GirlmeetsGeek
March 22, 2011 by Sara · 2 Comments
Minneapolis resident Kate-Madonna Hindes publishes the GirlmeetsGeek blog. She is an industry leader, national author and speaker on emotional integrity and authenticity in online media. Columns she writes are regularly published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Women of HR, Brazen Careerist and JobDig. Her some of her speaking and writing credits include bookings at the Keith Ferrazzi’s Relationship Academy, 2010 WordcampMSP, Social Media Breakfast in Imation Headquarters, 2009 Cervical Cancer Conference. A few of her recent on-air appearances were with WCCO and International Radio Station, GirlTalkRadio, and WomeninBusinessRadio.
Your blog has been around for about three years. How has it evolved since you first started blogging?
I’ve actually been blogging close to 15 years. My first years, was through a platform at AOL. Then it moved over to LiveJournal and I had a following with a few other friends. Livejournal gave me the ability to really explore writing the personal and internal emotions that helped me to transform to who I am today. After deliberation, about 3 and a half years ago, I decided to move parts of the journal over, and start www.girlmeetsgeek.com. It started out as a journal to why I wasn’t married and ended as an internal look into myself, business and passion. I think GirlmeetsGeek is the culmination of who I was, what I was passionate about and how I was living it out loud.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to creating new content? How do you overcome it?
I don’t write, unless I feel something in my fingertips telling me to. I find, that when I let my passion take control, my writing is far better than if I allow myself to blankly type words. I never blog about my daily life, only about moments that matter most. I don’t want to ‘water down’ my writing with mediocrity and I’m too busy to worry about blogging daily. I have other posts I can pull from if my focus is on business, or I have too many deadlines that week. What keeps my writing, ‘fresh’ and ‘unique,’ is the emotion behind it. I always taken on submissions, (I believe GirlmeetsGeek should be a place of words, not just MY words,) so other writers are always welcome. I have always found that good writers are open to the influences around them. I’m a news junkie and I write a lot of my pieces on Social Justice and giving voice to the oppressed. GirlmeetsGeek has become an emotional platform for the forgotten, the passionate and the unvocalized.
People blog for different reasons. What is the most rewarding aspect of maintaining the Girl Meets Geek blog?
I write, because it’s in my blood. I don’t believe in the word, “Blog.” I’m a writer. I’m not a ‘blogger.” I think by using the terms, ‘blog,’ or ‘blogger,’ we limit ourselves. I’m convinced if you cut me open, letters and punctuation would flow from my veins. You could say I blog, because I feel best when my thoughts form into words, hit my keyboard screen and I can read them back and think, “YES.” GirlmeetsGeek is for me, only- it always has been. You’ll notice, there’s no ads on my site and I’m not involved in any communities. I wanted to establish something different for GirlmeetsGeek. I wanted the words, the emotion and the quality to speak for itself, but only because I wanted to put authentic words out there. At the end of the day, the site is for my daughter and I. I want her to see a woman who overcame tremendous odds to grow as a human being and create the world she wanted.
What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading it?
I hope whomever visits, realizes that we all have greatness in them. I started writing stories when I was in the First Grade. I knew from a young age, that words were my currency to the world. We all have gifts, and they only resonate with others if we put passion and purpose behind those gifts. David Brauer from MinnPost once told me, “Dream Responsibly.” I’ve taken that to heart. GirlmeetsGeek is my Responsible Dream. Our lives are only measured by what we DO with them, not what we WANT out of them. I hope GirlmeetsGeek inspires others to take action and create the future they want.
Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
My google reader currently has thousands of new posts in it. I desperately need to catch up on my reading. Since I’m a news junkie, sites I read daily include: Minnpost.com; Minnesota Independent, Minnesota Public Radio and my daily dose of Women of HR. I also like to check out the bloggers highlighted on the Twin Cities Spark!
What do you love the most about living in the Twin Cities and why?
