No excuses, you’re coming to Beer and Blog this week. Because you love beer, and Saul Colt, the Smartest Man in the World and Head of Magic at FreshBooks, wants to buy you one. Yes, we are very stoked to announce that FreshBooks, the fastest way to track time, organize expenses and invoice your clients, is sponsoring this week’s Beer and Blog. But wait! There’s more. After the usual Green Dragon festivities, FreshBooks has generously offered to throw an after party at Grand Central Bowl. Beer+Blog+Bowling = best Friday night ever. But wait! There’s more. They also want to give you one month free of FreshBooks. Sign up for your free month here. Why, you ask, is FreshBooks being so wonderfully, fantastically magnanimous? Because we are just that awesome (not lying, that’s the response they gave us)! And because they’re pretty awesome, too. We’ll see you Friday, as always, from 4-6pm at the Green Dragon. The beer is first come, first served, so get there early to secure your free pint!

We’re happy to announce that the Vancouver, Washington chapter of Beer and Blog will be meeting for the first time EVER the night of Wednesday, February 16th, 2011. That’s next Wednesday, kiddies! The informal kickoff meetup will be hosted at Big Al’s Bowling in Fishers Landing, where Vancouver chapter head Sean Wiese has planned a “geeky social hour, topical meetings where we can get some insight into new developments in Vancouver, new products, local people, etc.” More deets about the meetup can be found in Sean’s post on the Vancouver Beer and Blog…er…blog. And don’t forget to follow @vanwabeerandblog for updates, too. Welcome to the fleet, Vancouver!

I was excited and honored when Justin passed the Beer and Blog stein to me a few months ago.  Becoming the Portland Chapter host was a good fit for me, but unfortunately time got in the way.  Before I decided to move forward as the new chapter host I did not realize all of the changes would happen in such a short period of time.  I decided to start the Portland Ten and work on Taplister full time leaving me little free time to commit to anything else.  So Justin and I are in the process of finding a replacement and I plan on helping out when I can. Cheers and I will see you at a future Beer and Blog once things slow done for me. Kerry

A few weeks ago Justin passed the Beer and Blog Stein to me.  This means I am now your new chapter host.  I already know most of you and look forward to meeting new people and learning about their cool tech projects.  Since I have some big shoes to fill I need your help.  I want to know what you like and dislike about Beer and Blog.  Please fill out the survey here. Cheers Kerry

Very exciting developments are underway in the world of Beer and Blog! I had the proud honor of passing the stein to Kerry Finsand to manage the Portland Chapter. I will now be focusing my time on the development of our chapters. Beer and Blog has expanded to over 20 cities during the last year and a half. Those chapters have been largely left to their own devices to develop their group. To provide additional support, I am establishing a board of advisers that will be comprised of the chapter hosts from around the world and a few additional roles to be announced later this week. What this means to chapters Chapters are still free to remain independent as participation in the board will be optional. Chapters that would like to network with other chapters and take part in the group plans are invited to join us for a monthly online meeting that is to be established. Goals for the board will be established at the first meeting and will cover things like: swapping organizational tips, group efforts to secure swag, planning an international meetup, advice on securing sponsorships, and more. Get Involved Our first meeting will be established via an email that I will send to the chapter hosts. At that first meeting, we’ll discuss goals for the board and additional roles beyond the chapter hosts. I’ll publish those additional roles here once we define them. If you would like to be involved, please feel free to drop me a comment!

This Friday WebVisions is buying a round for everyone to celebrate their 10th anniversary show. Show organizer Brad Smith and crew will be there to offer a special Beer and Blog discount code for tickets. About WebVisions WebVisions is a Portland institution. For the last decade they have been bringing in some of the biggest names in the web world to lil ‘ol P-town. They describe the show as: WebVisions explores the future of design, content creation, user experience and business strategy to uncover the trends and agents of change that will shatter your assumptions about the Web. Be ready to network, share ideas and be inspired by an all-star lineup of speakers. This year’s show is May 19 – 21, 2010. They have speakers from Facebook, Twitter, Adaptive Path, and more. As usual, it will be held at the Oregon Convention Center and you can RSVP on Upcoming. About the drinks Look for Brad Smith and his team as they will have drink tickets. It’s 1 per person and first come, first serve. Come join us for a toast to 10 years of WebVisions!

