Little do I know I’m about to burn my knee with an icepack. Right now I’m Queen of the World – Heck, Universe!
A Fantastic Bike Ride and a BIG SHOUT-OUT to Kendra from yesterday’s Facebook post
I just got back from bike riding and I have NEVER felt so well or had so much energy during exercise. I think I have been chronically UNDERFED!!! And then I overeat because of being starving (when I’m not overeating from having emotion attacks). I am SO hopeful today that I will be able to deal with the emotions via the show and via therapy, and now I am hopeful that I will deal with my body’s energy requirements in a way that won’t cause my compulsions to blossom. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
See the HD version of my bike ride photos here
See the LA River IS actually a river (at least in places)
River, Path, Freeway – how LA is that?
Poor slobs going to work on the train while I ride… hehe Got to love retirement. Hey Fake Son, Steve, sock away some more into your 401(k). Truly, I am grateful that I can now spend my days doing what I love.
And NOW for the rest of the story…
Arghhh! Yesterday was a day that was wonderful and also crazy. As you can see, I wrote about my wonderful bike ride, and it was TRULY wonderful. EXCEPT, I always ice my left knee after riding, and somehow, I let my icepack be in contact with my skin and got a whopping’ ice burn. Very painful. So we’re back to the cane, keeping gauze and ointment on the burn until we see how badly the damage turns out to be. I was hoping yesterday it wouldn’t be too bad, so didn’t bother to mention it. It STILL may be ok, but it is very painful. And what’s more painful is what an idiot I feel for doing this to myself! Oh well stuff happens…
I guess a blind spot isn’t blind if you were aware of it, but geez!
The other crazy thing I realized yesterday, is that I have been looking only at the US version of iTunes. (Guess not so crazy, as I live in the US – and I hadn’t been thinking about how iTunes is localized by country) However, brave companions, those of you who have been kind enough to leave reviews on YOUR country’s version of iTunes, I’m sorry I didn’t know to thank you because I hadn’t been aware enough to see them. Yesterday, I figured it out and took a peek at Canada. Thanks Kendra, I saw the nice comment your hubby left last March, also Stéfanie, I saw yours and an encouraging comment from a listener called intothepavement 🙂 I also dropped in the UK store and saw a nice comment from a listener from Scotland who goes by 4_in_the_floor. Australia. Thanks Maria for you encouragement and 5-Star review in April.
Letting go and learning from it –
Thanks so much all of you! It does make a difference in the ranking for the iTunes store in that country.
For example: Today Compulsive Overeating Diary is ranked on the iTunes hot list as 225 in the US for personal journal podcasts, 385 in Canada, and 701 in the UK (out of more than 2000) I check this on the USA iTunes every day or so and post the results on FB so I can have a trend record. (Best ranking so far, 129, worst so far 1047).
What impacts the ranking (Also where you fall on the page in search results) are downloads of episodes from iTunes, people clicking on your episodes in iTunes, new subscribers to your show in iTunes, good ratings, and the very top of the impact tree is a 5 star review with words. That’s because a listener must be VERY MOTIVATED to take the time to do that, so every review (as best as we can discern the mysterious iTunes algorithm) is weighted to represent many more listeners who may feel the same. However, because of this, many shows, go around asking for reviews from friends, acquaintances, business partners or trade reviews with each other to manipulate this process (understandable because search rankings are so important for growing an audience). I do ask YOU, brave companions from time to time for a review, but I decided with this show, I only wanted reviews that come from the heart. Reviews that mean what they say. So that’s why I like to give a shout-out and thanks for every single one. They are like treasures to me when the show means enough to you that you take the time to face the iTunes dragon in its lair! (Nod to your writing inspiring me there Calen 😉 )
So, If you don’t live in the US (over 30% of you from my latest statistics), and you’ve left me a kind review on iTunes AND I don’t give you a shout-out, Please drop me a line so I can go take a look. I so appreciate the encouragement and the opportunity for new brave companions to find us more easily. 🙂
Lessons Learned
Pay attention to your body! Don’t let ice packs touch your skin. There are OTHER countries in the world besides the one you live in. (I’m talking to you there Laurie – don’t be an ugly American 😉 ) Sometimes stuff happens. Sometimes you inadvertently screw up (at least in your own mind). You need to be able to acknowledge it, make amends, if need be for you or the other people involved, then let it go………..
Go find one of those fabric covered ice packs, girlfriend!
Yep, on my list! Dang I’m mad. I’ve iced for YEARS and YEARS and never had an issue. But good news, the burn is healing it seems pretty normally after 48 hours. Big relief as these can actually damage the underlying veins and muscle. Geez, I’m starting to get a little paranoid about my body attention.
I’ve been downloading from your site but it’ll be a pleasure to download from Itunes, as it is as easy for me to do. On the other hand, don’t obsess too much over numbers! You stopped counting calories, haven’t you? 😉 Questions to feed your mind:
Would you do this podcast if only one person would listen and engage ?
Would you do this podcast if 5 people would listen and engage ?
Would you do this podcast if you had to manage an ongoing flow of messages and comments, ? Lets say… 50 a day?
Stéfanie xxx
As I was re-reading… I completely forgot to mention…
This comment is in no way underlying that you ask too much of us! you don’t! and you deserve the best ratings in the world!!! I just hope you don’t get sad, worried, preoccupied over this. These numbers don’t determine your value, your mood, your usefulness. THEY are not YOU.
XXX
Stéfanie, your point is one I think of often too. My podcast numbers can cause me inappropriate joy and pain just as the scale numbers can, if I let them. And honestly, sometimes I let them! But like the scale, the numbers are a measure of my podcast health. Also a way to measure future success for sponsorship etc.
Why do I worry about sponsors? Because I feel it may be in my path to grow this project larger. I am willing to NOT grow it, if that is to be (this is usual for me). What is unusual this time is I am also willing to step through a door to try for more if it feels right. This is a big step for me. I have had many successes that I stopped for myself due to fear. This one, I am willing to let play out. I am willing to grow, to try, to do as much good as I am able for myself and for any brave companion who wishes to participate in a journey like ours.
1) Yes – I proved that when Cheryl was my only brave companion
2)Yes – 5 would be easy and fun as I would have company and still get to talk out my feelings
3) Yes I would. I would find a way to get help and still make it my calling to participate as much as possible with each and every brave companion who comes my way. This would mean that new opportunities would be presented. Possibly a reboot of my speaking career. Maybe traveling to different areas and organizing BC walks and talks. Maybe creating support groups or methods for BCs to come together. A large audience is proof that helps you get funding. I don’t know where it would lead.
But again, I am willing to keep talking, to keep working on myself, to keep telling the truth, and to keep building our community for as long as it does me good, and doesn’t harm others. Whatever size that turns out to be.
…Maybe traveling to different areas and organizing BC walks and talks. Maybe creating support groups or methods for BCs to come together…
Lookie there, Laurie! You’re right back to utilizing all your original gifts! You would have come full circle if that happened. What a journey!