Make a Better Day or Make a Day Better?

We have the ability to make one another feel better - each and every day. The number of people who offer that gift to me - the worthiest of human traits - is far too long a list to compose here. Sometimes the people are strangers never to be seen again. Other times, they are friends and family. More and more it happens virtually over this new fangled internet thing :). Every time it happens, lives are touched.

This reflection on humanity began a couple Fridays ago. I was standing in line at a fast food joint located in a food court. Normally, I carry a lunch but Friday is my day to eat out. A perfect stranger approached me:

Perfect Stranger: which of these restaurants is better?
Me: They are both equally good - it depends on what you're hungry for.
Perfect Stranger: We're visiting from Edmonton, Alberta, and attending a basketball camp. I have four 16 year olds. They are hungry.
Me: This one offers a little bigger portions. That one has a shorter line.
Perfect Stranger: The one you are going to looks good. What line of work are you in?
Me: I work at the newspaper and am in marketing. Are you in town for Hoopfest? Does the camp form a couple teams to play?
Perfect Stranger: No, it's a coincidence. The kids wanted to attend the Gonzaga camp. We had no idea there was this much activity this weekend in your town. I read your paper this morning. It's good.

I liked him right away :) And so it went as the line got shorter. We shared conversation. I felt like an ambassador for Spokane. He felt welcomed. I learned about Edmonton and how the economy is exploding. Plus a little about his work. He said "thanks" and we were on our separate ways. We made a better day. Or did we make the day better?

Episode Two: On Independence Day, I went for a bike ride - training, you know - and stopped for a Starbucks. (side note: notice how its not coffee anymore, its Starbucks - HA!). It was a gorgeous mid week morning where most workers in the US have the day off - except for the baristas. I'm sipping my coffee at an outside table, guarding my bike and watching people come and go. Some are happier than others.

Perfect Stranger: How's your ride this morning?
Me: It was great! This is my favorite part - sitting and thinking how beautiful the world is from the saddle of a bicycle (Admittedly, I was philosophizing a bit ;)
Perfect Stranger: What line of work are you in?
Me: Newspapers - and you?
Perfect Stranger: Retired - when I was 59.
Me: I have a few more years until then. You better get some coffee. (some say I'm too bossy - LOL)

He came back, sat down and thus began 45 minutes of face to face conversation. I thought I could talk?!?!? Seems he has a son at Fort Lewis (other side of the state) who is Green Beret and a daughter nearby. His pride for both of them shone bright. He's spent the better part of 15 years traveling about after selling his ranch in Texas. Really liked Oregon but was fascinated with the country just north of here and south of Canada. Again, I felt like an ambassador saying things like "This is a hard place to leave once you settle in".

Once again days are made better through communication, sharing and opening ourselves.

Here are links to the postings - and influencers - for this entry:

Jackie Cameron - if you haven't checked Jackie's blog you really should. The link points to her entry on "How do you make people feel"?
Phil Gerbyshak - the make it great guy. Phil posted a question on LinkedIn (not sure if you can get there without membership but try - let me know). He got 43 answers (and counting) on how to make a bad day better.
Mack Collier - About the same time Phil posted his question, Mack put this post up. It's a question on the value of two social networks - MyBlogLog and LinkedIn. At least part of the value is in how we make each other feel.

Jackie closes her post with this quote attributed to Maya Angelou. I close with it, too:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel.

One Year for One Reader

Here is my very first post - one year ago today. I had somehow managed to bungle up the first blog and made it disappear. A mixture of trepidation, confidence and love of the unexpected made me take the next step. I had no clue what I was doing - still don't in many instances :)

Here's the next post - Day 2 - really smokin' now! What exactly it was - I have no idea :)

First post with a comment - guess who?

One Reader at a Time has always been about comments, conversation and sharing - learning and growing. One thing at a time - I'm a rotten multi-tasker. I can do it - but it pretty much ends in disaster. Sure, I've learned about technology and this web 2.0 thing but I've learned more about people. What a kick - here's to a year!

Hope everyone's name is spelled properly and the links work correctly - that magic part works for me most of the time. You heard of the a-list and the z-list...this is the One Reader One Year list. Love and gratitude to all who've dropped a comment. You've encouraged me, challenged me and helped me grow. It means more than you will ever know. Trust me on that one :)

