The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Digital Do More Challenge is accepting video submissions until the end of the month.

The Official Rules include a few suggestions on how to put your best video forward, including the judging criteria:

1. Originality (40%)
2. Overall Appeal (30%)
3. Likelihood to Motivate People to Move/Stay in Greater Des Moines (30%)

They’ve created a Digital Do More Challenge Group and the contest is open to anyone in the U.S.  So if you agree that Des Moines is a great place to live, work, or play – give it a shoot.

It’s been a privilege to work and blog alongside some brilliant small business experts over at IowaBiz.

Now, this great resource is going offline with a monthly Business Building Breakfast series, sponsored by Professional Solutions Insurance Services. Each hour-long event begins at 7:30 AM.

Come hear some Iowa business brains share their expertise on various small business matters. Here’s a starting sample:

• September 19 – Marketing and Branding with Drew McLellan, McLellan Marketing Group
• October 17 – HR and Leadership with Shirley Poertner, Poertner Consulting Group
• November 28 – Business Insurance with Brian Honnold, Professional Solutions Insurance Services
• December 19 – Life/Work Balance with Mitch Matthews, Kick in the Pants Coaching

All of the events will be held at:

Professional Solutions
14001 University Avenue, Clive, Iowa

Let’s review:

• Experts who can help you build and grow your business — FREE
• Time and access to ask any questions you have about YOUR business — FREE
• Networking opportunity — FREE
• Hot breakfast and plenty of coffee — FREE

No gimmicks. No sales pitches. No boring speakers.

I’ve received a few invites to a new "social network" called Quechup. I accepted one of the invites, but DIDN’T give them access to my mail address book – neither should you.

The mantra now seems to be "Just Say No to Quechup"…so just delete those invites (of course, you could join without granting access to your email addresses).  Even the ‘senders’ are saying "just say no."

UPDATE: A few folks have asked for more details on this warning.

My experience with Quechup thus far, while thankfully limited, has been a flurry of spam. From others with multitudes of invites and from other vendors into my email box (to an address that, up to this point, had remained spam free).

Those who have ended up giving their email addresses out have been apologetic through email, Twitter or on their blogs.

I also dived deeper into Quechup as a community site. It seems to look at any other profiles or messages sent, you need to pony up the dough to upgrade to a premium level. 

My warning above was of a quick nature as a hint of protection to folks. While it may be worthwhile to you to join Quechup – many I trust are saying "just say no" and I thought I’d pass that along.

One of the reasons I hold so many meetings at Panera is not because of the food or service. Although that’s pretty good – the community backdrop is the offline picture of what we try to build in the blogosphere.

As people come in and out of the dining room, there are more than just pleasantries exchanged.  Business cards, ideas, calendars, connections and even partnerships are traded and forged on the floor.

So, when people ask me for an offline example of how blogs work. I usually just raise my head; throw my arms open and show ‘ the Panera-sphere.

See you in the bread aisle.

The toughest thing about solopreneurship (and a stint in the hospital) is the lack of ability to delegate and share workload.  The light is at the end of the tunnel, and I can hardly wait to read these as I rebuild my blogging muscles:

• 7 Days to Rediscovering Your Blogging Groove by Darren Rowse
• The Bloggers Guide to Time Saving Tips by Patric Herber
• Have the Heart of a Blogger by Shonnie Lavender

Just as I was getting out of the hospital, my wife picked up a copy of Strategies and Tools for Corporate Blogging by John Cass. I’ve only skimmed the surface, but it looks like a great read for businesses who want to build relationships with bloggers – even if their company isn’t blogging.  I’ll let you know more as I dive deeper.

An adventurous season I’ve come through,
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers;
You kept my smile right-side-up,
By showering me with your cares.

Though I haven’t reached everyone individually,
My heartfelt thanks are oozing from my pores;
So this is my Got Well Sooner card to you,
From the bottom of my heart  –
Right into the enormity of yours.

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Tis the season of change on this side of the monitor.

Personal things; professional things. Physical changes; mental changes. Habits, behaviors…beliefs.

Wouldn’t it be grand if they made "instant change – just add hot water?"

Over the past few days, I’ve been changing some personal behaviors as it relates to exercise, eating, even sleeping. For these changes to be truly effective and pay off, discipline and persistence are key ingredients. Change takes time. Not necessarily new time, but found time.

Today, as I prepare to begin the catching up of correspondence and project work, I realize there are changes to be made professionally. Don’t quite know what all these changes are just yet, but to do the same things I did before is an invitation for the same result, no?

