(From zillow.com)
A couple of months ago, a guy from Zillow by the name of Nick Elam asked me if I’d like to have some of his Zillow.com copy that’s appropriate for my Syracuse readership to run on my blog.
Well … thanks for thinking of me, Nick, but … I think I’ll be writing my own Syracuse material. He was gracious. And persistent. And he told me once again how he’d like to work with me because of my knowledge of the community and the way I connect with the topics he had in mind for Zillow’s quest. And, one more thing: Would I participate in a questionnaire about Syracuse, answers to appear within a Zillow.com post to come?
OK. That I could do. He sent his list. I replied with my answers. Monday night, when I got home from a business meeting, he’d sent me a message letting me know that the post was up.
You can see what his post looks like above.
Here’s the link to the post, “What It’s Like to Live in Syracuse.” Some of my opinions are featured alongside those of fellow Salt City bloggers Jared Parenti of Al Dente, Brian Harrison of Orange 44, Lauren Greutman of I Am That Lady, Yona Williams of My Name Is Yona Williams And I Write, and Elizabeth Allers, Matthew De Bellas and Susan Troman of CNY Arts. It’s a cool place to be.
Why did they want me? Maybe because Nick had a premonition I’d say something like:
“Yes, the temperature here can go from 55 to 30 faster than a nervous teen driver spotting a police car.”
Don’t worry. I get serious, too.
Has an outside business company tried to steer copy onto your blog? Have you been included in a mash-up blog? Would you give your hometown a yay or nay vote?
Mark Bialczak 
No, but I’d vote for YOUR hometown any day! How cool for you, my friend! 😀
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Thank you, Rachel! Two cheers for Syracuse. (Zillow’s and yours.) ❤
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Whew – I now know a famous person who is quoted on other websites. Ha! Looking good Mark. Reading your blog offerings, it is immediately obvious to the most casual observer that you are deeply involved in your city culture – restaurants, theater, sports, etc. They chose well when they chose you to represent the opinions of the city. Well done sir.
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Thank you, Paul. I am honored that you think of me in this way.
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I like your answers because of your great sense of humor. I have to visit Syracuse sometime soon when the temperatures are not dipping so I can try the restaurants you feature in your blog. Because food. 🙂
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Because food and friends, Mrs. B. What a time we will have. 😉
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The town I grew up in will always feel like my home town, even after twenty years of no residence. You do a fine job on your own, Mark, I agree.
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I’m glad you feel at home where you grew up, Aud. I have no roots there anymore. Mine are here. 🙂
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Yes, if I didn’t have family still there I’d feel like a vagabond, for sure.
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I don’t have enough readers on my blog to have anybody clamoring to be on it 🙂
My home town relationship is odd. Growing up I didn’t much like it — kept asking my parents why we had to be there instead of Lexington (my parent’s home town). Couldn’t wait to graduate and get away. That was in the days when Flint was Buick Town and thriving.
Then GM closed all the Buick operations and most of the other GM stuff and the town went into a major decline, where it has kind of stayed. In recent years, since I’ve been taking my mother back to visit old friends, I have an appreciation I didn’t have then. Something about the hard times seems to have made people friendlier than I remember them being. Some favorite restaurants are still there and still faves. The Art Institute is still thriving. And at this age, there’s something about visiting the familiar places of childhood that feels comforting and easy.
Ironically, Lexington has changed a lot and not for the better in my opinion so now that I finally live here, I’m not so keen. Is the grass always greener???
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Thank you for your interesting insight on the green grass of your parents hometown when you were young and your childhood hometown now that you are an adult living there, Leigh. I wonder if both have indeed changed a lot over the years, as much as your perception of them. People should be asking for you to write this kind of opinion on their blogs, my friend.
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Thanks!
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Well, I’ve lived in this area all my life little brother, so I must like it. I’ve only lived in town about 20 years though, and can honestly say I don’t like that. The country roads are in my blood and while I do like the convenience of where I live now, if I had my druthers, I’d druther live in the country. 30 years ago maybe it would have been different, but we have city officials with big pretensions running a small town with no place to grow and no interstate, no railroad, except for freight trains mainlining thru town at inconvenient times of day and night, and a small airport with short runways and no room to expand. Yet they have uprooted our trees and built replacements out of concrete, paved over the grass with concrete and marble, and bankrupted the town in the process, built a new hospital on a marshy area where it is sinking already less than two years after the grand opening, and bankrupt 5 month into construction. Gee, I think that probably answered all the questions a long time ago. But 30 years ago we had the perfect, crime free small town, USA.
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I wish you still had it the way you loved it, sis Angie. I really do.
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i can understand it, your really have your finger on the syracuse pulse, it’s no wonder they asked. the only thing i’ve been asked to do was from an adult toy/clothing company looking for ad space on my site ) as for my town, i’m loyal and love it and could happily talk about it all day long –
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That was an interesting offer you got for your blog, Beth! So not your … well .. audience … You know what I mean. I know how much you love Ann Arbor. Hey, Zillow and Nick Elam, shout out to Beth for your Ann Arbor post, she’s a natural. 🙂
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Nice work, Mark! I enjoyed reading your answers. Great publicity for you 🙂
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Thanks, Liz. A little pub never heard, right? 🙂
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Well, congratulations on being recognized as a connoisseur of your hometown though I know few who would deserve it as well as you.
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Thank you, Marissa. It was fun to be part of the blogger crew. 🙂
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In short: no, no, yay 🙂
I can see why someone would want to be connected with you Mark. In many ways, you have your finger on the pulse of what’s what in Syracuse. I like your explanation of lake snow hahaha! ❤
Diana xo
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Thanks, Diana! I tried to be a bit humorous, you know? 🙂
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I am a big ol’ Homer. I have lived in a lot of far more “exotic” places than Naptown but I came back here. So I am a big fan of my home town;Indianapolis.
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It’s OK to like where you live, Benson. Otherwise, you should move, right?
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