Why is it then whenever I think of something I need to do I write it down rather than do it? Even the smallest, easiest tasks I have to write down before I actually complete them (and by “write” I mean physically write and then also type into RTM or Google Tasks or the like).

Over the last two weeks – 6 days of PTO I might add – I made 17 lists of things to do. That’s a little OCD, no? I’m a little concerned. Now I could put that on my list of resolutions, but I’m staying away from resolutions this year. Maybe if I don’t call something a “resolution” I’ll have a better chance of achieving it.

Snowdrop uses Subversion to manage and version its code, which up until recently was hosted on the Snowdrop dedicated server with separate bug-tracking software (Mantis) and still separate collaboration software (ActiveCollab).  Well, not anymore.

Enter Versions, Beanstalk, and Lighthouse to check out code, manage and commit changes, and track issues.  Then, combine Basecamp for collaboration and Freshbooks for invoicing with Google Apps for mail, calendaring, and document storage, and Snowdrop is completely web-based (and hosted).  No software maintenance = less headaches.

Can PPC advertisers bid higher than their target and make up the difference in volume?  That was the question.  Now there are many websites that will give short (but still valid and helpful) answers –  and yes, sometimes a quick answer is all you’re after.  However, this article goes beyond a simple answer and actually uses mathematical formulas to prove their argument.

Proof via Logic

I had to post this if only because the nerd in me loved it.

The interface actually makes me want to write.  I like the subtle colors and I like the typography.  Very clean.  Unfortunately, the new interface will require some re-training for a few clients at Snowdrop, which sometimes leads to resistance.  It’s hard to sell a new process when the end result is the same.

Overall, though, I’m very happy.  It could just be me (or a coincidence), but I’m noticing a slight performance increase since upgrading to 2.7.  A bonus.

If you didn’t know, Nick Bradbury is the creator of FeedDemon, written in Borland Delphi, and a successful blogger.  I read his article on supporting favicons in FeedDemon and realized I’ve found myself in a similar situation.

Annoying Code

I was writing a library to calculate the total download size of a given web page and the client wanted to include the size of images referenced in external stylesheets, even if the external stylesheets weren’t located on the same server.  Needless to say, determining the file path of referenced images became a bit annoying.

So should Nick have left out that favicon support?  Definitely not.  Some features just seem more simple than others.

I’m writing an essay on the effect of social media on culture, and in my research I stumbled upon lecture notes from a sophomore literature class at Skidmore.  My professor, a successful poet and essayist, advised us that “if you manage to keep your head above water for long enough, chances are you’ll learn how to swim.”

Looking back, I don’t think many people really grasped the meaning in his words – myself included.  Now I realize his analogy applies to marketing practices, all aspects of business strategy, and really, everything you do in life, especially in today’s economy.

Does it bother anyone else that nearly every article on millennials is written by someone much older?  Do you see articles on baby boomers written by 18 year olds?  I don’t.  So how do you become an expert on a generation that wasn’t even around – or at least “classified” – when you were an undergrad?

Obviously I’m not talking about every article – many articles are well-written.  I guess I just wonder how someone gets to be an authority on something such as “millennials in the workplace”.

Snowdrop Media is a big, online mutt, at least according to this pie chart illustrating revenue by source in 2008.

Website design services accounted for the largest percentage of revenue at roughly 40%, while both SEO services and affiliate marketing came in second with nearly 20% each.  Virtually all affiliate marketing revenue came from PPC advertising and partnerships with several content networks.

In 2009, I’d like to see Snowdrop make a stronger push into software and web application development and ease out of design services. There are a few things brewing around education and local business marketing that I hope to flesh out by 1st Quarter 2009, so things are moving in the right direction.

Overall, Snowdrop has seen tremendous growth over the past 12 months and I hope to continue that trend into 2009.