Stop Before You Start: An Update on the GRS Blog Project

Ah, life. Sometimes it gets in the way of the other stuff I really want to do.

When I announced the GRS blog project in July, I thought it sounded like a swell idea. I’d revive one of my many dormant blogs and document the process as I attempted to make it produce hobby-level income. Make no mistake: I still think this is a great idea — but it’s time for me to admit that I need to delay the project’s start.

Why?

I chose to revive my animal blog, Animal Intelligence. I love animals, and I love reading and writing about them. Plus, this seemed like a fairly easy topic to monetize. (”Monetize” is blogging lingo for “make money from”.) But after a scant two weeks of posting articles, and then another two weeks of not posting articles, I see the animal blog has a fatal flaw for this project. It adds another field about which I need to stay informed on a daily basis. I don’t have the mental bandwidth to that, though. And so I fell behind almost immediately (even with help from a couple of GRS readers!).

To compound the problem, I’ll soon be leaving on a month-long vacation to Europe. In retrospect, it was silly to resurrect a blog in September if I knew I’d be gone the following month. Oops.

So, I’m pressing the pause button on the GRS Blog Project. I’m not abandoning it. And I’m not abandoning Animal Intelligence.

When I get back from Europe, I’ll continue to post stories at Animal Intelligence, just as I did in the Olden Days. (And I hope my volunteer help will stick with me, too.) But I’m fairly certain that when I resume the GRS Blog Project (probably on January 1st), that it’ll be with a different blog — a blog that covers a subject I’m already reading and thinking about on a daily basis. (That means: fitness, personal development, or comic books.)

To compound the problems with the GRS Blog Project, the two blogs for which I was acting as mentor ran into problems, too. Neither really ever got off the ground. In one case, the author realized that blogging is a lot of work. (Because, really, it is a lot of work.) And in the other case, the blog launched and was almost immediately the victim of a vicious malware attack. It’s been offline ever since while the owner tries to fix the problem.

Yes, I’m disappointed about stumbling out of the gate on this project. But you know what? It’s okay. All of this is very typical of what happens when people try to start blogs, and to hide it wouldn’t be honest. Plus, I learned some valuable lessons from these missteps. When I make my next attempt, I’ll be better prepared!

Note: Many people have written to ask me to mentor them on their blogs. While a part of me would love to accept these requests, I just can’t. I’m one man, and like you I only have 24 hours in my day. They’re barely enough to do what I need to do. However, as I’ve told some of the folks who wrote in, when this project resumes, I’ll try to do a monthly Q&A at GRS to answer questions. Sound fair?

This article is about Administration, Entrepreneurship  Friday, 17th September 2010 (by J.D. Roth)  

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Did Bill Guerin blow his chance with Flyers? (Update: Yes)

Two things to know about Bill Guerin's(notes) performance against the Buffalo Sabres last night for the Philadelphia Flyers.

First is that he skated on a "top line" with Darroll Powe(notes) and Andreas Nodl(notes), so the Sabres' 9-3 pounding was basically against the Phantoms. The second is that he was a minus-4 with two shots and 2 PIM in 17:39 of ice time; which, when combined with the rest of his preseason for the Philadelphia Flyers, creates a little concern for his fate on cut day.

From the Philadelphia Daily News:

"I think in the end, maybe I didn't have the best of preseasons," Guerin said. "I did what I could. But I feel that they know what I can do and what I can bring."

The Flyers' coaching staff is keen on Guerin's well-documented leadership contributions. But in the end, it may be hard for the team to justify a contract for Guerin, 39, since he wasn't head and shoulders better than younger players like Andreas Nodl. He posted one goal in five preseason contests - and played up and down the Flyers lineup.

GM Paul Holmgren told the Daily News that at this point keeping Guerin is a "roll of the dice"; how many guys survive cuts on the "yeah, why the hell not?" principle? That said, All Things Philly saw Guerin surviving the cut before the Sabres game.

Guys like Guerin and Brendan Morrison(notes) took tryout contracts with the Flyers and Vancouver Canucks to latch on to winning teams, no doubt. But it was also a way to keep their names in circulation.

Morrison's going to find a home somewhere (as Andy Strickland reports in the vaguest of terms). Guerin clearly still wants to play; if it's not Philly, perhaps a return to injury-ravaged Long Island? Or, worst case, he lingers in his living room until some GM realizes his team is one veteran, winning power forward away from contention and gives Guerin a call.

For the Flyers fans in the PD readership: How has Guerin looked? Good enough to avoid the rocking chair? Flyers Goal Scored By ... offers a good take here. 

UPDATE: Guerin told CSN Philly this morning that he's been released by the Flyers.

Related: Bill Guerin, Darroll Powe, Brendan Morrison, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks

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