September 4 2006: Interview: Jon of Honest Truth Reviews
Filed under Online
Interviewing: Jon of Honest Truth Reviews
Explanation: the purpose of these interviews was to get to know certain webmasters in my little ‘blog circle’ a little better - to see what inspired them to create the designs and sites that they did. They would be given ten questions via email - five of these were standard questions that were asked of all the interviewees, while the other five were tailored to fit them as an individual.
How old were you when you first discovered the joy of web design? How did you discover it?
You know, I can’t even remember how old I was when I first started designing my own web pages. Was I ten-years-old? Twelve? Nine? Beats me. All I know is that it was a longgg time ago. A quick WHOIS check reveals that my first domain was purchased in 2003, but I had been making web pages for at least a year or two before that. After some quick mental math, I’m guessing I was around ten-years-old, give or take a year, when I first started pumping out the ol’ HTML. And, like most ten-year-olds, I discovered the wonderful world of Disney–I mean, web design–by puttering around on Neopets. Go figure. I had a Neopets help site for a bit, and I remember bright chartreuse backgrounds (I loved chartreuse) and huge image files. Life was good.
Do your friends and family know of your activities online? Why/why not? If so, do they approve? What do they think of it?
I know a lot of people online hide their more or less second life from their family and friends out of the fear that they’ll be neglected and denied food, or even worse, declared a nerd. For me, it’s sort of the same case, heh. My mom and dad know about Honest Truth Reviews–they, after all, foot the yearly hosting and domain bills until I pay them back–but that’s more or less it. A couple of my good friends know about HTR as well, but I only told them because I needed them to shut up on MSN Messenger so I could get some reviews done. They wouldn’t take a simple “I’m too busy to talk right now” for an answer. As far as I know, nobody aside from online folk knows about my blog, and I intend to keep it that way. Even if my friends were to find it, I wouldn’t mind. I try not to badmouth anyone and I censor my entries often. I’m way cooler and more popular than my blog shows :P.
Who would you name as your biggest influence?
My biggest influence online is everyone whose blog I read or whose site I visit on a regular basis. I’m a sucker for peer pressure—tell me something’s cool and I’ll be doing it within ten minutes—so almost all of my actions are influenced and set into motion by those fellow blog owners, whether they hint that I should do something or just do whatever it is themselves. I get inspiration from a lot of different blogs and design portfolios (I may even have based a design on something you did, dear reader!). I’m actually finding it almost impossible to name my biggest influence…next question.
How would you describe your style of layout design?
Trendy. I love trends, whether they be clothing, layout design, at what angle to wear your hat…you get the picture. I’ve always liked to be ‘in style,’ so to speak, and I think that my layouts usually reflect that. The whole “giving into peer pressure” side of me loves this. I’m not too afraid of taking risks. I’ve learned that if I’m pleased with my designs, mostly everyone else will be too.
Where, in web terms, do you envision yourself in ten years time?
In ten years time, I hope to still be doing what I do on the web: Blogging, reviewing, and commenting on people’s MySpaces. Right now, my life online doesn’t seem as though it will settle down any time soon, and there’s no way I’m getting bored of it. I’ve recently decided to actually start commenting on others’ blogs instead of simply reading them—spreading some love, I guess you could say.
Do you find it hard being a guy in what is predominantly a female-heavy part of the web community?
Sometimes it’s a little awkward because I almost feel like the odd one out. But, seeing how I’ve pretty much been surrounded by girls online for the past one thousand and two years, I’ve become so used to it that it doesn’t even bother me anymore. It’d be really cool to see a few more guys having blogs out there on the ‘Net and partaking in things like web page review sites, but I guess it’s just something that’s less thrilling than drinking, skateboarding, and smoking pot. (Oh. Sorry. Was that a stereotype?)
We all know you as the all-powerful editor of HTR. Do you think any of us would know who you were and visit Slapdash if you didn’t run HTR?
I highly doubt it. Honest Truth Reviews is such a great and confusing experience for me. I’m not sure whether many people know this, but I wasn’t part of the original HTR team. Rather, I found the site after reading an extremely harsh and, frankly, insulting review on a friend’s friend’s personal site. I clicked through to HTR and looked around for a bit. The reviews were snarky, sometimes rude, and not very constructive. Noticing they were hiring reviewers, I submitted an application and was hired a few days later. Over the course of those two years, Chrissie, the creator and co-editor, and I rewrote the entire system from the ground up, rethought the ways HTR should review, and basically created a whole new site one hundred per cent better than the archaic and rusty HTR. When the fledgling HTR entered its new stage of life, I started visiting the blogs and sites of other web page review site owners, leaving comments, and transforming my own blog into something I thought everyone would love to read. Slapdash has gained its small readership only over the past few months. I’ve always dreamed about having five or more comments on each post–not for the sake of having comments, but for the sake of having loyal readers. I’m not the forum type (but I am dying to join one or two just to be more social), so without the success of HTR, my blog would just be another…blog.
You’ve posted some pretty nice photos on Slapdash. I see you fancy yourself an aspiring photographer…do you think you’ll ever join the ranks of those with photography portfolios?
I really hope so. The reason I don’t display more pictures on my blog or on my site is because the majority of them are pictures of people–my friends, to be exact. I cannot photograph a flower or a bunny and make it look all pretty the same way I can for a person, and I’m jealous of those who can. I don’t think it would be fair for my friends to have their pictures plastered all over the Internet without getting their permission, which is something I’m not yet prepared to do. All my pictures are online, but only for my real life friends to see. One of my dreams is to become an Ellen von Unwerth (http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/evu/Ellen_von_Unwerth.htm)–she is a fashion photographer responsible for the majority of the GUESS/Marciano ads–and I mimic her style often. Her photographs are often sexual, tastefully implying a little somethin’ somethin’, but glamorous at the same time. Right now, photography is just another hobby for me. I love taking pictures to remember special occasions, and I often carry my camera around to even little get-togethers at my friends’ houses. You never know when you’ll get a great shot.
Who is the sexiest person online?
What’s that guy’s name…he edits HTR? Blog named Kickdash or something? Yeah. He’s pretty hot.
You’re about three years too young for me, but you know what? I think we should run off and get married anyway and have WPR babies. Where would you prefer for a quickie wedding: Las Vegas or Mexico?
I definitely agree. Where’s that picture where you demonstrated what would happen should we have WPR babies? It was classic. As for locations, Mexico’s the best bet. I love not only the language but the culture as well. Las Vegas seems way too Britney Spears for me—do you really want a cheesy Little White Wedding Chapel marriage?