I have more blogs than I can count but basically, there are 3 I really work with. One of them is an online diary where I address the issues of my life as well as blog stats. For over a year now I have blogged there about a blogging method I dreamed up. It isn’t perfect but it’s a method I could do all that time. The best part about it was I could measure improvement. This past week I altered the acronym I used to follow and replaced it with a new one. I’m a right-brained hippie so I need acronyms to remind me what I am doing half the time.

The new method is going great. To summarize, the acronym is ARC and it stands for: Analytics, Relevancy, and Conversion. These words have meaning for me in my goals of blogging. I never meant to make it a universal.

That’s where you come in. You are an individual blogger but have you defined your individual goals? Perhaps you want to make money each month as I do. Others out there may want to integrate more with friends in social media. Maybe you want to promote your company blog or website? The point is, there is no universal ranking system or method that can determine the importance of a website. You should, based on your blog goals and needs, develop a method that points you in the direction of success.

A lot of bloggers have the psychology that a Google PageRank toolbar determines a blog’s importance. That is a wide misconception. Google itself in fact is sending the message that PageRank should be ignored. Maybe we as bloggers should listen?

This is from a Google QnA forum on PageRank:

Q: My site’s PageRank has gone up / gone down / not changed in months!
A: Don’t worry. In fact, don’t bother thinking about it. We only update the PageRank displayed in Google Toolbar a few times a year; this is our respectful hint for you to worry less about PageRank, which is just one of over 200 signals that can affect how your site is crawled, indexed and ranked. PageRank is an easy metric to focus on, but just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’s useful for you as a site owner. If you’re looking for metrics, we’d encourage you to check out Analytics, think about conversion rates, ROI (return on investment), relevancy, or other metrics that actually correlate to meaningful gains for your website or business.
(Source)

Here’s my final thought for now: Each blogger should take some time to identify what “meaningful gains” are for her/him and then create an individualized method to get there.

Related Posts

• Automation in Blogging?
• The Google Pagerank – explained
• Blogging Tasks and How I Prioritize Them
• Define Value for Your Blog

Monetizing Your Blog

Monetizing your blog with big brand widgets/banners

Would you be interested in placing a banner or widget on the home page of your site for a fixed monthly fee of between £5 and £10 per month?

The banner / widget will be from a well known high street brand it will not include adult content and could be a small poll/ survey, display a news feed or a flash based banner. Always tasteful.

Blogs will need to have a Google PageRank of at least PR2/3 to qualify and the widget will have to be placed on homepage only

At this early stage we would like to hear your feedback to see if we are on the right track and whether you would register to take part in this advertising campaign.

Please email sylvie to give your feedback we are looking to ascertain numbers at this stage.

Review Opportunities – as ever, no payment just true physical review based on actual product test, can be positive or negative, be honest with your readers.

SlimShots Campaign:

Our campaign with SlimShots is well on its way – the first reviews have started to appear and the feedback so far is pretty positive. We have another 25 slots available so if you are interested in taking part, email sylvie with your url – we will put your blog forward to our client and get back to you with more info if your blog was successfully selected.

Looking for Catholic bloggers prepared to promote the Pope latest single

This is a great opportunity to add quality content to your blog. Bloggers selected would get water marked CDs, as well as invites to listening parties – there is also an opportunity to make some money from official Universal affiliate schemes.

Time scale: November – if you are interested in putting your blog forward please email your url to sylvie – this is a global exclusive.

Important update from the FTC ruling on blogging and disclosure applicable to the USA

Damien Riley kindly agreed to cover this latest update from the FTC on the FMB blog. Key fact: always disclose paid for reviews

Give your views on the subject in the allocated comment area.

