I can’t believe it has been three years since I started this blog. It seems time really does fly when you’re having fun. When I started blogging, I remember reading that many bloggers quit after a short time because, among other reasons, they set their expectations about readership and the ability to make money far too high. Fortunately, I set my money-making expectations very low. My goal is to make more than zero dollars on this blog during the first five years and if everything goes as planned, I may just do that.
To be perfectly honest, I have accumulated $24 in ad revenue and, at this rate, I should reach the $100 needed to get paid by 2024. Obviously, I am not doing this for the money, which may be why I haven’t given up on it. I see this more as a hobby that I enjoy.
I enjoy it for two reasons. The first is because I like to write. I wish I had known this about myself when I was younger, I might have chosen a different career path. The second reason is because I have met so many wonderful people who share my passion for writing and for animals. While I have not yet met any of them in person, I feel like we would be instant friends.
There is a third reason that I like to blog. I enjoy photography and this blog not only gives me a place to post some of my pictures, it motivates me to take more pictures too. With that in mind, here is a picture of Chris on our new cat perch.
Finally, I want to thank all of you for reading and following this blog. My biggest hope is that the value you get from it, whether it be entertainment or information, will be worth your time. I encourage you to let me know if there is anything that I can do different to make this a more enjoyable read.
Bad Cat Chris 
Happy Blogaversary! Three years is a long time – we know……as a writer it was my intention to ease back into the rhythm of writing after having to take a break from it due to my health. Instead of that, I found blogging to be even more fun than writing another book! I never set out to make money – don’t do product reviews, etc. – we just have FUN. I enjoy your blog for the photos AND the stories……..and I hope you stick with it for years to come! Enjoy your blogaversary AND your new home!
Pam (and Sam)
Thank you Pam and I enjoy your blog too.
Happy Blogiversary!! Three years is a long time in the blogging world! Three years of lost naps, missed meals… you are a trooper! It’s funny because I find myself blogging for many of the same reasons you listed. For example, I never knew I loved to write – no one encouraged me to try writing when I was a kitten. I just discovered it by accident. And photography? I love it! But everyone discouraged me because I don’t have thumbs. The lesson: Don’t listen to the naysayers!
Keep up the great work – I look forward to three more years of Bad Cat Chris!
Thank you so much Carol. I think we are all capable of more than we think we are.
Happy Blogoversary!!!! And many more. I am glad you blog and I love reading about Chris and the rest of the family. Somewhere I read,” do what you love and the money will come” so there is still hope.
Thanks. I appreciate that. I wish I knew about that do what you love thing a long time ago.
HAPPY Blogoversary!!!
Thank you so much.
Happy Happy Third Blogoversary!!!!!!!!!! You CAN make more with your blog because you have a great blog! Just sit down at home and contact the manufacturers of the products you ALREADY USE………….(when you contact folks with products you already use it makes it authentic and makes it super easy for you to write about/represent a brand) Now, that is only if you WANT to make a little more with your blog!
I have considered that, and I am not opposed to it but I need to be careful that this doesn’t turn into a job.
Happy blogoversary! I always love seeing what Chris and his cohorts are up to!
Thanks Summer. 🙂
Happy Blogoversary ! We love reading your blog, even if Lazy Mum doesn’t always have enough time to comment ! Purrs
I know what you mean about having no time. I work full time and try to squeeze reading in small periods of time but often I have to stop after reading only a few blogs.
Ad Revenue!?! Seriously, wes has been spotty readers but seriously started following yous guys about a year ago. Wes don’t post as often as wes should, but wes LOVES your blog and now, mes going to sings yous the SONG!!!
Mee!!
Meeee!!!!
Meeeeee!!!!!!!
*•.¸¸♪♫•Happy Blogoversary to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪♫•¸¸.•*
¨*•♫♪ Happy Blogoversary to you ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪♫•
¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Third Blogoversary Everybody!!!!! ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪♫•
¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Happy Blogoversary to you! ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪♫•
Kisses
Nellie
Thank you Nellie. I love it. 🙂
Happy Blogoversary! Here’s to many more years of blogging…at least to 2024 so you can break the $100 mark. 😉
Thanks. I’m sure I’ll need it then. 🙂
Happy Blogiversary!
