June AlaBlogMeet Attendee Links

We had one of our largest AlaBlogMeets to date, with twenty guests!  We met today at Silvertron Café, and enjoyed conversations of every type, both of the blogging and non-blogging variety.  We had several newbies (who hopefully weren’t scared away), and guests who traveled from Jasper, Huntsville and Alexander City!

See how happy all these people look?


Yes.  You too could be that happy if you come to our next meet-up, which incidentally, will be held on Friday, July 27.  Mark your calendar now, and more details will be announced soon.

In the meantime, Social Media Day is being celebrated tomorrow with a tweet-up at J.Clyde – click here for details and to RSVP.  You will also be entered to win a $100 Gift Certificate to J. Clyde if you RSVP in advance!

If you’re looking for the new friends you met today, here is the complete list of attendees.  Please let me know if I left you off or if you would like any information changed.

Rachel – Grasping for Objectivity and Alabama Bloggers // Twitter: @ObjectivityRach and @AlabamaBloggers

Chris – Husband of Rachel, Contributing Writer and Editor for Grasping for Objectivity // Twitter: @RehpoChris

Amy – Ordinarily Extraordinary // Twitter: @AmyKiane

Chanda - Chanda Temple // Twitter: @ChandaTemple

Carol – Carol Marks Online and Girl Gad About // Twitter: @camarks

Javacia - Georgia Mae, The Writeous Babe and See Jane Write  // Twitter: @WriteousBabe and @SeeJaneWriteBhm

Wade - Wade Kwon, Birmingham Blogging Academy, and Wade on Birmingham // Twitter: @WadeOnTweets

Katherine – Grass Stains // Twitter: @Grass_Stains

Andrew and family – OkraCola // Twitter: @aabrasfield and @OkraCola

Brandi – Bryants of Bham // Twitter: @BrandiofBham

Carl - New Media Rules and Carl's Lost and Found // Twitter: @MediaGuyCarl

Kristan –Money Wise Shopper // Twitter: @MoneyWiseShop

Candice – Mom Most Traveled // Twitter: @MomMostTraveled

Sherri – yougotrossed // Twitter: @yougotrossed

Irene – No blog yet

Jamie – Jamie’s Rabbits // Twitter: @JamiesRabbits

Summer – Summer At Home // Twitter: @SummerAtHome

Best Post of the Week: Week 159

It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

See For Yourself: Week Six

See For Yourself is a weekly feature on Alabama Bloggers that gives you a short list of great bloggers that you should be following.  Click through to their blogs and see for yourself why!

The Magic City Post (Twitter: MagicCityPost)- The Magic City Post delivers a constant feed of the positive goings-on in Birmingham.  If you're looking for upcoming events, to read about community heroes, or to find out how Birmingham is changing and evolving, you need to be visiting The Magic City Post!

Jen West @ Ordinary to Extraordinary (Twitter: TheJenWestQuest) - Jen's story epitomizes extraordinary.  She started her blog on a whim, committing to post photos of herself in a bikini every week until she lost over 40 pounds.  She did so, and ended up being featured in Health Magazine, Women's World Magazine, and making appearances on The Rachael Ray Show and Good Morning America!  She has continued her blogging journey with a beautiful sense of vulnerability, self-analysis, and goal-making. 

Carl Carter @ New Media Rules and Carl's Lost and Found (Twitter: MediaGuyCarl) - Carl offers a media veteran's perspective on social media, politics, traditional media, woodworking, and his precious granddaughter.  Variety is his game, and he's a pro!  You'll never be bored at his blogs.

Will you be featured next week?  Check back to See For Yourself!  And feel free to make nominations for blogs that should be featured in future See For Yourself articles!

Best Post of the Week: Week 158

It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

Newly Listed Alabama Bloggers

I just updated The List of Alabama Bloggers with six excellent writers! Please click on their sites and pay them a visit!

Summer @ Summer at Home  (Birmingham)
Jennifer @ Deep South Dixie Couponers  (Mobile)
c.a. Marks @ Girl Gad About   (Huntsville)
Javacia @ The Writeous Babe and See Jane Write   (Birmingham)
Griff's Politicalman
Legal Schnauzer

See For Yourself: Week Five

See For Yourself is a weekly feature on Alabama Bloggers that gives you a short list of great bloggers that you should be following.  Click through to their blogs and see for yourself why!

Alabama Social Media Association (Twitter: ALsocme) - If you're a blogger and are not involved with ALsocme, then click over right now and sign up for their newsletter.  They have monthly educational meetings (with free lunch!! What more could you want??), mixers, and will most definitely help you get networked with other like-minded writers. 

Erin @ Gold Shoe Blog (Twitter: erinshawstreet) - Erin always has beautiful essays and will draw you in with her eloquent stories.  She is an editor at Southern Living magazine, which gives her many opportunities to travel and write about her experiences. 

Javacia @ Georgia Mae and See Jane Write (Twitter: writeousbabe)- Javacia is a woman on a mission, and that mission is to help cultivate other female writers within our state.  She was recently featured by LK at Magic City Made, who does an infinitely better job of introducing Javacia than I can in this little spot.  So be sure to visit there as well as Javacia's blogs!

