That was a joke.

After a thoroughly inexhaustive consideration of available languages, I chose PHP to learn a few things. Since I’ve been doing work in Wordpress (written in PHP) and have had a few people express the need for database functionality in their webpages (PHP and MySQL can handle almost anything you can throw at it) AND I’m working on a site based on Pligg (also written in PHP), it seemed like the right direction to go. It also seems fairly simple to pick up (comparatively) and the support/community/documentation is quite robust (one of the few words I use despite the fact that I hate it).

Despite the many pages dedicated to PHP tutorials, how-tos, and tips/tricks, I have not been very successful finding exercises I can practice with. I’ve been a student for longer than I care to admit, I need homework to function properly!! So I searched high and low and put together this list of beginner PHP exercises. I’m also including a link to my results so people can see the results (no guarantee of accuracy).

Zend’s Beginner’s Guide to PHP is a  good place to start if you need a refresher or need some help.

From the Digital Point forums

1. Define a variable called ‘name’ containing the text ‘Mario’ and then write “I am Mario.” using the variable to write the ‘Mario’ part. You may only use two commands max!
2. Use the code from the previous example but add a check using an ‘if’ condition to check whether the name is ‘mario’. Place the text from the previous example in the ‘if’ condition.
3. Try changing the $name variable to ‘awaken’. You’ll notice that the previous script writes nothing (If it doesn’t, go back and redo #2, it’s not complete!)
4. Use a while-loop that starts at 0 and keeps running while the number is lower then 5. Write the variable to the screen after each run.
5. Modify the previous example to use a ‘for’ loop instead of a ‘while’ loop

From IT-UNIVERSITETET I KØBENHAVN

“Make a script that takes a number N as argument and prints out the N’th line of the file brixtofte.txt. If N is negative or larger than the number of lines in the file, an error message should be printed. Do not forget the rules about manipulating with files!”

From Huzilla.org’s PHP book

A quick note about this site. The “book” is very useful but on every page you’ll see a big headline that tells you that that particular version in not the most current. The current version took a minute to load and was in wiki format. I didn’t immediately see any of the quizzes or exercises so I’m linking to the old version.

I’m only listing the first few sections of quizzes (the beginner information). Each section listed in the table of contents has its own exercise bank.

• Quiz 1 (Introduction to PHP)
  
• Quiz 2 (Variables and Operators)
  
• Quiz 3 (Functions)
• Quiz 4 (Arrays)
• Quiz 5 (Objects)
• Quiz 6 (Forms)
• Quiz 7 (Files)
• Quiz 8 (Databases)
• Answers to all quizzes

From Iowa State University

“Download the yeast.txt file from the website. Write a script that displays the names of all the protein-fragments contained in the file [the block of capital letters only].

“Adapt [the script above] to construct an array while you read through the file that contains all the titles of fragments. Now encapsulate that functionality in a PHP function GetFragmentTitles($fn) whereby $fn is name of the file and the return result is an array containing all the titles. The pseudocode for this function is as follows:

function GetFragmentTitles($fn) {
// open file $fn
// create a new array $titles
// for each $line in file $fn
// if $line represents a title
// add the title to array
// close the file
return $titles;
}

“Construct a form where the end-user can enter (part of) the name of a fragment. A second script subsequently searches the titles to see if (part of) the name occurs in the file. Report on how many fragments are found.

“Simulate a BLAST-search interface: a user can enter part of a sequence and your script should report if and where the subsequence is found. Use really small fragments to see if they show up multiple times. What do you report if no fragments are found?

• Extra: What if the user enters an empty string?
• Extra: Can you think of a good use of the strtolower() function in this scenario?
• Extra: Can you highlight the found sequence?”

My progress so far…

Introduction

There are two companies online that I like a lot (love?) and will always patronize (as long as they stick to their formula); Amazon.com and Newegg.com. Put simply, the prices are great, I’ve never had an issue, what I order shows up fast, and, when I need it, the customer service is great (Newegg’s service is off-the-charts great). As such, I also give them respect on here and by word-of-mouth.

Someone clued me into the whole Amazon Affiliates program where you advertise books you like from Amazon on your site. Since I wanted SOME kind of monetization and I like to show my support for things I really like, it seemed like the perfect combination. I think, however, it requires a bit of explanation so you don’t think that those are just random books. I actually picked them out and read them myself and now I think you should do the same.

I’m a newbie so what’s in it for me?

So, let’s say you’re a bit web savvy and let’s say you’ve got a lot to say so let’s say you start yourself a little blog. You start off slowly, write a few posts, get some momentum and now you want to see what you can do about raking in the dough.You get to researching blog advertisements and, BAM, too much information.

I don’t think you can go wrong with the Amazon widget, to be honest. Pick books that match your content, pick books you support and why wouldn’t people click on the links? I think it’s honest, it’s up-front, you can support something you agree with, and their widgets look great.

I’ll report back when I’ve retired off of the revenue and tell you how to do the same.

So what’s so great about those books?

In the spirit of being honest, I thought I might put a little review on here of each to prove that I ACTUALLY own these books and ACTUALLY read them (well, you don’t so much read a CSS guide or an Illustrator book.. I did read the XHTML one though). Here’s why I like them (I’m posting these on Amazon as well)…

The Elements of Style (Illustrated) by Strunk, White, and Kalman

I wish I could remember who originally recommended the original Strunk & White Elements of Style to me. If I could remember, I would find them and hug them unabashedly.

