Happy New Year? Don’t mind if I do.

by Teri Lussier

Rust Belt Realtor

Author website

Happy New Year two weeks late? Not for me. I get a two week extension on the New Year since my birthday is tomorrow (my fave color is orange, I prefer dark chocolate, cash is always welcome)- that’s a New Year to me, regardless of what that once rockin’ Dick Clark says. It gives me a little wiggle room on getting those resolutions done; of which I have only one this year. 2007 was a great year, full of milestones of both the personal and professional type, but it sucked in many respects. My resolution for 2008 is simple: More great, less suckage.

Work is work and schnapps is schnapps, as an old German once told me. I like that idea: When you work, work. When you play, play- understand the difference between the two but appreciate them both. I can do that. At least I could do that. Social networking blurs the lines between the two, doesn’t it? Or does it?

My own personal conundrum: So many cool tools to connect to people and how do I use them to connect to people. I like people. I like connecting to people. That part is easy for me. It’s how to turn the connections into the work is work part that has me flummoxed.

Converging thoughts over the ether:

I received a gift through my inbox yesterday. Amazing timing. One of my own Bloodhound ninety and nine made himself known. I didn’t know I had a ninety and nine here, OTOH, it’s very possible that I only have a one and one. Nonetheless it was a pleasant surprise. He wrote asking for blogging advice and words of wisdom and to be honest, I had none to give him. I’m struggling with my own demons right now, so I told him as much. The power of blogging: This kind man whom I’ve never met, generously poured out a condensed 20 years of real estate business advice. A powerful gift unlike any I’ve received. I hope I can pay that forward someday.

This morning, catching up on my feeds, I see Bold Words has some excellent thoughts about what Social Networking can, does, and could mean. Spoiler Alert: It ain’t about you. But you already knew that, didn’t you. It’s about finely tuning your listening skills. All this networking means squat if I’m not listening.

I’m amazed at the number of blogs that have sprouted in Dayton since I started blogging and the truth is I haven’t paid much attention to them. When I first started blogging, linking to other local blogs was a huge priority. When did that stop? When did I stop listening? Looking back (auld lang syne and all that crap) my bloggy demons began to emerge when I quit listening to what was going on here, well, not ‘here’, as in Bloodhound, but ‘here’ as in Dayton. I missed the opportunity to welcome these blogs to the fray, I missed a chance to listen. That’s suckage.

I ran into a Dayton blogging buddy this week and he asked me how things were going back at The Brick Ranch. I said “Ugh” or something to that effect. I’m more articulate on some days than others. His advice: “Write what you feel passionately about. That’s what makes it interesting for your readers”. Yeah, I know- I’ve heard that before too, but we forget. Okay, I forget. Okay, sometimes I just don’t listen.

But it’s a Happy New Year to me, and out of all this advice I can work a SocNet plan for 2008: More listening, more passion: More great, less suckage.