The Blog

The Bloggers – The site is managed by two bloggers known only as Mandy and Donna.  The artwork they post is submitted by readers just like you!

A Post We Luv – The Butterfly Sampler is simply amazing!

10 Questions with Wil of Spot Cool Stuff

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
How about one phrase or less:  Destinations, gadgets, music, movies, websites and high design items with a WOW factor.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Only one? My most recent post is still swirling in my mind. So, at this moment, I have to point you to Eat Breakfast With A Giraffe.  Besides the fact that I hope this post makes people go WOW, my intent was to make this place seem accessible. Almost anyone with the means can go experience it for themselves, you don’t need to be any great adventurer. I mean, how great is it that we live on a planet where there’s a Giraffe Manor?

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Our WOW factor. And that we bring that sensibility (or try to) to all five categories we write about: travel, tech, media, websites, and design.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
At the same time bloggers first discovered blogging, back in the late 90s or early 2000s when I was working for the Discovery Channel Online.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Blogs that have more ads than useful content. I saw a blog yesterday (I wish I could remember the URL) that was literally dozens of adsense ads surrounding a blog post that was, wait for it, one sentence long.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Especially on the travel portion of Spot Cool Stuff I couldn’t live without my Folding Categories plugin; I have so many categories it would really be impossible otherwise.  The plugin I’m starting to like more and more is CommentLuv. I started using it in my Travel And Websites areas but might be expanding that to the others.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
How can you not go for some one dead if that option is out there?  Lots of names come to mind but in the end I’d have to say Leonardo da Vinci.  I’m not sure there’s ever been a person who has more sought out life’s WOW factors.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Interesting that you are assuming that it has. Writing, researching and making contact with others has certainly enriched my life. But made me a better person?  I’m not sure.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
A friend of mine recently launched a blog and asked me to take a look. Her blog posts were written in light red text placed upon a medium-red background.  Naturally, I told her that her readers might find her color choice difficult to read and headache-inducing. Her reply: “But I like red!”  So my advice is this: Think about your blog from your reader’s point of view.  How does what you are writing appear to them? What’s THEIR experience on your blog and how can you make that better? What do they want to know?  On almost every blog I’ve been to (mine as well, in some ways) the blogger is far too self-centric.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Breed ‘Em And Weep – Excellent writing, combined with a delicious sense of humor and profound outlook on life.

10 Questions with Corey of Diligent Design

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
Diligent Design is not a blog about making money online or about beating out Digg and search engines. Diligent Design is a blog for newbies, professionals, and internet enthusiasts who started blogging for a reason: to have fun. While there are definitely professional “on-topic” posts at the blog, I also try to include posts that really bring back the human element to blogging, such as “why bloggers are like rugs” or “how to kick a habit by blogging.” It’s all about the fun and the community.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Who Are You? or Designing Your Portfolio
I think this post shows a lot about my character just because it’s about making mistakes and getting frustrated with designer’s block and trying to overcome that. I feel like I constantly have these random attacks of “Murphy’s Law” (what can go wrong will go wrong!) and so this is just another example of my pushing through.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
Aside from being super young (16) I also manage to find connections that other bloggers just don’t think about, and I try to write with the idea of really affecting someone in my readership. In essence, I “blog to move someone.” My favorite (and one of the blog’s most popular) post which got annihilated in the server crash was “Why Bloggers Are Like Pregnant Women.” It was fun to write and it really got people thinking.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
The word was being thrown around on television a lot about celebrity blogs and myspace blogs and so I setup a LiveJournal account and started talking about my 8th grade life. It really was quite fascinating, especially when me and my friends had a war over AIM. The community ate that up. After realizing that people actually enjoy the way I write, I figured, why not try self-hosting?

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Everybody is into “niche blogging” and “making money online” and my personal favorite, “digg worthy posts.” I’m getting pretty sick of lists that don’t really innovate! Of posts that are nothing but ad fodder. What happened to blogging for fun and connection and the profit was just kind of on the side?

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Feedburner, definitely. RSS and XML and other associated acronyms confuse the heck out of me, and it’s nice to just copy and paste and let people connect with Diligent Design.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Douglas Adams (author of HitchHiker’s Guide to the Universe) because I absolutely love his writing style and how he subtly critiques the world around us. I’d really love to see what he thinks about blogging or what connections he might make.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
It’s definitely taught me to be patient. I remember I would start internet projects and think that they would go off in a weekend. (I was like 12, but still) I learned that things take time, even something as simple as trying to put up a favicon.

Another thing I learned, which goes hand in hand with patience, is how to talk to and deal with people. Asking for interviews can be kind of scary, but at the same time, in real life I’ve got to meet new people and I’ve got to deal with people who will criticize me and handle it smoothly, because of the groups I belong to and the commitments I’ve made, as an honor student and a band officer and just a good kid.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
When people review your blog, consider their opinions! I know way too many defensive webmasters.