If you’re writing ANYTHING and care AT ALL about how it turns out then do yourself a favor and pick this one up. The organization is very strange (there isn’t any to speak of) and the writing style is very direct. The result is a no-nonsense book that teaches you to cut the crap out of your writing.

There are many, many valuable lessons contained in Strunk’s short and useful guide but the best ones, for me, are the ones regarding comma usage and his favorite command, “Omit needless words.” During everything I’ve ever written since reading this book I’ve heard a disembodied voice telling me to remove words. I’ve noticed while editing other people’s work that the piece can be improved dramatically by deleting all the words that say nothing.

It’s a quick read but a necessary one for anyone doing any kind of writing.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

As with “Elements…,” I’m not sure how I heard about this book. It was one of those odd series of events that ends with something in your mailbox. I read a few quick things about it online and suddenly decided that I must read the book. I’m glad I did because this was one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in a long time.

Anne has a casual but polished writing style that you can’t help but to get lost in. She writes like a close friend speaks to you, eschewing ego and pretentiousness to deliver her simple, personal message. It started out a  bit slow but the stories she told were very entertaining. By the time I reached the middle of the book, I was totally hooked and found the last half hilarious and very informative.

This book is, in the end, a guide on how to be a writer, not a guide on how to write. What I mean by that is you won’t really develop your style or improve your sentence structure by reading this book. What you will do, however, is come to terms with a lot of the obstacles facing writers at every stage of their careers. Her humor and her honesty makes you feel really good about contributing, failing, hating yourself, and moving on.

Though I would definitely recommend this book to anyone writing their own book, I would recommend it even more to anyone living in this world and doing the best that they can. She talks a lot about failing and self-hatred and giving up and charging through. I found myself particularly centered after reading about her embarrassing reactions and consequent success over jealousy and writer’s block. I learned more about my life and myself than I did about writing. I don’t necessarily consider myself a writer but I explore my creativity in different ways and this book really speaks to all of them.

Pick this book up, read it, and feel better about just being yourself.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.

Finally, a book with a history I can share.

This book was given to me by my dad, the king of business books and the fastest, most prolific reader I know. This guy blows through almost 1,000 pages a month on top of all the magazines, newspapers, and online sources he devours. Though our reading tastes aren’t completely aligned, when he recommends a book, I typically read it (or at least add it to The List in earnest).

This is the kind of book I don’t read. Though I find the advertising industry slightly interesting, I mostly hate it and wish it would go away (despite having a hand in it). This book, however, really cuts through the crap and explains positioning and branding in a way I’ve never heard before. In terms of marketing and branding, I pretty much live by the concepts in this book. Oh, and it’s about 30 years old. That’s how good this book is.

The  book shows you what successful companies have done to become that way and what other successful companies have done to screw it all up. With tons of examples and a very straight-forward writing style, this book will explain why certain products win and why others fail.

I read this book quickly and moved onto others by the same authors. They really know their stuff.

The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon

This is the best book I’ve ever read and likely will ever read. Period.

I have suffered off and on from depression throughout my life and this book, the first and only book I’ve ever read on the subject, did so much for my understanding about the condition. I’ve really never read a book that explained what I think and feel better than this.

First off, Andrew Solomon is an excellent writer. He gets a bit verbose at times but I found each sentence, regardless of it’s complexity, an adventure in and of itself. He paints such an incredible picture of the feelings and thoughts that accompany depression. Like anyone able to describe depression, Andrew has been through it and reading what he’s suffered from made me realize how lucky I have been with my own depression. Andrew has seen hell, been through hell, and came out enlightened.

Strangely, I always find this book difficult to describe adequately. His words were just so well chosen and the research so personal and interesting, I feel like it’s a book that needs to be experienced to be understood fully.

If you suffer from depression, clinical or occasional or undiagnosed or anything, I completely recommend reading this book from cover to cover. If you know someone who suffers from this condition and are struggling to understand what they’re going through, this book will go a long way towards helping you see what they see. I’ve really never had a book that explained something as well as this.

The Non-Designers Design & Type Books by Robin Williams

I wanted to write a quick blurb about this little book that has gone a long way towards teaching me proper design.

I’ve been dabbling seriously in graphic design for about a year now and find it one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever done and also one of the most satisfying. It’s very subjective, hard to describe, very time consuming, very sensitive, and totally maddening. When it works, it really works but when it doesn’t work, it shows you the highest level of frustration possible.

Robin explains all the basics very well which puts you in a position to begin to experiment. If you just stick yourself in front of Photoshop and try to bang out a business card or a menu or a technical document (which you really wouldn’t do in Photoshop), it’s probably not going to work out well unless you’ve had some experience. If, however, you read this little guide and try it, you’re going to have a few more ideas and at least understand the contrainst you’re working with in terms of color, alignment, etc.

This book is great for people without any experience in design who want to improve the way their documents, webpages, application screens, and printed material looks. You’re not going to win any contests with this knowledge (and neither are her examples) but what you produce will immediately look better. The writing style is a bit goofy but I use what I learned every day in everything I produce from graffiti to webpages to technical documents to resumes.

CSS: The Definitive Guide by Eric Meyer

A solid plot, well-formed characters, and an intriguing writing style make this… wait, what?

This is a boring, very useful book. I’ve read a lot about CSS on the web and nothing came close to the  explanation in this book. Instead of saying things like “we won’t bother you with the complex way this is calculated,” Meyer bothers you with the complexity. Each property I read made me really understand how it works and how it should be used.

