We're up again! Those wonderful blogging boomers have posted some great material – from
life as a grandparent to job loss anxiety; fashion to the adjustment when suddenly unemployed adult kids move back home. Drop by and take a look!
Category: Weblogs
Inaugural Reflections and Other Stuff at Blogging Boomers 102
Great minds definitely think in sync, at least some of them. Although this week's Blogging Boomers Carnival isn't "all inauguration, all the time" there's plenty of The Big Day top choose from, although the perspectives differ enormously. Beyond that there's everything from fashion to comic books to retirement in a bad economy. Stop on by.
Inaugural Thoughts from Around the Web
So much has been written about this Inauguration that I thought I'd take you on a little tour; there's not much I want to say beyond what's been said and said and said again, so I'm sharing the thoughts of others instead.
Tina Brown calls yesterday 9/11 in reverse. It's pretty interesting.
If you go to the Huffington Post today, the 21st, you'll see Inaugural magazine covers and front pages from around the globe.
Over at Talking Points Memo, Matt Cooper considers the "hawkish" nature of the Inaugural address, and its meaning. Politico's John Harris offers a more complete analysis of both style and substance.
Michael Tomasky at The Guardian thinks the speech was "prose, not poetry" for a reason. And American Prospect's Ezra Klein has a nice little set of observations from his seat in "the second row."
Atlantic columnist Marc Ambinder has noticed, as the day went on, that "even motorcades have changed" in the new administration. And BlogHer's Erin Kotecki Vest describes the logistical disasters that, huge as they were, failed to ruin the day.
Women's Voices for Change ran a live blog for contributors and members all day. It's posted in three parts.
If you know Mocha Momma you know that she mixes the irreverent and the sublime. Yesterday was no different.
The Women's Rights blog at Change.org features a moved, and moving, post from editor Jen Nedeau. and a French friend of mine described using my Inauguration post to teach her students. It's interesting.
So. This is a random survey. I'll be back tomorrow with some thoughts of my own.
Blogging Boomers Carnival Hits 100! Don’t Miss It
Hard to believe, the the fiercely productive Blogging Boomers offer, this week, their 100th carnival entry. Among the posts to celebrate this landmark: life after a tough divorce, supercentarians: what it's like to be 105, keeping all that personal stuff off your "official" Facebook page and much more. Help us celebrate our 100th effort: come by and show some love.
At Your Service: Following the MLK Day Tradition on Inauguration Eve (and Yes, The Lorax)
We're coming up on Martin Luther King Day, the eve of the Obama Inauguration, and the President-Elect is asking us all, as is traditional on this day, to find ways to volunteer. As usual, Beth Kanter, whose Beth's Blog is a motherlode of social media strategy, especially for non-profits, suggests an easy to start. Take part in Share Our Strength's Text for Food campaign. It's not hard. Here's what they suggest:
Ways that you can help:
- Text "SHARE" to 20222 to donate $5 to Share Our Strength.
When you do, AT&T will match your donation up to $100,000. 100% of
this donation will go to supporting Share Our Strength's efforts to end
childhood hunger in America.- Hold a protein-rich food drive.
Food Drive efforts are essential sources of food for community food
banks. They rely heavily on food donations to distribute much needed
food to struggling people.- Make a Donation. If you want to make a donation but can't make one through your cell phone, please consider making a donation online.
A random survey suggest that many of us have found great ways to offer support on Monday, and our fellow bloggers have made it easy to find them. Start with Blog Her's Britt Bravo post that covers everything: a myraid of volunteer match-up sites, ways to spread the word, reading material and more. Lisa Sabater's Culture Kitchen lists Democrats at Work resources in several states including Florida, Virginia and Washington, and links some in Washington DC, too. Montgomery County? Try A Parent in Silver Spring's list. If you haven't found a place near you, this USA Service site will hook you up. All you need is a zip code.
Hilltown Families, a group in Western Massachusetts, my old stomping grounds, links to local activities and even has a video to get you going. Moving from Granola gulch to the establishment, Citi has urged its 100,000+ employees to take part, and offers opportunities in many of its location cities. Also nationally, Black Politics on the Web reports that nine major African American sororities (the divine nine) have joined together to answer the call.
As I suspect is happening in many cities, Sioux Falls is holding a major food drive. Springfield, MO is running a multi-park cleanup. Native American and Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills urges " As American Indians, we should join Americans from across the country in this call to service." and goes on to mention several youth activities in "Indian country" where help is needed.