For a closer look you can also read the whole document issued by the FTC

iPhone gadget to the test:

We are doing a trial run with a really cool company specializing in iPhone accessories – we have a really cool gadget that could make your iPhone experience more enjoyable when traveling by plane.

requirements for this campaign:

Blogger based in USA, iPhone/iPod Touch owner prepared to try out the gadget and write an honest review. Please forward your url to sylvie

Time scale: now

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Hey everyone, before I start, yes I know it has been a while since I posted anything here at FMB, but I’ve been rushed off my feet lately with a stack of project that I am running, so I would like to take the opportunity to bring a bit of Linky Love and recognition to fellow bloggers here at FMB

Recently over on my Blazing Minds blog I have started a news series of Blogger Interviews, where I give a blogger a selection of questions to answer and then I post the results on the blog as an interview, such as the ones I have already done with Justin Germino from Dragon Blogger and  Victoria Pires from Glowstars.

So if anyone is interested in a “Blogger Interview” then please stop by my Contact Me page on Blazing Minds and let me know.

Related Posts

• We are Fuelmyblog: The Melindaville Blog
• We are Fuelmyblog: Postcards from the Funny Farm
• We are Fuelmyblog: Jeff Baker Talks
• Have Spammers nothing better to do?
• Automation in Blogging?

Everyone is talking about the new FTC ruling on blogging and disclosure. It may or may not affect the “Shoe Money” monsters out there, I’m not concerned with them too much. Who’s crying for someone who makes $2,000us for one Tweet? On the other hand, I’m here to tell you how it affects the “real” middle of the road bloggers like you and me. We make up the big bubble out here in the ’sphere.

What is it?

The FTC ruled this month that bloggers must disclose when they receive payment for a product review. We have seen this many times in the form of something like:

This was a sponsored review and I received a free pogo stick from the company before I wrote this post.

The above would make a sponsored review compliant with the FTC law.

Note: Text links on their own that are not part of a review are still ok to remain undisclosed, even if the blogger is compensated to include them in a post. For example, I am paid often for “link words” in my post that have little to do with the content of the post. So far, these have no restriction or guidelines associated with them.

What’s wrong with it?

I think this FTC law has a lot of loopholes. Furthermore it fails to fix false advertising on the web. While we all want to destroy the blog posts that say stuff like “I lost 100 lbs in a day!” We can never really know if an author has been compensated for their online writing. For example, If my friend pays me $15 to review his new motorcycle company, how will anyone ever know he is my friend? Now, multiply that times the millions out there doing paid reviews undisclosed and you have the situation as it is.

What does it mean to the average blogger?

My advice to my fuelmyblog brethren is:

Keep reviewing whatever products you think will be relevant to your blog and be honest. Just make sure you let your readers know if you got paid for it.

If you follow that advice, you will be in compliance with the new law.

Related Links:
damienriley.com/ftcs-blogging-for-hire/
pcworld.com/article/173169/ftcs_new_rules_for_bloggers_a_quick_guide.html
dragonblogger.com/bloggers-must-disclose-paid-reviews/

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Here are the latest product reviews available for the fuelmyblog community – as always we are interested in your feedback and commitment to review a product on your blog.

Halloween is just round the corner and we are looking for bloggers aged 18-30 based in the USA – preferably students planning on having a big Halloween bash.

#Funky costumes will be available for you to try out and keep if you commit to a fun but thorough honest review of the site and costumes. Email sylvie with the url of the blog you will review on – we will get back to you if your blog was selected for this campaign.

Note: your blog must be updated frequently to qualify for this campaign and reviews will have to be submitted within a week of the party…that should allow enough time to recover…non?

#tactical boots trial:

Still a few places available for the tactical boots campaign.

If you work in an emergency environment and require tactical/magnum boots for work, email us* your blog url as soon as possible along with your shipping address and shoe size.

You will be sent a pair and be expected to review it within a week of getting the boots.

*USA based bloggers only

#Crystalift:

Looking for lady bloggers age group: 30-50 based in USA with an excellent readership profile, we will also take into consideration your overall online presence (followers on twitter and other active networks) to test out and give your unbiased opinion on a state of the art Crystal Resurfacing Package. If you can commit to several blog posts with a before and after feel to it then feel free to email me your URL.