I’ve been reading this bad-boy from cover to cover and I think I’m doing myself a bit of a disservice. I think I’m going to skip to the positioning section (everyone could use a better understanding of this mysterious and magical world), read that, maybe read a few other things I’m interested in mastering and then leave it as a reference. It makes a lot more sense to read the properties you don’t understand than trying to get through it all.

Learn (x)HTML and CSS online, then buy this book is you’re serious about getting into web page design.

Visual Quickstart Guide to HTML, XHTML, & CSS by Elizabeth Castro

I think I bought this book a bit late in my web design learning process but I still find a lot of use out of it. I use it as my general reference book and I’m constantly in the appendix and the chapter about forms.

Though I would recommend this book to people because I found it useful, I think there might be better books on the subject. I say this because it does not go into the level of detail you really need to master HTML. It does a great job explaining what it does but there are quite a few things left out or breezed over to keep the book and appropriate size. Also, combining HTML and CSS in the same book is probably a bad idea. The CSS book I reviewed above is bigger than this book and, ostensibly, covers 1/3 of the material.

If you want to learn enough about HTML to get by creating simple web pages or fixing your own, this is a great book for you. If, however, you want to really understand HTML and get into web development, I would suggest finding a book with a bit more content (probably something from O’Reilly [publishers of the CSS book above]).

]]> http://www.joshcanhelp.com/design-layouts/whats-that-crazy-amazon-thing-on-the-right-side-of-your-blog/feed/ http://www.joshcanhelp.com/design-layouts/whats-that-crazy-amazon-thing-on-the-right-side-of-your-blog/ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CanJoshHelp/~3/445610991/ http://www.joshcanhelp.com/mobile/the-worst-possible-way-to-work-or-how-to-find-a-system-that-works-for-you/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:00:21 +0000 Josh http://www.joshcanhelp.com/?p=380 Introduction

I was listening to a BBC program the other day that was talking about whether grandparents raising their grandkids was a good thing or a bad thing. Some people called in to say, yes, it was good but also bad. Other people called in to say it was bad, but also good. In the end, it seemed like the show’s host, whether on directive or personally motivated, was looking for “the truth,” in the sense that she wanted an answer - the answer. This is the format of most discourse in modern-day media, it seems, because it simplifies the issue down to the proverbial black and white. Instead of looking for some perspective on things, the conversation, apparently, always needs to come to a conclusion.

Self Help by hagner_james on flickr

I see this mentality a lot when I read the prolific “self-help” & “personal-growth” genre of blogs. There are “keys to success,” “paths to financial freedom” and, my favorite, “rock-solid ways to improve productivity.” If you’re familiar with blogs, then you’ll know the format of a catchy title, a hooky intro, and subsequent headers that are action-packed and full of information (cough). Knowing this, it’s hard to be TOO critical of the content because, hey, people are reading it and subscribing to it and linking to it and people are getting paid and everything is great. Still, there is something a bit funny about someone who discovered their path to productivity on their own but then shares it as the gospel of getting things done.

So, I’m going to share with you how I work. This method would/will drive certain people nuts. This method is not foolproof but none of them are. It also doesn’t work for absolutely everything, but none of the other ones do either. I read a lot of the productivity posts out there, internalize the message, and typically end up rejecting a lot of it. My system is probably a hybrid of all the things I’ve read about “making work happen.” Still, I modified it to be my own and, while I’m always changing and improving, it’s working well for me (ask the friends and family I don’t talk to enough).

I’m new to all of this… how can this help?

It’s so easy to get caught up on the “self-help” cycle of reading other people’s insights constantly and going nowhere in your own life. It’s also easy to get down on yourself if you just CAN’T meditate for an hour in the morning with a warm cup of white tea and visualize your day coming together. Some people work one way, some work another, and many don’t work at all. I want to tell you what I do to manage the chaos, live in the chaos, and use the chaos to my advantage. Maybe you’ll learn something, maybe you won’t but hopefully, by the end of this, you’ll at least feel OK about having your OWN system (or no system).

1. I work on what I want to work on

I’m simply incapable of being motivated and productive when I work on projects that don’t have my full interest. I’m still trying to figure out if this is just a human thing or a particular limitation of mine. Regardless if the origin is DNA- or species-related, it is something that affects my professional life profoundly.

Part of having a job of any kind is taking the good with the bad. This is, thankfully, true for rockstars, artists, programmers, teachers, and everyone else. We all have those moments, some more than others. So what to do when you get tired of something?

Move right along. Do the next thing. Stop what you’re doing before you ruin it.

If I can’t write, I don’t write and I try something different like web coding or maybe a bit of design or just run-of-the-mill organization. If I’m not feeling mentally capable, I do something repetitive. If I’m feeling competent and smart, I try to tackle something high level. Unless it’s due, people are waiting, or something’s on fire, if I don’t want to contribute, I don’t.

2. I jump from project to project, sometimes mid-sentence

This might be the most destructive of my tendencies but so far so good.

Unfinished and forgotten by Zach_ManchesterUK on flickr

I’ve been writing an email to someone, lost the motivation to type and switched to something else immediately. I wasn’t interrupted, the connection wasn’t broken, I didn’t change my mind, I just decided not to continue emailing. I often save drafts with unfinished sentences, let alone paragraphs.

Sometimes your inspiration to complete a certain task only lasts so long. Maybe the first couple paragraphs are gold and the rest are, say, crap. Instead of just pushing through for the sake of doing so, I stop and move on to come back when the motivation re-arises.

Now, there are times when it pays to sit down, drill in, and concentrate on what you’re doing. There are many things that require a strong train of thought and benefit from moving from idea to idea within a framework. There are more things, however, that simply don’t need that kind of attention. Emails in any form, documents, web pages… many things just need you to complete mental modules and then you can move on.

