Ken Melendez

Swell by Ripple is an annual, high-level event aimed to take place in London later this year. Countless executives from varying finance companies join together and discuss information regarding Ripple's products, customers, and plans for the future. It has been a pursuit of mine to be invited to the event by the official Ripple account on Twitter just like a few other XRP community members were last year. I knew that the journey towards receiving an invite would take many months of work and dedication which I was and still am fully prepared for.

Now, with the pandemic sweeping the nations and businesses closing down left and right, it is currently up in the air whether or not Ripple will end up hosting Swell in London this year. Even though that is the unfortunate case, I am still quite eager to continue my journey by working towards the goal and sticking to the plan. We are living in uncertain times when anything could happen, good or bad. It is important to focus on the actions that CAN be done right now instead of all the things that can't be done during this crisis.

For example, Ripple employees are still working from home to continue building the Internet of Value. It's amazing that people in general have the ability to work from home, an option that wasn't available 20 years ago. Today we see it as a normal occurrence, but back in the late 90's and early 2000's it did not exist. The recent crisis is a big wake-up call, telling people that many events in life are simply out of our control. No one would have thought a year ago that we would all be under quarantine, not even able to go out for dinner with loved ones.

Operation Swell 2020 is up in the air at the moment, who knows what the future will hold. Hopefully the quarantine is lifted soon and life can return to some level or normalcy. If all else fails, I can always work towards Swell 2021 and be even more prepared than I already am. Thank you for supporting me in this journey. I remain optimistic about the entire situation and am confident that we will come out of this stronger than when we entered in.

Related articles:

Investing During Critical Times
Polysign: The Global Standard for Digital Asset Custody
Operation Swell 2020 – Commitment

What the family and I did last night...

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Unprecedented. We have never witnessed anything like this before and it is continuing to get worse all across the world. People are panicking, questioning, and reflecting on life in general. The outbreak is causing our society as a whole to slow down and ponder what is important, spending more time with family and mending connections with friends and acquaintances from the past.

In the midst of economic uncertainty, one has the tendency to ponder their personal investments as the stock market and cryptocurrency markets alike are harshly crashing. Will prices ever go back up? Should I sell now to maintain my initial investments? Is paper cash approaching the end of it's term as the global financial system moves to digital money and digital wallets?

The first important thing to do in a situation like this is to calm down. Making heavy financial decisions needs to be done with a calm mind and a calm spirit to avoid possible mistakes or feelings of regret later down the road. The second important thing to do is to make sure that you and your family's lives are not at risk due to low or non-existent cash flow as a result of a temporary job lay-off.

The question that I want to touch upon in this article is whether or not one should be investing during times of crisis. While I do believe that one should always do what is best for their family financially, I also believe that investing in the intangibles are equally, if not more important...

Research and collaboration

Countries around the globe, as well as a few states, are currently under mass-quarantine. Many people are laid off from work and schools are closed for students for the rest of the year. With this fact comes the reality of working from home, a convienient option that wasn't necessarily available 25 years ago.

Since a majority of time is being spent indoors, it is important to stay productive by researching different companies, stocks, bonds, real estate, and cryptocurrencies. Researching will allow you to stay ahead of the curve, preparing for if and when you feel comfortable investing your hard-earned money.

A neat resource I was recently introduced to is called *Blockchain Business Magazine. The company is offering digital issues free of charge* *on their website.*

Even though the world is on quarantine, practicing social distancing, that doesn't mean humans can't connect with one another via LinkedIn or other social media sites. Connect with other professionals in your industry by sending private messages or by leaving thoughtful comments on their posts. Projects can and do move forward despite times of uncertainty.

Training and learning new skills

An exercise to employ, either during crises or not during crises, is to keep your mind sharp via training and learning new skills. Training, such as online courses, college courses, books, and videos, will allow you to enhance your current knowledge-base. One such website is called Lynda.com which I have used many times to access quality courses related to my current industry or area of interest.

A smart way to learn new skills is to study from someone that already has the skills you are looking to attain. For example, if you want to:

...learn digital marketing and online business building, I would recommend Stefan James with Project Life Mastery.

...become a better leader, read or listen to material by John C. Maxwell.

...kick butt at sales, I would recommend books by Grant Cardone such as The 10X Rule.

Bottom line is, stay productive. While the majority is spending time binge-watching shows on Netflix, you could instead be spending time researching, forming connections, and learning new skills.

Investing money is still an option, especially if you are still working a job and haven't been laid off, as long as it doesn't put you or your family at risk of missing mortgage payments or grocery bills. Stocks, cryptocurrencies, and real estate markets are down, creating a nice entry point for those who want to pump up their current portfolios.

