Archive for the ‘3. Tampa’ Category
Posted on March 7, 2010 - by admin
Adios Toasty Print!
Two years ago, I began a print broker business called Toasty Print. With tons of promoting, dropping off business cards, post cards, flyers and mass emails, I still got back a limited response for clientele. My largest client came by accident!
I enjoy watching MMA and I took my camera to the events to record the matches. I was contacted by the CEO directly to remove the videos from Youtube or else they would sue me. I went on to explain to him how it would boost search engine optimization if the videos were linked back to their site. So at the next bout, I had tickets to watch the event but this time I was recording video for the sole purpose to boost their SEO! Worked out great for them, worked out great for me. In addition, I promoted my printing company and they were my largest client for about a year or so.
The biggest downfall of the whole business is that I was paying $100 a month to be a part of this printing network. Some months I didn’t even make enough sales to justify the $100 being taken from my bank account. It wasn’t until the large account that I started to get in the positive. I broke away from the printing network, created my own site and started printing with a different printer but at this time, I had lost most of my clients and the printing network consistently emailed my clients to take their business.
It was my first real adventure in business and I will take the experiences and knowledge to apply this towards my next business endeavor.
Posted on January 28, 2010 - by admin
Shelterbox
ShelterBox is a disaster relief charity which provides aid in the form of ShelterBoxes. ShelterBox has responded to more than 75 disasters in almost 50 different countries, including the Boxing Day tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and the Pakistan and China earthquakes. ShelterBox also has an ongoing project named A Million in Africa, which aims to help one million people across the African continent.
Recently, Shelterbox sent 400 boxes to Haiti. Here’s the video link from the tents set up yesterday in Port au Prince :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqQpMZUoirA
For those that don’t know what Shelterbox is all about, check out the video below.
Posted on October 26, 2009 - by admin
Mountain Biking at Alafia State Park in Florida
I was able to get the chance to go with some friends to Alafia State Park to do some mountain biking here in Tampa, Florida! I have been to Alafia before but we took it a little easier this round as compared to other rounds. To be honest, I push myself a little past my capabilities and usually I end up hurt at Alafia. Don’t believe me? Check out this post here! This time, we were with new beginners so we took easy and intermediate sections.
Check out this 4 minute video for a quick look at some sections at Alafia!
Posted on October 7, 2009 - by admin
Rob Bell – Drops Like Stars
(photo from http://www.facebook.com/therealrobbell)
I watch a lot of Nooma videos hosted by Rob Bell and I love the way he speaks and the way he presents his content. I had the opportunity last night to hear him speak for 2 hours about going through suffering. Here are some of the notes I took on the event:
There are insulators in place in our lives. If you are at a concert hall, see people dressed very well, hear an orchestra playing, see performers wearing outfits for dancing, you’re handed a schedule of the night, then you know you’re at a ballet. If someone handed you a squirrel, it throws off the insulators that tell you, you’re at a ballet.
When fundamental insulators get tweaked, it creates a disruption in your life. When things are comfortable in your life and you have everything in the same schedule, if one thing becomes different then it creates a disruption. The art of the disruption is the fact that you wouldn’t want your worst enemy going through what you are going through but yet you also wouldn’t trade it for the world.
In the movie “Old School” starring Will Farrell, it depicts a character that lives in a typical suburban area living a normal life. Here’s a quote from the movie:
Frank: I told my wife I wouldn’t drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. You guys have a great time.
College Student: A big day? Doing what?
Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we’re going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don’t know, I don’t know if we’ll have enough time.
The movie goes on to show a boring guy trying to find something to liven up his life. In some strange way, being so comfortable and free of suffering makes us bored. Personally, I started listening to harder music, watching mixed martial arts and some other things after I stopped working in the ministry full-time. If you do not find suffering, you might find yourself miserable.
A man named Scott use to be a high roller promoting nightclubs and fashion events. He was paid to be seen drinking a certain type of drink. Financially, he was set but he was still spiritually empty. Money cannot buy true long-lasting happiness, only happiness for the moment. He volunteered for Mercy Ships which went over to Africa with some doctors to help the sick. While he was in Africa, he saw that unclean water was most of the cause of the sickness. He started charity:water that dedicates 100% of the proceeds to getting villages in Africa clean drinking water. This is a man that found suffering and found a way to help suppress it. Suffering produces solidarity where success and riches do not.
