Author Archives: Steve Rhom

Mar 28 2008
Advertising, Home-Based Business, Personal

Pushing Forward

Part of my evil plan for world domination involves creating little useless websites to try to generate extra income. I put together a few of these crappy little sites about a year ago. I filled them with advertising, some bland copy, and left them to pasture. So far I’ve generated about $50.00 through Google Adsense clicks. Fifty bucks a year… hmmm… not great.

I know the “If you build it, they will come” philosophy to web development isn’t worth much, so I didn’t expect these site to do much. The time has now come to feed and water these sites to see if they can really become a source of extra income. The first site that I plan to focus on is the one that has gained the most organic traffic, www.licensetogrill.net. This site gets the most traffic because of a Food Network show that goes by the same name. I’m not sure if the show is still on the air, but I’m still getting traffic from people searching for it.

My plan of attack for this site is to try to make a social networking site for the barbecue inclined. I want to post interesting articles, recipes and tips. I’d also like a recipe ratings board and a forum. The content is one issue. Where do I come up with the content? I have some ideas, but I’ll have to get back to that. The other issue is code-base. That one is a little easier.

I plan to use Joomla for the CMS. Joomla is an open source CMS built in PHP. It appears to have all of the functionality that I’ll be looking for. The next hurdle is to figure out how to customize the Joomla interface so that it’s attractive and functional for my needs. If I can figure this out for my grilling site, then I’ll be able to apply this idea across the board with my other sites. It’s clear that an adsense farm will not produce much income without a compelling reason for users to visit. This is the challenge.

Mar 25 2008
Personal

So Much For A Strong Start

I started this blog almost two years ago, and managed to only get a couple of posts out before letting it fizzle in October 2006. I suppose this blog is like so many other things in my life… a strong and enthusiastic start with a quick flame out. Case in point: I met my wife while working at as a summer camp counselor at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch in Avant, OK. At the time I fancied myself as some sort of outdoor wilderness paragon, and so did my soon-to-be wife. We had great plans to spend as much time as possible camping and traveling when we were first married. Fast forward twelve years and three kids later… we have been camping exactly once. Just sad. Another… let’s see… ok… In the previously mentioned twelve years I have put on about thirty pounds. I can’t really stand to look at pictures of myself anymore because of the “fat face” that I see staring back at me. My friends swear that I look fine, but I know better. I’m not a huge “lardy” kind of guy, but I’ve taken on the pudge of a suburban dad. I see guys like myself at every turn. Inside the “fat vest” still roams the lingering athlete, slowly dying. Every once in awhile, while looking for a pizza coupon, I’ll find stuffed in a desk drawer a workout program designed to get me back to fighting weight. There are only two or three of these plans floating around the house. When I find them I take them out and put them somewhere where I think I’ll notice them. I imagine that I will stumble upon one at just the right time when I am not exhausted from work and the kids are not needing me to “engage.” Somehow these scraps of paper always find their way back into a drawer, only to be discovered in another six months or a year… or more.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to paint myself as a flibber de gibbit. There are very important things that I have accomplished through blood, sweat and tears. For example, after a ten-year absence from college I re-enrolled and finished my degree in Journalism, all while supporting my wife and our first child… and failing to learn how to type properly. That was good. Let’s see… another… I taught myself enough graphic design and HTML to land a pretty good job in a Dallas ad agency. I’m making decent money for the first time ever (would be better without all of the school and credit card debt… yeesh). One more… think… well… my wife and I recorded a CD when we were first married, and actually made a living performing music for awhile. That’s was good.

I guess this blog will now become a practical way to remind myself that there are a number of great things that I can do if I will just do them. While this little blog doesn’t count as exactly “great,” it’s a small step in the right direction.

There are many things on my to-do list. My intention is to keep this blog as a place to keep on track. I plan to post the progression of these “to-do’s” over the coming weeks and months… maybe years.

Here’s the start of my list:

  1. Launch my business. I have kept a web development business in my pocket for a long time. Underhill Creative is the name. This business helped me to make a living while I was in school, and I’d like to develop it for real to help me live in freedom (time and money) now.
  2. Get back into “real” art. I’ve spent so much time pushing pixels that I have forgotten what it feels like to create with something real. I need to get my hands dirty again.
  3. Start writing and playing again. I need to pick up my guitar and let it teach me to feel at a deeper level again.

These are the first things on my list. As I make progress here, my life will begin to open to other avenues of progress. Start with the things at hand.

Steve out.

Oct 24 2006
Media, Politics, Rants

The Dixie Chicks PR Pity Machine Rolls On

chicks time smI realize that by writing about this I am adding to the very thing that I am criticizing, but I’m compelled to do it anyway.

On October 27th a new documentary will be released called “Shut Up and Sing.” As if it hasn’t been covered enough, this documentary focuses its attention on the fallout from the Dixie Chicks political statements made, gosh… ten thousand years ago?

I’m not even sure how to address this. The original politics isnt even important anymore. The real story is the incredible amount of publicity mileage that the Chicks are still trying to get by portraying themselves as McCarthy era victims. I’m just tired of hearing the endless whining. Its really starting to look pathetic.

This so-called political oppression has turned into a full-fledged publicity campaign, and its very disappointing. I was honestly ready for a new album from them when they released that stupid “Ain’t Ready to Make Nice” business. Give me a break. Its been nearly four years since Natalie opened her mouth at that concert. Time to move on.

My question is, why? Are they unable to write a good song anymore? Do they need this press to sell records for lack of talent? I’m at a loss. Why keep this thing going?

First, I want to refute the idea that these women are victims of any kind of censorship at all. The tag line of this film is, “Free speech is fine as long as you don’t do it in public.” How stupid is that statement? Free speech means that people are allowed to talk back. Free speech does not shield you from lawful consequences of that speech. Free speech allows you to speak. Do they think that they are above being challenged when they speak out? Speak out and people will speak back… FREE speech… hello?

If they are victims of anything, its the free market. If you offend 70% to 80% of your market with the things that you say, do you expect that there will be no consequence? I’m not defending the nuts that sent death threats, but a person deciding not to buy a CD, or attend a concert is a perfectly reasonable response. Don’t shit where you eat. Pretty simple.

If I stood up for a presentation in a meeting with clients and started off with, “Just so ya’ll know, we’re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas.” I can guarantee that I’d be looking for a job the next day and it would have nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with not knowing when to shut up about my personal opinions. Theres a time and a place for everything. This is something that the Dixie Chicks just cant seem to learn.

Honestly… Shut up and sing.

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