Gordon Hamilton - Freelance Writer

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Gordon Hamilton - An Introduction

Gordon Hamilton has been a Freelance Writer, writing for - and creating - Web 2.0 sites on the Web since April 2007. The first site which he joined was Helium.com, followed by Squidoo in August 2007 and Hub Pages a month later. Those three sites remain the principal ones to which he contributes. He has since, however, undertaken a great many projects online and this site is designed to provide a general overview of his online career to date.

Gordon Hamilton - Site Contents 

A succinct guide to what you may expect to find on this page

It is possible to click on any of the links immediately below to be redirected straight to the relevant part of this site. You may wish instead, however, to simply browse it in full and thus eliminate the risk of missing that section which you would otherwise have found most interesting.

Who is Gordon Hamilton? 

Where is he originally from?

Gordon Hamilton was born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, in Scotland. He was raised in the town of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, and lived there for thirty-odd years.

Gordon was educated at Coltness Primary School (1974-1981) and subsequently Coltness High School (1981-1987), both in Wishaw. When he left school at the age of eighteen, he knew a period of some seventeen months' unemployment before securing a job in what was at that time the Halifax Building Society, subsequently became Halifax plc and ultimately Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) plc. He worked there until April 2007.

Gordon Hamilton on Helium 

An article writing and knowledge providing site

Gordon Hamilton has been writing for Helium.com for over two years. At the time of writing (September 2009), he has almost fifteen hundred articles on the site on some very varied topics. Among others, he has written articles on the following subjects:

(Click on any of the links for further details)

Arts and Humanities (Writing)

- articles looking at the technical aspects of writing, from articles to novels; new and creative ways in which to promote your work; even novel suggestions for coming up with ideas for stories and articles.

Business, Advertising and Marketing

- articles looking at unique ways in which to advertise, promote and market your business, both online and off.

Computers and Technology

- articles about the Internet, security online and how to make the most of your online experiences.

Food and Drink

- a look at everything from meal recipes, to the history of certain foods and drinks, to how to both save money on food and eat in a healthier fashion.

Jobs and Careers

- a look principally at working online, how to make the most of the genuine opportunities and avoid the majority of the scammers.

Personal Finance

- tips for avoiding and getting our of debt; looking at credit cards, how to preserve the security of same and whay to do if you a re a victim of fraud; how to save money and make the most of your savings.

Travel

- tips for travelling safely and cost effectively as well as guides to certain places and destinations.

In May 2009, Gordon Hamilton was appointed the Channel Steward of the Food and Drink Channel on Helium and he is also a member of Helium's Editorial Advisory Board.

Best Helium Articles by Gordon Hamilton 

You will find a real mixed bag of material here!

Below are links to the ten most recent posts on Gordon Hamilton's Helium Blog. You can either click on the post which interests you to simply read it, or click here to browse the entire blog.

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The Five Dollar Vacation - A Charity Project with a Big Difference 

What is it all about?

In March 2009, one of Squidoo's foremost members, Jaguar Julie, of Jacksonville, Florida, USA, devised a charity project, whereby she would arrange for a t-shirt and journal to be sent around the world via members of Squidoo. Each member would sign the t-shirt, make an entry in the journal and have their photograph taken with the items. They would each be required also to make a donation to their favourite charity. When the journal is full and its world tour is complete, it will be returned to Julie and auctioned - along with the t-shirt - for charity.

Gordon Hamilton was honoured beyond belief to be asked by Julie to be the first recipient of these items and contributor to the project. He therefore received the items in late March 2009, took the prescribed actions and sent them on their way.

The link below tells the story of The Five Dollar Vacation, a coincidental offshoot of this project devised by Gordon Hamilton - all proceeds from which go to a number of worldwide charities.

 

featured lens The Five Dollar Vacation - A Worldwide Charity Project with a Difference

It may seem strange for a Briton like me - who has never even visited the United States - to talk about The Five Dollar Vacation when of course this title would perhaps seem slightly less mysterious as his creation were he to brand it, "The Five Poun...

Gordon Hamilton - Starting Out On Squidoo 

A look at how it all began

When Gordon Hamilton first started out, both on Squidoo and on Helium, the subject which he wrote upon almost - if not quite - exclusively was food and drink. He had loved to cook since childhood and invent not only new dishes but new ways to prepare established ones. He actually used to find this a very relaxing and therapeutic activity, so it made sense that he write about and hopefully earn from the process. He has created a great many Squidoo lenses on this subject - and even made some attempt to change the wider perceptions regarding Scottish cuisine! - some of the most popular of which can be found linked to below.