Mack Collier , Bruce Ryerson, CK - dat hippie chick, David Armano, Gavin Heaton, Big Jim, Ann Handley, Shawn, Robyn McMaster, Collin Douma, Becky Carroll, C. B. Whittemore, Elizabeth Perry, Cord Silverstein (he's engaged), Robert Hrudek, Chris Kieff, Ed Reif, The HairyBeast, Rob, Sandy Renshaw, Char, Mike Sansone, Larry Hrnetka, Rose DesRochers, Journalism Watchdog, Ben Spark, CyberPartyGal, Chris Cree, Phil Gerbyshak, Wendy Piersall, Doug Hudiburg, Liz Strauss, Jodee Bock, Greg Balanko-Dickson, Mike Wagner, David Reich, Karin H. aka Kaatje, Amanda Young, Matt Haverkamp, Vernon Lun (the Idea Dude), Mimi Lenox & the Peace Globe, Steve Woodruff, Mario Vellandi, Lewis Green, Ryan Karpeles (Go Hawks!), Matt Dickman, Aunty Hattie, Iowa Bicycle, David Dalka, Hannah Steen, Drew McLellan, Delaney Kirk, Jackie Cameron, Hajj Flemings, Diogenes, Toby Bloomberg, Cam Beck, Chip Griffin, Rhea, Mousey, Phillipe, Jamie, Bond, Bud Weiser, Polliwog, CS, Travis, Annelisa, Leigh, Proxima

May we all discover, experience and learn great things along the path we share!

Please take a moment

If you haven't noticed, Gavin Heaton is displaying a new signpost. Yes, Servant of Chaos has been ranked in the Viral Garden's top 25 Marketing Blogs for the past couple weeks. Get on over to Servant of Chaos and congratulate him for putting up that logo!

GH is a kick-ass writer. A tireless marketer for conversation. He is one of the many who continues encouraging me on the blogging path. But he is particularly appreciated for a single key moment. Last August - three whole months into building this corner of the blogosphere - I discovered the "magic" of sharing conversation in this medium. Then I stopped blogging for about 5 weeks. Nobody ever accused me of striking while the iron is hot. I'd picked up this nasty belief that a post had to be perfect and had begun editing myself.

Things like - "Not good enough...nobody will find value in this...who would even care about what I've got to say?" became part of my vocabulary. Most of you know negative self-talk leads to - whaddya call it ? - nowhere. In September, Gavin left a comment on my "magic" post. It was simple...

"OK Bob ... where are you? What happened? where have you been"

It struck me...here's a guy with genuine concern for the "other" ! In a nutshell, that is the worthiest of human virtues. Virtue is part of the magic and mystery of life. As Aristotle reasoned, virtue and ethics lead us on the path to happiness - the good life. Or so I understand :)

Its a habit. It takes practice. Thats how you build value in a community. Isn't that what marketing is all about?

Bravo, Gavin! You can be proud. You are an encourager of the first degree.

My First Interview

At least in the blog world. My nephew interviewed me once for a school project. He discovered my gift of gab. I was interviewed once on my hobby of collecting baseball memorabilia - no link to all of it - but I do have an autographed Joe Dimaggio baseball - they don't make those anymore :) and I am a hopeless baseball junkie. I visited a 5th grade class a couple years back in my role as "works for a newspaper" and answered a few questions - although that might be considered more a grilling than an interview.
Diogenes at Quasi Fictional asks a series of questions on blogging. Not sure how he picked my email though it is readily available to all readers of this blog. These are questions we've all though about and answered in various degrees at various times. Considering I'm coming up on a year since my first post, this is a good time to reflect.

Warning: Unlike most of my posts, this one is pretty "link loaded".

Here are Dio's questions and my responses:

How you blog, Why?

How is simple - taking time to sit and write. Blogging is a little bit like painting and drawing to me. Its a creative outlet. Time must be carved out. And we all have 24 hours and I break mine down in chunks - but have never blogged about it. Pretty boring stuff explaining how hours are spent :) Writing a post is comparable to sitting in a studio and staring at a blank canvas. Or watching a baseball game, grass grow or paint dry. Its an investment. There are days when I seemingly think of things to blog about during most waking moments. Unfortunately - or maybe fortunately - many of the ideas I imagine drift away sooner than I can put them into concrete terms. Why I blog is another story completely. I answered it initially for CK's collage. I blog to learn - about marketing, about others and about myself - pretty much in that order. I'm fascinated with the ability to reach across boundaries. To try new things. To add to the challenges each day presents. To use all the dimensions of human nature. As Robyn McMaster puts it - "to celebrate more intelligences". How do you pick topics day after day? Why blog is one of those questions that will always fuel One Reader at a Time. In answering the question "why"? it is important to recognize the value of building community. We have a natural inclination to be part of something bigger. Community through conversation helps fill this need. Plus, like everyone, I want to change the world! Finally, stating it simply as possible, to blog is to feel good.

What do you think about blog template, promotion tools and how you promote yours, your networking and community?

