Think about your best friend. What are some of the best times you’ve had with that person? Sure, vacationing in Cuba or a zip lining adventure are fun. But most of our memorable times with friends are the more ordinary times, right? Watching a great movie together, or sharing a plate of nachos and a drink on a sunny patio are some of the best times. Just chatting quietly at home over a glass of wine can be wonderful. The ordinary times with those we love are what become most special to us. They are the times where we share who we really are. They are the times that memories are made of.
So why are we always so desperately trying to be anything but ordinary online? We work hard to stand out, and be unique. We feel pressured to have the most compelling blog and the most engaging conversations all the time. Ordinary just doesn’t cut it anymore if you want to be a success, right?
Well, it’s okay to be ordinary, too.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work to create compelling content, or find ways to be interesting and engaging, especially if you want to grow your audience or leverage your online presence for your business.
But think about the ordinary things that happen in your life too. I can see what you do if you post a link to your web site on Twitter. I can understand how much you know if you share your ideas with me. But what if I want to get to know the real you? A photo of the great dinner you ate last night, or the beautiful sunset you saw at the beach could show me a little more about the things that you enjoy. A photo of your daughter’s new pet rat would show me that your family loves animals. A comment on a movie you saw recently would show me what kind of things entertain you.
Yes, my friend, it’s the ordinary that allows your true colours to shine. Because while sharing your work and business and all the things that go with it are important so I’ll know what you do, it’s the ordinary that shows me who you really are.
Share something ordinary with me, won’t you?
On a similar vain, I tend to use the word ‘authentic’ vs. ‘ordinary’. But I think it’s a similar sentiment. Something ordinary about me? I love going to the Bytowne for good flicks and good popcorn. Though mostly the flicks. I eat popcorn when my honey comes. His popcorn. I often go to the movies alone, because more often than not, I decide last minute that I want to go. The honey works out of town a lot. I like to sit in the middle section, in row eight, on the end of the row on the left side (if facing the screen). Invariably my seat is pretty much always free for me. I skid in at the last minute often. I like using their passes for that very reason and have a stash of them. If I get a popcorn, it is an extra small, lightly buttered. Why do I like going to the Bytowne for a good flick? I love a well done visual art form but sometimes it’s just because I need a good cry.
Precisely, Anne! I loved reading this little story. What was the last movie you saw at the Bytowne?
suzemuseI went on Friday night and saw a Danish film called ‘Den skaldede frisør’ which translates to ‘bald hairdresser’. The North American title is ‘Love is All You Need’. Not too sappy. Small tears. Recommend. Susanne Bier is a talented director. Playing for another week. The week before I saw ‘Still Mine’. Cried big. But then anyone would cry at this one. Really well done. Set in New Brunswick. Based on true story. If you have aging peeps in your life (or have had), it will resinate. No more screenings at Bytowne but is at Empire Kanata. Saw The Great Gatsby at the Empire. Previews alone almost murdered me. Loud and long. As for the movie, I didn’t connect. Maybe too Hollywood? Not sure. Or maybe I am really a Robert Redford gal.
Another ‘ordinary’ thing about me? I tend to be a bit wordy.
suzemuse How about you, Susan? Is there an ‘ordinary’ you haven’t shared before?
Oh, I share quite a bit of ordinary. 🙂 but maybe one people don’t know about is how one of my favourite things to do is watch science documentaries!
suzemuse And possibly a Bill Nye nerd?
Something ordinary?
I just ate a bowl of Trader Joe’s Ginger Cashew Cereal.
Thinking about laundry and how I’ll NEVER live in another place that doesn’t have laundry on the property.
I’ve got my hat on and am about to go meet a client at Starbucks. Now, keep this a secret: I’m smuggling in my homemade sweetened condensed milk. It’s much better than cream & sugar.
OzData Love this! The cereal is intriguing to me – we don’t have Trader Joe’s products here in Canadaville. I just got back from a meeting at Starbucks, and I didn’t even know you could make homemade sweetened condensed milk.
Look at what I’ve learned just from an ordinary comment. That’s the stuff I love!
suzemuse
Sweetened condensed milk has an easy way and a hard way. I did the hard way which is to simmer the milk and sugar together for at least 2 hours. It’s difficult because you have to be careful about scorching the milk or having it boil over.
The next time I do it, I’m going to go for a longer simmer to get a thicker end product.
The shorter way of making sweetened condensed milk is to used powdered milk and boiling water. Haven’t tried that yet.