Gordon Hamilton on Squidoo on Food and Drink 

A sample of what Gordon has created on this subject

These are just some of Gordon Hamilton's Food and Drink pages on Squidoo. These are the ones which have probably proven the most popular over the longer term.
featured lens Healthy Cooking Recipes

Welcome to my site on what are - unquestionably - the universally relevant subjects of food and cooking and a comprehensive yet easy to follow look at how we can revolutionise our eating habits in order to make them more healthy. I hope you will enjo...

featured lens Healthy Fish Recipes

There are a great many different foodstuffs which I would class among my favourites but fish and seafood probably rate at the very top of the list. I love the freshness and delicacy of the flavours in fish and carefully experimenting with different w...

featured lens Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

This site may ultimately prove to be something of a challenge for me, as if there is one thing I cannot claim to be, it is a vegetarian. That, however, does not preclude me from creating healthy and tasty vegetarian recipes, nor from - on occasion! -...

featured lens Healthy Chicken Recipes

It is of course extremely easy in modern times to browse the Internet or check a cookbook and find healthy chicken recipes galore - but how many of them will actually be healthy as well as tasty? They may contain rich, over-powering sauces which are...

featured lens Healthy Beef Recipes

This is where, as the title would suggest, I will be sharing some of the healthy recipes I have created using beef, from minced or ground beef to larger cuts or joints and steaks. I very much verge upon being a carnivore by nature and sometimes actua...

Would You Like to Join Gordon Hamilton on Squidoo? 

It's quick, easy and free to join - and you can potentially earn some money!

Have you ever fancied creating your own website but don't think that you have the technical knowledge to do so? Think again! Squidoo provides you with all the tools you need to create your own, professional looking presence on the Internet. Whether you want to create a page about yourself, your favourite hobby, or even your favourite place, it is entirely possible here on Squidoo.

Click here to join Gordon Hamilton on Squidoo today and see for yourself how easy it is to build your own Squidoo lens. It may very well be the best click you have made in a long time - but be warned: Squidooing is addictive!

What Should I Have for Dinner Tonight? 

Gordon Hamilton's dedicated dinner recipe ideas blog

It is a very common problem, around the world, for people to wonder, "What should I have for dinner tonight?" This blog is therefore packed with all sorts of suggestions, either for you to prepare precisely as they are detailed here or perhaps even simply to give you an idea.

Below are the ten most recent posts on the blog. Take your pick as to whether you simply wish to click on the item which appeals to you, or instead click here to view the entire blog.

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Gordon Hamilton - 2007 and Beyond 

A change of direction in so many ways

The year 2007 was a tough, varied and challenging one for Gordon Hamilton in several different ways. The principal one, however, in relation to the content of this page, is that he took the daunting step of leaving his secure job in what had ultimately become Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS plc) and embarking on a solo career as a Freelance Writer and Online Marketer. The number of different activities and projects he has since undertaken or become involved in are too numerous even for him to recall, never mind mention here.

Gordon Hamilton had by this time moved to Edinburgh, before subsequently moving to Uxbridge, Middlesex, Greater London. The marketing work Gordon was doing immediately following his move to Uxbridge was going extremely well until, in October 2008, Credit Crunch hit him - hard! His income from this venture dried up completely within the space of just a fortnight and urgent diversification was required. It was at this time that he began writing almost full time for Websites and this very much remains his principal activity up to the present day.

Due to a change in life circumstances beyond his control, Gordon Hamilton was on the move again, just before Christmas 2008, back to Wishaw to stay with family in the short term until he resolved a great many issues within his life.

Gordon Hamilton on Squidoo on Scotland 

A brief look at some of his travels around his native land

Travel was the second major topic which Gordon Hamilton began writing about online. He has always loved to travel, both around Scotland - very often in relation to his great love of sea fishing - and far beyond. He has created quite a few sites here on Squidoo about places and destinations in Scotland and below are a sample of some of the ones which have proven most popular over the period of time since their creation.