I use Blogger and have considered switching to TypePad - but I'm basically lazy. The templates available in Blogger are adequate for me at this time. Redesigning would take a big time commitment. I've been through a few redesigns in my life - lots of details. While I'm something of a detail freak, maybe one day I'll be motivated enough to switch. I play with a number of widgets as promotion tools - if you visit One Reader you'll see them. The best promotion - and community building - tool I've found is commenting on other blogs. Too often people visit blogs and leave without comment. When you find a post that's worthy of a comment - say it! Trust me when I say the poster will appreciate and honor you. The true conversation architect will respond. I like the Daily Fix at MarketingProfs for inspiration - I'm a marketer :) Believe me, there are many fine blogs on which to leave comments. Another good way to promote your blog is participate in a project - like "Advice for Graduates" or "The Age of Conversation". Of course, the "Z-List" has taken on a world of its own :) And Dio's Fine Art of Blogging is a worthy path of promotion.

Why blogging matters?

Blogging matters to me because it is a form of exploration. Organizations are in a state of constant motion. Think of them as part of the ever expanding universe. They are organic in my view. They either grow or enclose on themselves. In order to grow, an organization must reach out - leave the shore that is comfortable. Blogging for organizations is still new when you take a long view - back and forward - of organizational life. My blog viewpoints are mine alone. In a general way, I will post on current topics in my industry. They are in now way intended to be taken as news or a reflection of organization's views. The only connection is I work here. I have been part of this system and culture for over 20 years.

Personal high blogging points in your blog life.

Any comment to a post gets me "high". I think that could be assumed for all conversationalists. There are 3 posts that stand out. First one is probably here - wherein I discover the magic of conversation with David Armano at Logic+Emotion, Mack Collier at The Viral Garden and Gavin Heaton at Servant of Chaos. Second is combination posts. The value of community is recognized in these posts. Meeting Liz Strauss at Successful-Blog as a mystery unfolds plus being named an official SOB. Thirdly, would have to be the fun of the Turtle Meme. The lesson and value of blog sharing is evident in this little game. Fourth - I know I said 3 but the beauty is in breaking the rules - is the book review here on "A Whole New Mind - Why Right-Brainers will Rule the Future".

How do you make money by blogging (if you do)?

I don't. I've thought about it Google text ads. I've thought about Amazon book links. Never figured out exactly where any of them would fit. I've determined the few pennies aren't worth the effort. I could be wrong :)

You, too can complete this interview. Answer the questions in a post and send them to Dio in a word doc - include a photo if you want along with links from your blog. Share your knowledge and discovery plus what is important to you - we all win in this "Age of Conversation".

Special thanks to Diogenes for posting this at Quasi-Fictional. (post is up - go leave a comment - Dio's got a nice blog going)

An Astounding Gift - Past, Present and Future

Drew McLellan blows my mind with his example of genuine love for college grads. And to get it all together in less than 2 months! If you're not hip to his just posted e-book - check it out here. The version with pictures is best :) A surprise with every contributor. Amazing in it's diversity of thought and ideas, this is a stroke of brilliance, folks. Unfolding as clouds move across a clear blue sky. Flowing as the river during the Spring thaw. This is gift to grads and beyond. Heck, lets call it what it is - a gift to everyone associated with a conversation community.

Check the contributors - WOW - and then check their blogs.

Aaron Potts Andy Brudtkuhl Andy Nulman Andy Wibbels Ann Handley Ann Michael Anne Simons Becky Carroll C.B. Whittemore Carolyn Manning Chris Cree Christine Brown CK Darren Barefoot David Reich Delaney Kirk Derek Tutschulte Designer Mike Doug Karr Doug Mitchell Drew McLellan Joan Schramm

Kevin Hillstrom Lewis Green Liz Strauss Mario Sundar Mark Goren Mark True Mary Schmidt Nick Rice Patrick Schaber Paul McEnany Phil Gerbyshak Roberta Rosenberg Roger von Oech Rosa Say Seth Godin Sharon Sarmiento Stephanie Weaver Steve Miller Steve Sisler Terry Starbucker Toby Bloomberg Tony D. Clark Valeria Maltoni

And if you haven't already done so - be sure to thank Drew for HIS generosity!!!

SOBcon - a shout out to all who are there!

Break a leg, willya! The line up of speakers as listed at SOBevent page. All of you top notch. All of you ROCK and have no idea the influence you project. I hope to see piles and piles of posts. To think it all started with trying to keep it quiet....shhhhhhhhh! Forever will it be one of the best event launches I've ever experienced.

• Andy Sernovitz
• Phil Gerbyshak
• Liz Strauss
• David Armano
• Mike Sansone
• Drew McLellan
• Mike Wagner
• Terry Starbucker
• Rodney Rumford
• Ben Yoskovitz
• Chris Cree
• Robyn Tippins
• Diego Orjuela
• Vernon Lun
• Wendy Piersall

And attendees!?!?! - ooohhhhhh, am I jealous. Remember to HAVE FUN!

