Best of the Bloggers (formerly Featured TypePad)

Favorite Blogs: One Dollar For George

2009-06-29T16:43:28-07:00

Lighten Up Bikes' motto is "biking is fun. fun is good." which I totally agree with. The latest cool project they're doing is helping George, an Atlanta local who collects cans to supplement his social security income, to get a bike made specifically for that purpose. George is a 62 year old Vietnam vet, and in the words of the blog:

"This is George. George lives in SW Atlanta. He collects cans by the roadside and hauls his load on this bicycle. Last night, I received an email from my friend Ken that simply said "we gotta get George a Mundo". To which I replied, "Who the hell is George?". To which Ken replied, "dude george the guy who hauls all the cans on his bike up and down murphy". One dollar for George was born."

They're not telling George that they're raising money for his new bike - they're just hoping to get him one, one dollar at a time - and it takes about 100 cans to get $1. Do you have a dollar for George's new bike?

Visit One Dollar for George.

Favorite Blogs: Geek and Poke

2009-06-16T14:41:39-07:00

Geek and Poke is a blog/comic strip about the slings and arrows of working in the tech world.

Want to know what it is that geeks love? Or think about how the Facebook generation interacts on the playground?

There's a cool slideshow, interesting graphics, and a whizbang “geo counter” that shows where everyone is posting from, all over the world.

Visit Geek And Poke.

Best of The Bloggers: Amazon Blogs

2009-05-27T10:43:34-07:00

Amazon.com is ubiquitous these days - but did you know they've got a whole network of blogs hosted on TypePad? ChordStrike, a music blog, just posted an interview with Tori Amos, and Al Dente, a food blog, can tempt your tastebuds with a birthday Oreo trifle. You can customize which blogs you want to appear on your Amazon Daily dashboard, and sift through which posts are the most relevant to you: video games, home and family, gadgetry, or dozens of other topics.

Do you have a favorite online shop with a blog, or a bookstore blog that's helping you find new things to read? Let us know in the comments.

Favorite Blogs: fffabulous.com

2009-05-11T11:30:32-07:00

fffabulous.com is a great example of how professional—or should I say fffabulous? a TypePad blog can look.

fffabulous.com uses the Minimialist Pink template we recommend in our Design section; and with a bit of personalization, it just looks like it's been custom-made. fffabulous.com is all about fffavorites that one must try out and own, whether it's about the perfect pair of jeans, trendy shoes, or beauty products, or even men's or baby stuff. You can also find the perfect gift ideas for the fffabulous person in your life.

Visit fffabulous.com.

Favorite Blogs: Daily Routines

2009-05-04T09:32:34-07:00

Daily Routines is just that: a chronicle of the daily routines of the great writers, artists and thinkers, straight from their pages to you. That's the singular common thread, as the gamut of routines runs from early risers to late-night boozehounds: the struggles of Capote to do so much as to get vertical during his day, Kingsley Amis' battle against the afternoon doldrums, Toni Morrison's love of the pre-dawn.

You may have heard about Daily Routines from all the praise it's been getting online lately, including from influential TypePad blogs like the Times and Andrew Sullivan (and MT-powered perennnial fave BoingBoing).

A favorite exchange of mine is a quote from an interview with Arthur Miller.

INTERVIEWER
Do you have a routine for writing?

MILLER
I wish I had a routine for writing. I get up in the morning and I go out to my studio and I write. And then I tear it up! That's the routine, really. Then, occasionally, something sticks. And then I follow that. The only image I can think of is a man walking around with an iron rod in his hand during a lightning storm.

Visit Daily Routines.

Favorite Blogs: Ali Edwards

2009-04-27T20:36:11-07:00

Ali Edwards' blog [ A ] : capture. create. is a great example of how a TypePad blog can suit the look and feel of what you want to do beautifully. With links to her idea books, photos of her current scrapbooking projects, and a beautiful design, Ali's blog suits her credo of not making things more complicated than they need be, but still lovely in all ways.

Visit [ A ] : capture. create.

Favorite Blogs: Last Year's Model

2009-04-22T16:15:54-07:00

Just in time for Earth Day, our friend and colleague Anil Dash has started a site with TypePad called Last Year's Model. The idea is that you don't need the newest and shiniest gadget just because it's newer and shinier. Choose to hang on to just one gadget you've already got that works - and appreciate it. Then blog about it, Twitter about it, and join the cause on Facebook.

Visit Last Year's Model and take the challenge for yourself.

Favorite Blogs: Real Pie Media

2009-04-15T09:25:00-07:00

Real Pie Media is a very cool, socially aware creative agency, using their TypePad blog as a way to showcase their latest and greatest work. TypePad makes handling content from their projects a breeze. Real Pie shows a great example of how to think outside of the blogging box. I asked their creative director, Kirk Skodis, what he liked the best about Typepad.