Note: we will get back to successful applicants only.

bye for now x

Related Posts

• 10 reasons to take part in FMB product testing campaigns
• Fuellers love Iffyton T-Shirts
• Safe internet browsing for your kids
• True reviews on coffee
• What to Expect When Product Testing – King of Shaves

Review opportunity for UK and USA based bloggers

For this campaign we are looking to borrow your feet and feedback on a pair of high quality heavy duty waterproof boots. Suitable bloggers for this campaign would be ideally working in an *emergency* related environment. If you are in the  armed forces, paramedics, police, fire brigade etc then do email us the url of the blog you would be writing your review on along with your shipping address. Note that we will only get back to you if your blog was successfully selected. This is a highly valuable product to test. Only bloggers who can commit to review promptly should apply – all reviews will have to be submitted within a week of receiving the boots. Looking forward to hearing from you!

	Free Paid for App’s for your iPhone or iPod Touch
Kevin (fuelmyblog founder) has launched a new service that will allow you free paid-for applications. Very simply, iPhone and iPod touch users sign up to fuelmyapp.com with their PayPal email address and iTunes nickname.  Then they select an application from fuelmyapp.com and pay for it as per normal, once they have tried and tested the app, they review it on iTunes.  As soon as the review is published in iTunes, fuelmyapp automatically credits back the App fee to the user via PayPal. Before you sign up, carefully read the FAQ’s and make sure you have added your actual iTunes nickname perfectly, including capital letters – if not, the system will not be able to pick up your review nor pay you back. The iPhone user is not told to review positively nor given any information on the app, the reviews are honest and based upon true use. The site is in beta and only launched last week – new apps are added everyday so it is worth checking for more apps as weeks progress.

Related Posts

• No Related Post

A new fuelmyblog page on facebook:

All you need to do now is to become a fan and any info posted on the page will appear in your facebook feeds – this could be useful to find out the latest product placement opportunities …I am currently the only fan…it is lonely in there!

Fuelmyblog on Twitter:

twitter.com/fuelmyblog  – twitter.com/kevindixie – twitter.com/sylvied

Fuelmyblog Talk:

Is the place where you will be able to enjoy a casual talk, in a twitter manner without saturating your twitter account – you will need to login in order to start talking. Be warned though…*gingernuts* are everywhere!

The FMB blog has recently been upgraded, writers having problems loading up images in the past should now find the whole admin experience a lot smoother!

Fuelmyblog is on Posterous.com – we have been very impressed by this light blogging platform – what are your thoughts on Posterous?

Have a good week everyone!

Sylvie x

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Sometimes, that is “the question.” Pillar posts are ones you write with your particular authority on a subject. I’ve read in much “blog how-to” literature that pillar posts are very helpful for traffic and seo. I can attest this is true indeed.  If you are regular at these, you will see they get a lot of search engine traffic for a long time. Once in a while, a pillar post is not the ideal way to get your valuable words out.

It’s sometimes better to create an adobe reader file, a pdf. Often these are sold on websites, ie: “5 steps to playing bass guitar.” Other times they are given away as blog marketing rewarding readers to subscribe to their feed.  I am currently working on an ebook about starting a blog, my first. I’m not sure how I will offer it to my readers yet. The reason I thought to try a pdf is because I get questions about this topic all the time and I think it would be more convenient to email than to repeat myself over and over. These are easier than ever to make, you might want to create one and have it handy for your family and friends.  The newest release of Office Word allows you to save your Word project as a pdf.

Related Posts

• Clearing Writer’s Block

So, what do we think of tattoos then? ………

……. do people have regrets? …….. either way. I’ve always rather fancied one but I’m told they hurt.

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Skechers Shape-Ups have been put to the test by the bloggers

A little while back on fuelmyblog we offered UK bloggers a great opportunity to test out the latest trainers recently launched in America and Europe: The Skechers Shape-Ups

Shape-Ups aren’t quite your ordinary trainers, the design team has worked out a very specific shape to enhance vascular health and overall fitness.

