Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

November 20, 2006

Wayne Turmel Is a B.A.D. Blogger

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 8:48 am

Blogger A Day Call: Hello is Wayne there?

A Chicago podcasting guru! It started with a voicemail from Phil Gebyshak saying he knew someone from Chicago — someone I didn’t know. Phil likes to leave messages like that. He knows they’ll get me to call him back. That’s how I came to meet the Cranky Middle Manager, Mr. Wayne Turmel. That’s how I came to be talking to him yesterday.

My conversation with the Cranky Middle Manager actually started via email when Phil introduced us. I sent an email to Wayne Turmel with a few snappy words and a hello. I saw I was in for something when Mr. Turmel read my signature that says a 65th crayon if there ever was one and replied with a promotion to 63rd crayon. We set a date in that email banter to continue the conversation as a B.A.D Blogger call.

Wayne and I talked about his podcast and how it’s grown over the 15 months since he started it 71 shows ago. He and I agreed that everything is supposed be fun, including the things that people call work. He says he enjoys the experience of talking to people all over the globe amd hearing how they deal with issues, then passing those conversations on.

We analyzed the world of blogging and podcasting and the people who are part of it. He mentioned that his strength is in audio and spoke highly of the podcasting team that supports him. I spoke highly of the community of folks who hang out at Successful-Blog.

We traded stories of writing and talked about how visuals draw people in. We shared our amazement at how easy it is to say something for an audience via the Internet and how much harder it is to get paid for it. We also spoke about how important it is that folks feel that a real person is on the other side of the screen.

Most of all, we just had fun.

B.A.D. Blogger Quote

There’s something cool about a Canadian living in Chicago interviewing someone in the UK for a podcast hosted in Australia to be listened to by someone in Brazil- all with $15 in software. . . . –Wayne Turmel

Stop by Wayne’s blog, The Cranky Middle Manager Show, listen in and say hi!

Thanks, Wayne, you B.A.D. Blogger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to be a B.A.D. Blogger see the. . . a B.A.D. Blogger? page in the sidebar





Filed under B.A.D. Blogger, Community, Outside the Box, SOB Business, Successful Blog |




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33 Comments to “Wayne Turmel Is a B.A.D. Blogger”

  1. November 20th, 2006 at 10:09 am
    TPN :: The Cranky Middle Manager Show » Blog Archive » I’m Not Only Cranky- I’m B.A.D. said

    [...] Woke up this morning and found out I”m a B.A.D blogger- no it’s not a value judgment, it’s an honor. Liz Strauss writes the Successful Blog, uhhhh blog. You can check it out at http://www.successful-blog.com . She also has something called the Perfect Virtual Manager which you’ll be hearing more about I’m sure. See the posting for yourself.  That darned  Phil Gerbyshak set it up and in normal fashion what should have been a short introductory call turned into almost an hour that wound up with my bride, The Duchess, completing her shopping and wandering off while we gabbed. [...]

  2. November 20th, 2006 at 11:21 am
    Char said

    Great quote! Isn’t technology wonderful…

  3. November 20th, 2006 at 11:46 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Char!
    Yeah. It is a great quote, and I love how the technology works. :)

  4. November 20th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
    EuroYank said

    Strangely I am from Chicago living in Europe, and my vision of American life and politics is flavored from being part of two or more cultures. Its when you leave and look back, that you get a new perspective and this is reflected in the topics I choose to write about.

  5. November 20th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi EuroYank,
    I know a little of what you speak . . . when I used to take a 32-day trip around the world every year meeting with folks it was a real education in perspective. I’d love to know how living where you do has changed how you think and write about what you do.

  6. November 20th, 2006 at 11:49 pm
    EuroYank said

    For me it was comparing lifestyles and attitudes. In modern Europe working people for example are organized and unions are strong in every sector of the economy and active. Americans seem to be more laid back with their toys and apathetic about current events. Here yes there is also a rat race, but people are more conscious of benefits, vacations, and family. Most make it on one job, have their six weeks vacations, health insurance and 3% credit card rates. Just these basic examples are a difference of day and night between here and there. Every European has a passport and travels world wide. I think only 10% of Americans have one, and most Americans think they are so superior they have no desire to get one and see what other places are really like. Just some basic observations.

