That was a Bust…

Well… that will teach me for making a New Years Resolution.

The reason I never make resolutions is because I never stick to them and this time was no different. I said I was going to do more writing:

“I intend to have a new blog written each week (maybe even twice a week),” is what I said in a previous blog post (have a look at my blog from January 6th “Starting A New Year!”).

I really did have the best intentions and had big plans to write once a week.

“So, Noel… does this mean that from now on and for the rest of the year we can expect a blog post each week (and maybe two)?” Is what you might be thinking.

The short answer is NO.

I will try my best and promise nothing.

Here’s some things that I have been looking at and thinking about over the past two months:

  1. Freelance Writing: I’ve been watching youTube videos about Freelance Writing by Sean Ogle, creator of Location Rebel Academy: https://www.locationrebel.com/join/ . His videos have great tips and tricks for starting freelance writing and ways to use a website to start generating passive income. I haven’t put any of his advice into practice yet (except for starting a blog), but I intend on starting with his video: 31 Ways to Start Making Passive Income TODAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ5Chr2DTs0&feature=youtu.be
  2. Hearthstone by Blizzard: my best friend and I meet up online and challenge each other or watch each other beat other online players on HEARTHSTONE: https://playhearthstone.com/en-us . I’ve always been a big Blizzard fan and Diablo, StarCraft, and WarCraft were some of my all-time favorite games. Now, it’s Hearthstone. Mostly just a waste of time, but I enjoy it.
  3. The Open MMS Project: https://www.openmms.org/ is the personal project of a real Geomatics Guru: Ryan Brazeal! Being interested in Geomatics I have been trying to keep in touch with Ryan as I know that he will always be right at the forefront of Geomatics technology. His Open Mobile Mapping System is no exception and I would love to to one day work with or for Ryan!
  4. Space Weather: Keeping an eye on the sky is important to me, as things that happen in the solar system can have a huge impact on my chosen career as a Geomatics Guru. One website I like to check out every day is https://www.spaceweather.com/ . I can keep track of solar flares, geomagnetic storms, near earth asteroids, and the night sky – ALL IN ONE PLACE!! It’s awesome.
  5. Finally, almost every night for the past couple of months my wife and I have been trying to watch one or two episodes of Brooklyn 99 on Netflix. It’s a lot of fun and we needed something to watch now that we’ve finished The Good Place (which we HIGHLY recommend).

So, now that you’re caught up on what I’ve been doing – join me next week for a new blog post about something Geomatics related. I haven’t decided what it will be, so make sure you come back and check it out!

Stay safe out there!

My First Blog Post… Ever!

Welcome!

My name is Noel and I have dubbed myself the Geomatics Guru.

I hope we will learn a lot over the course of this blog, but the first thing you need to know is this: I am nothing like a guru, I have no business calling myself a guru, and when it comes to Geomatics there is always something new to learn.

Why start a blog about Geomatics?

What’s so important about Geomatics?

I’ve thought long and hard about the above questions and my main reasons for starting this blog are:

  • I enjoy writing, would like to do more, and eventually hope to become a freelance writer.
  • Geomatics is a very interesting profession and I want to share my love of this industry with the world.

For the past 14 years I have been immersed in the study and practice of Geomatics. I am constantly frustrated and irritated that Geomatics is a mystery to so many people.

So, let’s learn together!

Geomatics is a continually changing and evolving industry and there are many topics we can learn about together:

  • 3D Laser Scanning
  • UAVs and Drones
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • GNSS Surveying
  • Robotic Total Stations
  • GNSS Networks of Base Stations
  • Open Source Data and Software Solutions
  • and so much more!!!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog – I am in no way qualified to call myself a Geomatics Guru. It is my goal to make Geomatics less of a mystery, make it feel fun and maybe a bit more accessible, and learn a bit in the process.

Please join me on this adventure!

Noel – the Geomatics Guru