Cake, culture, camping and a flame

Vanilla and orange cupcakes (for a charity cake sale) by Janet E Davis

There was a bit of a culture theme to several of Week 21′s 10 posts. Cake featured in a culture-themed post and made it into a post title this week. Four of the posts centred on digital media, and a fifth on recent technology that included digital.

Phil Jewitt started the week with culture. His views on the Overworlds & Underworlds in Leeds, one of the Olympiad events, is even more interesting because he does not usually attend such things and is not trained in how to understand and interpret them.

I continued the culture theme with accounts of my visit to The Late Shows (The Late Shows 2012 part1 & The Late Shows 2012 part2), which is the Newcastle and Gateshead Museums At Night group of events – but breaks out of the museums and comes with added pizzazz. The visual arts on Tyneside can scarcely set foot out of the door without the performing arts dashing up to dance through the streets with them; and it is hard to tear apart heritage and contemporary in a place where two millennia of history are never more than fingertips’ distance.

There was also quite a lot of talk about cake amongst those who attended one of The Late Shows venues, proving it’s a useful foodstuff to connect people. Kate Bentham already knew the power of cake and used it to good effect to celebrate the birthday at her council of Family Information Services. She had written about this before the event and in Week 21 returned with an initial reflection on how it had gone - good, bad and cake: a social media campaign to celebrate landmark birthday - which could be useful to anyone in any public service.

Lesley Thomson does not make it clear whether cake is or is not involved in teacampscotland, but her account of the first one - Camping it up - made me chuckle at their efforts to discombobulate the café’s staff. Exciting things are happening in Scotland eg this weekend’s IslandGovCamp up in Orkney.

Peter McClymont got caught up in the excitement of the Olympic Torch Relay as it passed through North Devon this week. He tweeted, and captured the other social media coverage of the event using Storify, and then blogged to share the story of how he did it in Storifying the Torch Relay, providing another useful example to others.

Janet Harkin provided really useful, straightforward advice in 3 steps to writing a case study worth reading. We should all heed it, especially writing up social media case studies that are useful to those still arguing for using new-fangled technology.

Adam Jennison contributed a post on Benjamin Welby’s blog this week about the future of one local authority’s data: Hull’s open data future. This will be a particularly good one to read by those interested in how local government handles and shares information, and for those more broadly interested in open and linked data issues. I must admit that I started envisioning fun and useful hacks that could be done with geo-locations of trees, lamp posts etc (seriously – release that kind of data and see what can be done when it is mashed up with, say, historical meteorological data, commons or creative commons-licensed photographs (contemporary and/or historical), allow people to attach their stories to objects…).

Carolyne Mitchell was more concerned with administrative than digital boundaries moving this week. Her post - Let’s push some boundaries - makes some very good points about an idea by a think tank to change local authority boundaries. She also makes a really interesting point about who really comprises the ‘hard-to-reach’ part of a local authority’s population.

Finally, but not least, a return to technology as John Patterson contemplated what essential tech equipment he has taken on holiday over recent years and how much it has changed in Changing Luggage.*

As always, thank you very much to all who read and comment or ‘Like’ posts, as well as to those who write the posts and share their knowledge and thoughts. Writers are welcome to join at any time. Just have a look at the About page, and note that the deadline can be squishy when necessary.

Any thoughts on the [entirely optional!] theme for Week 22? Heat? Sun? The colour blue? I am hoping that we might see posts about the journeys some made up to Orkney, and about their experience of IslandGovCamp there.

Janet

Janet E Davis.

* If I could reduce the weight of tech I need, I could travel more and farther!

Summary of Week 21 posts

Overworlds & Underworlds by  Phil Jewitt.

The Late Shows 2012 part1 by Janet E Davis.

The Late Shows 2012 part2 by Janet E Davis.

good, bad and cake: a social media campaign to celebrate landmark birthday by Kate Bentham on the comms2point0 blog.

Hull’s open data future by Adam Jennison on Benjamin Welby’s blog.

Camping it up by Lesley Thomson.

Let’s push some boundaries by  Carolyne Mitchell.

3 steps to writing a case study worth reading by Janet Harkin.

Storifying the Torch Relay by  Peter McClymont.

Changing Luggage by John Patterson.

Storifying the Torch Relay

Peter McClymont contributes a very topical story to Week 21: sharing the experience of the Olympic Torch Relay through his area to all via social media.

Storifying the Torch Relay by  Peter McClymont.

Boris, boxing, blogging – and piglets with curly wurly tails

Piglets on board the ‘Grace Harwar,’ National Maritime Museum collection, Flickr Commons.

