Over the past few months I have been honing my development skills in addition to getting back in to politics.  As I have indicated before… Once upon a time I worked in Politics.  I have been both a volunteer, activist, and professional in politics for the last 8 years.  Due to unforeseen circumstances related to the current state of the economy I decided it best to pursue using my degree and experience to join on the bandwagon.

I have taken a job on the ground in Oakland County, Michigan on the outskirts of Detroit working for a non-profit organization that shares similar values to me and most importantly the same goal.  After the election is over, November 4th, I will be back in the market pursuing a job as a regular person.  Aren’t we all just regular?  No, or at least a few months ago I didn’t think so.  I had convinced myself somehow that I was special.  In that  last few years I have worked hard and some how imagined myself  to be someone I am not.  In reality my illusion was allowing me to get away from what matters most.  Happiness. After years of working for even higher profile figures than me gave me hopes and dreams to be them.  After spending a summer with my parents taught me that it was all an illusion.  After spending months drifting about my parents house I came to the realization,  “I am regular!“  In fact I want to be regular.

As I came out of my daze I blew a couple interviews, unintentionally just did bad, and realized I love SEO and the challenge to the constantly changing SEO Universe.  But my place in the SEO community is low on to totum poll.  Sure I could rise to the top of the SEO community but that would bring very little to me.  So after this election is complete I will be back in SEO only part-time.  I am going to follow my instinct and go for a regular job with stability and most importantly with benefits.  I will continue to blog for personal fun and work with clients on a part-time basis.  Focusing on smaller numbers of clients will give me the ability to help create the perfect plan all the while not neglecting what is important to me.  I have two personal choices ahead of me.  1.  Return home and hope to get a good paying rewarding job (thinking something in construction or mill work). 2. Move back to DC and work my way up in government or the non-profit world.

The full-time life in SEO consulting is a bit to much stress in combination of high profile jobs is what drove me into the fog and ultimate burn out.  I want a full time job that at the end of the day or week I can look at and be proud of.  Weather that justification comes from hard work on an issue of championing a piece of legislation or helping family farmers navigate the rigors of Washington.  Being able to take a pile of dirt and create something like build a new Eco friendly power plant or make steel pipe that is helping end the dependency on foreign oil.  I want to be able to fulfill a quote may dad says very frequently “When they put me down in the ground. People will say there goes somebody that made a difference”.

How will SEO and your SEO business going to fit into that?  The same way I originally intended for it to be. I am going to put it back in the hobby category and part-time employment.  I am not ending SEO I am just not going to do as much as I was.

In my break I did lots of work on the growing area of Content Management systems and new technology using Adobe Flex.  Those article are sure to come at some point.  So stay tuned for updates.  I am adding an e-mail subscription via feedburner so that it can be delivered to your e-mail.  I have been writing on my personal blog lately about politics and other things.  Just so much going on in the world that needs my attention!

Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office.

In this case I am heading up their team in Michigan’s Congressional District 9.  One of the most highly contested and closest races in the country.  To be asked to spear head this operation is very much a privilege and an honor.

As you know from previous posts I am a big supporter of non-profits and charities.  So instead of sharing a link for charity how about dropping them a donation.  It helps secure more than just your pets and wildlife it protects human rights also.  They are just as concerned with our well being as any other organization.  They are currently in the fight for changing the current state of affairs.  No other politically affiliated organization needs your help more.  Please donate $10 or more.  If you can’t give money try giving them a link and a spot in one of your post.

This might be a day or so late but it appears Google has done a Toolbar Page Rank Update. This is great to hear as this blog moved up from a page rank 1 to 2. I am sure in the next couple of days there will be more Google Smack Down talk and chatter about Nofollow. Stay tuned for more updates on Page Rank updates as it is always a fun time!

I did notice this one post from our friend Kimberly over at yicrosoftdirectorygirl.com. Congratulations!

Last night and today I launched a new website, when I should have been packing. The site is still under construction and will be fleshed out in the next few weeks to come. The site will be owned and operated as part of SEO by Chris showcasing Birmingham, AL Search Engine Optimization Service. More information will be coming soon about the status of the new venture.

In tradition with the last few post about my journey here is a music video I found on Google Video Search.

Goodbye New York from yizzle on Vimeo.

The story isn’t about internet marketing as much as it is about recruiting to the Priesthood. If you want to read the article, go here.

