those how do not want to use Paypal too donate can get bank informations here.
So, many of my readers must be wondering when my period of being broke and in debt is going to end. My plan is too end the debt period in December 2011, or in January 2012. Until I move back to Denmark. I am going to be collecting as much money that I can. Both from a computer job that I got with fixing a computer. As I know from experience that it is a expensive too move from Iceland to Denmark. So when am I going back to Denmark. The goal is June 2012, but at no later point then in September 2012. But this depends on when I get apartment in Ringsted (the city I plan moving too in Denmark). My backup plan is too move back to Sønderborg, if Ringsted fails when it comes too getting a apartment. But that is currently a wait and see status on that for the moment. But that is all going to clear up in January 2012.
Why I am telling you all this. I want too do so. So people know 100% + 10% what they are donation for and supporting. Thanks for the support.
One year old
This blog is now officially one years old. People can read the blog posts from one year ago here, when this blog was starting.
A lot has happened in this one year. I have moved to Denmark and back to Iceland (for time being, going back to Denmark next year). Grímsfjall volcano did erupt in the largest eruption in at least 140 years. Katla volcano did have minor eruption. Hamarinn volcano did also have minor eruption and does not appear to be done yet. A lot more is going to happen in the next year. But that is a story that is going to be told later.
As for this blog. I am going to continue to do my best and continue to develop it to make it better and more informative then it is today. It is a progress and takes time. A lot more volcanoes are set to erupt in Iceland and I am going to do my best to write about them when the time comes.
Back to Denmark in the summer of the year 2012 (off-topic blog post)
This is a off-topic post. So feel free with off-topics thing in the comments.
One of the aspect about writing about volcanoes is that it depends on how you feel in the place that you write in. But for me as a writer that is a important aspect of my writing. I love writing about volcanoes and earthquakes, the monitoring data among other other things all related to volcanoes and earthquakes. But that is also important for me to live in the correct place so I can make my best work. This is not just about writing about volcanoes, but this is also important for my other book work that I am planning to write in the future.
The thing is however that place for me is not Iceland and never has been. It is a collection of many social factors I am not going to go into here in details, but the biggest reason is that in Icelandic culture writer are not appreciated as they should be on the public scene (and some types of work are not even put forward unless you got right connection). But I find that living in Iceland affects my work and even starts a writing block with me. For that reason it is important for me to do my work elsewhere then in Iceland. From what I gather my writing appears to work well in Denmark. It might also do so in other Europe countries. But so far my feeling for Denmark is good and for the moment I am going to stick with it.
For that reason I am moving back to Denmark in the year 2012. The exact date is not yet clear. But I have decided that I am hopefully going to move in June. At the moment that might change. But I find this to be a good target, as then I have been one year from Denmark since I did move first time around to Denmark in February in the year 2011 and back to Iceland in June.
I am plan moving to a town named Ringsted in Denmark. It is closer to Copenhagen then Sønderborg where I used to live. But trip with a train is about 35 min, rather then 3 hours and around 30 mins from Sønderborg. Around the time that I move. I plan to have for all the costs that I need to pay. Thanks to a computer work that I got. I should already have been covered the transport cost already (I have not yet been paid, so this is in the remains to be seen stage). The only thing that remains is the deposit for the apartment plus one expensive month without rental benefits in Denmark (since I am low income).
Status update to my blogs
In light of all this. I have decided that I am going to upgrade the status of my blogs to work, rather then just plain hobby. It is going into to effect from this blog post here in part. But it is going to full effect from 1. January 2012. How this is going to develop is a process that I am going work on all the time that I am going to write. But the average work on a blog post that I write here is about 1 hour and 35 min. But longer blog post can take up to 8 hours to write from start to finish.
This change suggests that I am going to have some income from this. That would be welcomed. But for the moment I do not have a lot of income from this work. Most of the income is from donations and advertisements on this web site. For the moment, that is not enough for the whole month. But with the social welfare it helps. But that also has its drawbacks for the long term. As income lowers my social welfare if it goes above certain amount. Now, that is all good with me if that income would be constant. For the moment, that is not the case. So how this is going to turn out is a good question. But I hope for the best when the time comes. For the moment however, my income from this is low and I expect it is going to remain so for the months ahead.
