New Beginnings...

Welcome to Continuing the Conversation – the new official blog of Northern Connection magazine. I am Marianne Reid Anderson, the new executive editor of the magazine, and I have begun an editorial column called “Starting the Conversation…”  In the editorial, I will start a different topic every month and then encourage you to write back to me here in this blog or on our Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.

In the first issue, I write about new beginnings and ask for any advice that you may have when taking on new challenges. For example, a professor of mine use to begin every class with the Latin phrase “carpe diem” which means “seize the day”. I have always thought this was very good advice. What do you think?

The thing I like most about new beginnings is that they can really get a person out of a rut. In the article on “Being Social inspite of Social Media”, I recommend several ways to stay social, but they can also offer ways to embrace new beginnings as well. Specifically, I recommend www.meetup.com. It is a non-dating site. Instead “Meetups are neighbors getting together to learn something, do something, share something”. There are meetups for every interest and hundreds of people that sign up; for instance, there are meetups of kayakers, golf players, hikers, tennis players, and just about every other sport you can imagine. There are foreign language meetups so people can either speak in their native tongue or practice a new language they are learning. There are book clubs, dining clubs, urban gardeners clubs and the list goes on and on. One meetup called “Grapenuts: Pittsburgh’s Wine Tasting Group” has over 1200 members.

Another website that I recommend in the article is www.livingsocial.com because of the amazing array of special offers and coupons available to get a person out and about and possibly trying new things. Current offers include special deals on spa treatments, dance lessons, excursions to Philadelphia, learning to paint pottery and even the opportunity to drive a race car, to name only a few. Personally, I would prefer painting pottery over driving a race car but maybe that’s just me. 

What’s your opinion? Do you have any recommendations for new beginnings or ways to be social? Let’s continue the conversation, just type your advice or recommendation in the “Comment” section below: