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Dear Wise Bread readers,

Since Wise Bread launched ten months ago, you've enriched our community with over 6,700 comments and thousands of emails. Thanks to your support, we've reached several exciting landmark moments. We are:

• Averaging over half a million pageviews a month.
• Receiving mentions from news sources like New York Times, Times Online, and KUOW NPR station.
• Getting over 5,000 reactions from your blogs.

This post is dedicated to you--the readers who make all of this possible!

It is open mike night. Feel free to tell us who you are, why you read Wise Bread, and most importantly, how we can make Wise Bread more useful for you. If you want to ask our writers a question (marriage proposals welcome), add a link to your blog, or talk about your cat Sniffles, this is the perfect place to do it.

Drop us a note in the comments section and get entered in a random drawing for $25 Amazon Gift Certificate!

This drawing is over.  Congrats to Angie, the winner of the drawing.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

Greetings and Thanks From the Wise Bread Family

Wise Bread is community blog made up of a family of writers who come from very diverse professional backgrounds, ranging from financial planners to software engineers. Our writers are also ruthless bargain hunters, proud parents, and funny people you would enjoy having a beer with (if you don't mind buying).

Sarah Winfrey

I've been writing for Wise Bread since December 2006 and I can honestly say that I've never worked with such a talented, interesting group of people.

Our readers? Also interesting. And for that, I thank you all deeply. I'm easily frustrated and have yet to become so with Wisebread. That says a lot about the kind of readers we have and the kind of feedback they give. So thanks, if only for lowering my stress level.

Outside of Wise Bread, I've most recently been pursuing art. Mixed media--acrylic on canvas with paper arts (prints, cutouts) thrown in. As soon as I buy some binder's board, I want to start making journals. An Etsy site is on the way, as soon as I get some time.

Five things you didn't know about Sarah (and maybe didn't want to know):

• I can't keep track of celebrities unless I feel some connection with them as people. I don't even remember their faces (So, "Yeah, you remember her...she was in XYZ" doesn't help).

• I'm an introvert who works intensely with people. And somehow that works for me.

• Most people assume (I'm not sure why...maybe my blonde hair or the fact that I look perpetually young) that I don't drink, but I'm really a Guinness girl...unless Jose is around, or maybe some good Glenfidditch. Then I sip it. Straight.

• I'm one of the most straightforward people you will ever meet. One of my professors told me that he kept me around so he'd know if he screwed up.

• Along those lines, I can tell people things that no one else can. And I don't get beat up, yelled at, stared down, or anything else. I don't know why...maybe my good looks?

Andrea Dickson

I was raised by two really cool, stable, and loving parents who still can't figure out where they went wrong. My Russian grandmother coined a nickname for me that is both incredibly embarrassing and still in use by my family. Hardly anyone ever calls me Andrea, so it's kind of a shock to hear my name spoken out loud. My mother claims that I had learned to walk by 9 months of age and was speaking in full sentences before I turned 1. Mind you, "No!" is a full sentence, so....

I am in awe of my fellow writers here at Wise Bread, who continuously come up with great content on interesting subjects, and am thrilled to work with this group. I look forward to continuing to help Wise Bread grow and develop.

Random facts, in lieu of lovely black & white photos of me, as none exist:

• Some people fear snakes, spiders, sharks, heights, or small spaces. I fear all of these, as well as balloons.

• I gave up a lucrative career as a band geek to be the high school mascot (Elwood the Panther). I only got the part because the normal mascot panther was seriously injured in a car accident.

• I can imitate almost any accent, save Australian. I always turn it into something completely different. My accent adoration is part of a weakness for exotic men that will ultimately be my downfall.

• My secret fantasy is to become a lip-synching Bollywood movie star - hey, kuch kuch hota hain, you know?

• That thing that people say about nose rings? That it might be a good idea when you're 18, but you'll look ridiculous wearing one at age 30? True.

Paul Michael

I got into blogging by accident. I saw the Wise Bread ad on Craigslist and thought, “hmm, I’m a writer (of sorts), I’d like to try my hand at that.” Several months later and I’m doing it on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. It’s introduced me to so many new things, great people and keeps my mind busy.

My home life is just as busy and just as terrific. I’ve been married for almost seven years to Nikki, my beautiful wife, and we have two girls. Olivia is a very talkative and sassy three-year old, Isla is almost one year old and laughs all the time.