I love the community that Minneapolis and St. Paul offers. It’s not the restaurants, (though wonderful,) the shopping, or the sights- it’s the people. Minnesota truly has the kindest and closest-knit people I’ve ever met. I’m a ‘lifer’ here. I don’t think I’ll ever leave.
What aspect of Spring in Minnesota are you most looking forward too?
I’m looking forward to seeing the sunshine through my daughter’s hair. There’s been a moment every year, where Ava and I are on the grass outside and I look at her, and she’s smiling and her hair is nothing but GOLD. There’s something about the glisten, the warmth and the together-time of summer; skirts and high heels. I’m a winter-lover, through and through, but there are adventures in the summer that I can’t conquer when it’s -20 outside. I love hitting up local farmer’s markets, Como Zoo and traveling up to Lake Superior. My summes have been defined by the memories of years before. Hopefully this summer is no different!
Eyeteeth: A journal of incisive ideas
March 1, 2011 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Twin Cities resident Paul Schmelzer is a busy guy. He is the editor of the Minnesota Independent, managing editor of the American Independent News Network, former editor of the Walker Art Center blogs, creator of Signifier, signed, a former editor at Adbusters, and contributor to Artforum.com, Cabinet, Raw Vision, Utne and others. And he still manages to run his own blog, Eyeteeth: A journal of incisive ideas. Though the blog started in 2003 as a way of establishing a practice of daily writing and research, it has since evolved into a forum where he to explores the place where politics and art, activism and media intersect.
What specifically drew you to blogging?
I started blogging in January of 2003 simply because I wanted a more regular writing practice, and one not tied to a job. By exploring my own interests and voice, without a paycheck tied to it or an editor to look it over, was liberating. Also, I was pretty pissed off at George W. Bush, so I did a lot of venting in the early days.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to creating new content? How do you overcome it?
My schedule’s my biggest barrier. With a day job that runs 50 hours a week or more, it’s hard finding time to explore my interests and do the kind of thoughtful posts I’d like. Lately I’ve been working to overcome it simply by doing content of any kind — my “Bits” linkdump posts of art- and activism-related items I find in the course of a day.
You have a page that shows what other people have said about Eyeteeth. How would YOU describe Eyeteeth to someone who has never read it?
A quirky yet smart look at the intersection of art and social change. Rather than a dour scholarly or art historical art blog, I like being an evangelist to bring politically minded people deeper into art or art people into civic engagement and politics. Eyeteeth is the gateway drug between art and social change! To that end, I like to throw in humorous or slightly out-of-left field content as well as smart writing about aesthetics, critical theory or art exhibitions. But be prepared for some deadly earnest material as well. While I love some of the posts I’ve done — a video of Broken Crow doing a huge mural on the side of Shuga Records in Northeast Minneapolis or my account of the Miss Rockaway Armada launching its flotilla of found-object rafts on the Minneapolis riverfront — I also like when art can help us confront some grim realities of modern life. In this category: an interview I did awhile back with Izabella Demavlys, a former fashion photographer who started doing portraits of Pakistani women whose faces had been burned with acid by men. Grisly, hard to look at, and for me, utterly important.
What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading Eyeteeth?
We have options. Philippe Vergne, who used to be the chief curator at the Walker Art Center when I worked there, once told me that (I’m paraphrasing) art is the production of endless alternatives. I’d like people to take that away: that we have creative autonomy to live engaged, interested, interesting lives of our choosing, instead of conforming to some version that hinges on what we buy or what our parents, churches or politicians suggest for us. I got my start writing when I was studying abroad in college. I started interviewing residents of houseboats in Little Venice, an area on the canals in West London, and realized later that I really enjoyed bearing witness to all the ways we can live in this worlds — in houseboats, as vagabonds, as artists, as firmly rooted midwesterners who have a hell of a lot of fun living our lives.
Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
Probably my favorite Twin Cities blog is that of ROLU, Rosenlof/Lucas, a landscape architecture firm. Matt Olson has a very specific interest — radical architecture, contemporary art and design — but his blog is always intriguing and has a lot of depth; I think it’s as good as most of the national art blogs I read. I was founding editor of the Walker Art Center blogs, so they still have a place in my heart, especially Off-Center, where some of the more interesting content has appeared. (I just wish they’d post more!) And I like my friend Ed Kohler’s site The Deets and Taylor Carik’s eclectic enterprises, Mediation, Flak Radio and Secrets of the City. In addition, there are tons of local Tumblr blogs that I read: Utne, The Opie, Urban Foodie, Stuff About Minneapolis…. Too many to list, really.
What do you love the most about living here in the Twin Cities Metro Area and why?
I love biking in Minneapolis. We suffer through these godawful winters, but the promise of biking under the Hennepin Avenue bridge or down to the Hexagon or around that big loop down Kennilworth to the Greenway across the Sabo bridge and back up to the riverfront by the Guthrie… amazing. I also like the fantastic beer, the great bike makers (Surly, Salsa, Handsome), the Stone Arch Bridge, the amazing art and music venues (big and small), the occasional weird impromptu art finds (this guerrilla “Struggle” sign on the bridge between Boom Island and Nicollet Island is the perfect example), and the good, interesting, creative, relatively no-nonsense people I seem to encounter every day. Finally, I love the hearty stock here: Events like the Powderhorn Art Sled Rally, the Art Shanty Project, and the Blizzard Pub Crawls (the one in Northeast during the December blizzard ended up at the 1029 on Marshall, where an older African American guy in snowblowing coveralls was singing a Kid Rock/Sheryl Crow duet with a young white woman in sweats and mukluks), remind me that there’s a unique breed that calls this place home.
2011 is still young yet. Do you have any big plans for your blog in the New Year?
Nothing all that special, but so much that I’m looking forward to: A huge garden in the back yard, biking to Sea Salt and Summer Music & Movies, more cooking, music, writing, etc. I also want to figure out how to build or find a bike trailer for hauling my new dog, Finn, on my sojourns. Blog-wise, I’m hoping to do more local content, more multimedia (videos) and more critical writing about art. I tend to feel like we’re in an Age of Enthusiasm: everybody wants to share the great stuff they find — which is partly how I got started — but few want to do the tough work of calling out the not-so-awesome. Maybe that’s the next step for me.
SocialNicole
Twin Cities resident Nicole Harrison writes the SocialNicole blog. She is a dichotomy, torn between a desire to make the world a better place and an entrepreneurial spirit. As a result, she spent almost a decade working in nonprofits while also working as a marketing consultant. During her work in this sector, she honed her expertise in social media and online marketing. Now as the Principal of SocialNicole, she works with businesses helping them to connect, engage and grow through social media and digital strategy.
What was the inspiration behind starting the Social Nicole blog?
It started as simply a blog about connecting and building relationships to help grow businesses and nonprofits. The actual blog title is The Art of Being Social.
How do you think an avid reader would describe your blog when they recommend it to their best friends?
The Art of Being Social is a great resource if you are looking for basic social media/online connection and marketing tips as well as networking and strategic relationship building tips.
What social media platform or networking option do you like the most for helping to build relationships, either between individuals or companies and their clients?
The platform chosen for a specific client depends on the client, their identified audience, goals and resources to manage social media or outsource it. My favorite social networking platform is Twitter – which has so much power to connect people who may never find one another in a traditional platform such as Facebook, Linkedin, etc. Twitter is amazing because it allows the user to build their own communities around whatever topics are of interest to them.
Who or what are your top resources for social media and networking news and information?
Social Media Examiner, Social Media Today, CopyBlogger, Mashable, Read Write Web
What is one important thing that you have learned about professional relationship building that you could share with our readers?
You need to constantly provide value to your network. You need to look for ways to “feed” your network so that they appreciate you and see you as a valuable and worthwhile part of their network.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why?