• Sandra Renshaw
• Brad Shorr
• Timothy Johnson
• Tammy Lenski
• John Yedinak
• Joe Hauckes
• Tim Draayer
• Jeremy Geelan
• Carolyn Manning
• Sheila Scarborough
• Steve Farber
• Dawud Miracle
• Doug Mitchell
• Jeff O'Hara
• Dave Schoof
• Jamy Shiels
• Adam Steen
• Hannah Steen
• Chris Thilk
• Barry Zweibel
• Eric Bingen
• Ellen Moore
• Cord Silverstein
• Jean-Patrick Smith
• James Walton
• Sharan Tash
• Vernon Lun
• Tony Lee
• Paul Mangalik
• Scott Desgrosseilliers
• Mark Murrell
• Muhammed Saleem
• Kammie Kobyleski
• Easton Ellsworth
• Mark Goodyear
• Ann Michael
• Kent Blumberg
• Ashley Cecil
• Robert Hruzek
• Sabu N G
• Mazur Krystyna
• Lisa Gates
• Franke James
• Chris Brown
• Troy Worman
• Karen Putz
• Chelsea Vincent
• Jesse Petersen
• Terry Mapes
• Andy Brudtkuhl
• Premchand Kallan
• Lucia Mancuso
• Peter Flaschner
• Derrick Sorles
• Michael Snell
• Ella Wilson
• Mike Rohde
• Ayush Agarwal
• Thomas Clifford
• Rajesh Srivastava
• Claire Celsi
• Jason Alba
• Cristiana Passinato
• Sean R.
• Alex Shalman
• Lorelle VanFossen
• Cristiana Passinato
• Brad Spirrison
• James Bergstrom
• Raj Majumder
• Keith Levenson
• Ari Garber
• Dr. Rob Wolcott
• Cheryll Cruz
• Sharon Scherer
• Jonathan Phillips
• Todd And
• Jason Wade
• Jill Pullen
• Doug Bulleit
• Xochi Kaplan
• Wendy Kinney
• David Dalka

Here is the quest - again from the event page:

• Respect that in business and blogging all things are based in connecting relationships
• Treat our blogs like a business, or a business-like hobby
• Define a vision for our blogs that inspires others to be part of it
• Identify like-minded bloggers whose blogging goals match our own
• Evaluate our blogs through the eyes of a first-time reader
• Use links, trackbacks, and comments to lead to increased participation, and extended reach that could develop into business ventures
• Ensure presentation, navigation and all reader experiences are intuitive, simple and elegant
• Know our brand values as readers define them and be able to articulate the unique and remarkable values we offer
• Understand basic tools that are useful in adding video, podcasting, social media, and voice commenting
• Reach out beyond the blogosphere to non-blogging readers to become a resource they rely on
• Recognize the traits and characteristics of a successful and outstanding blog

What an astounding opportunity to learn and share with the best of the 21st century! Changing the world one blog at a time.

Got Conversation?

How about the desire to contribute to the dialogue? Or the urge to build stronger community? Gavin Heaton and Drew McClellan have imagined a way to share the collective knowledge of 100 excellent bloggers. Plus make the world a better place! You can click on either link to their original posts for more detail.

In a nutshell, the concept is for 100 of us to craft words - or images - about "The Conversation Age" as it relates to our exchanges through these blogs. Yes, the very same blogs you spend untold moments writing, reading and reflecting on. It's a broad and diverse topic. The project will gather these 100 pages and publish in ebook form. We'll attach a small fee to purchase with all proceeds - this I really like - contributed to Variety International. Variety is a child centered international charity begun in 1927.

Here's what Drew writes:

"Who is our audience? Our intended audience is anyone who has to create marketing tools in this Conversation Age. It might be a small business owner, a CMO, a marketing student, an agency type, a marketing blogger, or even a professor who is teaching tomorrow's marketers".

To participate and join the conversation - click on the balloon at the top right of this post. Go to The Marketing Minute and send Drew an email - he's the co-organizer of this herd.

Here are the contributors to date:

• Gavin Heaton
  
• Drew McLellan
  
• CK
  
• Valeria Maltoni
  
• Emily Reed
  
• Katie Chatfield
  
• Greg Verdino
  
• Mack Collier
  
• Lewis Green
  
• Sacrum
  
• Ann Handley
  
• Mike Sansone
  
• Paul McEnany
  
• Roger von Oech
  
• Anna Farmery
  
• David Armano
  
• Bob Glaza
  
• Mark Goren
  
• Matt Dickman
  
• Scott Monty
  
• Richard Huntington

Why not become a contributor in the expanding conversation? Submissions are due by the end of April.

Are you a Conversation Architect?

