Successful Blog

New Year’s Eve Celebration: 24 + 144 Dishes at the SOB Business Cafe

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SB Cafe

Everything’s Special,
Especially the Patrons
Welcome to the SOB Cafe

All through the year, we offer a fare of the best in thinking — articles on business, blogging, and just plain living. On a day of celebrating 2007, we’re bringing hit selections to share with you in this very special menu.

Please enjoy these as much as I enjoy having you visit.

The Specials of 2007 are:

Success from the Nest pointed out that As a home-based business person, not knowing where your nuts are can make you crazy. Now, at this point you may be wondering to which nuts I am referring (and those of you snickering, I know what you’re thinking). Well, the nuts I am referring to are…

Shards of Consciousness explained . . . I found several how-tos on the domain moving process itself. However, none of these were clear enough for me. And none of them covered all the issues involved in changing domains. There are six main aspects of moving a WordPress blog from one domain to another.

Copyblogger pointed out Since different people connect with different things, joining in on a conversation that naturally compares and contrasts your style and expertise with that of your peers is smart marketing. More importantly, it exudes confidence.

Spooky Action gave us the model and said Why is a model of game design important to experience designers? Because the game design paradigm is DESIGN ONCE, EXPERIENCE MANY TIMES.

Seth’s Blog wondered What do most people get out of blogging? After all, most blogs are virtually unread by outsiders… Be sure to read the comments that follow it.

Logic and Emotion challenged us to consider If we claim to be marketers, advertisers, designers, public relations or communications professionals—we must take it upon ourselves to fully comprehend the significance of a lone consumer who takes on a huge company with nothing more than a blog and tape recorder.

The Life Coaches Blog started by saying Believe in people. See them better than they see themselves.

Steve-Olson.com offered an incredible curiosity quencher. I decided to provide you with some of my favorite websites, news articles, and blog posts about understanding intelligence.

Alister Cameron put it bluntly If what you do with the best hours of your day is not also the thing you’re passionate about, stop right now!

Manage to Change outlined why The real power of blogging is that it’s one more way to forge meaningful relationships with people and actively participate in communities and conversations.

ChristineKane.com laid out a challenge. Who among us has said this very thing – or some variety of it – to her/himself? And – here’s the kicker – who among us has been lying when we said it?

Design Your Writing Life takes up Where ChristineKane.com left off. What? Write for 15 minutes? What the hell can you accomplish in 15 minutes? See all there is about Writerly Lies.

DaveOlson.ca was questioning I don’t know when it happened but somewhere in the last few years of life, I forgot how to ask learning questions and honestly it’s kinda got me freaked out.

Circular Communications invented a genre. In this context is the deciding difference however that the interviewer has to do all the present work including picking the topic, choosing the participants, formulating the questions and finding the answers.

Chrisg got to thinking about the kinds of bloggers we are. While I patiently explained the different types of blogs to those guys I realised many of us probably have some sort of cross-over between types and rarely consider what our dominant blogging style is.

JeffPulver.com shows the online conversation in the offline world. When checking out, I noticed a personal note from their general manager, Barbara Gross, who made reference to a blog post I had written earlier this week . . . it is an example of how many small (and not so small) businesses can benefit from implementing their own social media strategy around their customers.

Instigator blog writes when we see examples of people building out mini-media empires like TechCrunch, GigaOm, ProBlogger, Know More Media, Positive Media Blog Network, and others, we feel like it’s possible for us as well.

Carpe Factum connects that Sometimes, it’s important to find the support that is hidden to the naked eye. That applies in our professional lives also, doesn’t it?

Jonathan Fields asks Have you ever lost time doing anything? You know what I’m talking about. Those moments when you become so absorbed in what you’re doing that an hour becomes a minute and a day becomes and hour. You blink and it’s time to go home, but you’d kill to be able to stay just a little bit longer.

Pick the Brain motivated us with There’s a big myth in our culture: that passion can only be spontaneous. . . . I disagree. Passion can be created. Even for things you don’t currently enjoy.

Orbit Now! characterized things in a way. Here is my spin. It is perhaps NOT as sticky, but that should come as a surprise to no one.

chrisbrogan.com explained
There are SO MANY situations where a social network’s communications functions, when aggregated as part of the “informational whole,” have more value than a more formal tool like a document or email.

Codswallop offered efficiency. Are you working with Excel and want take your Excel skills to the next level? Or do you want to learn Excel and don’t know where to start?

The Artsy Asylum questioned How do we communicate with each other in 2007 and beyond? How does that make a difference in how we think about the world, and our lives, and each other? How does the 3-D web play a part? Big brains are thinking about this so I don’t have to do it all.

And for the Dessert Buffet

Please enjoy these 144 links from Successful and Outstanding Bloggers.

Sit back. Enjoy your reading. Nachos and beverages will be right over. Klondike bars and Fat Tires are in the cooler under the sidebar Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great celebration!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Dot . Dot . Dot .