Do check out the reviews on the Shape-Ups below if you are contemplating buying a pair it will give you added info before you do decide to go ahead!

• On strengthening your back: √ diaryofa70steen.blogspot.com, glowstars.net, blazingminds.co.uk

• On weight loss: √ bloggers have not been able to tick this box yet only time will tell.

• On firming calf and buttock muscles: √ lezzles.blogspot.com, sparkleandglitter.co.uk

• On reducing cellulite and toning thighs: Like on weight loss this benefit will be fully appreciated after a few months of using the fitness trainers.

• On increasing cardiovascular health: Any walking and regular exercise will contribute to a good cardiovascular ’s health.

• On improving posture : √ Glowstar, manuniteddevils.com

• On reducing stress on knee and ankle joints: √ illbefrancoise.blogspot.com
• On Look: Mixed feelings about it: manuniteddevils.com, blendingthemix.com one thing is sure, the fitness trainers Shape-Ups should not be seen with bikinis, skirt, dress…however, they do look pretty smart with a casual pair of jeans.
• On comfort: √ emilybassin.blogspot.com, ananyah.com

A  lot of boxes ticked – improved posture and comfort have been repeatedly pointed out through the trial. Thumbs up for the Skechers Shape-Ups here on fuelmyblog!

Related Posts

• No Related Post

I have been rooting out old photees and laughing my socks off at some .. my scanner is not working so photographed a few….

So hows about this Friday, just for fun….. doing a ‘Friday 5 photos’ that are of you the blogger through the years by decade ??.. if you don’t have the decades to show then, 5 random piccies that are about you would be equally fabulous….

Mine  are over at http://www.flickr.com/photos/70steen/

Related Posts

• HeadsUpFuelmyblog
• THE KNOTTED HANKIE
• A Heads Up….
• The voice behind the blog
• Fuellers Have Talent

Gitwizard you certainly have managed to celebrate this moment in style…you now may go ahead and pick your shirt from Uncle Iffy’s virtual t-shirt store, email us back your choice size and address

Thank you to everyone taking part it was fun to share a slice of 9/09/09 with you all!

Related Posts

• No Related Post

70Steen emailed us a while back suggesting to mark 9/09/09 with a little blogging momentum. We thought it was a great idea – here is what you can do to join:

Take a photo of what you are doing on 09/09/09 at 9.00 am – blog it and update on twitter with the #headsupfuelmyblog or alternatively upload your photo and comments directly on fuelmyblogtalk – you will need to register to login first.

The best pic will get to choose a t-shirt from Uncle Iffy virtual t-shirt store

See you tomorrow!

Related Posts

• Friday 5 through the ages
• THE KNOTTED HANKIE
• A Heads Up….
• The voice behind the blog
• Fuellers Have Talent

I’ve just finished my second season with The Lawmen from Bristol, UK.  Someone in the audience asked me why I re-enact?  Why pack all my stuff up and relocate for three days, play cowboys and floozies, then pack it all up and come home?  Well, to be honest, the  reason I joined was to shoot stuff and roll about dead.  My husbands reasons were far more honourable, he loves the Civil War, and has a huge interest in American history.  I just wanted to blow things up at weekends, and rob banks.

Funnily enough, through playing different roles, my knowledge of authentic clothing grew.  And suddenly, this girl who wasn’t into ‘pretty’ outfits, began learning about them and eventually making them.  The old sewing machine was brought out and dusted off.  I grew to love dressmaking, and found a new creative outlet.  A skirt or jacket for a fiver in a charity store, with some ribbon added, some old buttons, an alteration here and there, is miraculously transformed into a late 19th century townslady coat. I took great delight in making my husbands town drunk outfit.  I bleached the trousers, muddied them and dyed them with splats in all the right places, dyed the shirt and ripped it a bit.  It’s revolting and the audience love it.