Josh Braaten Big Picture Web, PR Revolution, David Erickson e-strategy blog, Beauty Bets, Luck of the Law
What do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota and why?
I love the people who live here. It is such a warm and friendly place to live. Community is highly valued and people really like to reach out and offer help to their neighbors. I also love the seasons. I look forward to each one and find every season offers such a unique experience.
The Deets
“You want The Deets? You can’t handle The Deets!” The message at the top of Minneapolis resident Ed Kohler’s blog is direct and to the point – and well-heeded by people who aren’t ready for what he has to say. At The Deets, one can read all about what Ed thinks of local news and events, political issues, and media analysis. Given the current nation’s mood and looming November 2 elections, The Deets has been a busy place. Ed does talk about less volatile topics, though. His occupation is web strategist, helping organizations and businesses set and achieve realistic goals for their website. Because his job requires that he travel, Ed often posts hotel reviews and bits about projects he is working on at The Deets.
What was the inspiration behind starting what would become The Deets blog?
My first dabbling with blogging was inspired by stupid things I’d hear on right-wing talk radio (something I really shouldn’t listen to). At the time, I hadn’t called the site The Deets yet, and didn’t tell many friends other than a few politically passionate friends about the blog.
Then, I met a few friends of my wife at a party who were chatting it up about how much fun they have blogging, and I decided to get more into blogging about the kinds of things I find interesting AND my friends might find interesting too. Basically, I shifted from having an audience of “I don’t care if anyone reads this” to “let’s see if I can make my friends laugh or learn something”. That’s when it became The Deets. I already owned the domain name but had no plans for it, so I used it for the blog.
How would you describe what The Deets is about to someone who has never seen it before?
The Deets has a few posts a week about stuff that interests me. This ranges from things I find interesting around Minneapolis or Minnesota, things I see while traveling for work or vacations, local political issues, and media analysis.
What do you hope readers take away from their time spent at The Deets?
On a good day, I’d hope that someone reading The Deets might learn something about an issue I decided to take a borderline unhealthy obsession with. On an average day, they might be entertained.
How has blogging changed your life?
I’ve met a lot of really cool people because of the blogging I’ve done. Many local, and some in other states or countries. One cool thing is that it seems to get conversations moving in more interesting directions quicker when I meet up with someone. If they’ve read my blog, they’ll have some sense of what sort of things interest me or what I’ve been up to lately. It turns out that quite a few people share similar interests, so that makes our conversations richer.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
I read blogs through Google Reader, which tells me that I currently subscribe to 542 news sources, the vast majority of those being blogs. Some of my favorite sources include Techdirt which covers the convergence of the tech and legal industries, Techmeme which is an aggregator of high quality technology related blog posts. Locally, two of my favorite blogs are aggregators of news stories and blog posts. MinnPost’s Daily Glean and Secrets of the City’s MNSpeak both do a good job covering interesting local reporting and events. MinnPost is more news heavy, while MNSpeak does a good job finding interesting stuff on local blogs, events, or ridiculous local news comments worth chatting about. I also enjoy seeing what comes across on the Minneapolis tag from WordPress blogs where I discover new local bloggers who are doing some cool stuff.
But, what I really like is reading what my friends are writing. Most of them rarely post anything, but when they do I read it because it shows up in my Google Reader.
What do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota and why?
I’ve thought about this quite a bit. The nature of the work my wife and I do would allow us to live in pretty much any major city in the United States, but we’re here, so there must be some reasons. I like living in a place with relatively clean air, where the seasons change, where creative people are doing interesting things that help make the world a better place, and lots of options for recreational activities like running, biking and rollerblading.
I also like living in a metropolitan area that’s large enough to have seriously talented and smart people, great restaurants, yet the ability to drive just about anywhere within 30 minutes.
Is there any particular Minnesota winter activity that you are looking forward to?
