I entered the contest because I have published so many WP projects and wanted to give back to the community.

Of the 4 designs I submitted, this was the fan favorite:

Is it November yet? I can’t wait!

Anyone who has been following my evolution has seen the illustration of me (currently the focal image in my banner and business cards). Andy Macdonald is the very talented illustrator that created that for me. So yes, according to Andy, that is what I would look like in the wonderful world of illustrations – pretty hot if you ask me!

I used to watch him quietly sketch his thoughts and tell him that one day I was going to find a way to put him up on a billboard. Well, I definitely don’t have a budget for that just yet, but if anyone else does, please find him and put his work on a billboard because his talents need to be seen.

Being someone who has learned through observation, trial, error, correction and then strive for perfection, hearing this dialogue confuses me. In an age when we have a wealth of information just a click away there should be no reason for people to ask such questions. I have learned that even if I am unable to find the actual information teaching how to do something, I will usually find out how to go about learning. The best part about researching online is that you never really know what that itsy bitsy google spider is gonna display in return for your search request. You may find a bigger and better idea.

It is never about what you actually achieve, but rather what you learned while fiercely climbing to the top. While we still have our liberties and freedom (sort of) use the internet to learn how to start a blog or figure out how to start an online business.

Surprise yourself by breaking out of your mold. Instead of spending the coming months watching TV, go online and do a search on how to create a photo album and burn a CD. Perhaps this will help you achieve your idea of creating a photo album to give out as a holiday gift this year.

There is nothing wrong with calling someone who you consider to be the authority on a topic to pick his/her brain for info, but far more beneficial would be to do your research first so that when they are explaining you will be able to comprehend the concepts better.

We will see the eCommerce shopping trends go from a personal preference of the individual to the lifestyle necessity of the masses. It is my opinion, based on observations through both professionals and your average consumer, that in this turbulent economic era the internet will dominate as the preferred way to cost-effectively and efficiently run a retail and service business. What will set one retailer apart from another will be how they invest their resources to create an online presence that keeps customers coming back every time they shop.

The basic question is ‘what is it that motivates people to blog”?

If we take away the easy answers associated with marketing and potentially making money on some level from “becoming a blogger”, what is left? The “exhibitionist” in all of us.

Blogging is the web2.0 solution that evens the field for everyone to play on. It really stretches the boundaries to the point that people can put as much or as little of their soul online for all to read, consider, formulate an opinion, then choose whether to engage in conversation to share a piece of their own soul for everyone to read.