Branding David

It is always interesting to me how I feel when I am disconnected from the Internet. I have come to depend on it for a myriad of things, and because of this, when I am disconnected, I feel like I am missing out on so many things I usually take for granted.

I listen to music through Last.fm. I watch video podcasts and television shows on a variety of sites. I play EvE Online, an online massively multiplayer game. My entertainment is almost completely online.

I communicate through instant messaging, Skype, Twitter and my blogs. I e-mail through Gmail. My tools for communication are completely online.

I work completely online, writing blog posts, editing WordPress installations, and promoting what I have written on various social media websites. My income, which pays the mortgage, is completely online.

It leaves very little of my life that isn’t connected to the Internet in some way. Without it, I feel disconnected from my entertainment, my communication tools, and my work.

I wonder how many other people are so dependent on the Internet that they feel as I do and what that really means about society, as I am sure this will only become more common as Internet becomes more ubiquitous. How do you feel when you are disconnected from the Internet? Does it bother you at all, or do you enjoy your time offline?

It is my twenty-sixth birthday today, and it really does feel like a strange milestone. I am now closer to thirty than twenty, and my first thought is that I have so many things to do in my life before I have kids, and settle down.

I have been getting all kinds of great birthday wishes, and cards, and I am really happy that I have so many great people in my life.

As part of my little celebration, I wanted to open up the Membership area of this site to a limited number of people, and so over the next seven days, I will be randomly selecting five people that have commented on this blog for a free six month membership (a $60 value).

So if you are a lurker, and would love to get into the membership area, or if you are a new visitor and want to see what it is like, leave a comment on this or any post to have your name put into the draw. Make sure you use your correct e-mail address, or I won’t be able to contact you.

Other than that, if you are older than me, what was your twenty-sixth birthday like, and do you have any advice for me on life? If you are younger, where do you hope to be at twenty-six? Let me know in the comments below.

Who is Chris Garrett?
Chris Garrett is a well known blogger and consultant that I respect. I have followed his career for some time now, and have always enjoyed his writing. One of the most interesting things about Chris was his passion for blogging, especially two years ago where you couldn’t visit a popular blogging information site without seeing a post or two from Chris.

Chris Garrett has co-authored what is quickly being considered the “de facto” book on blogging, entitled Problogger - Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.

He has also authored and co-authored a few other books over the course of his career related to blogging and programming.

Born in Canada, like myself, Chris now lives in the UK with his family. He has picked up the accent, but will always be Canadian.

Why am I a fan of his?
Chris has found a way to build a strong business online through branding himself, despite the numerous sites he has written on over his career. He has figured out a way to promote himself, and his services while maintaining integrity.

Chris is currently running an Authority Blogger forum and course, as well as working on Performancing branded projects for Splashpress Media.

He has dealt with many of the things I, as a personal brand, am dealing with now, and was able to succeed, despite the numerous things on his plate. Chris is an inspiration.