  7. November 21st, 2006 at 5:57 am
    ME Strauss said

    Ah, EuroYank,
    I recall those arguments as how many Europeans see Americans, but I find those views to be based on surface data rather than deep thought. When they would come up in conversation, this is how I would answer. . . . I agree every fact you mention is so, but I’m not sure the generalizations follow.

    Actually, I think only 7% of Americans have passports — probably less after 9/11. It’s ways been easier and less expensive to be cross-cultural in Europe when another courntry is merely a state away. So it makes sense that more Europeans would have passports than Americans. Also the U.S. is so large it makes sense that people might want to know their own country before they explore another, just as they might want to know their own family.

    I wonder how many Americans would have passports if they had to have one in order to cross over into the next state — I wonder how many European would if they didn’t need them to visit the next country over? I bet that the figures would automatically reverse — would that then automatically make the Europeans snobs?

    The Europeans get 6 weeks vacation 3% interest. Tax rates are higher and they work at a different pace. The American economy is so highly productive. Americans seem apathetic about current events. Europeans seem apathetic about work, i.e. to an American having worked with them they have no sense of urgency.

    We’re all people. We all have our great traits and our not so great ones. :)

    On the other hand my European friends have no conception of the size of the U.S.– they think they can see NYC, Disneyland, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and LA in a 2-week driving drip. I’ve been asked by highly literate, highly traveled friend how I could send my kid to a school that has guns, because they assumed EVERY American school does. (It surprises me that people who say I don’t know world geography and current events, and that as and American I’m a snob, make these two mistakes consistently because they don’t know. It doesn’t see fair.)

    To say most Americans think they’re superior is the same as to say most French think they are superior. I think more accurately most Americans can’t afford to travel to Europe and those who do either A) think they’re superior to other Americans too or B) have no experience with traveling to other cultures because they haven’t had the funds or the access.

    Quite a few of my European friends started out surprised that I didn’t wear a ten-galloon hat an a big silver belt buckle. :)

    So many things about people get easier, if we just talk to each other. :)

    Thanks EuroYank. For sharing that perspective, it’s right on the money of what I remember. I was hoping it had changed a little bit. :)

  8. November 21st, 2006 at 6:34 am
    EuroYank said

    Some errors in your observations. There are no more borders in Europe; its open. Passports are needed only to go overseas. Yes tax rates are higher but so are savings. Here the average working European has roughly 125,000 of liquid capital on hand. And Europeans believe in high wages, and are willing to pay higher taxes because they see the results in infrastructure. Europeans prefer stability, and have no desire for the American way of business and lifestyle. Except for restaurants and bars, everything closes at 6PM, and pay is once a month. Credit is cheap, and anybody can get a 15,000 dollar bank loan if the have had a bank account for six months. Major differences. Many have seen it and know the USA. All the results of two lost generations and two world wars.
    After 50 years in the USA I prefer it here. I am not a tourist and I did take about two years to decide to say after checking it all out.

  9. November 21st, 2006 at 6:41 am
    EuroYank said

    Excuse the misspellings have been up all night writing a novel.

  10. November 21st, 2006 at 6:45 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi EuroYank,
    A novel! Oh cool, you’re a writer.

    I wasn’t necessarily disagreeing with your observations. I was only sharing sharing mine.

    I do wonder whether the percent of Europeans with passports will go down now that there are open borders and due to terrorism and it’s effects on airline security.

    I understand your viewpoint is informed. I only say that many I’ve encountered are not. As always there are so many sides to every story, the world of people is made in many shades none of which are black and white. :)

    BTW, all misspellings here are always forgiven — they take a back seat to ideas. :)

  11. November 21st, 2006 at 6:51 am
    EuroYank said

    I agree. My main point is over here you do not see the vast difference between super rich, rich, middle-class, and poor that you have in the States. If you are poor in Europe you still have health insurance, your rent paid, your food allowance, and caretakers that look after you. Here you will not end up on the streets. Consequently, higher taxes, but higher benefits, and they are guaranteed by law, not by whim. I was successful in business in the USA, had my own insurance company, but one accident, one illness almost wiped me out and put me on the street. That would not happen here. I think in the USA everybody can lose his shirt with one major illness, or one major lawsuit. Not here!

  12. November 21st, 2006 at 6:56 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi EuroYank,
    I’m not sure what country you’re in, but as an editor, I’m led to three replies.

