Tag: test

The Blog Following Experiment is Complete!

Well, my people, I’ve done it! I have completed the year long blog following experiment! Can you believe that a year has already passed? Where does the time go so quickly?! For those of you that are unfamiliar with this experiment of mine, allow me to explain. As many of us do, I got really frustrated following blogs that would suddenly stop, or disappear.  I started to do some online researching (because, well, that’s what I do!) and some of the articles I found were… eye-opening. Like this post from Hellbound Bloggers which states that ‘…out of every 100 newbie bloggers, around 90 hang up their boots even before enjoying a trivial amount of success’. (Singhal, Harshit, 23 April 2017) or this beauty from the New York Times which cites a 2008 survey by Technorati and says ‘only 7.4 million out of the 133 million blogs that the company tracks had been updated in the past 120 days. That translates to roughly 95 percent of blogs being essentially abandoned…’ ( Quenquay, Douglas,5 June 2009) I kept telling myself, that this can’t just be true! So, I decide to do a little test for myself. You can find the full blogpost here explaining this whole process.

Results:

  • I followed 1000 blogs at random for 12 months:
  • Sites remaining after 1 year: 480 = 48% of total
    • Of those 480 sites, 346 had been updated within 7 days.
  • Month 1: 80 sites removed in February, which hadn’t updated the site in 2 months,  8% of total
  • Month 2: 95 sites removed in March, which hadn’t update in 2 months. 9,5% of total
  • Month 3: 0 sites removed in April. 0% of total. This has my attention. What’s happening in April?
  • Month 4: 25 sites removed in Maj, which hadn’t update in 2 months. 2,5% of total
  • Month 5: 23 sites removed in June, which hadn’t updated in 2 months. 2,3% of total.
  • Month 6: 35 sites removed in July, which hadn’t updated in 2 months. 3,5% of total
  • Month 7: 29 sites removed in August, which hadn’t updated in 2 months. 2,9% of total
  • Month 8: 23 sites removed in September, which hadn’t updated in 2 months. 2,3% of total
  • Month 9: 33 sites removed in October, which hadn’t been updated in 2 month. 3,3% of total
  • Month 10: 26 sites removed in November, which hadn’t been updated in 2 months. 2,6% of total
  • Month 11: 50 sites removed in December, which hadn’t been updated in 2 months. 5% of total
  • Month 12: 83 sites removed in January, 2019, which hadn’t been updated in 1 month or more. 8,3% of total
  • 18 sites were formatted where the posting dates were unavailable/hidden. 1,8% of total

Analysis: 

Although my small, unprofessional experiment shows that 52% of the blogs I followed were left abandoned within the year. This is a large difference to the 75%-95% of failing blogs that I read about.

It does seem to my mind that the reports were accurate in that the larger percentile of blogs left abandoned were within the time frame of the first 3-6 months of the blog’s creation.

Surprisingly, there seems to be an interesting pattern regarding the time of year. This may be entirely coincidence, but it seems that a higher percentage of blogs are ‘abandoned’ during the winter months. I very much want to know why April seems to be a magical month for blogging! Not even 1 blog was left unattended for the 2 month limit during the month of April. Which tells me that something is happening during March/April that is affecting blogging motivation. This may warrant further study, as I am unable to stop thinking about it.

34,6% of the total blogs studied had updated within 7 days of the end of the experiment. Many (but not all) of these blogs have an excess of 1000 followers. This could be approached from the view that more followers, leads to more blogging focus. OR that higher blogging focus leads to more followers. Either or neither could be true.

Methodology:

  • Follow 1000 blogs directly from the reader in a range of topics at varying times of day. I didn’t read them, I just hit the follow button on the top few posts under each topic. Wait several hours and repeat so as to gain a variety of nationalities. This lasted several days.
  • Once monthly, I would remove the blogs that had not been updated in 2 months. I would collect data and record it in experiment excel file. (colour-coded by month unfollowed)
  • On January of 2019 (the final month of the experiment) I removed all blogs which had not been updated in 1 month or more. Data was collected, recorded & coded in excel file.
  • On January of 2019, I recorded data as well on all remaining blogs that had been updated within 7 days.
  • Recorded data counted and recorded in above ‘results’ section

Methodological issues that could result in false data:

