If we were having coffee, I would tell you this was one of those weeks that started out hectic and got absolutely insane before it was done. The day job takes a lot of time and attention to detail this time of year, so not a lot of planned free time to be on the social media. I could not have kept all the balls in the air this week without a smart phone, so good that I got one back in August.
I would tell you my family is awesome. It’s been a week of homework and errands. I haven’t seen much of them this week, which is typical for late January because most of my time goes to the office and to keeping the writing up. This has been a more writing-intensive week than usual because my friend Gretchen turned me on to 1000 Voices Speaking for Compassion, also known as #1000Speak.
The idea of #1000Speak is to have 1000 bloggers write something about compassion and publish their posts on Feb. 20. Gretchen tagged me with it on Facebook and I put the post through on Monday afternoon. By the time I was able to get home and look at the details, Diana and Sabina had already joined the group and I decided I liked it well enough to give it a promotional post and join the discussion.
At the time I made my decision, the group had fewer than 100 members and the posting date hadn’t even been decided. I figured I’d write a post, pick up 5 or 10 more bloggers for it, and put the date on my calendar when it was announced. I rushed out a short post for Tuesday so I’d have the link to share and generate buzz leading up to the weekend.
Before I was halfway done writing the post, a hashtag was being crafted. There was a thread in the group just for video-producers to brainstorm a project. Feb. 20 was being discussed as the posting date because it coincides with the U.N. World Day for Social Justice. And just to be crystal clear — you do not have to mention social justice to join in here. The only requirement is to do a blog post about compassion in your own way. But the choice of posting date is an exceptionally good one.
On Tuesday, I came home to find that the Facebook group had grown to 300. That blew my mind. I started tracking the growth in comments on my timeline. As I write this in the wee hours of Saturday morning, the group is above 750 and the Facebook page has almost 400 likes. Promotional images and blog posts are beginning to spread across the Internet. People are using the logo as profile images. Videos are sure to follow.
And here is the brilliant thing. Every blogger who’s been paying attention to me this week (and I really have no clue how many that is) now knows about my favorite weekly social activities for bloggers. That information can be helpful to them long after Feb. 20 has come and gone, and those are the sorts of activities that allow people to get to know one another and form friendships. So in addition to doing my bit for a worthy cause and a favor for some bloggers I appreciate, I have accomplished a personal goal this week, as well.
I’d tell you, too, how grateful I am that I’ve gotten to know Lizzi better this week and struck up a conversation with Yvonne. It’s been a hectic week, but worth it. The most fulfilling week of blogging I’ve had since I started.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you the long run of contributor blogging we’ve been planning since October starts Monday at Sourcerer. We’ll have posts from four bloggers other than me there over the next week. I’ll have a preview tomorrow and you’ll see some new “Recent Posts” widgets on the sidebar over there later today.
I’d tell you the Feminist Friday schedule is solid to start on January 30 at Part Time Monster, and promotion for that starts next week. Gretchen was to write the post for Feb. 20. Gretchen and I discussed a tie-in. We decided that since at least four of us are writing for #1000Speak, and Gretchen has another post idea for that, it’s best to just take that week off and use the weekend to read and comment on compassion posts rather than building a thread for ourselves. Aside from that minor adjustment, the schedule hasn’t changed since the last announcement.
Then I’d ask what you got up to this week.
(ed. – The linky post for the Weekend Coffee Share at Part Time Monster goes up at 9 am Eastern Time and we retweet from #WeekendCoffeeShare at odd intervals on Saturdays. I took an early nap this evening, so posting this early because I want to see what posting on Saturday morning, European time, does to the weekend traffic. If I see new faces in the likes/comments, I may try it out for awhile. This blog is good for that since I typically only post here a couple of times per week.)
I love the idea of compassion posts…but I hate…*hate*….facebook. No link-up on any other forum? Other than a hashtag?
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I understand the dislike of Facebook. I’ve not heard any talk of a link-up, but I really want a shared one.
I just have neither the premium apps nor the capacity to manage a linkup of this magnitude. I am just learning the linky thing. I’ll float the idea soon if no one else does.
