... The Most Insignificant Blogger

Sometimes you are lucky without even realizing how much people would do to have the same opportunity you had. Today was one of these moments, the light shone on me, but not before I was reminded by Tyme White how lucky I was, after I had announced the acquisition of 9rules by Splashpress Media.

Although I am a latecomer to the blog party, being stuck in ‘CMS communities and *Nuke’ pretty much until early 2005, I had discovered 9rules a while before I left Germany already, sometime late 2003. When it was still a little club, a really little club of totally awesome blogs. A little club where I learned quite some about blogging and design. It were the days people still read feeds. When you were cool if you used Bloglines and later switched to Google Reader. Twitter had not launched yet. It was before I discovered The Blog Herald. It was before I had a blog. I even didn’t have a personal rant blog or Myspace. Facebook did not exist back then.

Blogging only became a reality end 2005 when I needed an outlet for the professional stress. I was not allowed to have a public figure. I overshared on my ‘anonymous’ blog. I did everything you shouldn’t do on a blog and almost paid the price for. Geek nature quickly took over and personal blogging disappeared more and more. I discovered WordPress via 9rules and The Blog Herald. I ditched my blogspot account and moved to Am I Famous Now (1)(2). I now had a blog, I had to be famous!

I will never forget the day Mike Rundle left a comment. A comment on AIFN? A site written in my Engrish? WOW! OMG!
All while hiding behind my laziness fourth language, I had commented and put in doubt the exclusivity of 9rules after Round 4. Before I knew it, Scrivs linked back on the 9rules blog.

It was how everything started for me. It was when I decided to create the eyesore colour scheme of Am I Famous Now, my participation to the CSS Reboot. My pisstake on Web2.0 design: pink, lime green and Kappa4.0 badge, complete with drop shadow. Not to forget semantics. Even the sidebar titles aligned properly. If you used IE6 your comments weren’t welcome.

Yeah, baby. I was cool! Or something like that.

Before I knew it, I was offered a writing gig. On Jack of all Blogs, after another rant obviously. Those were the days, hit out at someone and earn yourself a writing gig or get linked.

Almost three years have passed since then and I have written on some prolific blogs for Splashpress Media: Tubetorial, BloggingPro, Forever Geek, Wisdump and since some weeks I regularly contribute to The Blog Herald. Every day I enjoy blogging more and more again(3).

I have been lucky to have had the occasion to write on several well-known blogs with a strong following, but most of all, these blog were all started by strong characters and they all have inspired me. One person always stood out.

More than Duncan at BH, Krug at JOAB or Mike over at Business Logs, Scrivs became my inspiration. The blogger I wanted to learn from, work with at some point. A born writer with a very outspoken opinion. A great online columnist, a true blogger. Living the life by 9 rules:

1. Love what you do.
2. Never stop learning.
3. Form works with function.
4. Simple is beautiful.
5. Work hard, play hard.
6. You get what you pay for.
7. When you talk, we listen.
8. Must constantly improve.
9. Respect your inspiration.

I admit that it was easy to have fun at his expense at times but would I have bothered if I did not follow the guy? No.
Thanks to my stints at JOAB and Wisdump, I grew up online. I needed a time out to re-evaluate my online persona. To work at my still not too great English. First work, then comeback.
When some days ago I was informed about the 9rules deal, I can not tell you what went through my head. OMG, WTF and Holy Frackin’ Noodles are only understatements coming nowhere close to my initial thoughts. I was stoked, hyped and nervous at the same time. I could not wait until Scrivs announced the news, to follow up with an entry at The Blog Herald. And then, then I saw the rules once more.

9 rules, 9 rules we all should endorse a lot more. But the first and last two are the most important ones to me:

1. Love what you do.
2. Never stop learning…
3. Must constantly improve.
4. Respect your inspiration.

Today everything starts all over. I will start working at making sure that the Splashpress sites I contribute to will be great enough to be submitted and become valuable members of the 9rules community. I will not run 9rules, but will actively participate to the hidden forums community.

Today reminds me of my inspirations. Today reminds me why I love publishing online. Tyme reminded me of how lucky and privileged I have been to publish on those sites and follow in the footsteps of these great and inspirational bloggers. Thank you 9rules, thank you Scrivs. I hope am sure we can do you proud.

Tomorrow is when I will proofread. Tomorrow is the day everything starts from scratch. :)

1. Yes, all blog stupidities still are archived there(↩)
2. Sold since long, I am not famous anymore(↩)
3. I had an almost 18 months break until early 2009(↩)