David Armano gave a presentation at MarketingProfs Thursday, March 29, 2007. He blogs a bit about how he felt following the talk here. My feeling is he's a bit tough on himself. I understand we all have communication preferences. We all feel there are arenas where we are more effective. But I feel he pulled together an enormous amount of information. He stated it clearly. I'm not sure you can ask for much more. Embedded below are the slides he used - courtesy of Slide Share where you might be able to see the text a little better.





First off, let me say David, Mack Collier, and Gavin Heaton are the triumvirate that nudged me into this "blogging" thing. To varying degrees they move me along. (Here's where I always stumble - by rights every one of you who visit here are the ones nudging me along - it's beyond humbling). I'd like to capsulize the main ideas of David's emerging media conversation that effected me the most.

The obvious - and foremost - thing for us to remember is we serve people. Whatever our vocation, calling, job, gig - call it what you will - if we are not putting people first - it won't work. We might call them customer, consumers, readers...but cut to the chase...and its people. And people want good experiences. Part of a good experience is good design. In order to help create good experiences, we need to be good designers. Design is not about making something look good - thought that is part of it - but its more about creating an experience that is pleasurable. I would say its about imparting a degree of happiness into the receiver of the message. Both Starbuck's and O'Hare airport are designed well - just differently. As bloggers, part of what we do is design conversation around topics of common interest. We are designers. Slide 8 debunks "designer" myth. Slide 9 shows some excellent design elements. The Target prescription bottle almost makes me want to come up with some sort of malady - just so I can get medicine in that container!

I could spend a long time on slide 10. It shows the building blocks of a digital experience. Built on a firm foundation of brand, business and users, Armano states the fundamentals as usefulness, usability, and desirability. Take some time looking at the questions asked in each pillar. The final two pillars take the experience beyond the expected - to sustainable and social. What this point says to me is if we want our brands to stick around they must maintain AND evolve. In emerging technology, they must also be social. I feel this is part of a blogs value. This part of the conversation naturally turns toward ROI - something I am aware of and my boss consistently reminds me. It is, however, difficult to quantify the time spent building a social network. Intuitively, we know it pays. But where does the rubber meet the road? After all, the bottom line got that title for some reason :)

The next group of slides are examples of digital experiences. I was impressed with some of what Dell is doing. My experience has been a bit less than satisfactory with them. We have a 2nd pc at home - it is a Dell. They packaged a whole bunch of extras on it. I have little problem navigating my way through a lot of it, but my bride is the main user. Her time at a keyboard is considerably less than mine (she's a nurse and deals with real people problems :) - start up was frustrating for her and, at times, still can be a pain. Mostly its the little things - filters, pop-ups, expired this and that. But it looks like Dell is reaching out. I'm impressed with how they've responded at Dell Hell. David devised a little Experience-o-Meter (if your reading, David, you really ought to patent it...maybe get one of these crazy geeks to build a widget! - imagine having it for pages and sites you visit - I'd like one that goes below acceptable for Windows Media Player - grrrrr) and he puts them beyond the basics and to the next level.

I was thrilled to see a newspaper site featured in the presentation - USA Today. While I'm a biased reader of my newspaper - The Spokesman-Review - just the fact that newspapers are on the radar as media engaging emerging tech is encouraging. One day I'll go into the journey we are on here. In a nutshell, News is a Conversation is a major part of it. We are a paid registration site for most of the local news but there are many places you can move around. USA Today seems to be a step or 2 ahead of us insofar as building a social community. David rates them "next level" in places - not quite "beyond basics" in others. I too wonder about storing pictures on their site. One thing I can imagine is that they may decide to post member "snapshot" someplace on their site. Similar to getting your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone (I guess its WIRED this generation) - one day you might say "A photo of mine was published in USA Today". Next is a little riff on You Tube, then examples of blogs - one which takes it to the next level, the other not so much.

The pair of slides that pulled it together were 31 and 32. They are pretty self-explanatory but its where the title of this post is stolen - as bloggers and marketers who blog - we need to become "conversation architects". I love that - what a great job title! Bravissimmo, Armano! The goal - to develop our blog, our brand and our organizations into valuable community experiences.

I'm not a Twitter user - though this presentation has me right on the edge. The conclusion focused on the enormous potential it holds for gathering a community. I was about to register last week and it was a day Twitter experienced crashes and problems. I get enough frustration without asking for it - so another time :)

Sharing is the best way of learning for me. I hope highlighting these points has helped reinforce some of your thinking. Even more, I hope you've found food for thought. Enjoy the weekend - I'm off for a nice bike ride! The sun is shining in Spokane!

"Newspapers: print, online...who cares?"

Post title is in quotes because it comes from David Reich over at my 2 cents. Always give credit where credit is due. I've been fortunate to take part in David's musings on newspapers the last couple weeks. David is my new favorite blogger because he has a category labeled "newspapers" :) - And he's convinced they're not quite dead. I've also been fortunate to be in the newspaper business - circulation and marketing - for over 20 years.

