I haven't set aside time to write lately: got into a car accident which basically totaled my 1994 Nissan Quest minivan in mid-December, a day before I went skiing in Steamboat, Colorado.

Then the holidays came, and we finally sold our house after it was on the market for nearly half a year.

Basically broke even, but found out the previous owners a) were paid $11,000 to replace a hail-damaged roof and b) they never replaced the roof but lied about it on their sales disclosure, and our "inspector" didn't catch it. So we had to pay our buyer to fix the roof (thankfully, not the entire $11k the previous owners were paid.) Nice. I guess that's what small claims court is for (or soon will be.)

And I've been busy at work - a great thing. Working on some websites, PR, marketing, and helping adoptable dogs and cats in many ways. We're trying out some social-media avenues (Twitter, Facebook, ExactTarget e-blasts, etc.) to get the word out about our animals, and it's working. It's quite an amazing experience!

One of the sites I'm working on is for Mutt Strut. I'm considering using Expression Engine as blog/CMS software on it. This blog is run on WordPress, which I also used for the Angie's List Podcast site during my time there. I'm even considering trashing the design of this site in favor of a custom Expression Engine setup.

Wordpress is great, but customizing its templates can be a bit of a beast, especially for a PHP non-expert like myself. We're working with xiik on this project, and I'm sure they could wrassle a Wordpress theme into shape, but Expression Engine seems to offer much potential.

If you've used both platforms, what are your thoughts in the Wordpress vs. Expression Engine battle? Which do you prefer, and why? (Hopefully this isn't as heated as a "dogs versus cats" argument!)

Indianapolis, asides, media, technologyTristanAugust 16, 2008Twitter, bloggingComment

FreeWebPR.com:: Great resource for P.R., writing and general business tips

Last week while I was preparing to write a press release, I somehow came across a terrific website, Free Web P.R., run by fellow IU School of Informatics New Media alum and Hoosier media arts guru Neal Moore. Having grown up in central Indiana, I often saw him on Indianapolis CBS affiliate WISH-TV, my family's go-to station for local news when I was younger. Growing up, I trusted what I saw on the station, and now as a discerning adult, I'm pleased to see that Moore's still a positive influence in Indiana, and I was happy to discover the wealth of business-related resources on Moore's site.

Neal Moore

I checked out some of his posts and recommendations regarding public relations, writing, and media in general, and was fortunate enough to meet Neal (pleasantly, no "Mr." required) at an alumni event a few days after I discovered the site. If you're a student, starting a business, looking to improve your media-related skills, or even if you want to make it big in the music industry, you should check out the site.