Which do you prefer? (click through to see)

RealCrozetVA

on Google+

RealCrozetVA

Promote Your Page Too

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Support what’s authentically local.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I try to tag all of my photos with “Crozet” for my own organizational purposes but also so that they show up in the slideshow at the top of RealCrozetVA. It’s amazing what you’ll find in the Crozet photostream.

Mobile photo-taking is huge; it makes “reporting” from the street so much more possible. I know this – I wouldn’t take nearly as many photos of Crozet (or anywhere) if I had to lug around a dedicated camera everywhere.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Responding to this comment:

… just wish you would define just where is “RealCrozet”:) Don’t you go including Greenwood, Freetown, Brownsville, or White Hall when you try to keep us up to date of the areas activities.

From Downtown Crozet to Old Trail to 250 West, to Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton and some points west, to Freetown to Batesville Store, to Beaver Creek, to the White Hall Store, to Chiles Orchard. And anywhere else that piques my interest or touches Crozet.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

If so, now is your chance to show it.

If not, my feelings won’t be hurt. Much.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

RealCrozetVA has a new comment system that allows for a new and slightly different form of commenting.

You can:
- subscribe to discussions easier,
- sign in using twitter, facebook, etc.
- rate comments (this could be interesting)
- attach your photo to the comment
- responses from twitter are now shown.

Comments welcome.

I tried a different comment system a year ago, and it just didn’t work out. If you want your photo (or avatar) to show up, sign up for a profile at Disqus.

If you’re interested in a good explanation of the benefits of Disqus, this is a pretty good walkthrough.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

The title says what I’m looking for – someone to do a video of the Crozet Christmas Parade. I’ll even loan you the HD video camera. If you’re interested (aren’t there video courses at Western Albemarle High School?) please contact me.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I spend a lot of time on my phone, and a lot of time online on my phone, so it was natural that I make RealCrozetVA more mobile friendly.

Better yet, you’re mobile and see something interesting, say, a truck on fire in the parking lot of The Square, take a picture and send it to me.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I’ve asked a couple of times over the years for folks to write at RealCrozetVA.

In 2005. And in 2008. And yesterday someone actually emailed me and asked if they could submit a story.

Short answer: Yes. Please do write for RealCrozetVA.

Slightly longer answer from 2008:

The goal remains the same now as it did then – to provide a forum for Crozetians to learn about and discuss growth issues, cultural events, news … whatever the community dictates. A lot has changed, and a lot remains the same.

While this is a “hyper-local” blog and I’m sure I could do some things to get business from it (I happen to be a Realtor), getting business was never the goal.

The offer to the community remains – if you want to write for RealCrozetVA, please let me know. At the very least, I’d appreciate your telling your friends about this site.

Admittedly, the glory and fame is overwhelming, but if you’re up to the challenge, and can stand to spell correctly and use correct grammar, please let me know if you would like to write for the site.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

But don’t have the time to put it together. Are there any enterprising students at Western Albemarle High School who are interested in writing a story or two for RealCrozetVA? Maybe a journalism student? If you’re interested, please contact me.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Something happened. Something that could have been devastatingly awful and bad. This blog died/disappeared/went kaput this afternoon.

Luckily, I had a backup of my blog’s database and the kind folks at Blue Ridge Internetworks (who graciously provide hosting for RealCrozetVA) were able to get us back to a basic working order, and now the rebuilding, re-tweaking, re-doing begins.

Please bear with me; it may take a few days to get everything back to where it should be.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I upgraded the design theme for RealCrozetVA; hopefully there are no bugs or problems, but if you find some, please let me know in the comments or via my contact form, or by chatting with me in the sidebar. If all goes well (as I expect it will) I will be upgrading RealCentralVA this week too.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I upgraded the blog software this morning. Please let me know if you notice any issues.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Courtesy of Seth Godin:

Here’s how I would do it. Assume you’ve got six people in your office. Each person is responsible to do two things each day:

• Interview a local business, a local student or a local political activist. You can do it by phone, it can be very short and it might take you ten minutes.
• Get 20 households to ‘subscribe’ by giving you their email address and asking for a free subscription. You can use direct contact or flyers or speeches to get your list.

• …..

  Twice a week, send out the ‘newspaper’ by email. After one week, it will have more than 500 subscribers and contain more than 20 interesting short articles or quotes about people in the neighborhood. Within a month, (if it’s any good) every single person in town who matters will be reading it and forwarding it along to others.

  It will cost you nothing. It will become your gift to the community. And it will be a long lasting asset that belongs to you, not to the competition. (And yes, you can do this if you’re a plumber or a chiropractor. And yes, you can do this if ‘local’ isn’t geographic for you, but vertical).