  • I was unable to give accurate monthly updates, as I first thought I would be able to. This is due to the fact that 1000 blogs is ALOT and when you go ‘manage blogs’, I noticed that only part of them would display. Even when I waited patiently, changed the order…It still could not display the entire list. This also needs to be taken into account when considering the things that could have affected the outcome of my experiment.
  • Blogs followed were followed directly from the reader > discover > tags section. As it would distort data to include some languages, but not others, I used only english language in the tags search (as it seems to be the most widely used language on this platform). This has limited the control group to blogs written in the english language.
  • 1,8% of total blogs followed did not show (on my reader or their sites) the date of last update. So there is a 1,8% unknown variable

So this is what I have found, people. I did invest much time into this experiment and I hope that I was able to offer some data that you find interesting. There are some surprises in this which I think may warrant further investigation.

Thank you for reading and you are welcome to share this if you wish.

-Mliae

*Sources:

Pixabay, Feature photo

Quenquay, Douglas, ‘Blogs Falling in an Empty Forest’ New York Times, 5 June 2009

Singhal, Harshit, ‘5 Reasons Why Most Bloggers Quit Blogging Within 6 Months’ Hellbound Bloggers, 23 April 2017


*This blog experiment was a small-scale, personal experiment for blogging/entertainment purposes which should in no way be considered as professional, publishable data.

Horrifying Statistics

STD’s, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, those moments when you are glad to be in a monogamous relationship…. this is the not so delicate topic I would like to talk about today. Allow me to rephrase that: This is the not so delicate topic no-one wants to speak about, but I now feel as though there is no option but to discuss this…today.

I’ll begin by saying that I am a numbers person. I’m a nerd, this I do not deny. I enjoy looking at annual statistics and thinking about them in relation to the times that we live in. So, I was doing some stat surfing since we’re in the new year and I happened across something quite terrifying. That something was the Center for Disease Control statics on STD’s. How I found myself here, I have no idea, as I was actually looking at economic data. But then, the rise in healthcare costs per household and I found myself here.

This is the following data for the USA via the CDC and world Gov websites:

  • ‘1,7 million cases of Chlamydia – a 22% increase since 2013’
  • ‘555,608 cases of Gonorrhea – a 67% increase since 2013’
  • ‘30,644 cases of Syphilis – a 76% increase since 2013’
  • ‘918 cases of Congenital Syphilis – a 154% increase since 2013’
  • According to HIV gov, there were 36,9 million people globally living with AIDS in 2017.

Doesn’t this scare you? It should. It scares me.

I will spare you my puzzlement on the matter, as I am sure you are asking yourself the same questions I am.

Now look, I get it. It’s baffling. It’s frustrating. And with all of the information available around the world about how to prevent STD’s, it is mind boggling that there is a constant increase in the number of cases in this day of instant global access to information. It’s also tricky. Given that the ‘S’ in STD is the abbreviation for Sexual, we tend to automatically make the assumption that these diseases are spread by sheer carelessness in that moment of passion. Not necessarily so. There are actually STD’s than can be contracted without unprotected sexual contact. For instance: Hepatitis, Mulloscum contagiosum, Trichonomas v, trichomoniasis, mono, scabies and those ever-feared creepy crawlies can all be contracted without direct skin on skin or bodily fluid contact. (oh yea….can you feel the anxiety level changing? Amazing how that happens…)

I remember, many years ago, when I helped at a charitable donations center. I would spend my Saturdays sorting donated clothing for people in need. All good. However, the problem arose when every once in awhile a hastily packed bag would find itself in front of you. You would find serviettes in the pockets, needles, medications and all sorts of interesting items crammed in along side business suits and dresses. Now that was a panic mode for me. We kept a bottle of vodka on hand for those types of ’emergencies’. (No, not for drinking, but for disinfecting.) And it was at this time that I realized that I should test regularly, just to make sure that nothing unexpected came my way. And I did. Many of us did; 1-2 times annually.

Although the statistics are horrifying in their intensity, it is possible to help keep those numbers from climbing further by being proactive and aware.

Please, I cannot stress this enough…. Even if you are in a monogamous relationship, please remember to get an STD screening at least once annually – just to make sure all is well!

Thank you for reading!

-Mliae


*These Statistics are based on 2017 information. 2018 stats have not yet been released.