Above all, the best investment you can make is in yourself. When you grow, the focus areas of your life tend to grow as a result. The crisis we are facing is temporary. It will blow over. In the meantime, it's important to use time wisely to prepare for the future.

Never give up and always believe.

Related articles:

Personal Finances: Getting Ahead

Grant for the Web: A Paradigm Shift

Before You Quit – Don't

The digital dollar...

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The written word has existed for thousands of years, spanning hundreds of cultures and languages across the world. Writing is a form of human expression that can and does last for centuries, leaving behind a strong, generational impact that is nothing short of extraordinary. Writing is one of the most powerful means of communication known to man and gets used every day by doctors, lawyers, accountants, bloggers, and journal keepers to speak a message to themselves or to others.

Once a thought or an idea is placed onto paper, it stays there forever unless it gets lost or damaged in some way. For myself, personally, I like to write daily or weekly thoughts in a journal so that I can look back years later and remember what I was doing and with whom at that specific time in my life. Not to mention, journaling allows me to reflect on recent happenings and truly garner meaning and proper perspective on a particular situation.

Why write?

☕️ Writing is cathartic. It allows one to release captive thoughts and emotions into the wild. To set free the burdens, the pain, the joys, or the excitement. Pent up emotions have the ability to cause varying levels of pain and suffering when not dealt with properly and writing helps to momentarily deter those feelings towards happier ones.

A couple examples of cathartic activities include vacuuming and listening to music. To some, vacuuming can be a dreaded chore and nothing more. But, to others, it is a heavenly experience where every time that crackle sound arises from running over a Cheerio or a clump of dirt, it distributes the lips across the face in an elegant smile and feeling of worthwhile satisfaction.

Music can be used as an instrument which perpetuates the current emotional state one is experiencing. Whether one's mood is happy, sad, frustrated, or angry, listening to music can deepen and strengthen those feelings within. Oftentimes, while in a joyous or content mood, music of the same caliber as your thoughts has the power to create that cathartic feeling that puts one at ease with each melodious note.

Writing confirms knowledge on a subject. Do you remember those tests in grade school that were mostly fill-in-the-blank and true or false questions, but then methodically ended with that pesky essay portion? I remember having a love/hate relationship with those tests because now I had to prove, in my own writing, that I not only remember what was taught in class, but also that I truly understand what the material meant.

When one writes on specific topic, not only does it demonstrate they have knowledge on that particular subject, but it also helps them learn it on a deeper level as opposed to simply hearing or reading about it. I suppose I should be thanking school for providing essay questions at the end of tests because they ended up serving you and I in a way we never realized before.

Habitual writing develops self-discipline. Discipline is taking control of your choices, a trait one is not necessarily born with. Normally, discipline is built up through various circumstances encountered and decisions made as the years go by. One such example is habitual writing which metamorphoses the choice of writing into an action that is literally built into your DNA.

The habit to write on a regular basis then spans into other areas of your life, helping you to build self-discipline around your health, your finances, and even your relationships. Habit-forming has the ability to increase self-discipline when it comes to fitness goals and financial goals which takes a tremendous level of commitment and dedication to see through, but made easier with strong self-discipline.

Writing is a message amplifier. Many people have a message, or messages, within themselves that deserves to be heard by others. Writing that message down and sharing it in a blog or a physical letter is extremely powerful, improving others lives in a major way once they read it. For some, expressing feelings towards another person is difficult to convey in-person. Whereas writing those same feelings down and sending the message to them doesn't seem as intimidating.

Connecting heart to heart with others, utilizing writing that includes your message, is a means of communication that many crave to consume. Being your true, authentic self, expressing your deep thoughts and emotions, is such a raw and unfiltered method to relate to someone at the core of who they are. Writing can be used as a message amplifier to help make the world a better place one article at a time.

Writing is an art form. Quality art is in the eye of the beholder as the saying goes. Art comes in different strokes for different folks such as a classic painting, a famous sculpture, or a popular motion picture. I see each blog article, each journal entry, and each physical letter as a work of art to be proud of creating. A strong sense of satisfaction washes over me when I know that I made something of impact that others can find enjoyment in. Even if others don't enjoy reading, I definitely enjoyed creating it.

A good answer to the question, why write, is found in the pure joy of sculpting a majestic word masterpiece that stands the test of time. My two younger brothers have the gift of intelligence in the areas of math and science which they are currently studying in grad school. Both of them are great at solving a complex equation, but wouldn't necessarily enjoy writing a book on the topic. Their idea of quality art is vastly different from the writer who loves making thoughts and feelings come to life via descriptive vocabulary.