    One is that I’ll agree to the last sentence as factual. On a personal note, I’m dismayed by that too.

    The second is that I see some broad generalization in what you say. :)

    The third is that I’m led to believe that you can’t possibly say what you and be living in England. :)

  13. November 21st, 2006 at 6:58 am
    EuroYank said

    I live in Luxembourg which is a full member of the European Union. England has not fully integrated into the EU and maintains its own currency and its own laws separate from the EU.

  14. November 21st, 2006 at 7:01 am
    EuroYank said

    by the way here is my Luxembourg blog … one of many I have … http://euroyankdiscoveringluxembourg.blogspot.com/

  15. November 21st, 2006 at 7:08 am
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Luxumebourg! The place where they cared for John Nash when he wanted to deny his citizenship. It’s beautiful.

    Thanks for the link. Has anyone told you that you look a lot like Keanu Reeves. :) :)

  16. November 21st, 2006 at 7:10 am
    EuroYank said

    This is fun. I have never had this exchange of ideas with a fellow American. I truly appreciate your time and courtesy!

  17. November 21st, 2006 at 7:11 am
    EuroYank said

    My main blog is conspiracy theory and I took the John Reeves look to empasize the MATRIX aspect of life … http://euroyank.blogspot.com/

  18. November 21st, 2006 at 7:13 am
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks, EuroYank,
    If you are up later tonight 7pm GMT+6, you should stop by Open Comment Night. Many people come and that’s all we do is talk in the comment box for about three hours — it’s a most amazing thing that is hard to explain. The experience of participations is somewhat like a cross between a barroom conversation and a video game. :)

  19. November 21st, 2006 at 7:14 am
    EuroYank said

    My time here is now 14:13 or after 2PM.

  20. November 21st, 2006 at 7:20 am
    EuroYank said

    Are you tongue tied or do you have better things to do?

  21. November 21st, 2006 at 7:23 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi EuroYank,
    Sorry, it’s my morning. I have a few routines. I’m live inside your computer. :)

    If you’re wonderfing it’s 7:23a.m. in Chicago, and I just saw the most magnificent sunrise of this year!! A writer has to stop for that . :)

  22. November 21st, 2006 at 7:25 am
    EuroYank said

    I spent 50 years in Chicago. I know every corner of it. Could I tell you some stories. Especially about the 1960’s.

  23. November 21st, 2006 at 7:31 am
    ME Strauss said

    Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s beautiful. I like the people. No other U.S. city is quite so magical for me.

    http://lettingmebe.blogspot.com/2006/01/folks-ah-folks.html

    I need to write a post or two now before my readers come. :)

  24. November 21st, 2006 at 7:31 am
    EuroYank said

    I was sux years old, born in Germany, when we emigrated to Chicago in the late 1960’s. I went to Vietnam was a combat medic. Went into the building trade after, then started my own insurance brokerage. When my mother contracted leukemia, I care for her myself; she was dying slowly took seven years. Seemed every week they were amputating a limb. Because she was on blood thinners she could not take pain medication. A seven year nightmare of screams. But the nursing homes were so poor I could not send her there, and I was the only one in the family that could take it. After she died, I met a German girl on the internet. Making a long story short, I am now on this side of the ocean again after 50 years.

  25. November 21st, 2006 at 7:31 am
    EuroYank said

    late 1950’s we emigrated. former error

  26. November 21st, 2006 at 7:32 am
    EuroYank said

    ok

  27. November 21st, 2006 at 7:34 am
    ME Strauss said

    Wow, that’s some story. My husband’s a Viet Nam vet. My mom died of oat-cell carcinoma.

    I’m glad you found your circle round with to your home again.

  28. November 21st, 2006 at 7:35 am
    ME Strauss said

    If you’re around in the middle of the night, do drop by, you would enjoy the folks. :)

  29. November 21st, 2006 at 12:11 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’m so sorry. I sent you an email about it.

  30. November 21st, 2006 at 12:24 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’m sorry? I’m happy to talk to you there. :)

  31. November 21st, 2006 at 12:28 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’ll have to download it

  32. November 21st, 2006 at 4:03 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I’m happy to do that for you. :)

  33. July 7th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
    Calling All B.A.D. Bloggers: A Few Tweaks, Buttons and Thank YOUs!! - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] Wayne Turmel Is a B.A.D. Blogger! [...]

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