Blog Soup 2011.11.18 What are you doing online? Why?

Blog Soup

by Stan Faryna

Blog Soup 2011.11.18 What are you doing online? Why?

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What are you doing with your life? What are you doing online? What is your purpose? What is your function? Why?

You don’t know? Have you considered the advice of the Duchess to Alice (Alice of Wonderland)?

Be what you would seem to be — or, if you’d like it put more simply — Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.

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About Blog Soup

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. Nicole Humphrey Cook, The Idiots Guide to Triberr Tutorial

2. Yomar Lopez, How Triberr Changes The Competitive Landscape

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

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I intend to write pithy, poignant comments that may help you truly rediscover yourself through the blog posts of friends and strangers. In terms of your journey of self discovery, the destinations are not as important as is your own personal negotiation of the questions, answers, and confusions which you may discover by following a link, reading a blog post, poring over comments, and making a comment. On the other hand, this is our community and, yes, community is all about our commitment to the community, conversations, consensus, disagreement, participation, and, yes, to each other.

I will fail often in this endeavor, but I can, as Booker T. Washington said, keep on keeping on. Will you humor me?

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Gary Portnoy, Where everybody knows your name (Cheers theme song)

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2011.11.18

Caterpillar:

Who are YOU?

Alice:

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. I — I hardly know, sir, just at present — at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.

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Featured

The blog posts that I commented on in this Blog Soup:

1. Don’t Skype your community away by Bill Dorman

2. Stop looking for success and happiness by Craig McBreen

3. Butthead Asking Dumb Questions?! Are You? by Akos Fintor

4. True Inspiration From My Most Popular YouTube Video by Adrienne Smith

5. The Only User Manual That You Will Ever Need by Marcus Baker

6. Why do I do what I do by Janet Callaway

7. Dad Bloggers Get Paid To Blog by Jack Steiner

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The Crests, Trouble in Paradise

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Blog Soup

My unabashed comments:

1. Don’t Skype your community away by Bill Dorman

Bill Dorman has been wondering what happened to the party. Where did everyone go? Was it the speedos? Or skype? Of course, this is Bill being tongue in cheek and charming.

My comment:

It’s not the Skype, Bill. It’s not the speedos. You’re a stand up guy. You’re likable. You’re sexy. Oops! There’s that word again. 

Everybody wants you at their party. And I’m not teasing you, Bill.

The problems are several. And I know you’ve been waiting for me to sum it up. After all, that’s what I do. I go deep and think it through because I can. [grin] Of course, I can try to dish it out with my own tongue in cheek. But I’ll never do it with your finesse, Bill.

5. High School Prejudice

Some people lack the professional culture to deal with people they don’t like. In other words, they haven’t graduated from high school. So if they see someone they don’t like hanging out at your place, they may stop coming by.

It’s their loss, Bill. I continue to contribute at several watering holes despite the frauds, fucktards, and stupid clowns that frequent the same.

4. Faking it is no fun

Most people just can’t fake it forever. They need to get off. [grin]

Being positive, encouraging, and kindly when your trudging through the bull shit can try anyone’s patience. Some do it day in and out without any hard evidence of tomorrow’s reward and they will pick up their toys and head home – sooner or later.

3. This Ain’t Easy Street

It just doesn’t work. Not you, Bill! Blogging!!! It’s not the game changer they hoped it would be. Because it ain’t easy. It takes work. Not everyone can succeed. And there’s no guarantees for success even for those that show promise. Granted, it takes the average Joe or Jane three to six months to figure that out. 

2. Boot Lickers and Suck Ups

It’s not obvious that you’re in the in crowd. Are you best buddies with 12 B-list bloggers and a minimum of three A-list bloggers?

Do they mention you, give you props, and throw you a link in their blog posts from time to time?

People need a reason to suck up and lick boot.

1. Where’s the Money?

You don’t have a weekly “how to” on how someone can easily move and improve it by an inch.

Bill, they need to pay bills. They have the need to succeed.

You keep doing what you are doing. Lift your allies with you as you level up. Give it three years and you’ll be an online authority. Perhaps, a sensation! Mark my words, Bill.
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2. Stop looking for success and happiness by Craig McBreen

Writes Craig McBreen:

Self-help is for suckers.

My comment:

Amen.

Reading the statement, “I rock. I will succeed because I rock hard,” one hundred times will not make you successful. Thinking that statement one hundred times won’t do it. Writing that statement one hundred times won’t do it either. Because that’s not how magic and fairy tales work.

Life is hard.

That’s what James writes here.

Magic comes from killing dragons, demons, and all the things that own you through fear. Fairy tales are the stories of fears faced and conquered, virtues exercised in decision and action, and the triumph of the hero, heroine, or saint.

Don’t just do it. And don’t just do something. Do good, do it often, and do it well.

Awesome post, Craig!

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3. Butthead Asking Dumb Questions?! Are You? by Akos Fintor

Ako’s Twitter Bio Statement:

Helping others to break limiting beliefs about success. One belief at a time.

Akos asks you if you are asking the right questions?

What can I learn from this or How can I turn this around?

My comment:

When the fuck does it get easier?

That’s what Frank Dickinson asks via a reposted guest post by @LisaMilesBrady.

It just happens that I have some thoughts to share.

I am personally acquainted with dozens of millionaires and former millionaires. A handful inherited their wealth. Most of them made their wealth by mostly illegal means. Only a handful of these acquaintances made their wealth by strictly legal, honest, good decisions, and hard work. Most of the latter have lost their wealth.