One thing that I haven’t done in Minnesota to date, but would like to try this year is go snowshoeing at Afton State Park. I’ve run the trails of the park many times, but haven’t had a chance to get off the trails the way one can in the winter on snowshoes. Hopefully we get some serious snow this winter to make it fun.
Mom Culture
September 8, 2010 by Sara · Leave a Comment
After moving with her husband from New York City to Minnesota 5 years ago, Mom Culture Founder, Editor and Curator Lenore Moritz longed to receive her culture fix. Though the Minneapolis music, literary, visual and performing arts scene were all a short drive away, she couldn’t find the time to partake in them following the birth of her two children. After going to “moms&movies” in 2007, the chance to see an entire movie in one sitting reminded her of just how much she missed all forms of culture and inspired her to start Mom Culture Live events. The concerts, dance performances, museum tours and more are set up exclusively for Mom Culture parents and their young children. In 2009, she launched the Mom Culture website and blog, dedicated to exploring every medium of art, including music, film, visual arts, design, writing, dance, and more.
What was the inspiration behind starting Mom Culture?
I’ve always loved culture — high to pop and everything in-between. After having kids, I realized I was no longer finding time to fit in the arts and culture I loved…and I missed it! I started Mom Culture to make arts&culture easily accessible to parents.
Mom Culture, which is intended to be “a culture fix for your inner grown up,” began in 2007 as events – I connected with the great cultural institutions around town to create exclusive concerts, museum tours, dance performances and more just for the Mom Culture audience (which is moms and dads, plus their 0-5 year old kids.) These weekday adult-geared events were an opportunity for parents to get a culture fix in a warm environment that was also welcoming to young children.
I realized, though, that parents with kids of all ages needed their culture fixes, too, so in October 2009 I launched the website, Mom Culture. Every week I bring a culture fix to you through q&a’s with nationally-recognized, as well as up-and-coming, artists. The artists work in any medium and live all over the U.S.
The behind-the-art insight and art that comes right to you online gives visitors a fulfilling taste of culture in just a few minutes.
What are your favorite sources to mine when you’re looking for something new to write about?
In part, I rely on what I read. Art publications like ARTnews, Art Forum, Arts Journal and Art Info are great resources. I used to live in New York and still subscribe to The New York Times, New York (magazine) and New York Observer so I can stay connected to the arts scene there. I’ve even tracked down an artist I saw in Coastal Living magazine.
I also rely on what I see in person. If I hear a great band or see a gallery exhibition that resonates with me, I’ll seek out that artist(s).
Additionally, I love recommendations from friends or other artists. For example, I was interviewing the New York video artist Kate Gilmore, whose work was going to be part of the prestigious Whitney Museum Biennial, and she mentioned that I should also interview her sister, Jennifer Gilmore, a critically-acclaimed author. Two highly accomplished artists from one family!
It’s also really helpful when I’m invited to a film screening, particularly when a director, producer or actor is present and I’m offered access to them.
How has blogging changed your life?
It’s made me very busy! After starting my Mom Culture blog, Twin Cities Metro magazine asked me to start a blog for them by the same name. Additionally, Mom Logic – a Warner Bros-owned website based in LA – asked me to be a blogger for them, and Twittermoms.com asked me to be their arts&culture feature contributor.
I’ll also be part of a soon-to-launch blog that The Iveys will start. The Iveys are like the Tony Awards of the Twin Cities.
Having said that, I’m always open to entertaining new opportunities!
What do you hope readers take away from their time spent at Mom Culture?
I hope people who visit momcultureonline.com feel refreshed and fulfilled from having taken a few minutes to do something important and good for themselves. The arts are not a luxury, they are a necessity that feeds our souls and stimulate our minds in new ways.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
I love the Huffington Post – so many categories to peruse! And since I’m an unabashed pop culture junkie (a pop culture junkie can like opera and museums, too!), I admit to checking out tmz.com or popsugar.com.
