Briefly, it turned out that economics is something extremely vital and not at all dull ( to all of us who live full with prejudice ). Not only that – I was asking myself one general question. Do authors who focus on certain topics only keep focused on the problems they analyze or do the offer solutions. This is a major paradigm – whether one stays onto the problem, or moves attention towards possible resolutions; and the simple answer is “yes” – with time I realized that most of them are not only discussing the issues, they are as well bringing awareness of the possible solutions.

My first encounter with “Project Syndicate” happened when applying for a programmer job.

The interview all of sudden turned direction towards “what are you doing at the moment”, and of course I had to reply with the actual facts that currently I was working on some SEO projects, one of which was media-related. That seemed to ring a bell into the interviewer’s ear, and apparently he was the CEO of the association ( “Project Syndicate” is but an association of newspapers, that’s where the “syndicate” comes from ). He asked few more questions about it, obviously interested, then he said “OK, what about you making an audit of our site”. I was totally cheered up and the report was ready within the same day. He seemed to like it and his attention was caught – and that’s how it all started.

Within the first phase of my work with them I was partially involved in some programming work; struggling to make my way around with a colleague that wouldn’t bother much to share things essential for our mutual work and my own misfit for that. I admit that during my programmer’s career there is one thing that has become crystal clear: my way of thinking ( and I’m totally fond, proud and excited about that ) is so multidimensional, so when it comes to performance within the narrow minded scope of how programming languages work I do not totally fail, for I can do it quite well, but I do not perform as the ‘gurus’ in the field do. For which I’m completely happy – the more I’m away from it, the better I feel. If anyone is still confusing intelligence with programming language skill let this human mix the two no more, please ! Thank God, human intelligence is something way beyond programmer’s heaven of one-track minds.

]]> http://seokungfu.com/writings/2010/08/17/my-story-with-project-syndicate-and-its-vast-influence-on-my-life-not-the-average-job/feed/ 1 http://seokungfu.com/writings/2010/07/18/the-flow-of-the-days/ http://seokungfu.com/writings/2010/07/18/the-flow-of-the-days/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:55:13 +0000 admin http://seokungfu.com/writings/?p=120 The sun rises and sets down the weather changes and time goes by we feel different while staying the same we know nothing but still we urge fame we chase savings and follow our cravings towards same endings with different blending.

We know what is the price of dispair we learn only to play fair in order to break the rules learnt in schools.

Now people come asking me to work for them.

Keep your place in the line, gents !

It’s been times when I was showing off and applying on your ads with utter persistence and to receive rejects after the other; now it’s the time for me to be as picky as ya’all were, right !

No, I’m not revengeful. I’m using my human right to chose to do what I love.

And I adore and love doing SEO Kung Fu.

It was a hard, lonely fight, it was a long and hard path, but now the first mountain peak has been climbed, the first stretch of the road passed, and the first cream of the crop harvested.

It was not a pleasure to live with your neglegance and rude attitudes ( if someone tells me that receiving rejection for a job you know you fit right, for something you enjoy doing and that’s the reason of applying – that person is either callous, or senseless, or both! ), but my heart is not bad and my soul is forgiving. I had hard times not going back in industries and professions from my past, only to be dedicated to my SEO passion and love. Now we are here awaiting the industry boom. The SEO industry boom, i.e.

I refused, being natural lover, instead I used that old herb. Being sensitive enough, I discovered that it helps a lot; while meditating I can “examine” my own parts of the body and see what and how works well.

Marijuana saved my life.

And here are two sites that I support, one is “Promena” ( “Change” ) and the other is “Legalizace.cz“.

I write in Promena on medical use news, and drop a comment once in a while in Legalizace.cz, being in the same lovely country where the site is – the beautiful Czech republic.

So stop chasing the wonderful God’s medicine, do your proper jobs, cops!

The official video for this year’s contest, by Мирослав Костадинов – Миро

That explains the use of personal involvement at first glance. So to speak I’m turning to a new web project just like I would turn to a person, and for me that is indistinguishable. The web project is a living creature, has its own life, soul, development, growth and faith. It doesn’t matter how “big” it is, what matters is how you feel about it. If it’s something that is just on the background of your thoughts, on the surface of your sences and on the edge of your perception then you aren’t living that time of yours fully ! You’re just like many others doing it because you must, not because you want and like it ! Mind the difference ?

Getting back the focus on the topic – I actually want to share what and how I do when starting a new project. First of all I don’t look at the code at the very beginning at all, no matter how experienced, in technical regard, I am. The first thing to do is to take a look at the site and to decide what is its “personality”, yes that is the word in question ! What is your first feeling, impression ? Do you feel good, or  bad, or anxious about it ? Do you like it or not ? What are the chances for the thing you see to grow and develop in a good, positive manner from your interaction ? Generally speaking, the first thing to know is how do you perceive the new acquaintance. And if you feel great about it – go ahead. If not – decide whether you want it. Is it worth time, and if your time is just money then you’re merely cynical and I don’t mind if you feel offended by that fact !

Once you get over that very first step that will be crucial for the lifetime of the project span, you must forget, for a while about all your knowledge. To get into the shoes of a normal user as much as possible. To forget all the code, formulas and spells you know and to test the usability, yes this is the word, the term that measures the interactional functionality of a web site – it’s merits userwise. How easy is to make what you’re supposed to do with it, how clear the actions are, how well unprepared person, unaware of all the features can handle the tasks that one is supposed to achieve. But, of course – back to technical grounds – this is just the minimum usability that we’ll cover for now, plus, it’s not the main focus. Although – remember that – really important !

Next action is after you check the user usability is to take notes. Start immediately, don’t waste no second, start with any assossiation that comes to mind, write down even seemingly unimportant things that cross your thoughts.

And that is just the first glance.