Buy You A Present For My Birthday

Okay, now this is probably going to sound craven, greedy, and selfish, but that's only because...it is. Yesterday was my birthday, and I kinda need to ask you a favor—I need you to buy you a present for my birthday.

That's not a typo. I don't want you to buy me a present; I want you to buy you a present.

See, when people buy things from Amazon through our links, we get a small percentage. The more items we sell, the bigger our percentage gets. This month has been particularly slow, and I really need people to buy 87 more items before the end of the month. This will kick us up into the next higher percentage bracket and increase our take for everything that people have already bought. And—well, it helps keep the lights on.

So please, support TOP, and go to Amazon through this link—or through any of the links at the bottom of the right-hand column (respectively, for the U.S., U.K., Germany, Canada, and Japan)—and buy yourself a present. Any present. Camera, lens, memory card, book, CD—more expensive is better, but actually anything at all would help, no matter how small or inexpensive. (I'm not sure music downloads count.) Be sure not to send it to me. Just buying it for yourself is birthday present enough for me.

I hate to make you do this, but, as you can see, it's your duty as a loyal TOP reader to go buy yourself something you want. If your spouse complains, just tell her, or him, that you're not doing it for yourself—you're being completely noble and altruistic, just helping out a friend in need.

Hey, it makes sense to me!

___________________

Mike

P.S. I'll let you know if we make the magic number by the 29th.

UPDATE: Well, that was a very nice birthday present! People ordered 106 items on the 27th and another 72 items yesterday, so we cruised past the goal. I really hope everybody enjoys our birthday presents—and many thanks to all.

Comments

[Engin Kurutepe]

Dear Mike, I'd love to help, not just now but whenever I buy something I buy from amazon. So I figure if I change my usual amazon bookmark to your link, then you'd get your cut every time I buy something, right? Or do I have to come to amazon from your domain, in order for you to get your cut?

[Matthew Robertson]

To further support worthy sites such as this one, bookmark the affiliate link instead of the regular Amazon homepage. Every visit and ensuing purchase should then count to support the site.

[Jim Hart]

Done. Thanks for the present ; although the site is present enough.

[Mike Johnston]

Engin,
I've been told that that link always works for us.

Thanks!

Mike J.

[dwross]

Happy Birthday! Mike. The best to you.
d

[Marty]

Alright you've talked me into it. Lets see, I need some ink, a polarizing filter,... this list is going to get pretty lengthy but then I'm always one to pitch-in when I can... I'm not sure the wife will understand, but I do.

[Jeremy Moore]

Today is actually my birthday so if anyone wants to buy me something from Amazon you are more than welcome to =)

I will pick up something through the affiliate program as a gift to myself!

[Paul Amyes]

Doh!!! If only you'd said this yesterday....I did a major book buying splurge at Amazon then.

Happy Birthday Mike.

[bert]

Just to make things clear: are we talking 87 items or 87 orders? Placing distinct orders on items w/ free shipping shouldn't be too hard... ;-)

Happy Birthday!

[mike b]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reminder. Just ordered a supply of Epson VFA and Gevalia T-discs--both very essential to the creation of fine art, IMO. Hope it keeps the lights on for a few minutes...

Best,

mike b.

[Steve R]

I too have been buying from Amazon without thinking about your birthday. I will link to your link! Also, how about putting the Adorama link in a place where you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce where it it? You might as well get credit for our photo equipment purchases too!

[Matt Miller]

Done. I've been meaning to pick up some old Pink Floyd albums for darkroom enjoyment. Thank you for the excuse. Hope your birthday was fantastic. Thank you for doing what you do.

[Magnus]

Thanks, I needed some incentive to buy more stuff. Happy birthday! :)

[Stephen Gillette]

Okay, at this late hour on the West Coast, your birthday is now two days ago. But who knew? (Probably Ctein, but he wasn't telling...)

Happy Birthday, Mike! Many happy returns, and, if it pleases you, many more years of connecting so adroitly with photography enthusiasts from all over the planet via the internet.

"For he's a jolly good fellow...which nobody can deny..."

[David Teo Boon Hwee]

Mike, you mean 25th was ur bday? 26th feb is mine (in my timezone, that's yesterday already at the time of this post). How about I buy something from Amazon using your affliate links and you help me with my Amazon wish list? *hiaks hiaks* :)

Ok, jokes aside, I did receive Sebastiao Salgado's new Africa book for my present - a rare photography related present. So it's my turn to help TOP by buying another nice photo book from Amazon!

I think I shall go with Jonas Bendiksen: Satellites. Thanks Mike for maintaining TOP. It's my favourite photography site and one I made sure I visit everyday.