If you're a loner, or just want to do something personal, Seth Godin (no surprise) provides a list of things you can do, from my own favorite: "Read a copy of the Lorax to a child that's never heard it" to lots of great ways to share technical knowledge. One example: "Find a tool that non-profits need online, and then organize some brilliant people to build it as an opensource utility."
Lisa Catherine Harper, of Generation X Raising Generation O has a nice meditation on how to figure out what sort of service will have the most impact on younger children. So does The Green Parent. Progressive News from the Big Apple links to a directory of many NYC opportunities, some of which begin before the 19th.
As I said, this is a random survey. I'm sure there are local events for every age in every city. It's going to be quite a day.
Tuesday Tour #2
This Tuesday Tour is actually doing some random wandering. You know, we do it so you don't have to. First of all, Women's Rights at Change.org features two great posts in a row: One on equal pay laws and the risk they may pose. It's very provocative, and crammed with both information and exciting ideas. The second is an intriguing meditation on the emergence (or not) of the Fourth Wave of feminism. They'll keep you busy thinking long after you've read them.
In case you missed this one, the inimitable Leslie Bradshaw describes a whole new way to look at online advertising. Whether you have online real estate or not, this concept of "nanotargeting" is intriguing, and a little unsettling. For comfort, go see the most amazing pair of shoes ever. Really.
Educators take note: Jason Fall's Social Media Explorer not only offers a list of the top election blogs but also, in a great lesson in Internet research, explains how he found them. The always-wise Charlene Li has altered her year-end predictions; which deals, appropriately this close to the Inauguration, with "the Obama-maniacs." BlogHer's Erin Kotecki Vest previews BlogHer Inauguration coverage plans. And we end with another inauguration story – but it's more fun if you don't know what it is until you get there. See you tomorrow.
Blogging Boomers Carnival #99
Blogging boomers are back – just one week away from the 100th week of the Carnival. And as usual, there's plenty worthy of your time. The British invasion, messy closets, the Joy of Sex and cellphone love are among the topics offered for your reading pleasure. Don't miss it!
Introducing Tuesday Tours: Random Worthy Blog Posts
Welcome to Tuesday Tours. There's so much good stuff out in the Blog Universe; we all have our blog readers filled with those we love. It's tough to keep up though, so until further notice, I'll be offering Tuesday tours of some of my own frequent favorites.
One of my favorite bloggers, Pundit Mom, offers posts at two ends of the spectrum as the week begins. Both are worth reading. The first: advice to the Obamas about the neighborhood around Sidwell Friends School. It's just fun. The second is a serious post with a serious question: When is it right to tell an airline official that a passenger is making you nervous
?
Concerned about what's going on in Israel? Check back daily at Writes Like She Talks, where Jill Zimon has her finger on what's up all over the Web. Here's a sample.
The wise Maria Niles is looking to figure out all those generation labels like X and Boomer and Millennial — and what they mean (and what the heck her own is.)
Also "generationally speaking," you know that all last year I wrote comparing 1968 and 2008. Well, Time Goes By columnist Saul Friedman has done me one (actually two) better, writing of lessons from his own iconic president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Obama's point of reference, Abraham Lincoln.
Beth Kanter is a legend. Rightfully so. So when she offers 52 ways for Non-profits to use social media efficiently as a New Year's gift to her readers, I'm figuring that at least some of them can help the rest of us too.
Two of my favorite moms have something special too: I'm late on this one, but Her Bad Mother's description of a willful three-year-old (it's long so wait until you have time) is priceless. Some kids are just strong strong little people.
Also, Woulda Coulda Shoulda's Mir Kamin celebrated her son's last single-digit birthday with a wonderful hymn to a newly-nine-year-old. She never misses, that one.
Finally, this one – because the happy family in the photo is mine.
Visit This Jewish Blog Carnival – It’s Interesting
This carnival is fascinating – many sides of issues relating to Judaism, observant or secular Jewish life and, of course, Israel. It's pretty diverse, take a look and see what you think. Full disclosure: a post of mine is included.
Blogging Boomers Carnival #97 –
Once again the Blogging Boomers Carnival arrives – this time at I Remember JFK. This week it covers everything from midlife love affairs to commuting by bike to Peyton Place – and, of course, the holidays. Don't miss it!