Entries from August 2006 ↓

Summary: a real ramble (sorry) on how online social media makes me feel like there’s less than six-degrees of separation…

I blog. I use WordPress . I use a theme called K2 . I went to a site today to download the latest version of a blog plug-in called flickrRSS that I use on several of my blogs. While I’m there I notice a modifed K2 theme called Fork that looks cool. I click on the image of the theme and I notice a comment on the theme from a flickr member who calls himself SoFlaChris

“I use it on my site… it’s killer. See blog.maltese.net“.

Given the name of his flickr screen name I know he’s in my neck of the woods in South Florida so I click on his link so I can see the Fork theme in action. By the way, here’s another modified K2 theme I really like that I am now using on a blog I just started yesterday (it’s about my four kids and raising them as a part-time stay-at-home dad / part-time entrepreneur).

So SoFlaChris is also Chris::Wired . He blogs, he uses WordPress, and the modified K2 theme called Fork, and he has some of the same interests that Shannon and I have like Motorcycles (we used to have a 2002 HD Fatboy and lust after all sorts of other alternatives). He has a pic of his new VW golf on his site and I think about the VW GTi that I just sold a couple of months ago and how I really like the latest version . I notice he has a lot of stuff about weather on his blog. I have a blog called abigwind about hurricane protection. I notice Chris has recently been interviewed by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about his home weather station. The article is no longer live in the Sun-Sentinel’s archives (they drop off after two weeks) but I find a cached version via Google – fun article. I need to link to his site from our hurricane blog.

Anyway, the guy who interviewed the blog author (Chris Maltese) for the Sun-Sentinel is the guy who I’ve corresponded with a number of times about hurricane related stories — Josh Frank , who writes their hurricane blog. Speaking of which, I STILL have to follow up on a prior story of mine that I had suggested Josh write as I now have a lot more information from an expert interview that I conducted with Dr. Tim Reinhold (the article I have to still write is about the efficacy of various plywood materials and the best methods of their installation). And though I haven’t had much of a chance to investigate it, Chris had a bunch of headlines on his blog that referred to Australia and New Zealand which made me think he may be from there. But, from reading his bio he sounds like a New Yorker so perhaps we don’t have Australia in common after all.

Weirdness…the virtual world of the blogosphere connects to real life in all sorts of interesting ways. A couple of months ago we discovered we were right down the road from a delightful fellow blogger who is in the recruitment space (jobs/employers/job seekers/stuff that supports same) that Shannon and I write about on via EXCELER8ion. I’m out of breath. That was a link-full now wasn’t it?

What’s the point?

Even though it’s my business to use blogs and other online tools to connect people I’m still amazed when it happens to me. I find it to be a very rewarding and compelling experience. Online tools like blogs, search engines and myriad other social networking sites can connect seemingly random (and not) people, interests, and data with each other and they can intersect in equally pleasing and random (and not) ways. Without my interest in blogs I would have not found Ami or Chris. I may never meet Chris but he knows about me now because I linked to him, and we are connected now. That may be the extent of it. With Ami, we eventually arranged dinner and had a great time (after all, there were pre-existing similar interests). Soon, Shannon and I will be out for our second dinner with Ami and we can’t wait. Perhaps he’ll even talk his wife into coming along on this round.

Shannon sent me an article today about how some highly popular bloggers are starting to see the limitations with the medium. I could identify with some of what the popular bloggers were saying. It’s easy to get carried away with ourselves when our ego runs roughshod over our original purposes for blogging. At least it is for me. But, most of the time (when I’m not being a wanker) I use my blogs to connect with people, to think more clearly, for therapy, for entertainment, to make money, to make connections in my head about indisciminate thoughts and ideas, to connect in a richer way with the life that I am participating in, to the community out there in the world that I want to be part of, to gain more expertise, to make new friends and professional associates, and more. And it’s not about dry humping your computer – the big wins come when we make connections in the real world.  When I think about how blogs have enriched my life, both personally, financially and professionally, both online and offline I just can’t see much down side. I know these thoughts of mine (ramblings obviously) don’t seem particularly well articulated. And since this is my personal blog, and I allow myself the freedom to publish un-edited brain***** in this forum, I’ll let this go into the ether in the hope that it will inspire greater thinking on my part, and interaction with people like you, who surely have an opinion or some useful thoughts to add. Do let me know.

