I attended a magic show held to to benefit Toys for Tots this weekend, and among the many local magicians I saw perform was Mark Mysterrio. Mark is a magician who also seems to be part Doctor Who (Sylvester McCoy's seventh Doctor, to be precise) and part Rip Taylor (the part that flings confetti and sparkles and marshmallows, if Rip Taylor ever flung marshmallows.) His performance delighted the children and adults there alike, and it was only in the aftermath of the event that I learned he had a blog.
Mark Mysterrio's Pennsylvania Birthday Magician.com
http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagician.com/
His site may look like a standard website with a static front page, but it is in fact a blog built using the Wordpress platform. I'm hoping I can find a way to access the RSS feed to provide updates on our sidebar. (UPDATE: Mark sent us the feed information - http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagician.com/feed - so now we have an updating feed on the sidebar!) In any event, be sure to check out his page - and check out his sidebar for his latest updates!
P.S.: Mark Mysterrio is also on the "Greatest Around the Poconos" Ballot on the "People" page in category #9, "Local Entertainer," just two categories below NEPA Blogs! So while you're voting for NEPA Blogs, and bloggers and blog friends like Andy Palumbo (#19, TV Reporter) and Rocky and Sue (#11, Morning Radio Team), why not cast a vote for NEPA magician and blogger Mark Mysterrio, too!
Are you a magician or other entertainer who has a blog? Don't keep it under your hat - let us know about it at nepablogs@gmail.com !
A clearinghouse providing links to blogs and other sites about Northeastern Pennsylvania or by people from Northeastern Pennsylvania. Submit blogs to nepablogs@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
PA Live! Blog of the Week: The DnA Project Band
NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is The DnA Project Band (http://thednaprojectband.com/).
The DnA Project Band is a band out of Northeastern Pennsylvania. They bill themselves as "Northeastern Pennsylvania’s craziest and most fun live act," and you'll get a chance to judge for yourself when they play live at Luna Rossa on Route 209 in Gilbert, PA on Saturday, December 3. They will be improvising a song on the fly from ideas shouted out by the audience, and will also be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots!
Band blogs are an excellent way for bands to reach out to and connect with their fans and potential future audiences in-between shows. A blog provides a format which is more interactive than a traditional website. Blogs are also very easy to set up - no "webmaster" required! Of course, these band blogs also give bands an opportunity to talk tough and build up expectations that they then have to meet when they perform live!
The DnA Project Band isn't the only band blog listed on NEPA Blogs. We've recently added The Countercoup, another Northeastern Pennsylvania band that has been blogging for a while but has yet to play out. There are lots of bands out there in NEPA, and a blog takes so little effort to create and has such a huge potential payoff, it seems only natural for more of our local bands to take advantage of the format to stand out from the crowd.
If you have a band and are from or play in Northeastern Pennsylvania, why not consider starting a blog as a way of announcing upcoming shows, posting photos from past shows, connecting with fans, and reaching out to potential future audiences? We'd love to list you on NEPA Blogs!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
|
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is The DnA Project Band (http://thednaprojectband.com/).
The DnA Project Band is a band out of Northeastern Pennsylvania. They bill themselves as "Northeastern Pennsylvania’s craziest and most fun live act," and you'll get a chance to judge for yourself when they play live at Luna Rossa on Route 209 in Gilbert, PA on Saturday, December 3. They will be improvising a song on the fly from ideas shouted out by the audience, and will also be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots!
Band blogs are an excellent way for bands to reach out to and connect with their fans and potential future audiences in-between shows. A blog provides a format which is more interactive than a traditional website. Blogs are also very easy to set up - no "webmaster" required! Of course, these band blogs also give bands an opportunity to talk tough and build up expectations that they then have to meet when they perform live!
The DnA Project Band isn't the only band blog listed on NEPA Blogs. We've recently added The Countercoup, another Northeastern Pennsylvania band that has been blogging for a while but has yet to play out. There are lots of bands out there in NEPA, and a blog takes so little effort to create and has such a huge potential payoff, it seems only natural for more of our local bands to take advantage of the format to stand out from the crowd.
If you have a band and are from or play in Northeastern Pennsylvania, why not consider starting a blog as a way of announcing upcoming shows, posting photos from past shows, connecting with fans, and reaching out to potential future audiences? We'd love to list you on NEPA Blogs!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Pecha Kucha Night
I received a Facebook message tonight from fellow NEPA Blogger Mandy Boyle about the upcoming Pecha Kucha night in Scranton. She offered me an opportunity to speak at the event. I'm always a bit leery of public speaking, however, so I didn't commit to anything yet.
What is Pecha Kucha Night?
In a nutshell, Pecha Kucha Night Scranton is a quick-fire presentation format where local thinkers, dreamers, artists, and storytellers can come together to share in conversation with the community. You can read more about the format here.
What is Pecha Kucha Night?
In a nutshell, Pecha Kucha Night Scranton is a quick-fire presentation format where local thinkers, dreamers, artists, and storytellers can come together to share in conversation with the community. You can read more about the format here.