In the post, David cites an article in Media Life which talks about newspaper readership growing if we include print AND online. The article talks about the "younger, affluent audience" being reached online. Then David asks a great question:

"Why aren't newspaper publishers aggressively pushing this positive and welcome news to the ad community?"

I am decidedly not a newspaper publisher - but I work for a great one! I can answer the question through my lens alone - give a touch of recent history and maybe forecast a little. Newspapers have long been established via ink on paper. In the last 3-5 years, their online presence has grown enormously. Now newspapers can be read via pixels on a page, too. And a lot more information can be placed on a website. But print on paper is still the farm. Print pays the rent. It's still delivered, its portable, and you don't need a wireless card to read it. Who cares? The community you live in! Just like the community of bloggers with which you read and interact. Don't kid yourself - if you're part of a blogging community and somebody stops posting...the community cares. This assumes the blogs have value and worth.

Advertisers are only just beginning to see the audience that is attracted to newspaper websites. Just like they are seeing audiences attracted to blogger sites. But advertisers demand results (along with profits) and online measurements of readers are not exactly concrete - although they are improving. Does the last 3-5 years coincide with anything that is happening with online tracking/measurement? Page views, impressions, click-thrus, traffic reports...these are all new terms. Can they be verified? In some ways - yes. Mostly its like the Gary Larson cartoon "what dogs say and what cats hear" - the meaning gets lost in the translation. Isn't it an education process?

For too long, the newspaper business has looked for a silver bullet to stop circulation declines. Searching for the Holy Grail - reminder, nobodies ever found it :) Doesn't stop us from looking for it. It ain't there. Fewer people buy the local paper but my hunch is people still read it. And certainly people still buy things - which is what the ad community really wants. Newspapers and online are not the same but they both demand interaction. Just like a true community.

Whether its print or online - newspapers matter in the community.

Here and here are previous posts on newspapers.

Blog of the Day

Sometimes I like to blend into a crowd - feel part of the bigger group - a small piece in the community. Its why I like to visit the big cities - NY, Seattle, Chicago, SF, Dallas - and the busy cities - Las Vegas. While its never often enough - I'd love to get back to Florence, Italy...and Roma - the memories last. Its also one reason I like going to concerts, art openings and large public events. Blending in and being another face in the crowd. There is even a certain degree of anonymity. Being a part of something big - so big as to be lost in it. Being part of building and connecting in a blogging community lends itself to this feeling at times.

At other times I like to stand out. Don't we all? Admit it even though its a rhetorical question. Of course we do! Its human nature. We're human. It adds value to our lives. It feels good. Today I'm recognized at Fuel My Blog in the upper right corner - Blog of the Day - on the business page - woo-hoo! A growing community with their very own blog! Kevin does a wonderful job of responding to comments and updating the community. In the midst of an upgrade as of today, it looks like Friday will be go live. I've been involved in a few "go live" projects (though none for websites) and can imagine the excitement going through his veins. What a thrill for him and his entire team!

When not blog of the day - you'll find me just under Sandy and at 4 o'clock from C.B. I'm honored to be in such a great neighborhood. I'm part of the wall and a blog in the crowd :) One of the aspects I really like is the diversity of blogs at Fuel. Near as I can tell, the creators (producers? directors? owners? administrators?) are in Europe. International travel on a low budget :)

It comes down to a balance of blending in and standing out. We all have those needs. Building and creating blog conversation permits the chance to experience both human needs.

How do you allow both needs to flourish through your blogging?

An SOB and I didn't even realize it...

No one ever accused me of being overly fast - fact is I don't run for the simple fact I don't like to have both my feet off the ground at the same time :)

Yep - it's true - a month ago - week 65 SOB's - (one of my favorite numbers by the way). Thank you Ms. Strauss - I am convinced you are one in a million! A happiness influencer!

I can be a Successful AND Outstanding Blogger. Wait - I am! I'd like to thank everyone for the consistent encouragement and comments. Its a bit like going into the Hall of Fame. I sincerely feel the support of all the SOB's in this blog nation. Check it out - I even got the purple button (puffing chest out)

Here's the class I went in with - we're the 65'ers:
Tino Buntic - the 2K Blogger Guy
Greg Balanko - Business Coach
Gifter - the Internet Wishing Well
Robert Hruzek - Middle Zone Musings (written by a guy with a GREAT first name:)
Mike Wagner - Own Your Brand - a wonderful posting on becoming an SOB
Todd And - Marketing meets Media and connects - what a concept :)
Jodee Bock - You Already Know This Stuff

That's some tall cotton. I believe a visit to each spot in SOB nation worthy of our eyes and our hearts. Don't forget the CON in May!

