Random Ruminations: Blogging

Professional Blogging

Posted Sat Jan 30, 2010 in Blogging

After our regular weekly meeting on Wednesday, one of my colleagues approached me with a book he’s been listening too. The title of the book is New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Scott. One of the things mentioned by Scott and relayed to me is the need to write a weblog dealing with professional activities to draw eyeballs that are looking for my specialty to the company website, and ultimately to me.

This is something I’ve been thinking about. I read a really short ebook about marketing tips. In that book, the writer suggests that a proper web presence is one of the things that brings in new work. It isn’t that someone will read my weblog and them dump a buttload of new work on my desk, but it opens an opportunity for me to establish myself as an expert in my field. Then an opportunity for a dialogue with individuals and companies needing my specialty can occur.

My colleague is right on this one. I don’t know when this will happen on the corporate website, but I have another domain that is housing my old university pages. It would not require much time to add another content management system to my server and run a professional website under my other domain. I could write about a number of things that are a combination of technical and professional and host those writings there, with prominent links to my current employer.

I was already thinking about this before my colleague approached me. I need to promote my capabilities if I want to draw additional work — which I do. I also want to position myself for the time when I leave my current employer. That time is no time soon (I think), but things do change and will change¹ and I want to prepare myself for that time.

I have no idea when the new company website will be operational, or even if it will change. My work is not prominently featured on our website. I think that’s a mistake (without being arrogant). So, I will probably work on something of my own to fill the gap while company leadership figures it out. There is no real reason for me to delay because I have the capability, the hosting space, and the knowledge to make it happen.

¹ I just shuddered thinking that I’m channeling the current U.S. President.

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What To Do?

Posted Wed Nov 19, 2008 in Blogging

Yep, I’m re-using an image. Tough.

I think I understand what I want to do with Random Ruminations. I don’t need the pressure to publish on a daily basis. That load is currently too heavy for me. I’m writing a lot of reports and that requires a lot of analysis. By the end of most days, there is not enough energy to put together anything more meaningful than the “this is what I did at the office today” kind of post. Those simply do not interest me.

Well, sometimes they do; but mostly not. That’s because most days the things I work on and deal with are so mundane that I don’t know now to find the interesting in them. If I was a better writer, I might be able to spin the daily-drudge into something intellectually or emotionally scintillating. I ain’t that good.

So, where I think I’m going is to reduce the number of postings and quit worrying about whether I posted (or not). When I find my muse, I’ll experiment with the words and see what shakes out. Otherwise, if I find something interesting on the ‘net, I’ll bring that.

There may be days when nothing posts. I’m going to keep the weekly Linkfest because that interests me. It’s a mechanic for parking a few links of interest. Most of my links go to Delicious now, where I hold them and tag them.

In the end, however, I find I still need a place to put some words. The period between postings may increase, at least for a time.

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Ruminating

Posted Sat Nov 15, 2008 in Blogging

OK — I can’t leave this space alone. But, I think it is time for some changes in the way I handle my webspace. I’m not sure what those changes should be, at least not yet. One of my objectives is that this isn’t just some place where I whine about the daily inequities of life. There are plenty of blogs like that out there and it isn’t for me. Well, it’s not entirely for me. Venting is good and a place to vent is good¹.

Nonetheless, I’m not sure what I want to do with this place. Wife says I’ll explode if I don’t have a public forum for my words. She might be right. I certainly can say that there have been a number of times when I wanted to put some words here, just because something occurred to me and this is as good a place to work things out as any².

So, I’m going to ruminate a bit. I’m going to wonder what I’ll do with this place. And then, a little late this morning, I’m going to the range. I need some trigger time to help bring focus. I think Wife and Young Son are going to come along and help me burn some ammunition.

¹ Yes, it is an old saw, but “it’s my blog and I’ll whine if I want to.” So… bite me. ;)

² At least it is OK for some things. Some things just shouldn’t be aired. Period.

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Weblog Writing

Posted Thu Oct 9, 2008 in Blogging

Feh. Some weeks I write more; others less. Go figure.

I wonder if that has something to do with the remainder of my workload. When I have a heavy writing (or mental) workload, do I write less here? Or is it that my muse escapes sometimes, leaving me with no ideas for this space? I really don’t know.

Some weeks I write ahead and have an entire week’s worth of entries written before the week starts. Sometimes there is a sketch of things, that I flesh out in my early-morning time. Then there’s the “dead zone.” (Flash to the current Verizon Dead Zone commercial — not online yet) Those weeks nothing is written.

It makes me wonder sometimes.

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Thin

Posted Tue May 20, 2008 in Blogging

Posting was a little thin the last few days. Last week was a mess. I have a significant project due. It was delayed and delayed, not only because of internal forces, but from external forces as well. I worked so much last week that my workouts ended, short-term, then the weekend was completely tied up with a training course.

So, the bottom line is that posting was a little thin. It doesn’t mean I’m not around, but that I have no energy left over to write.

I think I have a couple parts of the last meme to take care of as well. I’ll try to do that this week.

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The Ruminator

Posted Sun Dec 17, 2006 in Blogging

I’ve been called The Ruminator for a long time now. I’ve been weblogging more than five years, which makes me a long-timer in this medium. I think I really need an avatar for my web-presence, but have lacked something special.

Well, maybe I’ve finally found it. I was playing around with my MacBook Pro this morning and stumbled (literally) on a little application called PhotoBooth. I fired it up, curious about what it might do.

I was astounded.

It uses the iSight camera of my computer to create a virtual photo booth, complete with digital effects. I started playing around and called Wife’s attention to what I was doing. I think I’ve found my avatar.

What do you think?

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Comments Fixed

Posted Sat Dec 9, 2006 in Blogging

A friend emailed me a couple of days ago with a comment on my weblog. He couldn’t get the comment to post. So, I tried posting one myself and found myself banned by the spam-blocker.

So, the spam-blocker is now turned off. Comments are working again. I’m not worried about spam because all comments are moderated and the spammers are simply deleted and their IP’s blocked.

Comments are now live again. Fire away!

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