Unless you’ve been living in a Christmas tree these past few weeks, you’ve heard of that totally ambitious charity fundraiser called 30 Hour Day. It’s been featured on The Square and in the Huffington Post. It has attracted a legion of die-hard elves who toil away into the wee hours of the night to get things ready. And, according to the paparazzi, it features a really, really big tree. It’s that “cockamamie scheme concocted by Cami Kaos of Strange Love Live and Rick Turoczy of Silicon Florist” in which they vow 30 consecutive livestreamed hours of online auctions and entertainment to raise money for charities like Free Geek, Oregon Food Bank, and Toys for Tots. I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for cockamamie schemes. All of us at Beer and Blog are! We want to help make 30 Hour Day a landslide success. That’s why I’m very happy to report that after much begging and pleading, Rick and Cami have agreed to let us help! This Friday, when you come to Beer and Blog at the Green Dragon with an unwrapped toy or non-perishable food donation, you’re in for a 30 Hour Day treat: a live video feed, anchored by Mr. Brian M. Westbrook, that connects us to those cockamamie schemers Cami and Rick! Now…here’s the part that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside: the first item on the block is the apron I handmade and wore for the 2010 Get Naked for a Cause calendar. (I’m July, of course!) With the apron comes a mediaChick-autographed copy of the calendar. (That’s me!) Many of the models in the calendar will be there to scribble in Sharpie, including our Ms. Cami Kaos and her man Doc Normal. (They’re October, of course!) Mr. Westbrook and I will be on-air together at the Green Dragon for the apron/calendar auction at 5:30pm. Bid high, folks. It’s for charity! Cami and Rick ring the opening bell for their live online charity auction this Friday December 18th at 4pm on 30hourday.org, and they’ll be accepting bids even before livestreaming begins. You can find more info on the online auction via 30hourday.org. BONUS FUN! After Beer and Blog there will be a 30 Hour Day karaoke party with @MizD and @ChefChopper. We’re still encouraging people to bring down toys and food. And PLEASE don’t forget to bring a new, unwrapped toy and/or non perishable food to Beer and Blog. It’s important! I’ll see you on Friday! P.S. You know you want that apron…

Today Wow friends! It’s a beautiful day to socialize and network outside on the patio with cool drinks and good people! @xolotl is planning a good game of hideNtweet. @geekygirldawn is talking about an 8pm run for @Whiffles fried pies. I think I’m going to share a laugh with @turoczy on his comment on a Facebook invite for a $25 Happy Hour Workshop on The Holy Triad of Social Media Marketing
From now on Last week I was working with Nichole installing a blog for her father. She is also an attorney and we discussed someone from her firm doing a talk on IP law as it relates to blogging and social media. That’s when a couple thoughts came into my mind that I realize come up frequently now:

It’s too loud to do talks at the Green Dragon these days, and; We could do it somewhere else, but the offsite Beer and Blogs cause confusion.

These are problematic issues because a big part of what Beer and Blog is all about is helping each other for which talks work great. We could change venues, but Green Dragon has been a great home to us. It’s tough to find locations that meet the requirements for a good meet up spot: happy hour, good food, nice selection of drinks, reliable wifi, order at bar when busy (compared to table service only), and a staff that cares we’re there. The location is convenient and parking is easy. Finding all of that and a separate room with A/V support for talks is a fantasy land at the moment. So, let’s do this:

Always meet at the Green Dragon every Friday with no exception. (I can see @kenefsky’s and @reidab’s heart breaking for Blog and Beer) We’ll do the talks as offsite events at different times than Friday’s from 4-6pm.