Never underestimate solid concentration with no interruptions for long periods of time. Don’t be afraid, however, to take microbreaks and split your project into chunks. The drip drip drip can, in many cases, lead to a better output.

3. I keep close track of (almost) everything

I’m on top of my shit, that’s all there is to it.

I stay in close contact with people and I do what I say I’m going to do. I’m frequently used by other people as their system of organization because I keep things moving and can remember where things left off. I’m not great with uber-minutia and I can’t possibly admit to always being on time, remembering anything, and making no mistakes. What I don’t do, however, is drop the ball.

I keep my inbox empty or as close as possible. I don’t move anything to a long-term to do list unless it’s a personal project. Anything client-related is up-front and center because I put it there. Things shift in priority, no doubt, but I don’t stop doing things because I forgot about them/. They either lost everyone’s interest or died off.

This helps me keep very current with everything I’m doing and helps me to consciously lose track of things that don’t matter.

4. I stay very organized

I wouldn’t say that I’m anal about everything but everything definitely has it’s place.

Emails get saved if they’re important and should stay as emails. Otherwise, their content gets stripped quickly and moved into an appropriate secondary system (like my contacts or my calendar). My USB drive is full and it’s easy to find everything that I need. My pictures are listed and sorted in a way that makes sense to my brain.

I don’t spend all day scheming up systems and sorting things around; that would defeat the purpose of having a system like mine. I take care of things immediately lest they fall off my radar. Documents are saved and sorted, bookmarks are sorted and printed to PDF if they’re THAT good, and personal information gets saved into Outlook (on my phone, synced at work, and exported into Excel to make sure I don’t lose track.

Again, I’m not the picture of organizational perfection but it’s hard for things to slip through the cracks. I make it that way so I can work the way I want to.

5. I’m quick to abandon a system that isn’t working

If my organization is the glue then this is the engineer to check to make sure my glue is holding.

I don’t “swear by” my system and I certainly would not go out of my way to recommend it (I would recommend SOME kind of system, though). I’m always on the lookout for better ways to do what I do because I always  like to save time and change is a good thing.

I try out new systems, software, methods, tools, etc but, more often than not, my day-to-day functioning doesn’t change much. This is because I re-iterate, check, and evaluate what I’m doing on a constant basis. This isn’t quite a conscious process, it’s more like something that’s in the back of my head. If a certain piece of software is pissing me off or I keep forgetting to do something or something is irritating me, a red flag appears and I’m ready to replace it.

Case in point, my email situation. I have too many damn email accounts to keep track of for no good. I have a business one that I access with my phone and Gmail. I also have a separate Gmail, separate Hotmail, separate Yahoo, and an office account. In the end, I feel no more connected because I have a million email accounts. I’m in the process of overhauling this system to make it work for me (expect a post about it).

That’s all

Yeah, just that.

Though the way I work is a bit unorthodox, I’ve shown many people how to make their lives easier using free/cheap software and a system to use it. I absolutely would not be as successful as I am without the technology that I use every day. If you’re interested in learning about getting your professional life together in a way that makes sense and isn’t a burden, get a hold of me.

Spam is…

What is spam? My personal definition of email spam is this:

Unrequested crap in my inbox that wants my attention and has the intention of taking my money or time.

Spam is unrequested crap. Spam is an email that I receive because I signed up for a different list. Spam is email I can’t seem to stop that wants me to buy something. Spam is when organizations and charities and movements think they can make me passionate about an issue by constantly reminding me about it (see: Obama campaign and wildlife organizations). Spam is email I get that I don’t want, even if I’m aligned with the company or peolpe that are sending it.

That’s spam in my mind but there’s a similar definition that fights for mind space and clouds the issue.

Spam is illegal.

Because of the well-meaning CAN-SPAM Act, spam is typically defined as illegal emails. Spam, according to the Act, uses “false or misleading header information,” contains “deceptive subject lines,” does not ” give recipients an opt-out method,” is not “identified as an advertisement,” and/or does not “include the sender’s valid physical postal address.” This means that companies are free and clear to send me as much email as they want as long as I know it’s an ad, I can trace it back to them, and I didn’t tell them explicitly to stop. That’s a start.

What the CAN-SPAM act does in theory is reduce the number of “well-meaning” commercial organizations sending out marketing emails. I’m sure this act reduced the email in my inbox which is very kind but not exactly what I’m getting at. What about companies that follow the rules but still irritate me and make me want to avoid what they’re selling? They won’t get in trouble but aren’t they going to lose a customer?

What about everything else that makes spam annoying?

Spam is unrequested.

The disagreement I had revolved around what constitutes responsible emailing. My colleague is of the mindset that as long as we aren’t breaking the rules, risking litigation, or getting swear word replies, we’re doing the right thing. There’s no “No Email” list out there like the Federal “No Call” list right?

My point is that if you intend to send emails to people you think might want to buy your product, you should be making sure that you’re sending them out in the right way lest you get a hold of people like me who really hate getting emails they didn’t ask for. If there’s nothing telling you not to do something, is it always ok to still do it? It’s not illegal for me to give you the finger on the I-5 when you cut me off so does that means it’s always the right reaction?

Spamming lists of people does not constitute good marketing.