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Connecting dots with The Idea Dude

Connecting Dots logo

2007 has been the Year of the Blog for me. My passion to promote blogs and bloggers was the catalyst for the TheGoodBlogs. My mission was really very simple. Touched by the stories I read, inspired by the words of giants, I wanted the world to know these stories, these words. And most of all, these people. Ordinary people, like you and me but so special because they gave us gifts through their blogs every day. The gifts? their voices, their thoughts, their hearts.

Then I met Liz. Who can refuse the most simplest of invitations. Can we talk? From that conversation, I was drawn into a much larger community, SOBCON, the conference that taught us that blogging is about bloggers, relationships and conversations. Hope to see you there this year!.

Undoubtedly the highlight for me would be receiving the keys to this blog. It wasn’t about sharing a soapbox, it was about sharing a warm cozy living room where the best conversations could be found. Right here, every Sunday, we connected dots. Each dot, a blogger, connected with others through words of wisdom, joy, sadness and every other emotion possible. I felt like a treasure hunter, delighting in every gem I found, eager to share each one with you.

Alas this will be the last connecting dots post for a while. Is this the end? Hopefully not, but it is a pause as I need to step back to figure out where the next part of this journey should take.

Successful-blog remains one of my favorite blogs just as Liz will always be one favorite bloggers. This blog like its host has become a constant in my blogging life. So you’ll see me in the comments and open-mic night. Why? because this is where my friends hang out, where the conversation is always great, where the laughter is infectious, where the hearts are bigger and the brains are smarter… and where I know I belong.

May the dots be with you!

Vern, The Idea Dude

Sunday Morning Light: Answering Why Givers Don't Ask to Get Paid

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A New Answer and a Hit

Last night, I asked a question.

Then an audience came. Real folks showed up to push me out of my head into the daylight. I got advice, ideas, tough love, and friendship. I listened carefully to every word, and I’m still listening.

The best part of community is finding out that other folks have stopped where you’re stuck standing.

From the comment, I saw the dots connecting to form the message I took from that conversation. It’s simple enough.

When If I give away my time, I’m agreeing to that contract.
If that’s not working, I need to stop doing it.

hitting one out of the park

Thank you all for helping me stand outside of myself
to see the disconnects in my thinking.

I’m a lucky girl . . .

. . . a lucky girl who’s decided that
I’m hitting one out of the park in 2008.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

(Dear Jeff, I know you hate baseball analogies.)

On a Blue December Night: Asking Why Do Givers Not Ask to Be Paid?

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relationships button

This year, 2007, has been one of learning and getting a business off the ground. Along the way, I have made my mistakes in choosing the folks I’ve worked with, and I’ve been blessed by working with folks who were heroes in every way.

But the hardest one of all I had to deal with was, by far, myself.

First, I had to learn to value what I do.

Then, I had to learn how to explain it to others.

Finally, I’m learning I have to ask them — tell them — that I need to get paid.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?
Yeah, it’s a lecture I’ve given often enough to everyone. You could probably find several versions of it right here on the pages of this very blog.

Yet, twice in the last week, I heard someone say, “I’m not giving free advice anymore” at the same time he was asking for free advice from me.

All I said was, “Yeah, I know people do the same thing to me.”

So I guess you could say that a couple of good friends sat me down. Well, they’ve been trying for a while now, but I’m a slippery character. Maybe I’m at a point where it means something, like whether I’ll keep blogging, or maybe I’m just growing up and ready to take responsibility. Or maybe it’s that I think it’s time that I build my own dream.

Whatever the case, one of them challenged me to answer the question in a blog post. This is it.

“Why do givers not ask to be paid?”

I cycled through the answers. You might be surprised with where I landed. I sure was. But, when I tested my answer, it held up. And, when I handed it back, the questioner agreed.

blue light traces

Is it pride?
No, I think of the givers I know. They’re not prideful people. They’d humble themselves for a cause.

Is it fear?
Not really. The real givers I know would walk through fire for the people they care about.

Is it a disdain for money?
Not a chance. Givers I know understand that money is a tool that makes it easier to give more and more generously.

So what is it then?

It’s the DNA of a giver. A giver lives generosity from the cellular level. Giving is without strings.

It’s not sensible and sure won’t pay the rent.

So how do I draw the line between the giver and the business person?

I’m asking for your advice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

THANKS to Week 114 SOBs

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muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

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Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

MWSnap

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Capture Screenshots with MWSnap

Great Find: MWSnap

Permalink: http://www.mirekw.com/winfreeware/mwsnap.html

Target Audience: Anyone who wants a screen snapshot

Content:

I’ve been looking for a low-cost, reliable tool to capture screenshots. You know, make an image out of selected parts of the screen. For example, when I write blog posts I often use a screenshot to explain something or display a product logo.

MWSnap is a nifty utility that’s freeware, although they do take donations. You can capture the entire desktop, a window, or a rectangular part of the screen. I really like that you can select the size of the rectangle first. You can choose from five popular formats to save your graphic and it’s available in several languages.

It also boasts a ruler and a color picker.

MWSnap

Be sure to check this one out!
See you next time!

–Sandy, Purple Wren

Related
Great Find: PictureTrail
Sandy’s Great Graphic Find: CoolText
Sandy’s Great Graphic Find: Pixel Ruler