Successful Blog

The Mic Is On: The Pirates are Here . . . Again!

by

It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

The Mic Is On

Here’s how it works.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.
There’s only one rule — be nice.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

The Pirates Have Taken Over Again!

We had so much fun talking about pirates last year that we thought it was time to continue the discussion. Pirates are everywhere these days. Here’s a few ideas to get us started:

  • Pirates in movies and books
  • Pirates in sports
  • Famous pirates
Pirate Flag

And, whatever else comes up, including THE EVER POPULAR, Basil the code-writing donkey.

Oh, and bring a link about pirates, if you have one to share.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

Open Mic 7pm Chgo Time: It’s Pirates!

by

Yes the Mic Will Be on Tonight

Join Us Tonight

We’re Talking about Pirates Again!

It was We’re playing so much fun last year we thought, like Director Tom says, “Let’s do it again!” Let’s talk about pirates in the movies, in books, in sports. And there’s always famous pirates, and anything else that comes up.

Oh, and bring a link about pirates to share, if you have one.

There’s only one rule — be nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

The Second Submissions: What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?

by

The Metaphor Project: Wow! More!

The next bunch of submissions are in, and like the first batch, they’re colorful creative and inspiring. They show the individuality of each blog and each blog author, while at the same time they show what we all have in common.

It’s such fun reading all of the submissions to The “What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?” Group Writing Project. Some great blog writers have taken on this challenge. Again, the creativity is reflected in the titles! Check this new batch out and pass them along to your readers. The more ways we look at blogging the better we’ll be able to explain it when we need to.

Let’s find some more.

Because this project spread so quickly and not all links are making their way to me, if you’ve written a metaphor and you’re not on the list, please email me a link. If you’ve already done that before 10:00 on June 4, please forgive me and send it again. (I had dental surgery yesterday . . .)

Be a Part of the Project

So, what’s your blogging metaphor? Join the project. There’s still time to be a part

I’ve extended the list to 10pm Chicago time (GMT-6hrs.) June 11th the Monday I return from NYC. So you have plenty of time to take part.

Here’s the original post for the background — the whats and the hows.

C’mon tell us. How would you explain blogging to someone who knew nothing about it? What’s your blogging metaphor?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Starbucker’s Meme

by

What Can I Do? He Danced!

When I’m a speaker at an event and the emcee asks me to do something for him, I naturally give him my attention. When he’s the Terry Starbucker co-founder of SOBCon, one of two guys who handled so many things through the event planning and details, I make sure that my attention is unwavering.

Ah but, when you know that Terry is the famous half-fuller, the guy who danced and sang at the conference, ah then, ah then, that’s an even bigger story. Then, dear readers, attention is too small a word. When the half-fuller guy comes calling to say “Liz, how full is your glass?” I have no other option, but to tell him and to answer to the best of my abilities.

handpainted champagne flute

These are the questions Terry Starbucker asked me.

What’s in Your Glass (The Starbucker Meme)?

  1. How full is your glass?

    2. My glass is completely full. There’s no question about that.

  2. What kind of glass is it?

    3. It’s a hand-painted French champagne flute, lovely and light to the hand.

  3. What’s in the glass?

    4. A nice, sparkly French champagne I enjoy on occasion.

  4. Reasons for #1, #2, and #3

    5. All of the above go together so I’ll do my reasons this way. Champagine is light and effervescent, celebratory. It’s a drink of positivity. It’s about hope, new beginnings and I’ve got a new beginning I’ll be announcing soon. When I reached a certain age, my father once said to me, “You can drink all that you like, but don’t get drunk.” He followed that with a smile and said, “Do you know what that means? That means you can’t drink all that you like.” Then he smiled again.

I smiled so sweetly right back at him, and gave this reply, “Aw, Daddy, I thought for sure you meant just drink something incredibily expensive so that I don’t have the money to get drunk.”

Some other who might like a chance to take a creative drink. David, Wendy, Nick, and Billy. Don’t forget to link back to that half-fuller man. 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Successful Blog Meets Problogger! Join Us if You Can!

by

The Ann-iversary

On May 4, 2006, Ann Michael, left her first comment here. In a bit of fun, two weeks later, we started planning a trip together. The first place mentioned was Australia. As it turned out, we actually took a trip — to NYC to the Seth Godin seminar. We met outside our hotel, checked in and had dinner. We walked the city at night talking about life, and the next day went to Seth’s Seminar. That was last June.

Ann Michael was the first blogger I met in person.

So when Darren said, “I’m in NYC. Are you coming?”

I called Ann and said, “It’s been a year. We have to.” Then we laughed and started plotting.

ProBlogger New York Readers Meetup

On June 9th in beautiful New York City, Ann Michael and I are meeting Darren Rowse (and, oh probably, over 100 of his best friends) in a saloon called “Speakeasy.”

One year since we met to go to Seth’s Seminar and we’re going to a meetup to enjoy the famous Australian hospitality of Darren Rowse. Talk about kicking it up a notch! Is that cool or what?

It’s the official Problogger Meetup. Are you going to be there? The folks who went last time said it was incredible.

Here are the details.

ProBlogger New York Readers Meetup
Date – Saturday 9th June
Time – 7pm – 10pm (we might go on somewhere afterwards)
Venue – The Speakeasy (a party room at 442 Amsterdam Ave between 81st and 82nd St)
Cost – Free – thanks to the generous sponsors Chitika (they are providing some finger food snacks and a free drink to the first 100 people to arrive – don’t be late). All we ask is that you tip the bar staff and ‘be merry’!

If you’re planning on attending it’d be great if you could drop by the page to RSVP. While it’s not compulsory to RSVP it’ll certainly help Darren with planning for prizes and such.

Too fun! I get to be with the first blogger I met and meet the friend — legend, star, super human being — who’s always been there for me. To think I once believed blogging was only about writing.

Rowse and Strauss — they rhyme.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

We Talked about Stupid Stuff

by

Like a Runaway Circus Train.

Hi Everyone! Last night at Open Comment Night, things started slow like a circus train moving out of town, letting all of the folks get one more glimpse before the circus was gone for a whole year. Then a couple of more people came and slowly the train started pickup speed. We were getting our old Open Comment silly attitude again.

The pace went up and up, and up again, until we were well on our way with the animals making noises as the train got just so much out of control. Klondike bars were being tossed as we stopped talking about stupid stuff and went to just acting clueless and stupid ourselves. Okay so we know that with me, it’s not an act.

In fact, a few seconds after the last comment, I got an email saying, “That was incredibly fun. Period.”

You can read all about it in the comments.

Here are some cool links we shared.

Thanks to everyone for the cool links and for being part of the conversation.

See you next Tuesday? I sure hope so.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

WANT TO GUEST HOST AN OPEN COMMENT NIGHT WITH ME? PICK A THEME AND TELL ME ABOUT IT. C’MON IT’LL BE FUN!