The fact that the MarketingProfs blog has been down over the past day has given me an opportunity to consider some larger, more existential, issues. To wit: Is a blogger still a blogger if she doesn’t have a blog…?
Tangentially, that question made me consider the label of “blogger.” For example, I am always referring to my friends on this site and theirs as my “Blog Friend Forever” or “Best Blogging Buddy” or sometimes, “fellow blogger.” There’s a closeness implied by blogging, and a familiarity entrenched here. What’s more, there is the sense that we define ourselves by, well…blogging.
But what this time in the darkness has taught me if that I desperately need to challenge those assumptions. If I am without my blog, can I still consider myself a blogger? Do I still have a voice, even? As David wondered here and here: do I matter? If a tree falls in the forest….do you see where I’m going here?
Suddenly, the “blogger” label seemed inadequate to describe the various nuances and little-known personal histories of the people I read and interact with every day. So I launched an effort to find out more about those of us who live and breathe here in BlogLand. I asked a few friends (specifically, anyone still online on a weekend in July): What’s a little-known fact about you, OTHER than the fact that you blog?
Mike Wagner, Own Your Brand
Won a campus-wide talent contest singing love songs he made up himself.
Studied ancient Greek for 7 years and ancient Hebrew for 4 years.
Is left-handed.
Grew up in Columbus, Nebraska.
Has always wanted to be a star-ship captain for the USS Enterprise.
First sales success was as a neighborhood “arms dealer” selling water balloons for summer water balloon fights.
Maura Welch, Boston.com Business Filter blog
Once worked as an intern at the Senate Subcommittee of Immigration and Refugee Policy
Favorite band in the ’80s was The Cramps.
Makes a pretty good red sauce for an Irish girl.
Sometimes regrets getting that puppy.
Paul McEnany, Hee Haw Marketing
Appeared as the defendant on a Judge Judy episode last year.
Tim Jackson, Masi Guy
Is an ordained minisiter in the Beer Church.
A metaphysical geek: tarot, astrology and Celtic Runes.
As a kid, raised snakes to sell to friends.
Had a childhood dog named Snoopy and later, with his ex-wife, a dog named Homer. (She kept the dog.)
Middle name is Vance.
Debbie Weil, The Corporate Blogging Book and BlogWriteforCEOs
Went to school in France for a year when she was 14 — so speaks fluent schoolgirl French.
Andrea Weckerle, New Millennium PR
Once played the role of God in a college play.
Had a pet lemur as a child.
Appeared as a guest on a local TV show where the episode was called, “Is It True What They Say About Redheads?”
Has parachuted twice in her life.
Dreams of taking a cross-country motorcycle road trip.
William Arruda, Reach CC
Wrote a book about health and fitness for busy professionals, titled Health Without the Health Club.
And finally, yours truly.
I once won a year’s supply of toothpaste
I once spent an interminably long and sweaty Saturday dressed as a Care Bear for a mall opening in Rhode Island.
I peaked at age 9 (for better and for worse) when I won 6 superlatives in my 5th grade classroom: smartest, prettiest, shyest, best handwriting, longest hair, and most artistic. It’s been a slow decline since.
Ok, your turn. What about you? What don’t we know? Spill it below.
Special thanks to blogger (and father, Harley rider, Brooklyn boy) David Armano for offering me refugee status on Login+Emotion, where the first draft of this post appeared.
Former Hippie and activist. True Dichotomy–also served eight years in the military. Married 32 years. Love cats. Been doing this communications thing for over 30 years.
Phil Gerbyshak, Make It Great! (listed above)
Bats right, blogs left
Once was “in the Navy” while stationed on a Coast Guard base.
I’ve won many radio contests, and never pick up the prizes.
Delivered pizza for 4 years to put myself through college, and I still love pizza.
Self-proclaimed Relationship 2.0 Geek, using blogs and e-mail to develop relationships.
I didn’t know we could do multiple things! Alright, here’s more.
I ran and booked a festival in Denton, Texas that drew 20k people.
I’ve booked grammy winners like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and Brave Combo, as well as some of my favorites like Frank Black and Built to Spill.
I am also left-handed.
My first cigarette was a Marlboro Red when I was 14. I didn’t inhale.
