The blogosphere is a big place. But Dubuque has staked out some territory there. Meet some of the people who regularly write about Dubuque on their Web log.
THE DUBUQUER
Who: Michael May, an adult-services librarian at Carnegie-Stout Public Library. May grew up in Savanna, Ill., and moved to Dubuque in 2005. He lives with his wife, Maggie, two small children, dog and cat.
What: He calls the Dubuquer "A blog about the mystique of Dubuque, Iowa." And, no, he's not referring to the casino. He highlights references to Dubuque in popular culture, literature and the news. May said he was inspired to explore the theme of Dubuque being seen as the "epitome of backwardness" by the famous Old Lady of Dubuque, who first appeared in The New Yorker magazine in the 1920s. Editor Harold Ross famously said his magazine would not be edited for the old lady in Dubuque.
For the record, May disagrees with
Rail Headline |
|---|
| other local blogs * kibblesbits.wordpress.com * nickklenske.blogspot.com * www.riverbankstocornfields.com * newsconference.blogspot.com * erik1966route1.blogspot.com * www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/blog/blog.aspother local blogs ? kibblesbits.wordpress.com ? nickklenske.blogspot.com ? www.riverbankstocornfields.com ? newsconference.blogspot.com ? erik1966route1.blogspot.com ? www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/blog/blog.asp |
"Dubuque is unique, maybe even odd, but it cannot be pigeonholed as leaning right or left or even backwards," he said.
Posts: May pointed out that Bill the Cat from the comic strip Bloom County is from Dubuque. He also writes about the Pack (when Dubuque was home to a meatpacking plant). In one post, a former employee of FDL Foods recalled his time working on the kill-and-cut floor in the early '90s.
Favorite blog: Route1 by the Telegraph Herald's own Erik Hogstrom.
"His consistency is just amazing," May said. "I don't know how he finds the time to listen to so much music, watch so much sports and movies, and then write so much about those things."
SMALL TOWN STRANGER
smalltownstranger.wordpress.com
Who: Ashley Zellmer, 27, grew up in Bronson, Iowa. She's a developmental editor at McGraw-Hill, a poet and an Asian Gourmet enthusiast. She moved to Dubuque about two years ago, after interviewing at McGraw-Hill in New York City. When they told her there was a position open in Dubuque, she took it instead.
"That's where the blog started," she said. "How did I end up in another small town?"
What: A witty homage to life in Dubuque as a single, young professional. Zellmer writes about what she does to stay sane and entertained.
"It took me a while to get my footing," she said.
The blog chronicles her transition to Dubuque. It began as a way to keep in touch with friends and family. These days, Zellmer stays active with the Dubuque Writer's Guild, bicycles around town and attends the area's various summer festivals.
Posts: On her two-year anniversary as a Dubuquer, Zellmer listed the things she's learned about the town. "Turkey & Dressing Sandwich=not so delicious bread sandwich," was among her findings. She also writes tortured love letters to Beecher's Ice Cream.
Favorite blog: Cake Wrecks. (cakewrecks.blogspot.com). The Web site features professional cakes that "go horribly, hilariously wrong."
CREATIVE DUBUQUE
Who: Pamela grew up in eastern Iowa and has lived in Dubuque for almost 10 years. The former stay-at-home mom writes about everything from learning how to play classical guitar to her painful divorce. She writes as freely as she can about her feelings and experiences, while trying to maintain anonymity for herself and those she writes about.
What: Pamela writes about a range of topics, but she also touches on some deeply personal ones.
"I think writing can be important for understanding the complexity of one's life," she said.
Her blog has hosted topics like love, loss and divorce.
"As a woman and a former stay-at-home mom on a marginal income, I was totally decimated by divorce," she said. "It felt like a cruel and terrible joke when I'd been the type of 'granola' mom who sings the ABC song at bedtime, treks around to museums and parks, hand-sews Halloween costumes and figures out the logistics of entertaining 40 families at Cub Scout pack meetings."
Posts: Some of Pamela's recent posts include environmental news, a recipe for squash bread, tips on living frugally and dispatches from a vacation to tri-state attractions. She's also posted short stories. The blog is packed with advice, personal anecdotes and a tone of cautious optimism.
Favorite blog: Pamela doesn't have a single favorite, but she "gravitates toward blogs focusing on frugality, freelancing and Midwest-oriented nature photography."
A blog about the mystique of Dubuque, Iowa.
