Orange tabby cat lying on a hay bale surrounded by pumpkins, corn stalks, and autumn leaves in a cozy outdoor fall scene.

Sights and Scenes of an everyday perosn- Banner’s deep thought mode

🎬 A creator journey I never applied for — featuring two cats, one confused human, and a whole lot of watch time.

A black cat wearing eyeglasses sitting on a wooden desk with books and papers in the background, creating a scholarly and humorous scene. I think I may have mentioned that Facebook has officially designated my Sights and Scenes page as a creator. That’s the page tied most closely to my blog, Arounddustyroads. When I first saw the notification, I blinked at it like it was a surprise pop quiz. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it felt like a promotion. Promotions are good, right?

I’d joined the ranks of those internet icons I like to follow. Sure, I’m the tiniest newcomer in the creator universe, but at least I earned the title. Of course, I wasn’t sure how I earned it… or what it would take to keep it. But I’ve been finding out.

📌 1. Apparently I Qualified by Accident

Facebook seems to have given me the designation because I regularly share my Arounddustyroads posts on the page, and those posts then get shared to my personal page. This creates “activity.”

So after all these years, Facebook decided I’d been around long enough to get the upgrade. Not much of a promotion, really — more like a “fine, you’re still here, take this.”

But the biggest difference? As a creator, I can actually earn money… eventually. I can’t do that from my personal page.

This is where I made my first mistake: I assumed “creator” meant “fun little badge.” It actually means “Congratulations, you now have homework.”

📌 2. The Requirements Are… Hilarious

If I want to qualify to get paid, I have some minimum standards to meet. After I got through laughing, I said what the heck — I might as well work toward it. It won’t be quick and probably not pretty, but it’ll give me something to do.

Here’s an example of the requirements:

For Facebook Reels:

5,000 followers
60,000 minutes of watch time in the last 60 days
5 active videos
Follow FB’s content guidelines

Social media analytics dashboard showing view counts, watch time, engagement percentages, a line graph of activity over time, and charts breaking down views by content type and by followers versus non‑followers

Maybe in my next life. But let’s see how long it takes to even get close. What’s that saying? A journey begins with the first step. Well, I’ve taken mine… and immediately tripped over it.

📌 3. My “Team” Is Not On Board

Two cats sitting behind a news desk with papers and a microphone, styled like TV news anchors with a “WMEO 9” sign and a cityscape studio background. My stars, my partners in crime, my teammates — Banner and Balboa — are not the most willing or cooperative coworkers.

I’ve been following them around with my camera for three days. Have they done anything cute? Of course not.

Banner has decided to become a philosopher. This morning, he assumed full Thinking Mode on the human toilet — sitting on the closed lid like Rodin’s “The Thinker,” staring into the middle distance as if pondering the mysteries of the universe.

Naturally, this happened the exact moment I stepped out of the shower, dripping wet, no camera anywhere within reach. He knows. He absolutely knows.

Balboa, meanwhile, has taken a vow of invisibility and only appears when the camera is off. I swear he can hear the “record” button.

I guess they don’t want to be the next internet cat sensations. I need those five original videos, and apparently my cats have decided to unionize.

📌 4. The Creator Warning I Should Have Taken Seriously

I remember watching a creator explain how they got involved (wanted public speaking experience) and how it morphed into a full‑time job. I couldn’t tell if they were happy about it or not — the message felt more like a cautionary tale.

Well, I’ve been a “creator” for a week, and I can tell you:

Yes. It’s a full‑time job.

There’s planning, filming, editing, posting, tracking, adjusting, and then repeating it all again because Facebook says you need “consistent engagement.” I’ve had jobs with fewer steps.

📌 5. Here’s the Bottom Line

So here I am — promoted without asking, assigned a job without training, chasing cats who refuse to perform, and trying to rack up 60,000 minutes of watch time like I’m running a tiny, chaotic television network out of my living room.

Will I ever qualify for monetization? Who knows.

But I’ve decided something important:

If Facebook wants me to be a creator… then I’m going to be the most stubborn, persistent, dripping‑wet‑post‑shower cat‑wrangling creator they’ve ever seen.

And if Banner wants to sit on the toilet and contemplate the meaning of life instead of helping, that’s fine. I’ll film him next time. Even if I have to sprint through the house in a towel like a deranged wildlife photographer.

Because one way or another, this creator is getting her five videos.

Proof That Common Sense Isn’t Common

Have you ever heard the expression “And they walk among us” — usually said with that tone of marvelous disbelief? Then we laugh and shake our heads. How could anyone be so stupid!

Well, I’ve found a creator who has built his entire brand around calling out these moments. His name is Bizmanic, and he has perfected the art of showcasing the everyday absurdities of the human race.

Some of his greatest hits include:

• Are You Smarter Than the Average Customer

• Top 20 Complaints

• Top 10 Entitled Customers

• Top 10 Dumbest Reasons Someone Got Fired

• Complaints From Entitled People Who Went on Vacation

• And the best of all: a list of ridiculous product warning labels

There are probably more, but honestly… aren’t these enough?

Let me give you a few examples of the kinds of stories he tells — and yes, these things really do happen.

Story Box 1 — The Comcast Call

Let me give you an example. This is a story about being a call center helpline representative for Comcast aka Xfinity. You know, that company we all love to hate. Callers are mad before you even have a chance to pick up the phone. I’ve even answered this very same question. So here it is

I can assure you this really happens. I spent nine years at Comcast, several of them in that same tech‑support queue, and I have personally answered this exact question more times than I can count. Back then, before everyone switched to streaming, the cable box was the only clue people had. Now your smart TV just taps into Wi‑Fi — but if the power is out, nothing works anyway.

Story Box 2 — The Blockbuster Puppy Incident

Do you remember Blockbuster Video? Rows and rows of VHS tapes and DVDs lining the walls.

A customer once walked in, looked around at all the movie cases, and asked:

“So… where do you keep the puppies?”

I still don’t know what movie they thought they were renting, but I sincerely hope they didn’t leave disappointed.

Story Box 3 — The Grocery Store Beef Revelation

Then there was the customer who was shocked — genuinely shocked — to learn that beef comes from cows. This was brand‑new information to them.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not let this person do my grocery shopping.

But like I said, the warning labels post was the best. These are the ones that make me question Darwin. Survival of the fittest? If you need these warnings, how are you still walking among us?

A few gems:

• “Do not iron clothes while wearing them.”

• “Not for contact with eyes or genitals.”

• “Remove child before folding stroller.”

So folks, if you want a good laugh and don’t mind someone poking fun at the absurdities of life, you have to check out Bizmanic on Facebook. He’s proof that common sense isn’t common — but at least it’s entertaining.