Meet Adam Waring, Aussie Ninja Warrior

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Adam Waring is training to be the first Australian Ninja Warrior and the first Aussie to compete on American Ninja Warrior. He created his Aussie Ninja Warrior website to help create the amazingly supportive community in Australia that American currently has.

1. How did you first hear about American Ninja Warrior--is it popular in Australia?

Bizarrely, it was a young Olivia Munn that got me into American Ninja Warrior. The original Ninja Warrior show from Japan is called Sasuke, and I used to love it with all my heart. Eventually they had a couple of American competitors who were interesting, but I never really thought a lot about it until they showed Ms. Munn coming back a second time after training all year to pass the first obstacle--and that lead me to investigate and find American Ninja Warrior which promptly became my favourite.

American Ninja Warrior has only just started airing on Australian television, so for years and years I tried hard to track down episodes Due to regional constraints you couldn't watch them on Youtube or buy them from Amazon, so I had to convince overseas family friends to help me out. Now that Australian Ninja Warrior has been announced to air its first season in 2017, I think interest is very definitely rising. I think Australian Ninja Warrior could be absolutely massive. Aussies are extremely sporty and competitive, so I'm guessing it should fit into our cultural identity more than any other reality TV show.

2. What made you decide that you wanted to be on the show?

I've always been hugely into computers, even as a young kid. I'm an IT guy by trade and loved computer games and programming more than anything else. Predictably, I developed extremely severe RSI in my hands and was suddenly faced with not being able to do any of the things I loved and was good at.

I was devastated for a long time, especially after a huge number of specialists would each promise resolution, and my condition would get worse as time moved along. Eventually, while moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I found the Japanese Sasuke and became a massive fan, and that got me out and training and excited about obstacle courses. I was always terrible at sports, but obstacle courses I was actually really good at really quickly.

A year ago, my partner and I were ready to change life up and decided to move overseas. America became our destination and so it was decided by everyone who had ever met me that I should train and try out for American Ninja Warrior. Then a couple of months ago they announced Australian Ninja Warrior, so looks like I'll be heading back home for a bit of fun.

3. What's your training regimen been like?

Training has been really fun, but actually extremely difficult. Unlike most other sports and disciplines, you have to be good at everything because you have no idea what is going to be thrown at you. So, rock climbing and parkour are a good start, which I started learning last November, and then it's just a heap of exercises. I don't do weights at all because I want to be light and agile, so a lot of body weight exercises and then a heap of training on obstacles where I can and swinging off all the things.

I actually developed a few tendonitis/overuse injuries because I just threw myself into training trying to develop all the muscles and all the skills. Now I'm a lot smarter and have structured three rest days a week into my training week so that I give myself a chance to recover and give all the tendons and fascia around the muscles to develop.

4. Why did you need to move to Portland, Oregon, and what are your plans leading up to appearing on the show in 2017?

I ended up in Portland, Oregon purely by accident. We had no idea it might be the fittest city in America when we moved here. We had no idea there was so much rock climbing and snowboarding and cycling to do here. We only knew of Portland from the television show Portlandia, so really, we had no idea what we were in for. I love it here now; it's such a fun city, and everyone is so active and health conscious. It's amazing.

5. Would you tell us a bit about your website and anything else you'd like readers to know about you?

I initially started www.australianninjawarrior.com.au just as a way to keep track of my own training for American Ninja Warrior. In my training, I've found that America has such a vibrant and supportive community of Ninja Warriors--it's the course versus everyone, so all the Ninja Trainers, Rock Climbers and Parkour Freerunners I've met have been so generous with their time and knowledge that I wanted to share that with my fellow Australian Ninja Warriors, so I’ve changed www.australianninjawarrior.com.au to be a one-stop shop for this budding community and sharing my experiences and training tips. When I first started training, I found it really hard to find any information on how to start, what do to, how to tackle anything, so I'm trying to remove that barrier for my Aussie Ninjas.

Thanks, Adam!

