Robert Brink - Writer

1 Year Anniversary Hype!

June 26, 2006 | Skip To The Comments (5)

This is probably corny and soft, but I kinda feel like I need to mention it for some reason.

The official date of my first portfolio post, 11 Ways to Be an Idiot at a Concert, was June 27, 2005. I bought my domain name (RobBrink.com) in late 2000 and the site actually went live in like, 2002 (I think) with nothing but this logo up there lurking for a few years:

Eventually this site got up and running thanks to Apple. And thanks to Ivo, I've been able to keep making changes and tweaks and get things like the Photo Gallery goin'. 33 King helped a tad and Craps took the sick typewriter photo up top and keeps me playing "catch up" by always being a step or two ahead of me in the WordPress game.

Initially, my intention was to have a site where I could have my portfolio easily accessible to anyone who needed to see my published work. As a writer, trying to make a living, this is a super vital and useful tool. The site has served that purpose for sure, and continues to do so. But I never realized my site could be so much more than a mere portfolio. To my surprise, it's something people actually seem to enjoy. And I enjoy doing it. It's become a part of my daily routine and a part of the way I think when I am out and about doing what I do with my camera and pen in hand, observing the things I love or things that entertain me, amuse me or flat out piss me off. I've learned a ton in the process and that's always exciting too.

I dunno if this matters to anyone or not, but in one year, as of today, RobBrink.com has gotten just under half a million hits. Maybe that's not as much traffic as say, ratemypoo.com gets, but hey, it's more than I imagined and gimme a break, I can never be as entertaining as poop, or puking for that matter.

Now, some of you web nerds and "marketing" people might be thinking "Oh, but how many unique hits are you getting?" But to me, it doesn't really matter. Sure I want lots of people, including new visitors, to read, share and enjoy my stuff, but I am very grateful that many of my hits are from people who found my site compelling enough to revisit and pass on to a friend or post a link or whatever. To me, that is very rewarding.

So thanks to you all for visiting the first time and then coming back. Thanks for commenting, hating, loving, linking, emailing, complimenting me, shit talking me, taking the time to read my work, laughing with and at me, hiring me, agreeing, disagreeing, sending me typo alerts, helping in any ways you helped, contributing and most of all, thanks for skateboarding and/respecting it.

Here's to the beginning of another year. Thanks again. Stay tuned for some kickass (well at least I think so) interviews I have been working on with the mags, more video, lots more of my published work from the last six years, more photos from those same six years, and some custom designed tees from some artists and pros you just may be fans of.

- Rob Brink

Me skating the OG Brooklyn Banks (R.I.P.).
Wallie in '96 by Jeremy Weiss