We're looking to host Pecha Kucha Night Scranton on Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Vintage Theater in Scranton.
Here are additional details: http://www.facebook.com/events/138110756288979/
You can also follow them on Twitter: @PechaKuchaScran
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 7:30pm at The Vintage Theater
If you are interested in presenting at the event, I suggest you connect with Mandy Boyle. This sounds like an amazing opportunity for artists and writers! Feel free to pass along the word about this event to anyone who may be interested.
~Michelle
If you are interested in presenting at the event, I suggest you connect with Mandy Boyle. This sounds like an amazing opportunity for artists and writers! Feel free to pass along the word about this event to anyone who may be interested.
~Michelle
mikeverbickas
Mike Verbickas is a senior journalism major attending the Pennsylvania State University. He's recently started a blog to, among other things, serve as a portfolio for his journalistic work. From his first post:
Journalism is a fantastic ride, taking reporters to the unlikeliest of places. I invite you to come along with me. In the coming weeks and months, I will be posting original interviews, published articles and daily reflections from a young professional’s life in media.
Check out mike's milog, mikeverbickas, at http://mikeverbickas.wordpress.com/ .
Journalism is a fantastic ride, taking reporters to the unlikeliest of places. I invite you to come along with me. In the coming weeks and months, I will be posting original interviews, published articles and daily reflections from a young professional’s life in media.
Check out mike's milog, mikeverbickas, at http://mikeverbickas.wordpress.com/ .
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Countercoup
Band blogs are a great way for bands to connect with their audiences and keep them up-to-date with the latest news. This one is by the band The Countercoup (http://www.thecountercoup.com/). From their "About" page:
For too long, the local music scene and others like it have been overpopulated with interchangeable bar bands that are deriving their set lists from a limited and worn out song book. The only real difference from club to club on a given night is the name of the group and what order the songs fall in. Most of the time, the band members aren’t even into the idea of playing “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, or “Brown Eyed Girl” at all, let alone for the 50th, 100th, or even 5th or 10th time.
Just as bad as that are bands that seem to form out of nowhere, rehearse for a short period of time, rent a PA, play a few gigs, and then vanish. And sadder than that are bands that are good but don’t play that often by choice!
The Countercoup is not and will not be any of those things. The Countercoup is made up of musicians who remember when the music scene in Northeast PA was dominated by bands who had their A game on every weekend. The Countercoup is a rock unit that has had enough of how things are in the local scene and want to change things for the better, now!
Will The Countercoup live up to their own expectations? Follow along in their blog and see! And if you want to see them when they play out, be sure to watch for dates of upcoming shows on The Countercoup's blog!
Do you have a band in NEPA? Does your band have a blog? If not, why the heck not?! Get yourself a blog and have it listed here on NEPA Blogs!
For too long, the local music scene and others like it have been overpopulated with interchangeable bar bands that are deriving their set lists from a limited and worn out song book. The only real difference from club to club on a given night is the name of the group and what order the songs fall in. Most of the time, the band members aren’t even into the idea of playing “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, or “Brown Eyed Girl” at all, let alone for the 50th, 100th, or even 5th or 10th time.
Just as bad as that are bands that seem to form out of nowhere, rehearse for a short period of time, rent a PA, play a few gigs, and then vanish. And sadder than that are bands that are good but don’t play that often by choice!
The Countercoup is not and will not be any of those things. The Countercoup is made up of musicians who remember when the music scene in Northeast PA was dominated by bands who had their A game on every weekend. The Countercoup is a rock unit that has had enough of how things are in the local scene and want to change things for the better, now!
Will The Countercoup live up to their own expectations? Follow along in their blog and see! And if you want to see them when they play out, be sure to watch for dates of upcoming shows on The Countercoup's blog!
Do you have a band in NEPA? Does your band have a blog? If not, why the heck not?! Get yourself a blog and have it listed here on NEPA Blogs!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Food, Wine and Culture
At nearly the very northwesternmost corner of Northeastern Pennsylvania is Troy, Pennsylvania, home to the blogger of the Food, Wine and Culture blog (http://foodwineandculture.wordpress.com/). From her "About" page:
Welcome to my Food, Wine and Culture Blog! As with most things in life, my blog is influenced by the community that I grew up in and the communities that I have lived in. So far, that mostly includes the US Mid Atlantic region. I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled to Italy, Calgary, Cape Breton, Aruba, California and so many more. And the foods, wine and culture of these locations have also left their mark – but in the end, I find the strongest influences continue to be those from the PA Northern Tier and NY Southern Tier.
A native of the PA Northern Tier, I left for college saying that I would not be back. But after four great years of college at the University of Maryland, and a number of years living and working in the Baltimore-DC area, the desire to be back in the Northern Tier found me home again.
For information on Food, Wine and Culture, not just in NEPA but also in Central PA, the Northern Tier, and even Upstate New York (particularly the Finger Lakes region), be sure to check out the Food, Wine and Culture blog!