We began socialising with our fellow team mates, and gathered at a country music club.  Country music was never my favourite genre…..I now play the banjo.  My next challenge is to write music for it.  Last year, my husband bought a camera for us – it’s lead to me taking the profile photos for our members and keeping my blog well kitted out with images.  I’m no David Bailey, but I’m improving all the time.

I never wanted a speaking role, I was happy to dress up and stay in the background.  I’ve been in every show this season, and had cause to wear a microphone at least once a day. Despite my lack of confidence at one time, I am almost loud enough without a mic now!

I’m reading history books with an enthusiasm I couldn’t muster when I was at school.  The old west seems to jump out of the page and into my living room as I read.  My husband was reading about making western leather goods – he thought it all looked too clever for him.  Then last year he ordered his first cow hide, and he’s made several belts, holsters, knife sheaths and chaps.

The club means I get to write frequently, I write my blog, and I write poetry.  A long time passion has resurfaced and become a big part of life again. I’ve started writing sketches and shows, playing around with situations and characters and seeing what evolves.

However….

The most recent and alarming development is….The Caravan.  I swore blind only two years ago that I would NEVER, EVER own a caravan.  I like Top Gear, and to go down that slippery towing-your-own-home slope would be too humiliating.  We towed ours to it’s first show in July.  And I’m mildly sheepish in admitting I LOVE it.  It has two wardrobes – big enough for ten hat boxes, ten pairs of boots, twenty or thirty outfits, and boxes of scarves, brooches, sheriff’s badges,, fans, gloves, feathers and respectable authentic undies.

Sometimes you do something and it turns your life upside down.  My life has never been the same since I joined The Lawmen, it really feels like LIFE now.  It’s rich, exciting, varied, fun, intense,  and challenging.  And to be called Big Nose Kate when your sitting at night around a campfire with a beer and thirty other re-enacting friends, it’s the best.

Related Posts

• No Related Post

This is an automatically generated reminder service provided by the empire that is Daddy Papersurfer.

Attention 70steen – a reminder to remind everyone to remember that something is happening very soon that I’ve forgotten.

I would like to remind you that no further reminders will be sent. If you had signed up for the Delux Reminder Service I would of course, called round and poked you with a stick. As it is, this is all you get …… shame on you …….. tsk.

Have a nice day.

[All profits made from this reminder service are not given to charity but are being placed in a high risk pyramid selling scheme to provide me with a yacht]

Related Posts

• A Heads Up….
• Friday 5 through the ages
• HeadsUpFuelmyblog
• The voice behind the blog
• Fuellers Have Talent

A little while back we had a product testing  opportunity for bloggers requiring to wear scrubs at work.

The mission:  Order from BlueSkyScrubs.com and test out the scrubs.

Bloggers taking part in this trial are mostly nurses needless to say that their opinion is highly valuable.

Is BlueSkyScrubs.com standing out from the world of scrubs with its quirky designs and wide selection of scrubs?

The first reviews have started to come in and quality seem to be a word  repeated throughout the reviews.

If you are considering buying scrubs do read the following reviews:

Candice a registered nurse  and hilarious blogger (you should read her blog) was first to review BlusSkyScrubs on  Life according to Candice . Also reviewing, OB Nurse, hterry, Learning To Have Patients and Chaotic Kristy

Ongoing product testing:

Put to the test this month Skechers Shapes-Ups...updates on this campaign can be followed on twitter #SkechersShapeUps for now – Panorama photo software is also put to test – more feedback on this photo software very soon.

Looking for female bloggers in the US willing to loose weight:

SlimShots are looking for bloggers to test and review their latest product. If you are interested email us with your shipping address and the url of the blog you will make your review on.

Don’t forget to update your details in your account if you wish to be contacted and take part in our product testing campaigns.

Related Posts

• No Related Post

So what do you get up to on a wet weekend?

Do you stick t-bags all over your body and see what it’s like being a gorilla?

Do you hunt down dust bunnies with a blowtorch and then spend months arguing with the insurance company over your claim for fire damage?

