I know this post is a private party, completely self-indulgent on my part, but this is my little one year anniversary of becoming a Bloodhound. I don’t do much looking back so I’ll make this short and sweet, well, maybe not so sweet. Here’s the original post that brought me here:
The folks at ActiveRain are putting together a contest. It’s Pygmalion for webloggers, wherein experienced real estate webloggers take eager young blogging caterpillars into their tutelage, and, Henry Higgins-like, bring forth beautiful blogging butterflies in a few months’ time. The winning pair of bloggers will split $5,000 amongst their favorite charities.
(I predict my favorite charity will turn out to have something to do with stray animals.)
In any case, I’m looking for a
patsy, erpigeon, ervictim, er volunteer — I’m looking for a volunteer to learn the art and science of real estate weblogging with me as yourtutor, ermentor, er insufferable bastard.To disclaim is to disclose: I am not the gentlest teacher in the world. But I know a lot about weblogging, and I can teach you as much as can be taught about this art, this praxis, this obsession.
If you are at or very near the stage of being a total wannablogger with a will to make the leap to something that can blow kisses at true greatness, you’re my ideal candidate. I love you best in Phoenix, but if you’re not here, you’re just not here.
If you want to learn to do real estate weblogging wisely and well, with style, with grace, with humor and panache — I’m your volunteer.
To me, that looked like fun. Did I say that out loud? It isn’t supposed to be fun here, is it? It’s serious business on the Bloodhound Blog, right? Bloodhounds don’t have fun, nor do they have a sense of humor, do they? If that’s what you think, or if there is some part of “insufferable bastard” you don’t understand, please go away, this isn’t for you.
The end of Project Blogger would have been the perfect time for me to make a graceful exit, but they couldn’t get rid of me that easily. I’m here because (well this too) but mostly because I thrive on challenge: Fearlessly throwing ideas around, pushing yourself, endlessly working to be better, making mistakes, getting your ass kicked, coming back stronger than ever, but most of all never ever settling. Bloodhound isn’t for everyone and I doubt it was designed that way. I can live with that and I think the blogiverse can live with it too.
This clip is over-the-top scenery chewing stuff, but I love this speech. When I quoted Shakespeare a year ago, “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers” little did I know how close to the truth that was.
Happy Anniversary to me, but to all the Bloodhounds and its readers: Maximas tibi gratias ago.
Jeanne Breault says:
I’ve enjoyed every minute of reading your contributions to BHB. I’ve appreciated all the ways you’ve sincerely shared your smarts – from snarky to humble, humorous to solemn, and all the shades in between.
Congrats on your one year anniversary!
March 20, 2008 — 11:30 am
Jeanne Breault says:
P.S. Just noticed your tags on this post…perfect!
March 20, 2008 — 11:32 am
Teri L says:
Jeanne-
Thanks very much. It makes me happy that you have enjoyed reading this ‘stuff’ and it’s nice to have gotten to know you as well! 🙂
March 20, 2008 — 11:45 am
Cheryl Johnson says:
Aye, Lassie, we all had some good times in those early days when all the (blog)world was young. 🙂
March 20, 2008 — 12:05 pm
Greg Swann says:
I have an old friend, a very prosperous entrepreneur, who is converting his corporate web presence to a blogsite on the strength of the things I’ve written. He wants the dynamic content and the Google juice from the weblog, but he also wants for his staffers to be able to change the “static” content whenever they need to, without having to wait for a high-priced guru.
This is wicked smart in my estimation, and I think a blogsite is the ideal web presence for every small business and most medium-sized firms.
But today he sent me a note that I thought was funny:
Select. I look for people who knock my socks off. I like people who are smart, funny, have a well-defined point-of-view, write very well, etc. But none of that actually matters, but because I know I’ve found what I’m looking for when I see my socks on the other side of the room. A lot of writers approach me, and some of them make the cut. But the most common way that a new writer makes it onto our sidebar is for me to read something and say, “Damn! How did I miss you?”
