Successful Blog

What’s your SOBCon Oneliner?

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It’s Only 10 Days Away Now! Are You Coming?

Click on this Bloggy Tag to find out where it all began.

  • One person, [well, 1 at a time]
  • One thought, It’s you!
  • One action (((a hug)))
  • One heart, holding the folks who couldn’t get here.
  • One event, SOBCon07
Click to the “Bloggy Tag Button” to see who tagged me.

Bonus oneliner:
What would Peter Gabriel sing at SOBCon07?

Like words together we make sense.

You’re It!

Franke, Sandy, Connie, Joe, Dave, Troy

–ME “Liz” Strauss
ONLY 10 DAYS UNTIL THE INCREDIBLE BLOGGING EXPERIENCE — Why SOBCon not that Other One. Click the button to register now. Reister now

Related Hey Listen to Christine Before SOBCon!
12 Days Left to Blogging Experience
Only 14 Days to a Blogging Experience Like No Other

10 Essential Needs of a Thriving Community

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Where We Could Be Who We Are

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When I was kid I used to hide out in my room or in the basement to play music and dance, or paint all afternoon. If my friend, Craig, was around we’d do the same, find a place where we could be who we are without the world telling us what to do.

We were just two, but were a community of like-minded thinkers. When the other kids came over, we were more.

How to Make Room for a Community

I don’t think anyone can build a community. Community is an idea, a feeling, an agreement. It’s sweet and tenuous and only lasts as lightly and long as it is respected. It’s an investment, that it takes time and patience. When I came here I knew a little bit about how to do it, but learned most of what I know from the folks who come to visit.

10 Things about Making Room for a Community

  1. A community needs a high-trust environment. A high-trust environment means being there when folks need a friend or a teacher. It means having a vision and set of principles that they can count on being the same tomorrow.
  2. A community has plenty of room for folks to be who we are. When we’re with friends we don’t have to self-conscious or guarded. In a community, I like the way you see me. No one puts people in boxes or steps on their feelings.
  3. To grow a community, be a guide alongside — not the sage on the stage. Set aside the instruction manual writing. Stop teaching your friends and start learning iwth with them.
  4. Have conversations that are about them. Ask how they’re doing, what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and then listen. When you’re done. Listen again.
  5. Reach out to everyone, every chance that you get. When someone says “hello,” answer “how can I help?”
  6. Look for reasons to start conversations. Invite people in. When someone visits make that person a friend.
  7. When you hear a story about another person, put your own name in the story before you choose to believe it.
  8. Know that folks make mistakes and that some do so on purpose. Know which mistakes are the ones that won’t work in your community and make sure that you never allow them. Dislike the act, not the person.
  9. Talk about things that are fun, engaging, and refreshing to talk about. Give people a chance to play once in a while.
  10. Keep your head and heart together and always about the people who visit.

Those are the basics of making room for a community. It’s a lot like opening your mind and inviting people to be who they are.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

We Talked About Song Lyrics!

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Hi Everyone! Every week Sandy and I try to think how to sum all that we talked about but you know it’s impossible to capture the joy, humor, and camaraderie of four hours in one simple blog post. And as much as I like taking a clever comment and sharing it here, it sure takes time and once in a while it embarrasses folks.

So we’re going to stop trying to do the impossible, trying to retell a fabulous memory, and instead let you enjoy the comments as they were said whole.

It was a busy night. We were talking about words we can’t get out of our heads, songs we love; songs we hate, lyrics we wish we had written, how songs affect our moods, silly songs, romantic songs, childhood songs, happy songs, sad songs, and our song.

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!

The Mic Is On: We’re Singing Songs . . .

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

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.
The rules are simple — 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.

We’re Talking About Song Lyrics!

Song

We might talk about

  • Words we can’t get out of our heads
  • Songs we love; songs we hate
  • Lyrics we wish we had written
  • How songs affect our moods
  • Silly songs, romantic songs, childhood songs, happy songs, sad songs
  • Our song

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

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

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
What is Tuesday Open Comment Night?

We Talked About Art!

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Hi Everyone! Every week Sandy and I try to think how to sum all that we talked about but you know it’s impossible to capture the joy, humor, and camaraderie of four hours in one simple blog post. And as much as I like taking a clever comment and sharing it here, it sure takes time and once in a while it embarrasses folks.

So we’re going to stop trying to do the impossible, trying to retell a fabulous memory, and instead let you enjoy the comments as they were said whole.

It was a busy night. We were talking about art. What makes it art? How do you know it’s art? Is that art? Graphic design, photography, ceramics, weaving, welding, spin art, calligraphy, graffiti, concrete, flower arranging, art therapy, music, cinema, theatre, architecture, poetry, dance, modern, renaissance, gothic, folk, fine, painting, drawing, sculpture, stained glass, blown glass, calligraphy, art history, art fairs, art galleries, art in the park, Art isn’t what you hang on a refrigerator, and don’t drink and draw. Wow!

You can read all about it in the We’re Art Crazy! Comments

Here are some cool links we shared.

Thanks to everyone for the cool links and for being part of the conversation. I’m so sorry I missed half the night and that he server has been misbehaving.

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!