During the first century, the Romans perfected the torturing device used to get their point across. The cross was a way to torture people while keeping them alive for the longest amount of time possible. To conquer cities, they would go and knock on doors and tell people to profess Caesar is lord. If they stood up for what they believed and replied, “No, Caesar is not lord” then they were hung on a cross at the entrance of the city to let everyone know what happens when you don’t profess Caesar is lord. The cross was well known throughout the land during these times as a device for suffering. It’s known as a fashion statement today.
When Jesus was hung on the cross, making a stand against the Romans, the people could relate the suffering He was going through while he was on the cross. The cross was God’s way of saying, “I know how you feel.” God came into this world and felt the suffering that the people felt and screamed alongside us. He understands what we go through.
I own a guitar but I can’t say that I’m really that good. When I hear my friend Caleb play my guitar, the thought runs through my head, “I can’t believe that guitar can make that sound!” I own the guitar but Caleb can possess the guitar. We can own numerous things but we may not possess them. Sometimes we are possessed by ownership. We can possess things but not own them. Rob tells a story of a city in Africa that is full of sickness that he is visiting when he overhears music and a lot of people singing. He goes up the staircase to this room to find people singing their hearts out praising God. Rob asked someone, “What’s going on here?” The man replies, “They do this during lunch everyday.” These people barely own anything but they possess everything. Life comes in possession.
In a sculpting class, there were two groups with two different assignments. One was asked to sculpt as many great sculptures in a certain amount of time that they can. The other group was instructed to sculpt one great sculpture in the same time frame. When time was up, the first group had some pieces that weren’t so good but they had a lot that were excellent. The second group couldn’t mold and make one good piece and ended up with a pile of clay. When trying to master one piece, it doesn’t work. You must fail to succeed. What every artist must learn is that even the failed pieces are essential.
We choose the way we look at the situations in our life and the way we go through them. One day it was raining and Rob’s daughter kept saying, “Stars, stars, stars…” Rob asked, “What are you talking about?” She continued, “Stars, stars, when the rain hits the ground it forms a star. The rain drops like stars.” We choose the way we perceve and handle the suffering in our life.
Posted on September 25, 2009 - by admin
Racing at Tampa Bay Grand Prix
Did a little racing on an indoor track in Clearwater, FL. This is from my helmet cam. Sorry it’s pointed down a little! It’s hard to tell where the camera is pointing on the outside of my helmet. This is my boss in front of me the whole way!
Posted on August 29, 2009 - by admin
Shuttle finally launched!
The night the shuttle FINALLY launched, I was mixing sound for a concert event called Rich Party in Tampa. Right after the event was over, a lot of the people went out in the parking lot of this field of warehouses to try to watch the shuttle launch. Unfortunately, the batteries in my camera were 99% dead and I was only able to snap 2 shots before it quit.
I saw the sky begin to change color and I knew it launched but didn’t know exactly where it would be peaking over the warehouses. Once I caught the first glimpse, I tried to steady my camera on a post and take a long exposure to capture as much light as possible.
Where I am taking these photos is about 130 miles away from Nasa and we had a pretty clear view of the shuttle for about 8 second before the Discovery stopped shooting out the firey ball of flame that we could see from over one hundred miles away. It dipped behind some clouds and then we lost sight for about 45 seconds. When it rose above the clouds, we could only see a tiny light for a short time.
To see a few better shots of the shuttle launch from a closer view, check these links out here:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1457.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sefirephoto/3866089543/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapictures/3866178445/
Last but not least is a video from the UK where this guy captured the external fuel tanks being released…did I say FROM THE UK??
http://newburyas.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/sts-128-orbiter-external-fuel-tank-pass-over-west-berkshire-uk/
Posted on July 1, 2009 - by admin
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day
I think there are a few others that would agree the fact that it has rained a bit too much here lately. Last year at this time, there was a ban on fireworks due to the lack of rain. There will not be a ban this year, I guarantee it!
On the way to work this morning, it seemed every street was gridlocked. I couldn’t find a good way to get to work, at all. I thought people just didn’t know how to drive in rain. The problem was on the corner of Westshore and Cypress – my exact route to work. This would be the reason why I couldn’t seem to find one single route to work! It was underwater, about 3 feet under water. Geniuses thought they could float their car across or something. Tow trucks were making bank today. I saw a lady in a pants skirt walking through our parking lot with no shoes on and a flipped inside-out pink umbrella on a cell phone today. Where oh where was my camera!