And, DA - if you see this...looks like I was already an SOB when you called me one last week - ;)

Marketing Metrics and Success

Little bit of a conversation going at MarketingPathway on top 10 internet marketing metrics. I'm probably missing something without having numbers to use as examples but Doug's metrics make some sense. He responded back to my post - #1 action in having a conversation. Be responsive to those who take time to comment :)

I'd be curious to hear how some of you value his metrics - and more importantly - the ones YOU value.

My belief is the relationship comes first - money is a bonus! Granted a nice bonus - but still, a bonus. But the relationship - the communication - is what it's all about. What communication metrics do you value?

Success is a whole other ball of wax and pot of stew. I am having too much good fun with Successful Bloggers and the Con in May. Hoping to figure out a way to meet some fine readers while I work on SOB acceptance speech.

Psssst - Shhhh - its a secret

Absolutely cannot resist. I first saw it at Logic + Emotion during my Friday afternoon runthrough. Opening my big yap and leaving a comment only made me wonder more. Then it pops up on my feed reader at Mike's Converstations. Then Chris puts the same graphic up. When DA called me a perceptive SOB...well, that's all it took. Add persistent, too! And whether I'm right or wrong - it doesn't matter because at this moment - this very moment - I am having too much fun! My body is reacting to my emotions and they are running at a fever pitch. It's a blog high! The feeling you get that can't be described. I'd go so far as to say - and I KNOW Midwest winters...they are cold - I wish I was gonna be in Chicago on Sunday Feb. 18.

You can take the boy out of Iowa but you can't take Iowa out of the boy. The curious gene grows deep. So I wander over to Liz's place. And there it is! Eureka! Imagine this - a few bloggers show up somewhere and a celebration of sorts takes place. Its a not-so-secret bunch that thrives and flourishes on blogging - and more to the point - they thrive on conversation and the resultant success. Who's calling who an SOB? :)

I'm guessing that many - if not most - of you reading this post already recognize the value of community and conversation. I see many of the same names and faces in all kinds of places. What kind of crowd did I stumble into? What is fascinating to me is the conversation takes place across vast distances. This little path I've been on has taken me to Alabama, Australia, Des Moines (I been there), NY, Rhode Island, Russia, Texas...and those are the places just off the top of my head. The community ain't so small, but its pretty tight!

What does this mean for organizations? The organizations that we are part of and that are part of us? The communities we live in and SHOULD be making stronger? Here's what I think. Some see communication via pixels on a screen (blogging) as impersonal. The reasoning goes something like this - its a solitary activity consisting of ego driven ideas. How can it be of any help? Here's the reality - it might be solitary but it touches many - one at a time. It's an intimate connection. Its about sharing and giving to each other. Its about helping one another grow into our human potential. And its fun!

The buzz around Pssssst is hive worthy. I'll know this time tomorrow. And soon will find out whether David is right about me being an SOB! Great fun and happiness!

How Many Places Can You Go?

Or how much do you wanna bite off? :) I've added a couple widgets. These are markings along my blog journey. As I visit more and more places in the blogging community, I see how creative is this path. First widget added this week - Criteo Autoroll - came as a result of an email from Jean-Baptiste. He found One Reader from the Tino's 2000 Bloggers list. I know that has been a controversial page in some circles - oh, well! Autoroll is in beta and it displays links to blogs your readers like. There are metrics in place to analyze reader habits. I'll be watching and feeding back to J-B. The catch is that autoroll functions if its also on the blog that is viewing yours. Add it if you choose. More community building!

The second one is to the Great Wall of Blogs at fuelmyblog. Purple Wren posted about this site last week. I signed on by following her lead. I'm on the Life page and the Business page. As it turns out, I will be on only one by next week - against the rules to be on 2 walls with the same blog :) - but won't know which one! They had a contest to see which blogger could give the best review of the site and the results are here. It was a tie - read Drew's Flatwater Music and CyberPartyGal to find out a little more how it all works. The wizards continue to amaze me. This blog is now committed to 5 years advertising on the Wall. There are still some spots left so get on over there!

Thirdly, I added "Word of the Day". I love words and building vocabulary!

And finally, I went into a recording studio last weekend. See the MOG widget just under "Word of the Day". I share a little homegrown music with you!

Why To Blog?

Mike Sansone - Converstations - takes part in the tag meme that gives 5 reasons why I blog. Similar to this collage - but without the picture - by CK'sBlog. When she asked the question "Why blog?", my response was to learn. Now Mike "I'm tagging you now right between the i's"

I'm giving it a shot - this will be down and dirty - and a direct rip-off of my mantra - live, love, learn, lead - help each other to succeed. However, it's honest!