This is a work in progress so please tell me what you think about these points and add your own.

We all know that the rules have changed with branding lately. Brands are being democratized
by people amplifying their voice using blogs and social networking sites. Some throw stones in glass houses and others spread the good word like a new gospel.

But these disruptive technologies cut both ways. As these tools get further entwined in our lives, more and more of us will get up close and personal with ‘truthiness’ and transparency. Just like the companies that embrace this and prosper, WE will be OK if we handle ourselves with integrity. If we try to mislead, manipulate, and lie we’ll be outed – unmercilessly. These are the new rules and they apply to you and me, the individual brand.

These are some of the developing rules of your personal brand.

1. Be yourself
2. When you Jerry Maguire yourself you could score a touch down or you could get fired (or worse)
3. Be open and honest
4. Let go of control or get the hell out of the way of yourself
5. The company you keep tells of who you are as well
6. Find an editor for ‘you’
7. Don’t rush to judgment
8. Break all of these rules (and more) when it really matters.

1) Be yourself. This should be easy but it’s often not because we don’t think we’re cool or edgy enough. Why else did we wear bell bottom jeans or hip huggers – comfort? Being cool is about being comfortable with yourself even if your jeans aren’t in style.

2) Jerry Maguire. Jerry taught us that idealistic behavior is inspiring and sometimes ill advised when it’s a major departure from the ‘normal’ you. if you’re like Jerry all the time, then being a Jerry Maguire should be OK because your friends and your boss all accept you as such. But when you take on Jerry’s character in a moment of inspiration you may want to ask your best friends about your next online blockbuster before you hit the publish button. See rule number 6.

3) Be open and honest. Tell it like you see it. See rule number 6 and number 8.

4) Let go of control or get the hell out of the way of yourself. It’s easy for us to see another person’s blind spots, or our company’s weaknesses. It’s like falling off a log. We say things like ‘boy, that
was stupid,’ but it is much harder to do that with ourselves. Ever watch yourself on video? Does it make you squirm? This rule is about applying rule three (be open and honest) in a way that allows for the possibility that there’s another (perhaps even better) way to do or say something. Ask questions, seek understanding, put aside your personal beliefs and bias and try being someone else for a minute. Heck, give yourself a vacation from ‘you’ for a day and see where it gets you.

5) The company you keep tells of who you are as well. Who do work for? Who do you link to? What books are you reading and what music you are listening to? These are all common points of reference on blogs or MySpace pages. What do these choices say to your public about you?

6) Find an editor for ‘you’. Sometimes it’s Mom or Dad or your best friend. Your friends and family are the ultimate 360-degree feedback loop. Before you hit the publish button on something that is likely to be controversial ask a friend to read it over. Get some feedback and ask yourself if the ideas you are expressing are WHO you really are?

7) Don’t rush to judgment. How much stock should we put in a single blog post? Is it a singular definition and sum of your life, viewpoints and beliefs? I doubt it. Before you roast someone or something online in front of the world, maybe you should do some more research? Is the virtual you, really YOU?
Break all of these rules (and more) when it really matters. But don’t fall on your sword over matters of frivolity and be prepared to pay the price when you do. Enough said.

technorati tags:Blogging, Truthiness, Brand Democratization, Jerry Maguire, Social Networking, MySpace, Personal Brand

Flock is an open source browser based on Mozilla’s Firefox code that features tools that make it easier to plug in, write, edit, and play with today’s social networking tools like blogs. It has a built in blog editor, drag-and-drop photo commenting, and integrated photo uploading for today’s most popular photo service – Flickr. I’m writing this post on Flock. The integrated RSS feeder is really pleasing to the eye as well. I actually shelled out money (something I’m loathe to do for software) for the Mac RSS reader I’ve been using (NetNewswire) which is highly acclaimed. So far, I like Flock’s more. So, here’s a little blog love from Julians name to Flock. Try this browser and let me know what you think. I’ll let you know if I stick with it and what I don’t like. Oh, and don’t forget to try out the web snippets feature.

technorati tags:Social Networking, Flock, Flickr

and I picked up my baby girl

and I held her

and she held me back

and I knew that life could never be more perfect than this

Here’s a short podcast on the latest from ’round here.