Damien at the Speed of Life – DATSOL

I think the two words are oxymorons sometimes.  Even though that has been my experience, I will not give up on the good people can do in friendships.  Like most people, I have been betrayed and stabbed in the back at work.  At the same time though, I’ve met people who were truly good to the core and these people keep me trusting in humanity. I hate it when people make loaded comments and seemingly keep you in the dark about things.  I am the kind of person who will tell you if I have a problem with you.  Unfortunately, not everyone is like that.  Many people see advancement or recognition as more important than people.  While I enjoy advancement and recognition, I take care to make sure they are never my primary motivator for doing what I do (I teach elementary school).  The trick for me with trust at work is learning the paramaters of healthy boundaries.

Another issue to discuss along these lines is the issue of boasting at work.  One person may innocently share at the water cooler about his/her new tv and another will feel the need to describe in vivid details his/her home theater furniture.

Do you trust people at work?

The reviewer learns from the reviewee

Reviewing peer blogs can be an excellent way to see bogging from “outside the box.”

I’ve been reviewing blogs let me tell ya!

I started a thread over at Blog Catalog offering anyone a blog review as long as it came to me prior to January 9th, 2009. I have a little time off work and I thought it would be fun to meet some new bloggers and maybe help some people out if possible. The response so far has been positive.

Ever bite off more than you can chew?

Just kidding.  Kinda.  I’ve managed to do 12 reviews in 3 hours and my neck hurts LOL. I’ve tried to be positive and comment on the PROS more than the cons. Some people have asked me to really criticize though so in some cases that is what I’ve done. Even though I am behind, I am committed to reviewing everyone who asks prior to the 9th. It is a blast and I am learning while I review.  I thought I would summarize a few things here on my personal blog that seemed common issues to me anyway:

Here’s the common roadblocks I see …

• Too many ads on new blogs is annoying – My advice? Wait until your traffic warrants payment. Generally 15,000 visitors or more per month.

• Intentional Branding is crucial – The name is the thing. Really think before you put up a name or a tagline. It is your currency and it is all you ever have in blogging. Many seem haphazard.

• Many blogs have way too broad of a scope – How many malls does a town need? Be a STORE not a mall. I am reading so many blogs that have taglines like “a little of this a little of that and everything else.” It is YOUR job to tell us who you are and why YOU are worth reading.

I hope my words are helpful and not pissing people off over there. I aim to do right by my contribution to people’s art. If you’d like a review of your blog, I still have plenty of spare time before the 9th. Go ahead and submit it over at Blog Catalog and I’ll do my worst for ya!

Thanks to the Blog Catalog folks I’ve reviewed for giving me the privilege of reviewing your work.  If the 9th has passed and you’d like a review, ask me.  If I have the time I’d be happy to.

Social media reveals great blogs out there in the wilderness. These are the best I ran across last week, the week before Christmas 2008. Each entry below will receive a much deserved Stumble from me.  Enjoy them and tune in next week for another safari.

• Digg

  • Archaeologizing Watchmen: An Interview With Dave Gibbons
  • iPhone Trumps Storm In Customer Satisfaction
  • Regenerate Your Brain? Science Says It’s Possible

• Technorati

  • Court Investigated Jodie Sweetin for Substance Abuse
  • SERB robot with Wii Nunchuck control
  • Is J. Lo’s Marriage On The Rocks?

• Delicious

  • 25 Stylish Website Footer Designs – Six Revisions
  • My CSS Menu – Menu Generator – horizontal menu, vertical menu
  • Top 10 Free Tools for Monitoring Your Brand’s Reputation

• Reddit

  • Vote up if you’re browsing Reddit on Christmas morning, rather than spending time with your family.
  • There must be a reckoning for Bush and Cheney. If Bush and Cheney are allowed to retire quietly, America will have failed to reassert that bedrock principle of the republic: the rule of law.
  • So bad. So so bad. Wouldnt take more if they were free. If they paid me even.

• Mr. Wong

  • Santa Claus and Christmas at the Northpole
  • ElfYourself™ : Brought to you by OfficeMax®
  • Flash Reindeer Pinball Game Free Online

Since you are here, you get props for reading another person’s blog. READ ON.

This post is about stopping work on your own stuff and paying attention to other people’s blogs.  Something extremely valuable I have a very hard time doing. Like the picture, this blog is my “RX-7 on blocks.” Sometimes I need to get it on the road to visit others, even though it isn’t perfect.

Take time away from all your tinkering under the hood and drive the damn car.  That’s a tweaked version of what one of my mentors Lorelle van Fossen said in an interview a ways back.  It is true.  I will say that there is a lot of fussing under the hood we have to do, I won’t bore you with a list.  Believe it or not, I have several interviews of my own floating around out there you can access with a few search words on Google.

