Eric Courtney

As most of you know by now, I am currently self-employed and out from underneath the grasp of the Anchorage Daily News. Excitedly so, I am doing very well, and I am very busy making a living on my own.

I still watch tv when I decide to turn it on, and as I spend most my time at home, it is a rule not to turn it on until I have completed some production (earned some money) during the day. I feel the Shit-Box, as I like to call it, is a tremendous distraction from getting anything done. Imagine that...

But it is when I do watch television that has truly inspired this post! Advertising is what I like to pride myself on when determining whether it is solid or a complete failure. I have been involved with advertising, all forms, for the last 10 years. I, of course, have my own opinion as to what works, and what does not.

I can't help but comment on emails like these that claim to help out in tough times, and they are usually written by somebody who thinks they know everything... But in all likelyhood, they're full of crap!

Please review the email here, then return for my comments You will appreciate them. Trust me!

If you can squeeze an extra mile out of your full tank with some of the suggestions listed here, great. If you want to wait twice as long filling your tank on the low level of nozzle flow, while paying $3.50 a gallon, you're torturing yourself. Me personally? Filling my tank is depressing enough for me to willfully watch the numbers on the pump reach $60.00 slower than had I just locked the nozzle on high!

If we lived in the world Mad Max lives in, maybe I would give this public service announcement a little more credit. The fact is... Everyone fills there tank too soon to take advantage of a measly extra ONE mile! Because their time is worth money too. Gimme a break!

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON

Except in Alaska. It seems that no retailer in town has the six disc set available, and from the feedback I am getting, it's because of late shipments up to Alaska. So if you want to get caught up before season four begins on April 4th, you may want to order it online (if you reside in Alaska of course)!

My new header. The header expresses freedom (now), and I am going to be free as of April 1, 2008.

ADN Freedom is in full effect. Many of you who doubted me, now know, that I am completely on the up-n-up! It has been done, I am done, I am moving on to a different world!

With that said... I need your business. Send me money! HA! I will be passing out business cards by end of week, kids!

Also... One project I have set up soon is updating this Drupal site to the latest version. It needs to be done because there is a lot of cool stuff in the latest versions.

So I have made the decision to leave the Anchorage Daily News after a mere five and a half years of employment there.

My last day is on Friday March 28th, and I will be moving on to the world of being self employed. Wish me luck, or better yet, send business my way. I will be doing freelance web and graphic work, custom photography and videography, as well as Search Engine Optimization and more.

I will also be spending some time creating websites for the many domains I own. More importantly, I will be able to sit on the couch all day if I want, or take Boomer on day-long hikes. I'm sure he will enjoy that!

The holiday season is here kids, and I’m sure we’re all excited. I love the holiday season. It’s such a festive time of year. The snow covers the autumn leaves you neglected to rake up during the fall months, people decorate their homes with more lights than the Las Vegas strip, and you can find chocolate on every desk in every department of the building you work in.

A few things I have observed during the holidays is that there are those who shop early and online to avoid the holiday rush. There are those people who shop at their local shopping malls and department stores, and then there are those people who think the holiday season has started on December 23rd.

1: Iron Maiden
2: Motley Crue
3: Judas Priest
4: Rush
5: The Cult

Five: Granted the emergence of the Cult really spread around the latter part of the 80's, this band was probably one of the most talented bands of the formula-fueled-heavy-metal era. They more-than-deserve the respect of the rock status quo in a desperate time when grudge was starting to take over the scene. This band took turbo-grooved metal to another level when other bands had thought they had already conquered that feat. Releases like Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple are prime examples of what Rock-n-Roll really is.

So I powered through the book, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer this past weekend. It was a fast an easy read and not a bad book. I figured I would end up checking out the film coming to "select theaters" next weekend, so I wanted to bite into the book before I got the visual planted in my brain beforehand.

If you're not familiar with the story, it is about a young man who leaves his well-to-do family without telling them where he is going. For over two years he spends his life as a nomad wandering the lower 48 states (and Mexico), and eventually makes his way up to Alaska to fulfill his childhood dream of living off the land in the Alaska bush (wilderness). To make a long summary short... He died! He starved to death in an old abandoned bus back in August of 1992.

I’m through putting off dinner and lunch dates because I truly think I’m missing out on the best life has to offer. I always think the status quo will be available by the time I get around to joining friends to do something.

NOT THE CASE!

I have friends I have promised to go to lunch with for years. Chelle, Renee, Janna, Ildi, Lisa, Michael, Lee, Cat, Bonnie, Jane, Tina, and whomever else I have delayed enjoying a meal with in order to slow down a bit, and get to know each other a bit more on a personal level.

Last night I went to Benihana with Rhonda. Anyone who knows Rhonda, knows that Benihana is like the claim that every gold prospector in Alaska knows is going to yield the motherload! Knowing what Rhonda knows means the meal is going to be worth the cost of the check. No regrets. I disagree.

OK! OK! OK! It must be official, I have fans!

Yes it has been forever and a day since I last posted. I must enlighten those who have been begging me for a post.

Those close to me already know that I have been suffering from a serious case of hives. Yes, that disgusting skin reaction when you are seriously allergic to something.

I have been very busy over the last few weeks, and I have made a job transition within the place I am employed. The very place that I blame my allergic reaction to.

I have suffered through this annoying reaction since the beginning of summer and I recently discovered that I am allergic to my dog. Heartbreaking, I know, but the end of the relationship between Boomer and me is far from over.