These changes will not only address the two concerns about where we’ll be and ability to hear talks, but it will also begin to build connections with other groups. At our talks, we’ll do two discussions: one lead by us and the other by the group we’re visiting. This gives us a chance to teach and learn with other groups while expanding everyone’s networks. We have an opportunity to expand the spirit of helping each other beyond the tech scene in a way that leaves us more well rounded in our knowledge of the world outside of tech. As I write this there is a discussing taking place on Silicon Forest with 3 Oregon Venture Capitalists. They are talking with many of our friends about funding startups. This is an exciting time for all of us and now is our moment to reach out to the larger business community and the even greater Portland community with the offering of tech in our hands and to do so as a group. Beer and Blog can participate in this movement by helping spread the knowledge of blogging and social media. I plan to ask you, the attendees, to lead our talks for the other groups. This is a particularly good opportunity for folks to share baseline information that might otherwise be perceived as too basic for the more advanced tech scene. Let’s talk more about this stuff tonight and on the network. I also realize that Beer and Blog serves another important function, which is to be one of the groups that brings play and the social into our group. So we’ll continue to do fun field trips, but those too will be outside of our regular meet ups. We need to go to more Twicnics with @donpdonp. Take more magic bus rides with @podcasthotel. Organize outdoor movie nights with suggestions from @odxflanuer. Participate in more hideNtweets with @xolotl and @yuetsu. I posted this on Upcoming and Calagator even though it’s practically start time.

We are pleased to share that three new chapters have formed in the Beer and Blog family. Our newest additions include:

Boise, ID with host Wyatt Werner: Twitter Salem, OR with host Ross Swartzendruber: LinkedIn Honolulu, HI with host Bill Sodeman: Blog Twitter

Please take a moment to say hi and welcome them!

This past Friday was the first day we offered accounts to the public. In order to help with a few questions that have started rolling in, I put together a couple of quick screencast tours. If there are additional questions or feedback that you have, please leave us a comment below and we might just make a video to answer it
Overall site tour

Tour of the profiles and account management features

So much is going on, and I’ve just got back from Vegas to blog about it all! Speaking of Vegas, Christine and I attended Beer and Blog Las Vegas this past Thursday while we were there. We had an awesome time and they had a great turn out with at least 30 people attending! This Friday we’re going to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of our first Beer and Blog meet up. Naturally, this calls for a celebration!! So, we’re going to have a cake and maybe some party hats
At this Friday’s meet up, Legion of Tech asked if they could set up to record 15 Seconds of Flame videos for the upcoming Ignite Portland 5. They wanted to make it easier for folks that want to make a video, but may not have the equipment or the skillz. I told them hell yes we want you guys to record some 15 Seconds of Flame clips!! So, make your hair look pretty and wear your Friday best cause you might have enough beers to feel like stepping in front of the lens. Also, this Saturday we’re holding a mini job fair at the OTBC from noon to 3pm. I will do a follow up post with more details either later today or early tomorrow. If you know people that are hiring, have contract work, or are looking for sweat equity opportunities; have them contact Michelle so we can give them 2 minutes to share their opportunity with our attendees. Similarly, if you know someone looking for a job, project, or opportunity; please invite them down too. As usual, you may RSVP on Upcoming or Calagator.

Attendees of End Bloglessness can do these three things to help us start quickly:

Buy your hosting package and domain name. Not sure who to use? Try Bluehost.com. Domain name is free with a 1 year purchase (we don’t get any money from you hosting with them). Download the plugins we’ll be installing at http://www.beerandblog.com/plugins.zip Download the theme we’re going to start you out with http://getk2.com/download/

Ok, looking forward to seeing you all soon!!

So, the hosting talk was difficult. Not for the reasons that I expected, however. I was anticipating a lively debate over what hosting package was right for a new blogger. Instead, it was hard to hear and tough to follow. Sorry about that! I’ve heard complaints before about it being hard to hear. A lot more people are showing up these days and it’s impossible to hear now. I was thinking about what to do. Christine mentioned getting another venue. I pointed out that a lot of people talking is noisy no matter where we are. We agreed that we didn’t want to make people stop talking or split the room up as solutions either. Then it occurred to me. The only time people are working on anything is in the beginning before most people show up. And, it’s quiet then. So, we’re going to start doing topics earlier at 4:15 when you can hear and are still sober. Then as more people show up, the topic will divide into the many wonderful discussions that makes it too hard to hear later. And, if you weren’t there to hear the points shared earlier, you can ask about them from the folks that were there, which gives you the chance to continue the discussion with your fresh perspective. I felt like a smart monkey coming up with that one. What do you think? Good idea? * No the kitty in the beer doesn’t relate to the story, but it’s pretty cute, huh?