After reading the article I had to see their website. I somewhat expected a Microsoft Word Style website from 1995 (not much better than mine). At first click I found a very powerful Flash Page. Somebody really did a great job on creating their website. It is neat, clean, and well laid out. One thing that surprised me – it didn’t look very “Churchy.” A good bit of thought went into it and it paid off.

As to the NYPriest.com SEO… There are very few Search Engine friendly elements and though they have a solid page rank could do considerably better. It looks like they have a $1million marketing plan without a complete online marketing campaign.

Today I opened the paper to find an interesting article about "googling" your name and making contacts with people with your same name.  This is snapshot of the article.  To read the whole article: Names That Match Forge a Bond on the Internet.

April 10, 2008 – NY Times

Names That Match Forge a Bond on the Internet

By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM

From time to time Sam Blackman, a pediatric oncologist in Philadelphia, checks up on people other than patients. Namely, other Sam Blackmans.

No stethoscope is needed to take the pulse of his namesakes, though — just a Google search. And while he has never met the men he refers to as Sam 2.0 and Sam 3.0, when one of those other Sam Blackmans posted a photograph of his wife on the Internet, Dr. Blackman, 39, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pleasure.

“I’m like ‘Oh! Sam Blackman got married,’ ” he said. “I felt like I should send a card or check his registry on Amazon.”

Now that the telephone book has been all but replaced by the minutiae-rich Web, searching out, even stalking, the people who share one’s name has become a common pastime. Bloggers muse about their multiple digital selves, known as Google twins or Googlegängers (a term that was the American Dialect Society’s “most creative” word last year).

In “Finding Angela Shelton,” a book published this month, a writer named Angela Shelton describes her meetings with 40 other Angela Sheltons. Keri Smith, an illustrator, has posted drawings of six of her Googlegängers on her blog. There are name-tally Web sites like SameNameAsMe, and Facebook coalitions including nearly 200 people named Ritz (their insignia is a cracker box logo) and a group aiming to break a world record by gathering together more than 1,224 Mohammed Hassans.

But while many people are familiar with Googlegängers, a fundamental question has gone unanswered: Why do so many feel a connection — be it kinship or competition — with utter strangers just because they share a name?

Read more…

I have never met someone with my same name.  I think it would be interestingly creepy.  What if they were better than you?  What if they were worse?  What if they were a criminal?  These are all good questions.  For now I belive I am content just "cyber-stalking" their name.

Here is your chance.  Due to my impending move and job change I am not going to be able to up-date as frequently.  So if you are interested in guest blogging use the contact form and we can discuss. 

New York City?

Though I am not yet releasing the name of my company… I can share that they have a long list of powerful clients and they have recently launched a new marketing initiative that will incorporate me!

Why are you just now making it public?

Typically I keep these things separate from my personal blog.  A couple days ago I made the career and location change public with a mass e-mail and post on my personal blog.

Due to the pending changes…

In my life I am sure that my frequent post will become even more infrequent.  That is where you come in.  If you have a post that you would like to make I invite you to contact me and we can discuss.

Stay tuned for future updates and to my personal blog for more updates on the move. 

I came across Andy Hagaans’s Ultimate guide to link baiting – a great post about crafting an article to for linking and social media popularity.

The debate on the “No Follow” continues. – It isn’t much of a debate as much as controversy

I met a new social media friend and rising blog star that goes by the handle Spostareduro and authors the blog Learning SEO Basics

I am going to leave you with one last article about online profiles, avatars, and online reputation.

Subscribe to my feed so when my writers block is over and I complete one of the new and exciting articles I have started you wont miss out.

The non profit I have chosen is Wake up WalMart Americas campaign to change WalMart. We all know the terrible stories of walmart driving down wages and hurting the small business while its leaders make billions in profits. WalMart has started a business that has the potential to hurt freelance and corporate SEO’s. So for my charity I choose them to hopefully help them strike back against Walmart with Free online Marketing.

I have chosen to freelance part-time outside of my full-time job. I work full-time on a team of world-class IT and Search Engine Optimization specialists for a niche small business that has risen over the past few years to a medium size business in no small part due to SEO.

Being apart of such an organization gives me valuable experience in helping grow a small or startup business. The truth be known I enjoy working with small business due to atmosphere, the lack of “red-tape”, and the ability of understanding seems to be much higher. Plus a small business has room to grow. I have worked for government, large-business, and major corporations. My passion is small business and sharing information in hopes to raise awareness for growth is important.

Subscribe to my feed or shoot me message as I hope the information to follow will be beneficial.

Regards,

Chris Estes