Since I started writing this blog, I have learned a lot. For example, I learnt the difference between web hosting and reseller hosting and that’s not all I learnt, but I won’t bore you with the details. Learning everything wasn’t hard though, since I knew nothing when I began. So truth be told, there was no where to go but up! By definition, a blog is a personal website or web page on which an individual records opinions, links to other sites, etc. on a regular basis. How difficult could that be? Trust me, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
I started our blog, thinking I would just write about starting the winery- hence our title of “The Beginning of a Winery.” After I wrote my first post, I thought I was on a roll. However the big problem came and hit me in the face. Starting a winery is a two year process- from time you first obtain the grapes to when you actually have wine to sell takes a long time. And it really isn’t that blog worthy. Don’t get me wrong, it is exiting to start this business, it is exhilarating to be pursuing your passion, but while our wine is sitting in barrel, I don’t think there are too many people out there who would want to read, “And the wine sits in the barrel aging” every day.
Initially, there were posts about us and about the trials and tribulations of trying to choose a brand logo and label and the issue of specifications of the label itself. But after those decisions were completed, we are back to “And the wine sits in the barrel aging.” Since then, I have broadened my spectrum of what I write on. I no longer stick to just the winery, but have explored other avenues as long as it is related to wine.
One of the best pieces of advice that I had read about blogging is that you must read other people’s blogs. By reading other blogs, you get to see other viewpoints. You get to see how other people do what you are trying to do. I initially found 4 blogs to follow. I thought there would be absolutely no way that I could keep up with them. I found a great reader app for the iPad called BlogShelf II and it puts all of the blogs on an newsstand.
I didn’t think the app would help me, but I figured I’d give it a try. Very quickly I learned that it is actually really easy to keep up with them, and not only is it easy to read the apps, but it is super simple to search and subscribe to other blogs. My shelf now includes over 20 blogs and it is easy to stay on top of them all.
One of the blogs I subscribe to is The Winewankers. I also follow them on twitter @winewankers. Their blog entries are entertaining and insightful. Heck, their introductory paragraph on their blog starts with “Smile 🙂 You’re at the best wine blog ever!” And you know what, they are damn good! I find myself smiling, when I see that they have a new entry.
Ben, Conrad and Neil make up the Winewankers and they alternate who authors the blog entries. Although I do not know them personally, they are funny guys. You can tell they definitely enjoy what they do.
In the world of blogging, there is also re-blogging. I think it is an ultimate compliment if someone wanted to re-blog what I wrote. To me, it means that someone enjoyed what I wrote so much that they wanted to share my thoughts with their followers. (I’m hoping that Neal feels this same way) With all that aside, this one blog entry by Neal is so funny and sadly, so true, that I really wanted to re-blog it. As someone who loves wine, and after reading this article, must confess I have a problem, I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.
It is titled “Confessions of a wine (buying) addict; 10 signs you may have a problem” It was originally posted on their blog on July 7, 2014.
http://thewinewankers.com.au/2014/07/07/confessions-of-a-wine-buying-addict-10-signs-you-may-have-a-problem/
Now, technically speaking I don’t think this qualifies as a “re-blog” since I am just providing a link to this fantastic entry. However, I am not ashamed to admit, I have no idea how to officially re-blog and after spending quite a bit of time on the web trying to see how to reblog a WordPress blog to a Blogger blog and coming up empty, I went this route. If there is anyone who knows how to do this, I would appreciate you explaining it to me!
Hope you enjoy this post as much as I did, and if you have a problem… GOOD FOR YOU!