Life is constantly full of ups and downs, and the ‘ups’ have the effect of making you feel like you are on top of the world. The ‘downs’ however, often make people feel like the ‘ups’ were never worth it – well, sometimes they do and while its natural to feel this way, it’s not ever true. When bad things happen, all we think about is the effect that some particular, negative ‘experience’ has on us. Rarely do we take the time to consider any of the good things that happened prior to any sort of emotional downfall.

Emotional pain hurts. There’s no doubt about it and it can come from the simplest, most unexpected situations or people. For example, getting fired, losing a loved one, being disappointed in someones actions, breaking up with someone, or being broken up with. We’re lucky enough to live in a day and age where we have medicines, tablets, experienced doctors, surgeons and nurses and for this reason, and this reason alone – physical pain can be far easier to tolerate and put up with than emotional pain. When was the last time someone was able to numb any sort of emotional pain? Never, and in all probability – there never will be. Emotional pain cannot be seen on the body, it can be identified in body language, facial expression and personality, but it, itself cannot be seen.

Right now, I am going through what is easily the most difficult situation I’ve ever had to overcome in my (almost) 23 years of existence. My father has liver cancer, and goes in for liver cancer surgery tomorrow morning – Monday, the 7th of March. It’s a bit of a tricky operation because it’s only 2cm or so away from the heart – this also means the success rate is 60%. Not that 60% is necessarily ‘bad’, but I don’t really consider it to be ‘good’ odds either.

There’s some things, as a son, you never want to have to talk about with your father – but when he asks to chat with you on a Wednesday night alone, about what needs to happen should he pass away as a result of an unsuccessful medical operation, your stomach starts to turn and spin. You lose your appetite completely, you go numb, you lose your focus, you are never in the right frame of mind and despite your best attempts at distracting yourself – you realise it’s practically impossible. You just can’t do it.

Fast forward 24 hours, and I lost someone who meant more to me than she will ever understand. Or maybe she does understand – I’m not really sure. She might even read this. She might not. I’ll never know. It’s not her fault either and I’ve tried convincing her of this. She’s simply done what she thought was the right thing to do. There is no right or wrong with her decision and I wish she would understand that. I don’t resent her or despise her. I’m not angry and I’m not disappointed with her. I’m upset that she’s not mine anymore and mostly I’m just going to miss her. A lot. But that’s not her fault. It’s no bodies fault.

The next time I take my car for a drive and turn my head – she won’t be there. The next time I go see a movie at the cinemas – she won’t be there. The next time we have a family function – she won’t be there. The next time my phone buzzes or flashes – it won’t be her. The next time I want to go out to dinner – it won’t be with her. This is why it’s difficult – going through the process of trying to accept that somebody you care about (more than you actually thought was even possible) is no longer going to be in your life the way they used to be. This doesn’t just apply to her, it applies to my father as well.

You can’t choose who you fall in love with. You can choose your friends. You can choose your career. But you can’t choose who you fall in love with.

Fortunately friendship is a wonderful thing, and I’ve had many friends come to my aid the past 2 days. Some I haven’t even heard from since before Christmas last year – they actually seem to understand or atleast have an idea of how difficult everything is for me right now.

I have always been the glue that keeps my family together. I inherited a lot of qualities from my mother. Her generosity, kind heart, her down to earth attitude and her ability to care. I am more like my mother than my sister is – everybody knows this. This is why I have a (stronger probably isn’t the right word) different relationship with my mum, than my father and sister do. Then there is my sister, who has a completely different relationship with me than our parents because I’m her older brother. She can talk to me about stuff she can’t talk to anybody else about. Lastly, there’s dad and obviously we have a different relationship because we’re both male.

They each rely on me a little bit more so than they do anybody else in the family, which is fine. That’s how it is. That’s how I am. I’m the glue that keeps this family together. If I fall apart, the rest of the family falls apart. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that I stay on top of everything. I am in for one hell (quite literally) of a year.

I feel like I understand what it feels like to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Quite fitting considering they say that “the weight of the world is love. Under the burden of solitude, under the burden of dissatisfaction” and right now I can’t think of a single sentence that better suits this post or describes how I’m feeling right now.

Twelve months on and things are naturally, quite different. I’m living in a rented house with my parents while they build their own ‘perfect’ little home just streets away. I have seemingly developed a stronger relationship with those who were already closest to me, I have now owned my Aerotop Supra for over twelve months and I have a girlfriend that I absolutely adore. However, my mother still stresses over everything, even when there has been no confirmation or guarantee that anything is seriously wrong. My sister now believes that everything she says and does is gospel and that if she disagrees with you or thinks that you’re wrong, or if she doesn’t like something you like, whether it be a song, an object, piece of clothing.. then it is forever considered ‘crap’. No if’s, but’s or explanations. If she doesn’t like it, it’s just crap. My father is still pessimistic and negative over almost anything and everything.