Some of my favorite Twin Cities blogs include Cribsheet (on the Star Tribune site) – smart and sweet writing, as well as spotart.org (which is also a cool gallery in NE.) And I like to keep up with some of the Twin Cities artists I’ve featured such as Eric Melzer Finae Art, Tong Blog, and Natasha D’Schommer Studio (a mom, gifted photographer and Mom Culture’s first guest blogger; her landscapes are like a mini-vacation for me.)
What do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota and why?
I’ve only been in the Twin Cities for five years, but I find it to be a warm community with a wide variety of offerings. From nature to culture, the opportunities are high quality.
Labor Day has recently marked the end of a typically event-filled summer. What annual summer arts event in Minnesota do you have to attend every year? What makes it so special to you?
I love the concerts at Peavey Plaza. I’m partial to them because I live downtown, but I think they’re great because the music is always wonderful and diverse. Despite the fact that I spend a good amount of time chasing my kids on the steps, I’m at a live music event outside and that always tops my list of excellent things to do!
Pink Vanilla Cupcakes
Meet Suzi, the writer behind the Pink Vanilla Cupcakes blog. She is mother to two beautiful daughters and wife to “a robot,” living in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota. She works as a manager of a technical writing team for a large company. A self-proclaimed techie and social media junkie, she is a devout reader of many great blogs. Through them, she was inspired to send her own thoughts out to the universe through Pink Vanilla Cupcakes. At her blog, she discusses current events, life at home, eating healthy, getting in shape, and of course, blogging. She is also an Official Blogger for the Susan G. Komen Twin Cities Race for the Cure, has guest blogged on Girl Meets Geek, and was a featured blogger at The Secret is in the Sauce.
How long did you think about it before you started the Pink Vanilla Cupcakes blog and what was the catalyst for your first post?
I had thought about starting a blog for a month or so before I did. I’ve been reading blogs for years and just decided that I wanted to join the fun. Not sure what started it, but I just took a leap and started it one night. 
How has blogging changed your life?
My life has changed in so many ways because of my blog its hard to really count them all. I’ve met amazing people through my blog, I’ve had opportunities to work with fantastic companies, I’ve been able to write about subjects that affect me, and I’ve learned a lot about social media and how it you can build a whole community from it.
What do you hope readers take away from reading Pink Vanilla Cupcakes?
I hope reader like what I write enough to come back for more–isn’t that everyone’s hope!? I hope they realize that my writing is genuine and that they connect with me.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
I love all sorts of blogs. My top faves are Dooce; Enjoying the Small Things; and Matt, Liz, and Madeline. My local bloggers that I read are The Snyder 5; The Marketing Mama; Lazy Lightning; and Prior Fat Girl.
What do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota? Why?
I love minnesota because of the amazing quality of life we have here. We can enjoy all 4 seasons to the extreme, have tons of amazing things to do, I love my neighborhood, our schools, etc. We love living here.
What is your biggest blog-related goal for 2010?
I am going to BlogHer this summer in New York City and I hope to meet some amazing people and introduce them to my blog. I am planning on hosting my blog independently this summer and that will require a complete redesign–something I am looking forward to. Mostly, I’d like to grow my readership.
TwisterMc – Blog on a Stick
May 25, 2010 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Thomas McMahon designs and maintains the TwisterMc website and Blog on a Stick. Thomas is an internet guru of sorts living in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis. During the day he works at TopRank Marketing doing search engine optimization, blog marketing, and web design. During the evening, and often in the early morning, Thomas loves to program and design, with TwisterMc serving as a gallery of sorts for his work. Of course, he also loves to blog. The topics he covers in Blog on a Stick run the gamut from open-source software and tech-talk to internet marketing and pop-culture.
What first inspired you to start the TwisterMc.com?
I’d had free websites in the past and felt the constrictions so I moved to my own hosting and domain. It wasn’t out of need necessarily, but want. Wanting to control my own site, wanting to learn and create.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of maintaining a blog? How do you choose to address it?
