#Yummm: Blog Soup 2011.10.10 by Stan Faryna

Blog Soup
by Stan Faryna

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I read a lot of blogs. Maybe, too many. I comment on a lot of blog posts. Maybe, too many. If you are a Triberrati, you do too.

A Triberrati is a blogger that stands out in the Triberr community. Triberr is a web app that connects bloggers and helps them to curate each other on Twitter. You can learn all about Triberr by reading any of the following posts about it.

1. Yomar Lopez, How Triberr Changes The Competitive Landscape

2. Jason Yormark, Triberr: How I Increased My Reach to Over 300000…

3. Neicole Crepeau, Friday Fives: Tips For Using Triberr

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Dashboard Confessional, So Long, So Long

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Earth Date 2011.10.10

Just some of the blogs that I commented on this week:

1. The world is changing. No it’s already changed by Fabrizio Faraco

2. Accept No Limitations by Robert Dempsey

3. Pasiflora and Dare to Care by Barbara Klein

4. We Just Disagree by Nancy Davis

5. A Call to Action by Betsy Cross

6. Luck or Karma? Field Lessons by Alaska Chick

7. Do You Want To Change The World? by Aaron Biebert

8. Do you ignore the road signs too? And other social media DOHs by Marcus Baker

9. My Life in Beta: Let Me Collide Into You by Dan Fonseca

10. The Five Biggest Website Secrets of A-List Bloggers by Adam Sokoloff

11. Coastline by Franziska San Pedro

12. 6 Lessons I Learned in My First Six Months by Adam Toporek

13. Check Your Level of Vibration Because It Leads to Creation by Ryan Biddulph

14. Think Small by Klaudia Jurewicz

15. The Powerful Act of Simplicity by Danny Brown

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Moveable Feasts, Scooby Snacks, Etcetera

1. The world is changing. No it’s already changed by Fabrizio Faraco

The world is changing. Social media is having impact. The social web is as much opportunity as it is a threat to economies, politics, and society. Fabrizio ponders what is the next step.

My comment:

You are thinking in a critical manner, Fabrizio. You are looking at problems and challenges with a design approach. This is very important.

One of the problems in the MBA education has been a lack of preparation of design-oriented problem-solving and critical thinking. Hence, decision makers are unable to respond to the cascading social changes rocking our economics and politics.

As you have observed, the social aspect increasingly dominates other domains as the social web connects people, ideas, and interests. The online community does not just represent a voice (or many voices), but it is gaining influence and having greater impact. I discuss the questions related to this with others here:

http://osakabentures.com/2011/09/casual-collectives-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-roadkill/

If organizations do not create or support think tanks that can develop best practices, they will lose even more ground at a faster rate than the last two years. Past accomplishments will wash away like a receding shoreline with observable, new losses every six months. Because change, as we are seeing, is closely related to the rate of technological innovation, increasing mobility of online access, and the decreasing cost of increasing bandwidth.

What do you think?

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2. Accept No Limitations by Robert Dempsey

Don’t let the naysayers get you down. Don’t let them hold you back. If people can’t pay you for what you do, move on. That’s what Robert Dempsey is saying.

My comment:

The Serenity prayer is a wonderful prayer. And powerful wisdom to live by.

It is worth repeating.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Robert is right to insist on moving out of relationships that don’t give. But for every bad apple that you toss, make three new friends. You may have to connect with 100 people to find those three, but the opportunity is there thanks to Facebook, Twitter, etc.

How many people did you connect with today through Facebook comments, blog comments, Twitter, or email?

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3. Pasiflora and Dare to Care by Barbara Klein

My comment:

Often, it is easier to give $5 to a cause that is out there. We feel good about our selves because we have exercised our compassion and caring for the world. It’s good that we do good for a stranger. Yet we must also do good to those near us. It is harder to do. Our own transformations, however, demands this of us too.

Thank you for reminding us, Barbara.

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4. We Just Disagree by Nancy Davis

Disagreement does not have to be as bad as we imagine the worst of it. That’s what Nancy Davis is thinking about. Opposing viewpoints may be difficult to negotiate for the best of us, but a variety of opinions may, in fact, serve us to consider the wider range of a subject beyond our own personal borders.

