Blogging
I have been working on various blog projects for over three years now, and have amassed a considerable amount of written work. As a member of The Frontrange Bloggers, I continue to improve and expand my work.
Current Blog Projects
The Reluctant Eater
Inspired by Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, I have decided to overhaul my eating habits to focus on locally grown, whole foods. This blog follows me along the path as my cupboard goes from boxed supermarket food to barren, and a fridge full of fruits, vegetables, and other real food.
The Reluctant Eater received a paragraph in the weekly newsletter of the local farmers market after only 10 days in existence!
On Happiness
A personal blog about my thoughts on happiness and personal change. This has been my most enduring blog, approaching it's 200th post.
The Long Honeymoon
This blog relies heavily on short video clips and photographs to tell the story of my roadtrip halfway across the country and subsequent honeymoon in Peru and Bolivia. Although professionally, I generally focus on professional blogs, I would be happy to consult for a personal travel blog. It is a great way to keep friends and family up to date, and can tell the story of your trip so much more effectively than a 15 minute phone call upon your return.
My Creative Non-Fiction
Some of my most recent work is an ongoing collection of true stories written as I further develop my skills through writing groups and continuing education classes.
Timber Bandits
TimberBandits.com is a social network that I developed in 2004 for my small group of rock climbers. The site was designed and programmed by yours truly, and I was also the most frequent contributor to the written Trip Logs. Although posting to the site has slowed considerably, it still receives plenty of hits from visitors who come to enjoy the old stories and photos.
Deceased Blog Projects
Davis Square Development
This hyper-local real estate project lasted just six weeks (before I shut it down due to confusion regarding the enormous ethical grey area in which I was treading) but generated a ton of local buzz. I made several new clients in that time period, mostly locals who were swayed by the entertaining voice and local expertise presented in the posts. One client found me from Virginia, and visited a few weeks later to look at properties! In fact, weeks after removing the blog, I was still being contacted by potential clients.
The blog is no longer being updated, but you are welcome to take a look. Contact me and I will grant you access to the archives, 63 posts of my most effective project to date. Also, check out my Davis Square Development case study.
Genesis Consolidated Services
Developed and programmed by myself and another engineer, this is a private blog for an HR services company. Unfortunately, I cannot provide a link or samples of the blog. Creating a blog in a professional, corporate setting taught me how to:
- Pitch new technology to unconvinced management
- Overcome internal objections and hesitation
- Achieve companywide acceptance and support through education and promotion
- Use a blog as a means of communicating important information within a company
10BB/100 Challenge
A poker blog I used to help reach a personal poker goal I set for myself. Focused personal blogs can be a great source of: motivation, inspiration, and documentation. At times, I will look back on some of my earlier posts at On Happiness and read inspiring things I didn't even remember writing! Personal blogs can be a great catalyst for change. Displaying them publicly adds a sense of accountability, which often serves as that extra little motivational push you've been searching for.