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Connecting Dots

July 15, 2007 by Guest Author 14 Comments

Connecting dots with The Idea Dude

Connecting Dots logo

Being asked to be a guest blogger for Liz Strauss is akin to being asked to be the opening act for The Rolling Stones. There’s an expectation to be “knock your socks off” great. Of course, this is all in my head, because Liz, in her sublime way, would say, “be yourself.”

It is inevitable that Liz and I would cross paths one day, we were both on similar quests… “to celebrate good blogs.” So this spot in particular is devoted to connecting the dots. Dots being blogs from Liz’s list and mine at TheGoodBlogs. Perhaps the best way to describe this is to show you. . . .

dotdoticon-tiny

All blogs don’t start off as conversations, they start because something tugs at you enough to want to share. Blogs have made the Internet personal and it is the personal nature that brings me back to visit your blog again and again. Take Liz’s post about the word can’t for example, she made it personal because at the end, she says It seems to make me smaller. When you read that, you know something happened that day that may have seemed impossible but she found a way to overcome that sense of helplessness. It got me thinking of how impossibility would make me feel small too.

Being personal is infectious.

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I headed over to Sean and he asked the question Can it be that all our choices are dominated by fear? So is can’t a reflection of reality or a reflection of our fear? Hmmm… Food for thought. Sean made his fear personal. He said, So I want to tell you a story. About me. Having followed his blog, I can tell you his entries that resonate the most with me are the ones that grab him in his gut so much he needs to share, the ones that stop him dead in his tracks and makes him think. It makes me think too.

dotdoticon-tiny

My good friend, Ben, talks about whether bloggers always follow their own advice. His fear or concern? His blog may cease to be a mirror of him. He tells us, he doesn’t want to speak for the sake of speaking, to walk the walk and don’t just talk the talk. My interpretation is that it is really a reminder to himself to keep his terrific blog real and not post merely to feed the Google juice. Ben says his blog is a reminder to him of what he should be doing. In doing so, he becomes our mentor of what we should be doing too. Ben is being personal.

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And sometimes being personal and sharing doesn’t have to have a lesson. Amy shared her Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Day. It would be hard for any parent not to empathize with her. Wikipedia calls empathy a kind of emotional resonance… that’s deep. I concur. Judging from the comments to that post, Amy’s sharing resonated. I’m sure a few moms who read that felt a little better on Friday to know they weren’t alone.

Although none of the bloggers contrived to participate in a conversation, they succeeded in creating one in my head. Many of the bloggers above may or may not know each other…yet. But they were unknowingly bound together by their ideas, thoughts and emotions. They provided the dots. Liz gave me the crayon to connect them. The way I connected them was personal. It made me feel richer and some kind of wonderful.

Have an awesome week!

Vern, The Idea Dude
Connecting dots at TheGoodBlogs

Filed Under: Motivation, Successful Blog Tagged With: Amy, bc, Ben-Yoskovitz, Connecting Dots, Liz-Strauss, Sean-Howard, Vernon-Lun

Change the World: Each of Us Can

January 13, 2007 by Liz 15 Comments

Hey, Ben, How Can We Change the World?

On Monday I had a conversation with Ben Yoskovitz about changing the world. I figured that Ben, who is a quiet force behind Gifter.org, and who is always finding new initiatives such as Global Voices Online, would certainly have ideas worth sharing.

Ben responded with this simple and elegant piece you find here.

How Each of Us Can Change The World

Guest Writer: Ben Yoskovitz

Change the World!

You need a world view. You need to understand what’s going on out there. The world’s a big place, but as you shape your world view, the world itself gets very, very tiny.

Suddenly, the world is in your backyard. When that happens, you can start to change it so easily.

Getting a world view is easy. Go online, read and learn. Countless websites and blogs are out there. News-related. Personal. Get a feel for what’s happening.

Talk to people. Reading and learning isn’t enough. You have to speak with people to understand their experiences. Let them take you on a journey through their life, through their world.

When the world shrinks into the palm of your hand, you’ll know what to do to change it.

Benjamin Yoskovitz

Thank you, Ben, for showing us how we might start.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

______________
If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Filed Under: Community, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Ben-Yoskovitz, Change-the-World, Gifter.org, Global-Voices-Online, management

October 1 — Blogtipping Day! YEA!