Facebook membership is NOT required to join in by writing a post, and if you remember to drop me a link or tweet me one, I will share it on Facebook for you. I’ll be chattering about it and keeping my readers here up-to-date on the happenings.
Yvonne and Lizzi are the bloggers who started this, so I am sure they will be blogging about it often between now and Feb. 20. If I hear of a linkup, I will let you know.
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Thanks. I was hoping one already existed, definitely not asking you to make one:( I have thus far passed on any activities that are FB only, but I’m officially intrigued.
Not trying to be a pain. I know you’re busy. I appreciate the offer to post for me.
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Well, there’s plenty of time, and this is a group of 750 people, many of whom are very savvy about some blogs, and it is a busily engaged group. Keep in mind, this thing did not exist at all on Sunday night.
I did not think you were being a pain. I don’t care for Facebook myself. I use it because I have so much behind-the-curtain collaboration tied up there.
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That’s pretty amazing:)
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There was going to be a linky I already suggested that. Plus an online magazine such as Scoop it!
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yay! Thank you, Serins. I just haven’t heard. That group has so many ideas, it is impossible to keep up.
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yea, it is crazy! 🙂 I’ve never seen such a thing! 🙂
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Do you know who’s doing that stuff or what blogs I should have on my list to keep up with it and catch the linky and the scoop when it starts up?
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The scoop it will ping you to your post… it can only be done once your post has gone live. I hope they put it all together… um Yvonne Spence is the main initiator.
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Cooool. Thank you. I just met Yvonne this week, and we’ve been talking about other things and trying to not take up too much of one another’s time, is why I haven’t heard.
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🙂
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🙂 we are not all in America. However I do tend to schedule most of my posts for later in the day, which is when it is morning for Americans. 🙂
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🙂 I may have missed something, or possibly said something? Good that you schedule for morning in America. For day-to day posting, and if you only have one post, the way you want to think is hit New York about mid-morning, which is afternoon in London. What that actually gets you is a good internet posting time from the midwest to Western Europe. That is absolutely the best you can do with one post per day, I think.
Remember this, always. If you are blogging in English on the Internet, no matter what kind of specific audience you are looking for, you want to post while literate, English-speaking people who can afford technology are online and in a mood to read. Hitting one side of the Atlantic in the morning and the other in the afternoon is the same time is absolutely the best you can do for that if you are looking for a global audience as opposed to a local one.
The actual cycle starts in Europe, in the morning, which is a real pain in the ass for me when I am trying to cover the globe with an idea like I was attempting today. I have friends here who post in the wee hours of the morning because they have friends in Europe, and they want those people to have the posts in the morning, but they don’t post every day so they can afford to do that. I may start doing that with this blog soon. It worked pretty darn well today.
apologies for the lenght. I geek out on things like when to post.
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🙂 yup it really does make a difference. I’ve been playing with posting times and find the 4PM my time to be good time to post. 6pm also gets good results. Sometimes however I just want to publish that post, because… well just because. 😉 (I’m 7 hours behind Eastern American time.)
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Sounds about right, then. I am 8 hours ahead of you.
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🙂 🙂 how come I didnt stumble upon your blog sooner??
Eager for 20th! 🙂
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Hiya! 🙂 I know we’ve chatted, but that might be the first time I visited your blog today. I wasn’t following it until you followed me and I realized I forgot to do that while I was reading your marvelous 10 Things of Thankful.
This sort of thing happens to me all the time on social media. So many blogs out there. So very many.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Thank YOU! 🙂
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It has been a true inspiration, watching the speed at which #1000Speak has grown. I’m not great on Facebook, I try, and mostly fail to keep up with things, but I added my name to the list and will keep an eye on the group. I’ve seen you over there a lot 🙂 What you’ve done, and continue to do for the community is nothing short of amazing.
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Yes, so many blogs, but that is why this whole thing already is and will end up being as successful as it has been.
🙂
I am bad with technology. I am on Facebook, but you are right that it is hard to keep up with the way this thing is growing. What is a link-up?
I don’t know much, but I have managed to have a blog and I will write my piece on Feb 20th and be a part of this great great initiative, spreading compassion in a world so full of horrors.
Thanks for all the updates and info.