Will you be featured next week?  Check back to See For Yourself!  And feel free to make nominations for blogs that should be featured in future See For Yourself features!

Best Post of the Week: Week 157

It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

See For Yourself: Week Four

See For Yourself is a weekly feature on Alabama Bloggers that gives you a short list of great bloggers that you should be following.  Click through to their blogs and see for yourself why!


BooMama @ BooMama (Twitter: boomama) - Sophie can spin a tale like no other, with endless rabbit trails and random attacks of laughter (from you, of course).  Follow her for her always fascinating take on the South.

B & T @ Bryants of Bham (Twitter: BryantsOfBham) - The Bryant's always have great information on Birmingham, especially in the Bluff Park area.  Follow them to keep informed on what is going on around you!

Laura Kate @ Magic City Made  (Twitter: MagicCity_Mama) - Laura Kate should be named Birmingham's cheerleader.  She is constantly pointing out the beautiful, the lovely, and the perfect parts of the city.  Follow her to feel refreshed, encouraged, and informed about Birmingham.



Will you be featured next week?  Check back to See For Yourself!  And feel free to make nominations for blogs that should be featured in future See For Yourself features!

June AlaBlogMeet!

Our last #AlaBlogMeet was one of the best so far - I'm pretty sure at least half of the table was laughing the entire meal.  We would love for you to join us at the next one!  We talk about all things blogging, Twitter, Pinterest, Birmingham, Alabama, and life in general.  

Our Next #AlaBlogMeet will be on Friday, June 29 at 11:30 at The Silvertron Cafe.  This is one of my favorite restaurants to dine at - the food is delicious and fresh and quite affordable.  Silvertron is located in Forest Park, and is very near Downtown, Homewood, and Mountain Brook. You can find my review of Silvertron here. 




If you need to come late, that isn't a problem - we're usually there for a while.  Just be sure to let me know so that I save you a seat.

Please RSVP on this post to have your spot reserved!  The hashtag is #AlaBlogMeet - feel free to invite your friends!

Maximizing Your Blog: Pinterestability.

For Bloggers, Pinterest is the most powerful Social Network that has ever been created.

Why?

Because Pinterest's main (and really only) purpose is to share links to websites.  In particularly, share graphics from websites.

If you learn how to maximize the graphics on your blog posts, you can experience exponential growth in the hits on your blog - just from Pinterest alone.

I've been studying how to best maximize the Pinterestability of my blog for the past year, and from just applying simple graphics to my posts, I was able to win a major blogging award and have one post get over 23,000 pins on Pinterest in less than three weeks.

Want to know how I did it?  I've shared my findings at Birmingham Blogging Academy.  Click over to learn how to maximize your Pinterestability, too!

Best Post of the Week: Week 156

It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

See For Yourself: Week Three

See For Yourself is a weekly feature on Alabama Bloggers that gives you a short list of great bloggers that you should be following.  Click through to their blogs and see for yourself why!

Katherine @ Grass Stains (Twitter: Grass_Stains) - If you want a good laugh (often at her expense), visit Kat and her many escapades.

Drew @ Okra Cola (Twitter: OkraCola) - Drew hasn't blogged in a while.  In too long, really.  But the posts he already has on his site are a beautiful collection of explaining this south that we live in.  Go poke around, enjoy his take on things, and encourage him to get back to writing.  The world needs Okra Cola.

Wade @ Wade on Birmingham (Twitter: WadeOnTweets) - Wade walks the line between positivity and cynicism on the city of Birmingham that will leave you waiting for his next post.  His journalistic background and impeccable storytelling will both entertain you and leave you pondering.



Will you be featured next week?  Check back to See For Yourself!  And feel free to make nominations for blogs that should be featured in future See For Yourself features!

Hidden Alabama Gem: High Falls Park.

My family has visited Buck’s Pocket State Park in North Alabama annually since I was six years old. I have enjoyed introducing my own children to our hidden state park, and just visited again this past weekend.

While we were there, My Dad wanted to visit a nearby scenic spot, High Falls Park in Geraldine, Alabama. I had no idea it existed, but Dad had seen the signs for it on the way in and wanted to see what it was.

He and I drove less than ten minutes away from our regularly attended park and pulled up into a parking lot with several other cars, which actually surprised us.

If we didn’t know of this place, how did others?

Apparently we aren’t the most informed people in the state.

We walked down a path and got our first peek at the falls. Even though it was low water season, it was stunning:
 
There were people braver than us climbing and jumping off of the rocks, seemingly having a fantastic time:


We walked across the foot bridge, which was set upon the foundations of a former covered bridge.


When we looked to our left, we saw a calm stream.


To our right, the top of the falls.


There were paths on the other side of the bridge, offering beautiful views in every direction.


We walked back across and to the top of the falls.


To the right of the falls was a stunning natural stone arch, much more impressive than any man-engineered arch.

 
There was the clothes-strewing rock,


And a group of people rotating from top to bottom (at a very fast pace), and enjoying the beautiful vistas.

 

According to the information at the park, the base of the falls also starts an amazing whitewater kayaking run, including a Class VI section.

Clearly, I need to get some courage and come back, both for the jumping and the kayaking.

Best Post of the Week: Week 155

It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!