I think many people must blog for the same reasons. Like you, I love to take photos and wanted somewhere to share them with people who shared the same interests. It’s nice to chat/comment with fellow bloggers. As you say, you may not have met them in person, but you feel you’d get on great if you did.
Thanks Carole. It’s always good to know people with the same interests.
A belated happy blogiversary! Keep it coming! Being new to blogging, I appreciate your words of wisdom from your blogging experience so far. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes!
Thank you. It not very often someone thinks I’m wise instead of a word that starts with wise. 😉
Congrats Charles… seriously, you are doing it the right way and it’s good to have you in the community for so long. I find it very amusing that so many people stop after 3 months or so because they start with the wrong idea and approach. I am not someone who likes “Schadenfreude”, but at this point it’s just the plain logic that so many don’t understand.
What is for example the point about creating a blog and writing two posts to register in a webmaster related forum a day later to ask “Can someone tell me why I don’t have visitors on my blog?”. I am user in some of these forums, and those questions come up regularly.
I actually had a post about this topic in the making but never finished it, I might publish it some day. It’s basically about the same…
It’s as you mentioned and it applies to so many things. As amateur guitarist for example, I never expected to get rich and I never earned a single cent with my guitar. I did in fact start to learn guitar back then because I loved to listen to that kind of tunes (by listening to my grandpa for example who played too) and I wanted to do the same. Not that I wouldn’t like to earn money with it, but if that’s the goal, it will most likely be very demotivating to continue if there is no income.
Somone who loves to play soccer would probably be very surprised if he would get the chance to play in a big and popular team, but yet so many never will, but yet so many do love it anyway.
That applies to so many things and to blogging too. You are right, if you like the activity, it won’t bug you if you don’t earn a single cent or if nobody wants to read what you say. But if the opposite happens, it’ll be the icing on the cream that will motivate you further.
My blog is up since several years too, I was quite happy when traffic spiked, but that took time and I didn’t really care too much about it when traffic was low, I just continued no matter what. That’s what I would suggest anybody as well. It’s so much easier to do things that you enjoy anyway.
That’s where the wheat is seperated from the chaff. I experienced that most longtime bloggers have a passion that they want to share, most of them don’t do it necessary only for the money, some are even unstoppable no matter if traffic and interaction is low.
I think that’s why they never give up, and that’s why most of them do actually get decent traffic at some point… it’s all about math.. longer activity and more posts equal more traffic and chance to get attention, that’s my experience.
I am glad you enjoy blogging so much. It’s nice that the internet gives us the opportunity to learn more about people from other parts of the world. Keep up the cool stuff Charles and nice to meet you! 🙂
You are very wise Dennis and I think you should publish that blog post. If it helps one person it will be worth it. It seems we share a belief that one should follow their passion without thinking about the money. I hope we get an opportunity to meet someday. I am hopeful that my wife and I will finally make it to Deutchland in a year or two, although we will probably visit Bavaria, perhaps Garmisch-Partenkirchen but all options are open.
Thank you, I think I will improve that post when I have time and publish it, you’re right, it might help someone. Yes I think we have the same belief here. It’s good to earn money with the own passion but if it’s the only goal, it probably won’t work out well.
I hope you make your holidays in Deutschland come true. I think you would enjoy it. Bavaria is actually not a bad idea, you have the hills there, you wouldn’t be far away from Swiss and Austria and you could visit there too. Although it’s with around 560 miles very far away from me.
I bet it’s hard for you to decide where to visit, we have a lot of interesting and different places as well. I wouldn’t know where to visit in the US, with the huge country like yours it would even be more difficult to decide. 🙂
It is a very difficult decision and you are right, America is very big and there is so much I haven’t seen yet too. I think when we retire we will buy a motorhome and travel the U. S. and Canada.
Same here, it’s even impossible to see everything in Germany if you live here 😀 There is still a lot on my list too. 😀 The motorhome idea sounds like a cool adventure.
we also consider living on a boat, which I think would be great, but I want to travel.