"Since 2004, Real Pie has used a TypePad blog as the portfolio site for our digital creative agency. It shows our commitment to social media and can be updated easier than any CMS we might build. Being a blog also lets our clients subscribe to our RSS feed, so they'll always be updated immediately with our latest work = Priceless."

Visit Real Pie Media.

TypePad Loves Bikes

2009-03-23T10:00:00-07:00

We're big supporters of bikes around the Six Apart Headquarters.

That's why we're so glad to have Trek Bikes working with us on TypePad. Check out Trek's amazing blog for cool new bike designs, videos, bike advocacy updates and more.

How a Blog Can Help Your Job Search

2009-03-09T14:36:28-07:00

Today's feature is a little different - we asked a TypePad blogger and About.com job search expert Alison Doyle to write us a guest post about how you can use a blog to help your job search. We'll be writing up extras about how to use TypePad for your job search, building a resume, and more. Thanks for posting, Alison! Want to write a guest post? Just let us know in the comments.

Are you looking for a new job or are you in career-building mode? A blog is an ideal way to showcase your skills and accomplishments to prospective employers and a terrific opportunity to build your credibility as an expert in your field.

Why Blog?
A blog can help you find a new job in several different ways. You can use your blog to provide insight on your expertise and use it to let the world know that you are seeking a new opportunity.

In addition, it’s very typical for hiring managers and recruiters to Google prospective applicants for employment. Your blog will most likely rank highly (Google Alison Doyle and you’ll see my blog ranks #2) and it’s got exactly the type of information that I would want a prospective employer to see right off the bat.

Getting Started
If you already have a personal blog that you’re happy with, don’t mess with it. Start a new career-focused blog. That way, you can keep your personal life separate from your professional life, which is always an issue online. There is, of course, such a thing as too much information and you don’t want to share that information with prospective employers. You can use your career blog for job search purposes and your personal blog for family and friends.

Blog Options
Bloggers have had success with different types of employment-related blogs. Before you start blogging consider what you want to focus your blog on. Do you want to write about your job search? Or, do you want your blog to supplement your resume and focus on the skills and expertise you have to offer? Both options work well.
Rachel Levy, for example, is in the midst of a job search. Her blog is directly focused on her job search. The title and sub-title are:

Rachel Levy: Job Search & Social Networking
How I’m using social networking tools like Twitter in my search for a marketing job in Boston

Rachel uses her blog to talk about her job search, to discuss what it’s like being unemployed, and to share her expertise in public relations, marketing, and social media. Her blog also includes a portfolio of her work and information on how to contact her.

Philip Morgan is a technology communicator. His blog philipmorgan.net is full of posts that show his expertise in the field including tips for technical trainers and effective software certification. His blog includes a link to his resume and detailed information about his background.

Blogging Job Search Tips
The goal when you’re using your blog as a job search tool is to spread the word – to get your name, your credentials, and your expertise on the Internet in as many places as possible. The more visibility you have, the better.

Start simple. Choose a professional style template and go from there. You don’t need to know anything technical to get started. It’s a quick and easy process.
Use your name. If possible get your name or a variation of it for your blog (here’s mine: alisondoyle.typepad.com). It’s a good opportunity to reinforce your online presence.
Share your profiles. Add links to your Facebook page, LinkedIn profile, StumbleUpon, Digg, Twitter, etc. from your blog (in TypePad, click on Control, Profile, Your Other Account).
Feed your blog. Set up feed from your blog to your Facebook page and to Twitter so your connections can see what you’re blogging about.
Include links. Include links to your blog on your resume, your LinkedIn profile, your VisualCV, and your other professional networking profiles.
Update your blog. A stale, out-of-date blog isn’t going to do anything for you. Update your blog, even if it’s a short post, at least a few times a week.
Be nice. Do not say anything nasty about your previous or current employer. It not only can get you in trouble, it can jeopardize your chances of getting a new job. Nobody wants to hire someone who might do the same to their company someday.
Have fun. Even though your blog, in this case, is work related, there’s no need to be boring. Be creative, share your perspective, and share your personal stories. Your blog should be readable, engaging, and personable.

Alison Doyle’s Bio
Alison Doyle is a job search expert with many years of experience in human resources, career development, and job searching, with a focus on online job searching and job search technology. She has covered job searching for About.com since 1998. Alison is also the author of her personal blog (alisondoyle.typepad.com) with advice and commentary on the world of work.

Alison is the author of Internet Your Way to a New Job: How to Really Find a Job Online (2008) and the About.com Guide to Job Searching (2006).

Alison’s Blogs:
Alison Doyle Blog: alisondoyle.typepad.com
About.com Job Search Blog: jobsearch.about.com