1 - I blog to learn more about technology - I'm an old horse...well not old old...but the revolutions around the sun are greater than 50! Some people are 60 ;)
2 - I blog to live to my greatest human potential - As humans we have a deep desire to communicate and share. We don't get where we are without others. Most of us fall short - no guilt intended - we ARE human. My belief is we have the chance to become more human in collectives. We need to take the chance and the risk.
3 - I blog to love - the love that comes from action in a community - from being a part of something that affects change. The love that flourishes when relationships are built. My blogging is intimate and personal - it flows in the river of my being.
4 - I blog to lead marketing newspapers to a new level - while I have not quite figured out how to translate my blog activity into "reality" i.e. making the boss some dough, the activity is valid. There is no magic bullet. I continue to build a network of great marketers, gain insight into marketing ideas, into marketing products and to use web 2.o tools.
5 - I blog to help others succeed - with any good fortune one or 2 might feel a small ripple form this corner of the blogosphere.
6 - Bonus answer - I blog to practice discipline. Making the commitment to translate thoughts into print on a consistent basis is a goal. It takes discipline - a self characteristic in short supply at times.
7 - Double bonus answer - I blog to focus the lens that I've polished for these many years - When I get comments and feedback, it helps me sharpen views.

I'm not tagging anyone at this point due to a technicality. I haven't officially been tagged - at least by the rules as I understand them :) - correct me if I'm wrong!

Story in 6 words?....No way!

Via Robyn McMasters at Brain Based Biz, I landed at Middle Zone Musings. What a fun contest and exercise. I like the brevity. Reminds me of old Burma Shave signposts

Here's the rules - from Robert. Just 3 days left so get it while you can.

The Contest is now officially open, and I will be accepting entries through Sunday, January 21. Here’s all you have to do:

1. Read (if you like) the stories in the Wired article above to get a feel for how it’s done.
2. Write a six-word story! In fact, write a bunch - the more the merrier. (There are really only two rules to this contest: a) use exactly six words, and b) because this is for general consumption, I would appreciate it if you would please keep them G-rated!)
3. For those of you with blogs, post your entries on your blog, be sure to mention Middle Zone Musings, and place this hyperlink somewhere in your post (very important!) . Then, send me an email to let me know.
4. For those of you without blogs (and why haven’t you started one yet?), you can enter your submissions via the comments on this post. No need to email me in this case.
5. In return, I will link back to your post (or mention you by name, if you don't have a blog) several times during the week, and once more in the archive post.

Here's mine:

1. Bloggers comment. Feedback happens. Community Grows.
2. Plane slides resulting in passenger panic.
3. Winter settles in. Birds fly south.
4. First day of school. Mothers cry.
5. Powder snow falls. Skiers dream downhill.
6. Cat snatches mouse. No more pets.
7. Corn pops, previews flash, movie rolls.

Number one is my favorite.
How about you add some too?

Solitude, You and Me

My "about me" is a little misleading. It sounds a bit like I'm creating this blog for myself. Learning about blogging as a communication tool - and adding it to my toolbox - is part of the "why I do it". But I got a friendly kick in the tail today. Really, this blog is about you, dear reader and blogger in community. Just like I depend on others blogging - as I like to comment - some of you may visit for the same reason. Though with 50 million or so blogs, you'd think there would be more commenting going on :) So I resolve to think first of others in these posts. No guarantee of value but you will always have an opportunity to comment!

The inspiration for this post comes from over at ProBlogger. I saw it a couple days ago and it's been rattling around ever since. Be sure to view the video posted - its less than a minute long. And the thoughts at Presentation Zen are worthwhile - but a little long <------judgment call (like I should pass judgment - HA!). Three years ago, I began working toward becoming more healthy. It was a lifestyle change and resulted in significant weight loss. In addition to making better choices in what I ingest there was an increase in movement and exercise. I walk. I walk a lot. Most days I walk twice for a total 5-10 miles. I love to walk. (somebody help me with kilometers?) Here's where the solitude comes in. For the first year of my walking, I was alone. Over 1500 miles of being alone in thought. Gets downright personal. Its easy to center on the activity of walking. It also gives a chance to work on an idea to the point of making it a reality. This is a critical point in blogging. Its not a post until its written :) About 18 months ago, I started walking with a friend during my lunchtime. I really enjoy her company and the conversation. Still had my morning walk....until a year ago. It was then I gained a morning walking partner. Wouldn't trade any of the times with him either. Some of my happiest moments are with them. We talk, we laugh, we cry, we discover our humanity. Until today, I wouldn't have given lost solitude a second thought. But today - at lunch - I walked alone. It was nice. The snow crunched beneath my boots - ever notice how loud snow is? - the 14 degree weather iced my mustache. And I came up with the idea of this post. I came to the realization that blogging is for others. Solitude will do that - won't you try it? Be good to yourself. I've had many new visitors to One Reader this past week. Thank you Robyn for leaving a comment. Thank you Gavin for the encouragement. My gut feeling is with fresh posts visitors will help build community - one at a time.