What are your “why's” for writing? Do they align with the ones above or are they vastly different? After all, we each are individuals with out own drive and ambitions that set us uniquely and beautifully apart from one another. While considering your why's for writing, take a moment to delve into your why's for other actions you take such as waking up for work, making time for your spouse, or going to church. What drives you to do these things and how can those answers help shape your perspective on life in general? ✦

Thank you for reading. Have a blessed day.

Related articles:

Life: An Update

Personal Finances: Getting Ahead

6 Month Anniversary on Coil

Plans for the weekend...

Where has Ken Melendez been lately? He was publishing regularly, then dropped off the face of the earth...

Some of you in the Coil community may have been wondering why I haven't been actively writing over the past couple weeks. It's not that I haven't wanted to be active, but because I now have a full-time position at a distribution center that has me working full-time hours plus overtime. My first week on the job I worked a total of 49 hours, and this week I clocked 47.

What I'm trying to do now is establish a new normal, dividing my time appropriately between work, family, blogging, and whatever else life throws my way. I found myself needing to shift the majority of my time towards work and family, with my first priority placed on my roles as a strong provider and doting father.

Blogging, or writing in general, is a passion of mine. One that will not go away simply because priorities get shifted from time to time. I am still over-the-moon excited about Coil and Web Monetization taking off in a big way over the coming months and years. Grant for the Web just announced an update where they are preparing to launch proposals for Web-Monetized project funding in April.

My wife and I are currently saving up to purchase a home. We've been married 9 years now and have 3 children which requires more space inside of a place we can call our own. Each day we are getting closer to that glorious moment where we accept the keys and relocate to a new home where we can make even more happy memories together.

My younger brother's wedding is coming up in May, so my son and I went out to get our tuxedos fitted as he is going to be the ring bearer. He was so excited and had a lot of questions throughout the process such as, “Dad, why am I only putting one shoe on? Don't I need to put both shoes on?”

It was a special moment that we shared as it was Jonah's first time getting fitted for a tux. Jonah is our oldest boy and he sets a great example for the other two to follow. He's caring, thoughtful, and well-mannered. Sarrah and I are blessed to have him in our lives.

My dad and I share a special bond. We always enjoy spending time together. Recently, he's been wanting to look at new trucks for sale since his existing truck is 13 years old and doesn't provide the space he desires. Here's us and my parent's dog, Maggie, taking a ride to the car lot.

My dad absolutely adores this dog and attempts to take her with him everywhere he goes such as Home Depot and the running trails he frequents. My parents have had many dogs in the past, but this one is super sweet and gentle. She's my favorite dog that my parents have owned throughout the years.

I must admit, I discovered a secret obsession. OK, it's not a secret to my family, but it is a new favorite activity of mine to partake in. That activity is none other than automatic car washes! I am not talking about the spray kind that has no contact with your vehicle. Instead, this kind has the cloth spinners that clean your car in every nook and cranny.

Zoom Express is the very first car wash where I signed up for a monthly subscription. I get unlimited car washes for $20 per month which I think is quite the steal. Plus, they give a free air freshener and towel with each visit. Not to mention, I get to go through the specially designated members only line which allows me to bypass other cars waiting in the other 2 lines.

Right now, I feel blessed to have consistent income from my job to support the family and save for a home (and of course, to support my car wash obsession). I'm hoping to land a promotion sooner than later to help reach that goal even faster. Currently my job requires a lot of physical labor in terms of lifting heavy 50lb bags and large boxes onto pallets. Down the road, the plan is to do more supervising and a bit less lifting.

XRP is still the digital asset of choice that I continue acquiring. I am confident that it will be worth much more than $0.22 in the coming years as more banks and financial institutions on-board with Ripple's technology. Other projects are good too, but XRP is being used to solve the most real-world problems and is showing no signs of slowing down.

A really good book I am reading for the 2nd time is Rich Dad Poor Dad, which I have referenced before in my writings. It is extremely valuable to not only read the words in a book, but also to put it into practice in your own life. That is where the magic happens.

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The section I read today was on forming your own corporation, a tool that the rich use to pay less taxes as compared to employees. I'm going to look into doing that this year and see if it makes sense for my current situation or if I should wait and return to it a bit later.

Thank you for tuning in to my life update article. I am still here, just in a different capacity. I still think that Coil is amazing and I will continue publishing here to share my message and help the platform succeed. We are in a unique moment in history where we get to be the pioneers of a brand new space that is yet to be explored. Yes, there will be bumps in the road, but it's all part of the journey.