Instead, this post is about stopping work on your blog and reading the great blogs out there.  Obviously with the millions of blogs out there, I can’t tell you the ones to read.  That’s where the “bloghop” comes in.  Use social networks to find blogs in your niche and read them regularly looking for the best.  After driving my car around I have found blogs that are true inventors.

By that I mean, they create, innovate, and integrate into meeting the goals of their blogs.  Strive to be like them, but most importantly never get so caught up in fussing under the hood that you don’t bloghop with peace and pleasure.  That’s when you find most the answers you look for getting grease on your hands.  Reading and making notes from great bloggers is like getting the best diet pills for your blog. You rethink your sidebar, your header, even your template sometimes and all for the better. You wind up with a blog that’s lean and mean. Okay, enough gabbing. Time to read!

I’ve always been fascinated by visionaries.  These are people who have the same raw materials as everyone else and do amazing innovative things with it.  I’ve written extensively on Walt Disney, Ray Kroc, Rod Serling, and many many more innovators.  Watching the amazing Randy Pausch Last Lecture, I learned that the engineers at Disneyland are called “imagineers.”  He is an incredible resource by the way.  Though no longer with us.  I look for the “Imagineers” of life and I bask in their brilliance.  My hope is that some will rub off on me!

Recently I git a friend request from a blogger over at and ever since we became friends, I can label him an “Imagineer” of blogging.  There is much he doesn’t know yet simply because (in case you haven’t learned yet) there is no book on this stuff.  I argue there never will be because once there is, the information is obsolete.  My friend Justin over at dragonblogger.com is hungry to innovate.  He’s one to watch and one to network with.  I see his blog making a lot of money one day.  But, as you know, money isn’t the best motivator for good content.  That is what is king, and Justin seems to know that very well.  Justin is testimony to what an openness to learning can get you, his blog already receives (after a month) over 100 visitors a day!  He is also proof that social networks like can create lasting online friendships that are mutually beneficial.

I’ve always been drawn to innovation.  I remember first seeing Star Wars in 1977 at 8 years old and swallowing my gum.  Even then, innovation blew me away.  I strive to be an innovator at work and online … it makes life so much more interestng don’t you think?

Here’s some great stuff I ran across last week.  Give these posts a stumble if you like them.

A Simple System To Keep Financial Records
This is a great innovative idea from my favorite finance blogger. Try it, I am.

What! | The BenSpark
A cool picture Ben took of a praying mantis.  Ben takes and publishes a photo a day.

Create Your Photo Mosaic | SimplyDunn.net
Dunn gives us another amazing online resource for making a cool thing.

How to Become a Better Blogger 5: Your Online Presence & one cool…
Some great tips on building an online voice and presence with your blog

Back to School Romantic Ideas
Hey, you know how the stress grows when the kids are getting back to school. Read Chelle’s post to get closer with your kids. And thanks Chelle for the linkback to my blog in the post.

Dream Job Titles | Growing Happiness
This is a great thought. Head over and read this, then think about how you could “alternatively” classify your role in the world.

My Guest Post up at “The Man Page”
I guest posted as a teacher over for the Man Page. Derek was nice enough to let me open up on a subject I am passionate about: taking your kids out of school or vacations.

C.A.N. Blogging Goals and Progress – August 2008
I detail my progress toward goals last month, reveal my net income through blogging, and give a few reflections on what worked on all 3 of my blogs.

Writing Advice From The Blogosphere: Labor Day Blog-Lib | Confident…
This is a clever way to do link love for the week. Joanna is a great writer and here she gives us writing coaching along with recognition/networking of some other bloggers (including me!)

Doors for Depression?
The Catatonic Kid has created another visual and provocative post … with only her words. What is depression? Chime in and leave a comment as to your opinion.

The Juice Is Worth The Squeeze & Derek Semmler dot com
This saying is very appropriate for my friend Derek who recently had so many people Digging and visiting one of his blog posts that it shut down his server. These are his after-thoughts.

See you on the next Blog Safari!

It’s been almost a full year since I quit reading RSS feeds.  It got way too out of control and for me it was just more clutter in my daily routine.  I have to say that my getting out there to read my favorite blogs has definitely stagnated.  I used to make my “rounds” daily and now I am lucky if I can get to my blogroll once a month.  As any blogger knows … time management is golden.

I’ve learned a lot in the last year that might make RSS feeds a better bet.  I’ve prioritized my goals and set goals in the direction of CAN, my self rating system.  I’ve also learned more how to identify a blog worth putting on my “to read” list.  So I’m gonna go for it.  If you are on my blogroll you can bet I’ll be stopping by more.  If I haven’t commented much lately. my apologies … we live, we learn.

As for those not on my blogroll and the other ones out there in the blogosphere I have yet to discover.  I think going back to RSS feeds and Google reader will have some “pioneering,” “discovery” qualities that will introduce me to more greatness on the web.  Do you read RSS feeds? I know some people don’t.  I’m interested in your input on this new(old) direction I am taking.