[Michael]

Happy birthday Mike, I've bought my present hope you reach your target, I just love the thrill of the chase?

[ggl]

Happy birthday Mike. My birthday was on the 25th as well.

[Andreas Manessinger]

Your birthday, my 500th image on my photoblog. Both good reasons for two CDs and a book. Btw: my birthday will be tomorrow :)

Happy birthday from Austria

[Sergey Botvin]

Thanks for the reminder. I can't promise you to buy more books and DVDs but I will buy them via your Amazon links from now on. Happy Birthday!

[Sam Murphy]

Every time you or someone else in the comments mentions a book, I go and check it out and if I like the sound of it, I add it to my wish list. It's about time I actually ordered something, so happy birthday, and thanks.

Now on their way to me (not all mentioned on TOP):

-Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs
-Steve McCurry: South Southeast
-David Alan Harvey: Divided Soul
-Steven Shore: The Nature of Photographs
-Ansel Adams: Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs
-John Szarkowski: The Photographer's Eye

Yipee!

[Bahi]

Done. With the number of feeds in the RSS reader and all the various affiliate linking (often hidden) going on at so many sites, it's easy for the money to go elsewhere without our realising so it's good to have a reminder from time to time. I hope you enjoyed your birthday and that you hit that next level.

[Simon]

A Very Happy Birthday Mike!

Not only will I buy me a present for your birthday but I will also buy me a present for my birthday in a couple of weeks. How unselfish is that!

Simon
Norfolk UK

[Mike Johnston]

Sam,
That's quite a varied and impressive list--take your time absorbing all that. Lots to enjoy! And thanks.

Mike J.

[charlie d]

HAppy Birthday Mike

I bought me :

Shipping estimate for these items: March 3, 2008
1 "Adams: Harmonium"
John Adams; Audio CD; $17.98

Sold by: Amazon.com
1 "John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives"
John Adams; Audio CD; $14.99

Sold by: Amazon.com

Hope it helps and watch after that health......

[cynlee]

glad you said something, didn't realize as I buy from Amazon when I can even though my wish list keeps getting longer.. It'd be a pleasure to support my favorite blog! Happy Birthday Mike! :0))))

[Ben Marks]

I got "you" a pack of Harmon-Kardan's new Byrata inkjet paper. Don't spend it all in one place. ;-)

[Hans-Georg Daun]

Happy birthday !
I got myself a real treat for your birthday: Julius Shulman - Modernism Rediscovered.

[Chuck Kimmerle]

Mike,

Is there a page where you list all of your book recommendations? If so, I'm too dumb to find it. If not, there should be.

I gave a particular book away as a gift and now want to replace it. Oh well, I'll just hafta do it the old fashioned way and browse backwards through the blogs.

[latent_image]

Such a simple thing to do: I've bookmarked your affiliate link. Why not be very explicit in asking people do to this? From here on out, my amazon purchases support you.

[John Sarsgard]

Done. Nothing sexy, but I was going to need a couple of inks for my 3800 soon, so went ahead and did it. A couple of questions. If we click through TOP to Amazon and buy an Amazon marketplace item (I buy lots of used books) does that help? And, when more than one of your sponsors offer an item, does one of them give you the best cut? I would understand if you didn't want to say, but might as well help as much as we can.

[JAM]

Will do, Mike.

Anything for a guy who still uses "craven" in writing.

[John]

Happy birthday Mike! I've used the links before and will see if there is anything I need that I can get from amazon before the end of the month.

[Jonas Yip]

I was about to place a large order from BHPhoto, but one of items turned out to be cheaper at Amazon anyway so I ordered it there instead.

Happy Birthday,
j

[Sam Murphy]

Can we get an update? How close are we?

[James]

Happy birthday! Your tripod carrying case I just ordered from Amazon will just fit my Slik. How did you know?

[Steve Goldenberg]

Mike - I just bought The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color by Johannes Itten. I hear it's the definitive work on color so it should be a huge benefit for my color photography!

I hope you hit your number!

[David Nicol]

Well I've picked up the Henry Wessel book in your honour :)

[Michael Allen]

Happy birthday, Mike! TOP is my home page. I bought Solaris by Stanislav Lem. But I wanted a D300! Mike (Vancouver)

[Mike Johnston]

"If we click through TOP to Amazon and buy an Amazon marketplace item (I buy lots of used books) does that help?"

John,
Yes! Less $ than new items, but they count toward the item total, and the item total determines the overall percentage. So they help too.

"And, when more than one of your sponsors offer an item, does one of them give you the best cut?"