In many ways, I’ll be leaning on my own advice to new business bloggers. If it’s worth doing, you’ll find the time. It may be doing less of one thing, more of another. Or eliminating a wasted effort to create a profitable one.

Of many things learned recently, this one (hundred) I know.  I have a lot of hugs to dish out.  Here they come…

Wow!  I’m home (my dog growled, but then recognized my voice and went a bit nutty).

A quick thanks to all the great, wonderful, thoughtful, loving comments and emails (more to come on that privately and publicly later).

Might take a few days to get back to a rhythm – and before that I need to catch up on work, projects and give out a bunch of hugs.

On the medical report scene, still some follow-up monitoring to do, some dietary changes (Panera is still part of the diet, thank you!) and more exercise – but this kidney failure (it was a doozy) was hopefully just a one-time thing.

Thanks a bunch to Drew (where’d I get this doo rag?) and everyone who lifted me up with comments – my wife and I read them multiple times each day!

Just wanted to give an update.  And now, back to work sleep.

Submitted by Drew McLellan

One of the things I loved about being the dad of a baby is that you could dress them funny and take pictures.  Imagine my delight then, when I realized you can do the same thing with friends in the hospital!

Mike’s been in official hospital attire since they checked him in.  I thought the outfit could use a little accessorizing.  And a doo rag seemed just the ticket.

Mike also says this covers him on the Face Behind the Blog meme!

Here’s an update:

07/01/07 midnight or so CST:  Mike is feeling a little better but still in quite a bit of pain.  His kidneys are still not behaving but some of the tests are showing some improvements.  There’s no answer as to what’s going on as of yet.  More tests and results from the testing done over the last couple days is what’s on the docket for tomorrow and Monday.

He’s incredibly grateful for all the prayers and well wishes.   Just a reminder — he’s asking that  you not send flowers et al (see his suggestion about where to send them) and he’s just not up to holding up his end of the conversation yet, so please sit tight and he’ll let us know when he’s ready for calls, e-mails and visitors.

I’ll post another update in the next day or so.

07/01/07 5:14 CST: Mike got a great report from the doctors today.  His kidneys are on the mend and he’s "out of the woods" in terms of being in crisis.  Many of the tests they did towards the end of the week are coming back with good numbers. There are probably a couple more days of testing and some milestones he needs to achieve before they’re going to check him out, but he’s on the upswing.

submitted by Drew McLellan

This blog’s been a little bit dry
Because Mike’s been a pretty sick guy
His kidneys are hurtin’
But the doctors are certain
He’ll be back in a blink of an eye

Okay, okay…I don’t claim to be a poet!  But it seems part of the package when you are asked to guest blog that your friend is in the hospital.  So here I am, writing clean limericks.

Mike asked me to bring everyone up to speed.  He was admitted to the hospital yesterday and enjoyed his first ever hospital overnight last night.  As you know, he hasn’t been feeling well for about a week and the doctors are having some trouble putting their finger on the problem.

They know his kidneys are not performing how they should and this is causing Mike a great deal of pain.  They’re keeping him in the hospital to control that pain and so they can poke and prod at him on a regular basis. They are running a battery of tests and hopefully we’ll have some answers soon.

He apologizes for his absence (you know Mike) and hopes you’ll all stick around until he gets back.  He said there’s plenty of food in the pantry and lots of great "how to" articles in his archives…so help yourself.

I’ll keep everyone updated here. For the Iowa blogonostra, he did ask for no visitors.  He’s just not up to it.  To keep his e-mail clean…if you’d like to leave him a get well wish, this would be a great place.

For now as you can see by the sign, this place is self-serve.  Please pick up after yourself and don’t throw food.  I’ll keep you updated.  A little prayer would be a lovely tip to leave.

6/27/07 10:00 am CST update:  More tests today.  More already scheduled for tomorrow. They’ve told Mike to expect to be in the hospital through the weekend.  If you’d like to send him a card, please send them to Mike Sansone in care of me and I will make sure he gets them.

6/27/07 1:00 pm CST update:  Mike is asking that instead of sending him flowers etc. that you pick out someone in your world who could use some cheering up or a kind gesture and send them the flowers from you AND him!

6/29/07 10:00 am CST update:  Mike has had many, many tests but so far, few answers.  The doctors have told him to expect to be in the hospital through the weekend for sure.  He’s resting a lot and appreciates everyone’s well wishes.