My comment:

Social media has come to be dominated by a “happy place” mode of thinking. Most believe a happy place is preferable to the troll wars of pre-Twitter and pre-Facebook days. Because a happy place facilitates connection. But does a happy place facilitate engagement, community, and collaboration?

In fact, a happy place does not facilitate engagement, community, and collaboration because it fuels insincerity, delusion, and counterfeit relationships. A happy place excludes disagreement and contention about the most important things. People can’t commit to each other because they can only agree to agree to the things that they will not question.

Such agreements, obviously, are made on a receding shoreline of trivial interests, ignorance, and disloyalty.

Disagreement without personal insult is preferable. But it is difficult to practice because there is no commitment to a resolution. In other words, agreeing to disagree gets us no where. If we are going to agree to disagree, then we must also agree to disagree with our commitment to negotiate the disagreement to a mutually satisfying conclusion.

That is not a happy place. It is where love is.

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5. A Call to Action by Betsy Cross

The phone rings at 3:30am. She learns that her 45 year old sister has just died. And that she will have to take an active role in her father’s care.

My comment:

Bets reminds us that we grow by showing up in all our relationships – online and offline. I’m reminded of Barbara Klein’s blog post (above). And suddenly I see in the corner of my eye, a glimpse of a sign.

Big hug to you, Bets!

And the question that comes to my mind is: Where am I not showing up, today?

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6. Luck or Karma? Field Lessons by Alaska Chick

A Dall Sheep and a Yukon Bull Moose are handsome prizes for the big game hunter. But among prizes, the hard-won prize is the most savored.

My comment:

Everyone talks about customer service and care, but few know how to do it when things go wrong. Amber-Lee of Pioneer Outfitters is the exception. She cares. Whether its about getting off a mountain in time or bagging the long anticipated trophy, she puts her all into making dreams come true.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Amber-Lee.

I’m reminded of Betsy’s blog post:

http://silentleaves.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/a-call-to-action/

It’s also about showing up. About caring. Right now. Where you are.

Are you listening?

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7. Do You Want To Change The World? by Aaron Biebert

“If you really want to change the world, you must do it publicly,” writes Aaron. Because if you don’t, others will not be able join you in your endeavor.

My comment:

As strange as it may sound, some of the walk is the talk. Ideas must be shared, minds must meet, and hearts must feel strongly. About the same things.

Bets is dead on: Show up!

Note: Disqus failed to take my comment.

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8. Do you ignore the road signs too? And other social media DOHs by Marcus Baker

Marcus Baker guest posted on my blog and I’m so glad he did. Is it confirmation or coincidence? Don’t miss this post.

My comment:

There’s so much awesome here. From Marcus’ essay to the comments – there’s so much beautiful here. Just saying.

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9. My Life in Beta: Let Me Collide Into You by Dan Fonseca

Dan admits that he needs inspiration, ideas, and complementary juice to turn his half-baked things into something that matters.

He has a lot of questions. He wonders about the American Dream, borderless identity and ideas, and lots of other things that he has some hunches about.

My comment:

Important ideas can take a long time to incubate, implement, and have impact. I’d also like to point out that the best ideas contribute to the conversation for a long time. For example, Aristotle’s thinking about virtue remains relevant to our questions about happiness today. 2300+ years later.

As you say, hunches can be slow and awkward. Hence, hunches need to come together, mingle, and grow.

Like the American founding fathers observed, politics makes strange bed fellows. But their idea of politics was more about doing what’s right than doing what is expedient. If they put up with argumentative and stubborn bed fellows, they did so in service to something higher than their personal and immediate interest. They served a common hope for a more perfect government – a government that would serve the people in an enduring answer to the necessity of government.

Without a commitment to community, ideas will be shared less, minds will not meet often, nor hearts share the same strong feelings.

I engage others in a discussion about online community here: http://osakabentures.com/2011/09/casual-collectives-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-roadkill/

Please join us. Everyone. We all have something to contribute and share.

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10. The Five Biggest Website Secrets of A-List Bloggers by Adam Sokoloff

Consumers self-educate – fast. The sales paradigm has shifted. The new black is inbound marketing. That’s what Adam Sokoloff is saying.

