What is iDivamemphis.com?

When I first thought of doing this, I was sitting in yet another newspaper managers’ meeting on yet another work day in Memphis. We were trying to figure out what to put on the front page of the newspaper the next day.

I found myself thinking about all of the stories I’d rather be talking about.

What I realized in that moment is that the people I wanted to talk to were women in Memphis, not the people around that table. The stories I was — I am — most interested in are stories of and about women in Memphis and across the country. Stories that don’t often come up at newspaper managers’ meetings.

Fast forward a few months, and you have what you see here.

iDivamemphis.com is meant to be a place where women in Memphis can go to see themselves. Talk about what matters to them, and keep up with the news that might not make the front page of the newspaper. (Though it should. But we’ll get to that in a minute.) We’ll argue, and dish, and swap advice on everything from finding discount glasses frames (what, you haven’t heard of Ike’s optical department?) to whether you should change your kid’s school/teacher/best friend.

It’s a site for all kinds of women, in all different places in their lives.

The centerpiece of the site is my blog (that’s Web log, a kind of online column), updated at least daily. Every item in the blog, and every other part of the site, can take your comments, thoughts and rants. Please post comments as often as you can. Join the conversation. Make your voice heard.

Once the conversation gets going, I’ll be looking for parts of it to put back into the pages of the newspaper. (Who knows, maybe we’ll even break news for the front page.) There’s a category especially for essays — go to In Our Words — if you have a longer thought or rant you’d like to publish.

Is this site part of The Commercial Appeal?

Yes. And you can get to iDivamemphis.com a number of different ways. The best way is to bookmark it - it’ll become one of your Favorites. You’ll also find us if you go to commercialappeal.com and click on the iDiva button. You won’t have to register on ca.com to read and post to iDiva.


How do I post comments to the site?

Posting a comment is easy, really, but you can only comment on a blog entry. Here’s how: Click on the word “Comment,” and fill in your name (make one up if you want), your e-mail address (this has to be real) and your comment. Hit “Post.” That’s it.

If you have something to say that doesn’t have to do with a blog entry, send me an e-mail with your idea/thought/suggestion at iDiva@iDivamemphis.com.

The usual etiquette rules apply here: Don’t use obscene language in your comments, and avoid gratuitous personal attacks.

Really have something to say, but don’t quite know how to write it? Here are some great tips from the MIT Media Lab on writing, editing, reporting and even photography: http://stringers.media.mit.edu/journalism.htm.

What if I want to send you a picture?

Send it in an e-mail to iDiva@iDivamemphis.com.

May I post anonymously?

You can call yourself anything you want when you post, from Anonymous to Suburbabe to MidtownMom. The thing that needs to be real is your e-mail address.

Are you going to edit things that I post?

At first, I’ll look at all posts before they go up on the site, but I’ll probably just post most of them, unless they are obscene or libelous. If I decide to publish your deathless words later in the newspaper, they might be edited for clarity or length.

Can I post to iDiva even if I don’t read The Commercial Appeal?

Sure.

I’m having trouble with some of the technical stuff on the site. Who should I contact?
Send a note to iDiva@iDivamemphis.com, and I’ll get my Web guru, Will Hortman, who designed this site (terrific, no?) on the problem right away.