I asked a Christian that I respect very much a question about her faith one time. She said that people who do not believe Jesus died for them will, unfortunately go to hell. I asked her, what about people who have never heard of Jesus before they die? What about newborns? What about agnostics in Muslim countries? Or eskimos? She said that you’re given a free pass if you’ve never heard of him which I thought was a really nice thing.This, I can imagine, takes a little bit of stress off of people who feel compelled to spread the word. Imagine if you felt the guilt of millions of people going to hell because you never got around to telling them about Jesus? Yikes!

I propose the same thing for anyone doing any kind of marketing. If someone does not hear about your product, it doesn’t mean that you failed. Sending out 1,000 emails to people you’ve cultivated or purchased under the guide of “spreading the word” is an old tactic, a poor way of marketing, and just lazy.

To take it a step further, eating away at your brand by bothering people that may or may not fit your demographic is actually the opposite of marketing, you’re now working for your competitor. I promise you, companies that spam me don’t get my money and there’s two reasons for that:

1. I don’t buy things from emails I receive. It’s never happened.
2. The things I buy are, incidentally, from companies who don’t send spam (to me at least)

Let’s look at that second thing more closely…

If I don’t buy things from emails, how in the world do I hear about them?

Sounds crazy right?

• I bought a TV (half bought, half gift) recently. I bought it from Frys.com (who do send me emails but I requested them) but not because I got an email about it. I was researching TVs on a forum (a car one no less), read some honest reviews about a Panasonic, also read a post about how cheap it was, and bought it from that. I used the Electronics community section of VWVortex.com to find it and read reviews at Newegg.com to confirm. Not a spec of marketing influenced me (I never even went to Panasonic’s site). I bought it from Frys.com because of the price.

• I’m about to buy a netbook (ultra-small laptop) to replace my aged and dying/dead Dell Latitude (I’d say almost a decade [estimate] of service is a pretty good run). I’ve read blog reviews, owner opinions, and, of course, opinions on VWVortex.com. I’m split between the Dell Mini 9 and the Asus EEE 1000HA. I found out about the Dell from a blog I read a lot, I found out about the Asus from random tech news. I’m making my decision similarly to the TV but also reading a lot of objective reviews. The other piece of the puzzle is where I’m going to buy it from. If I choose the Asus, I’ll buy from Newegg, always. They’ve built a great reputation in my mind and in the mind of others and their price is, 9/10, the best. Even if it’s $20-30 more, it’s still better to buy from them. If I choose the Dell I have to buy it from them.

• I bought a new car a while back, a Honda Element. I bought it used from a dealership and, despite all of their pushing and prodding, I didn’t buy it from them because they bugged me to. Honda made a quirky, great-looking, functional, interesting vehicle and I wanted one for years. I knew I would buy one eventually and, when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped. I didn’t buy from them because of TV commercials or emails or anything. I was there, they had the car, price was good, trade-in was good, and the guy wasn’t a COMPLETE asshole. Plus, I wanted a Honda. No ads, no emails, nothing. Like with the other two, I wanted it, read about it, and grabbed it.

I’m not your average consumer…

…but does that really matter?

Plain and simple, spamming people with emails or coupons in the mail or phone calls or aggressive in-person marketing all does the same think: make a mark AGAINST your company. I might be in the minority that knows how to buy things but, guess what, I’m also the one that’s giving free advertisement to websites and companies that I like just because I’m compelled to do so. I have no problem with recommending someone to Newegg like I would have no problem recommending a friend to another friend to get something done.

You might think you’re reaching more potential consumers and winning by stuffing my multiple inboxes with crap and you might be able to justify it with phrases like “brand awareness” and “front of mind” and “positioning” (if you’re using that to justify spam, you’re unclear on the concept). The problem is, you’re also alienating the few and the vocal, like me. I’m going to talk your company down if you’re ever brought up, I’m going to convince people not to buy from you because I don’t like your tactics, and I’m going to blog about you to anyone who will read.

There’s a fine line between being persistent and being annoying.

Forget the PUSH, create the PULL.

Anyways, writing my notes for this presentation got me thinking about my past as a student and how far I’ve come as a person. I wanted to share a bit about what I’ve learned as the oldest dude in my graduating class (except that other guy).

On being an undergraduate (at 29)

Sticking on the course that I chose for myself almost 7 years ago and staying motivated to complete it has been on of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It’s also been one of the best experiences I could ever hope for and one that’s absolutely altered everything about me and how I live.

One of the biggest things I’ve dealt with is the feeling of being “behind” in life. I’m one of the oldest undergraduates in my program (by about ~3-4 years) and, as such, I am constantly reminded that, in May, in terms of education, I’ll be 7 years behind most of the people I’m taking classes with. Just typing that knots my stomach up a bit. Having had the ability to choose my path at 17 when I graduated, I could be, best case scenario, 3 years post-PhD in whatever discipline I chose. I could celebrate my 30th as Dr. Cunningham making 6 figures and no the path to greatness (well, maybe). Instead, I’m going to celebrate my 30th completely exhausted with a BS in hand and, hopefully, an open spot waiting for me in a Master’s program for Computer Science (or Computational Science). Depressing when you put it like that, no?

Other considerations

Of course, this kind of comparison would be unfair. At 17, my direction in life was absolutely nil. In fact, I tried community college for one quarter, hated every second of it, and quickly decided to enter the workforce as a barista. This led to a severe (and still present) caffeine addiction combined with a solid pessimism directed towards the human race. There’s really nothing worse than being an already depressed teenager dealing with crowds of people deperate for their drug of choice. I still have bad dreams about that job. The point I’m trying to make is that I, at that point in life, was not only incapable of choosing a path for myself, I did not have the tools necessary to apply myself towards anything. I was listless and lazy and proud of it.