The most challenging part for me is finding time to do all the things I want to do. Weither that’s creating new posts, adding plugins, or tweaking the design, I find myself wanting to do more than I have time to. To balance it, I take some time late at night or early in the morning to try and get what I can done but also remember that there are other things in life that are more important.
You have many web creations scattered around your site, from Firefox themes to blog plug-ins to Adobe Air apps. What is one website widget, plug-in, or other device you can’t live without that you would recommend to help other bloggers?
I think WordPress is the one thing I can’t live without. It’s the once piece of software that makes everything easier. There would be no way for me to run multiple sites, or have so many features on my blog, without it.
What’s the best thing a blogger can give to his readers?
I think the best thing a blogger can give their readers is tips that they can take away and use. I for one like to learn from other bloggers, to learn about new software, techniques or something that I can take with me when I’m done. I think that sharing knowledge in the form of tips or tutorials is what makes a good blog.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
Some of the blogs I like to read include:
Firefox Facts
The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Beautiful Pixels
Smoking Apples
Bittbox
LifeDev
Lifehacker
Webworker Daily
I also keep an eye on Twitter for good how-to posts.
What do you think makes the Twin Cities / Minnesota the best place to live? Why?
I’ve lived in Minnesota all my life, so it’s hard to picture myself elsewhere. I think that the Twin Cities has a lot to offer from free activities like Como Zoo, Sculpture Garden and the many miles of walking/biking trails to the Science Museum, Arboretum and Valleyfair, and plenty of other attractions that won’t break the bank. I’m also a big fan of the four seasons and don’t know what I’d do without a good winter snowstorm or hot and stormy summer afternoon.
Communications Conversations
April 20, 2010 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Arik Hanson, the blogger behind the Communications Conversations blog, is a savvy and seasoned communications professional. He is the principal of ACH Communications, a digital communications firm focused on serving as strategic thought partners to financial services, health care, not-for-profit and other organizations. Through integrated PR, communications and digital programs, Arik has been able to create tight-knit communities, build strong brand awareness and drive thought leadership for organizations across the country. Arik has played a lead role in many social projects and initiatives online – both locally and nationally – including the founding Help a PR Pro Out Day, founding the PR Reader’s Choice Blog Awards, and co-organizing the first-ever Journchat Live in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Arik is also long-time PRSA member, serving on the Minnesota PRSA board for the past three years and is a frequent speaker at local colleges and universities and industry events.
What inspired you to write first post for the Communications Conversations blog?
I had these rants and they had to come out. At the time, I was working in a position where I just didn’t have the best creative outlet. I took it upon myself to create an opportunity. And, Communications Conversations was born.
What is a mistake you’ve made with your blog? What did you learn from that mistake which other bloggers should know?
Last summer, I organized the Top 20 Minnesota Social Media Innovator list. It was designed to be a community-based list–the local social media community was responsible for nominating and voting. After the results were in, I found my name on the list. My community voted me in. While I was honored by the nominations and votes, in hindsight I should have taken my name out of consideration as the organizer of the list. I caught some grief for it, admitted my mistake and moved on. All you can do.
What is one Social Media technique or tip that you would suggest to bloggers to increase their traffic or reader loyalty?
Don’t be afraid to get personal. The more passionate you are about a topic or subject, the better chance it will evoke a response from readers–or attract new ones. Also, give video a try. I’ve found it to be a great way to connect with existing readers and meet new ones. Video allows your readers to get to know you a little better.
What do you hope readers take away from reading the Communications Conversations blog?
From a reader perspective, I guess my only goal is to make people think. If I can get your wheels turning, I’ve done my job.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
Nationally I love Dave Fleet’s blog, David Griner, Jay Baer, and Todd Defren. All four share different perspectives on PR and social media and aren’t afraid to go against the grain. Locally, I really like Adam Singer’s blog. Such a smart guy.
If you could narrow it down to one answer, what do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota? Why?