Meet Northwest Movers, an Oregon Moving Company

Based in Portland, Northwest Movers is the highest-rated moving company in the state of Oregon. This fast-growing small business was founded in 2011 and can help with all aspects of the moving process, from wrapping and unpacking to transporting to unloading. Check out their Yelp reviews, and visit them online at http://northwest-movers.com.

1. How did you get to be the highest rating moving company in Oregon?

It's been a fast rise in a matter of a few years. If you think about it, there are other local companies in the area that have 8-10 years on us, in terms of when they were founded. Yet, we rank the highest. Pretty simple. Northwest Movers was founded solely to give the moving industry a new image. Clean cut, young individuals, who go above and beyond with their work, and customer service. Our focal point has been to take care of each and every customer. As a moving service provider, it's near impossible to be perfect. Small errors happen from time to time. We work to come to a solution as fast as we can in order to leave no customers unsatisfied. Some companies in the area will turn a blind eye to small occurrences, such as dings, or scratches. Northwest Movers does the opposite, which is what sets us apart from the rest.

2. What are the benefits of hiring a mover compared to taking the DIY approach to moving?

Well, the obvious one is saving your back, as well as your friends/relatives. Moving is no easy task. It's one of life's most stressful events. There's a lot going on during the moving process. Packing, closing dates, donating, realtors, etc. A professional moving company is able to take away some of that stress associated with moving. Most individuals would agree that hiring a professional moving company is money well spent.

3. What made you decide to start a moving company in Portland?

It might sounds like the old cliché. I worked for another moving company while in college. I knew there could be a better service provided, and that's what I set out to do. I spent about 8-9 months with that company learning the ins and outs of the business. With my business degree in process at Portland State University, it made perfect sense to start a business that is always in high demand, especially for the expanding Portland area. People are always moving, and that's never going to change.

It was definitely a slow start, especially while I was still in school. I couldn't focus my sole attention on the business. At one point I was just doing just enough jobs to pay the bills and get through school. I was a bit behind heading into my final year or so in college. I was eager to put 100% of my attention towards the business. I embarked on a five-term adventure of 20 credits per term (summers classes included) in order to finish as fast as I could. The next two years were spent building the foundation/reputation of northwest movers.

4. Do you have some advice for ways that people can save themselves time and money when they are moving?

This is actually a question that comes up daily from our clients. There are several things one can do to save time and money while moving. Consider packing your own belongings yourself, such as the kitchen, clothing, books, etc. Disassembling the beds before the crew arrives also saves time, especially if the bed happens to be IKEA. Some of those take a decent amount of time to dissemble/reassemble. Putting all of the boxes on the bottom floor can also save time. If you're on a strict budget, consider having the company come in and only move the larger items. If there are items you can move on your own time, consider doing that to save on expenses. Also, if it can be in a box, it should be in a box. Minimizing the amount of miscellaneous items makes the process much faster.

5. What else would you like people to know about your company?

It's important to know that Northwest Movers isn't your typical moving company. I believe our online presence can confirm that. We do our best to answer every call that comes in. However, if we happen to miss your call, please leave a voicemail, and we guarantee a return call. Please do not call over and over again, as we receive a great deal of spam/telemarketing phone calls. Also, email is still an excellent way to reach out to us. We can be reached at www.northwest-movers.com.

Thanks!

Introducing Proficient Limousine

A Seattle-based limousine service company, Proficient Limousine offers limo service extending from Seattle, Washington to nearby destinations including Portland, Oregon.

One of their most popular services is their transportation to and from Sea-Tac Airport. Limo service is a favorite transportation service for many people who fly. Makes sense to me--you can relax in comfort and avoid the hassles of driving and parking and so on. If you're on a honeymoon or other special trip, why not treat yourself from the moment you leave your door to the moment you arrive back home?

Proficient Limousine has luxury town cars which seat one to four passengers, and luxury SUVs which seat one to seven passengers. For listed rates to specific destinations, check out their website, and you can also use the website to get a price quote. Also, if you make an online reservation for limo service, you can get 5% off the price of your trip.

The company also maintains a blog with a lot of travel related information on topics like transportation, hotels, things to do, and so on. There are many posts specific to the Seattle area, so if you're coming to Seattle for the first time, you'll find some info to get you started on planning your trip.