Welcome to my Food, Wine and Culture Blog! As with most things in life, my blog is influenced by the community that I grew up in and the communities that I have lived in. So far, that mostly includes the US Mid Atlantic region. I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled to Italy, Calgary, Cape Breton, Aruba, California and so many more. And the foods, wine and culture of these locations have also left their mark – but in the end, I find the strongest influences continue to be those from the PA Northern Tier and NY Southern Tier.
A native of the PA Northern Tier, I left for college saying that I would not be back. But after four great years of college at the University of Maryland, and a number of years living and working in the Baltimore-DC area, the desire to be back in the Northern Tier found me home again.
For information on Food, Wine and Culture, not just in NEPA but also in Central PA, the Northern Tier, and even Upstate New York (particularly the Finger Lakes region), be sure to check out the Food, Wine and Culture blog!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Sassing Me
NEPA Blogs doesn't just link blogs written about Northeastern Pennsylvania, or written by people living in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We also link to blogs by people who were originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania but have since moved on - but have carried a bit of Northeastern Pennsylvania with them.
Sassing Me (http://sassingme.wordpress.com/) falls into this third category. From the "About" page:
I’m a twenty-something, NEPA bred, DC living, brand-new Mom. I’m a social media maven and lover of all things related to family, traveling, shopping and reading. My husband and Baby R are the apples of my eye and I couldn’t imagine moving through life without them.
Check out Sassing Me for true tales of motherhood, big city life, and the fine art of creating change in towing policies!
Are you originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, but now live elsewhere? If you have a blog, we'd love to know about it! Contact us at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Sassing Me (http://sassingme.wordpress.com/) falls into this third category. From the "About" page:
I’m a twenty-something, NEPA bred, DC living, brand-new Mom. I’m a social media maven and lover of all things related to family, traveling, shopping and reading. My husband and Baby R are the apples of my eye and I couldn’t imagine moving through life without them.
Check out Sassing Me for true tales of motherhood, big city life, and the fine art of creating change in towing policies!
Are you originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, but now live elsewhere? If you have a blog, we'd love to know about it! Contact us at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving from NEPA Blogs!
Gort, Michelle, and I would like to wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings!
Gort's guest blogger reminds us of the finest traditions of the holiday:
Michelle looks fondly at holiday memories with family:
While I serve up a rerun of a classic heartwarming illustrated tale. Gather the kiddies and share with them the true joy of Thanksgiving!
Gort's guest blogger reminds us of the finest traditions of the holiday:
Michelle looks fondly at holiday memories with family:
While I serve up a rerun of a classic heartwarming illustrated tale. Gather the kiddies and share with them the true joy of Thanksgiving!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
PA Live! Blog of the Week: Bucktown Bargains
NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Bucktown Bargains (http://bucktownbargains.com/).
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, and Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season just around the corner, everyone should be putting some thought into how to save money with every purchase they make. And that's the idea behind Bucktown Bargains, where the motto is "Saving One Buck At a Time...In Stores and Online!" As Jenna, who runs the site, puts it in her "About" page:
Why spend the money if you don’t have to? We have all found ourselves second guessing purchases and thinking about a quick return. With this site, you will be confident in your savings in knowing that a Buck saved, is a Buck well spent. So, join me as we go hunting for bargains in stores and online and remember, if you put the time into deal hunting you will save one ‘Buck at a time’!
Bucktown Bargains is all about saving money on the things you buy. Whether it's alerting you to advertised specials, letting you in on special online deals, or giving you the inside track on stacking coupons on top of sales to get many items at vastly reduced prices - or even free - Jenna's Bucktown Bargains is an essential part of any strategy to save money while shopping during the holiday season and year-round!
Bucktown Bargains is one of several sites listed on NEPA Blogs that are dedicated to helping shoppers save money. Two of the other currently active ones are NEPA Mom (regularly featured on PA Live!) and We Shop Deals 4 You. Check them out!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
| http://pahomepage.com/palive-details/?nxd_id=212576 |
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Bucktown Bargains (http://bucktownbargains.com/).
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, and Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season just around the corner, everyone should be putting some thought into how to save money with every purchase they make. And that's the idea behind Bucktown Bargains, where the motto is "Saving One Buck At a Time...In Stores and Online!" As Jenna, who runs the site, puts it in her "About" page:
Why spend the money if you don’t have to? We have all found ourselves second guessing purchases and thinking about a quick return. With this site, you will be confident in your savings in knowing that a Buck saved, is a Buck well spent. So, join me as we go hunting for bargains in stores and online and remember, if you put the time into deal hunting you will save one ‘Buck at a time’!
Bucktown Bargains is all about saving money on the things you buy. Whether it's alerting you to advertised specials, letting you in on special online deals, or giving you the inside track on stacking coupons on top of sales to get many items at vastly reduced prices - or even free - Jenna's Bucktown Bargains is an essential part of any strategy to save money while shopping during the holiday season and year-round!