I’m an advertising copywriter by trade, I spent the first half of my career in London and then left the rat race to live in sunny Colorado. I love it here. Five things you may not want to know about me.

• I was born on a coastal town and yet I cannot swim. I sink. I hate the water. It is my Kryptonite.

• My favorite food is Indian. I could eat curry every day, seriously.

• I once jumped off a moving train, hit the high-voltage lines and was thrown onto the platform. I incurred only one small burn on my wrist. Why I jumped is a long story but alcohol was involved (hanging my head).

• My two favorite movies are both by the same director, Milos Forman…Amadeus and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. If you haven’t seen either of them, shame on you.

• I met my wife online, completely unintentionally. We started as pen pals and I said several times "we will never meet." We did, obviously.

Nicole	Olivia	Isla

Jessica Okon

I've been with the WB since January of this year, and I give major props to the folks behind the scene who have not only busted their butts getting the site together, but have been equally informative with all of us writers. It has been a wonderful learning experience. What you, the readers may not be aware of is, we have some times here in cyberland.

A secret about me: I've never seen any Star Wars movies in their entirety. [Editor's note: I think that's some kind of child abuse.]

Julie Rains

I love being a Wise Bread blogger and am both fascinated and thrilled by its success. I love hearing (okay, reading) the questions that readers pose, which Will posts in our bloggers forum (which is also quite fun and entertaining); please keep those coming! My most popular article so far, DIY Mortgage Acceleration, was inspired by a reader question.

Some things about me you might not know (you've read my profile already right?):

• I'm married and have two sons, all adorable, kind, and loads of fun;

• I was the youngest of three girls but was an RA (Resident Advisor) in one of the athletic residence hall's in college (my most famous resident was Lawrence Taylor of the NFL) and so, I became accustomed to how the male mind works, which has come in handy the past several years. Now, here's my take on how the male mind works, at least by observation of 18-21-year-olds in my dorm. A man wants just 2 things: 1) to be loved for who he truly is (not his income, wealth, good looks, great singing voice, etc). and 2) well, you know the 2nd (just in case Linsey's kids are peeking as she reads or mine pop in); if he can't have both, he'll settle for 2.

• Speaking of athletics, I saw Michael Jordan play his first college game at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, NC.

• Some fun stats on me: fastest 50-yard swimming time (indoors, relay) is 28.5 seconds; best 10K run is 56 minutes; fastest speed on a bicycle is 43 mph; longest distance in one day is 95 miles.

• The investment advice that has helped me yield the highest returns (over a 5-year horizon) was from a speaker at an NAIC (National Association of Investors Corp) conference in the 1990s who said something like diversification lowers your returns; the speaker was from The Motley Fool.

Ed O'Reilly

First, I’d like to thank Wise Bread for letting me come aboard as a blogger. With 2 small children to care for and 2 small businesses to run, I’m not as active as I’d like to be but the feedback on my posts has been inspirational and constructive, so I’d like to thank the readers for their contributions to my articles.

• I graduated from college in 3 years, with honors. My first major was biology, but I switched and got my BA in psychology. Shortly after graduation, I created my first design portfolio, taught myself the relevant Mac programs (anyone remember System 7?) and began down the career path in graphic design.

   

• After seeing both Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page at LiveAid, I was so inspired that I taught myself guitar (no, not at the show... shortly thereafter, back in NY). Since then, I’ve played with a few small bands and continue to create my own stuff with GarageBand when I have time. And, as it turns out, I can play almost anything after hearing it just once.

• I love movies and everything about film making, and my dream (and plan) is to sell one of my screenplays someday soon(!).

• As far as favorite films, there are many I could list but I’d say my top 2 are ‘Fight Club’ for its bitter, nihilistic social commentary, and ‘Blade Runner’ for its stunning visuals and the questions it poses on what it is to be human.

• I won a medal in judo, and it's one of my most prized possessions.

Jessica Harp

I’ve been writing for Wise Bread since July. Unfortunately, I’m not able to devote as much time to Wise Bread as I want to because I am finishing my Masters in Family Financial Planning and Counseling and working at Tacoma Goodwill Industries as a Financial Counselor and Educator. I am also an unpaid employee of the U.S. Army (read: military spouse), so performing my “unofficial duties” consumes a lot of my free time.