Having spent considerable time and intimate conversation with such persons, I can tell you that their successes had little to do with asking themselves questions, being positive, and doing the right thing. The most common answer, being in the right place at the right time, is a euphemism.

A euphemism is a substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit and scandalous.

Few are driven simply by greed, a will to power, and a want to make the world around them – their empire. Most are fueled by fear, hatred, and contempt, they do unspeakable things, they lack conscience, and they don’t get caught. They prey upon the weak, the weak-minded, and the poor of spirit (the cowardly) at every opportunity. They do not create wealth by being fair, generous, or conscientious. Nor do they keep wealth by such means.

I wish I could share an example with you of how wealth is hoarded and carved out of the souls and chests of lesser men. But anyone of them reading it would be so offended that I would rise to a top spot on their shit list. And that would be especially stupid to promote myself into the cross hairs. [grin]

So I leave it to your imagination to fill in the details.

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4. True Inspiration From My Most Popular YouTube Video by Adrienne Smith

Writes Adrienne:

… no matter what little thing you do, you can still inspire and help others.

My comment:

As the troubles of this world grow, ever greater is our yearning for the things that fuel hope. Inspire, encourage, and lift others up.

Because at the end of the day (be it six months or twelve years), when you look back on what you did online, if you inspired, encouraged and lifted others up, you will know you did something that reflects the beautiful, the good, and the true.

And that may be worth more than the million dollars that never found its way into your bank account.

And then there’s Lisa Gerber who has some insights to share about  fundraising. Indeed, the Crowdwise motto is even something to consider beyond fundraising. It applies perfectly to social media.

If you didn’t give back no one will like you.

And writing that, immediately I thought of Professor Michael Schlesinger from the Atmospheric Sciences School at the University of Illinois at Urbana. He recently edited an important book on climate change and alarming estimates of the expected impacts which will devastate communities and regions, Human-Induced Climate Change.

Well done, Adrienne.
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5. The Only User Manual That You Will Ever Need by Marcus Baker

Ask, Release, Believe and Receive

Explains Marcus:

These words describe in exact sequence the way to create your ideal life using the law of attraction…

My comment:

One of the problems that I often observe about those who recommend the law of attraction is the lack of true and unembarrassed commitment to the thing as truth. In other words, people talk about it but they don’t demonstrate it. And if it is a truth, it must be demonstrable. Just as demonstrable as pain or hurt.

And we all know that everybody hurts.

I propose that 12 of us make a demonstration. Each of us make a blog post, name the thing of our desires, ask for it, release it, believe it, and receive it within three months. It should be something that is out of our natural and ordinary reach, capacity, and competence. I further propose that Marcus lead us in this spiritual demonstration, guide us in the release, and finally, tabulate, announce, and analyze the results.

Count me in on this. Who else is ready to receive!

What say you, Marcus?

Awesome post, Marcus!

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6. Why do I do what I do by Janet Callaway

Asks Janet:

Do you ever stop to think about why you do what you do?

Janet shares one of her favorite quotes from Katharin Graham:

To love what you do and to feel that it matters–how could anything be more fun?

What I didn’t write:

Writes @TheJackB:

One of the reasons I am a frequent visitor to your blog is because I like surrounding myself with happy people. You always have such positive energy it is hard not to smile.

Jack’s comment took me by surprise. And I’m still grinning. Or was that scratching my head?

Anyway, I often wonder if bloggers love what they are doing. For example, I hope Margie Clayman loves what she’s doing. Because I love what she’s doing. Have you seen her last blog post, Help Me Help Guatemala?

Writes Nic Wirtz about Guatemala:

In a country where half the population survive on less than $2 a day, you don’t have to go far to find poverty. Generally it’s already looking for you.

My comment:

The story of Judy and Ed is heart warming. Thank you for sharing that awesome story with us, Janet.

If only we were all so blessed with an opportunity to sell things that we believe in with the deepest personal conviction!

Myself, there are few things for which I can rave about. And not all of those few for good reason.

Anyway, here’s five:

1. Dr. Bronner’s Magical Peppermint Soap
2. The New American Bible
3. Harrod’s Earl Grey Tea No. 42 (I’m enjoying a mug of it as I type)
4. Certified Kona Coffee Beans (lightly roasted)
5. William Shakespeare’s Collected Works

My own doubts, however, can not compete with my hope that Judy and Ed will live long, happy, and love-strong lives with the least pain possible.

Considering again my doubts, I have to smile because I remember what Betsy Cross writes here:

Sometimes the facts lie.

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7. Dad Bloggers Get Paid To Blog by Jack Steiner

Writes Jack:

I want to earn enough to support my family. I tell my children that they need to push to live their dreams and not dream their lives. I can do no less.

My comment:

I like what Jack is saying.

I am trying. I am pushing. I am asking for help. It is not easy for me. I don’t like doing it and I am not sure that I am asking the right questions but I am doing my best.

That’s what any of us can do, Jack. Own it. Do. Push. Ask for help. Keep moving. Just like Danny recently did. He moved on to Jugnoo, don’t you know! In fact, a good move. Corporate clients for social media seem to be drying up.

Keep on keeping on, Jack.

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Feedback

If you think that this blog post sucks, let me know in your comment and don’t forget to include a link to YOUR favorite blog post.

If you think this blog post rocks, tell me why it rocks in the comment. “Awesome,””Great post,” etc. works for me. Don’t forget to include a link to YOUR most recent blog post.

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Stan Faryna
18 November 2011
Bucharest, Romania

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P.S. Help me to do something beautiful! Click here.