*Photo sourced via Pixabay

I’ve Officially Begun the Blog Following Experiment

I thought long and hard if I should invest the time and effort required to do this, and the answer is ‘Yes’. A while back, I was quite frustrated because so many of the blogs I follow just seem to drop off the face of the earth. No explanation, no nothing. Sometimes a blogger will return months later with an apology post. I understand that life happens. But it can’t be that so many people drop out due to illness or family situations.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read my initial post here. I wrote a post saying that I was so tempted to follow a random 1000 blogs for 1 year to see how many were left standing at the end of that year. I didn’t want to do it from this blog because I am an avid reader of the blogs I follow here. I didn’t want them mixed up & wasn’t sure how to go about it, or if I should.

Thanks to the fact that I’ve got some awesome people who actually read my blog (THANK YOU!), I got some great advice in the comment section. So, I created a different site and spent several weeks following my 1000 blogs that will make up my ‘research base’. Once every month for the next 12 months, I will go through and unfollow every blog that has not posted for 2 months or more. (I am leaving a bit of room for error on the updated message, as some bloggers may have scheduled posts a month in advance.) On the 12th month, I will visit each blog that hasn’t updated in 1 month just to make sure there aren’t really any new posts (earlier than a month) and if not, I will unfollow those as well.

Each month, I will post an update of how many remain out of the original 1000. If I can manage to keep track of it, I will also keep a record of how many I lost that particular month and maybe it will give us a glimpse of actual insights. Plus, I will continually be looking for any additional publications or stats regarding the same issue.

This should be an interesting experiment. I do hope its worth the time I’m investing in it & I hope you find it somewhat interesting as well.

My first stats to share with you are this: It took me about a month to follow 1000 blogs. By the time I got them all followed, there were 5 blogs that hadn’t updated (according to the reader) in 2 months or more. I’m thinking that most of these had to have scheduled posts because I followed from the reader. Of the 1000 followed blogs, 28 followed me back. 1 of those that followed, no longer exists as a WP site. Wow, that was fast!

Thanks for reading!

-Mliae

A Bejeweled Blitz Experiment

Hi everyone 🙂

Please allow me to start off by stating that I am not a gamer. I play Bejeweled Blitz when I’m like- waiting in a reception hall or bored to tears. I don’t play online or compete against friends. It’s just a thing. Recently, I’ve noticed that they have introduced all sorts of ways to get coins and new jewels to play with, in addition to the daily challenges, and so I just got so curious that I’ve decided to do a little experiment.

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As you can see, I had accrued 6,780,950 coins. But my curiosity is this: With all of the extra ways to get coins and gems, how long would it take from zero, and how many coins could I get by just playing the daily challenge, using free spins, watching ads, and using the free mystery box – while only playing the free gems that I had won – without playing extra games or purchasing boosts or additional coins. So this is what I’m out to prove. (And hopefully figure out some other stuff on the way). I’m sure that PopCap Games has a lucky gamer who actually receives a paycheck for these things, but I had to see for myself.

This is the most absurd thing to do, but…curiosity killed the cat, I guess. So, I’ll be playing away all of my 6 million+ coins until I reach zero, and then starting from there with only the freebies and not spending any coins along the way. I will check in with updates periodically and we’ll see where this takes us. I mean…what the hell, its just a game, right?

Any bets on how this goes?

-Mliae

Product Review: Lip Ink @Lipink #lipink

Ladies, may I have your attention!! I have stumbled upon the solution to our lipstick woes! You are going to love this stuff! I can speak for all of us, when I say that I am sick of carrying around 8 kilos of make-up in my bag and reapplying/freshening up in public areas all day, every day.

As most of you already know, I am a self-funded site. I purchase all my own cosmetics, clothes, treatments, etc. that I am personally interested in using and then, of course, I use myself as a guinea pig (It IS after all – Life Experiment!) and pass on my personal findings to you. As consumers, we need a reliable network of people who will tell us the truth as they see it, regarding these products. Now with some of them, you must keep in mind that I am in my 30’s, so what might be suitable for a 20-something with a natural glow, doesn’t cut it for this girl. I need high-end, plumping, moisturizing, long lasting, and occasionally – spackle.  I have been on the hunt for the lipstick that would create the ‘ perfect pout’. Now that I’m engaged, I’m also searching for the perfect wedding lipstick.