Yet, here I am. I rarely stress, until I know an outcome or decision is 100%. I’m open to peoples beliefs, opinions and views on just about anything and I try to see the positive in every situation. I have absolutely no resemblance to the characteristics of the rest of my family. Perhaps I’m adopted?

Towards the end of this year I tried to make more effort to be with friends. I eventually realized I was wrong, and I wasn’t what you would call a ‘good’ friend. A good friend spends time WITH their friends. Facebook, phone calls and texting are in some cases the only exception and in this regard, technology is a blessing. But when you live 15 minutes away from each other, there just isn’t any excuse not to see someone close to you. Now that I think about it, my change and desire to spend more time with friends most likely comes back to the active social life my girlfriend leads. This is ‘another’ thing that needs to be added to the list of ‘Reasons to thank you’.

This year I have been so focused on success that I ended up drowning in my own thoughts of money. Within the last month or so, I have realized that there is no point in having money if you have nothing to spend it on and no one to spend it with. What good is money if you have no friends to share it with? I need to learn to work my time better, stick to schedule and despite what my parents say, ignore the phone when it rings. That’s one distraction I do not need. I need to know when to call it quits – working until 3am just because I ‘have’ to get something done isn’t acceptable at any workplace, so why should I consider it to be acceptable? I need to stick to a 5/6 hour a day plan and commit to it.

On New Years Eve in 2009, I knew 2010 was going to be a good year simply by the places I visited and the music that played randomly over the radio. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always felt like the last hour or so before a new year begins is the best time for reflecting on everything, not just the year that’s about to go by, but the entirety of events that shaped how things occurred in that year. The events of 2010 don’t occur without the events of 2009 and all the years before it.

My understanding is that New Years is always about the celebration of the ‘new year’. Atleast, for many people I believe this is the case. I just can’t bring myself to celebrate a single year, when it is the many year’s before it that determine exactly how that year is celebrated.

For a complete list of major events that happened in 2010, Wikipedia have of course listed them all on their 2010 page.

Where ever you are, whoever you may be. Have a happy Christmas and a safe New Year.

Today, 1st of February, 2010 – I (as I always do) hopped onto www.news.com.au because the site always has leading news information not just from my state and country, but on a global scale. They have great personal blogs, integration with Fox Sports and other sites that represent leading newspapers in our country. On an average day, I would probably visit news.com.au about four times.

But today, I logged on to see this -

Five advertisements in your face about ING direct. I have no issue at all with the 728 at the top in the header, or the 250 on the right under the weather forecast, but the giant, long and wide advertisements that take over the left, top and right of the website seems unnessecary to me.

Here it is again with the ads highlighted in a red border -

It would almost definitely drop the user experience, it did for me. Normally, I would be drawn to the featured article at the top left, but after logging on today, the orange from the advertisements took over and was completely overwhelming.

And before anyone decides to point out the obvious – yes, I am aware this is probably NOT an affiliate marketing program and more than likely a sponsored CPM deal.

News.com.au has been like this since (I assume midnight last night). Hopefully it doesnt last too long. As I’ve already said, I love news.com.au, I visit it on average four times a day because they are (in my opinion) the most reliable website for the latest and breaking news. I just wish they dont crowd their design too often with too many advertisements like they have done today.

What does everyone else think? Am I being unfair or overexagerating?

Darren Lockyer with the Four Nations Trophy

Well after spending many, many hours working on this new template, I finished it off at the early hours of this Sunday morning. At 3:30am to be more specific, knowing full well that the Four Nations final was starting at 5:00am Queensland time. I had my alarm set for 5 and pretty much fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.

An hour later and I’m wide awake to watch the last game of Rugby League for 2009. I can quite easily wake up at any hour to watch a good game of Football, especially an International Final that includes big names such as Slater, Hayne, Inglis, Thurston & Lockyer – The whole team are stars and lets be honest – It’s a hell of a backline, with the exception of Israel Folau, although Morris did a fine job regardless.

Anyone who knows me well personally, would know that I take rugby league incredibly seriously. I watch it religously and yell at the TV, screaming instructions like a lunatic – almost as if I were the coach. I’m a Queenslander through and through, I have and always will support the boys in maroon in the State of Origin. When it comes to club level, I support the Sydney Roosters and have a soft spot for the Melbourne Storm (It might have something to do with the fact their team has over the past few years been filled with Queenslanders). If you are by chance a Sydney Roosters fan, then I encourage you to visit my website – The Chookpen (www.thechookpen.com.au). The largest unofficial Sydney Roosters community on the internet.

