I am certain many have asked the question "Why blog?" In fact, I am asking myself this question. Who wants to hear anything from a guy who is involved in several different things but an expert of none? - Perhaps the Jack-of-All-Trades and Master-of-None Club? (Googled it and no such club exists.)
The CEO of Thomas Nelson, Mike Hyatt, is a prolific and eloquent blogger. I think Mike has blogged since 1998, before there was blogging as we know it today. If it was the Stone Age, Mike could chisel out a stone tablet with fresh, interesting thoughts every few days. I thought Mike blogged one time on all the reasons one should blog. I could not find the "why blog" entry, if there ever was one, but I did find one on "Why Twitter". Let's not, however, get technologically ahead of ourselves. I also found an entry on "How to Blog" which I probably need to read.
Being the CEO has its advantages when it comes to blogging. Many folks want to actually hear what the leader of the largest Christian book publisher has to say, and Mike has some pretty interesting things to say.
Then there is the blog from Larry Downs who has responsibility for our Iberian publishing group at Thomas Nelson; Spanish and Portuguese. Larry has been in Spanish-language book publishing for over two decades, and runs the largest Spanish Christian book publisher. He knows what he is doing. Like Mike, folks want to hear what Larry has to say.
Larry thinks I ought to blog about the book publishing business from the perspective of the relative outsider which I am. He says I should use humor to discuss perceived nuances and issues within the world of book publishing, even though I am not a terribly funny guy. No doubt I would upset someone in the process, but I reckon that's not all bad. Hmmmm???
Maybe I should blog about baseball. Along with some friends, 18 months ago we started what has turned out to be a fairly successful youth travel baseball team, the Hendersonville Heat. We have many players that want to join the team. Other individuals and teams are interested in or already doing the same. We are thinking about starting our own travel league, The Sumner County Baseball Association. Here's the problem: like book publishing, I don't really know that much about baseball. I am just the general manager and oversee the organization; the coaches know baseball.
Then, there is our family flooring business Textures, which my wife runs with a partner, Andrew Denny. I sit on Texture's board, but again I know very little about the flooring business and how it works.
I like to hunt and each year a group of us makes an annual pilgrimage to the Snake Den Lodge in Presho, South Dakota to engage in what my friend Jack calls "poltricide". We take down a lot of pheasants in three days of hunting. It's a blast, but I am certainly not the pheasant hunting expert; the guides are.
So, I require your help. And, you have a chance to win a free lunch, maybe even two lunches, because I have two problems - blog ideas and my blog tag line.
Blog Ideas - Like the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe, I am asking you, my friends, family and co-workers, to provide me with ideas. (Not for Dirty Jobs, but blogging subjects.) The best blog idea wins a free lunch with me, the guy who really does not know much about anything. And, you will get your name in lights on my blog.
My Blog's Tag Line - I made up my blog tag line in two nanoseconds with very little thought, "Observations Once Removed". I suspect it is not representative of what the best tag line would be for my blog. You might have a better idea.
A Thomas Nelson employee suggested this tag line, "From Where I Sit on the Commode". For those of you who are employees at Thomas Nelson, I think you know why that one will not win the free lunch.
Just post your ideas and comments below. I may have an online poll to decide on the best ideas.
Well, I am glad I got my first blog out of the way. And, thank you in advance for assistance with my two dilemmas above.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Why Blog? (how to get a free lunch)
Labels:
baseball,
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flooring,
free lunch,
Hendersonville Heat,
larry downs,
mike hyatt,
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11 comments:
Since you seem to be an expert at nothing, maybe you should model your blog after the Seinfelf show and blog about, well...nothing. I don't know which character you most resemble, but as long as you're a character...
Happy blogging!
Jeff
You have to be kidding...my dorky big brother blogging! I don't know how interesting you are, but we did have a short stint of wanting to do a Springer show about the family. (perhaps that was a series of shows!) That is always an option! :) Just so you know...I will be the last one blogging. I know how boring I am and how very little anyone would want to hear from me! Maybe your tag line could be "Blogging by a dummy"...along the lines of "blogging for dummies" Love Ya!
Welcome to the blogsphere! I'm sure you have a lot to say. Since you do most of the talking during our meetings.
But as far as subject matters go, I'd love to read about your perspective into the global opportunities and challenges we face. What's happening outside the US you think we should know and adopt.
Maurilio
Nice job!
A prediction: that will be the longest blog you write! You are known as a direct and economical communicator.
Why blog?: a good exercise in self-discovery may be number one! I think learning about and navigating where many people are hanging out is another big biggie.
Thanks!
Thought I had better post, just to balance out the gender percentages in your comments section...
I have found the most personally rewarding blogging to be about random things that pop into my head, but I blog for entertainment purposes, not to educate people or create a blog-following. If you are blogging for nobler reasons, I would recommend that you talk about your areas of expertise (IMHO = in my humble opinion): (1) new technology in publishing, (2) globe-trotting without losing your mind, (3) global business strategies, and (4) what it's like to be an Indianan living in the true South. Not to overly compliment you, but I do feel that you have fresh thinking about publishing and global business (and maybe softball and hunting, too) since you're NOT an expert. True expertise is great, but so much that's masquerading as "expertise" these days is really just stale, conformist thinking. It takes the non-expert to see things from a new and often useful angle.
Have fun!
I also wanted to say that your goal should be to get ten blog posts done over the next few weeks. I've seen a lot of blogs that don't go beyond three posts. If you get ten posts under the bridge, then I think you can call your foray into blogging a success!
100 posts is even better, but let's pace ourselves, shall we!
DUDE!! I have to admit it took me much longer than expected to read all of your rambling. Yada yada yada...you are this very successful man who has raised a great Christian family (that is very fun to be with by the way when you are traveling around the world- just kidding)and you are a very successful business leader that just happened to step into a Baseball circle that gives you many hours of enjoyment, but when the days and frustration gets high you head to the mountains to decrease the Pheasant population. Have I summed it up ok...well then I would suggest you call your BLOG " The Journey Man" because you are and have been on a Journey and that is what we will be most interested in. The Journey Man will allow you to blog about personal and business topics and with your life you have much to discuss. So there you go "Journey Man" adopt that and pay for a lunch but no Burger King- that is what you bought the last time.
MB
Dude - I liked MB's response. Of course I knew MB before I read MB's signature - Dude! I think MB uses Dude more than I do... gosh interesting how like minded people find each other??!!!
I finally got to this, I mean I finally got to read this blog. Nice first entry, I like the story telling side of this blog. Just tell a story... and tie it in with your meaning of life, hmm... deep thoughts.
Now for the truth... If you think I'm going to help you come up with material, you've got another thing coming. I've got my own blogs to worry about. Yes that is blogs with an s. I can't help you with material, my brain is smoking right now just right this comment... keep'em coming!!!
Ok, gotta go. Basketball practice in 20 minutes!
TJ
one more thing... I'll take the lunch if it is still available though.
Title should be.... "Shuttle's Scuttles" or "Shuttle's Scuttle's on Virtually Nothing"
--Dan
After spending a short amount of time reading your blog and the comments people have made I remain thinking, "I don't get it!" I think you are an incredible man with many great ideas. I'd gladly pay for lunch to visit with you or any number of others that I call friend. If we stop spending our time on the computer blogging, surfing, posting.... maybe we would have time to enjoy a cup of coffee together. So here's the challenge, I'll pick up lunch and you can try to help me understand why blogging is replacing interpersonal (in person) communication in our society!!!!
Kate
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