Matthew // Normal Happenings7 Comments

The Normal Happenings Starry-Eyed Discord!

Welcome back amazing readers! Today we’re so happy to announce the launch of our very own Normal Happenings Starry Eyed Discord!

If you’re not too familiar with Discord, it’s this top-notch communication platform ideal for the organization of large groups! So far, we’ve been using Twitter messages for internal communication, updated, collaboration planning, and socializing. It’s impossible to do that all of one thread, so everything is about to change!

Discord is arranged by channels, and with these 16 avenues for communication we’ll be able to rule the world! Or, at least, become an alliance of bloggers and content creators working together to constant improve our work. Let’s go over all the channels!

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We think STARSTORM is the most important channel, so it sits at the very top. The premise is super simple. WordPress lives and dies based on how many stars a piece gets. The more stars, the more likely it is to show up in the reader. So let us bombard you with stars!

Share all of your new posts here first so we can visit your blog and like it. That will boost it in the WordPress algorithm and help increase your audience. You’ll only be able to once per hour in this channel, so if you’d like to discuss your post, head over to #blogging-discussion! 

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Let’s talk about what we do best — blogging! Feel free to share your work if you’re looking for feedback or discussion on a topic! There’s no such thing as “self-promotion” on this discord — instead it’s just a group of incredibly creative and kind people discussing ways to improve the art form of blogging as a whole. If that intersects with your blogging, we think that’s awesome!

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Here’s an incredibly helpful feature! Let us help you out if you’re struggling with a post! A combined Google doc is soon to be available, so feel free to copy over your work in progress to the doc. We’ll then make comments, suggest error fixes, and overall tell you how great the potential of your upcoming post is! 

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Each day the latest Daily Inkling will be pinned to this channel! Use it however you wish to inspire your writing.

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The place to chat about life, the universe, and everything!

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This channel is all about telling us about things that have happened in your life recently outside of blogging. Real-world stuff like relationships and career and school and such. You can tell stories, get advice, and enthrall people with your narratives!

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We talk about video games so much, they deserve their own channel! Here’s where you can discuss anything about games with a great group of people.

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…and TV shows too! Here’s where you can carry on a conversation about all media not video game related.

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It’s a secret to everybody. But not for much longer.

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Share your memories about Mario Kart Memories. You can also submit a DLC post if you desire.

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Discuss some of your favorite pieces from our most ambitious collab! You can also submit a DLC post if you want.

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Slip back into remembering the tranquility of Hyrule. You can also submit a DLC post if you have a cool idea!

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Arrange online game match-ups and tournaments! 

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Going to be in the area of another blogger? Arrange to get coffee or some other cool activity!

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Updates for our Patrons!

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Updates about our Discord! This is also where we’ll decide on future new members.

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Starting a streaming event? Let people know so they can tune in!

The Guest List!

The Normal Happenings Starry Eyed Discord is open to all Patrons, Collaboration Contributors, and VIPs of Normal Happenings! So, if you want to join the fun, the best way is to become a Patron or be a part of a future collab. And with that, we’ll see you over at the Discord party!

Here is the current roster! If you’re on this list, check your Twitter inbox for the invite link.

Introducing Snail Mail Inklings! $5 tier Patrons will get a unique Inkling delivered to their mailbox each month. Responses will be featured in a very special blog post. Come be a part of the fun! Consider becoming one of the amazing patrons of Normal Happenings.Snail Mailbecome_a_patron_button

 

Matthew // Normal Happenings4 Comments

TV Shows, Video Games, and Movies, Oh My! Real Life Follows Culture

We are here because an avalanche of inspiration hit me all at once.

One of the very large boulders in that rock slide was A Geeky Gal’s 30-Day Video Game Challenge. In it, Megan challenged herself to spend every day in a month writing brief posts based on answers to a series of 30 questions. “I wanna do it,” I remember thinking, causing a swarm of blogging nostalgia to come rushing back. Continue reading “TV Shows, Video Games, and Movies, Oh My! Real Life Follows Culture” →

Matthew // Normal Happenings12 Comments

Three Ways We Can All Stop Jumping to Conclusions

I’ll bet you’ve already assumed from the title that I feel negatively about the idea of jumping to conclusions. If so, you’d be right, and this is one of the very few instances where you jumping to a conclusion actually turned out okay.

I live life with a short list of overall objectives. These are just things that seem right, moral, and loving. One item on that list is that I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, which releases them from any judgement they may not be able to defend against. I will never judge someone based on how another person or group of people views his or her life. Jumping to conclusions about a person, attacking them consciously and avoid their influence in your life, is really an ineffective strategy for showing love, which is of particular importance to me. And while it may be natural to annihilate any influence that may run counter to your worldview, I feel it really only shown an underlying lack of confidence in your own paradigm. Continue reading “Three Ways We Can All Stop Jumping to Conclusions” →