Bucktown Bargains is one of several sites listed on NEPA Blogs that are dedicated to helping shoppers save money. Two of the other currently active ones are NEPA Mom (regularly featured on PA Live!) and We Shop Deals 4 You. Check them out!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Three from one
Michelle has been very hard at work tracking down blogs to add to the NEPA Blogs link list, and I...have not. The closest I came to adding a blog this past week turned out to be one Michelle added over a month ago! These three blogs are just some of the many that Michelle has located and put on the list to be added.
These blogs are written under two different names, but they're all by the same person! As Catherine Shefski she writes the All Piano blog (http://allpiano.wordpress.com/), a blog which is, unsurprisingly, all about piano. In this guise, Catherine is a piano teacher who has taught at many institutions (see her linked bio for a full list!), and currently teaches at The Music Studio just outside of Scranton. From her bio there:
Catherine Shefski received her undergraduate degree from Smith College. After graduation, she enrolled in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England where she studied with Carola Grindea, founder of the European Piano Teacher’s Association (EPTA) and earned an LGSM Diploma in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. In 1982 she received her M. Mus. Degree in Piano Performance from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA.
...A former faculty member of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, Ms. Shefski has also held teaching positions at Wilkes Community Conservatory and Doylestown Community Conservatory. She currently teaches over forty piano students at her studio in Northeast Pennsylvania.
But Catherine is also a published author of urban paranormal fiction (The Doppelganger Song) who maintains an eponymous blog under the pen name of Caitlin Sumer (http://caitlinsumer.wordpress.com/). Here she writes not only about her own works of fiction, but provides reviews of and commentary on the works of others.
In addition to these two she also maintains a Tumblr blog, Not Just Piano (http://notjustpiano.tumblr.com/). It's primarily a freeform photo/image blog, and as the title suggests, not all of the posts are related to piano - though many of the earliest ones are.
Three aspects of one person, expressed in blog form. Do you know of anyone else in Northeastern Pennsylvania who has chosen to creatively express their innermost self through the medium of blogging? If so, we'd like to list them here on NEPA Blogs!
These blogs are written under two different names, but they're all by the same person! As Catherine Shefski she writes the All Piano blog (http://allpiano.wordpress.com/), a blog which is, unsurprisingly, all about piano. In this guise, Catherine is a piano teacher who has taught at many institutions (see her linked bio for a full list!), and currently teaches at The Music Studio just outside of Scranton. From her bio there:
Catherine Shefski received her undergraduate degree from Smith College. After graduation, she enrolled in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England where she studied with Carola Grindea, founder of the European Piano Teacher’s Association (EPTA) and earned an LGSM Diploma in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. In 1982 she received her M. Mus. Degree in Piano Performance from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA.
...A former faculty member of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, Ms. Shefski has also held teaching positions at Wilkes Community Conservatory and Doylestown Community Conservatory. She currently teaches over forty piano students at her studio in Northeast Pennsylvania.
But Catherine is also a published author of urban paranormal fiction (The Doppelganger Song) who maintains an eponymous blog under the pen name of Caitlin Sumer (http://caitlinsumer.wordpress.com/). Here she writes not only about her own works of fiction, but provides reviews of and commentary on the works of others.
In addition to these two she also maintains a Tumblr blog, Not Just Piano (http://notjustpiano.tumblr.com/). It's primarily a freeform photo/image blog, and as the title suggests, not all of the posts are related to piano - though many of the earliest ones are.
Three aspects of one person, expressed in blog form. Do you know of anyone else in Northeastern Pennsylvania who has chosen to creatively express their innermost self through the medium of blogging? If so, we'd like to list them here on NEPA Blogs!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Major Award
There is exciting news to report this evening! NEPA Blogs is up for an award! Through nominations, we have secured a spot in the "Best of the Poconos" Best Blogger category! I used three exclamation points in the last three sentences because I am that excited!
You, our readers, can help us win this award. Simply visit, http://bestofthepoconos.com/voting/people/ in your favorite web browser and find category #7 - "Local Poconos Blog/Blogger" and select the radio button for NEPA Blogs. You can vote once per day per IP address over the next 45 days. Hey! Why not vote once from home and at work? We can use all the votes you are willing to give to us :0) BTW, fellow NEPA bloggers, Andy Palumbo, George Roberts and Rocky & Sue from KRZ have also been nominated for awards. Be sure to give them a vote or twelve while you are voting for us.
The bottom line is, our blog would not be successful without your continued input and support. This nomination and potential award would not be possible without all of our awesome blogger friends...we dedicate this honor to all of you. Thanks for 5 awesome years of blogging!
~Michelle
You, our readers, can help us win this award. Simply visit, http://bestofthepoconos.com/voting/people/ in your favorite web browser and find category #7 - "Local Poconos Blog/Blogger" and select the radio button for NEPA Blogs. You can vote once per day per IP address over the next 45 days. Hey! Why not vote once from home and at work? We can use all the votes you are willing to give to us :0) BTW, fellow NEPA bloggers, Andy Palumbo, George Roberts and Rocky & Sue from KRZ have also been nominated for awards. Be sure to give them a vote or twelve while you are voting for us.