Manage. Much simpler. I don’t manage. I recruit the best people I can find, and then I tell them there are no rules for contributors at BloodhoundBlog. Sometimes it takes a while for that to sink in, but it’s the way we’ve always worked. Everyone is ranked as an Author, which in WordPress means you can post and publish at will — no moderation, no oversight. If someone is having a mechanical problem, I will go in and fix it, but there is no editorial oversight at all. I stridently enforce all the rules I can stand, which is none.
I think it’s sweet and funny that Teri connects anything she finds here with King Harry of the Leeks, but I am careful to not manage people. I don’t like to have it done to me, so I don’t do it. I will share things I see with particular contributors, in case they might be interested. Quite a bit less often than once a month I will send out a state-of-the-blog email. Beyond that, I leave people alone — and who can argue with the results?
I know from experience that I can be a catalyst of souls. I can make enemies just by walking into a room full of strangers. Sometimes friends, too, but always enemies. I know, too, that interaction with me can bring out the worst in bad people — but also the best in good people. I live always by my own standard of the good. A secondary consequence of that is that people who share that standard of the good, but who may not understand it in the way that I do, can learn from my behavior and my discussions of it. I’m not responsible for anyone’s action but my own, but I like the idea that I can share what I’ve learned about living the life of Splendor. To the extent that I manage anyone, that’s the way I do it — by managing my own life without concealing anything.
All that’s by way of getting to you, Teri Lussier. I knew you were right for BloodhoundBlog from the first, but I could not have foreseen how right you would turn out to be. You knock my socks off every time you write, but, beyond that — far beyond that — your love of rectitude is nothing short of thrilling. I am deeply honored to know you.
March 20, 2008 — 12:37 pm
Vance Shutes says:
Teri,
Congratulations on your year anniversary! In the short time I’ve been reading your work here, I’ve learned a great deal, and look forward to more.
Fellow Midwesterners, unite!
March 20, 2008 — 12:56 pm
Teri L says:
Cheryl-
😉
March 20, 2008 — 2:08 pm
Teri L says:
Greg-
Your description of “managing” BHB is accurate. And eventhough I’ve written about this many times, I don’t think people watching Project Blogger really understood that we’ve truly only spoken on the phone a few times- less than 2 hours total is my guess- is that about right? And not a lot of emailing back and forth. I bring this up here only because I’m nodding as I read your comment:
>I am careful to not manage people. I don’t like to have it done to me, so I don’t do it. I will share things I see with particular contributors, in case they might be interested.
That’s how our ‘team’ conducted business during that competition. Hallelujah.
As to the rest- Greg, Thank you. 🙂
March 20, 2008 — 2:25 pm
Teri L says:
Vance-
I’m thrilled to think you’ve learned something, anything from what I’ve written here.
See you May. Be prepared to work- this ain’t no party, this ain’t disco!
(In case someone missed the reference 😉 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzORu1dqEE0 )
March 20, 2008 — 2:33 pm
Mike Farmer says:
Congrats Teri. When I read what you write, I sense the person– that’s what I like in writing.
March 20, 2008 — 5:45 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Thanks Mike!
That’s nice to hear.
March 20, 2008 — 8:25 pm
Eric Blackwell says:
@Teri- and this is why I consider you a brother (read: sister) in arms. You are simply the best. (and yeah…I am gonna get off my butt and get twitter going…need 30 hours days!)
@Greg- Spot on. If people only knew that you and I have never actually spoken on the phone–grin. You are an online talent scout that makes Simon Cowell look like the piker that he is. Teri is a great example of that.
Kudos to you, Teri on a great Year 1!
March 21, 2008 — 5:23 am
Teri Lussier says:
Eric-
Thanks for your kind words. I always enjoy your writing as well even if I don’t comment often. Usually all I can think of to say is “Wow. Another great post!” so I say nothing.
Not holding my own “manhood” cheap, the “brother” is understood- no need for political correctness. And I think of you as kin, as well. 🙂
March 21, 2008 — 8:31 am