Summer. I hate winters (and hate may not be a strong enough word). But the 5-6 months that make up spring/summer in Minnesota are the absolute reason I love living here. Take a ride around Lake Nokomis. Go see a concert at the Lake Harriet bandshell. Check out a Twins game at new Target Field. Lawn bowling at Brit’s. And, as a huge golfer, there is no better place to live than Minnesota–so many great courses across the state. So much to do in the summer and so little time. But, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
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Just Judy Judy Judy
The writer behind Just Judy Judy Judy has had an interesting life and it seeps through into her blogging. Born in Canada to British parents, Judy Grundstrom has traveled all over the world, eventually deciding to call the Diamond Lake neighborhood of Minneapolis home. She has an accomplished career as an architect, interior designer, and marketing principal, achieving over time a portfolio of awards and award winning projects with organizations ranging from the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to General Mills. She also contributes weekly to a local radio program and makes television appearances. This vivacious, trendsetting, techno-savvy geek girl truly has her finger on the pulse of new and old media, sharing what she learns along the way. As a result, the Just Judy Judy Judy blog has amassed a huge following on the web and has quickly become the Twin Cities source for crazy things.
Bloggers write for a variety of reasons. Why did you decide to start Just Judy Judy Judy?
There were a few reasons. I noticed that blogging seems to be a “boys club” and I wanted to have a female voice on the scene. I also wanted to encourage other women to start blogging through my blogging, which has happened a few times already. Another reason is that it compliments some other things I do in the traditional media including my weekly appearance on Jason & Alexis on FM107.1 and The Weekend Buzz on Fox 9.
It can be tough for a blogger to maintain a steady stream of ideas and posts. What is the biggest blogging challenge you face?
Having ideas to blog about is not the toughest challenge I face. I have tons of ideas for blogs and posts. My biggest challenge is time to blog. I am an architect and have two children so the blogging is just a side thing. The blog is called, “Just JudyJudyJudy” and it really is just me. I do everything for the blog myself. I would love to be able to do three blog posts a day, but really that just isn’t possible.
What’s the best thing a blogger can give to his or her readers?
A true voice and an honest opinion. I also think it is nice to let your readers into your life a little bit now and then. I don’t think that blogs that are just about what a person does all day are particularly interesting (read: I ate CoCo Puffs for breakfast, then took a shower, then it was off to Starbucks!) For that reason I mainly keep my personal life private and just give little details about myself now and then. I will however, from time to time, do an entire blog post on something about my family or an event that I went to, and I think that keeps it interesting. Also, the blogs are always written in my voice so readers get to know my point of view.
Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What blogs do you enjoy reading and how do they inspire you? Who are your favorite Twin Cities bloggers?
I really love “The Bloggess” – she is one of the reasons that I wanted to start blogging. She always writes about herself but it is so funny, true comedy writing. My favorite blogs in the Twin Cities are l’etoile Magazine’s LOL/OMG, Secrets of the City, and The Geek Girls Guide.
What do you love about the Twin Cities / Minnesota?
I love the Twin Cities because it is such a great place for the arts & design. I believe there are more designers per capita here than any other city in the United States. That makes for a great scene with awesome art, music, fashion, and design related events. I really do like to get out on the town and go to things, see people and be seen, and I think the Twin Cities is a great place for that. Some of this ends up on my blog, some of it you can follow on my Twitter and Facebook.
What is the best advice you can offer to someone who wants to break into the blogging world?
Blog about something that you are really interested in. My blog is open with a number of topics so I can talk about all kinds of things I find interesting such as politics, fashion, technology, science, design, and local Twin Cities happenings. I like that because I can just find something that is happening and filter it through my perspective and put it up on my blog. I would also suggest to someone starting out blogging to do a lot of postings. I think it is better in blogging, and in anything creative really, to go for quantity over quality. If you are trying to always create the “perfect blog post” you can get frozen with fear. Better to just not over think it and create many blog posts. Over time you will find your voice as a blogger and the post will get better and better. Somewhere in the mix that perfect blog post is bound to come out.