October 1, 2006 by Liz Leave a Comment

Three Joys to Be Around

blogtipping icon 1

Certain folks just have that knack of lighting up a place when they get there. They’re comfortable with who they are and that makes everyone comfortable with them. Each of these three has that quality — on their own blog and away from it. That’s why I tip my blog to them.

Here’s how it works.

  • Choose three or more bloggers you admire and link to them,
  • List three reasons why you admire each one.
  • Then add a tip at the end.

That’s all there is to it.

1. Christine Kane
I tip my blog to you because

  • When I read your blog, I learn things about life, people, and both of us.
  • Your archives are a wealth of wisdom and learning to poke around in.
  • Your authenticity shows in every word you write.
  • My blog tip: Come to Chicago again so we can celebrate!

2. TechZ
I tip my blog to you because

  • Your writing voice is conversational and authoritative at the same time.
  • Your warm presence gives your blog it’s unique and welcoming personality.
  • Every statement you make to another person is supportive and positive. You’re a true relationship geek.
  • My blog tip: One day I want to earn my way out of the Blog Stuff category on your Blogroll. 😉

3. Ben Yoskovitz
I tip my blog to you because

  • All of your blogs are well-written, upbeat, and fun to read! Each reflects a different part of the guy we love.
  • You’re constantly coming up with exciting, new ideas. Every one catches our curiosity.
  • Working with you is a dream. More people should do it.
  • My blog tip: Put a big button under the Email Me sign on the Instigator Blog that says, “You need to Work with Me. Find out why Liz says so.”

Thanks to all three of you for making my blogging life a nicer place to be.

–Me “Liz” Strauss

Related article
Happy Blogtipping September 1 All Ready? Go!
Link Leak Virus Page

Filed Under: Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Ben-Yoskovitz, Christine-Kane, TechZ, ZZZ-FUN

SOB Business Cafe 06-30-2006

June 30, 2006 by Liz Leave a Comment

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Benjamin Yoskovitz guest hosts at Steve Remington’s blog to ask us if we’re sure we know what our blogs are about.

What's Your Blog About Again?

Mike Sigers lets us in on secrets we need to know about selling.

Fraser talks about and offers video on the influence of effective communication.

Fraser on influence -effective communication

Marianne Ricmond returns from WOMMA with a message that is as old as the fifties wbout how we should see our customers.

Message from WOMMA: Open, Honest Communication

Easton lets us know why Business Blogwire is so popular. (All of this time I thought it was Yoda.)

Best of Business Blogwire

Related ala carte selections include

I was listening to Christine Kane while I was typing this and drinking coffee from a beautiful golden coffee mug from Tom Vander Well. Thanks, Tom!

Tom reminds us that upselling can be a way of helping out.

Upselling Doesn't Have to Be Hard Selling

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Filed Under: Content, Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Personal Branding, SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, Ben-Yoskovitz, blog-promotion, Christine-Kane, communication, Easton-Ellsworth, Fraser, influence, Marianne-Richmond, Mike-Sigers, niche-marketing, sales, Steve-Remington, Tom-Vander-Well, upselling, WOMMA

SOB Business Cafe 06-16-2006

June 16, 2006 by Liz Leave a Comment

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Mike Sigers at Simplenomics shares a seven-day plan to build a brand and customer relationships, to improve the blogosphere, and to make the world a better place. This one I printed out, put over my desk, on my bathroom mirror, inside my front door, next to my bed, and on my kitchen cabinet.

Simple Seven Day Plan

Ariane Benefit at Neat Living explains how clearing the clutter from our workspace not only pays off in productivity, it makes room for important new business to enter our work days.

Clearing Clutter Pays Off Big Time

Ben Yoskovitz is holding a Father’s Day Special at IGotNewsforYou. This might be news for you and for your dad too.

Father's Day Special

Rob at Jamdo has a great post outlining four crucial steps to making our blogs more attractive to readers — stickier.

4 Steps to a Stickier Blog

Related ala carte selections include

Sidharja Qhaum at Jamloceng offers gamers a treat called “Alky,” a tool that converts a Windows EXE to MacOS or GNU/Linux.

Alky:Converts your windows neatly.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Filed Under: Marketing /Sales / Social Media, Personal Branding, Productivity, SOB Business, Successful Blog, Tech/Stats Tagged With: Ariane-Benefit, bc, Ben-Yoskovitz, customer-relationships, I-Got-News-for-You, Jamdo, Jamloceng, Mike-Sigers, Neat-Living, personal-branding, Productivity, Sidharja-Quinn, Simplenomics

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