Take care.

Related articles:

✪ Personal Finances: Getting Ahead

✪ Grant for the Web: A Paradigm Shift

✪ 6 Month Anniversary on Coil

Streaming payments for traditional jobs?...

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Traveling down the personal finance road has been a journey to say the least. I'm appreciative of the lessons I've learned over the past years regarding this topic, even though the lessons I learned didn't come as a result of my upbringing nor from schooling. Instead, getting ahead financially was a skill-set taught by myself through self-education, discovering new truths on my own time as I learned and mimicked from several different thought-leaders in the space.

Dipping slightly outside of that vein, other pillars of my life I consider to be quite strong. Areas such as health, fitness, relationships, and spirituality are doing well and I am incredibly and continually grateful for the consistency in how they are performing. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but needless to say, I am quite pleased in regards to those areas that honestly, have come quite naturally.

The single area that I have not been strong at in the past is finances. I was never a saver like some people I knew growing up. When I earned a paycheck from a job, the first thing I would do is go to the video game store and purchase, well, video games. Not only that, but I also treated myself to anything else that I wanted because, why not? I was living at home and had zero expenses. My parents took care of almost everything so that I wouldn't need to. What else was I going to do with my hard-earned cash besides spend it?

During my personal finance journey over the past number of years, I discovered the book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, one of the best books I know of on finances. In this book, Robert Kiyosaki explains the importance of financial literacy and what people need to know to become rich, or simply to manage their money without falling into financial ruin.

In one of the chapters, about the middle of the book, Robert describes how to mind your own business. He does not mean that one needs to necessarily own a business if that's not what they want to do. Many people today would rather not own a business for one reason or another, and that is OK. The point that Robert wants to make clear is to build your assets while you work your job.

Keep your day job, but continue building your asset column.

Many people try to pay for their lifestyle out of their wages, only to fall deeper and deeper into debt, paying for things they can't afford such as an addition on their home or a new car from a dealer they simply could not pass up. Instead of spending your hard-earned money on liabilities that take money out of your pocket, put that money towards assets that continually put money in your pocket over time.

Invest in and/or earn assets. That is how you get ahead. Saving money is good and still recommended, but it will take quite a long time and the interest rates today are, well, in the negative percentages in some parts of the world. Counting on banks to make you rich is like counting on McDonald's to make you a hamburger, it's not going to happen. It is of utmost importance to mind your own business and build that asset column, reduce expenses where you can, and stop purchasing liabilities that take money away from your pocket each month.

The longer you can DELAY your instant gratification the better. One of the reasons why people have financial issues is because they want the new clothes, the latest gadget, or the new car right now instead of 1-5 years from now. The whole keeping up with the Jonses mentality is truly crippling and will only lead down a path towards wanting more while never being truly satisfied. Owning nice things is nice, but not when it comes at the cost of your bank balance falling into the red.

An additional tidbit that Kiyosaki mentions is to invest in assets that YOU LIKE. Stocks, bonds, real estate, cryptocurrency, etc. It is important to acquire assets that you find enjoyment and curiosity in because you will take better care of them and protect them. Plus, you will have more motivation to learn and build them up as opposed to assets you have zero interest in continuing your education.

Summary:

✪ Keep day job

✪ Don't purchase liabilities

✪ Keep expenses low

✪ Invest in assets

The biggest takeaway I received from the lesson, is the shift in the way I think and carry out my actions towards finances. My wife and I are now on a path that we are positive will take our family to new heights. Pursuing this new path allows me to be the strong provider that I've always desired to be, and I am truly enjoying the journey. I'm constantly learning and continually growing as there is always room for improvement, but I like where things are headed. ✦

Thank you for reading.

Related articles:

First Non-Correlated Asset Class in 4 Centuries

Digital Assets: Go Long or Go Home

The True Definition of HODL

Coil is a great place to explore different creators and view content of all shapes and sizes. Today, I came across an article that made me laugh and decided to write this review on it. The original article was written by XRP the Standard Productions, a popular publisher on Coil who releases new parody stories regarding Ripple and XRP that are thoroughly entertaining. If you haven't had a chance to look at their work, I highly recommend doing so.

The title of today's article was, “Ripple Executives Visit Local Kindergartens to Explain Benefits of Blockchain”. What's funny about this right off the bat is that Ripple has and is spending time educating governments and universities on the power of blockchain technology and what it could mean for the future of the global economy. Ripple executives would never walk into a kindergarten class to educate a group of 6-year-olds on blockchain.

