My good friend (and honorary Aussie) Heather from over at There’s No Place Like Oz recently tagged me in the very groovy 7 Links Project. The rules are pretty simple – you highlight seven of your favorite posts and then you ‘tag’ five other bloggers who you think deserve a little recognition. It’s like a pyramid scheme of fantastic bloggers and their best work!
The goal? “to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again,
That’s a pretty damn noble goal if you ask me. So, without further ado….
My most beautiful post: Goodbyes
I first tapped out this entry on my iPhone while weathering a tropical storm on Manta Ray Island in Fiji. I held off on posting it for almost two months while things were still raw following my break-up with Fallon. I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful people come into my life, and I’d say that Fallon was without a doubt the most influential. While I know with both had a tough time post break-up, we’ve both come a long way. You can read about Fallon’s new adventures over at Fallon’s Healthy Life.
My most popular post: Top 10 Must See Sydney Sights
This one just got a massive boost thanks to Brooke over at WhyGo Australia/Brooke vs. the World featuring it on her blog and putting it on Stumbleupon. In one day the post got over 1500 hits and has been consistently drawing numbers ever since. I’m stoked about that, because I think the entry offers up a lot of really good ideas for people visiting Sydney. Very pleased that it’s finally getting some recognition.
My most controversial post: Newcastle’s Unfulfilled Potential
I haven’t had many controversial posts, but this one did spark a bit of debate between my friend Amanda and I. She’s both a proud Novocastrian and involved in marketing the region – so she’s been trying to better educate me on the wonders of the Hunter ever since. My tone in the article might indicate a lack of love for Newcastle, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. I just get frustrated with the region’s failure to capitalize on its obvious attractive features and lure in more of Australia’s tourists.
My most helpful post: The Road to South Korea
I spent an entire Saturday working on this post with the aim of creating a definitive guide for people looking to pursue a career in teaching ESL in South Korea. From looking for jobs to arranging a visa to packing for the big trip, I like to think I did a pretty good job of providing a one stop spot for people wanting more information about the career that changed my life.
A post whose success surprised me: Dirty Deeds on Texas Street
I wrote this entry about a debauched night I spent out and about in Busan’s infamous red light district with my mate Byron from Byron & His Backpacks. I think it’s ‘success’ has more to do with perverts searching for ‘Korean sex’ and ‘prostitutes in Korea’ on Google than the quality of writing or the appeal of the writing.
A post I feel didn’t get the recognition it deserved: Top 10 Aussie Must Eats
I thought long and hard about this particular entry. After all, there’s no shortage of amazing foods here in Australia. When you take into account Australia’s very multicultural society, you’d be hard pressed to make a list of just fifty foods – let alone ten! But I think I did a pretty good job of highlighting some of the best things about Australian cuisine.
The post I am most proud of: Leavin’ on a Jet Plane
The decision to leave Korea early this year was a very hard one for me to come to. I had reached something of an all time low in my life – a combination of an unhappy work environment, financial worries, and a break-up that basically piled on top of my existing depression and forced me to make a tough decision.
Hindsight’s a beautiful thing. I write this from my desk at a new job I love, I’m about to move into a lovely apartment in Lane Cove, and I’m busy exploring Sydney and dating. Coming home was definitely the best thing for me – even though it was a very hard call to make.
So, there you have it. My seven picks for the My 7 Links project. You can find rules for the project by clicking here.
And here are my five nominees:
- Tony (@thetone) from It’s Good Overseas
- Heather (@tarheelpoet) from The Kimchi Chronicles
- Simi (@sftcurls_blog) from Straight from the Curls
- Byron (No Twitter) from Byron & His Backpacks
- Hamish & Mandy (@arohafarm) from Aroha Farm
