Related Links:  Blog Post | Wiki | Offer your Expertise |  Request some Expertise | Help us Organize | RSVP on the Wiki 

POSTPONED - NOW WED JULY 19

BlogBrevity: 

Rent an Expert is an event where people who want to help others do or learn something offer their services to the members of the community for a very small fee.  All the money collected will be donated to a charity that is chosen by all participants.  Some examples of what might be offered include: how to setup a blog, how to get the most from shortcuts in Photoshop, configure a Drupal community, redesign a Web site, customize a WordPress theme, create a survey, optimize AdSense ads, figure out tagging, how to shoot better photographs or just about anything really - even non-technical things like how to write a press release.  Ideally this will happen in one on one exchanges, but it could be a project with a couple of people involved that needs the expertise or perhaps a team of people who are offering their expertise.  The event is co-sponsored by BrainJams and MindJet.  We are still seeking a location and other sponsors, but the event will be held on Thursday June 15th from 530PM till 900PM Wednesday July 19th from 6pm till 9pm in San Francisco.

The heart of a community is often not found in the leaders who are 'in power' - it beats strongest within the individuals from the community, and it beats loudest when those individuals come together as we have seen with the Immigration Protests today. This is something that is easily lost as we go through our daily lives, because those in power are the face of the community, while the heart beats away in relative obscurity, often far from the spotlight of MSM (MainStream Media). This is another reason why Blogs and all this Web 2.0 stuff is so important - it becomes a vehicle for discovery, conversation and connection.

Today I wanted to take a moment to honor two of the biggest hearts I have found so far in New Orleans during our efforts to organize our event down there. Meet Blake Killian and Chris Schultz from HuckaBuck.com. Yes, they are sponsors of BrainJams New Orleans, but I can assure you I am not saying this because they are sponsors, I am saying this because because they conduct themselves with true passion for their community and their work. They understand the power of community and want to help this conversation happen as much, if not more, than I do. They have given us no money, though they would pitch in if we needed it. Instead they gave something more important to our mutual cause - they gave their time, they gave their brain power and they gave us quite a bit of their attention. They are coordinating logistics with Kristie, they are contributing ideas to planning and they talked the LTC into donating the space so we would have money for food. They have also given us emotional support when we were unsure if we would be able to do this.