A Mixed Bag of Scottish Pages on Squidoo by Gordon Hamilton 

From Edinburgh to Inverness and beyond

featured lens The Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Edinburgh's Royal Mile is the impressive thoroughfare which connects Edinburgh Castle at the top of the hill with the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom. There can surely be no other street in the world which affords the visitor such a diverse ble...

featured lens The Last Drop, Edinburgh

The Last Drop is a traditional Scottish pub in the centre of Edinburgh's historical Old Town, to be found at 74/78, The Grassmarket, near The Royal Mile. It is a place of wooden beams, a friendly atmosphere, fine ales and quality food. The...

featured lens Beecraigs Country Park, Scotland

The Beecraigs Country Park is located close to the historic town of Linlithgow, in West Lothian, Central Scotland. It offers the visitor some stunning scenery, as well as a range of outdoor pursuits, such as walking, fishing, archery, canoeing and mu...

featured lens Inveraray, Scotland

Inveraray is a small, picture-postcard town on the shores of Loch Shira and Loch Fyne, in Argyll on the West Coast of Scotland. It is no more than two hours' drive from the centre of Glasgow, yet creates the impression - surrounded by the l...

featured lens Inverness, Scotland

The City of Inverness sits at the mouth of the River Ness - only some six miles from Loch Ness - where it flows into the Moray Firth. It has long since been referred to as the capital of the Scottish Highlands, though it only actually received formal...

A Short Videographic Tour of Scotland 

Click on the arrow in the centre of the screen to play the video

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Are You a Proud Scot? 

Have a look at these sample Scottish merchandise items

The items below are but a small sample of the many items which can be ordered online from The Lion Rampant Cafepress store. The items range from clocks, to sweatshirts, to journals and lots, lots more.

Click on any of the pictures below to enlarge it and obtain further details.

(Prices quoted in US Dollars - converted to relevant currency, if applicable, on CafePress site.)
Lion Rampant Women's T-Shirt

Lion Rampant Women's T-Shirt

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Lion Rampant Value T-shirt

Lion Rampant Value T-shirt

Price: 11.19Buy Now

Lion Rampant Teddy Bear

Lion Rampant Teddy Bear

Price: 16.19Buy Now

Lion Rampant Mousepad

Lion Rampant Mousepad

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Lion Rampant Infant Bodysuit

Lion Rampant Infant Bodysuit

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Find Out More About Scotland and The Scots 

Check out the official links below

There are so many myths about Scotland, just as there are about so many other places and countries on the planet. I hope that the links below will help to clear up any which you may have outstanding...
Scottish Tourist Board - accommodation, activities, events and holidays in Scotland
The Visit Scotland guide to Scottish hospitality. The official site of the Scottish Tourist Board provides information on Scotland travel, vacations, tours, holidays and accommodation.
Scotland - The Official Online Gateway to Scotland
The official gateway to Scotland provides information on living, working, studying, visiting, and doing business in Scotland and includes links to other official Scottish sites. Information on the community of Scotland.
Scotland Channel: Travel, Culture, Society, Area Gudes, Forums, Blogs
Scotland Channel provides information on travel, culture, society, area guides and more plus offers forums, blogs and original features about Scotland.
Scotland: Gateway to Scotland
The definitive source of information on all things Scottish, including Culture, Geography, History, Famous People
Historic Scotland - the official website
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government and we are charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Gordon Hamilton's Virtual World Tour 

Travelling beyond Scotland

There are a great many destinations in Scotland which Gordon Hamilton loves to visit but equally there are some very different ones further afield which he is equally fond of for different reasons.

One day, he had an idea, for a young Scottish Highlander, taking a trip to see the world.

The site below is the young man's "story..."
featured lens A Traveller's Tale

It happens to a great many people, at various stages in their lives. They suddenly experience an overwhelming desire to "move on;" a compulsion, almost, to see more of the big wide world around them and much that it contains. This may be due to a dra...

Gordon Hamilton and Business Marketing 

A big part of his career prior to Credit Crunch

When Gordon Hamilton lived in Edinburgh and when he first moved to Uxbridge, providing marketing advice and assistance to small businesses was a big part of what he did on a day to day basis. He had personally developed a great many innovative techniques to market and promote businesses online and in this way delighted a great many business owners both with the results he achieved on their behalf and the modest prices he charged. He assisted a wide variety of different types of businesses, from pubs, to printers, to independant food outlets and lots more!