XRP Productions' article goes into detail on how the team presented their desire for regulatory clarity and spoke on the use of central bank digital currencies to these kids. At one point, one of the Ripple executives was upset that he didn't get a juice box like the kids did during the presentation. An adult would never be upset that they did not receive a juice box. Perhaps they would be slightly dissapointed, but not upset.

Official Review:

Ripple Executives Visit Local Kindergartens to Explain Benefits of Blockchain is a brilliant piece in my opinion. The relevance is on point with current events, causing anyone who is keeping up with Ripple and XRP news to laugh at the parodist humor. Kids from a kindergarten class would not only have no idea what blockchain is, but they would lose interest quickly and start blowing bubbles or something other than listen.

Star Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5 Stars

#wakeupandblog

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What is Grant for the Web all about?

Grant for the Web is a $100M initiative put forth by Coil, Mozilla Foundation, and CreativeCommons, three leading organizations in the world of web development. The mission behind the fund is to enable open standards and innovation in Web Monetization through creators such as bloggers, podcasters, filmmakers, and game-developers. The fund is expected to roll out starting this year and run through 2025.

Grant for the Web uses open technology and direct funding to promote alternative online business models for content — and a healthier internet. Awards will promote open-source content and content monetization infrastructure, placing $100 million in the hands of developers and independent creators.Source

If you have been following my coverage on this topic, then you are beginning to understand the magnitude of what is about to take place here in 2020 and beyond. If you haven't gotten up to speed yet, feel free to take a look at previous articles on Coil such as the Grant for the Web Operations Team and What Does the Future Hold for Creators?

A Paradigm Shift

We are about to experience one of the biggest paradigm shifts in the history of the web. The web re-imagined in a revolutionary way that has never been done before. A paradigm shift is known in the dictionary as:

a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.

The tides 🌊 are turning and the fundamental change in approach is happening before our eyes for the following reasons among many:

👑 The technology didn't exist prior to this moment

Web developers, for a long time now, have known that there was a place for monetization performed in an open and native fashion, built into the core infrastructure of the web. The technology that didn't exist prior to now is a neutral protocol to transfer money. With the invention and continual development of Interledger, small streaming payments are now a reality which opens up the door to a number of options for true Web Monetization efforts.

👑 The current model is broken

Today's monetization model is brOkEn due to intrusive ads, unwarranted data collection, and annoying paywalls by the dozen. The fact is, there wasn't a problem to solve in the past because that was just “the way things were”. People put up with ads and data collection because it wasn't a point of contention like it is today. Amidst the past half decade, users are becoming more aware by setting up ad blockers and desiring to use sites and apps with more privacy options.

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👑 The fund is hefty

$100 million is not a number to sneeze at. If you sit back in your chair and think about it, that's A LOT of money. Consider your average Lamborghini priced at around $200,000 without all the upgrade packages. You would need to purchase 500 Lamborghini's to reach the amount of money that Grant for the Web holds. Recognizing this fact is important in understanding the sheer magnitude of this initiative and the power it holds to change not only the entire web monetization model, but also individual's lives across the world.

👑 The collaboration is solid

When you put Coil, Mozilla Foundation, and CreativeCommons in one room together, you get one heck of a powerhouse team. Each one of these organizations are extreme proponents of creating open, fair, and inclusive standards across the web with a strong push towards privacy-centric use-cases. The vision that Coil proposed to Mozilla is in direct alignment with the vision they have possessed for years and serves as a win-win for all parties involved, including content creators.

Whatever you think this grant means for you as a creator, think bigger than that. This initiative is going to take off really fast, therefore, being positioned on the ground floor is the perfect place to contribute the most to it's success. It's important for creators to work together in collaboration with Grant for the Web to ensure a healthy, vibrant ecosystem is created as a result of the work put into building out the infrastructure.

A paradigm shift is happening right now for the above reasons plus many more. A fundamental change is brewing beneath the surface, preparing to spread it's wings and fly. Don't get left standing on the sidelines while the revolution is barreling forward without you. The time has come to plant your feet in a movement that is built not on sand, but on solid ground. Grant for the Web serves as the firm foundation to stand on and to build your empire upon.✦

Thank you for reading.

Related articles:

✪ 2020 Will Yield the Highest ROI

✪ The State of Web Monetization

✪ Grant for the Web – What Does the Future Hold for Creators?

What 1 million dollars looks like...