The bottom line is, our blog would not be successful without your continued input and support. This nomination and potential award would not be possible without all of our awesome blogger friends...we dedicate this honor to all of you. Thanks for 5 awesome years of blogging!
~Michelle
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
PA Live! Blog of the Week: Mark's Tech Tock
NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Mark's Tech Tock (http://www.markstechtock.com/).
Mark Rutkowski is Professor of Technology and Coordinator of Innovative Technology at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke. (His full resumé is as long as your arm and lists many community activities beyond his duties as a professor!) Mark's Tech Tock is a blog that explores innovations in technology and their effects on society. As he puts it, his topics include:
- Computer security and crime
- New or at least interesting technology
- Relationship between technology and society
- Sustainable and renewable energy
- Personal experiences related to technology
From the latest devices coming out and how they will affect your life to topics of solar and nuclear power - or even the role that flywheels play in the national power grid - Mark's blog posts cover topics across the spectrum of technology, all written in a language that is accessible and easy to understand, with plenty of links and helpful references for further investigation.
Whether it's a smartphone or a simple electrical outlet, we all use technology every day. If you want to get a better understanding of technology and how it affects your life, check out Mark's Tech Tock!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
| http://pahomepage.com/palive-details/?nxd_id=211326 |
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Mark's Tech Tock (http://www.markstechtock.com/).
Mark Rutkowski is Professor of Technology and Coordinator of Innovative Technology at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke. (His full resumé is as long as your arm and lists many community activities beyond his duties as a professor!) Mark's Tech Tock is a blog that explores innovations in technology and their effects on society. As he puts it, his topics include:
- Computer security and crime
- New or at least interesting technology
- Relationship between technology and society
- Sustainable and renewable energy
- Personal experiences related to technology
From the latest devices coming out and how they will affect your life to topics of solar and nuclear power - or even the role that flywheels play in the national power grid - Mark's blog posts cover topics across the spectrum of technology, all written in a language that is accessible and easy to understand, with plenty of links and helpful references for further investigation.
Whether it's a smartphone or a simple electrical outlet, we all use technology every day. If you want to get a better understanding of technology and how it affects your life, check out Mark's Tech Tock!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Schuylkill Buzz
Forgive me Blogfather, for I have sinned. Its been one week since my last blog post.....
I submit for your approval another *Twitter Find*
Schuylkill Buzz
http://schuylkillbuzz.com
From the About Page:
Schuylkill Buzz looks to be a Wordpress platform Blog. It incorporates several local newspapers and as well as local enthusiasts reports from the community into an easily readable/searchable format.
We don't have many blogs from the Schuylkill County area and many would probably argue that "Schuylkill County" isn't technically NEPA. This goes back to the age old question "What exactly are the boundaries of NEPA?" We are still trying to figure it out, folks. We've been trying to figure it out since our first blog post.
Anywho....as always, if you have a blog that you'd like added to our blog roll, please send an email to nepablogs@gmail.com with your information.
~Michelle
I submit for your approval another *Twitter Find*
Schuylkill Buzz
http://schuylkillbuzz.com
From the About Page:
The Internet and the social media changes everything. We used to get most of our local news from the print newspapers of Schuylkill County. Now, it’s our citizens in our towns like Pottsville, Orwigsburg and Frackville who are reporting our communities’ news and events, publishing the latest restaurant reviews, and cluing us in on the latest sales down the street.
Schuylkill Buzz is a new local media resource; one just for you Schuylkill County! Follow us on Twitter and we’ll add you to our lists!
We don't have many blogs from the Schuylkill County area and many would probably argue that "Schuylkill County" isn't technically NEPA. This goes back to the age old question "What exactly are the boundaries of NEPA?" We are still trying to figure it out, folks. We've been trying to figure it out since our first blog post.
Anywho....as always, if you have a blog that you'd like added to our blog roll, please send an email to nepablogs@gmail.com with your information.
~Michelle
Thursday, November 10, 2011
My Soul, My Surrender
I'll be honest with you: I don't "get" Tumblr. From what little research I've done, the basic idea - embraced my many users - is that the Tumblr platform is well-suited to a format that just tumbles along, occasionally stopping to say "oh, look at this!" and then quickly moving on. Past posts are forgotten almost as soon as they appear, and new posts - usually still images or looping motion .gifs - are reblogged from sources that the user is following. It almost resembles a photo blog, sort of, kind of, not really. And some Tumblr users do use it as a photo blog. Heck, former Secretary of Labor (and sometime Conan O'Brien crimefighting partner) Robert Reich has a Tumblr blog that looks...well, pretty much like a conventional blog.
My Soul, My Surrender is the title (or current title) of the Tumblr blog located at http://crossroadsdemon.tumblr.com/. This is another of Michelle's finds, by a NEPA blogger who is following the NEPA Blogs Twitter feed. From...well, the little block that I'm assuming is a Tumblr "About" thingie:
hello! i'm samantha, a 24 year old from pennsylvania who is obsessive, sarcastic and a total asshole. it takes a lot to offend me and i usually find humor in every situation. i also like a lot of things, especially supernatural. that's about it.
