If poison has entered your system, there are two things you can do: you can suck it out or let your body absorb it.

Poison is infectious. Even just a whiff is enough to harm an individual. There are two ways the poison can affect you. It can either make you rabid and spread the virus quicky, or kill you slowly, taking other people with you.

So what can you do? Or better yet, what would you choose to do? Do you choose to let the poison consume you or suck it out of your system and build an immunity to it?

I’ve just finished catching up on blog feed that I missed reading over the weekend due to a computer problem. The advice was sound, and though I was already implementing it on my blog, I wanted to make it better.

To cap my already stressful day, I ended up screwing the page over, and now I don’t have a 404 page. GADDAMIT. *pulls out hair*

See kids, this is why you don’t fix things that aren’t broken.

Two weeks ago, I received a postcard invitation to my college’s Homecoming festivities. It’s been 5 years since I graduated from college, yet I don’t feel the urge to go. Next month, my highschool will be having its homecoming as well. It would be our 10 year highschool reunion. I don’t think I’ll be going either.

College was fun, and highschool was great. Yet somehow I don’t feel this rush of love and excitement towards seeing my former classmates. For four years, we shared adventures, joy and sorrows. But once school was over, it’s as if we can’t wait to get away from each other.

I think I may be the only one who feels this way. I know of college classmates who regularly still go out. Highschool friends who attend each other’s weddings and be godparents to their friend’s child. Some of my closest friends are my highschool classmates. I guess it’s because I see them often is why I don’t feel the need to get in touch with the others.

I suppose there’s also that Romy and Michelle syndrome. Wanting to show everybody off with the success I’ve had over the years. My rise to the corporate ladder, a thriving business, a brilliant invention. I don’t have any of those, but I realize, I don’t need ANY of those.

I am happy with the current state of my life. I have a job that many of them probably don’t understand. I get to do what I want and enjoy my life. I am surrounded by people I love, and who loves me.

I suppose I don’t want to go because I don’t feel the need to show off. I know homecoming is about getting together with people who shared a chunk of your life and remembering the trials you faced together. But let’s face it, it’s about bragging and showing off as well. Reverting to the immature highschool kids you once were.

At the end of the day, I guess that despite my pronouncements that my life is great, there are still insecurities buried deep down inside. Though I can just easily shrug off any comments or criticism that they may hurl my way, I know they will continue to nag me inside. I don’t need that. And worse, they will unfailingly bring up all the embarassing things that you’ve done. They never forget that. We never forget that. Damn it.

This post is part of the RBJ September Collaboration Project

Saw this article while stalking sites at Technorati.

Her numbers are indeed impressive. 17 years old high school dropout. Made more than $1 million. Earns as much as $70K a month. Owns a website that attracts more than 7 million monthly visitors and 60 million page views.

Her first Adsense paycheck was $2,790 and she has already rejected a $1.5 million buyout offer. I’m referring to Ashley Qualls, the founder of Whateverlife.com, a free MySpace layouts website.

Fastcompany recently published a fascinating feature article on Ashley, a teenage entrepreneur from Detroit who has made a substantial amount of money online by targeting a niche market (girls on Myspace/social networks) and fulfilling their needs.

Ashley is evidence of the meritocracy on the Internet that allows even companies run by neophyte entrepreneurs to compete, regardless of funding, location, size, or experience–and she’s a reminder that ingenuity is ageless.

She has taken in more than $1 million, thanks to a now-familiar Web-friendly business model. Her MySpace page layouts are available for the bargain price of…nothing. They’re free for the taking. Her only significant source of revenue so far is advertising.

Read both articles, they’re both good. Read the Fast Company article first to get a background on Ashley and her company, then read the case study (first link).

What do you think?