Today officially marks my 6th month publishing on Coil. My very first article was published on August 15th, 2019 when I had little knowledge of how the platform worked nor had any idea what the future would hold. In fact, I don't remember exactly how I found out about Coil, but I'm fairly sure it was from one of Hodor's Twitter posts this past summer.

It has been quite the journey learning so much about the technology and getting to know other creators in the community. The first post that I published was on the topic of the Dallas Mavericks accepting bitcoins as payment for their basketball game tickets. It was a video that I had posted from my previous crypto brand that I didn't end up pursuing because it didn't line up with my strengths and my vision for the future. Anyways, the post got 2 upvotes. Whoop whoop!

Fast forward to the second post I published on Coil, it took me almost an entire month to get back on the platform. September 11th was when I announced the 30-day Coil blogging challenge. I announced the challenge both for myself and also for the community so that we could all learn and grow together as one collective unit. About the same time that I launched that challenge, the Content Builders Club was born, previously known as the Coil Blogging Club.

Turns out, the birth of the club at the same time the 30-day challenge started was a huge blessing for creators. The club was, and still is, a place to bounce ideas, share stories, and receive feedback and support when it was needed most. People who work towards a common goal together form incredible bonds that can last a lifetime, and that is what has happened with the Content Builders Club.

Over these 6 months, I myself have grown as a creator while also having the privilege of watching others grow and succeed with their ideas and their creative skill sets. The amazing part about this is that it is only the beginning of the journey with so much growing and opportunity ahead. Right now is an exciting time to be alive to utilize the platforms and the technology we have at our fingertips.

An Interview with Myself:

In this section of my 6 month anniversary article, I am going to interview myself, asking myself a series of questions that I will then answer for anyone who is interested. Ready? Here we go...

Ken, what has been your favorite moment over these past 6 months on Coil?

Gee, this is a tough one since there were many moments I thoroughly enjoyed. If I had to pick one, I would say tuning into the first live stream episode of The Plan, hosted by 4 members of the Content Builders Club.

The reason I liked it so much was one, because it was funny and entertaining, and two, because I was proud to play a role in those 4 incredible people becoming good friends and it culminating in the form of a live stream series for the entire community to enjoy.

What do you like about blogging on Coil?

I like how simple and seamless it is not only to create content, but also to consume it without getting hit in the face with ads. The interface is so clean and refreshing to keep returning back to. I also like how seamless the Web Monetization payment system is and how it all just works behind the scene without me having to worry about it.

Ken, who is your favorite creator on Coil?

I wouldn't say I have a favorite per se, but I do really enjoy reading a certain creator's daily satire article. I literally laugh out loud reading each one that gets published.

What is the one thing you get most excited about related to Coil?

Thank you for asking, Ken. The biggest thing I get excited about is the vision for Web Monetization and where the entire ecosystem is headed. Stefan Thomas and Ben Sharafian have big items planned for the near and distant future and it gets me excited to know that we as creators are the pioneers leading the charge.

Web Monetization is what the web needs in order to solve the issues existing today such as intrusive ads, dozens of paywalls, and pesky data collection. The less we can have of that junk, the better. The Web Monetization vision is exciting to me and I can't wait to see it come to fruition over these next 5 years and beyond.

What concerns do you have about Coil and how does that affect you as a creator?

I don't really have concerns if you will because I know that a lot of work is being put in behind the scenes that us creators don't see everyday. One thing I would like to see change this year moving into the future is bi-weekly or monthly blogs or Tweets from the Coil staff regarding updates and/or news within the Coil and Web Monetization ecosystem.

I feel communication is important, especially for creators, to be in the know regarding the platform they are investing so much time and energy into. One recent article that I really enjoyed was the Q&A session between Patricia C. and Ben Sharafian which shed more light on what the status of Coil is and where it is headed. I hope to see more communication directly from the staff in terms of blog posts on their official Coil page.

What is your favorite article or series of articles you have published on Coil thus far?

My favorite article series is definitely Ripple Pulse. I spend more time and put more focus on it than any others and consider it to be my flagship series. I enjoy composing in-depth articles because it gives readers a rich, thorough experience that they may not get elsewhere.

Ken, where do you see yourself, as well as Coil, in the short-term, 1-3 years from now?

Evolving. If I had to put it in one word, that's what I would say. I see myself, as well as other creators, evolving alongside Coil as it matures into much more than just a blogging platform. Web Monetization is much bigger than Coil.com, as it is spanning into other arenas such as gaming, memes, video content, and more.

The sky is the limit for this emerging technology that has true utility in people's everyday lives. Coil will evolve over the next 1-3 years as the community grows due to Grant for the Web and other initiatives that help drive the ecosystem forward in a major way.

