Brain Power Not Technology

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Lately I’ve been stopping in to use the technology at our favourite digital agency Pixel Dreams. It’s been a decade since I worked in an office. The last experience resulted in one of the most violent moments in Canadian music history (punk band gob politely running amok terrorizing working interns)…Let’s not talk about decade old news. Obviously Pixel Dreams team didn’t know my whole history when they kept inviting me to visit their office space. I successfully branded myself to create the image that I’m office space safe. When really I’m going to sleep on the couch while Dreams, Stars and Ensigns work around me.

“Come work in our office.”

I have with me a case of Mill St. Organic. Only on Friday after 3:30. Sometimes we’re there until 8:00! Then it’s off to Paint with Pixels.

There’s no way I can write in an office space. I rock out to get my creative out. Not to mention vapourize marijuana to cope with my chronic disabling pain. However, I did take them up on their office offer because their gear is much better than mine. Their creative input also excites me.

Limited technology is no excuse.

Up until this week all my writing and web development was done on a dinky screen Acer netbook. These little machines are great, but can be very limiting. Consider my netbook isn’t even the size of Pixel Dreams office monitors. Yet I put in several hours a day on it.

The netbook got the job done. To me it represents my fascinating will to overcome. I launched my site Mernagh.ca two years ago. Fresh from jail and sleeping on my bail family’s couch, using (or was that hogging?) their computer. Building not just a site, but self esteem. When I went on a 20 day post jail Vansterdam vacation I used the computers at Cannabis Culture Headquarters.

My return to web writing came out of necessity, using my domain to re-learn net-technology and search engine optimization. Print has taken a serious financial hitting, hurting my once lucrative freelance career for NOW and Cannabis Culture. Recognizing this I focused on shifting gears.

Expect setbacks and obstacles.

When it looked to be smooth sailing ahead on the web, a seizure hit just before summer 2009, sending me to the hospital for thirteen days. Shattering my left shoulder. Resulting in the discovery of a small cyst sitting in my brain. Nothing to worry about. To gain the use my left arm I did physio three days a week for six months. Did I mention I’m left-handed? Yah, the past two years could be seen as sucky or character building depending how you examine it.

The technology to brand yourself on the net is available in libraries, employment centers and vapour lounges. Though computers and wifi are everywhere you need the smarts to utilize it. A digital agency can be equipped with the most advance technology, yet it still requires brain power and creativity to fire it up. The couch surfer with limited Intel processors can still rely on their intellect to brand better.

I’m proof of that.

It’s about brain power, not technology.

Despite limited resources and health, Google ranks Mernagh.ca (PR4) and my marijuana wikidpedia site MarijuanaTipster (PR3). High-lariously my Twitter profile page is PR5. With several more sites getting ready to break out. I used my brain power to creative problem solve. Something corporation can’t offer, but boutique firms with fascinating networks can.

The netbook was retired yesterday. Today I wrote my Pixel Dreams blog on a brand new wide screen Windows 7 powered laptop. Now I’m playing with power! The first new computer I’ve had in years. My Acer was a hand me down. I’ll still be in Toronto’s best digital agency Pixel Dreams office Friday afternoon (and maybe more during the week), for the exchange of ideas, brainstorming, encouragement, advice and hands on help. The office space is becoming an incubator of fantastic Toronto talent. A core group with a growing network of plug and play drop ins. But now, I have the technology at my disposable to really demonstrate my brain power in my home office.