Additionally, I don’t know that I would have ever chosen chemistry as a discipline. I may have gone into computer science directly or biology or medicine (I did want to be a doctor but only for the parking space). I know now that I should be in chemistry, that this industry and I get along well, and that I understand it easily. Choosing the path for the rest of my life was a much easier task at 22 than it would have been at 17.

The most important thing, however, was what the 3 year delay in going to school taught me indirectly. I worked for a wireless company for almost 3 years before I decided to start taking classes again. In that 3 years I reached about 270 lbs, was completely inactive, smoked over a pack a day, was at a high point of anger and depression, and hated almost every second of my life. Looking back, I am very grateful for being able to experience what it is like to work for a good company with good pay and good benefits doing something a compuer program could do for 40 hours a week. I felt like a nothing and a nobody for 8 hours a day for several years and it taught me that I would enver again accept that kind of position in life.

Without this working period, I would never have met the important people that I did, learned incredibly important life lessons, and built the confidence and ability that I have today. I would have entered with world with a PhD, some incredible experiences, but, quite possibly, very little respect for what else is out there.

There is no “behind”

The idea that someone can be behind in life is something that I’ve wanted to come completely to terms with but have a long way to go. I’m able to dismiss it slightly by realizing that this is primarily an American construct. Thinking that there is a goal to life or being worried about what you’ve accumulated or how much education you have or how far along you are (or are not) with your mortgage is something that we’re indirectly trained to believe in this country. People make job decisions based solely on how much they’re making with no consideration to what they are doing or who they might be harming… but I digress.

I don’t have a mortgage, I don’t have a degree (yet), I don’t have a family of my own, I don’t have a wife, I don’t have any of that. As such, at 29, I am, in an American scale, behind… quite behind, actually.

I also don’t have a divorce, I don’t have a degree I’m not using, I don’t have credit card debt, I didn’t lost a lot of money when the economy crashed, I’m not drowning in student loans, I’m not upside-down on a car.

What do I have now? I have an amazing woman in my life (that, ironically, I met when I went to community college… had I accepted my position to the UW when it was granted, we might have actually had a class together many years before we actually met), I have a great relationship with everyone in my family, I have close, close friends in several different states, I have a network of professors I can contact and learn from, I have a great GPA, I have 2 jobs, both of which are fairly stable, I am humble and respectful and can appreciate anyone’s lot in life, and I’m grateful for all of that.

Am I behind? Yup. Am I ahead? Yup. Is anyone keeping score? Only me if I decide to.

Thinking about going back to school in your 20s? 30s? 40s?

The easy answer would be “yes, do it! Do it for you and me and them! Go back! Always” but I’m not going to say that because I’ve also learned that college just isn’t for anyone. Here’s what I think:

• If you go back, do it for something that excites you. I would have never stuck with this degree if I didn’t like the subject. As you get older, your time, especailly your time off, becomes increasingly valuable. If you’re going to classes that aren’t interesting, skipping time with your family and friends to study, and generally “losing life” (that’s what it feels like sometimes) to your degree, the least you can do is study something that you find interesting.
• Don’t go back without calculating the opportunity cost along with the actual cost. Here’s how…
  • Calculate the amount that the schooling will actually cost (tuition, books, supplies).
  • Calculate how much you’ll be making while in school (if anything) and multiply it by the time you’ll be in school (so if you can make $15,000/year in a part-time job and the school takes, say, 4 years, you’ll make $60,000 total during that time).
  • Now calculate how much you would be making if you WEREN’T in school (if you could make $40,000 per year average for those 4 years then you’re at $160,000 for four years).
  • Take what you will make during that time away from what you would make and add that to the actual cost to get your absolute cost ($160,000 - $60,000 + $20,000 = $120,000)
  • Now figure out how much you’re gaining after you get the degree (it’s been found that college graduates make about $20K more per year than those without… so it will take you 6 years to make that $120K back).
• Nothing can make you feel older than hanging out with people 10 years younger than you are. Still, you have the advantage. You want this degree ten times more than most of the people around you. You’re also more likely to get more sleep, take better care of yourself, try harder, and do better. Attend a few study groups, gab about teenage drama, tell them about your wife or kids or mortgage… get in there and get the experience. I’ve learned a lot about myself through the young’uns I go to class with.

I’m never COMPLETELY satisfied with the outcome but I’m definitely internalizing the idea of taking my time, moving deliberately, and taking the artwork line by line. It’s very easy, with spray paint, to rush through things and end up with a sloppy, ugly piece. The timing and movement is critical to (a) avoid drips and (b) ensure line consistency. I find spray paint to be a frustrating but eye-opening medium to work with. You HAVE to allow for a certain level of messiness but you’re also aware that you can be very neat if you have the skills and patience.

Personally, I find more “zen” and enjoyment in the drawing. It’s interesting to me to have constraints (like letters) but be free to express them however I wish. I do much better with a pencil and pen than I do with a can of spray paint. To be honest, each time I finish a piece, I’m ready to give up on the aerosol portion of the artwork. Still, I keep coming back and, typically, I’m glad I did.

These pictures were taken by a professional photographer who showed up to snap a few. You can find her work at www.creativeshake.com/karin. She showed Pose and I some of her other work on her iPhone (great way to carry around a portfolio) and we were blown away. She’s got a very broad talent and her composition was just fanstastic. She really knows the angles! Thanks for the copies, Karin.

The rest are off of my phone so pardon the quality (or complete lack thereof).

So, now he’s got this blog… how does he build this blog up. The actual question:

ok so my blog is hooked up how do i send it and link it to other peoples sites… get it out there?

