I'm such small beans here but am happy for the very minor amount of spend I got in at OD ($1,780). Didn't use any card other than my new IB (with it's nice new card smell). Got a new modem/router too. Didn't load up on miles with Delta card since we're working on the minimum spend with 5 new Chase cards. Those are first priority. Fortunately it looks like Chase is going to lower the required spend on IB to $5k. Since all the cards are with Chase I wasn't going to mess up my accounts by just having reload cards satisfy all the spend requirements, whether it was for 5x UR points or 1x. While it sounds like others may be playing around with $20k on reload cards, that's out of my comfort zone.

I began a search for new cc's back in August because we were maxing out the benefits of our MR Visas. I've been around flyertalk for a number of years and with the help of the community here we've churned a whopping 14 cc's. so it was only natural for me to do some catching up at ft when I was looking for new cards.

Somewhere in the timespan between my last serious flyertalk layover and August, blogging came into being a new business for a passionate group. dH is a Civil War blogger so I understand the drive/outlet aspect to blogging. As I was reading through the forums there was mention of "Gary said...". Gary? Who's Gary? Finally, there was a link to "View From The Wing" so I took a look. Since VFTW is on the Boardingarea website I first thought BA was Gary's website and VFTW was the editorial section. Soon, though, I figured out the collective group of BA bloggers. During the same 2 month timeframe I also came across MMS's website. Probably from a flyertalk link.

By Oct. I had a plan for our next cc churn and the BB came out. The IB was on our list of cards as I actually do have a garden design business registered in MI with it's own DBA. I wanted the IB for Internet/phone expense. BB was just a pleasant bonus that would maybe last, maybe not according to both the blogs and forums.

During this time I found MilesBuzz. Previously my ft reading was confined to forums for the programs we participated in. For me it was several months of intense ft and blog reading. I became a complete bore to anyone who would listen. In the end I laid out the plan to DH and we sat one evening to begin the app process. Then it was a trip to the bank to beg for even another card. They nicely obliged.

I've been glued to this thread. The info, the help, the nonsense, the confusion, the speculation, the drama, the cautions, the letdown and the accusations. For me I don't see it as flyertalk vs. the bloggers. If the bloggers weren't separated from the pack (some seem to do both) they would be sharing their passion here. Seems this was tHeir training ground for years before the blogs began. I've tried to point out that I knew nothing of the bloggers in August. Flyertalk led me to them. Any post, whether complimentary or complaining that mentions a blogger is directly tied to whatever sharing goes on in that blog. So anyone pointing an accusatory finger should be careful they don't poke their eye out.

Winding up, I want to thank everyone, flyertalkers and bloggers, for the sharing. We're moving along with the current plan and in 3months I already have a plan for the next batch of cards. I'll make a conscious effort to talk about something other than cards/miles/points/BB to my friends and family.

And thank you so very much amokold for the video. . .that was a terrific laugh. Then I shared it with DH and got to laugh again. Wonderful!