Fire By Sea

The so-called failure of my birthday was actually a failure of my willingness to grow up and let go of my youth. The crux of my discontent hinged on not getting what I wanted when I wanted it. Is that fundamentally wrong for someone turning 35?

Now that I’ve been 35 for over a week now, it’s not so bad. 30 was the official passageway into responsible adulthood and 35 is the drop-dead confirmation of it. I need this kick in the pants.

I must conserve my energy for important things because age is slowly extracting its toll from me. My priority is family and work and health and each one of those require varying levels of physical, mental and emotional gratuity. Gone are the days of needless wasting and burning of my attention/awareness on foolish, dead end or unworthy pursuits (I believe many — including myself at times — are guilty of this mistake).

35 also offers wisdom in a still young body — not bad. The trick is to leverage both of those assets into wealth. I’ve got enough smarts (or should I say I’ve learned the hard way enough times!) to know that I MUST work harder and smarter than ever before — not just one or the other like people say.

Finally, 35 is a good place to fully accept mortality. There’s nothing wrong with that. When you accept mortality you naturally turn your attention to your legacy, which dramatically shifts the perspective of your life from the petty to the important. Everything I do, I think about how it could affect the future (including long after I’m gone), what people will think of my (specially my children) and more immediately — what doors it might open or close later in my own life.

35 — the age of full mature adulthood.

Generosity is a virtue when you’re in business for yourself. Being the small guy and sacrificing a bit at the beginning by giving away your livelihood not only builds good karma but also and more importantly builds trust.

I have a feeling that if given the choice, people like free only if it’s actually good stuff. Nobody wants free crap.

Anyway, here’s my hopeful upperhand:

• More stunning design
• Creativity, energy, less scripted
• Interesting ideas
• Excellent writing

I aim to build something people will want to be a part of even if they feel they don’t have to be. I don’t want to become a business that people feel they need so that’s why they’re calling me.

Also to keep in mind: not too many people will be passionate about this as much as I am. Many people don’t have the time to do it. What ever.

This is the post where I try to justify a major purchase. I’m still on the fence (do I really need this?) and so perhaps by writing down some valid and fair reasons, I could come to a conclusion.

From a strictly office standpoint, an iPad would serve as a backup (or forefront) computer for all cloud work (blogging, writing, email, internet) but not for production stuff like Adobe, most notably Photoshop.

From a business development standpoint, I could use an iPad to project my publishing onto. But at this point that is speculative. I’m too all over the place to actually say I need an iPad now. So the purchase would have to include some business justification — no such thing as an Apple crazing allowed.

So next step — would an iPad actually support my goals of greatness, action, independence? (7/5)

The previous post that was tied to this one posed an important question at the end: does an iPad support my goals?

Yes, this is a business question. I suppose I’d be buying into the iPad culture — great, optimized content for a pioneering platform. Is that where I belong?

Here’s the deal: unlike what it’s meant for, I need to leverage the iPad primarily as a tool of production, not consumption. This means two things: more blogging, it that’s possible on this device (attaching files, video?) and also a testbed for new site content.

To see things in terms of production and not consumption is challenging. The last thing I need is more media consumption. I could try partnering with some developers like I’m doing with my Maui friends.

As long as it truly supports my goals, then it’s okay. Yet I’m still not totally convinced… (7/5)

This part is about the market I’d like my content to reach: people who read the NYT who are willing to pay for a great site experience. This doesn’t just mean content but an entire ‘guest experience.’ Something worth paying for.

This type of boutique content doesn’t exist as far as I know. Or at least it’s not well known. I only know of freemium models (which I’d offer, too) that have trouble monetizing (gosh I’m sick of this terminology).

But back to the iPad: I want to create sites/content for people who own iPads. Not in the literal sense but simply the type of savvy early adopters. I want to get them excited about my content like they get excited for the next Apple product.

Is that possible coming out of left field like I am? (7/5)

How funny I should end the last of my make up posts with this topic, but I’m rally feeling it. One of the Systems I signed up for in the past is starting to rub off on off. This is a make money system and as much as some part of me wants to reject the mindset of a moneymaker, another part of me gets it.

I’m starting to understand arbitrage and outsourcing and branding, etc. I like the idea of subscriptions models for my content – this indicates recurring billing.

I could even do the same with my main blog if it ever got popular: offer a section that had exclusive content such as interviews, videos, etc.

Something worth thinking about across the board for any site I build. The whole trick is to generate a little cash flow up front so I can get started. (7/5)

This is about the publishing industry:

The vast and complex problems in the publishing industry could be alleviated if publishers started focusing on choosers. Choosers are people who enable choice through social influence and other factors. In the case of reading, a chooser can be a reader, writer, critic/reviewer or editor.

We’re finally at a point where the tools are cheap and robust enough to enable choosing. Publishers should allocate their resources into building platforms for choosers to comfortably operate and thrive. Once you build this, readers will follow, and with that, sales.

The progressive talk I hear about branding, epub converting and even humanizing the digital reading experience — all that should take a back seat to choosers. This means that publishers have to be willing to cede control over the space they’re so used to dominating, which for big publishers may not be easy or even possible.

The role of editors in a chooser-centric publishing environment also changes. Editors become stewards and facilitators of the platform, working with a technical team to ensure an excellent user experience. They also identify opportunities to create channels for readers to connect with like-minded readers and authors to connect with fans.

How do publishers make money? Well if the channel is in place and people are using it, everyone makes money. Writers get promoted organically. Readers become passionate and attached to the platform. Publishers enable the platform. the only missing link is whether or not Amazon and Apple would see the value of this platform and allow it to be integrated into their devices.

I’m working harder and smarter and I feel better but I know I shouldn’t even be talking about it but rather working more. So curse me for not writing because it’s write or die and where the hell would I be if I didn’t take the time to meditate thru writing everyday on this private blog.

[deep breath]

So where do I go from here trying to squeeze out a blog post so all I have to catch up on is getting 4 make-up posts out over the enxt few days that mean 3 tomorrow and 3 Thursday and I’m all caught up.

[deep breath]

Even now as I write and even though it’s way past responsible bed time I already feel a sense of writing strength from the act of practicing my craft as common as I would be stretching or running to keep my body in shape there’s no reason not to do this in writing because I can only get better right?

[last deep breath]

I’m 35 now and this is my 1st post since after the bday. I feel fine as long as I make real progress. As a friend told me 35 is the end of youth. There’s good and bad to that I’ll take the good and make something of it.

What’s with there being 2 camps — working smart or working hard? Shouldn’t it be both?

When I work hard and not smart, I’m projecting an undereducated, pure labor for dollars persona, and that’s not what I represent.

When I work smart and not hard, that’s just arrogance. Then again this means we need to define smart: it’s one thing to be smart and go to work, but it’s another to be enterprising and innovative and action-oriented while at work, and that to me is smart.

It doesn’t take a high IQ or outlandish Ivy League education to be smart and accomplish great things, but it does require hard work. Nor will working like a gimp for the rest of your life without progression.

I like the Gary Vee method: work super hard and have faith the rest will fall in place.