Spring fever renders me unfit to tackle big issues facing Web 2.0 and the real estate industry, so we get to play in the mud instead!

by Teri Lussier

Rust Belt Realtor

Author website

Yeah. Well.

There are always heavy duty posts on Bloodhound and I do my best to keep up. Lately, I’ve been percolating my own brand of seriousness. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about: Web 2.0 is different for girls. I’ve been pondering this for quite awhile, and last week it dawned on me that I might not be the best person to address that issue as I don’t think like a girl. Want proof? I’m here, aren’t I? Bloodhound isn’t the most girly place to hang, but that’s fine. Here’s the thing: it’s Friday, and it is Spring in Dayton. We’ve had a long, grey, and gloomy Winter, but it’s been 70 for the last few days, and the sky is blue and the sun is shining, and the mere fact that I’m making note of that will tell you exactly how cloudy it’s been around here.

Still, I have been doing some research on my serious topic of gender differences and apparently, I’m not the only one who has been thinking about this.

How about a BlogHer Study that says women might trust blogs more that traditional media.

The survey, conducted with Compass Partners LLC, illustrates several surprising new trends in social media, specifically that 36.2 million women write and read blogs every week and approximately half consider blogs a “highly reliable” or “very reliable” source of information and advice about everything from products to presidential candidates. Fully 24 percent of women surveyed say they now watch less television because they are blogging instead.

The implications for marketing real estate in a blog format could fill a blog post or two- if only it was miserable outside.

Want proof that girls might looking at this whole Web 2.0 thing differently than boys? Men are from video games, women are from soc nets. h/t @BradCoy

For those under 30, women and men are just as likely to be members of social networks. Sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Flixster are extraordinarily popular. But we found that young women are much more active on these sites then young men. And for people above 30, men – especially married men – aren’t even joining social networks.. With the notable exception of LinkedIn usage and VCs in the Bay Area friending everyone on Facebook, married men are not hanging out on social networks. Married women, however, are joining social networks in droves. In fact, women between the ages 35-50 are the fastest growing segment on social networks, especially on MySpace.

Again, we can learn from this right? If only the weather wasn’t so conducive to being out in it.

I’m too busy enjoying the weather to tackle this subject properly, but you all can discuss this amongst yourselves if you feel the need.

I confess so much here on Bloodhound, why stop now. My favorite blogs are the blogs I read for pure entertainment. I read these blogs because they make me laugh, and I’m a huge fan of laughing. Today I got a giggle out of Attack of the Redneck Mommy. I figure her post about being a not-so-girly woman perfectly sums up my thoughts on this gorgeous spring day:

To this day, I still prefer playing in the dirt to having to doll up and pretend I’m a woman.

Yet slowly over the years, I’ve buried my dirty girl side a little deeper and started to embrace my inner woman. I can gussy up with the best of them and not feel so socially awkward anymore.

But I find I’m taking out the garbage less and less and passing that on to Frac and my husband. Same goes with digging flower beds or hauling wood.

It’s not so much that I’m scared I’m going to break a nail (heck, I cut them all to the quick anyways) but more that I am fundamentally lazy. Why do something that involves back breaking labour when I can get a boy to do it?

It’s just common sense, people.

Still, I worry about the example I am setting for my kids. I want my kids to know I can do anything from cleaning out a freezer of rotten meat to fixing the plugged toilet and everything that falls in between.

Which is why I was annoyed with myself. After weeks of staring at my new shiny rusty truck sitting in my driveway I realized I hadn’t gone near it since my husband tossed the keys in my lap and drove off.

That truck scared me. I was afraid of getting stuck or having oh, the axles fall out, while I was driving it.

Which as my friends pointed out, is ridiculous because just last Wednesday I got stuck in a muddy ditch with my car and managed to get unstuck all on my own. (So I may need a new transmission. Big deal.)

I was avoiding the truck. I needed to conquer my fears and stop thinking like a priss and just drive the damn thing.

So I did. Sure I kinda bunny hopped it for a few clicks until I got the feel of it, but before long Bertha and I were fast friends. My husband was right. She did run like a dream.

I got so excited about my new scary truck driving abilities that I decided to head over to the DragonLady’s place and show off my driving prowess. As she saw me bounce that rig up her bumpy drive way she told the hubs to look after the kids and than ran out to greet me.

Turns out Bertha likes to go 4×4′ing. Turns out the Dragon Lady just happens to own a large amount of land conducive to letting Bertha’s bitchiness loose.

Picture two stay at home moms war whooping and laughing as we bounced about and sprayed dirt through the fields.

Turns out, I should really be a monster truck driver. It would seem I’ve got an affinity for it. Heh.

Or at least that is what I thought until I decided to pin it through a rather wet looking bog. And sank my Bertha up to her axles.

Shit.

You can read the entire saga of Bertha here.

Coincidentally, I have plans to do some 4×4’ing when I’m in Phoenix for Bloodhound Unchained. Any other redneck-y chicks who care to join me are welcome to. You boys are on your own.

Until then… Corb Lund, Truck got Stuck. h/t Redneck Mommy