Systematic Casting Call
Yesterday morning Brett Terpstra posted an article to his blog calling for open auditions to guest on his podcast Systematic. Like many, many others I’m sure, I made a submission. I briefly introduced myself then, in typical Systematic fashion, went on to my top three picks for the “show”. Looking to increase my chances of getting the spot, I decided to make an extra effort by posting an article here in case Brett decides to look for further information on my website.
By his own criteria, Brett is looking for someone good at what they do, have interesting thoughts on technology in their work, amenable to rambling questions, between the ages of 9 and 103, and can make Skype calls between 8 am and 9 pm CST. I’m not entirely sure I nailed ever requirement in this extremely short five minute window, so let me elaborate on some of the points I made all too briefly:
As I said in my recording, I have been writing for the better part of seven years, albeit off and on at times. This post will mark the 420th article I have posted to my website since starting it less than a year ago shortly after Thanksgiving; that’s roughly 1.2 posts per day, for the mathematically inclined. So while I do not personally consider myself great at what I do, great at writing — especially when I read the work of Federico Viticci who cranks out 20,000 word reviews seemingly every day — by most metrics I am nevertheless competent, at the very least. As for having interesting thoughts on technology though, I am much more confident in this regard. Why write if not to say something interesting, after all? And my admittedly small readership seems to agree: for the month of October my site attracted 885 unique visitors, and although this month I have not posted a blockbuster article like Podcasting State of the Union, I am still on track to bring in a respectable number of unique visitors. I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I given my track record and hard evidence I feel comfortable saying that I am both good at what I do and have interesting thoughts on technology.
Of his five requirements the third — “are permissive to rambling questions” — is perhaps the most difficult to prove. After some thought, it dawned on me: what better way to demonstrate my permissiveness of rambling questions than to demonstrate my own lack of singular focus? And what better way to show my deficiency of focus than to point out my own website, where I write about everything from fashion to life experiences and everything in between. To say that I am not only permissive to rambling questions but prone to the sort of answers they often give rise to, then, would be a bit of an understatement.
The last two stipulations, that I must be between 9 and 103 and can make Skype calls between 8 am and 9 pm CST, I easily meet. So here’s to hoping that Brett decides to have me on Systematic at some point in the future. Hopefully you will all hear from me soon.