At the last Beer and Blog I said hi to a new face, Jim, and we talked about a friend of his that works with the homeless on blogging. So, from that serendipitous meeting raincoaster media is now bringing us some beer! This is Beer and Blog afterall
About raincoaster media Tagline: 49 degrees latitude, 360 degrees attitude. Ten Second Pitch: Social Media with a side of Awesome. Much thanks to Jim for introducing us to Lorraine! And, much thanks to raincoaster media for your support of End Bloglessness!!

That’s what we’re doing this Friday. Partially because we’re doing the End Bloglessness workshop this Saturday. And, because hosting is like religion and everyone’s path is different. All bloggers need to check-in with their hosting needs and make sure they are still on the right path. For those looking to End their Bloglessness this weekend Coming this Friday is a good way to be ready for Saturday’s workshop because you’ll need your own hosting to follow along with the install process. You can get some help buying your hosting account on Friday, which will make your Saturday smoother. Workshop attendees without hosting will have to take notes and repeat at home later or buy hosting on the spot (which can be stressful when you want to take time to select a domain name). This will also be a good way to meet some of the folks you’ll be blogging with. They’ll be many happy faces excited to tell you about your upcoming adventures. You may learn that the hosting account you want is different from the one I’ll be sharing about at the workshop. For the Beer and Blog Regulars I know I’ve learned a lot about hosting the painful way over the years. Just recently I learned a bit about the unique hosting requirements for WPMU. I still don’t have a hosting company that I love for every project. It would be good to talk about hosting again and see if someone knows the magic hosting package. Think hosting doesn’t matter, I bet you’ll learn something about hosting you didn’t know. RSVP on Upcoming and Calagator

Here we are at the end of another year. While it’s hard to fathom the first Beer and Blog of 2009 is this Friday, I am very excited about it, for purely selfish reasons. I’m now part of the Beer and Blog team! As any devoted attendee knows, Justin Kistner IS Beer and Blog. It’s his baby. His altruistic vision of a relaxing atmosphere where friends teach each other what they know about blogging (over beers, of course) is plainly irresistible in this community spirit-loving town. Now that Beer and Blog Corvallis is launched, and other cities that want a chapter are lining up, it’s pretty obvious to me that Justin has created something special and useful. So, when Justin asked me if I’d join the Beer and Blog team as an author and event coordinator for the Portland branch a few weeks ago, it was a no-brainer: Um, YES! The past year has brought many new Beer and Blog fans, myself included. I made it to the Green Dragon for the first time last May. There were 10-15 men, and no women, but I felt at ease sitting there with strangers, working on my aging Dell laptop. (It helped that I recognized some of them from their 73 x 73 pixel Twitter avatars.) And, once I began to talk with these strangers about blogging platforms, social media tools, and reputation management - incidentally, topics I didn’t really have anyone in real life to talk about - I was officially hooked on Beer and Blog. Recently Justin and I talked about what the first part of 2009 should look like for Beer and Blog, and Oh! It’s an impressive list: better use of the WordPress MU for the chapter blogs; development of docs to assist new Beer and Blog chapters in getting up and running quickly; and Beer and Blog badges for members to use on their sites, as well as members-only perks. There are also plans to make Beer and Blog swag available in late February. Yay! (By the way, Justin has a really fabulous idea for swag, but it’s Top Secret and I’ve promised to keep silent. However, feel free to try to bribe me. I’m partial to baked goods and cash.) We also planned the first month’s fun, informative events. Here’s the schedule, subject to tweaking:

