Happiness CCLIX
Wanting to help people escape the cube farm.
Why local events rock
Events are fun. Events are just meetups with a bit of structure. As I’ve been hosting social media breakfasts here in Minneapolis & St. Paul, I’ve been thinking a bit about what makes these types of events worth attending, what makes them special.
It’s really the people that attend. Folks from many different industries, genres, interests, and backgrounds make up the mix. The varied group is a sampling of the total social media population that we interact with online. This group is made up of the early adopters of their respective industries. They lead the way and help guide their industries or groups in the use and exploration of these new ideas and technologies.
Events are also great places to network. With such varied participants, people get a chance to meet and greet. They get to talk with people they may want to (or need to!) do business with. It’s a chance for folks to build their network in the offline world and be able to do that most important aspect of networking. Look someone in the eye, get a firm handshake, and really evaluate them in person.
It does matter. Especially for local events where you need to have that network of folks that you’ll work with or look out for. You share your community with them. Your kids grow up in the same environment and what each of you do and how you participate matters to the outcome of it all. It matters.
Another aspect is simply meeting people who do the same things you do. Explore the same spaces you do. You can learn a lot, not just from each other, but from talking about how you do things. It triggers new ways of thinking of things, opens new doors to everyone involved. That induces change, and change is an exciting ingredient in life.
Blog Day 2008
So here are my offerings for Blog Day 2008 – a little belatedly I’ll admit. Somehow it always sneaks up on me. This year though, I’m glad to say I have at least five blogs that I highly recommend. Great knowledgeable bloggers writing about interesting and useful topics.
- Small Biz Survival – This great blog is focused on small business and small town businesspeople. Written by blogging friend Becky McCray and her team of small-biz professionals. A must read for any small business in a small town – or a large one!
- WinExtra – Written by longtime blogging pal Steven Hodson, WinExtra covers the technology beat from a great Canadian curmudgeon. Honestly, Steven’s perspective on Web 2.0 and social media makes for fun reading that definitely isn’t the usual cookie-cutter posts you’ll find around the blogosphere.
- The Personal Branding Blog – Fellow columnist for Personal Branding Magazine, Rob Cuesta is a respected authority on personal branding. With new ideas and tips, Rob can help you start and grow the brand that is you.
- Word Sell, Inc. – I met blogger Brad Shorr at SOBCon08 in Chicago this past May. Brad brings his real-world B2B experience and passion for communicating and connecting to his blog.
- Fresh Focus – Blogger Kris Rowlands blogs about productivity, exploring tools and techniques, especially Getting Things Done. Kris shares tips & ideas for enhancing productivity along with with custom designed GTD templates.
I hope you check out these fine folks, and share your own list of 5 bloggers today with your readers and friends with the world..
Thank you to Nir Ofir, "initiator" of Blog Day 2008!
🙂
Happiness CCXLVIII
Building things.
Right Now
What are you doing right now? Are you moving forward, stagnating or slipping backward? Why wait to launch your biz, your idea, your brand? Why wait to spend time with your family or call your parents back?
There’s no better time than the present to do something.
Right now you could be:
- Building something new
- Spending time with your kids
- Finishing a project
- Outside
- Helping a friend in need
- Building a website
- Mowing the grass
- Working on a community project
- Reaching out to someone
- Stimulating the economy
- Supporting your local charities
- Practicing your golf swing
- Taking responsibility
- Yielding to pedestrians
- Taking your family on vacation
- Applying for that position or job you want
- Visiting a elderly relative
- Taking the stairs
- Finishing several projects
- Saving money
- Getting away from the computer for awhile
- Fishing
- Building your personal brand
- Returning that phone call
- Taking steps to become the person you want to be
What I really want to convey is the reality that there is no better time to do something for yourself, your family, your community, your country, or the world than right now.
Inspired by Van Halen’s Right Now
Photo credit: Pat Rioux
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
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Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
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They voted to defund TSA three times and won’t even entertain a conversation about reopening it. Why?
They’re using it as leverage to stop enforcing immigration laws.