This is a key question, especially for someone who wants to use the internet to gani a bit of exposure. His current web presence is very static and not easy to manuever at all. The blog was my idea and, by the time I had explained it to him, he loved it.

So, here’s what I told him, appended after the fact with a bit more information.

Spread the word, my friend.

First things first, send an email to every email address you’ve got. Tell them about it, what it’s there for, and they they should expect to see. Even better, announce your intentions ON the blog itself as well.

Activate that friend and family network, that is step one. The people close to you and your existing fans want to hear more than anyone else how and what you are doing. The great part about running a blog that is tied into your personal life is that the news of your life can be slightly re-purposed and presented publicly. I like to use this site as somewhere I can announce what I’ve got going on and really analyze them completely. For me, writing about something either gels it in my head or it removes it completely. Sometimes I’ve got too much to say about something and can’t stop typing - these topics are ones I explore further and continually write about. Then, sometimes I think I’ve got something to say and I can’t write anything - these topics are ones I can forget about.

I’m digressing a bit (surprise, surprise) but the first thing to do is to send an email to every email address you have in your mail programs (that you can match up with a name). Here are a few resources to export your contacts:

• Export contacts from GMail
• Export contacts from Hotmail
• Export contacts from Yahoo

When you write, make sure to use the words you expect people to use when they search for what you do. Think of what words people might be using to find people who do what you do, feel me? For example, you teach graffiti techniques so think of the phrases people might be using to find that (”graffiti class” “graffiti classes San Diego” “can control” “how to write graffiti”). Be descriptive in your title and in heading text. Let me know if I lost you on that.

This is speaking to keyword research. I’m planning a few articles on how I do keyword research in the near future so I’m not going to go into depth but the KEY is this: you want to use words that people will use to search for what you have. This is confusing at first but pay attention and you’ll get it.

You probably use a specific set of words to describe what you do for people (in terms of your product, your service, your art, your instruction, etc). You use words that make sense to you and that paint an accurate picture of what you do. Now, imagine someone with whom you had coffee and to whom you explained your whole shebang needed to explain your shebang to someone else. Now, what if that next person needed to do the same. If you got two or three (maybe even the first one too) away from the original conversation, the words being used to describe what you do are not the words that YOU used originally. This is the first step towards understanding how to pick keywords.

So, for example, I might describe myself as a technology generalist, a tamer of technology, or a tech strategist, there are very few (read: no) people searching for this on the internet (yet). For my keywords, I need to pick things that people will search for to find me. These might be “build a web presence” or “design a personal web page” or “company email marketing.” I need to find words that people use to find the services that I’m offering.

Next, you’re going to want to try and find people who are doing similar or related things on the web and participate in what they’ve got going on. Go here http://blogsearch.google.com and start plugging in words that pertain to what you do. Do the same in regular Google. Start commenting on blogs, posting in forums, and connecting online. Also, sign up for Facebook if you haven’t already.

I’m talking about blatant and targeted self-promotion. Ready to virtually network?

I’ll say this: there are a million ways to go about this but, from personal experience, there is nothing more boring, unsatisfying, and time-wasting then spending several hours a day promoting yourself to people you don’t know. It’s boring because it’s repetitive, it’s unsatisfying because there’s a million other schmucks doing the same thing, and it’s time-wasting because it takes your attention away from the important things in life: relationship and creation.

I use Twitter (now) because I find a lot of great links, get some helpful information, and really enjoy the format and portability (I can add widgets to several other websites). I use Facebook because I have a lot of friends on there, it keeps me in touch with school people, and it makes me feel closer to home. I use LinkedIn because I see a lot of potential and meet some interesting people on there. I also use these tools to gently promote what I’m doing but that’s NOT the major reason I’m on any of those sites.

Read and comment on blogs because you like what someone had to say or this is a person you’d like to meet locally. I tried the “blatant self-promotion” half-heartedly for a month and found myself feeling like a blithering douche. This is why I don’t do “networking events” or anything like that. I like to talk to people that I respect, are interested in, or just like for no good reason. It’s very difficult for me (thought possible) to socialize with people simply to build the number of connections I have. I know this might be a great way to make sales or climb the ladder but it’s not interesting.

To be seen and heard online, you don’t need to trick people, you need to offer information and content that is unique, interesting, and useful. If you feel like it, just start writing about art, making art, what the experience means to you, what you learned the other day. You don’t need to write a diary but put words down that you would be likely to say to aspiring artists. Your blog will start doing its job if you’re making it important to you and start thinking “hmmm, that should go on my blog.” What starts out as somewhat of a chore eventually becomes an important piece of your day-to-day.

This is the kind of self-promotion that I do.

I’m not looking to trick someone into clicking on a link and reading my blog just so my Google stats look better. I’m also not interested in writing for a bigger audience about shit I don’t care about. I didn’t feel exactly like this a year ago but it’s what I’ve settled into. I’ll play the SEO game a bit, I’ll optimise my blog as much as possible, and I’ll spend time picking out keywords but, in terms of actual content, I’m going to write what I want to write… it’s the only way it gets done.

I used to write a blog about sustainable transportation. I followed the news religiously, went to events, and revelled in my own green lifestyle. It was fun, I got a few clicks, and made a few e-friends. But, after some time, it wasn’t much fun for me to stay on top of things. I enjoyed reading about it more than I did writing about it. Also, there were other much bigger, much more powerful blogs doing what I did only better. I became a aggregator for some of their content with a bit of commentary on top.