1/2 Welcome to 2009 1/9 Workshop: What you learned at Beer and Blog in 2008 (topic) 1/16 Beer and Blog’s 1 year Anniversary Party 1/23 Mini Job Fair (topic)

I sure hope you’ll continue to join your Beer and Blog friends on Friday nights. If you haven’t attended yet, please join us. We’d love to talk blogs and drink beer with you! RSVP on upcoming.org

We’ll still find a way to hang out and warm our bellies with Holiday ale! After all, even if I said we weren’t meeting, people still would show up. I love you guys for that. So, this Friday we’ll get together and toast to 2008 as we enjoy the last official Beer and Blog of the year (although people may still show up on the 26th). January will be Beer and Blog’s 1 year anniversary and we have some cool plans in the works. We’re pulling together the best of what we learned in 2008 and turning it into a full or half day workshop for all those who want to start a blog or improve one. We’re also going to do a mini Job Fair. In all seriousness, please be safe out there and don’t hurt yourself coming to Beer and Blog! You can RSVP on Upcoming.

In honor of the Release of WordPress 2.7 the organizers of WordcampPDX are hosting an upgrade/switchover party at CubeSpace this Friday! In case you haven’t heard about the new WordPress 2.7, I can assure you updates are plentiful. Personally, I’m diggin’ the ability to upload media to the Media Library without having to create a post and the drop-down menus on the left in the admin panel. The new interface is not only purdy, it’s functional, too. Not using WordPress? They’ll help you migrate. WordPress users who want assistance upgrading to the new hotness? They’ll hold your hand and tell you to remember to breathe. Keep in mind that Beer and Blog will start at 5:30pm, a little later that usual, to coincide with the start of the WordPress 2.7 release party. And while there’s bound to be a couple of us at our regular haunt at the Green Dragon waiting until it’s time to party at CubeSpace, the extra time will give you extra time to grab some brews. It’s BYOB, baby! Join your Beer and Blog friends and celebrate the bells-and-whistles of the new WordPress 2.7. RSVP on upcoming!

Hi friends! Rick Turoczy asked me if he and the Open Source Bridge crew could lead some discussion tomorrow @beerandblog. I think what they are up to is valuable to the Portland community and her tech scene, so I said yes. If you’re not yet familiar with Open Source Bridge, they are a group of local techies that want to continue OSCON now that they are not coming back to Portland. But, they’re growing into much more than that. Here’s what they say on their about page:

We are advocates, developers, and Portlanders making the world better with open source technology. Open Source Bridge will bring together the diverse tech communities of the greater Portland area and showcase our unique and thriving open source environment. We will show how well Portland does open source and share our best practices for development, community and connectedness with the rest of the world. We’re setting out to change the structure of conference planning: asking interested people to come together at a Town Hall meeting, and share their collective experience and wisdom. Following the lead of the Linux Plumbers Conference, we’re enlisting curators for our conference sessions, planning mini-confs for critical topics and including unconference sessions. The focus will always be on increasing interaction between participants and engaging everyone in the content.

Here’s their first presentation: The after party will be the CyborgCamp Pre-Party at Vidoop Come on down and meet the people behind this hot new movement and join in their planning discussions. After we’re done at the Green Dragon, we’re taking our show on the road—to Vidoop for a CyborgCamp Prefunk Party!! Then come to CyborgCamp! RSVP on Upcoming

Hi friends! Welcome to the new Beer and Blog website. We’ve upgraded to WPMU in order to offer blogs to the additional chapters. It’s a work in progress, so please excuse some of our broken parts. Also, please welcome our newest and first expansion chapter: Corvallis. Lance Albertson will be facilitating the meet up in Corvallis, Oregon at Block15. A few folks from Portland have talked about car pooling down to the inaugural session this Wednesday the 10th. We’re looking forward to meeting Corvallis bloggers while we’re there! I’ll be spending some more of this Sunday working on the site and as often as possible until the new ecosystem really feels dialed in. We have a few more chapters in the works, and look forward to welcoming them into the family!!