(It appears that "supernatural" refers to the surprisingly long-running TV series "Supernatural," now in its seventh season.)
If Tumblr is your thing, or if you're familiar with its layout and structure, this may be a great place for you to visit. If you are unfamiliar with Tumblr at all, this will be a great opportunity to see what Tumblr is about. Either way, check it out!
My Soul, My Surrender is the title (or current title) of the Tumblr blog located at http://crossroadsdemon.tumblr.com/. This is another of Michelle's finds, by a NEPA blogger who is following the NEPA Blogs Twitter feed. From...well, the little block that I'm assuming is a Tumblr "About" thingie:
hello! i'm samantha, a 24 year old from pennsylvania who is obsessive, sarcastic and a total asshole. it takes a lot to offend me and i usually find humor in every situation. i also like a lot of things, especially supernatural. that's about it.
(It appears that "supernatural" refers to the surprisingly long-running TV series "Supernatural," now in its seventh season.)
If Tumblr is your thing, or if you're familiar with its layout and structure, this may be a great place for you to visit. If you are unfamiliar with Tumblr at all, this will be a great opportunity to see what Tumblr is about. Either way, check it out!
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
PA Live! Blog of the Week: Rachel of all trades
NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Rachel of all trades (http://racheltroychock.blogspot.com/.)
Rachel's blog is a "life" blog, a blog that focuses on topics that are of interest to her - or just things that have come up throughout the day. When Michelle added her to NEPA Blogs some months ago, she listed the topics covered on Rachel's blog as Fashion, Fundraising and advocacy, Cooking, Music, and Parenting. Rachel's posts since then have carried on in the same vein: clothing and fashion for moms and kids, posts about parenthood, recipes (zucchini bread!), her experiences during the Flood of 2011, and an issue that is very important to her - lung cancer research and awareness.
This past weekend Rachel was involved in fundraisers at the Columbia Mall and Buckhorn Firehall, and she has two other additional fundraisers coming up on November 19th (a Flapjack Breakfast at Applebee's in Bloomsburg) and 20th (a basket and doll bingo at the Buckhorn Firehall.) See this post for more information. Rachel would really appreciate any help anyone can give!
Rachel says "I blog because I am trying to make myself a better person. A better writer. And it's working. I have a long way to go, but the fact that anyone is still reading is a testament to the improvement I've made in my writing." These are words that every blogger can relate to!
A technical note: Rachel's blog is presented in Blogger's new "Dynamic Views" template styles and formats. Her blog is visible in multiple formats - Classic, Flipcard, Magazine, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot, and Timeslide - but only in "modern" browsers like Internet Explorer 9, Google Chrome, or the latest versions of Firefox and other browsers. For someone running Windows XP with IE8 (the highest version that can run on Windows XP), not all of the features of Rachel's blog will be visible, and it may not be viewable in every version. This is a recent innovation by Blogger, and may be revised or made into the new standard in the near future. So why not take it for a test drive, and maybe provide Blogger with some feedback as to what works and what doesn't work?
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
| http://pahomepage.com/palive-details/?nxd_id=209916 |
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Rachel of all trades (http://racheltroychock.blogspot.com/.)
Rachel's blog is a "life" blog, a blog that focuses on topics that are of interest to her - or just things that have come up throughout the day. When Michelle added her to NEPA Blogs some months ago, she listed the topics covered on Rachel's blog as Fashion, Fundraising and advocacy, Cooking, Music, and Parenting. Rachel's posts since then have carried on in the same vein: clothing and fashion for moms and kids, posts about parenthood, recipes (zucchini bread!), her experiences during the Flood of 2011, and an issue that is very important to her - lung cancer research and awareness.
This past weekend Rachel was involved in fundraisers at the Columbia Mall and Buckhorn Firehall, and she has two other additional fundraisers coming up on November 19th (a Flapjack Breakfast at Applebee's in Bloomsburg) and 20th (a basket and doll bingo at the Buckhorn Firehall.) See this post for more information. Rachel would really appreciate any help anyone can give!
Rachel says "I blog because I am trying to make myself a better person. A better writer. And it's working. I have a long way to go, but the fact that anyone is still reading is a testament to the improvement I've made in my writing." These are words that every blogger can relate to!
A technical note: Rachel's blog is presented in Blogger's new "Dynamic Views" template styles and formats. Her blog is visible in multiple formats - Classic, Flipcard, Magazine, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot, and Timeslide - but only in "modern" browsers like Internet Explorer 9, Google Chrome, or the latest versions of Firefox and other browsers. For someone running Windows XP with IE8 (the highest version that can run on Windows XP), not all of the features of Rachel's blog will be visible, and it may not be viewable in every version. This is a recent innovation by Blogger, and may be revised or made into the new standard in the near future. So why not take it for a test drive, and maybe provide Blogger with some feedback as to what works and what doesn't work?
