What We're Reading Now

Marijean’s 100 Things to Do in Charlottesville Before You Die

27 May 2014

Allison celebrated her two-year anniversary of blogging every Tuesday by reading her social media guru’s new book, 100 Things to Do in Charlottesville  Before You Die.

Tags: allison read, social media

I remember when I first started seeing Marijean Jaggers at Chamber of Commerce events and other local associations. She gave a variety of presentations on why social media was important and how to do Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn the right way. I would always think to myself, “Yeah, yeah, yeah… whatever. I am never signing up for any of that stuff. I like my networking just the way it is.”

Seven or more years later, I’m sure Marijean chuckles over our first few encounters as she’s become both my social media guru and a dear friend. Since we met, she’s provided great advice to Allison Partners, helped me to figure out how to join the Facebook fun in 2010, and gently nudged me into the Twittersphere in 2011. I always knew I should do social media, but I never knew how fun, friendly, and effective it could be if you strike the personal, but never private balance that Marijean recommends. (If you want to see how she got me ready and just how much fun I’ve had, check out these posts.)

I thought I’d made all the progress I needed to, but in 2012, Marijean gave me a kind, but firm pep talk about blogging. It went something like this, “You’re either in or you’re out. People who’ve already worked with you want to stay connected and those who are researching you want more than a traditional web site. You sometimes go months without blogging. Post regularly or don’t even bother.” After much encouragement, I made the commitment to write every Tuesday beginning 29 May 2012. Since then Rachel has written two posts for me when I was on vacation and one when I hurt my back. However, the other 101 Tuesday posts are all mine. I’ll confess that Tuesdays are often my hardest days, but I think I dread the task a little less and certainly enjoy the feedback from people a little more as each week passes.

As I celebrate this milestone, it seems right to pause and celebrate Marijean. Not only has she helped so many members of the Charlottesville community find their social media footing, but she’s also moved from newcomer in 2005 to writing a book just nine years later called, 100 Things To Do in Charlottesville Before You Die. (Check out this short video for an idea of what made the list.)

My parents met in Charlottesville, but moved before I was born. We vacationed here all through my childhood, but I didn’t really return until 1991 as a first year English Major at UVA. I had a typical stint in the Northern Virginia area after graduation and then in 1999 I came back to get my MBA at Darden and never left. (And I’m pretty sure I never will.) So while I’m not a native I’ve now been here more than half my life and I think I’ve enjoyed a pretty diverse sampling of both town and gown and lots of things in between.

In my humble opinion (and that of many natives, U.Va. grads, longtime residents, and newcomers), Marijean has done a great job of curating a wonderfully traditional and yet eclectic list of what makes Charlottesville so much fun. I’ve done 59 of the 100 things she suggests including #100 Grease Your Spoon at the White Spot. I even managed to eat 2 1/2 Gus Burgers in a contest for charity back in 1994. The caption on the cover of The Daily Progress below read, "University of Virginia Junior, Allison Linney, gives it her all during the third annual Gus Burger eat-off in the Newcomb Hall Courtyard. Linney downed 2 1/2 burgers Wednesday. Terry Watts won by eating six of the burgers made famous by the White Spot restaurant, in the allotted six minutes."

Today I enjoyed  #84 Dine Al Fresco on the Downtown Mall by having lunch under the trees at Petit Pois and Thursday night I'll enjoy #41 Hang Out at Miller's. (I know I'm home when I get to hear John D'earth's trumpet.)  My nephew, George IV, is visiting for a week in July and will be checking out #69 Challenge Yourself at Triple C Camp. (Adults can do team building there, too.) By the end of 2014, I plan to try out these suggestions from Marijean’s list. Some I’ve been meaning to do for ages. Others I’d never even heard of:

• #6 Make a Cheese Pilgrimage to the Monastery in White Hall
• #7 Pick Your Own Fruit from an Orchard
• #28 Sit On a Tractor Seat at the Top of Bear Den Mountain
• #35 Row Your Boat on the Rivanna Reservoir
• #55 Stroll Fields of Lavender at Inglewood Lavender Farm

Which of Marijean’s 100 ideas will you try this year? What would you add to her list?

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