Do you get out your sketch pad and sharpen your pencils and then just stare out of the window waiting for the rain to stop?

I’d love to know if you’re as productive as I am ……. personally I hate to waste a single minute ……

Related Posts

• THE TROJAN HOARSE
• Fuellers have talent
• Fuellers Have Talent
• Fuellers Have Talent – Birds
• THE FRIDAY FIVE – whoops I mean SIX

Hi everyone

Ok it is 2009 and I am 70steen who has been landlocked in the last century in the 70s and subsequently the 80s.

Don’t let anyone say I am not up to the minute, despite my rambles last century [blimry I have striddena century!!] because next month we see a magical date…. 09/09/09. Even those across the pond can’t confuse me that day with the swapping around of month and days. … why do you do that??

In celebration of this lack of confusion I thought it would be fun to launch an experiment (yes I am that geek and I love experiments) …… how’s about all us FMBer’s take a photo or describe what we were doing at 09.00am on 09/09/09 on our blogs and link it back here to Fuel My Blog…. we will be part of history in the making.. it is an chance not to be missed…. come on you know you want to!!

The best post will get to choose a t-shirt from Uncle Iffy virtual t-shirt store!

I will send a reminder nearer the day

Related Posts

• THE KNOTTED HANKIE
• Friday 5 through the ages
• HeadsUpFuelmyblog
• The voice behind the blog
• Fuellers Have Talent

I once tripped up Selina Scott in Bond Street.

I once stole some plants from a policeman’s house aided and abetted by Joanna Lumley’s mum.

Diana Rigg once phoned me up.

I’ve been on a television programme with Neil Adams and one of Dr. Who’s assistants,  Janet Fielding.

I was once thrown out of Bridget Riley’s house.

Some of these people you’ll never have heard of ….. that’s how lame I am.

What lame claims to fame have other fuellers got? …… nothing too exciting I hope.

Daddy Papersurfer – a man clutching at straws ……..

Related Posts

• No Related Post

Mad Aunt Bernard recently joined fuelmyblog she writes two equally fascinating blogs: The Lawmen: A Re-enactors Journal and Mad Aunt Bernards Tortoise Poetry. Do add her as a friend on fuelmyblog her username is Mad Aunt Bernard and visit her blog if you have not already!

Thank you MAB for writing this first post and introducing a new world to the fuelmyblog community.

I’ve recently begun keeping a blog to chart my Western re-enactments with The Lawmen, a Bristol based team.  I’ve been a member for almost two years now, and it’s more than a hobby – it’s a way of life.  Having soaked up as much information as possible, by listening and watching other members, I am gaining a good knowledge as to the ways of the Old West, when it comes to costume and props.  I also thought I understood Old West values in every sense of the word.

Two weeks ago, we had the sad news that one of our much loved re-enactors had passed away.  This post is dedicated to Michael ‘Maverick’ Bresnan, who left us on July 14th, aged 64.  As well as being our favourite baddie, Mav was the oldest active member of the Hell’s Angels (35 years), and was one of the founders of the West Coast Chapter in England.

I didn’t know Mav very well, but he was a gentleman, and it took a year before he would swear without apologising in my presence.  Then at a show at the beginning of this year, I told a particularly dirty joke (I can’t print it!!), and he dropped his guard completely.  He was sweet.  He was full of fun and jokes, especially when he forgot the punchline.  We rarely talked about anything serious, we just had fun at the shows.  I felt so sad at the thought of not seeing him again, and wasn’t looking forward to bidding him farewell.

I say I thought I understood Old West values – I had an education at his funeral on Friday.  We wore blacks for the occasion.  The ladies wore a long black skirt, white blouse, black jacket or ankle length prairie coat and a bowler/townlady hats with chiffon and flowers on.  The men wore black trousers, white shirts and collars, black frock coats and most wore black plainsman hats.  It was important to be as smart as we could and turn out looking our best for Mav.