(I’m going without the print version, though)

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I have just installed the Intense Debate plugin here on RealCrozetVa – I’m hoping that the new comment interface isn’t too intimidating. Please let me know if you have any problems commenting.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Have you heard of Twitter? I have long had a Twitter account for my main personality – Jim Duncan.

Create an account on Twitter and then follow alng there! (hint: it’s a good way to catch breaking news, too – like the fire last week)

What’s Twitter?

PS – You can also follow me on I’m now Tweeting at RealCrozetVA and RealWaynesboroVA but my primary account – @JimDuncan – is where I’d suggest you start..

Update – After this post and the subsequent comments on RealCentralVA, I’m changing my thinking. Follow RealCrozetVA if you’d like, but I think we’d all benefit more if you followed @JimDuncan.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I’ve upgraded to the new version of WordPress. Please let me know if you notice any problems with the site. Thanks!

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

You may have noticed that I implemented a new theme last week. This week I’m changing things up a little bit more. I replaced the flickr sidebar with a large scrolling flickr slideshow with photos tagged with “Crozet.”

I’ve also added a widget in the sidebar that is a slightly more blatant announcement that I happen to be a Realtor. Since I started writing this blog in September of 2005, I’ve never hidden the fact that I make my living as a Realtor, but I don’t think I’ve every come out and said, “I’m a Realtor!” If you think that this detracts from the site, please let me know. It’s meant to be a passive, non-intrusive announcement that I do happen to have a job other than writing here.

If something doesn’t work or look right, please let me know. Thank you sincerely for reading.

As always, you can receive updates from RealCrozetVA by clicking here to sign up for email alerts or here to receive RSS notifications.

If you’re reading this in your RSS reader, please take a look at the new theme.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I’m still working on implementing this in the theme … by request -

Subscribe to RealCrozetVA by clicking here.

Don’t miss a comment – subscribe to comments by clicking here!

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

On 13 September 2005, I posted to RealCrozetVA for the first time. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

The goal remains the same now as it did then – to provide a forum for Crozetians to learn about and discuss growth issues, cultural events, news … whatever the community dictates. A lot has changed, and a lot remains the same.

While this is a “hyper-local” blog and I’m sure I could do some things to get business from it (I happen to be a Realtor), getting business was never the goal.

The offer to the community remains – if you want to write for RealCrozetVA, please let me know. At the very least, I’d appreciate your telling your friends about this site.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

I wonder – might the day come when RealCrozetVA.com merges with a print paper?

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

In September, RealCrozetVA was opened to all writers and contributors, furthering the drive to create a community hub of discussion and debate. Tuesday’s elections provide a great opportunity for somebody to craft a summary of the results.

Will Crozetian Arin Sime, fresh off the News Virginian’s endorsement, pull out a victory in the 24th District race?

Will challenger Ann Mallek upend incumbent David Wyant?

Log in (it’s on the right, under “Meta”), write a story, save it as a draft, and then email me to let me know.

Technorati Tags: albemarle, crozet

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Blue Ridge Internetworks is now hosting RealCrozetVA.com, gratis. It is humbling to have a company offer hosting services, and I am grateful for the offer. The transition from my previous host was seamless, painless and completely invisible to readers – just how it should be.

The cost of operating this site is not so significant as to be a hardship, but, it is intended to be a community resource; I won’t take ads, so until now the cost has been borne alone.

Thank you to Blue Ridge Internetworks.

I expect that I will be moving a site or two over to them soon.

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

There’s a blog covering the 151/Afton area – just west of Crozet. Their goal?

We are a non-profit group dedicated to improving the safety on Routes 151 & 6 in Nelson County, Virginia

It looks like they have been up and running since mid-September.

I saw the blog pop up in one of my keyword alerts this morning, but Hawes Spencer beat me to the blog.

I like their “white-knuckle” gallery.

Technorati Tags: crozet, afton

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.

Anyone can post anything (so long as it’s not defamatory, insult-laden or designed to be disrespectful or laden with vitriol).

Register, set up a profile (you can choose to be anonymous) and start writing.

It’s easier than writing a letter to the editor, and I know that your thoughts will be read by people who care and can often “do things” to make things right.

Some ideas –

- What type of growth you want to see in Crozet.
- Opinions on the Fall elections.
- Restaurant reviews.
- Your thoughts on the Crozet Community Association meetings
- the Crozet Music Festival

Please let me know your thoughts if you have any questions.

One thing I am working on is an interview with Henley’s new principal – what questions would you like to ask him?

Technorati Tags: crozet

Copyright RealCentralVA.com, LLC. If you like this post, please, visit RealCrozetVA.comwhere this was originally posted.