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A linkup means everyone linking their blog to one place. Can be done on comment threads, but that is inconvenient to read. The Weekend Coffee share is linkup. It’s better, than a thread, because it allows people to add their links to a list. So easier to pick and choose and browse from.
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I find my Facebook timeline just spits at me whatever it chooses and often I miss a lot. As a person with a disability I LOVE this idea and want to join in.
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yep. Took me weeks and a lot of work to get my main news feed even remotely useful. I’m in a couple of groups, and I have created myself a bunch of lists. I mostly use those.
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It was a pretty great week, wasn’t it? I’m so glad you jumped in with both feet! Your input is crucial and this is exactly (I think) the kind of thing you and Diana and I have been wanting to start.
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I was great, and yes, something like this was what I had in mind. I wish it had happened a week earlier, and am super-glad it didn’t happen a week later, because I would not have been able to give it that kind of attention if it had.
But these things are kind of like weather. You can’t predict them, and you never really know where they are going.
The reason I jumped in so hard on the second day is because I’ve learned this from experience: When you see something like that first day of growth happening, and you want to push it along, you have to move FAST to do i.
I don’t see any reason at this point we can’t have 1,000+ bloggers doing this by February and the group much larger than that.
If it grows much larger there wlll be potential for some random piece of it to go viral and take that logo and hashtag with it.
And it is already so big there has to be a FP post in it for some lucky blogger. Think about the stuff we’ve seen Freshly-Pressed from friends. You, Diana, Sabina, Luther (could probably think of more). All have two things in common. 1. Premium quality, and 2. Opinionated posts about social things.
Can you tell I am still excited?
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I love how you just jumped into this new project Gene’O! Your energy and that of this huge blogger crew is a joy to watch. I wish I had your social media confidence. I will have to do my (tiny) part by retweeting all news and of course by posting on the 20th.
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The confidence took much time to develop, but tiny successes add up over time. I am finally to the point where I am able to admit to myself that I know what I am doing with it more than half the time 🙂
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Projects, projects everywhere!
And all I want to do right this minute is finish reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane. 🙂
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Wow, brand new here and I joined the #1000Speak facebook. I cannot wait. I love the idea and your blog. I am linking to it so more people are aware. Not that I have a lot of readers being so new, but a few more can’t hurt! Great post!
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Yay! Thank you for joining in. I don’t have a lot of readers either, but a lot of friends 🙂 I’m wrapping up a hard week of promotion for this thing. Basically, making sure every blogger who sometimes pays attention to me on the internet knows about this and has a chance to decide whether to join in or not.
And welcome to my blog! Thank you for reading, and for commenting. I love some comments.
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Hey, just looked at your blog. Not sure it is going to ping me when you link because it looks like a wordpress.org powered blog, so feel free to drop a link to your post on one of my threads. And if you happen to be on Twitter, sending your link to #1000Voices gets it a retweet from me tomorrow, or whenever you get the post up. If not, I will tweet it for you 🙂
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I can’t believe how fast the group grew! It’s fantastic! It’s going to be a lot of blog reading and sharing but so, so incredibly worth it and I have to admit I am looking forward to it. It’s always a good time to promote compassion but I think the timing for this project is critical considering the happenings in the world lately.
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I agree with that absolutely. Critical.
By the way, I’m wrapping up a week of hard promotion tomorrow with massive retweets for bloggers. I do that almost every Sunday anyway, because I retweet all the #weekendcoffeeshare links from our linkup and I am also a regular at #sundayblogshare. I did a quick, week-long promotion for that one back in the fall when it started up, so lots of my friends use it.
I retweeted everything from that hashtag today to the point that I ran out around 2 pm, my time. I’ve asked the group to share things and load it back up for me, and also my friends.
If you have 5 minutes to spare, even tweeting one good link or image to #1000Speak before you wrap up tonight would be helpful. Because that is one more retweet for me tomorrow, and I am tweeting with bloggers most of the day.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Looking forward to the Feminist Friday(s)!
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So am I! They move around. The first one will be at Part Time Monster, written by me, on the 30th.
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wow – this is a great challenge – what is the hidden secret? I enjoyed reading it and brings good practice for us!
https://kmihran.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/mihran-kalaydjian-playing-tribute-to-my-parents-melody/
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