What I’ve Been Up To (It’s Been Awhile)

Final Semester Winding Down
I have a paper due tomorrow and a revision of another paper due Tuesday, and I’m officially done with college work. Graduation is on May 28 and the Cornell era of my life will come to a close. I’m moving back home after graduation mainly because I need time to get my venture(s) off the ground and start generating more significant income. But the more I think about it, I don’t think I’ll be able to stand living at home on a long term basis.

Nothing against my parents, but I really prefer my own private life. At first I was thinking it probably would be okay, but then I remembered parents scrutinize everything you do, or at least mine do, and I probably won’t be able to tolerate that very long after living on my own for 5 years. As for my business, I was originally considering staying in Ithaca for an extra year because I’m initially targeting local businesses in Ithaca. But I don’t think that a physical presence in Ithaca is absolutely necessary.

Domain Name Industry
I’ve recently gotten into “domaining” or the domain name speculation industry (also known as the domain aftermarket). For example, www.philhuang.com is a domain name. Domaining basically consists of buying good domain names that are likely to appreciate in value or be in some kind of demand, and then selling them with a markup. It’s kind of like Internet real estate. I have a small portfolio of domains right now, some are promising, and I’ve recently been able to pick up some good bargains on relatively premium domain names. Actually some of the domains I’ve picked up aren’t even for reselling, but rather for other ideas that I have. The good thing, the risk is relatively low because I can always sell them off at a higher value if I decide to not develop an idea.

TechCrunch Redesign
On a more arbitrary note, a prominent blog covering Web 2.0 startups and services, Tech Crunch, recently had a redesign. I loved the old design but this new one is horrible. It’s barely even a design. I could squeak this thing out in 10 minutes. It’s a lot more advertising centric now and a lot of people have criticized the owner for selling out and going against the spirit of Web 2.0. I’d have to agree. Sure, you can monetize the site, but to do it so blatantly and distastefully? Those boxes on the top right cost advertisers $7,500 a month. That’s $360,000 a year for all four slots. Wow.

I’ve Fulfilled All of My Resolutions
Yup. My resolutions pertained to fitness, business, and personal goals. First, I’ve really been getting more and more fit. I’m bulking up slightly, getting stronger, and really getting more lean especially my abs. And I’ve managed to get my weight down to 162~165 lbs. I can bench my own body weight now too. In terms of business, I’m actually generating some income. It’s slow going right now, but after I graduate, it’s full steam ahead. And I like to think I tell it like it is more often now. So yay.

Another Network Neutrality Video (Because it’s that important!)

P.S. If you post a comment that contains the name of a pharmaceutical drug, my blog will tag it as comment spam. I get so much of it now that I don’t moderate it anymore, I just do a batch delete.

P.P.S. Lately I’ve been really digging this song: O.A.R. - Love and Memories