Also, take the time to use Google, because aside from slowly taking over the world, they actually do give you search results. Lookup CSS references and grammar references and wikipedia and whatever else interests you. You wouldn’t believe how annoying it is to have a PM box full of requests to fix little problems with CSS on a free template.

Finally, remember that it doesn’t matter if you’re an expert or if you’re 13 or 53, it’s about how you write, and what you bring to the table. If you’ve got super awesome writing skills, use them. For example, I can define antidisestablishmentarianism. I don’t need to, but I can do it.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
Atomic Robo definitely. It used to be a story blog, I think? Now it’s a comic. All I know is I woke up one day and checked it at random and there was a hilarious post about frogs, and I just kept coming back for more. I don’t actually read the comic, but the post themselves are really entertaining. I think it’s just one of those blogs where the writing style hooks you, even if you aren’t part of the group.

The Blog – The Wooden Fish is an attractive looking blog featuring tech related articles, movie reviews, Wordpress discussion and even some great looking original desktop wallpapers for download.

The Blogger – Originally from China, George Yang now resides in San Diego and considers himself an elementary web designer, though it would be difficult to agree with that just by observing the work he’s done with his own site. George is fluent in Chinese, Spanish and English.

A Post We Luv – George writes a short but sweet review of Juno, a movie which I absolutely adored.

The Blog – 0at.org is a blog which encompasses topics related to marketing and design (and a smidge of humor and personal topics) written by a professional designer. Chances are you may have seen his work – Drivl, SEOmoz, Web 2.0 Awards, and FilmCritic.com, just to name a few.

The Blogger – Matthew Inman is a 25 year old web designer, developer, marketer and co-founder of SEOmoz.

A Post We Luv – A Bear With a Mullet. Matthew asked his readers to choose something for him to draw. This was the winner.

10 Questions with Paul of Museum of Pop Archaeology

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
Museum of Pop Archaeology is an online museum/informational source about the history of pop music. Each exhibit examines a facet or historical segment of popular music, supported with ample documentation, authentic pictures, and a suspiciously ample supply of transcribed private conversations. We also have a Facebook group with officers who are all charged with administrative duties and some sort of food preparation. (P.S. It’s satire. Don’t tell anyone. Satire does not sell, and we need the bucks.)

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
I will go with Exhibit 15: Meeting the Devil at the Crossroads.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
I tend to wheeze a bit, especially during strenuous activity.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
About 2001, when I ill-advisedly started keeping a ”diary” on a community Scoop site. Back then it was an acceptable substitute for being a sensitive singer/songwriter. Meaning I could unleash all my pain and internal torment in exact and often embarrassing fashion. That led to a record review blog. Finally I started the Museum because I really got sick of telling the truth about everything.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
Work blogs. I can’t stand blogs about work.

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Wikipedia. Lying takes a whole lot of research. And Wikipedia’s the most cursory, drive-thru source of information I’ve ever seen.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Steve Martin, because he’d fit the format. Hell, I’ve practically stolen his point of view for the whole thing. Also Henry Miller, if he’s interested.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
It’s lessened the need for psychoactive medication.

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Don’t be afraid to edit. Measure the tempo and pacing of your words. Inserting a good joke is always worth it. And don’t feel compelled to write about Britney Spears. That angle is covered.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
WFMU’s Beware Of The Blog – It’s conceivable that this blog could be solely responsible for all your entertainment needs except for sexual congress. And even then, if you were physically talented, it might still work for that too.

The Blogger – Andrew is self-employed and resides in New York with his wife and two children. He is a lifelong comic book fan, and even spent a number of years working in the industry. In addition to Comic Book Marks, he also authors My Blog Rules and Everybody Loves Coupons.

A Post We Luv - I Bleed for Captain America – Andrew has his eye on a new Honda Element, painted with images of Captain America. You can win it just by donating blood at Comic Con in San Diego later this month.

For more information about Andrew, be sure to read 10 Questions with Andrew of My Blog Rules, Everybody Loves Coupons – A Blog We Luv, and My Blog Rules – A Blog We Luv.

The Blogger – JC is 36 years old and resides in Texas. He enjoys photography, movies, reading, sports, gardening, and music. He looks like Patrick Dempsey, and he’s single!

A Post We Luv – JC has been participating in the Self Portrait Challenge for a couple of years now. He has created some of the most intriguing portraits I’ve ever seen, but when he recently posted a fully nude photo of himself, I was in awe. This guy is extremely brave, and equally hot! But don’t worry. The photo is very tasty…I mean tasteful!