Let me just close by saying how grateful I am to not only have such an incredible home to create and share my thoughts in, but also to be doing it along an incredible group of individuals that blog on Coil and whom I've interacted with via Twitter and also the Content Builders Club.

The past 6 months on Coil has been an enjoyable ride that I hope to stay on for quite some time. Not only am I publishing on Coil.com, but now I'm also publishing on my own self-hosted site utilizing Coil's Web Monetization meta tag. I get really pumped up to see how well this technology is working now and also where it could go in the future.

Thank you for reading.

Recent articles:

✪ Proof of Legacy is Live!

✪ In-Depth Thoughts on Q&A Session with Patricia C. and Ben Sharafian

✪ Wake Up and Blog: A Feb-Revival Initiative

A side note...

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After many weeks of planning, testing themes, collecting content, editing widgets, tweaking customization options, and adding Web Monetization code, proofoflegacy.com is now open to the public. Obviously though, a website is never actually “complete” as it is a living, breathing organism that continually gets tweaked and improved over time. The site is a work in progress and will change for the better as the weeks go by.

Proof of Legacy offers freelance blogging and copywriting services for blockchain and cryptocurrency companies. Companies that are looking for a professional freelance writer for their website or marketing materials can expect high-quality results with each job or project.

The name was chosen based on a play on words with “Proof” being used as a term in the writing industry as a work in progress and “Proof of” used in the blockchain industry for varying consensus algorithms. The word Legacy was chosen because I want my work to leave a long-lasting imprint on the world.

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As far as the aesthetics, the first theme I chose was Divi using their proprietary Divi builder software. I honestly spent WAY to much time tweaking the hundreds of little options such as module sizing, font colors, and photo animations. When I thought I was all done with the tweaking and ready to release the site, I found that the mobile version looked completely dreadful.

After thinking how long it would take to continue tweaking all the modules until everything looked great on mobile, I remembered that I had originally wanted a theme I saw a couple months back which was much simpler and far easier to manage than the Divi theme called Tru by Bylt. Tru is much more my style and easier for readers and clients to navigate, plus it looks incredible on mobile without spending hours upon hours on editing.

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The pages on the site are nothing out of the ordinary yet give potential clients a taste of what they can expect from hiring me as their freelance writer. The main page is my blog, followed by an about page, portfolio page, testimonial page, and contact page. The header widgets stay at the top on each page for consistency across the board.

Am I going to replace my Coil blog with my self-hosted website? No, I will not be exclusively publishing on my own site as I will still write native articles on Coil and also link my site blogs back to Coil. Coil is the cornerstone of my publishing journey and I am not ready to give it up. Not even close. Sorry guys, you can't get rid of me that easily ;)

If you are interested in taking a look, here are the details:

Site URL: https://proofoflegacy.com

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/proofoflegacy

In addition, if you or someone you know is looking for a blockchain or cryptocurrency freelance writer, feel free to direct them to Proof of Legacy writing services.

Curious how to add Web Monetization to your website? Go here.

A special thank you...

Patricia C. is a good friend of mine and it has been a privilege to interact with her over the past few months thanks to the Web Monetization provider and blogging platform, Coil.com. Even though she lives in Portugal and I in Cleveland, we share a bond as we are both passionate content creators and love being involved in the Web Monetization movement taking place around the world as we speak.

Although I know Patricia like a sister, I am not as familiar with Ben Sharafian, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Coil. Fortunately, Ben was gracious enough to spend 30 minutes with Patricia talking about Coil and answering pertinent questions related to Coil's current status in addition to future projections for the project as a whole.

Go here to view the content on Patricia's Coil page.

What I would like to do in this article is provide my thoughts as a huge proponent and supporter of Web Monetization, regarding some of the comments and answers Ben provided during the Q&A session with Patricia. The 2 of them covered a lot of ground in the 30 minutes they spent together. I will not be covering everything in this article so be sure to check out Patricia's video interview as well.

Let's get started...

We have a really awesome set of early adopters

The first question Patricia asked Ben was in regards to the vision of Coil and where he imagines it in 1-2 years. He said that Coil from the start has been working to solve problems within the web such as intrusive ads and data collection, creating a new standard for Web Monetization. At the end of his answer, he stated, we have a really awesome set of early adopters which is cool.

My take: To hear Ben state that he thinks the current set of early adopters is really awesome is exciting because it means we are on the right track with the type of content us as creators are producing. To me it means that he enjoys seeing what we as early adopters are doing which only serves as huge encouragement moving forward. It's neat to think that the CTO of Coil himself is proud to have such a great group of creators publishing on the platform.

