Donations

If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll notice I added something: a donations button.  I don't want to leave it to mystery as to why I put it there, so I'm going to make a few things clear.

:: Zero Expectations::

I have no expectations for the donations button.  I don't expect that I'll get a single penny from any readers within the next year, or even further into the future.  I blog because it's an activity I truly enjoy, not because I'm seeking to get some monetary gain out of it.  You pay me everyday by reading my work, commenting on my posts, and getting in touch with me.  Again, thank you.

Although I aspire to become more and more of a minimalist each day, and thus need fewer things, money makes the world go 'round, and I'm currently not making any of it.  By throwing me a bone, you're telling me that you enjoy reading my work and that it's something you want me to keep doing. 

:: A Pledge :: 

If I was really crazy about making money easily, I could.  Google offers a wonderful program called AdSense that would allow me to clutter this page with advertisements.  For every one you click, I would get a couple of bucks.  It really is that easy.  I'm no fan of that method, though.  Not only do advertisements clutter the reading experience, but they're a growing problem as the Internet grows.  Every site is becoming increasingly clutter with ads as businesses attempt to keep their online fronts afloat in this changing age.

Runner's Ravings didn't exist before the Internet boom, and so that's not a problem I'm facing.  I will keep this blog advertisement free indefinitely, so that every penny I bring in from this blog is because someone has decided to say "hey, I like your work".  

That's all I've got for this one.  Adding a donation button is something I have contemplated in the past, and I decided to go ahead with it this afternoon.  I appreciate anyone who is willing to make me lucky enough to make money doing what I love.

:: note

Two blog posts in one day?  Today has been an oddly productive day for me--I hung out at a MU cafe today and completely conquered all of my work.  My business calculus class is somewhat challenging, as I'm able to do the calculations but struggle understanding why I'm doing them, but overall I think I have nailed everything down and am on my way to having my first semester of college in my pocket.