GirlmeetsGeek

Minneapolis resident Kate-Madonna Hindes publishes the GirlmeetsGeek blog. She is an industry leader, national author and speaker on emotional integrity and authenticity in online media. Columns she writes are regularly published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Women of HR, Brazen Careerist and JobDig. Her some of her speaking and writing credits include bookings at the Keith Ferrazzi’s Relationship Academy, 2010 WordcampMSP, Social Media Breakfast in Imation Headquarters, 2009 Cervical Cancer Conference. A few of her recent on-air appearances were with WCCO and International Radio Station, GirlTalkRadio, and WomeninBusinessRadio.

Your blog has been around for about three years. How has it evolved since you first started blogging?

I’ve actually been blogging close to 15 years. My first years, was through a platform at AOL. Then it moved over to LiveJournal and I had a following with a few other friends. Livejournal gave me the ability to really explore writing the personal and internal emotions that helped me to transform to who I am today. After deliberation, about 3 and a half years ago, I decided to move parts of the journal over, and start www.girlmeetsgeek.com. It started out as a journal to why I wasn’t married and ended as an internal look into myself, business and passion. I think GirlmeetsGeek is the culmination of who I was, what I was passionate about and how I was living it out loud.

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to creating new content? How do you overcome it?

I don’t write, unless I feel something in my fingertips telling me to. I find, that when I let my passion take control, my writing is far better than if I allow myself to blankly type words. I never blog about my daily life, only about moments that matter most. I don’t want to ‘water down’ my writing with mediocrity and I’m too busy to worry about blogging daily. I have other posts I can pull from if my focus is on business, or I have too many deadlines that week. What keeps my writing, ‘fresh’ and ‘unique,’ is the emotion behind it. I always taken on submissions, (I believe GirlmeetsGeek should be a place of words, not just MY words,) so other writers are always welcome. I have always found that good writers are open to the influences around them. I’m a news junkie and I write a lot of my pieces on Social Justice and giving voice to the oppressed. GirlmeetsGeek has become an emotional platform for the forgotten, the passionate and the unvocalized.

People blog for different reasons. What is the most rewarding aspect of maintaining the Girl Meets Geek blog?

I write, because it’s in my blood. I don’t believe in the word, “Blog.” I’m a writer. I’m not a ‘blogger.” I think by using the terms, ‘blog,’ or ‘blogger,’ we limit ourselves. I’m convinced if you cut me open, letters and punctuation would flow from my veins. You could say I blog, because I feel best when my thoughts form into words, hit my keyboard screen and I can read them back and think, “YES.” GirlmeetsGeek is for me, only- it always has been. You’ll notice, there’s no ads on my site and I’m not involved in any communities. I wanted to establish something different for GirlmeetsGeek. I wanted the words, the emotion and the quality to speak for itself, but only because I wanted to put authentic words out there. At the end of the day, the site is for my daughter and I. I want her to see a woman who overcame tremendous odds to grow as a human being and create the world she wanted.

What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading it?

I hope whomever visits, realizes that we all have greatness in them. I started writing stories when I was in the First Grade. I knew from a young age, that words were my currency to the world. We all have gifts, and they only resonate with others if we put passion and purpose behind those gifts. David Brauer from MinnPost once told me, “Dream Responsibly.” I’ve taken that to heart. GirlmeetsGeek is my Responsible Dream. Our lives are only measured by what we DO with them, not what we WANT out of them. I hope GirlmeetsGeek inspires others to take action and create the future they want.

Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?

My google reader currently has thousands of new posts in it. I desperately need to catch up on my reading. Since I’m a news junkie, sites I read daily include: Minnpost.com; Minnesota Independent, Minnesota Public Radio and my daily dose of Women of HR. I also like to check out the bloggers highlighted on the Twin Cities Spark!

What do you love the most about living in the Twin Cities and why?

I love the community that Minneapolis and St. Paul offers. It’s not the restaurants, (though wonderful,) the shopping, or the sights- it’s the people. Minnesota truly has the kindest and closest-knit people I’ve ever met. I’m a ‘lifer’ here. I don’t think I’ll ever leave.

What aspect of Spring in Minnesota are you most looking forward too?

I’m looking forward to seeing the sunshine through my daughter’s hair. There’s been a moment every year, where Ava and I are on the grass outside and I look at her, and she’s smiling and her hair is nothing but GOLD. There’s something about the glisten, the warmth and the together-time of summer; skirts and high heels. I’m a winter-lover, through and through, but there are adventures in the summer that I can’t conquer when it’s -20 outside. I love hitting up local farmer’s markets, Como Zoo and traveling up to Lake Superior. My summes have been defined by the memories of years before. Hopefully this summer is no different!