We're working on more ways to support creators

Patricia's question asked what the Coil team is working on right now that will be implemented in the future. One thing Ben mentioned was they are working on more ways to support creators such as tips and also the Grant for the Web initiative so that creators keep making great content while Web Monetization is in the beginning stages.

My take: Hearing Ben's answer on this topic gets me really excited because it gives myself and other creators the confidence we need to keep moving forward using the Coil content platform and the technology it brings to the table for external websites. Knowing that the team has creators set as a high priority is particularly exciting and gives us that extra spark to continue knowing that the work we are putting in now will be well worth it far into the future.

We probably won't be leaving the beta stage in 2020

Patricia asked Ben if Coil is planning to leave the beta stage in 2020 and he responded by saying that they probably won't be leaving the beta stage this year. The reason for Coil to remain in beta is because the team doesn't consider the site to be a finished product just yet. The beta tag is kept on the site to let people know that there are continual improvements being made.

My take: I am perfectly OK with Coil staying in beta for as long as it needs to. For those committed to the success of Coil, it is important to understand that great things take time and there is no need to rush the creation of a brand new ecosystem. The fact is that forward progress is being made and momentum is building. It is an honor to participate in the beta testing stage as we watch Coil make gradual changes leading towards a finished product.

In 2020 we want to start giving out the first grants

When asked about Grant for the Web and what is expected to happen in 2020, Ben says that in 2020 they want to start giving out the first grants. Reasoning behind this is because creators sometimes need upfront capital to create Web Monetized content in the first place as opposed to waiting for the streaming payments to flow in from Coil subscribers.

My take: The grant initiative makes total sense and serves as an important step to progress Web Monetization in a big way. Without creators gaining the neccessary funding to consistently create high-quality, Web-Monetized content, the ecosystem will not grow in an efficient manner. I feel that 2020 will be a jump-start year for Web Monetization as a result of Grant for the Web stepping in and releasing grant money to creators.

We have been expanding the browser support of Coil

A question was asked about the Web Monetization status with Chrome implementation and other browser support. Ben said that native implementations are still in the works due to the lengthy process, but that they have been expanding the extension capabilities. The Coil extension now works on Microsoft Edge and continuing to move forward on the mobile browser, Puma.

My take: I can't imagine how much man-power and hours it takes to work with browser vendors to get native support of Coil's Web Monetization standard. The fact that forward progress is being made on the extension side of the equation speaks volumes for what the team has been hard at work on for months now. Obviously native support is the best case scenario, but great things take time and I myself am extremely happy and appreciative that we have extensions to work with currently.

We want the resources for creators to get more information about how their content is doing.

Another question asked was this... Are you planning on making analytics available for creators? Ben stated that Coil would give creators tools to see if their content is what Web Monetization providers are looking for, similar to how Google releases analytics that let website owners know how they could improve on certain areas of their sites to maximize SEO and other metrics. All this keeping in mind the privacy of the consumers as the Coil analytics would not include sensitive information of users.

My take: I personally cannot wait for an analytics feature to hit the scene. But, I also think that this feature is not one that will be implemented in the near future as the Coil team has bigger fish to fry in terms of growing the Web Monetization ecosystem. Analytics are on the radar, but the blip is a ways out at sea at the moment. It's encouraging to know that Coil does indeed want creators to receive more information on how their content is performing. All in due time.

With more content, that gives compelling reasons for subscribers to get on board.

One of the last questions Patricia asked was if Coil has plans to bring more creators and subscribers to the platform? Ben said that right now they are working on bringing more creators on board first that can add value to potential subscribers in the future. Using partnerships such as Imgur and initiatives such as Grant for the Web to supply the ecosystem with more content will give subscribers a compelling reason to get on board.

My take: Using the creators first approach is honestly the only strategy that makes sense. Subscribers will not sign up if there is nothing in it for them to consume on a regular basis. To put it in perspective, imagine signing up for Netflix and paying them $15 per month and you only have access to 1 movie and 2 TV shows. In fact, Netflix and other streaming services are constantly stepping up their game to attract new members such as original movie and original TV show content. It is important to have the end user in mind when creating a new paradigm and expecting it to succeed.

Patricia did a great job asking Ben those questions. You can view the original article / video here on Patricia's blog page. It is a privilege to have Patricia on the front lines interviewing leading minds who are building out the Web Monetization ecosystem. Huge thank you to Ben Sharafian as well for taking the time out of his busy schedule to meet with Patricia.

Thank you for reading.

#wakeupandblog

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