Why This Blog

People have called my father difficult. He has been fired or let go from a few jobs along the way, perhaps the most famous story being when he told a very important VEEP from CITIBANK to ‘ZIP it’ during the middle of a presentation he had prepared weeks for. He was fired soon thereafter.

He has never been afraid to tell people like it is, whether it be his children, his childrens’ wives, his own wives or his best friends. People have cowered, fought back, have laughed at him and with him, but always, always, he is after the truth.

“The Truth?” he would laugh. “Does that even bleeping exist?” Maybe not. The search continues.

So when you take on a quest with my father, you sort of know what you’re getting into. A firefight. A fistfight. Moments of frustration and sincere mayhem. Wondering ‘WTF, Life is too short’ and almost, almost moving on.

But never quite. Because his good side always wins in the end. Which is why I’m on this quest with him. For years, he has banged the drum that ‘education goddamnit just needs to focus on the basics: Teach our kids to read and the rest will follow. The rest will come. Anything else is sheer madness and a waste of the taxpayer’s money!”

That’s why he started www.brainsarefun.com. And because I know a little bit more about the world wide webs than he does, I decided to help him. It’s been a blessing, a curse, a joyride, and an incredibly steep learning curve. Though I’m a pretty good marketer, I don’t have much of a clue about e-commerce – so we take the machete out and chop at the long vines of HTML, shopping carts that won’t work, and PayPal. Plus all that other stuff.

We’re getting there. 

I’ve learned a heck of a lot about all this in just a few short months. Stuff I’m going to share. Thoughts I’m going to ponder. Madness I’ll be sure to dissect.

And oh yeah, one more thing: I love my dad. He’s the best. This is our journey. From zero to wherever, we’re starting now. I’ll keep you Posted.

Throw me a lifeline – give me advice here.

So We Begin

As you can tell right now, this blog sucks. It ain’t shit. It’s horrible.

If I were you, I would run, not walk, over to someone like ChrisBrogan.com or check out anything by Seth Godin. These guys are straight up the best. There, you’ve been adequately forewarned.

Over the course of time though, I can promise you: this blog will kick ass. I am on a keen spiritual quest to add value and quality to your morning cup of coffee or afternoon shot of heroin. But be forewarned again: this blog doesn’t adhere to ‘marketing speak’ or pablum (look it up, bitches) or follow the G rating as set forth by the MPAA. If you are easily offended, then maybe this isn’t the place for you. And yes, I know I’m doing exactly what I tell my kids not to do online: which is to say anything off-color or controversial for fear of sometime not getting ‘the job’ or making ‘the sell’. Oh well.

But that all said, I don’t want to be an asshole, either. I want a good honest conversation and to learn something from you guys. So let me have it. Right between the eyes. For the most part, for example, this blog will discuss e-commerce online and setting up a business. I have SO much to learn in that department. But it will also digress into philosophy, meanderings, and maybe even the occasional photo of my cat juggling skills. Bear with me while I dial it all in.

There you have it. My first blog post on the illustrious ChrisDonaldson.com. More to come. For now: Let’s roll!