As for my plan on paying back my debt with the bank. It is going rather good. But it is going to go better next month, as I am only going to school this autumn. So I am hoping to be debt free before the new year comes. But if that happens remains to be seen.
On-topic snapshot
It is all quiet in Iceland. While that remains. I am writing this blog post to use the quiet time for something useful.
Thanks everyone for the support! 🙂
Donations and Google Adsense
This is a off-topic post:
I once more have to ask for donations. As I have been doing for past few months. The reasons are simple and have remained unchanged as before (check older blog post for details). But the cost of school this winter is something I can handle on my own, but with debt payments it does not leave anything leftover for me to spend on other stuff and food during weekends. But in the dormitory where I live there is only food during the week, not on the weekend.
I also want to try and keep a balance in my finances until I move back to Denmark. My debt payments are going well to and almost on target so far.
Google Adsense
I am quitting with Google Adsense. The reason is quite simple. They have not paid me and they don’t answer my emails on what the problem might be. As my account is on invisible hold with them. My rule is simple. I don’t do business with companies that behaves like this. All Google Adsense ads are going to vanish in the next three days or so. But I remove them when I have the time to do so. That is going to take around three days in my estimate. Now if Google Adsense fixes this issue in timely manner I am not going to quit using them, for now anyway. But given the current track record on this type of issues, I do not think that is going to happen.
I am going to replace the Google Adsense ads with Amazon Ads. But I have had no problem what so ever with Amazon when it comes to ads and payments. So I am going to keep using them.
Google Adsense has removed the hold on my account, so I am going to get paid from the on 1. October and onwards. So this issue should now be fixed forever I hope. I have started to add Google Adsense ads back to my blog and web pages.
Thanks for the support and understanding.
Blog post updated at 20:06 UTC on 1. September 2011.
Blog post updated at 03:03 UTC on 3 October 2011.
How donations help me II
This is a off-topic blog post.
The earlier background information can be found here.
The saving project for the next 14 or so months
After what I call a rather expensive (more then expected and more what I liked) August. I am going to freeze my spending for the next 14 or so months. That means I am going to limit my spending as much that I can do during this time. But that is until I move back to Denmark in February 2013. I have to spend some money on food, maintenance on my computer and all necessary stuff. But I am going to limit that as I can possible do. I just hope that nothing dies or fails computer wise during this period.
My debt paying down plan is running good at current time. I do not expect any problems with it, at least nothing that I cannot balance out in the budget during the paying down period. At least that is what I hope actually happens. But I have to wait and see what happens actually.
How the donation button works
This might be obvious. But I am going to write it down anyway.
The “Donation” button is a single donation. It is what you want to donate. It is a free range of what people want to donate. The “Subscribe” donation button is fixed at €10, but that is $14.17, 8.7GBP, 74.51 DKK, 93.29 SEK (current exchange rate, this is a estimate). It runs for 6 months and then has to be renewed. I did not want to last for 12 months or longer. I did not find it to be fair to the people how donate, as things change change a lot in 6 months. This option was for people how might want to donate regularly. But not a large amount each time they donate.
People how want to donate in other currencies the Euro can do so. I support SEK, DKK, USD, GBP. If requested I can add more currencies that I can support. But it has to be a currency that might be used every once in a while. I do not want to support a currency that is never used for a donations.
The income problem
As I have told people before. I just have my income from social welfare. Something that I am to get my self off with income from e-book sales when the time comes. But at the moment this blog and a new blog that I am going to create are my work and provide a little bit of income during the month. This extra income helps in that sense it allows me to pay down my debt faster. But I would not go as far saying it allows me to collect some money in the long run. But I am going to do my best with saving money during this winter, as I need to do if if I want to move back to Denmark.
It is also a problem in Iceland in regards to income how prices are going up in regards to food and other stuff. I do however not expect this to be too big of a problem during the next 14 months or so while I am living in Iceland. I just hope that I make it out in time before the economic mess starts in Iceland. If people want to talk about it, they can do so here on my main Icelandic blog where I write about this in English or Icelandic if they fancy Google Translate errors.
I hope that my income problems gets less annoying when I start to publish my e-books. But I plan to release few short stories in few weeks time. Those are not long stories and won’t be expensive. At least I hope for the best when it comes to e-book sales.
As always I thank you for the support that I get with donations. 🙂