Bloggers contributed a baker’s dozen of posts in Week 19 of Weekly Blog Club, with topics ranging from the result of the Mayor of London election to piglets and many topics in between.

This week’s ‘sports supplement’ comes from Ross Wigham (football and a passing mention of cricket in Three golden management rules), and from Hannah Chia who covers boxing in Morally Bankrupt: Frank Warren Defends Haye-Chisora Bout.

The political section is written by Irena Souroup and covers the election of the Mayor of London, won by Boris Johnson for the second time, and considers what Boris might do next: Boris’s Blond Ambition.

The arts supplement this week focuses on the visual arts. Matt Bond has written about the shiny hardware and software required for editing and publishing videos: Part 4: The Edit.  My post was on the history of an aspect of 19th century art concerned with social welfare and encouraging equality in society, and an artist who illustrated Charles Dickens’s last novel: Luke Fildes: his social realist paintings.

The people section contains a very moving post by Phil Jewitt about connecting with someone at an emotionally difficult passage in life, simply entitled Connected. Kate Bentham’s work also focuses on connecting with people, sometimes in difficult circumstances, and she considers how specific types of content can help to connect in The use of piglets in social meda.

The business section gives an insight into the work of a local government comms team in Carolyne Mitchell’s If you want something new, stop doing something old as she reports on a very full day with Walsall Council comms team. John Patterson puts forward a radical idea for management within local government (that could work in other workplaces too) in Micropost: Asset Based Staff Development. There are some useful tips for both marketing and training in Janet Harkin’s The only marketing acronym you need to know.

The literary supplement considers blogging. First-time Weekly Blog Club contributor Benjamin Welby looked at the why, what and where of public sector blogging: I believe in public sector and local government blogs. Regular contributor Mark Braggins gives a tantalising glimpse of what is to come on his blog: Backblogs and Foreblogs.

Finally, on the inside back page (the one you turn to first) is Desert island tweeps by Lesley Thomson. Who would be your Desert Island tweeps? Would you limit your choice to just three?

As always, thank you very much to both the writers and the readers of all the Weekly Blog Club posts. It is good to see the number of ‘Likes’ accumulating, and letting the writers know that you appreciate what they have written is a great way of being a member of the club.

If I have missed any posts out, do let me know. It can be difficult to pick them out from the tweetstream sometimes. Any ideas for the Week 20 (entirely optional) theme? ‘Rampant growth of weeds’ is a key topic in my mind at the moment as all the recent rain is fuelling very rapid growth in brambles and docks. I am sure that some of you will have much better ideas for a theme.

Janet

Janet E Davis.

Summary of Week 19 posts

Backblogs and Foreblogs by Mark Braggins.

Desert island tweeps by  Lesley Thomson.

Boris’s Blond Ambition by Irena Souroup.

Luke Fildes: his social realist paintings by Janet E Davis.

Connected by  Phil Jewitt.

Three golden management rules by Ross Wigham.

I believe in public sector and local government blogs by Benjamin Welby.

Morally Bankrupt: Frank Warren Defends Haye-Chisora Bout by  Hannah Chia.

The use of piglets in social meda by Kate Bentham.

Part 4: The Edit by Matt Bond.

The only marketing acronym you need to know by Janet Harkin.

If you want something new, stop doing something old by Carolyne Mitchell

Micropost: Asset Based Staff Development by John Patterson.

Morally Bankrupt: Frank Warren Defends Haye-Chisora Bout

Hannah Chia is back in Week 19 with a post about a controversial boxing match about which she thinks the promoter doth protest too much.

Morally Bankrupt: Frank Warren Defends Haye-Chisora Bout by  Hannah Chia.

Three golden management rules

Even if you do not follow football, Ross Wigham’s post for Week 19 should prove useful advice for anyone who manages or is managed.

Three golden management rules by Ross Wigham.

Blue, language and doing not saying

Although some regulars were too busy to write in Week 18, what with elections and getting married and stuff, we had 11 contributions. Some were were practical, sharing of useful information and digital tools. Some were about our society. One was ostensibly about football, but really about much more. And two were light-hearted playlists.

Matt Bond launched a survey in his post this week: Local Government Film Survey Launched. He considered use of film by local government and would like people to participate in the survey. Lesley Thomson enthused about one of her favourite tools this week Stuck on Storify. Or, do as I say, not do as I do… - and has probably encouraged at least a couple of us to think again about trying it.