Now, I write about my career, what I’m learning, what I’m doing, and how this can help other people. I’m building this up slowly and still struggling to find my voice. However, like when I started the other blog, the words are just pouring out of me. I don’t have to sit in front of a monitor and STRUGGLE to find the words to say. I write about the web and science and tech and what I’m doing and it just feels natural.

Blogging, now, is a release for me rather than a chore. This is the only way to keep a blog going. It might even be a good thing not to monitor your audience (if you’re not interested in making money from advertisements). It’s like dieting without a scale: the depression of not losing weight can easily outweigh (har har) the elation of losing a couple pounds.

So, that’s my honest take on starting a blog from scratch. Do it because you like it and don’t assume you don’t like it because you have no idea what you’re doing. Really put yourself into it, find your voice, and screw what others are doing. Then, make sure the most amount of people know about what you’re doing in ways that are sustainable for your life.

Good luck! Come find me on Facebook or Twitter if you want to chat some more

After this last 2 weeks, I totally understand what that means.

See, I had a great idea at the end of last month. It started out as a cool idea (which is far less dangerous) but after talking with someone else about it, it turned into a really good idea. Now, after several brainstorming sessions, it’s become a GREAT idea and there’s no turning back.

I wanted to write about this great idea not to actually introduce the idea (because that would be silly at this point) but to chronicle what’s going on and what I’m doing about it. I look forward to more of these great ideas in the future and I hope to learn from my mistakes as well as my good moves. Also, if you have a GREAT idea and don’t know where to start, maybe this will help.

First, find someone.

Find someone and find them quickly, especially if you have sense that your idea is a really good one. Find someone you trust and find someone that knows what they’re talking about with respect to your idea. If you have a software idea, talking to an English major might not be too helpful, especially as you’re trying to put the different pieces together.

Also, make sure this is someone you can trust. The chances that your idea would be stolen and implemented without credit to you is pretty low but the closer to zero the better.

So, step one, go talk to someone you trust, someone that knows what they’re talking about, and someone that might want to help. It might be hard to find the right person but this is a critical step. Here’s a few hints:

• How did you figure this idea out? Is there someone you work with that could help you? Be very careful about the fine line between proprietary information from the company and your own idea. The closer tied to the company you work for, the easier it might be to get sued.
• Are you in school? Professors are great resources for things like this. They like to help students (most of them) and it’s unlikely they would be motivated to steal your stuff.
• In my opinion, finding someone you trust is the most important thing. If you don’t have anyone that really knows what you’re doing, at least find someone with half-a-brain that you can trust.

Talk to this person you find, blab the whole idea, and then get their honest feedback.

Second, get it down on PAPER.

Literally on paper. Paper and pen is underrated these days (ever thought that would be said). Write furiously, draw sketches of what it looks like, take notes, just get it all down. Get the idea as it is and get the idea of what it could be. Write down everything you want it to do/be and everything it could do/be. Get everything down, the bad, the good, the ridiculous, the impossible, put it all down. Do this with the person from above if they want to be involved or by yourself if not. Keep taking notes for a few days, mull it over, let it sink in.

The other thing to say about this step is that you might find yourself with an incomplete plan and a sudden urge not to chase after this idea. You also might get so caught up in planning this thing out that you never end up doing it. Be very “present-minded” as you’re planning out your idea so you don’t miss any internal red flags and yuo’re sure you want to commit a piece of your life to this project.

There’s no substitute for a good plan that outlines everything you could expect in the beginning but don’t wear yourself out planning absolutely every single move you are going to make.

Third, get it down on computer.

Now it’s time to boil that plan down a bit. Type your notes up and start mocking things up that need pictures. Here’s a few tips:

• When you transfer into a computer, write it in the most functional way you can. If your idea is a new business, format it like a business plan. This won’t be your final copy but the closer to the final copy you can be thinking, the less work later.
• If you’re working with 2 or more people on this, use something like Zoho or Google Docs so everyone can share. There’s no reason to be emailing master documents between people and risk losing changes. Just put it on line and relieve some stress.
• Remember to always be painting a picture. If you can use Photoshop, make realistic models of the interface you want to design or the web page you want to build. Make a video, draw something on paper and scan it into your computer, take a screenshot of a similar site and change it around in a Paint program. You’re going to need to explain things to people eventually (or right away) and if you can show them a little piece of the reality you’re creating, you’ll go a long way towards selling them on the concept.

Fourth, think long and hard about the money, the time, and the marketing.

Listen, I haven’t been neck deep in business forever but if there’s one thing that I know it’s that this is where things quickly break down. If you’re taking out loans for this great idea, you better have a solid plan on how you’re going to pay them back. If you’re using your down payment money for your house, make sure you have things in place to pay yourself back.

Also, consider how much time you really have to put towards this project. If you off-the-cuff assume that you’ll do all the HTML or writing or layout work but you have a full-time job and a family, think again. Time doesn’t just come from nowhere and you may have to resort to paying people to accelerate the process. Figure in extra money for staff, for incidentals, and for yourself.

Finally, and this might be the hardest, come up with a plan for how you’re going to get the word out there. Great products, great websites, and great blogs don’t just appear and suddenly become popular. Even if you’re offering the most amazing thing in the world, you’re still going to need to get the word out there.

Come up with an idea of how many people you need to reach and then figure out how you’re going to talk to those people. You can’t just say “email marketing” if you don’t have already have a list of people that want to hear from you (unless you’re a spammer). Your marketing plan won’t go anywhere if the only thing written down is “website.” How will people find your website?

Good luck with your great ideas!