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Monday, November 07, 2011
Cinema Cyclops
Bill Thomas's Cinema Cyclops (http://www.cinemacyclops.blogspot.com/) is billed as "The Mad Musings of a Pop Culture Addict with an Eye for Movies - No-frills movie reviews in 500 words or less. Because you've got places to be, dammit!"
Bill's goal is to add at least one new review each week. The films he's reviewed so far are mainstream films in the genres of science fiction (Real Steel, The Thing (2011) , In Time), fantasy (The Three Musketeers (2011)), and comedy (A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas.) But in the future he plans to cover a broader selection of upcoming movies, and some older films as well.
If you'd like to get the inside scoop on the latest movies before you plunk down your hard-earned cash to see them in a theater, or if you'd just like to read some funny, insightful reviews of those same movies, be sure to check out Bill Thomas's Cinema Cyclops!
Bill's goal is to add at least one new review each week. The films he's reviewed so far are mainstream films in the genres of science fiction (Real Steel, The Thing (2011) , In Time), fantasy (The Three Musketeers (2011)), and comedy (A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas.) But in the future he plans to cover a broader selection of upcoming movies, and some older films as well.
If you'd like to get the inside scoop on the latest movies before you plunk down your hard-earned cash to see them in a theater, or if you'd just like to read some funny, insightful reviews of those same movies, be sure to check out Bill Thomas's Cinema Cyclops!
Sunday, November 06, 2011
REMINDER! Blogger Meet-up is tonight
We hope that you can join us tonight at our Blogger Meet-up.
The Who/What: NEPABlogs.org will be hosting an informal Blogger Meet-up. Come out and meet the NEPA Blogs (dysfunctional) family. ALL ARE WELCOME. There is no admission or cover charge. It is absolutely 100% free. You have to buy your own drinks though. Unless you serenade me with an off key version of Lady Gaga or something like that.
The When: Sun Nov. 6, 2011 starting at 5pm. Stay until the cows come home….or last call. Whichever comes first.
The Where: The Metro Bar & Grill in Dallas. For directions to the Metro Bar and Grille, please visit: http://www.themetrobarandgrill.com
Come on out and meet the bloggers, politicos, lurkers and posers! Hope to see you there.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Twigs Restaurant, Cafe & Radio
Twigs Restaurant & Cafe is located in the heart of historic downtown Tunkhannock. Despite the devastation that occurred during the recent flooding, Twigs is open for business. I recently found their website by listening to the Gem 104 radio station. Twigs has a blog that they use to discuss to menu items, recipes, wine pairings and promotions. Here's another interesting thing - they also have an Internet Radio station. I found this announced in passing from their Twitter account @TwigsCafe.
More about the restaurant:
Our Mission at Twigs Restaurant and Café is "to offer outstanding food expertly served in a comfortable atmosphere." Our chefs use only the freshest market ingredients and incorporate the finest foods from around the globe.
Twigs also offers catering on your premises complete with a private chef who will meet your every expectation. Twigs has other options for on site parties. Call us for all your catering needs and any help needed to pull off the perfect event.
Twigs Restaurant & Café
Open Daily 11am to 9pm (10pm Friday & Saturday)
1 East Tioga Street, Historic Route 6
Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania 18657
570-836-0433
I have only heard good reviews of this restaurant's food. I'd highly recommend checking it out if your travels ever take you where Rte 29 & 6 intersect.
Lastly, here's the directory to Twig's web presence:
Main Website: http://www.twigscafe.com
Twigs Cafe Blog: http://twigscafe.blogspot.com
Twigs Cafe Internet Radio Station: http://www.twigscaferadio.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TwigsCafe
~Michelle
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
The DNA Project Band
I received a Facebook message from one of my friends, Allan. He requested that I give his band's new blog a mention on NEPA Blogs. We are birthday buddies, both born on New Years Eve.....so I couldn't refuse his request. Allan is a member (and the webmaster) of "The DNA Project", a four member rock band from the bowels of the Poconos.
The DNA Project Band -- Your genetic building block of kickass music!
http://thednaprojectband.com
@The_DNA_Project on Twitter
As I mentioned before, this blog was just created as an offshoot of their main website http://www.thednaproject.net. The band is going through a webpage redesign and decided to incorporate a blog as a way of better connecting with their fans.
From the About:
Also, *shameless plug*
The DNA Project has a show planned on Saturday, December 3rd at Luna Rossa on Rte 209 in Gilbert, PA. Some of the details are still being worked out, from my understanding. However, the band invites you to stop by and listen to some killer music.
~Michelle
The DNA Project Band -- Your genetic building block of kickass music!
http://thednaprojectband.com
@The_DNA_Project on Twitter
As I mentioned before, this blog was just created as an offshoot of their main website http://www.thednaproject.net. The band is going through a webpage redesign and decided to incorporate a blog as a way of better connecting with their fans.