We arrived at the Pack Horse on Lawrence Hill, Bristol, and already there were hundreds of Hell’s Angels parked all over the pavements and the road.  The badges they wore were from all over the world – every State of the U.S., All over Europe, South Africa, Australia, you name it – they were there.

In the Pack Horse, the Angels made us very welcome and beckoned us to see him.  They had created a little area behind a curtain where we could go and say goodbye to him, as I went to see him, Highwayman by Johnny Cash was playing – which I found uncanny.  The lyrics to the song, alongside the warm and relaxed manner of the Angels, suddenly made me feel much better.  There was a message book for us to write our thoughts in, and an entire wall of the pub was dedicated to him.  It was a beautiful montage of messages and photographs dating back to Mav’s childhood.  For someone like me who didn’t know him very well, it was wonderful to see, like a little window into his earlier life.  They had also had cards printed for everyone with some wonderful pictures on as a token of remembrance.  We were looked after very well, and mingled with the bikers outside, whose numbers were already getting toward the 1,000 mark.  A couple of the guys took care putting the wreaths on metal framework on a truck, which would follow behind.  Our wreath was in the shape of a sheriff’s badge, bearing The Lawmen name – someone had done a beautiful job.

One by one, our fellow Lawmen arrived, and we gathered on the pavement as one of the Angels gave out black ribbons with Mav’s name on, we tied them on our arms.  As they brought his coffin out, we stood in a semi-circle around the Harley Davidson with the sidecar-hearse and prepared for our nine gun salute.  This consisted of eight shots, then one shot to signify  the number 8 and the number 1.  The eighth letter of the alphabet being ‘H’, the first being ‘A’, for Hell’s Angels.  The men followed this by shooting once simultanaeously. The Angels’ put his leather jacket, his holster and his lucky hat in the hearse with him and we all gave a final farewell.

We travelled to Westerleigh Crematorium seperately, but the convoy of bikes behind Trem who rode with Mav in the sidecar hearse completely took up the M4.  At Westerleigh, we could feel them arriving through the vibrations in the ground.  It was wonderful then to see just how many people had come to the ceremony.  The Lawmen went in first with the flags, us ladies following, before taking our seats.  The theme from Rawhide played, and the lady conducting the service said some things about Mav.  It was very positive, they focused on his active involvement with the Hell’s Angels, his commitment to The Lawmen, and his commitment to his wife of 25 years, Ann.  Stories were told of him being a great practical joker, and it was wonderful to hear his friends speak about him and things they won’t forget about him.  They played the theme from the old TV version of ‘Maverick’, which was very fitting, then ‘Moonlight Shadow’ from his favourite band, Quill.

The Lawmen then arranged themselves at the front with their flags, and the Lawmen ladies in front of them, to do the trilogy.  This is an act of remembrance that we do, to Elvis Presley’s ‘American Trilogy’ – it’s probably the most emotional one I’ve ever taken part in.  As Mav went, and the curtains closed, several voices from the Angels simply said ‘AFFA’, which I understand to mean ‘Angels Forever, Forever Angels’.  The sound of this was possibly one of the most emotional things about the whole day, I can’t describe the feeling – it was as though this word was what released him and sent him on a safe journey – I felt a ripple go through my body and the room.

We assembled outside with the flags, where a bugle sounded the last post in honour of Mav’s service in the Merchant Navy.  Then everyone mingled.  The Angels said we’d done a good job and made their day – I said they had made ours and that they’d never know how much.  I can’t find correct words to say how proud I was to be part of his day.

In truth, I felt they were angels.  The whole process of Mav’s passing had had such a huge impact on our club, I couldn’t quite believe I would never see him again.  But the Hell’s Angels had such a positive, healthy attitude to his passing that it became a much better day than any of us could have hoped for.  In opening the clubhouse to us so that we could see him, and filling it with his things, they showed so much love and care.  Their welcoming manner and their hospitality will never be forgotten, and will stay with me always as an example of true Western values.  I could never thank them enough, for the wonderful day they gave us.

Related Posts

• No Related Post