Don't think so. At least, I don't know all the ins and outs of the rules. I get a complete accounting online--what was bought, who from, how much it cost, what our percentage is--but it's all raw data, and while I do pore lovingly over it from time to time (to envy and appreciate the reader who just bought a new Canon 1D Mk. III or to see what people are reading, or to see what else they bought that was not photography-related) I haven't been able to spot any trend along these lines.

BTW the account sheet doesn't tell me WHO bought what item, as that would be an invasion of the buyer's privacy. Just what was bought and when.

Sam M.,
Re "how about an update," it takes a couple of days for some purchases to register in the report, so I don't really have an up-to-the-minute tally. I won't really know what we did until I get the month-end numbers, in the first few days in March.

On the good side, I said we needed to sell 87 more items, and I think the real number (after I got the following day's report) was actually more like 56. I wasn't faking the number, it's just that the accurate info is a little delayed. The upshot is, we didn't have quite as far to go as I thought, which means we stand a better chance of getting there. 56 items is still a lot, but who knows!

Mike J.

[robert e]

Mike,

It may amuse you to know that I ordered film and developer, among other things, via your amazon link. I was running low on Tri-X anyway, so I bit the bullet and went through my wish list. I hope each roll counts separately. All the photo items in my cart were sold by Adorama through amazon, FYI.

My calendar says February has an extra day this year. Maybe I'll think of something else I desperately need before month's end.

Again, Happy Birthday!

[Les Hancock]

Mike: Two days ago I decided to buy a Pentax K20D. I went to TOP and looked for a link to B&H, no kidding, but came up empty-handed. So I bought from them directly, sorry about that. Just FYI.

[Chris]

OK, I bought Disfarmer: 1939-1946 Heber Springs Portraits.. I have the book of tracked-down original prints.... and the one on him from UNM Press..... "Continuity and Change" by Toba Tucker. I can't get enough of this guy it seems. Haunting, haunting, haunting.... Sparks fly off of his story still. Thanks for the excuse, and happy birthday!

[Chris S.]

Mike, I don't have extra cash to buy stuff right now but I do wish you well. Why don't you create one of those Amazon Lists with your recommended books and add a link on the left. I sometimes browse peoples lists to get ideas. I'm pretty sure that when I bought one of those Vistaquest VQ1005 keychain cameras a month back that it was through your link. Seeing how incredibly cheap it was ($10) I'm sure the amount you got was trivial. I'm on the other side of the planet so anything I think about buying requires serious thinking about shipping costs too. Ah, well, Happy Birthday regardless.

[Arnaud]

What about a link to amazon.fr?
Happy Birthday,
Arnaud-

[Imants]

I would but I support my local bookstore, if I and like minded don't support him he disappears and all I am left is with is trashy supermarket novels. I pay extra for what he orders but he is happy to search for new and second hand books.
I can't discuss books and local/global information with Amazon

[Craig]

if only you could organise an amazon.com.au, amazon doesn't ship electronics outside the US and books are dman heavy to post to australia. Sorry I cannot help, happy birthday and keep up the good work.

[Mike Johnston]

"What about a link to amazon.fr?"

Bonjour Arnaud,
I tried twice but was rejected both times! Both times they said the link (TOP) was non-operational. Don't know what's going on with that, but there it is.

Mike J.

[Mike Johnston]

"if only you could organise an amazon.com.au, amazon doesn't ship electronics outside the US and books are dman heavy to post to australia."

Craig,
I have been told twice that an Amazon.au is "coming." As soon as it exists, we will link to it.

Mike J.

[JL]

I was looking for a good excuse to get Istanbul by Alex Webb and some other stuff in my list for months. Thanks Mike and a gr8 year to u.

[Mike I.]

Consider the balance of my 37th frame subscription my support.

[Geoff McCann]

I love birthdays, so I've been a greedy b'astard & bought loads of great stuff via your Amazon link!
Have a great one!

Geoff

[Ben Marks]

So Mike, did you make your numbers?

Ben Marks

[robert e]

Notes for any last-minute birthday shoppers looking for little items to make amazon's free shipping threshold or to run up Mike's item total, or just for future reference:

$8 for Sima or Nikon branded Lens Pen.

Prices for memory cards look good, too.

Magazine subscriptions count toward the free shipping quota, including about a dozen photo mags ("Shutterbug" is $12).

[Andre]

I see you've already more than made your quota, but I went ahead and ordered that subscription to Lens Work that I've been meaning to get for months now. Thanks for the nudge and happy birthday.

-Andre

[Richard]

I buy a lot of things through Amazon. I promise to do it only through your link from now on. I'm sure all of us wish you the very best. Happy Birthday, Mike.