From the About:
Just WHO IS The DNA Project?The website and blog have links to their music (free download!) and videos to their performances. They do something really cool at their shows - improv song creation using interaction with their fans. Think Drew Carey's Improv-a-Ganza meets the bastard brothers of Green Day. Check out the video. Pretty neat stuff.
Simply put we are four guys with a mission and purpose. We love making music, we love sharing what we create with you, and we just f*****g LOVE MUSIC! Need anything else be said?
(A)l was created implanted in the genes of human parents by Apollo, greek god of music, and Selene, goddess of the moon. A creature of the night who sings nearly constantly, his words can move people to tears, lust, love and war.
Dave is the bastard child of Ares god of war, and Eris Goddess of Discord. seriously his musical nature is dark and foreboding, and his physical nature matches it don't piss him off.
Chaz well Chaz happened when Dionysus went on one of his many benders during a festival and got all hot and heavy with Athena, goddess of city, science and war. His fingertips having been blessed by Hermes control an unbelievable speed in lead guitar playing and his warlike nature comes through in the utter beautiful chaos of his solos.
Nitro Nick offspring of Zeus and Artemis (goddess of the wild) watch out.. his drumsticks have minds of their own and will impale you if you re not careful. But his beats summon all races of beings to march towards the cause that is The DnA Project.
Yeah that's us till we change this JAM ON!
Also, *shameless plug*
The DNA Project has a show planned on Saturday, December 3rd at Luna Rossa on Rte 209 in Gilbert, PA. Some of the details are still being worked out, from my understanding. However, the band invites you to stop by and listen to some killer music.
~Michelle
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
PA Live! Blog of the Week: Gort42
NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Gort42 (http://gort42.blogspot.com/).
There are a lot of political blogs out there - politics is surprisingly popular here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Some of them are well-crafted, long-lived blogs like David Yonki's LuLac Political Letter or Joe Valenti's Pittston Politics. Others are flash-in-the-pan blogs that support or attack one particular candidate or another, and tend to pop up a few weeks before election day and go away as soon as the elections are over. But all the important ones have one thing in common: they're all linked by Gort, the pseudonymous blogger behind Gort42.
Gort describes his blog - which takes its name from the menacing, silent robot from the classic film The Day the Earth Stood Still and the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - as "A random journal about local politics, baseball and whatever comes to mind." He actually provides the most complete and level-headed views of the local political scene around, including information about candidates and upcoming political events. But he also provides a valuable set of links to local and statewide political blogs.
When I was first starting NEPA Blogs, I wanted to be able to link to a large number of local blogs at once, and my own personal list just wasn't enough. But I realized I could simply steal Gort's blogroll and increase the number of linked blogs immensely! Upon thinking about how much work this would involve I had a change of heart, and decided to invite Gort to become a co-administrator of NEPA Blogs so he could do the heavy lifting himself.
Gort is very active in the local blogging scene, and is the organizing force behind both informal blogger gatherings (including the one being held Sunday, November 6 at the Metro in Dallas) as well as the blogger-candidate mixers that have been taking place the last few years around the Spring and Fall elections.
If you want to learn more about politics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, or want to get a perspective on the issues in an upcoming election, there's no better place to start than Gort's Gort42!
For more political blogs based in Northeastern Pennsylvania, see...oh, heck, just check out Gort's Blog List!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:
| http://pahomepage.com/palive-details/?nxd_id=208646 |
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Gort42 (http://gort42.blogspot.com/).
There are a lot of political blogs out there - politics is surprisingly popular here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Some of them are well-crafted, long-lived blogs like David Yonki's LuLac Political Letter or Joe Valenti's Pittston Politics. Others are flash-in-the-pan blogs that support or attack one particular candidate or another, and tend to pop up a few weeks before election day and go away as soon as the elections are over. But all the important ones have one thing in common: they're all linked by Gort, the pseudonymous blogger behind Gort42.
Gort describes his blog - which takes its name from the menacing, silent robot from the classic film The Day the Earth Stood Still and the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - as "A random journal about local politics, baseball and whatever comes to mind." He actually provides the most complete and level-headed views of the local political scene around, including information about candidates and upcoming political events. But he also provides a valuable set of links to local and statewide political blogs.
When I was first starting NEPA Blogs, I wanted to be able to link to a large number of local blogs at once, and my own personal list just wasn't enough. But I realized I could simply steal Gort's blogroll and increase the number of linked blogs immensely! Upon thinking about how much work this would involve I had a change of heart, and decided to invite Gort to become a co-administrator of NEPA Blogs so he could do the heavy lifting himself.
Gort is very active in the local blogging scene, and is the organizing force behind both informal blogger gatherings (including the one being held Sunday, November 6 at the Metro in Dallas) as well as the blogger-candidate mixers that have been taking place the last few years around the Spring and Fall elections.
If you want to learn more about politics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, or want to get a perspective on the issues in an upcoming election, there's no better place to start than Gort's Gort42!
For more political blogs based in Northeastern Pennsylvania, see...oh, heck, just check out Gort's Blog List!
If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!
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