Sniffing Butts
You just have to love dogs. No handshakes. No pleasantries. No faking it. If they want to get to know another canine, they just walk up and sniff the other dog's butt. With our prior dog, Casey, we got to the point where we would not tell her we were going to the pet supply store... we'd ask her if she wanted to "go sniff butts." She perked up, tail started wagging, and she ran to her leash. Our current dog, Zorro, doesn't quite have the same vernacular, but he knows the routine. When he meets another dog, the nose "goes below" and that's all the introduction he needs.
Now, I'm sure at this point, I've just grossed out all of the non-dog-people in my reading audience. That's fine, because they probably wouldn't get it anyway. I wonder if there's a correlation between "dog people" and bloggers, because we're really good at "sniffing blogospheric butts," aren't we? We generally don't ask... we go into a blog, sniff around, and leave a comment. And woof, woof, bow-wow, we're communicating!
There are some blog butts that you need to start sniffing, if you haven't discovered them already. Some of my current and former Drake University students are turning into blogging machines. Eric Peterson is has gotten the attention of some great bloggers like Troy Worman and Ann Michael and Steve Farber... and for good reason... he writes brilliant and relevant posts. Another excellent writer is Erik Potter (no relation to Harry). He's hit Valeria Maltoni's radar and his post about embracing your inner mullet is hilarious. Beth Peck is a former student who has a lot of heart and passion in her job as a college recruiter for Simpson College. She doesn't have the time to blog as frequently as she would like because she's currently managing the blogging efforts of nine other people at her college!
But it's not just my students whose blogospheric behinds are worth a whiff. I discovered Jeri Merrell's Ungeek It blog through Andrew Boyd's Fabicus blog, while writing for Iowabiz.com. These are people who can really write! More importantly, these are people you really need to read.
So... have you sniffed around to get to know somebody new a little better?
UPDATE: My mistake. It was Bob Loch, not Erik Potter, whose been "sniffing around" Valeria's blog. Sorry for the overlook, Bob. Just too many great blogs. I feel like a pup in a dog park.
ummmm...well...no. I think this metaphor is a dog.
Posted by: Steve Farber | 04 November 2007 at 11:17 PM
LOL - the dog butt analogy - now I truly have seen everything! No one can ever accuse you of not being "down to earth", Tim!
;-)
It's one of the reasons we all love you!
Posted by: ann michael | 05 November 2007 at 07:36 AM
Tim,
WOW! What an awesome post! I love the "butt sniffing" analagy!
Thank you for mentioning my blog in your post. Just to be mentioned alongside some of these powerful writers is an honor! My experience in just 2 short months has been nothing short of amazing, and I have to give you the credit for the inspiration to start this blogging journey. You really have been an "unofficial" mentor to me!
Also, thank you for bringing more great bloggers to light in your post. I look forward to reading their stuff as well!
Posted by: Eric Peterson | 05 November 2007 at 08:45 AM
Wow, thanks the mention Tim! I actually keep 2 blogs and this second one is usually quite current if you'd rather link it?
http://sc-blogstorm.blogspot.com/
Love the "butt-sniffing" analogy! :) Keep up the creative and insightful blogging!
Posted by: Beth | 05 November 2007 at 09:09 AM
PS- Thanks for incorporating blogging into your curriculum! It it such a fun, creative outlet, with practical business applications!
Posted by: Beth | 05 November 2007 at 09:22 AM
Steve... are you a cat person?
Ann, glad I could give you a chuckle. It's very important to keep it light and fun here in the blogosphere.
Eric and Beth, I feel very honored to have introduced the two of you to blogging and to the connectivity it provides
Posted by: Timothy Johnson | 05 November 2007 at 11:22 AM
Thanks for the nod, Tim. I still catch myself sniffing (reading) around more than marking the territory (commenting). . . gotta work on that.
Posted by: J. Erik Potter | 05 November 2007 at 01:39 PM
@ Tim - Thanks for the nod. It has been an exciting adventure. Potter did Author the Inner Mullet. So I take it cats would not be bloggers.
@Potter - Awesome analogy to marking your territory. I also loved the Inner Mullet.
Posted by: Bob Loch | 05 November 2007 at 04:09 PM