About My New Newspaper Column Job

Starting tomorrow, I’ll have a regular 300-word column about car culture for Sun Media, specifically the paper 24 Hours Toronto, their automotive site AutoNet, and potentially in Sun publications across Canada.

I’ll be writing about car culture.  Topics like: how to make fast sharp turns safely; pedestrians need to back up; go for a lazy drive down to Cherry Beach because, when was the last time you did?

     Best parts about this:

          1 – I’m paid to write about something I blogged & videod for 5 years: I love driving

          2 – my email is published at the bottom of each article

          3 – I made a blog make money

Meet my editor Joe Duarte, and welcome to my blog, Joe!

We met at Honda’s First Ever Manual Driving School. He emailed that I almost hit him, I replied eye roll, he emailed back the below photo.

This photo is funny, and proves nothing.

This will be my profile pic for now, until their official photographer can book me in.  Which thankfully is not this week because omg look at my hair.  No don’t.

Taken while waiting in the lobby. Is this happening?

Am I signing this? I won’t have full control of something.

 I’m most excited to see my name in print,

in ink, on paper, to hold it in real life.

You can blog and blog and video and blog, and no matter how much you make, you can never hold it.

  • 1 – my celebratory burger & beer
  • 2 -I’ve been concerned about making the adjustment from blog writing to print writing, and seeing this made me feel better, “totes”
  • 3 – this too. I had that exact Fiesta in the spring.  I can do this.

Let’s DO this!

Really pumped guys!  Thanks for continuing to cheer me on.

Love,

Keri

 

 

Wash Your Car This Saturday for CF

Yesterday I attended the kickoff party for the

9th Annual CARSTAR National Car Wash for Cystic Fibrosis

happening this Saturday June 9 2012.

How cool are these rear windows! 

This is dirty car artist Scott Wade. All originals, and it was a single-day exhibit.

I just had to know.

Hm hm hmm, let’s go look at the tools.

Of course I found Ford here.

These events are always great for running into friends.

That’s Dan, Reggie and Shannon, always great seeing you guys! xo

Go get your car washed on Saturday, it probably needs it anyway.

There are locations everywhere. No seriously… how have  I never noticed a CARSTAR before? When I scrolled through their Southern Ontario cities, they’re in like, all of them.

Good luck breaking your $2 million goal, #SoapsItUp! 

 

 

All the Change is Done and That’s Good

I’ve  now been in my new home for two full weeks.

It was a lot… go go go go, you can’t stop, I moved 6 times in 2 weeks, what am I driving again?, push the key fob, make it beep, now I can find it.

It’s fun and a challenge for sure, but the time it eats up is horrendous.

This was the first weekend I wasn’t organizing, cleaning, errand-ing, all I had to do was like, live.  Felt great.

This week’s car:

It’s the sport version of the Ford Flex, lowered with flashy rims, parks itself. Love the rear view camera.

Logged some hours tonight in my car blog, introducing the *new* KeriOnCars.com theme.

What “changing a blog theme” looks like.

Fussed forever with a plugin I can’t get to work, the import-from-another-blog one. I need to install about 7 more plugins, I’m 5 videos behind on cars alone, now my stomach hurts.

I also need another three straight days in my laptop, to polish and prepare my network for launch. Really ready for that assistant.

Tweeted this tonight while I was daydreaming:

I’m at a Ford track event this Thursday, even.

Kay now look over there, because can you tell I don’t feel like being online today ;)

TTYT

 

 

 

 

 

Been Working on KeriOnCars.com

I’m gathering posts and links, going back in time on my blogs (something I never do), and it’s been really fun.

Presenting car-themed posts from Canadian Explorer 2007-10

Giant magnet.

‘The Canadian Explorer’ theme song (written by me)

 

I’ve logged a lot of hours in auto body shops.

This was a fun afternoon #ChevyNova

The last line, I LOLd at my own joke all over again.

I think it’s a good method.

Canadian Explorer, woah, that show. I still have more to tell you about it. Director’s Cuts Videos for each episode.

That was THE best training, creating / producing / editing / executing it all.

That blog though, so rich in content, but you’d never know because it’s packaged so poorly.

One day. I have a plan, leave it with me. I need an assistant first.

I’ll use parts of this post for the ‘About’ page for KeriOnCars.  Have you ever written one, an “About Me” or bio? It’s tough, eh.

Next KeriOnCars.com Videos:

  • Exploring the LA Autoshow
  • Let’s Talk About the New Ford Escape
  • Using Your Car’s Rear-facing Camera

Kay I could sit here and blog myself into oblivion.  I have to pack my camera bag, tomorrow I’m off to a Honda event – a professional driver and I are going to talk about driving standard.

Night, TTYT

 

 

 

I’m Mobile Again YA Buddy

Boarded the GO train yesterday morning to Oakville.  I like the train.  Probably because I don’t have to take it everyday.

Destination was Ford Headquarters.

I walked in…hi hi I’m Keri, you have a car for me. Yes we do, here are the keys.

30 seconds later, this:

THAT is class.

The first place I drove was my beloved Cherry Beach.

And I am. It’s one of my favourite places in Toronto.

I have filmed so many videos there:

– This is Morning Drive
– I Read You my Manifesto
– Getting Sand
– No More Studio
– and more.

Being mobile is important, I designed my life around it, and when I was rendered car-less last year well, that was a big problem.

See ya later problem!

Seat heaters YES. Those will stay on the entire week.

And it came pre-programmed with all my favourite radio stations. How did they know?! :|

Thank you, Ford!

I look forward to cornering the crap out of your Fiesta. Wink ;)