When I first started a profile on Stumbleupon.com, I had no clue how to use the site. Yeah, technologically-deficient, I know. Now, its one of my very favorite websites and its how I met a ton of really smart, cool, funny people. (okay, not physically met, but you know, we exchange e-mails) I came across Todd/Mr. Belding, and was a bit awestruck by his profile. He’s worked in Education, cares about Environmental/Civil Rights Issues, and also is a techie. Plus, I mean, his SU name is Mr. Belding, and FYI, I used to be obsessed with “Saved by the Bell.” Who wasn’t? So, without further ado…

So, who is Richard Belding…really? What’s the deal with the name?
Ha! Yeah contrary to belief I’m not a middle aged balding principal running around after Zack and Screech at Bayside high. I’m a 28 year old guy who currently dabbles with viral marketing and creating quality content to help websites improve their usefulness. But who am I really? My background funny enough lies in social work where I cut my teeth in both Seattle and downtown Chicago. I’ve spent the majority of my work experience helping people find and improve their quality of housing, healthcare, and education. In my free time I enjoy beating up my body playing competitive rugby. I also enjoy Northern California’s beautiful landscape for hiking.
Mr. Belding is my social media alter ego. I chose that name for a couple of different reasons. For one, I am very passionate about access to education for all people. Through my days in social work I’ve seen the importance and need for people to have proper training and skill sets to achieve sustainable employment. Simple things many of us take for granted such as basic computer skills can be a major barrier for people. The name also fit nicely with several of the educationally themed sites I help with. Mr. Belding kind of fits both personal and business needs.

Where are you from and how did you get involved in social networking, Digg, Reddit, Stumble?
Living in the Silicon Valley area amongst the tall towers of Google, Yahoo and Apple, it’s a very technology rich environment. I initially got involved with Digg recreationally as a way to learn about technology news. I started out as just a news reader and over time I expanded my horizons to both reddit and stumble. I didn’t actually submit content until several months later until I got a firm handle on the interests of each community and felt comfortable. I never really set out to be a social media contributor. As I started to comment and interact with people online (which was a new phenomenon for me) my interests picked up and now it has become part of my daily life.

I know what you mean. So, tell us about your day job.
I wear a couple of different hats in my day job. My main job has always been creating content that people will find useful. Currently I’ve been producing free educational web videos with professional college and career counselors. That has been a really fun and fulfilling project. These videos help students learn about everything from selecting the best college major to writing a professional resume. I’ve been fortunate to work with some great volunteers and experts in their fields. I also help develop marketing campaigns to get the word out on these types of content. Many times, it’s through libraries and colleges or even through social media channels.

Now, that’s a fulfilling day job. So, there’s a recent cover story in “BusinessWeek” entitled, “Beyond Blogs, on to Social Media.” How has social media changed your life, on a day to day basis?
That article really demonstrates the growth and power of social media in the mainstream just within the last couple of years. I have a very quirky personality that is generally hesitant to new technology until I’m dragged by the collar to follow or be left behind. In many ways I’m kind of like Old Media. But even Old Media has realized that the future of communication is rapidly growing and actually changing just as fast as it grows. In the last several years there has been an explosion of innovative ways for people to communicate with each other and businesses. I think we’re in the middle of a creative renaissance where the boundaries of media are being redrawn and it will be interesting which paths stick and which ones don’t.
The biggest impact social media has had on my life is without question how I retrieve news. I’m easily digesting two to three times as much as I ever have before with news feeds and aggregators. The ability to get news from different sources and all of this instantaneously is very powerful. Before I get home to read the paper or turn on the nightly news I’ve read the headline stories multiple times. This election year is a great example where you can get up to the moment statistics on primaries and voting as it happens. It’s very remarkable.

So, Mr. Belding, who inspires you and why?
People who dare…Those who dare to make positive change and also those who dare to take risks. I am especially inspired by those people who stand up to the face of adversity. I am enamored with the American Civil Rights movement and the ordinary people who united and stood up for change in such uncertain times. There are so many unsung heroes in everyday life. People who risk to make positive change in their communities and others that fall off their feet, get back up and press on. Those are the people who inspire me.

What’s your current favorite TV show?
I’m a sports nut and always get a great laugh from the guys at Pardon the Interruption (PTI) on ESPN. I’m also a total sucker for garbage reality television. It’s like a bad train wreck that I know is happening but I can’t jump off. I was also a huge fan of the British Office back in the day.

Give us a random funny fact about yourself.
I get razzed a lot because I have really small hands and feet. I’m 6’2 and can fit into my girlfriend’s running shoes comfortably. I get a lot of Barney Rubble/Flintstones jokes.

And there you have it peoples, Todd, a.k.a. Mr. Belding, and one of my very best Stumble friends. (You can send me a stumble anytime). He’s not only a social media maven, but a socially conscious person who wants to help educate others via his website. Check out his stumble profile to find out more about him. http://mrbelding.stumbleupon.com/

Its Friday. Yay. So, I’m not sure that you read this LA Times article last weekend entitled, “MySpace gets its mojo back by opening the door to developers.”

If not, you should check it out and it basically reiterates the importance of developers in technology. Duh. Yeah, I know. Anyway, I had this dream that I was a developer and completely understood coding, ASP.net, C#, and other computer languages. It was weird and surreal because I was in a technology meeting and completely understood everything that everyone was saying. Because you see, in real life, I look at such codes and feel as though I’m looking at a mix of Greek, Mandarin, and pig latin all mixed into one.

This is exactly how I felt in high school AP Physics, which I was FORCED to take by my guidance counselor who wisely told me, “If you don’t take AP Physics, you won’t get into a good college.”
(FYI, Mrs. ________, I really hope that you’re not doling out this advice anymore to your students)
I was surrounded by a bunch of kids who completely understood Physics, while I would sit there and try to process everything after Force= Mass x Acceleration.

My teacher’s face would fall every time I’d approach him after class. Here’s what our conversation was like.
INT. AP PHYSICS- DAY

The class slowly empties. I approach my AP Physics teacher who is quickly trying to leave the classroom.

ME: Wait, do you have a second?

AP PHYSICS TEACHER: Um, Sure, but I have to actually go to the teachers’ lounge for a meeting. Can this wait until tomorrow?

ME: Well, I was going to ask if I could stay after school because you see, I have a ton of questions, because I don’t really understand the homework, or Chapters 1-3. Or the worksheets.

His face FALLS.
AP PHYSICS TEACHER: : Okay, take out your book.

ME: Thanks!!!

Secretly, he wanted to strangle me, I’m sure.

http://www.emilychang.com/go/weblog/comments/women-20-entrepreneurship/

Emily Chang, a go-getter as a female in the tech world, writes this post about an Entrepreneurial Night at a middle school where groups of 7th grade girls made pitches to VC’s.

Talk about being driven! Geez. I tried out for the lacrosse team in 7th grade which I thought was pretty exciting at the time.