There were people trying to do U-turns but there was a median holding these low-to-the-ground cars from completing this turn. Their wheels were getting buried in the mud and the concrete barriers were blocking the wheels from moving.
I actually drained my pool down to the “normal” level because I thought I would be able to swim tonight! All to have the entire day soaked with rain. At least give us the weekend without rain…please?
Posted on June 3, 2009 - by admin
U2 anyone?
So, I purchased two tickets for U2 along with Muse playing in Tampa, FL October 9th at the Raymond James Stadium. They are going to have a huge claw surrounding their circular stage and wrapping screen. This way they can perform in larger venues. I have the concept to the left here.
For those that know the RayJay, I’m in the 100’s section, row G. That is ridiculously close! I say all this, pumping up the event and realizing that I am not going to be able to go. I have to tickets sent to me from TicketMaster and I will not be able to attend this event.
If you looked on TicketMaster, the entire lower level was sold out within 20 minutes on April 6th when I purchased these. If you are interested in purchasing these tickets, Contact Me and make me an offer. I do have them up on StubHub and I know they will sell well so please do not send offers for $20 each, as they were much much more than that!
Posted on May 23, 2009 - by admin
Gotta take a breather sometime!
I’m the kind of person that doesn’t like to stop and smell the roses. It’s hard for me to stop…period. There are so many things to do and they won’t get done with me plopped down on the couch watching tv! I don’t have cable, nor do I want it. I would never use it. I have high-speed internet because the W’s makes me money, or is on the way to making me money.
I have more ideas than I can manage to work on at one time. I wish I met someone with the same mindset as me and the same desires to fulfill all of the same web business that I’m currently working on. Remember, none of these are my full-time job!
I started ToastyPrint.com in March 2008 but I’ve been tied down to the same printer that is lessening in quality by the print. Therefore, I’m recreating my site for me to be able to work with multiple vendors so I can print a larger variety of items and I can choose which job goes to which printer. Recreating that site and adding all of the different choices along with adding the shopping cart is quite an undertaking when it’s not your full-time job!
MeetTampa.com is an idea I had as a fun website for myself…to not put too much time into it and have fun with it. Oops. I found myself spending until midnight every night for the past month creating and adding content. My vision for that one is to have one website that shows all of the things to do in the Tampa Bay area along with pics or videos. ie: mountain biking, micro kart racing, canoeing, disc golf, sight see along Safety Harbor, etc. There isn’t a site out there that does! They have movie times, concerts and sporting events.
Currently, I have about 15 restaurants with my own personal writeup and photos to show the place or atmosphere on the inside. I have about 15 things to do with a video to show you the event or photos.
I plan on having all of the free Wi-Fi areas, Tampa coupons and advertising capabilities. Quite an undertaking to do it alone, huh? That’s why I’m seeking out someone else who has the same drive to see this in Tampa! Let me know you’re out there!
Posted on May 14, 2009 - by admin
Website for Tampa residents to find things to do!
I’m starting a site called MeetTampa.com. I have lived in Tampa nearly my whole life. I am always looking for a website that I can find things to do in Tampa – they don’t exist. Unless I want movie times, sporting events or concerts, there is nothing that has content worth looking at, or is so bogged down with extra stuff that you can’t find anything and get frustrated. Let me shed some of my vision for this **cue the soft piano music**
MeetTampa.com is a place where you can see Things To Do and it’s not the typical. There will be things you can find that you didn’t know existed such as indoor European kart racing in St. Pete and water ski/wake board at a cable park without having to drive to Kissimmee. Also, there will be a restaurant guide split up by different types of cuisine with an interactive map to find one closest to you. A section for Tampa coupons will be here as well.
Another thing that I cannot find from any website is the atmosphere of a place. I want to see either pics or video of the Things To Do or Restaurants. That way I can make a better decision if I want to go to a place straight after an elegant dinner or I should wait until I’m wearing jeans to feel more comfortable.
In addition to all of this, due to the amount of free Wi-Fi that is in Tampa, there is not a great site that encompasses all of them. I want to know what places are available in the University area, their address, what kind of food do they serve and if the place looks like a shack. There will be an interactive map for this one too.
Last, I want to make it possible for others to post their own content (moderated of course). I am not able to visit every restaurant and give my non-professional critic. It will take an effort of others to see a website and want to take action as well. Be a part of the new movement that will build Tampa’s economy by advertising great businesses people would never know existed. Register an account at MeetTampa.com and let’s do this!