15 risks of blogging

Changes around Sillyness

One quality blog post is enough to make you famous

How to find a job you’ll love

A simple way to plan your revenue targets

FREE “Do-it-Yourself” Organizing Library!

Creativity and Innovation - The Need

26 Comments to “SOB Business Cafe 01-05-07”

1. January 5th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
   vaspers the grateFUL said

   The Believe blog looks nice, and I don’t blame them for leaving WordPress, but when I tried to post a comment over there, it vanished when I hit Submit Comment, and there is no mention of comment moderation and no captcha.

   Oh, and thanks for rotating the tires of my thinking and also linking to my blase article on the insignificant topic of Blogs vs. Mind Control and the 15 Risks of Blogging.

   “Subscribe to Comments” is a very good function, thanks for having it, Liz.

   Been sick since Christmas Eve.

2. January 5th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
   ME Strauss said

   Hi Vaspers!
   I just tried to call you! I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling so good.

   Chris’ blog “Believe” is in pre-Beta and so there’s bound to be some tiny nips and tucks needed.

   As far as your article goes, it was recommended to me. . . . so don’t you go saying it’s not so good. I know good when I see it.

3. January 5th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
   Whitney said

   I’m delighted see that Ariane at Neat Living talks about having a “master grocery list” set up in a Word document. I have a master list for each of several tasks — grocery shopping, pet supplies, office supplies, and a few other things — and my friends think I’m “too efficient to be healthy”.

   I print the lists on the back side of pages I’ve printed out but no longer need (so fewer trees die for the cause). It makes it so much easier to speed up my shopping trips. Certain ones I carry around in my Day-Timer for those times when things come to me in the middle of the workday.

4. January 5th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
   ME Strauss said

   Hi Whitney!
   I do that kind of stuff too. I hate writing the same thing over and over. It seems so silly.

   Reusing paper like you do is such a great idea. It also means less trash to carry.

5. January 5th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
   Whitney said

   I read Vasper the Grate on the risks of blogging. #14 gave me pause — I’m glad I’m not running a blog of political nature. It honestly never occurred to me that there might be a reader that might take things that far.

   I agree with him on #4 (”You risk being too zealous, and sounding … overly emotional…”) and in his early paragraph, “When you use a blog to express your genuine opinion, personal insight, reasoned faith, observation-based theory, cultivated taste, informed argument, or real life experience, you risk a lot.”

   I maintain a blog for an animal rescue (http://guineapigconnection.typepad.com/pig_notes), and some of the things you run into while working in animal rescue are awful (or just plain stupid). You want to glare a spotlight on an event or anecdote, physically drag everyone over to read your posting, shock them enough (even horrify them enough) into doing something. But you have to be careful. If you rant too loud, if you’re too overzealous, you’ll lose people. In the case of Pig Notes, I know there’s middle schoolers and high schoolers reading the postings and I feel I have to be responsible, have to be sensitive to the sensitivities of the young. There’s been several postings that I published that I thought were teetering on over-zealous. I held my breath when I clicked the Publish Now button. I held my breath each time I opened my e-mail and saw a message that someone had submitted a comment to the blog. I’ve been lucky…so far.

   But if you’re passionate about a subject, I think you’re naturally willing to put yourself out on a limb by sharing your views. In a lot of cases, you have to take the risk in order to get people to listen…you reason that the end justifies the means.

   Vaspers called his posting “blase,” but I think it was good to have at the beginning of the year. A manifesto, of sorts, to remind us why we do what we do and to help us consciously reaffirm what we do rather than continuing it out of almost-blind habit.

6. January 5th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
   ME Strauss said

   Whitney,
   Thanks for saying all of that. I know that what you’ve said there will draw people to read what Vasper wrote and take seriously. Sometimes he’s too self-deprecating, and he’s a deep-thinking guy, who cares a lot about the way things go and the people who are blogging.

   You’ve helped to underscore what he’s saying in a sound and beautiful way.

7. January 5th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
   vaspers the grateFUL said

   I assume you have not, then, read my worst-selling book: Winning Through Self-Loathing…

   ;^)

8. January 5th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
   vaspers the grateFUL said

   …and thanks Whitney for substantiating what I say about blog risks.

9. January 5th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
   Whitney said

   Where I can get a copy of that book, Vaspers?

   It was an excellent post, Vaspers. Look forward to reading what else you have to share in 2007.

10. January 5th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
    vaspers the grateFUL said

    I call Winning Through Self-loathing a “worst-selling” book because not a single copy was ever purchased.

    How could it? I hasn’t been published yet. If I can just wrap my mind around that Lulu account I started many months ago, for self-publishing…

    Er, are you an editor or PDF file creator? I need to hire one.

11. January 5th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
    Whitney said

    I am both. Can help with both.

    I don’t know if she’s a PDF file creator, but I should point out that Liz here also does editing work.

12. January 5th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
    V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[ said

    backchannel

13. January 5th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
    GP said

    Ah Liz, a woman of many talents… thanx for opening up the cafe. As a b&b owner, much appreciated Just finished making blueberry coffee cakes and a cappuccino is brewing so I can take on the above reads. Cant wait!

    How does one get entre into the SOB cafe listing? Happy weekend all

    GP in Montana

14. January 5th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
    ME Strauss said

    What a great conversation! You two do the best thinking. I love listening to you talk.