Meet Eric Wayne Dickey, Author

Eric Wayne Dickey is a poet and the author of a recently published children's book, Alex the Ant Goes to the Beach, published by Craigmore Creations. Find the book on Amazon by clicking here.

1. How did you come to write a children's book?

I wrote it on the occasion of a birth. Close friends were having their first child. I had intended to give it to them as a gift, but I never did. Around that time, I had a friend who was studying entomology and had also gone to art school. I asked her to draw up some ideas of what the main character would look like. But then, as things go, the story languished untouched for over a decade.

I kept writing poetry and other things. As the years passed, I had my own family, and had read hundreds of children's books to my two kids. A few years ago as I was reading a bedtime story to my youngest, I had an epiphany: I could do this. I can write a children's book. I have a creative writing degree and I am a writer. Then I remembered the ant story. So, I dug it up and brushed it off. I read it to my kids and got their feedback, and I read it to some friends and got their feedback. I also connected with some local children's authors, Margaret J. Anderson and Tom Birdseye, who both gave me a wealth of knowledge for which I am still grateful. It's kind of funny, too, because the things that I learned from them, and the feedback that got from my friends, is very similar to the kinds of practical information that I've learned as a poet, but I had to shift my understanding of audience. I had to take the things I learned as a poet and writer, and realign them to address the issues of writing for children. Things like image, structure, and function are approached similarly but with different intentions. After assimilating all the feedback and soul searching, I started researching publishers.

I had found a few publishers that I thought would be interested, Sterling, and Scholastic, or course. As I kept researching, I learned that I should pursue publishers who specialize in science literacy. The book explores entomology and coastal and ocean topics for young people. I found Dog-Eared Publications, and had started drafting a query letter. Around that same time, I had caught up with an old friend who had just finished working for a new, independent children's book publisher in Portland, Oregon: Craigmore Creations, which specializes in science literacy and children's books. I reviewed their catalog and checked out a few of their books from the library. I noticed that they didn't have any books for three-to-eight year old readers. So, I decided to query them first. I used my hook for expanding their offerings, my connection to my friend who had worked there, I focused on my story and its potential, and I sent the query letter. And wouldn't you know it, they said, "Yes!" It's unusual to get an acceptance right off the bat. Usually, book inquiries for new writers get rejected a dozen times or more. I was elated, to say the least.

2. Being a father surely helped. Did being a poet help?

Absolutely. The language and word choices in children's books, as in poetry, need precision. There can be no room for misinterpretation. I labored over each sentence, the phrasing, each word, if not each letter in the story. What's more interesting is that I had to leave room in the text for the imagination. In the case of poetry, we leave room in the text for the imagination of the reader. While this is true for children's books, we also have to leave room in the text for the illustrator. The text and the illustrations work together.

3. What did you learn about children's publishing?

I learned that writers should only submit texts to publishers. This is not always true, of course, but for new writers it is true for several reasons. Children's book publishers have their own cadre of illustrators that they keep on staff or on contract. This helps them develop a consistent brand identity. For example, Scholastic books generally look like Scholastic Books. Each publisher has a their own aesthetic, their own certain appeal, and a specific look that helps them establish their markets. So, submitting a text to a publisher will allow their illustrators to imagine what the story will look like. If you submit a text with illustrations, the illustrations will influence the way the publisher sees the book. Or, as Tom Birdseye put it, "You don’t want to give a publisher two reasons to reject your work." Just submit the text, and only give them one reason.

Oddly enough, this advice is useful to poets, too. When writing and formatting a poem, don't give your readers too many reasons to reject your poems. Authenticity in poetry easily couples with accessibility. Poets can be nurturing and kind, as well as difficult and thought provoking as long as their voice is authentic.

Another thing I learned about children's publishing that readers find surprising is that I have never met the illustrator. While I did have input on early drafts of drawings, the illustrator was fairly autonomous. And I now see why that is absolutely necessary. Illustrators need their own license to express their art; working too closely with an author would alter and slow the outcome.