Although I can’t contribute as much as I would like, I LOVE reading the articles and readers’ responses to the articles because I get ideas to share with clients and/or topics to talk about in my classes. So, keep those comments coming!

5 Things You Don't Know About Jessica:

• I picked out and paid for my engagement ring.

• I am mildly allergic to anything with dander. Dogs, cats…my husband. Seriously.

• The only kids I ever want are the ones I can return at the end of the day.

• I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I “grow up”.

• In my book, cleanliness is close to godliness.

Linsey Knerl

I have only been with Wse Bread since this summer, but it already feels like a home away from home! Home educating 4 young children keeps me very busy and also very careful with my money, so sharing some of my life strategies only seemed right.

Five things you may not know about me are:

• I started taking dance lessons (tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop) when I was 4 years old. I continued for 13 years and student-taught at my studio before a freak grease fire injury to my leg caused me to sit out a year. Sadly, I never got back into it. I also still play the piano well and am a decent drummer.

• I met my husband online. I almost never met him due to his introduction email landing in my yahoo spam folder. A strange urge to check the "trash" before emptying it (like I normally do) kept us from being two strangers passing by each other forever. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me!

• If I had a million dollars, my favorite food would still be those cheap little Totino's pizzas. My favorite kind is Canadian bacon.

• I never make my bed. It seems like a waste of time to me. My husband disagrees.

• One of my favorite pastimes is mowing my yard in the country with my father's 0-point turning mower. It's my time to be away from the kids and think. Plus I love the sound of cutting down really thick pigweeds.

Justin Ryan

A little about me: I'm in my mid-twenties, a professional writer, and a tech geek. In addition to writing for Wise Bread, I'm the blog manager and editor for First Wive's World, an online community for divorced women. I own a tech consulting company on the side, and as of October 1, am the News Editor for linuxjournal.com. I'm a Free/Open Source Software nut - as the other bloggers can attest - enough that I use Ubuntu full-time on my production machines.

Five things you don't know about Justin:

• I hate to be photographed. (Hence, no funny photos from me.)

• I have an overwhelming weakness for office supplies. Some people subscribe to Playboy, I get the Office Depot catalog.

• I have a mild case of OCD. The other bloggers entertain themselves trying to make me twitch.

• I can't spell the word their correctly to save my life. I can spell floccinaucinihilipilification off the top of my head, but I can't get their.

• I became a reader, and later a writer, for Wise Bread because of an article written by Andrea Dickson.

Philip Brewer

I want to thank all the commenters who point out things I didn't think of. Some people point out stuff that I should have thought of but didn't. Others point out stuff that I'd never have thought of. I appreciate both sorts. Thank you!

Five things you don't know about me:

• I like to make up words, especially words that ought to exist. Words like "transprimocity" (what the parking spaces directly across from the prime parking spaces have) and squozelled (meaning having been squoze, which is like being squeezed, almost). I try not to use these words in Wise Bread posts, though.

• When I pass certain roadside signs, I raise a fist and call out like I'm chanting at a political rally: "End Construction Zone!"

• I once fasted for a week (to provide moral support for a friend who was fasting for medical reasons). On the fifth day of this fast I competed in a racquetball tournament and came in second.

• Two years ago I went on a 100 mile bike ride. (This year I've been all distracted with job stuff and writing stuff and am not in such good shape, but ride 30 miles pretty often.)

• I speak Esperanto, and use it to communicate with people all over the world. In 1999 I went to a conference in Berlin where I got to hang out with a couple thousand Esperanto speakers.

Myscha Theriault

What does writing for Wise Bread mean to me? Well for starters, it honors and fits in with the lifestyle and family choices I've settled upon. But more than that, as I mentioned during a recent discussion on Nora's blog, there's a spiritual component to this for me as well. To think about the power of what our world could truly be like if everyone was freed up from unnecessary financial crap and lousy jobs to work on what they felt called to do . . . it's mindblowing.

Being able to check out of the regular work-a-day scene has allowed me to explore and support worthy projects and issues, as well as to focus more on family. This has made a tremendous difference in my life and the lives of the people I've been able to assist, which in essence, is what financial independence is all about to me. At Wise Bread, people can come and be exposed to all sorts of strategies and ideas for achieving greater financial control. With the lack of unbiased and easily implemented financial education out there at a time when things are getting more difficult economically, access to this type of information is more important than ever. In short, I just plain believe in what Wise Bread is trying to do.

