Here we are: Ron Reason, who suggested that I write a blog, and me, on the balcony of the Next newsroom in Lagos, Nigeria, 2009
Has it been this long? For 2000 days we have met here for a daily conversation. I admit that sometimes they are short little chats of little significance, but the runner in me knows that it is better to go out for a short run than not to run at all. The writing of this blog, like my running routine, is part of what I try to do daily. Like the blog, my runs sometimes are better and more rewarding than others.
To celebrate the occasion, I have decided to answer the several questions that I get most often about this blog:
How do you decide what to write about?
People often ask me how I decide what I will be writing about in TheMarioBlog. There is no precise science to it, although it is usually a combination of the following: what is going through my mind at the moment, a topic and/or an observation that catches my interest, an interview with a colleague who has something of interest to offer, a review of good work that deserves recognition, a case study of our own Garcia Media work, or someone else's, or just a little unpretentious meditation, an ephemeral moment of contemplation.
You must be very disciplined to do this everyday, is it sometimes a pain to have such an obligation?
Indeed, it is a pain from time to time, but not a major pain, I confess. I am a person of routine, and I admit I am quite disciplined, so I plan the writing of the blog as part of my everyday activities, Monday through Friday, and, because of that, I am always on the lookout for topics of interest to our blog readers. It keeps me on my toes, maintains me aware of my surroundings, and that is good for a 68-year-old. I like to showcase the good work of designers and journalists everywhere, and the blog is a great forum for that. Most importantly, I don't pretend for the blog to be perfect, or too academic. I don't take the writing of the blog so seriously. Instead, for me it is like a daily conversation with friends all over the globe, an across the fence chat between friendly neighbors. It is fun, believe me. And, remember, I take vacations from the blog, not just on weekends, but also when my real vacations come at several times during the year.
How did you get into blog writing?
That's easy to answer. Blame it on this man: Ron Reason. Ron is my long time friend and colleague, who now lives in Portland, Oregon (his center of operations for a thriving consulting business). I remember exactly how his pitch to me went: it was 2009 and we were working together in a project in Lagos, Nigeria, the creation of the fun newspaper Next (which, unfortunately, did not quite . At the airport lounge one evening, just before flying out, Ron sat across from me, a glass of white wine in his hand, and convinced me that I should start a blog telling stories like the one I had just told him right then and there ( I don't remember what that story was). "Go for it, guru, you can do it," Ron said forcefully.
Here is how Ron Reason captures that moment today:
"I recall the birth of the blog distinctly. I think I had just recently started my own blog. I wasn't totally certain that I wanted to blog but felt the blog train was well on its way, and I needed to hop on board or get run over. By this point, perhaps I had posted a dozen or so entries, and was feeling my way through the dark: Where every blogger starts, asking, why am I here, what is my voice, who's going to read this, what good does it do for me or my business?
"So in Lagos, I mentioned this, and you replied: "I just don't know. Blogging seems like so much word vomit, mine does not need to be added to the mix." Your words exactly. And I knew where you were coming from. Midwestern kids in their bedrooms writing about their feelings, what they had for lunch in the school cafeteria, their dating woes, their thoughts on pop music and TV, etc. This was a good segment of the blogging population.
"But I knew that regular blogging could turn into the ultimate and most immediate teaching tool for you - a chance to get lessons out into the world, the minute matters of design and change were happening with your clients or elsewhere - instead of waiting weeks or even months for a scholarly organization or Poynter to print a magazine or newsletter article. And, not that you needed much help, but I felt it would be a great free marketing tool for your ever-busy consulting work as well. And was I ever right on both counts!"
And here we are today, some 2000+ editions later!
So, for that I thank you, Ron.
I also thank all of you readers of TheMarioBlog for sharing part of your busy day with me.
Now let's get ready for the next 1000 blog posts. In an industry undergoing the dramatic revolution that we experience by the hour, the topics are always there, waiting to be discussed. I count on you to remind me of those that I may miss along the way.
Let's raise a glass of Clicquot to TheMarioBlog and hope it continues in this space.
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