Some people get married and then push everyone else to get married. Some people do the same thing with having kids. Me? I submitted my Portland on Fire profile, and now I expect everyone else in town to do it, too.
What’s Portland on Fire? I’m glad you asked.
Portland On Fire is a daily discovery of PDX people. The site introduces you to a person in the Portland, Oregon (PDX), area every day. Reach out and connect. The site was created by Raven Zachary and launched on January 1st, 2008. Early profiles [focused] on individuals in the tech and creative arts communities in Portland, but there is no reason why it must stay focused in these areas. The talent pool in Portland is large and diverse, and this site hopes to make this fact evident.
Portland on Fire has been described as “slow social networking.” A profile a day. That’s not really too much to ask, is it?
And I have to admit, it’s really working for me. Here are some of the interesting folks that I’ve met (all virtually and some in person), thanks to Portland on Fire:
- Jessica Neuman Beck
Designer, writer, crafter, geek - Paul Bingman
Web programmer, film junkie, railroad movie consultant - Ben Bradley
Soon to be the former Captain Bradley - Larissa Brown
Mommy, knitter, knit designer, author, artist, runner, friend - Bill Burcham
Technologist, craftsman, inventor - Joel Burslem
Founder of the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog - Jennifer Cloer
Information junkie, wife, friend, sister, daughter, aunt and colleague - Mara Collins
Mother, Wife, Philosopher, Blogger - Serena Davidson
Free-Range People Photographer, Geek Magnet, Entreprenuer, Chocolate Fiend - Selena Deckelmann
Sysadmin, Event Organizer, Chicken Keeper - Melissa Delzio
Designer, Artist – can sing greek alphabet, has squeaky hicupps - Kurt Deutscher
Chief Technology Evangelist, Portland Native, Jazz Drummer - Audrey Eschright
Crafty geek - Daniel Etra
Nourishing complexity + digging deep for real solutions - Sioux Fleming
Technologist, computer threat security evangelist, avid camper, cat person - Dawn Foster
Community Manager, Event Organizer, Blogger, Podcaster, Vegan, and Technology Enthusiast - Adrienne Fritze
Mom, artist, social entrepreneur, risk taker, passion monger, creative freak - Lyza Danger Gardner
Introspective, Inquisitive and Surly: Portland Native Eschews the Humdrum - Sarah Gilbert
Finance blog editor, writer, photographer, knitter, mama - Mark Gross
Linux kernel engineer, open source tinkerer, robot builder, intellectual wanderer - Hideshi Hamaguchi
Concept creator, strategist + designer who cannot draw pictures - China Z. Hamilton
Artist & world traveler turned advertising student - Sam Keen
Coder, Event Organizer, Open Source Enthusiast, Geek - Justin Kistner
Online marketing strategist, web designer, and Rock Band drummer - Sam Lawrence
Chief Marketing Officer, Jive Software - Kent Lewis
Search engine marketing guru, recovering entrepreneur and family guy - Steve Libbey
Novelist, guitarist, personist - Melissa Lion
Professional Writer: Fiction, Food and Sex - Jadene Mayla
Plant-lover, artist, zombie movie fan, ecstatic dancer, and writer - Kathleen Mazzocco
Independent public relations consultant - Aaron Meyers
Level 1 Dad LFG PST - Todd Mintz
Eclectic Search Engine Marketing / Internet Marketing Specialist - Wende Morgaine
Educator. Connector. Innovator. - Steve Morris
Entrepreneur, startup coach, hobbyist technologist, former DJ - Matt Navarre
Relational database developer, guitar nut - Lynne Joy Nesbit
Relentlessly curious, business owner, artist, psychotherapist, mother, feminist, believer - Chris O’Rourke
Father, husband, geek and general nuisance to computer problems - Bram Pitoyo
Account planner, creative researcher, brand strategist & most other things - Paige Saez
Interaction designer who likes ubicomp, conceptual art, painting, digital anthropology - Craig Schwartz
Entrepreneur, raconteur, agent provocateur, bon-vivant, gadfly, sapient primate - Eva Schweber
Cat herder, baker, recipe whisperer and dairy goat herder (retired) - Urban Scout
Post-apocalyptic anti hero… With a blog! - Greg Sorber
A technical writer who is decidedly non-technical - Gary Walter
Quintessential 5th gen Portlander on a road not taken - Amy Sample Ward
Lover, blogger, activist, biker, dreamer, worrier, lover - Raven Zachary
Technologist, open source industry analyst, event organizer - Nick Zolotko
Star Wars nerd with a hint of normality
But, honestly, for as interesting as all of these folks are? I’d still like to meet you. So why don’t you head over and fill out a profile? I’m looking forward to reading about you, soon.