Create compelling content. Convert traffic into leads. Cultivate relationships with emails and automatic email responders. Build a community and care about it. Measure the results, fix problems, improve upon what you are doing. Be consistent, stay the course, and be persistent.

My comment:

That’s six sign posts, Adam!

But there’s a seventh too. If you want to make money on the web, sell something that people need… (here’s the kicker) to make money on the web. The point is not explicit, but it is implicit. Adam’s insights, he suggests, are all predicated on driving the success of his B2B business of custom signs and graphics.

Aye, there’s the rub. As Hamlet stammered and his eyes clouded with tears.

Most bloggers don’t have something people obviously need to advance their online business. The two cents offered by an e-book is typically worth exactly that. Two cents. Because if making money by blogging was that easy, a million of us would be millionaire bloggers – regardless of the impossibility of that economic feat!

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11. Coastline by Franziska San Pedro

A thumbnail of Franziska’s painting of a coastline.

My comment:

Irony or sign? I’ve been thinking about the receding shorelines of connection, community, and caring. And here is a dramatic image of a coastline as if it is about to be swallowed by an untamed sea.

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12. 6 Lessons I Learned in My First Six Months by Adam Toporek

“Social media… it just never stops!” says Adam. He’s learned some things in his six months as a blogger. Or has he? [grin]

My comment:

You [Adam] offer some much needed insight to the blogger – and social media apprentice.

For example, move on if you are trying to make a connection and there is no outcome. Of course, you can’t expect engagement from making one comment on someone’s blog, but if it hasn’t happened after a dozen thoughtful and heart-felt comments, move on.

Another important point that you make: there’s some people you’ll never catch up with. They eat a dozen blogs for breakfast with a side order of Twitter and Facebook. Do what you can do. Do it with heart. That’s what counts.

Looks like you are giving some competition to the most charming of new bloggers ever, Mr. Dorman. [grin]

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13. Check Your Level of Vibration Because It Leads to Creation by Ryan Biddulph

Ryan says that you need to choose your attitude. Check it often. Because where you are defines what you do.

My comment:

The Beach Boys sang all I need to know about good vibrations. But I understand what Ryan is talking about. Attitude. Choosing it. Keeping it on. Letting it shape what you do into a creative and powerful outcome.

In this regard, Ryan is dead on.

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14. Think Small by Klaudia Jurewicz

Less stuff, more happiness. That’s what Klaudia is saying. So is Graham Hill.

My comment:

Love the Ted video of Graham Hill. Thanks for that, Klaudia. Down-sizing isn’t just about corporations and governments.

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15. The Powerful Act of Simplicity by Danny Brown

Danny’s message? Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that are the most elaborate of all.

My comment:

Dashboard Confessional’s So Long, So Long: nice song, Danny.

And the videography is powerful.

But, maybe, too powerful. I found myself paying too much attention to the moving pictures. [grin]

I’ll have to play it again to listen to the words…

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Stan Faryna
10 October 2011
Bucharest, Romania

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P.S. Your $5 can make a difference. If you can get 10 of your friends to give $5 too, you will make an even bigger difference. Please help Nisha to help others.

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More Blog Soup

1. Blog Soup: 2011.10.06 http://wp.me/pbg0R-r7

2. Blog Soup: 2011.09.22 http://wp.me/pbg0R-pF

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Faryna Podcasts

1. Why do I blog: http://wp.me/pbg0R-kX

2. If Tomorrow Was Your Last Day: http://wp.me/pbg0R-la

3. Money Can’t Buy Happiness: http://wp.me/pbg0R-lv

4. The First Duty of Love is to Listen: http://wp.me/pbg0R-lO

5. Are You Ready for Love? http://wp.me/pbg0R-lX

6. Reading The Desiderata. http://wp.me/pbg0R-mr

7. What is Love? http://wp.me/pbg0R-mw

8. Confessions of a Freak-Geek-Misfit. http://wp.me/pbg0R-nJ

9. Do you love strongly? http://wp.me/pbg0R-nY

10. Empty-handed, Less Traveled Roads. http://wp.me/pbg0R-on

11. The Economics of Friendship. http://wp.me/pbg0R-oU

12. Do Not Be Afraid. http://wp.me/pbg0R-p9

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Note: If you want to make a professional podcast out of your blog post, get in touch with Adrian Klein onTwitter or Facebook.