Ok, now it’s much better.
Thanks, Ann!
I once played Batman in a ‘SuperFriends Cook-Out’ play in 3rd grade. Coolest part was wearing the blue gloves, that looked JUST LIKE Batman’s gloves but were really those dishwashing gloves you see at Wal-Mart.
I was twice selected to Who’s Who Among American High School Students, then failed 2 classes in my first semester in college.
Recently met Joe Namath (I’m from Alabama, we care about stuff like that down here).
Still have the first computer I ever used, a TI-99 4A.
Thanks Ann! I had no idea you were really going to use any of that… but keep me in mind folks if you’re getting married… I’m cheap!
Mack- You’ll like this; my dad was school friend of Stabler’s and I met him numerous times when I was a kid. My dad played baseball with Kenny and swears he was a better pitcher than quaterback. Namath went to Alabama at the same time as my dad too. Lots of Tide history in the famliy…
Thanks again Ann. That was nice fun.
5 Favorite Social Media Tools (Yeah, Another Meme, But At Least It’s Useful)
Todd Defren tagged me for the Top 5 Social Media Tools meme, so here goes: del.icio.us. Bookmarking site that’s being increasingly used for PR purposes. Flickr. Picture-sharing site. The possibilities for using this in PR are tremendous and still not
Hi Ann,
Here are a few interesting things about me:
1. I worked for a Bollywood actor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_swamy) in a start-up before I came to America.
2. I speak an Indian language called Tamil as well as a little French!
3. I’ve acted in 3 television commercials in India aimed at selling everything from cell phones to deodorants!
NBC here I come!
Mario
Marketing Nirvana
You’ve reminded me of a Max DePree story from his “Leadership is an Art” book.
Remember the story of discovering the millwright was more than a millrwright? He was a poet too. But it wasn’t till he died that this unknown side of him was revealed.
Without this posting how would we know to ask if you are a community builder who was a Care Bear or a Care Bear who happens to build online community?
Keep creating, Mike
Ahh, just thought of something…other than being a blogger, I’m husband to a…what else, blogger.
Thanks for the catchy title, Ann. Now I can’t get this silly thought out of my head:
How many blogs would a blogger blog if a blogger could blog good?
Poor grammar, I understand. But it seemed to parallel one of my fave nursery rhymes so well: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck….you can finish it if you like
I played Batman (the Michael Keaton version) for a Halloween corn-maze, and I actually signed autographs.
I was first published in 8th grade in a state-wide literature journal.
I got my first magazine by-line in 2001.
I played Huck Finn in an off-Broadway production of “Big River.”
I interviewed humorist Lewis Grizzard for a school paper in high school right before he died.
I’m sure there’s other stuff, but I forget what….
Hi Ann,
)
)
Marketingprofs’s blog really missed me
I think that if my blog should disappear, it wouldn’t change what I am deep inside : I would be sad at first time to lose all the articles I wrote but, the main important stay what all the other bloggers bring to your blog with their comes and the links you develop with them : so, it’s not necessary to have a blog to be a blogger because, if your blog disappear, it’s what the others think about you and what you learned with the others thanks to your blog that is most important- didn’t you told us in bloggers stories’ blog that you became a blogger much more earlier than blogosphere appears? Blogger is a way of thinking above all
I was in a dance troupe that featured Alan Watts as its voice.
I played the Devil in a show called Tarot with live music by Jerry Garcia and others.
I’ve been arrested five times for armed robbery (no, it was not me, just my name).
I played William Shakespeare for the Renaissance Faire.
I sing bass in an ensemble, play piano and am learning violin.
I came out before Stonewall.
I’m writing an autobiographical work called The Moving Finger for my alma mater.
I have a song published.
I am still a hippie, but with shorter hair.
My dogs love me, or at least appear to.
You are a blogger no matter what. As long as you have a blog, and have not abandoned it.
Your blog residue is what stays in you after you log off.
Blogging creates a substance within you, a fiery orb, that shines and illuminates your entire personality.
You, because of your blog, become more feisty, a better thinker and debater, bolder, even monstrous when need be.
You are a blogger no matter what. As long as you have a blog, and have not abandoned it.
Thanks Ann
http://download-storm.blogspot.com