It was of course the devastating blow dealt by Credit Crunch in the Autumn (Fall) of 2008 which put paid at least temporarily to this aspect of Gordon Hamilton's career. Small businesses found themselves in almost the definitive, "Catch 22," situation in that they were struggling to stay afloat but could not afford to spend the money on the advertising or marketing which would assist them to do so.

This is an area, however, in which Gordon Hamilton has never ceased developing new ideas and theoretical practises and is now moving back in to this field.

To find out more about this field of Gordon Hamilton's operations, click on the link immediately below and see what he can very probably do to help you and your business in the wake of Credit Crunch.

 

featured lens Gordon Hamilton - Internet Marketer

Gordon Hamilton has been engaged in Internet Marketing from bases in Edinburgh, Greater London and Lanarkshire, respectively. He has acquired a great deal of knowledge and experience from the wide variety of projects he has undertaken in this respect...

Gordon Hamilton on Squidoo on Famous Scots 

A look at some of the Scotsmen who changed the world

The list of famous Scotsmen who have created marvellous inventions, made life-saving discoveries or in some other way changed the world forever would of course be an extremely long one. Most people know that a Scotsman invented the telephone and the television and that it was a Scotsman who discovered penicillin...but did you know that it was a Scotsman who invented the bicycle?

Gordon Hamilton has created a few pages on Squidoo on some of these famous Scotsmen, down through the ages. Again, a sample of them may be found below.

A Look at Some Famous Scotsmen by Gordon Hamilton 

Down through the centuries, these Scots have changed the world in one way or another

featured lens Sir Alexander Fleming

Alexander Fleming, the man who would later make one of the most significant advances in medicine by discovering penicillin, was born in 1881 at Lochfield Farm, near Darvel, in Ayrshire, Scotland, the seventh of eight siblings and half siblings. Sir A...

featured lens Alexander Graham Bell

The telephone is unquestionably one of the most significant and radical inventions and subsequent human developments of all time. It changed the field of global communications forever and of course the Internet we are presently using could never have...

featured lens Kirkpatrick MacMillan - The Man Who Invented the Bicycle

Kirkpatrick Macmillan was born in Coathill, near Dumfries, Scotland, in 1812. He was the son of a blacksmith and although as a young man he tried a variety of jobs, he finally went to work with his father. One day, he saw someone on a velocipede, a t...

featured lens Rabbie Burns

Robert "Rabbie" Burns was born on 25th January, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, in a small cottage which has since been established as an official museum. The occasion of his birthday continues to be celebrated around the globe, but most particularly here...

featured lens William Wallace - Braveheart

Whatever your own particular perspective causes you to think of William Wallace, surely no one can deny that he must have been quite a remarkable man in many ways? It was William Wallace who provided the inspiration and determination for the downtro...

Do You Want to Know More About How the Scots Invented the Modern World? 

Have alook at this great book, available on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk


How the Scots Invented the Modern World:
The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It


How the Scots Invented the Modern World

Most People Associate Scotland with the Bagpipes 

I could not therefore neglect to include a little bit of the pipes on this page...

Click on the arrow in the centre of the screen to start the video and listen to the music.
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Are You One of those Millions of Americans, Proud of your Scottish Heritage? 

You may find something below to be of interest...

These items are but a sample of the items available to buy online at the American, Scottish and Proud Cafepress store.

Click on any image to enlarge it and for further details or simply browse the entire store via the link in the previous paragraph.
American, Scottish and Proud Women's Long Sleeve T

American, Scottish and Proud Women's Long Sleeve T

Price: 28.49Buy Now

American, Scottish and Proud Value T-shirt

American, Scottish and Proud Value T-shirt

Price: 13.49Buy Now

American, Scottish and Proud Large Mug

American, Scottish and Proud Large Mug

Price: 17.99Buy Now

American, Scottish and Proud Men's Sleeveless Tee

American, Scottish and Proud Men's Sleeveless Tee

Price: 22.49Buy Now

American, Scottish and Proud Kids Hoodie

American, Scottish and Proud Kids Hoodie

Price: 28.49Buy Now

Powered by CafePress

Gordon Hamilton - Hobbies and Pastimes 

Sadly, most of them have had to be put on hold of late...

Gordon Hamilton had a number of favourite pastimes which he frequently enjoyed while in traditional employment. Although self-employment brought with it a great many benefits which it continues to hold for him, that - along with his frequent relocations! - has meant that a lot of his hobbies have had to be put on standby for a while.

