Getting My Act Together, Part 1 – SXSW

I’ve been talking about blogging about beer for over a year now…

Working at Adaptu's SXSW Meet Up

I started blogging in college at http://j4strom.blogspot.com/ then after college played with the idea of actually focusing my blog on a particular subject and since I’m passionate about beer it seemed like a good place to start.  I bought the URL: http://bitesizebrews.com/ in August 2010 and …

Nothing happened…

I didn’t do anything with my new blog.  I kept making beer and drinking beer and talking about beer and talking about blogging about beer.  But I didn’t actually do it.  Life got in the way.  I wanted my blog to be perfect before I started actually blogging and I just didn’t make working on this blog a priority in my life.

Then something AWESOME happened.  Forty days ago I went on a 12-day road trip from Portland, OR to Austin, TX for SXSW with my two friends, Sean Ogle and Ryan Martin.  We also stopped in Las Vegas for the weekend on the way back home with Jenny Blake.  You can read all about our trip here, here and here, respectively.  Needless to say I had a blast!  Met a ton of really awesome people, learned a lot and was truly inspired to get this blog up and running.

But there is more, while at SXSW Seth Godin, a marketing and blogging genius, published SXSW Pokes.  This eBook featured 50 inspiring stories about taking initiative from accomplished entrepreneurs and up-and-coming stars.  Guess who’s in it?  Guess what link The Domino Project (Godin’s publishing initiative) mentions?  Yeah, talk about a kick in the pants!  Huge marketing blogger mentions you in a book about taking initiative, links to your blog and there is a coming soon page from seven months ago YIKES!

So here I am to say, I’m doing it.  I’m getting over the fact that this blog isn’t perfect.  That I’m okay with that.  It will evolve over time (and if you have any suggestions please let me know).  But the point is I’m doing this.  Committing time to writing, time to engaging with people about beer and life and learning how to blog better.  Making it a priority.

When was the last time you re-prioritized something in your life?

Side comment: Sorry there is no actually talk of beer in this blog.  While at SXSW I did try the local (512) Brewing Company and spent a lot of time hanging out at Ten Oak, the manager there is a home brewer.  Definitely two places to check out if your in Austin, TX.