15. January 5th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
    ME Strauss said

    GP,
    The Cafe is already over a year old. It’s open every Friday for friends to gather. I’m glad you found it.

    Those bluebluerry coffee cakes sound wonderful!! The entres in the SOB cafe are from the SOBs. You don’t list blog. Do you have one?

16. January 5th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
    Francie said

    What great resources you share with us! Haven’t had a chance to visit them all yet, but looking forward to it. Thanks!

17. January 5th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Francie!
    Enjoy the cafe tonight! It’s great to see you!

18. January 5th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
    GP said

    Thanx for opening the cafe Liz, I think again my last comment got hiccuped

    Just whipped up some blueberry coffeecakes, perfect for cafe browing!
    Vaspers… lots of food for thought… high praise coming from an innkeeper

    I’d rather risk than regret.
    Happy weekend

    GP in Montana

19. January 5th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
    Renée said

    Hi Liz,

    I’m glad I read this post online instead via my feed reader, otherwise I wouldn’t have read Whitney’s comment.

    Whitney, I certain agree with you on the “shock” method and risk of offending someone–incidentally I did ‘cos I got a few harsh comments. Many (non-bloggers) couldn’t wait to rip me apart. Best of all, most of them do not wish to be notified of further comments!!!

    I do have more negative comments on my pets blogs than my other non-animal blogs.

    I tried to tone down my personal views but revert to my old self as I went back and fro to edit out my personal views and the final posts sounded like textbooks! Then it dawned on me that I was supposed to blog not write thesis.

    Vasper, I can defintely relate to #5 but no longer care about the digit anymore. And my favorites are #9 and #10.

    Honestly, I don’t mind constructive comments but not nasty ones. When I do get those, it always throws me off balance a bit–breaking my writing rhythm and kills my inspirations.

    Thanks Liz, for posting some wonderful posts! Very timely indeed.

20. January 5th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Renée,
    I never realized that blogging about pets could be a volatile as blogging about politics, but it makes sense now that I think about it. I understand how you and Whitney feel and think on the subject.

    I always look forward to your comments on what’s here. You’re thoughtful and bring new light to things, ideas that I often didn’t consider.

21. January 5th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
    GP said

    Greetings all, when I leave a comment, I enter my blog in the Website box… does it not show up?

    Since you asked though; the B&B doin’s and journal is at http://fishcreekhouse.blogspot.com and our B&B website is http://www.fishcreekhouse.com

    Enjoy
    GP in Montana

22. January 5th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
    Renée said

    Liz, you have to take part of the credits on my comments here. If it isn’t for your hospitality and quick response, I wouldn’t take the time to comment. I don’t say this just to return kindness. In fact, I don’t comment much and many times I wonder what the heck am I doing in blogsphere!

23. January 5th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Gosh, what a loss that is for the rest of the blogs. I still think of the great conversation we had on “Past and Future” Open Comment Night about going back to the time of your grandmother — talking about elegance and grace. You’ve brought a lot of depth to the discussion here. I value that.

24. January 5th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    GP,
    It WASN’T you or your blog. It was ME. I was so brain dead from a day of meetings that I couldn’t see the link behind your name. What was I thinking? I’ve been to your and read it more than once. So sorry.

    But on the other hand, I’m delighted you brought your links to the comment box, just in case.

    PS I’m not sure what it is that’s causing Akismet to waylay your comments. I’m trying to straighten thought out.

25. January 5th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
    Whitney said

    Oh Liz, you can’t imagine how heated things can sometimes get when it comes to pet care, animal rescue, and such.

    People can have such strong opinions on food selection, techniques for obedience training (I’m sure Renee has run into this), traditional veterinary medicine vs. holistic medicine, how far to go with medical treatment vs. when to extend mercy to an animal. I’ve seen people get into heated debates about when to stop feeding a baby bunny alfalfa hay and start feeding it timothy hay. The way I see it: if people are passionately arguing about pet care and aren’t spreading misinformation in the process, then you take comfort in knowing that at least their animals are safe.

    In the pet rescue arena, things can get heated as well…I think due to the stress and frustration that comes from dealing with what folks see humans do to animals. Some rescues will do adoption events and exhibit booths at pet stores…it’s exposure, you’re dealing with a problem at one of its sources, you have a chance to educate people on the right supplies to buy. Other rescues refuse to step foot in pet stores and criticize rescues who do. It’s sometimes hard to deal with the heat, but I usually hope that if the rescues are making enough noise, the general public hear it and maybe get involved.

    Renee, I dropped you a line via your blog. We should connect. Those of us using blogs to disseminate info for responsible pet ownership should start linking up.

    Vaspers should be damn pleased with his 15 Risks posting (and Liz for linking to it). They got one helluva of a conversation going with everyone today. Very cool.

26. January 6th, 2007 at 6:00 am
    ME Strauss said

    Whitney,
    I hear and see what you’re talking about. People do get invested about ideas and start to close their minds to other ways.

    I wonder whether our “right answer — do what the teacher wants” school system causes what happens here — and on many subjects that have answers that people can legitimately disagee upon because conflicting values speak for each.

    Do we learn to be closed-minded in school and then have to learn to open our thoughts to new ideas as we get out in the world?