I heard about Lip Ink about a year or so ago, through friends of mine living in L.A. This wax-free, semi permanent lip stick that is super long lasting and Smudge-free. I thought to myself: ‘Too good to be true? Yes. Absolutely. It must feel like house paint if it lives up to these standards. Must try….’ And so, for many months now I have been actively hunting lip ink products that I can 1) afford (I’m happy because it doesn’t actually cost as much as I thought) and 2) Would actually ship internationally! – By the way, I was having a really difficult time with the shipping and whoever it is that is running Lip Ink’s Instagram page, was absolutely AWESOME! They got me set up with their amazon uk page, and also the official site soon began offering really affordable international shipping as well if I wanted more than the trial package. Whoever you are, THANK YOU!

OK, so I go online. And I browse (and drool) for the ideal color kit that I think I want to use on my wedding day. I mean, this HAS to be it…right? How dreamy would it be to not have to worry about leaving lipstick all over my new hubby’s face, collar, or any of my other guests for that matter! And to look photo ready after the nuptials?! Oh yea, on it! I’m thinking since its a special day and I want to look super hot, that maybe red might be the way to go. OK, there’s like 10 different shades of red and you can play mix and match with the other colors to kind of create your own ideal shade. Hmmmmmm…..

So, I finally decide on Lava Red. There’s a process to this whole thing though, so you really should get the whole trial kit. The kit includes 2 ml lip color (will last a long time because such a tiny amount is necessary), 1 OFF towelette (lasts multiple uses if you work it right (i.e.; use a small area, cut it off, refold & replace in pouch)  and 1 pouch of shine moisturizer (again, lasts multiple uses because only a teensy tiny amount is required). I added the kit to my cart, paid and waited….

I was so excited when my package got here! I tore it open, read the instructions & used it immediately!

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Here’s the process:

  • Use the off towelette to really rub your lips with – make sure it exfoliates and gets any residue off.
  • Quickly splash your lips with water and pat completely dry.
  • Put a teensy tiny amount (seriously, I learned my lesson, the color stays on better if you only use a teeeeeeeny bit) of the shine moisturizer on as a base. Massage it in until it is completely absorbed!
  • Shake the color well before using. Make sure to wipe the wand, as a little goes a long way. Apply, going in one direction only, on lips. Apply slowly and don’t blot! It tingles a bit but only for like, a millisecond. Totally worth it. Let dry with lips parted for 10-20 seconds. Its recommended you do this 2-3 times to get an even, heady colour.
  • Again, take a tiny bit of the shine moisturizer to keep your lips shining and moisturized.

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This is me, after applying.

  • When you’re done for the day, use the off towelette to remove the lip colour.

Now for the fun part: I wanted to take this stuff for a serious test run. See what it could manage. I applied the color at 16:00 (4 p.m.). Here’s how I put it to the test:

  • Ran my fingers over the color after applying, nothing came off on my fingers
  • Nacho nite! After dogging down on some serious snacks that isn’t the most pristine food to eat, still sporting the same pout.
  • Wiping my mouth with a white napkin, which is still in pristine condition. Super 😉
  • Rubbing my lips together constantly (My own bad habit). The colour remained, but this is where I learned that you really need to exfoliate and not over moisturize in the beginning of the application process.
  • Kissing session with the guy 😉 – I was thrilled to see that he didn’t walk away looking like a crazed drag queen. My lipstick was on me, not him! YYYYEEEESSSSSS!!!
  • The overnight test. Usually I am absolutely repulsed by the thought of going to bed with any makeup on. But again, I was doing research! Guess what? I woke up the next morning, and although not looking as perfectly pouted as this picture, my lips were still stained the same colour. I kid you not. I threw on some lipgloss and walked out of the house. Also, my white based pillow covers didn’t have a smudge on them. 😀

So there you have it; Tried and tested. This girl knows exactly what brand she’s using for her wedding day, and this will be in my make up bag from now on!

I was going to post this this weekend, but I wanted to play with the kit some more. I did find that if you exfoliate well at the beginning, and use the smallest amount of the moisturizer possible before applying the colour, it lasts better and prettier.

Lip ink carries an array of semi permanent cosmetics, and as well as this works, you can bet I’ll be trying some of their other products.

If you would like to purchase your own Lip Ink trial kit, you can find this specific colour that I’m reviewing by clicking the below image. You can also browse tons of other awesome colours by the company as well!

This is the Lava Red trial kit that I have reviewed from Lip Ink’s Amazon UK site:
LIP INK Smearproof Waterproof Natural Lipstain Lip Color Trial Kit, Lava Red

I will be trying this kit in Rust colour next:

What do you think, would you try this?

-Mliae