4. What are you reading?

Whenever there is a poetry competition list of finalists announced, I always get the listed books for poetry. Whether it's the Pulitzer, the National Book Critics Circle Award, or the National Book Award, I binge read all the finalists. I am currently reading the finalists in poetry for the National Book Award for poetry. The one I am on now is Spencer Reece's The Clerk's Tale. I have to say, it is the real deal. I also have Brian Blanchfield's A Several World in the queue.

The fiction I am currently reading is Peter Matthiessen's Shadow Country. That one is a long haul and will take me a while to finish. I am also reading Censoring Translation by Michelle Woods. I have an unpublished translation that nobody wants to publish, and am trying to figure out how I should proceed.

5. What's next? What are you working on now?

I submitted a sequel to the publisher for Alex the Ant. In this second installment, Alex the Ant Builds a Bridge, Alex pursues engineering and the book explores issues of climate change. I have a third installment in mind where Alex will explore social identity and atmospheric science and astronomy. It is very exciting being a new children's author. It's a completely new identity for me, and it’s been a lot of fun. I just hope that this first book, Alex the Ant Goes to the Beach, sells well enough to justify a second book. With good sales, the publisher may also consider a Spanish translation, too. So, I hope your readers will consider supporting the effort and buy the book. It's a really fun story with lots of fun words to say.

As for children's stories, I am researching other books as I am developing a couple new storylines. One on diaspora for tween girls, and another on homelessness for young children. P.D. Eastman's The Best Nest is a fascinating account of homelessness that captures the sense of hopelessness and urgency displaced family feels.

As for poetry, I am also working on a series of poems called The Book of James about the sudden passing of my only sibling. It's a book-length elegy that takes famous people and places named James and addresses them as if they were my brother, James River for example, or Jesse James. I really want to finish this collection. It is coalescing for me, and I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, if the light goes off, then I'm just in a hole in the ground. I have this idea that the collection should be forty-two poems, and I think I am getting close to thirty.

I am also starting to work on my next poetry project and have already written a few poems, which, in my mind, I call, The Crazy Poems. One of them, "Train 19," is forthcoming from a new zine being produced by Lars Palm called Swirl.

I have outlines to some fiction pieces I would really like to dive into. I imagine them as a series of stories about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. I can guarantee they will not have any zombies.

It's difficult for writers to keep writing, with all the other obligations we have: work, family, house, health, etc. I find that having a variety of reading and writing projects helps keep the momentum moving forward. I write for my day job, too; I'm a grant writer. I help develop and write grants for researchers, and I am working on a couple of really exciting projects that also use a little of my creativity. For me, it's the journey and not the destination. I have to keep reminding myself of that because otherwise, I get too caught up on acceptance and products and success. Editing and seeking publication are fun, but I'd rather be writing.

Thanks, Eric!

Meet Megan, CPA and Entrepreneur

Megan is a 30 year old CPA who has started her journey to start her own business online. Her first website is www.onlinesurveysformoneyhq.com. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two cats.

1. What inspired you to start a website about making money from online surveys?

It actually started when I tried to do my own research on the topic but came up empty. It was hard to find any objective, hype-free info out there.

2. How much time do you think someone generally needs to invest per week in order to make enough money on online surveys to pay for, say, dinner and a movie?

At least three hours for dinner and a movie for two people. However, as you stick with panels for months and years, you tend to get invited to better-paying surveys. So it also depends on your status with each survey panel.

3. With online surveys, should people generally expect a waiting period before funds clear and/or do survey companies often require that a person complete a certain number of surveys before transferring funds?

Yes. It usually takes 3-5 months to receive your first payment, either due to a waiting period or hitting a points/dollar amount threshold.

4. What do you think about sites like Amazon's Mechanical Turk, which combine surveys with other small-scale online tasks?

I'm honestly not a big fan because the pay tends to be less than surveys (which aren't that great to begin with!).

5. If you could give just three pieces of advice to someone who wants to start taking online surveys, what would your advice be?

#1: Join as many reputable survey sites as you can.
#2: Be patient: it takes time to earn and get paid.
#3: Stay organized: keep your survey info in a Google Doc or Excel spreadsheet.

Thanks, Megan!