Janet Harkin shared a Great infographic on grammar mistakes, which some will find useful as a reminder or as training material. In the old days, it would have been called a poster, or an illustration – and if it had been arranged more horizontally, it would have been called a comic strip. What to call things and how language is not always as straightforward as it sounds was on Phil Jewitt’s mind this week. He wrote an entertaining and interesting post about how Yorkshire dialect could cause fatal misunderstandings in ‘appen it’s reet.

How language is used can really mean life or death when in the context of the emergency services. Mark Braggins’s post this week – BlueLightCamp: Weekend Camping Pt1 - was the first part of his account of an event focused on the emergency services using digital communication. It is really interesting, and relevant to us all since we all may need to use one or more of these services at some point.

Social responsibilities were a theme in other posts this week. Irena Souroup wrote about her concerns about the long hours and low pay for those who work on some of the big cruise ships in Old Pirates Yes They Rob I. Simon Hope was concerned about the lack  of information and discussion in social media about the issues relating to the question of whether some cities should have mayors: Elected Mayors – social media where are you? The issue of what to do about vanishing heart of many communities – the village shop – was covered in Peter McClymont’s post this week, Playing shops – an update, as he shared some of the story behind setting up his village’s new community shop.

The most moving post of the week was undoubtedly Dan Slee’s Losing and connecting in a Cup Final. It is about so much more than football, and is one of those “must-read” posts – but do have a hanky to hand, whether you support the blues, the reds or any other colour of the rainbow. Dan certainly started his new personal blog with a kick.

Although I put together The Blue playlist, it was not inspired by the BlueLightCamp but had been sparked off by @BlackPlaques inspiring me to collate The Black playlist. More suggestions were added by Simon Fogg. Of course, I had to do a substantial list for the original Blue Plaques, which is probably another British invention since the earliest known were in London. Deirdre of @OpenPlaques put forward a further substantial lists. Wherever you are in the world, do have a look at what Open Plaques do and consider participating.

I wrote a short ‘aside’ post on the blog this week with the stats from April, if you want an idea of how many read and ‘Like’ this blog. Thank you very much to all readers who contribute by commenting and clicking ‘Like’ buttons. It is great for all writers to receive positive feedback. Thank you to all the writers who have shared their thoughts with us during Week 18. If I have missed anyone’s post in the hurly-burly of tweets during the week, do just tweet or comment and point me in the right direction so I can include it.

Last week, whilst writing the summary, I had a thought for this week’s (entirely optional) theme…but I failed to write it down and have forgotten it. So, at present there is no suggested (entirely optional) theme for Week 19. If you have any suggestions (I assume that all Weekly Blog Club members would have only polite suggestions – in this context at least) for the (entirely optional) theme for this week, let me know. As always, there will be some of us around if you are lost for inspiration – just tweet for help. Between us, we usually manage to help to shift writer’s block.

Janet

Janet E Davis.

Summary of Week 18 posts

Great infographic on grammar mistakes by Janet Harkin.

‘appen it’s reet by Phil Jewitt.

BlueLightCamp: Weekend Camping Pt1 by Mark Braggins.

Old Pirates Yes They Rob I by  Irena Souroup.

The Black playlist by Janet E Davis.

The Blue playlist by Janet E Davis.

Losing and connecting in a Cup Final by Dan Slee.

Local Government Film Survey Launched by Matt Bond.

Stuck on Storify. Or, do as I say, not do as I do… by Lesley Thomson.

Elected Mayors – social media where are you? by Simon Hope.

Playing shops – an update by Peter McClymont.

Losing and connecting in a Cup Final

Have a hankie ready before you start reading this moving, personal post by Dan Slee – perhaps even if you’re a chap. It is about more than the cup, more than football.

Losing and connecting in a Cup Final by Dan Slee.

Facing up, photography, fun and fit

There were 14 excellent posts in Week 16 of Weekly Blog Club. The topics ranged from people facing up to tough decisions to fun and games, with photography and social media for work in between.

Another first-time contributor to Weekly Blog Club, Serena McCrossan was a guest on Janet Harkin’s blog and made the tough decision to tell the story of how she thought that she had failed one time: Business failure is never fatal – a story of bravery. Actually, she told the story of how she succeeded: firstly, in creating a business whilst still studying full-time for her degree and having a young child to look after; secondly, of how she succeeded again after the recession hit her business.

Ian Curwen had Blogged off? and was back again this week, explaining first what he had been doing. was searching for a suitable analogy after deciding that a switch was unsuitable in Analogy time. His two posts tell a story of facing up to tough truths and a determination to make the setback temporary and to continue towards his goals.

Irena Souroup faced up to making a tough decision about which candidate might be her best choice for Mayor of London. Her Week 16 post La Isla Benita is an entertaining analysis of the options.

