b5media

January 23rd,2006

Blogger Interview: Aaron Brazell

By Rhys Alexander

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Aaron Brazell, who is a real sport. He’s also a great writer, has a wonderful sense of humor, superb taste in music, and as you can tell from his bio pic, is smokin’ hot!

But sorry ladies, he’s taken. (All the good ones are.)

Have a great time getting to know Aaron. I sure did!

Hi Aaron!

What do you write for b5, and what are your other projects?

Thanks for the interview. I’d like to tell you about some super secret Web 2.0 project that is sure to rock the world and dethrone Google. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The first step to dethroning Google is to get the job at Yahoo that I’ve been dreaming of for the past few years. Until then, I’ll continue to blog.

I’ve been writing for b5media since the beginning of December. It’s been fun. Certainly not boring. Emerging Earth is the name of the blog, and emerging technology is the name of the game. When I started, the goal was to write about Google, Yahoo and MSN… and indeed, they remain the focus. However, it has already morphed into something more of an overall look at emerging tech, Web 2.0, etc. Fun stuff.

I also have 4 other blogs that I pay equal attention to. I might as well start my own blogging network! :)

C’mon…you have to give us a hint about your ‘anonymous’ blogs! Are they really juicy? Do you have to keep them secret to protect national security? Or perhaps someone would want you dead? Are there naked people? Do tell!

Heh. They aren’t really that anonymous. There’s actually only one that I “call” anonymous because I intentionally omit identifying information to try to get readers to put themselves in the shoes of the blogger. The topic is faith. Not religion. I’m somewhat of a wanderer having grown up in a religious household and migrating my way through “the Church” in my early adult years. I really want to find the authenticity that I believe exists in God and maybe not so much his Church. The blog, Alpha-Tango.com, is sort of a journey that I hope readers will join in and be a part of. That is why it is anonymous. Not about Aaron so much as it is about the journey.

How wonderful…a lovely wife and son! Is parenthood different than you expected?

Parenthood is a real treat. I wouldn’t trade my son for the world, or even a Mac Powerbook G4.

Age two is fun, isn’t it? What’s the cutest thing your son ever did? Or what’s an accomplishment of his that you’re especially proud of?

He’s really taking off with his talking and, at two and a half years old, can count to ten without help! My God, he’s growing up fast. It struck me the other day that he is halfway to beginning kindergarten. :o Then girls! Then a car! Ergh.

Wow, a blogging book in the works…it looks like it will be fabulous. I especially like the ‘Parables’ section. What was your inspiration, and what will make this book ‘stand out’ from others of a similar subject? Any idea on a completion date?

You had to pick Jeremy’s section to rave about, didn’t you? ;) Of course, my goal throughout the writing of this book is to try to give some of the wisdom that I have gleaned from blogging to the next generation of bloggers. It’s amazing that, in the age of blogs, so many people have no real idea what it is all about or how to do it. Some people think that blogging is some magic voodoo that the elite or especially gifted do when, in fact, my dead grandmother could blog. “You Can Blog” is all about conveying some of the lessons that we have learned along the way, and that we are still learning. It’s going to be great. I can’t wait!

(Interviewer’s Note: I loved ALL the sections, I swear!)

What are three words that describe you?

Attention Deficit Disorder. You laugh, but it’s true. I am challenged daily with so many things to do and so many things trying to grab my attention. I work hard to not let it rule my life and still accomplish as much as I can because, if I had to add a fourth word, I’m ambitious.

Do you have a favorite childhood, fatherhood, or embarrassing memory to share with us?

No. :)

While not saving the world from technical disasters, what do you like to do in your free time (besides blogging or computer stuff)?

I’m an avid follower of sports and politics. If I’m not blogging on the topic, I’m reading other blogs, watching the news, scanning the headlines. I also have my cadre of fine television shows that I TiVo that includes 24, Survivor, Commander in Chief, NCIS and Numb3rs as well as news comedy shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.

That’s neat that you’re using blogging at Emmense Technologies…do you think blogging is the ‘wave of the future?’

No. I think this is an idea-rich world we live in and blogging is “a” wave of the future. It is a tool and, to some, it is an art. But it is not the be all and end all of the future. In the end, it is all about communicating with each other. That’s why television exploded on the scene when it was introduced and that is why the blogosphere is exploding now. Live. Real time. Communication.

What exactly constitutes a ‘yuppie’ lifestyle? Are we talking 1980s-style yuppies?

I don’t know about 80’s yuppies. I was just a kid. :)

But for me, you can very likely find me in Starbucks or on some free-wifi connection somewhere, checking out trendy bars around where I live, finding local bands and hitting the venues they play, etc. I’d rather live in a loft in Federal Hill (Baltimore) than in suburbia. I appreciate excellent music that contains more than 4 power chords and intellectual melodies – melodies that are thoughtfully and artfully played. :)

A rocker…how cool! (I’m still recovering from Jonic dissing Metallica last week…) How long have you been playing guitar…is it lead or bass?
Have you ever been in a band? What was its name…or what would be the name if you started one?

Ha! You’ll be happy to know that I do like Metallica, but the style is not usually my style. I’m more of a Dave Matthews Band kind of guy. In fact, I tend toward anything acoustic guitar based. That whole yuppie, coffee house kind of thing I told you about earlier.

I do play guitar, bass, piano and tinker around on other things as well. I really like playing bass. The bass is the heart and soul of the music. Did you know that most people think that the drummer sets the beat of the music? That’s actually incorrect. The bass player sets the beat through tones and riffs. He actually plays off the drummer as the strummer plays off him. Quite a dynamic!

Many years ago I played in a band, “Barefoot in the Rain”. Cheesy name, I know, but it was fun while it lasted.

And finally, how would you like your blogging/writing to affect your writers, and the world?

I’m just a guy. I can’t imagine the world will be affected by what I do or what I say. Hopefully, though, someone somewhere will find inspiration in what I do. I’d very much like to help other bloggers grow.