Help Us Reach 1000 RSS Subscribers!

01/9/08  Print This Post Print This Post    17 Comments   Popular   Written by Ian MacKenzie
  • Stumble It

MushroomsUPDATE: (Jan 24) You did it! Today we blew past the mark with 1024 subscribers. Tim is hunting for a secluded beach, and I’m setting out the shots of whiskey. Video and thank-you post to come…

UPDATE: Today (Jan 22) so close, yet so far: 985 subscribers! I can almost taste those shots of whiskey…

UPDATE: Today (Jan 17) we’ve reached our highest ever so far: 975 subscribers! Getting there!

UPDATE: Today (Jan 15) we’ve reached 949 subscribers! Keep it up!

There’s comes a time in every online publication’s life when they pause for a moment, take stock of all they’ve accomplished so far, and set the bar for future goals.

In this case, a goal for us here at BNT is reaching that ever-elusive 1000 RSS subscriber mark, a milestone that says to other readers (and to the world at large) that, “Yes! Here is a publication worth reading!”

For those not in the know, RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” It’s that little orange square that you see on a lot of websites with a number that goes up and down. Here’s a handy explanation.

Of course, there are some people that would say 1000 readers is an arbitrary number – no different from 645 or 1078. To those people I say…well yeah. But just look at all those zeros in 1000. Admire how speaking the number rolls off your tongue and carries with it such boldness and dignity!

The last milestone occurred on Feb 27, 2007 a day before my birthday. At the hour of 7am, the RSS subscribers passed the holy mark of 100. I celebrated by taking a (now legendary) shot of vodka.

And now I call upon you, dear reader, to aid BNT in this quest to share the word about our online travel magazine. We’re asking you to help us reach our goal of 1000 subscribers by Feb 27, 2008.

If we reach 1000 RSS subscribers:

  • Ian MacKenzie, Editor-in-Chief, will celebrate by swallowing 3 shots of Whiskey in quick succession.
  • Tim Patterson, Co-Editor, will run naked down a Patagonian beach, flapping his arms like a condor.
  • and finally, Laura Kammermeier, Advertising Manager, will do a triple front karate roll then drink a shot of carrot juice on a hilltop of her choice. (The amazing part of this feat is that Laura hasn’t done karate in 10 years and hates carrot juice).

All of this will be edited into a wonderful video clip and posted on BNT to celebrate the milestone.

Ideas to help us:

Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your dog, post about us on your blog, write a song, draw a picture – essentially anyway possible that aids us in hitting (or exceeding) that number is greatly appreciated.

Link Love For Everyone!

All sharable acts of helping us out will be linked to in a celebratory blog post along with our video. So this means we’ll link to your blog post, share your picture, embed your song…you get the idea. So when you post, send us a note to let us know it’s up.

What do you say, readers? Are you with us? If you haven’t yet, grab the BNT RSS Feed here!

Ian MacKenzie is editor of Brave New Traveler. Aside from writing, he spends his time exploring the fundamental nature of existence and wishing he did more backpacking.

  • Stumble It

About the Author

Matador ID: ianmack

Ian MacKenzie is the founder and editor of Brave New Traveler. He is currently editing the One Week Job documentary. Aside from writing, he spends his time exploring the fundamental nature of existence and wishing he did more backpacking.

17 Comments... join the discussion!

  • Haley January Eckels replied on January 10, 2008

    You put a smile on my face this morning, especially the bit about carrot juice, which I also hate. :) Can’t wait to see the video clip. I wish I could be part of the magic 1000, but I unfortunately subscribed to BNT’s RSS feed a few weeks ago. Do I still count as doing my part?

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  • Marilyn Terrell replied on January 11, 2008

    Does this one count?
    http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/it/2008/01/marilyns-miscel.html

    Good luck in your quest! Flap like a condor? I’d rather see Tim flap like an albatross, and get an albatross haircut: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2007-12/albatross/funky-haircut-gallery.html

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  • Kango Suz replied on January 13, 2008

    I’ll talk you all up as much as I can over on Startgo.com (my blog) and see if I can’t get you a couple more subscribers. Is there any place we can watch the total rise?

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  • Ian MacKenzie replied on January 15, 2008

    Thanks for the help guys & gals! Today we’ve reached our highest ever so far – 949 – so you must be doing something good! Keep it up!

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  • Ekaterina Petrovna replied on January 15, 2008

    Well,

    I would prefer that you take three shots of vodka instead of whiskey…:( I am Russian..you know. Whiskey is not a drink…vodka is real. It is pure.

    I will post an article about you on http://robbiewilliamsandme.blogspot.com

    But, well, if someone can help me to reach more than 3 subscribers on my blog…I will probably offer to fly naked with a bottle of vodka across Paris. I CAN do it.

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  • Tim Patterson replied on January 15, 2008

    Hey Marilyn, I loved the NG article on Albatrosses – of course the problem with flapping like a condor, or an albatross, is that neither bird actually, um, flaps.

    I’ll figure out something though, and will be sure to get naked.

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  • Daniel Harbecke replied on January 18, 2008

    I love this site. I wrote my friends in support and a few have already jumped on. (Hi, friends! I’m waving at you!)

    My buddy Martin had some suggestions, and I quote:

    “You know, three shots of whiskey’s nothing… let the guy drink thirteen in good European fashion and I’ll vote for his magazine :-) Also, I guess it would be a serious help in terms of reader acquisition if the guy + girl doing nude beach run and karate roll exchanged their commitments ;-)

    C’mon, Ian – PEER PRESSURE! Tim and Laura, maybe this is planting seeds for 2000 subscribers? LOL

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  • Mike replied on January 18, 2008

    In light of this:

    “Tim Patterson, Co-Editor, will run naked down a Patagonian beach, flapping his arms like a condor.”

    … how would one go about driving the subscriber count *down*? =)

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  • Tim Patterson replied on January 18, 2008

    Let’s throw it out to the masses, Mike. You post a feature on Vagabondish with a big, seductive, semi-clothed photo of yours truly front and center. Then set up a poll, and let your readers vote on whether or not they want me to do the Full Monty.

    I am damn sexy.

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  • Ekaterina Petrovna replied on January 18, 2008

    wow..it is getting dangerously damn sexy.
    What about vodka?

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  • Tim Patterson replied on January 18, 2008

    I dunno…wouldn’t want any Argentine hippy girls to take advantage of me :)

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  • Lusine Stepanian replied on January 18, 2008

    You guys are doing a great job! I emailed some of my travel addicted friends telling them to sign up. Hopefully, this will raise your numbers and enlarge your incredible community.

    All the Best! I can’t wait to see the video :)

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  • Tim Patterson replied on January 19, 2008

    Awesome! Thanks for the big up Lusine.

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  • Laura replied on January 23, 2008

    Okay, may I put in a request that the 1,000th subscriber do not subscribe until the weather in Rochester, NY is above freezing…’cuz this is Laura, and I’m the one who has to do karate rolls on a nearby hill. Good thing I won’t be naked, but still….

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  • Daniel Harbecke replied on January 24, 2008

    YOU DID IT!!!!

    Laura, wear a coat!

    Tim, remember to run AWAY from the camera!

    Ian, don’t play any Tom Waits or you may not stop at three shots!

    Congratulations, BNT!!!!

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  • Tim Patterson replied on January 24, 2008

    I’m heading out of town on my bike right now!

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  • Ekaterina Petrovna replied on January 24, 2008

    Houra! Houra! Where can I send a vodka package?

    Looking foward to the video. Like really looking forward..

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