bald man blogging » b5media

Where have you gone, Joe?

Bald Man — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:15:34 +0000

Been quiet here lately. It’s just been that kind of summer. Yesterday saw Kerri and I say farewell to Marriage Actually, the last b5media blog on which either of us were writing. It’s been a fun time. Hard to believe it’s been nearly 2-1/2 years since I first sold them on the idea of a blog about Baldness.

Let’s see… as a sensitive, post-modern kind of guy, it seems I should be appropriately retrospective in this moment. So, what did I learn?

Getting paid to write is fun.
There is a difference between being into something and being able to write regularly about it.
Virtual business relationships are here to stay, but there is still something missing from face-to-face and even voice interaction.
I met a number of cool and interesting folks.

There. That seems appropriate.

I wish b5media and its bloggers all the success in the world. Perhaps the future will bring me back their way again sometime.

Meanwhile, I wonder how else I can get paid to write…

I gots me a new job

Bald Man — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:47:00 +0000

Blogging our way to financial freedom.

Just a quick personal update. I have a new job. No, didn’t get rid of the old one; I’m still in the pension administration business. I just picked up a new role at b5media. I’m the new Channel Editor for the Video Games channel. Cool, huh? Now that I got a second hand PS2, (Thanks, Josh!) I meet minimum qualifications.

This extra cash is coming in real handy… We’re this close to being out of debt. Speaking of extra cash, if you think you’d like to be a pro-blogger, check out the Job Boards over at Problogger.net. There are a number of openings listed, including a couple in my new neighborhood.

World AIDS Day & (Red)emption

Bald Man — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:30:32 +0000

Today is World AIDS Day, so I’m reminding you that Mike is still running the (Red)emption campaign. If you haven’t already, go give your $10. If you have, thanks; now go find someone who hasn’t and tell them to give $10.

I’ve challenged my fellow b5media bloggers to pony up. In fact, I’ll put b5media in the tags, so if any of you blogging media types or members of other networks wander over here through Technorati or something, well, you should go give $10, too. And you should challenge your readers to do the same.

I’m not quite sure why I’m getting on board with this. I mean, I’ve got no personal connection to AIDS/HIV. To my knowledge, I don’t know anyone afflicted. The numbers are staggering – 40 million afflicted worldwide – but in many ways this is all something happening somewhere else, perhaps even on another planet.

It’s only $10… Canadian.

But it’s not happening on another planet. Those are 40 million men, women and children. 40 million mothers and fathers; husbands and wives; sons and daughters. 40 million people.

Here’s what I like about the (Red)emption campaign: It’s only $10… Canadian. This isn’t some fantastic request. It’s $10… Canadian. 99.5% of the people who might possibly read this can afford $10… Canadian. If you’ve got access to a computer, $10… Canadian, isn’t beyond your means.

So, go on, then. Give.

Thanksgiving 2006: For b5media

Bald Man — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:44:14 +0000

OK, so last year about this time a new blog network launches, and I pitch this idea for a blog about baldness. They’re inundated, and I’m swamped; so nothing happens for a few months. Then in February, they’re looking for video game blogs, and I pitch a really, REALLY bad idea. (I can only hope that Ingrid doesn’t remember it.) I also take the opportunity to re-pitch my baldness idea. The video game blog is quickly forgotten. The baldness idea is a reality.

In May my wife, whom I had just gotten started with her own blog, starts chatting with my Channel Editor. She then invites her to start writing with her on a blog about kid’s stuff. That Channel Editor’s a sharp one, so when she realizes we’re married (to each other) AND we’re both already working for b5, she starts twisting our arms about a marriage blog. We’re only too happy to oblige. (No link yet, but it’s in the works.)

So in the last year someone has started to pay both Kerri and me to write. Thanks, b5media.