b5media

October 15th,2005

Blogger Interview: Kevin Humphrey

By Jeremy Wright

For this week’s interview, we’re chatting with Kevin Humphrey!

Who is Kevin Humphrey?

Kevin Humphrey is a gentleman of Canadian citizenship (and British-American stock) in his late thirties who resides in the boonies north of Toronto. He is a blogger, aspiring writer, web developer, husband, soon-to-be foster parent, self-proclaimed hippie and faithful servant to five cats.

How do you justify your existence?

Ah…the infamous Jeremy Wright ambush question! Well, in a material world sense, I’m an information junkie who’s brain never turns off. I have a tremendous passion for self-suffiency and for encouraging and wanting to empower folks to open their minds, think for themselves and learn new stuff. Knowledge is the great enabler and I want to share that with anyone who is willing to listen. Whether that be through journalistic writing, presenting new ideas and showing how things can be done at a practical level, or through story telling and fictional writing, or a combination of both, that’s what makes me passionate and happy.

On a metaphysical level, I don’t believe any of us needs to justify our existence. Something greater than ourselves put us here to experience what it’s like to be human beings. Don’t dwell on the past, don’t fret about the future, just pay attention to today. Follow your heart, live your life with love and find as much joy as you can. (Told you I was a
hippie!)

What do you do for a living, and what have you done in the past?

Throughout my sordid past, I spent about a decade and a half as a Chef, as well as having had brief stints as an Environmental Activist, Bartender, Courier and Property Caretaker. A little over a year ago, I started my own web development business, providing standards-based web design with CMS & blog consulting services to my local community.
Earlier this year I had the chance to start blogging for money, re-igniting an old dream to be able to write for a living. I also provide respite care and homeschooling to a couple of young men who are special needs foster kids and my wife and I are about to become foster parents ourselves.

How did you stumble into blogs?

I’ve been addicted to the internet since the late 90’s, and when I realized a couple of years ago that I had lost my passion for cooking professionally, I decided to make my next career in web publishing in a quest to satisfy my information junky affliction.

I started the web development business as a bridge to gap the time until my web empire could support me and of course, I got into all of this just as blogging started to take off. I had my own blog connected to my business web site and was paying attention to what was happening in the blogosphere when early last spring, Paul Short of the BlogLogic network put out a call for a little writing help with his TurboBlogger metablog. Silly me took him up on it. I’m waiting for someone to develop a 12-Step program now.

What other blogs do you write for?

I had been writing for Paul Short’s TurboBlogger and Gadgetizer sites up until a couple of weeks ago when I decided it was time to re-focus my endeavors on topics that are closer to my heart. I’ve got the blog that’s connected to my business site, Taking a Different Path, and beyond that, I’ve got a more personal project set to launch within the next couple of weeks, I’m hoping that the fine gentlemen here at b5 will allow me to expand upon my activities here and I’m on the lookout for any other writing opportunities that may present themselves to me.

Why did you join b5media?

Quite simply because of the guys behind the project; Jeremy, Darren and Duncan. If anyone one of these gentlemen had approached me with an opportunity to work with them, I would have jumped at it, and in fact I had, as when Jeremy first contacted me, he didn’t make it known at first that the two Aussies were in on this project as well. To have all three of them manning the helm? There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be involved.

To have this level of expertise taking care of the technical, advertising and promotional aspects of a blog leaving me to just write is fantastic. To be given an opportunity to write on topics that I’m truly passionate about even more so.

Which b5media blogs do you write, and why do you write them?

I write on the Unplugged Living blog, a site dedicated to living life off-the-grid and issues of renewable energy and energy self-suffiency. Obviously, as a hippie with a passion for self-sufficient and eco-living, this type of topic is one close to my heart.

What are your 3 top blogs in the world?

Now that’s a really tough question for an info junkie and net fiend. I don’t think I could possibly single out just 3 blogs. We may need to go for a higher number here…

BoingBoing - Jorn Barger’s Robot Wisdom Weblog - Wil Wheaton dot Net (Wil’s normal blog is currently borked, his temporary blog is
here) - Darren’s ProBlogger.net - Suw Charman’s Chocolate and Vodka - Scrivs’ Work Boxers - Neil Gaiman’s Journal - Treehugger…

Alright! That’s enough. There are many more though.

What tips do you have for people considering blog networks or considering becoming professional bloggers?

First and foremost, don’t chase the money topics, chase your passions.
To make this work, it’s going to take time, and to write about something that you don’t love day in and day out for months on end before the rewards start rolling in won’t work. Be authentic and true to yourself and the universe will reward you, trust me.

In terms of writing for a network versus going it solo, that’s really a personal decision. I had originally planned on being a publisher and going it alone, but with the depth of knowledge required to be successful that way, those of us who tend to be easily distracted will have issues. I did, but then I was fortunate enough to hook up first with Paul and then with the b5 guys and have found this route more suited to me. Know thyself and thy shall see the path that works for you.

Anything else you’d like to share with your fans?

No, that’s about it! Thanks for stopping by everyone. Namaste!