The power of storytelling is something that both Phil Jewitt and Diane Sims understand better than most. Phil explained how his role of Storyteller worked with the Scrum Master as he was introduced to the agile method of project management in Now that’s a proper scrum, and still agile too Part 1 and Once upon a time… my introduction to Scrum Agile Part 2. Diane wrote about one of the stories of the past in her post – The Titanic: it’s not the watch, it’s the story - and how it had become a strand in her own story and helped her to understand that the story is key.

The potential of technology in our everyday lives as learning tools was on John Patterson’s mind in Diamond Books and Turquoise Daze. I thought of John’s post when listening to a talk about the psychological evidence that should guide good digital design. One message came out very strongly: how hard-wired the human brain is to focusing on another human face. It made me wonder whether that is why a lecture or presentation that I’ve seen delivered live sticks in my mind better than seeing it on screen or just reading the content of it. Would an interactive portable digital device ever be enough?

Social media was quite a strong theme in Week 16 with three posts focused on it. Ross Wigham thought about the changes in technology in his lifetime (and shared some retro-Geordiness) in No hiding place. Louise Brown responded at greater length to a Twitter discussion in which she had participated: How would you tell someone to get started with social media?  Kate Bentham provided a very useful (and amusing in the right places) A-to-Z of social media, specifically how it relates to her service in a local authority: S is for ShropCamp (caek/cake may have been mentioned).

Both Matts wrote about popular photography that combines with social media. Matt Bond covered what apps he uses on his iPhone for creating, editing and sharing both moving and still images: What’s on my iPhone: Film and Photo (both beginners and the experienced could find something useful in it). Matt Murray had made a prediction at the beginning of the year that the very popular photography app Instagram would grow a lot, but in his Week 16 post - Instagram – the rise of a mobile giant - he had to revise his estimate for Instagram’s success this year. He also explains why Instagram is popular with those who use it.

Finally, for this week’s sports page, Peter McClymont remembered some more pre-video era table top sports games, some functioning more as fun games to play than others, in Only a game: ballbearings and pucks.

I was too busy taking photographs at DIBI 2012 and then editing them to write a proper blog post this week, but you are welcome to look at the pictures (I will be blogging in words about the event). There are six sets, all beginning with ‘DIBI 2012′).

Does anyone have a good idea for the [as ever, entirely optional] Week 17 theme? My mind will be on catching up with blogging about CultureCode, DIBI 2012; and about the idea circulating that DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) should cease to exist. I hesitate to suggest a theme of considering what your idea of culture is and how important or unimportant it is to you.

Looking how the brambles in my garden have grown so much and so rapidly during the past few days when we had rain (and sleet, and hail), perhaps the theme should be ‘growth.’ I swear I could see the wretched things grow as I watched.

Thank you very much to all the readers as well as writers. This week, we received our 200th ‘like’ on this blog. It is lovely to see that people appreciate what our wonderful Weekly Blog Club members write.

Have a good week of writing and reading!

Janet

Janet E Davis.

Summary of Week 16 posts

Diamond Books and Turqoise Daze by John Patterson.

Now that’s a proper scrum, and still agile too Part 1 by  Phil Jewitt.

What’s on my iPhone: Film and Photo by Matt Bond.

Blogged off? by  Ian Curwen.

La Isla Benita by  Irena Souroup.

No hiding place by Ross Wigham.

The Titanic: it’s not the watch, it’s the story by Diane Sims.

S is for ShropCamp by Kate Bentham.

Once upon a time… my introduction to Scrum Agile Part 2 by Phil Jewitt.

Instagram – the rise of a mobile giant by Matt Murray.

Business failure is never fatal – a story of bravery by Serena McCrossan on Janet Harkin‘s blog.

Analogy time by Ian Curwen.

Only a game: ballbearings and pucks by  Peter McClymont.

How would you tell someone to get started with social media? by Louise Brown.

Only a game: ballbearings and pucks

This is the second post on the theme of children’s sports-themed games by Peter McClymont. This week’s games include an odd one of cricket, and the more North American baseball and hockey – the sort that required a table, and hurting fingers by flicking things across miniature pitches.

Only a game: ballbearings and pucks by  Peter McClymont.

No hiding place

Ross Wigham uses the title of an episode of the famous The Likely Lads serial for his Week 16 post. He focuses on the football fans’ dilemma to illustrate the technological changes so far in his lifetime, and to consider what they mean for managing information in local government.

No hiding place by Ross Wigham.

Note: For those too young to have seen The Likely Lads, it was set on Tyneside at the time when there was a massive amount of change in the townscape, industries, and in society.