It really is amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. Beyond the Rhetoric started way back in March 2006 as the re-imaging of my first major website, Now That’s Entertainment. At the time, I updated the blog rather sporadically, but that has changed in recent years. I now make it habit to post six times a week: every weekday and once on the weekend.

Looking over the course of one calendar year, that’s over 300 posts, not including the content that I produce for my freelance writing clients. Beyond the Rhetoric has never been a primary source of income for me, but it has been richly rewarding in many other ways. It gives me a space where I can explore and discuss just about anything that comes to mind, sparking conversations with the people who happen to come by this way.

And so, I thought it might be apt to take a quick stroll down memory lane and take a look at the year that was. I’ve hand-picked one post per month, just to offer a brief glimpse into what I was thinking about at the time.

January 2010: Are Business Cards Still Relevant?

A large part of my freelance writing career can be attributed to the rise of the Internet. If it was not for the web, I’m almost certain that I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. The vast majority of my interactions are online, rather in person, and so I stopped to think whether physical business cards even mattered anymore.

February 2010: Drink Coffee to Drown Snacking Temptations?

I’ll admit it. I’m pretty sure that I’m addicted to coffee, but it could have some pretty positive effects too. For instance, there are some studies to suggest that drinking coffee (which is virtually zero calories) can reduce your tendency to snack on junk food.

March 2010: What Makes You Smile?

Life isn’t easy, nor should it be. Even when you face hardships and challenges, you still need to be appreciative of what you have and what you have accomplished. Put a smile on that face and the rest of your body will follow.

April 2010: What Freelancers Can Learn from Ellen Degeneres

Lessons and inspiration can come from all sorts of sources, including daytime talk show hosts who like to pull pranks on their audience and co-workers. Ellen, for instance, keenly reminds us of the importance of having fun. If life isn’t fun, what’s the point?

May 2010: Signed Copies of Make Money Online Book

This month marked a very important milestone in my freelance writing career, because I graduated to the title of “published author.” The book I co-wrote with John Chow may not have made me rich, but it certainly helped to legitimize my career.

June 2010: Covering a Trade Show Is Not a Vacation

Some people hear about me to going to Las Vegas for CES, Taipei for Computex, and LA for E3 and think that I’m on a perpetual holiday. Newsflash: being a journalist at these trade shows is anything but a vacation. I work harder during those few days than I do when I’m comfortably sitting in my home office the rest of the year.

July 2010: Summary of the Nokia N97 mini Tour

What do you get when you throw a handful of tech enthusiasts into a recreational vehicle and drive from Vancouver to Calgary for the Stampede? A lot of fun times, good chats, and a never-ending supply of beer. The scenery along the way is quite gorgeous too.

August 2010: Sunday Snippet: Charlton Heston

You may not agree with the former president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) on many political issues, but you have to admit that he can bring up some very insightful points. He’s also one of the best orators this planet has ever known.

September 2010: All Success Carries the Risk of Failure

Believe it or not, success and failure really are two sides of the same coin. If you want to have any chance at monumental success, you have to run the risk of catastrophic failure. Sometimes, you just have to take that leap of faith and hope for the best.

October 2010: Taste of Yaletown: Goldfish Pacific Kitchen

I like to eat, so it’s no real surprise that I had to take advantage of the prix fixe menus during Taste of Yaletown. From king crab tempura to bison flat iron steak, my stomach was quite happy that night at Goldfish.

November 2010: How to Request a Freelance Writing Rate Quote

“How much do you charge for writing?” It’s a question I get in my e-mail inbox far too often. Just as you wouldn’t go to a travel agency to ask how much it costs to fly, you really need to provide more information on the project before I can provide you with an accurate rate quote.

December 2010: Current Books on My Reading List

Given the work that I do, it’s not surprising that I write. A lot. At the same time, I’ve been really trying to get some more reading done as well, both for the sake of professional development (and improving my writing), but also for leisure. Reading helps to keep the mind sharp, after all.

If you want to go even further back, I did a similar collection of 2009 blog posts last year too.