Gordon Hamilton was and remains a very keen sea angler but it is now several years since he so much as wet a line. Loch Fyne (pictured) was one of his favourite destinations for beach casting but he regularly ventured out on charter boats from various locations on Scotland's West Coast.

He was also a season ticket holder with his favourite football (soccer) team and, although he remains so, it is now two full years since he has so much as attended a solitary game. Fotunately, he has rarely been short of others wishing to take advantage of his spare ticket.

Gordon Hamilton on Alcohol 

A subject "allegedly" very close to the hearts of many Scots!

Scotland is of course renowned the world over for its whisky. In 2007, however, Gordon Hamilton got a major surprise. He happened to notice in the window of a pub which he occasionally visited in Edinburgh a newspaper article referring to blaand, a drink which he was amazed to find preceded whisky in Scotland. Blaand is made from the fermented whey of sheep's milk but it was not until July 2008 that he discovered the pub - The Tass, at 1 The High Street, on Edinburgh's Royal Mile - actually sold the drink! He joined the owner, Allan Cameron, in a glass of blaand and was very surprised by what he found.

Blaand looks like white wine and is of similar alcoholic strength. The taste, however, is incomparable to anything else ever previously tasted. If you get the opportunity to visit Edinburgh, pop in to The Tass and try it. It is, however, one of those drinks which you should probably be prepared to either love or hate.

Do You Appreciate the Value of Single Malt Scotch Whisky? 

Do you realise what a sound investment it can be?

There a great many types of single malt Scotch whisky around which are either not produced any more or are only produced in limited quantities. Some of these varieties of single malt can prove to be a very sound, long term investment, as they will only become more and more rare over a period of time.

One excellent way in which to obtain bargains such as this can be via eBay, where the seller may either not realise the potential value of the malt in the long term or simply not care and simply wish to make a quick sale. If you don't have an eBay account already, click on your country name below to sign up and have a look at what bargains you can pick up today. It is always a worthwhile exercise checking back on a regular basis, as well.

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Espana (Spain), France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Netherlands Singapore, United Kingdom, United States

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Currently Available on eBay 

Remember to check back on a regular basis!

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Gordon Hamilton on Hub Pages 

Another site to which Gordon Hamilton regularly contributes

Click on any of the feeds below to go straight to the relevant section of the blog, or click here to view the full blog.

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Would You Like to Join Gordon Hamilton on Hub Pages? 

If so, it is important to follow the right steps, in the right order

Hub Pages is very similar in principal to Squidoo, in that it is a Web 2.0 hosting site (essentially, depending upon user-driven content) but the mechanics of how it works is very different.

While Squidoo pools its Google AdSense revenue for distribution among its members and allows members to use special modules to feature and earn from such as Amazon and eBay affiliate sales, Hub Pages requires its members (if they wish to earn in such a fashion!) to have their own individual affiliate accounts.

Both of these systems have their advantages and their disadvantages but if you would like to join Hub Pages, the following advice is the best that Gordon Hamilton can give you, based entirely on his own experience.

The following procedures include the necessary links, full instructions are on the relevant sites and none of them are in any way complicated.

Step One
Sign up for a Google AdSense account.

Step Two
Sign up for an Amazon Associates account.

Step Three
Sign up for an eBay Partner Network account.

Step Four
Join Hub Pages and from the main menu, select, "Affiliate Settings," where you will input your three coded ID's from above.

Please let me know what you think... 

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I would first of all like to thank you for your visit to this page and your time spent looking over it - it is much appreciated.

I would also, however, appreciate your taking a few moments to let me know what you thought of my endeavours thus far in the space below.

I hope to see you again soon on one of my sites.

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The Latest News in Wishaw 

A look at what's been happening lately in Gordon Hamilton's home town, courtesy of The Wishaw Press

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A More In-Depth Look at Freelance Writing and Freelance Writers 

Click on any of the links for further details

Freelance Writing and Freelance Writing Jobs
The place to be for aspiring and new writers, we cover all the basics needed to break into the writers market, including freelance writing jobs, and how to start writing as a career. Find freelance writing jobs, build up your clip file, find and contact editors, and break into the easiest beginning
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by Gordon_Hamilton

My name is Gordon Hamilton and I live in the United Kingdom. As well as writing on Squidoo, I am the Food and Drink Channel Steward on Helium.com. I a...

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