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Posted by: David Spinks - 29 June 2010 / 12:11

Welcome to Behind the Blogs, where we take a moment to get to know the bloggers in the Scribnia Community on a more personal level.  We’ve read their words, but now it’s time to learn a little bit about the person behind the keyboard.

Today’s interview is with Andrew Norcross a great writer, father and friend who opines at Restless Like Me and works as a web designer and developer. He writes a lot of opinion based content about the social web, his field of work, and life in general.  Personally, I love the honesty that you can always expect from Andrew.  He always seems to know where he stands and will stand by his beliefs.

Well, lets get to know Andrew a little bit better!

Hi Andrew,

1. Why did you start blogging? Why do you blog today?

I started blogging some time in the mid to late 90′s, although I can’t remember exactly when. I have no real idea why I started. I’ve never considered myself a writer, but I occasionally get the urge to put something down. I’m much more of a real life conversation person. I blog today for the same reasons.

2. What was your life like growing up?

Pretty normal. I grew up in your standard suburban neighborhood in Florida. My dad is a minister, so there was always the idea that people thought I was some sort of pious kid. I clearly wasn’t. Granted, he wasn’t a fire and brimstone sort of guy, either. Very liberal and laid back. I played sports (football for 6 years and swam for 15), did really well grades-wise, but got in a fair amount of trouble due to my willfullness. Some things never change.

3. How has blogging helped you in your life/career?

Hard to say. I used to work in finance as an accountant, then a money manager. But I’ve never blogged about finance at all. I now work as a freelance designer and developer, but aside from a few tutorials, I’ve never blogged on that, either. It has helped me get in the habit of writing things, but that’s about it.

4.  Where is your favorite place to go to write, read or think?

My back porch, although I don’t write or read there. I just grab a pack of smokes and maybe a cup of coffee (depending on the temperature) and let my mind wander. To be honest, I don’t read much. I keep up with a few blogs and sites, but otherwise the newspaper is where I do most of my reading.

5. How do you define success?

Never having to defend what you do to anyone. And being able to live how you want without giving a thought to what people think. Oh, and a pony. Having a pony is a true sign of success.

6. Have you ever faced a challenge that helped define who you are today?

I had to re-learn how to walk again when I was 20. I had a real bad leg injury (shattered the ball joint of my femur) and had to do a lot to get back to regular life. It’s still fucked up, though. Also, having to kick a massive booze, cocaine, and pills addiction at the age of 22 wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

7. You’ve introduced me to a lot of great music.  How has music impacted your life?

Greatly. I’ve played a few instruments over the years, and I used to sing as well. Much like people pair a wine with a meal, I pair certain music to parts of my life.

8. What is one unique fact that your readers don’t know about you?

Well, most don’t know I had a career in banking and finance for a long time. Or that I’ve been sober for almost 7 years.

9. How has your life changed since you had a son? What does it mean to you to be a father?

Being a dad has meant that I have a real responsibility, one that has no comparison. A job, a blog, even a relationship can’t hold a candle to what comes with being a parent. It’s my job to make sure my son has what he needs in life (not what he wants, although he gets most of that right now since he’s a toddler). It’s the only thing in my life that I would drop anything and anyone to deal with. It’s non-negotiable. It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us Andrew. Keep up the great work.

You can learn more about Andrew here, and read/write reviews of his writing here.

If you know of an interesting blogger/author that we should interview for the Behind the Blogs series, or if YOU are that blogger, send me an email at David [at] Scribnia.com

Tags: andrew, Behind, blogs, connoisseur, design, developer, father, music, norcross, web