Leading into the Four Nations series, I was pretty damn excited. Jarryd Hayne was playing some absolutely incredible football towards the end of the season and I believe his efforts are the sole reason Parramatta ended up doing so well. To put him into the mix with Thurston, Lockyer, Slater, Inglis & Hodges? I think many people (and myself included) were expecting something pretty magical. With those players, their reputations and the form they were in at the time – I think everyone had incredibly high expectations of this particular backline.

Morris Crosses Over for a Try

Inglis proved once again, that he is the best player in the game. Now note, I said player, not playmaker. We all know Thurston is the best playmaker in the game but Inglis terrorises his opponents everytime he gets near the ball. His defense is top notch and he is one of the hardest players to bring down in attack. Rarely does he make mistakes and he steps up in almost every big match with some insane play, line-break, pass or run that leaves the audience thinking “Did he really just do that?”.

I think the game started off pretty intense. Gould & Sterling were right from the start, Australia had to silence the crowd early on – but they didn’t. Then England were the first to cross through Sam Burgess and what a player this guy is? I watched almost every game of the Four Nations tournament, this was the first I’d seen of Sam and he did not leave me disappointed. At only 20 years of age, he has shown that he is destined to become a legend of the game. Russell Crowe has secured the Rabbitohs an incredible signing with this man. I have actually predicted the Rabbitohs to make the top four (pending injuries) based on their forward pack – It will be the best forward pack in the game. Containing Dave Taylor, Michael Crocker, Sam Burgess & Roy Asotasi? If the Rabbits can’t go forward with this pack, they’re destined for years of failure.

The halves combination of Thurston & Lockyer should go down in history as one of, if not the best. It will be a sad, sad day when Lockyer does announce his retirement from rep football. Thurston runs the show and Lockyer plays an incredibly composed position which allows the two to work so freely together. However, even when that day comes the selectors can quite easily shift Thurston to six and place Cronk or Prince into the halves.

From the start I had my doubts about whether or not Australia would win this Four Nations tournament, despite fielding an incredible backline once again. Based on teams on paper, they should have won the World Cup Tournament last year, but it wasnt to be as they were simply outplayed by a better New Zealand team on the day. It was one of the biggest upsets in Rugby League history and it made people question the Kangaroos superiority. Has international Rugby League really seen the end of Australia’s dominance? Throughout most of this tournament I was thinking yes, as England & New Zealand showed they are quite capable of taking it to Australia.

Slater Scores Again

The future of international Rugby League does look bright, New Zealand & England are developing stronger players and fielding stronger teams all the time. I’m disappointed that it took the Kangaroos 300 minutes of Football to finally click together as a team. Had they been playing like that from the start, they would have wiped the floor with their competitors from the start. Regardless, I’m sad to see that the game I love is over for another year. They started off with a few disappointing and lazy efforts, but the Kangaroos did power home strong and deservedly won the game.

I guess its time to hibernate and occasionally take in the off-season news.

One thing I’ve noticed recently is that Online Marketing Group owned CreditCards.com.au recently dropped from the whole search results for the phrase ‘credit card‘. Although still maintaining their number one position of the plural ‘credit cards‘.

Lastly, in other SEO news – Matt Cutts and Google recently confirmed that the Caffeine Google update will roll onto all data centers sometime in January.

Anyway, if you’re interested in my new car.. head over to my supra page.

For this article, we’ll use www.revolutionhealth.com as an example. This website has been doing the rounds lately with people jumping at the opportunity to ‘get a free link from a PR7 domain’. So let’s have a look. I setup my account, and I was able to add a do-follow link onto my profile back to my blog – http://www.revolutionhealth.com/community/people/profile/chrishamilton. Looks good right? Well it would, except for this – http://www.revolutionhealth.com/robots.txt. Contained in this file is -

User-agent: *
Disallow: /community/people/profile/

The bolded line highlights that the Webmaster of www.revolutionstaff.com wants to block search engines from reaching any page on the /community/profiles/people/ URL level and because the public link to my profile is http://www.revolutionhealth.com/community/people/profile/chrishamilton. That means that page will never get crawled or cached by search engines, rendering that particular ‘do-follow’ link useless.

People need to pay more attention to a domains robots.txt file. Just because a link is ‘do-follow’ does not mean its going to have any value to a search engine.