Things you may not know about me:

• Self described travel enthusiast with a passion for all things Middle Eastern whose pet peeves include string beans and hard butter

• My favorite proverb: Trust in God but tie your camel. I love this saying because it pretty much nails the fact that while you are ultimately not in control of everything, you certainly have your fair share of responsibility in every situation.

• My other web projects include We Be Sharin'!, Trek Hound, Wanderlust & Lipstick, and The Lesson Machine (blog).

Nora Dunn

I have experienced every end of the lifestyle spectrum: From starving artist, to not-so-starving entrepreneur, to really not-so-starving Certified Financial Planner, to coming full circle......my current status, which is that of a Professional Hobo and Writer.

Having worked prominently in the financial services industry for over 10 years (6 of which was spent running my own financial planning practice), I have the dirt on real money matters....not just stats and boring facts and figures that leave you reeling.

And as a Professional Hobo, you can count on my frugal living tips, rest assured that I practice what I preach.

Recent writing credits include Paragon Travel, Bushducks, Travel Post Monthly, Snap Beaches newspaper, Wcities, and others.

Five things you may not know about Nora:

• Used to be a competitive skydiver (now there's a game you don't want to lose at)

• Is a professional Actor/Singer/Dancer. Biggest claim to fame is a part in Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio

• Used to be a concert pianist growing up

• Raced motorcycles (casually, if you can call hurtling down a racetrack at 150mph "casual")

• Is an avid mountaineer and cave explorer.

Will Chen

You know that old saying about loving your work and you'll never work a day in your life? Well, that's my life. I love waking up and reading your emails. I love giving out the weekly prizes to readers who always tell me that they've never won anything before. I love following the links you leave in your comments and exploring your wonderful blogs.

Most of all, I love working with our writers. I am amazed by their talent and generosity on a daily basis. Of course, on some days they are also the most wonderful group of people you ever want to strangle with your bare hands. I guess that makes them family. Five things you didn't know about me:

• Will eat anything on a dare.

• What I'm thinking right now: Why did I put my own paragraph under Nora's? How can I compete against a bike-riding, scene-stealing, mountain-climbing, personal finance guru with fabulous green shoes?

• Favorite quote: "If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do."

• If most of life's important moments involve nudity, I'm not quite sure why I need to wear pants around the house.

• Has an unhealthy crush (is there any other kind?) on Clonie Gowen.

Lynn Truong

I didn't know what I was getting into when I signed on. I had some ideas, hopes, wild fantasies (keep it clean, folks). As is often the case with life though, it's rarely what you expect, and usually better than you could have imagined. I'm honored to be in the midst of talented and down to earth people, making the world a better place, one finance advice at a time.

• I was once quoted in an LA Times article about 20 somethings and the quarterlife crisis. The quote: "We require not only a job that pays us well, but a job we like to go to, with a good working environment and co-workers we get along with," said Lynn Truong, 22, an assistant media planner at advertising agency Grey Worldwide, who recently gave her two-week notice. Upper management wasn't too happy about seeing that.

• I totaled my car by crashing into a tree because I was trying to avoid a [big] branch in the middle of the road. I didn't have a seat belt on and ended up in the passenger seat. I believe that if I had hit the tree in a different angle, I would have been flung outside the car.

• I started out as a lefty, but my dad made me switch to my right hand. For awhile I was ambidextrous, but eventually became a righty. I will always blame my dad for stunting my right brain growth (leftys are supposed to be more creative).

• My dad calls me by "Lynn Truong" and my mom calls me by my full chinese name. They speak to me in chinese and I respond in english.

• I rehearse conversations I'll never have.

Leave a Comment, Win a Prize

I hope you have enjoyed our co-op blogging experiment. At times, we’ve been limited by the blogging format and the fact that we don't have a budget like the New York Times.

While most of us are part-time bloggers with day jobs, we always strive to bring you honest and well-researched information in every post.

We're far from perfect and would love your opinion on how we can improve.

Drop us a note in the comments section and get entered in a random drawing for $25 Amazon Gift Certificate!

Deadline to enter drawing is 9/29 midnight. Don't forget to enter your email address in the field provided and only one entry per person.

This drawing is over.  Congrats to Angie, the winner of the drawing.  Thank you to everyone who participated!