Inspiration Always Comes in Nines

When I come home from work these days, I do one of two things. When it’s a Friday, I tend to go straight to the pub and not come out until I am ludicrously drunk. When it’s a weekday, I visit 9rules.

Back when I first discovered 9rules, I was lost on the web. I had no portal/home page/personalized start page to begin browsing, navigate the web or discover great content with. Oddly enough, none of the portals/home pages/personalized start pages available, seemed to provide what I was looking for: the feeling I’d just walked into my local pub – only online, on a weeknight.

9rules, as a blogging network, had just that.

So, I stayed, got involved, submitted, was admitted, stayed some more. Meanwhile, I’ve been sporting the 9rules leaf of selected membership for about fifteen months.

Now, here’s what that doesn’t mean:

• That I’m a brilliant writer/professional who is the leading figure in his field of expertise.
• That I’m a beacon of truth and enlightenment to the plebeian masses.
• That I’m an elitist A-list blogger shaping the minds and opinions of thousands.

Here’s what it does mean:

• That I care enough about some things to write about them with a passion.
• That I care enough to share my thoughts with others.
• That I care enough to interact in a community so that people might benefit, learn or simply enjoy themselves – myself included.

Today, 9rules launched it’s latest version, codenamed Ali2, and became better, bigger and more beautiful than ever before (the codename refers to the fighter, who got better after each round as well). In this latest incarnation, 9rules has not only reverted to its original credo (where it’s all about the passion, and the quality that comes out of it), but also become a ’social network’ like you haven’t seen before.

Honestly, I could go on about the clever profile pages, the Notes/Points system, or the Clips that work as a personalized bookmarking and recommendation tool, but you’ll just have to discover all that (and more) for yourself.

The fact is, there’s more still.

Seeing that I’m not that great writer, beacon, or A-lister, there has to be another reason why 9rules has become such a great place to hang out, and be associated with. I believe that reason lies in the community that has arisen around the Triad of Scrivs, Tyme and Mike – the current leaders of the pack.

With Ali (one), they’d already shown that 9rules isn’t about the fame, the traffic or the ego. It’s about the people, and about what they can achieve when they are given the opportunity to create, share and interact (I know, there’s a lot of ‘those words’ about – clichéd and overused, but apt nonetheless).

With Ali2, they’ve just taken that one step further and inspired us all, members and users alike, to just go that extra mile: write a better post, submit a better Note, make a better comment. With Ali2, they’ve convinced me, and other members, to re-commit. To say: yes, I can do better, I’ll make that extra effort, and come out a better, smarter person.

Because, saying you like, you want, and not actually do something… well, that’s just too damn easy. Yup, big talk, but that’s what 9r does to you.

Go see.

Tags: blogging 9rules community