<a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2011/10/tulsa-blogger-meetup-prairie-fab-edition/2313604137_f657231b15_o/" rel="attachment wp-att-9333"><img src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2313604137_f657231b15_o-500x450.jpg" alt="by Mike Licht" title="blogger" width="500" height="450" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-9333" /></a>

Howdy there, TDT readers. Today I'd like to introduce to you a new series here on the blog that will feature interviews with your favorite Oklahoma bloggers. 

Exciting! What I hope is that we all gain by taking part in a series like this is a better understanding of our blogging community, as well as of life in Oklahoma. If you know of a blogger who you'd like to see featured in this series, be sure to read to the end of this post.

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The prize of being first featured belongs to <a href="http://nicci6.com/" target="_blank">Nicci Atchley, blogger behind Nicci6.com</a> and someone who has been described as Tulsa's own Carrie Bradshaw. 

And let me tell y'all, she's a dedicated blogger, for sure — she even brought her laptop along on a recent date to jot down notes for this interview in situ — she even interviewed her date and their fellow bar patrons: "I felt that in order to truthfully answer these questions, I needed to put myself IN the dating scene at the very moment that I’m answering them," Atchley wrote to me in her e-mail response to my interview questions. "So I met a new friend for a cocktail, laptop in tow. Here’s how it played out." 

<strong>TDT: How would you describe the dating scene in the Tulsa area?</strong>

Hmmm. Well personally, I've found it challenging to be single in Tulsa as of late. I've heard a lot of people communicate the same sentiment that people tend to get married fairly young here so if you're one of those who didn't, you can't help but wonder if you've perhaps missed the boat. I've also encountered middle aged people who have gone through a divorce and suddenly they're unexpectedly single and kind of going, "Now what the hell am I supposed to do?" I wouldn't say that Tulsa is a city that is necessarily conducive to single-hood. It's definitely not encouraged to be single. That said, every time I give up all hope, I end up meeting someone cool. It's for this reason that I am eternally optimistic. 

What my wine companion had to say: There’s not much of a scene in my opinion. Tulsa is a good place to have a family and settle down but not a great place to be single. If you want to be single, live in Dallas. For someone who’s new to Tulsa, I could see the dating scene being very difficult unless you know people. There aren’t a lot of young professionals. There’s a big divide between old and new.  

I don’t go out a lot. I typically go out with friends Thursday and Friday and maybe meet someone (like Nicci) for cocktails during the week.

According to our bartender: I haven’t been on a date in who knows how long. I was married. The dating scene sucks ass. I’d even rather be single in Oklahoma City than Tulsa.

Random Guy at The Bar: Dating isn’t too bad. There are a lot of beautiful women here but I’ve got a girlfriend I live with so I don’t really look around. Most of the girls are pretty nice around here. I met my girlfriend because she was my girlfriend at the time’s room mate (he smiles and takes a drink of his beer).   

Random guy at the bar then makes a point to say, “I don’t do the whole facebook thing. Everybody on facebook wants to be a celebrity.”   

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeekingNicci6" target="_blank">I wonder for a moment whether</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nicci.atchley" target="_blank">not I should take that personally</a>. 

Next question.

<strong>TDT: Why does Tulsa need a blog about dating, sex and relationships — and why is Nicci6 the woman to consult on all things love?</strong>

I think the WORLD needs another blog about dating, sex and relationships. ; .)  

I didn’t anticipate where all of this writing stuff would go. I started by talking about my dating experiences while I was out in Arizona. I posted those stories on Facebook “Notes”. I was surprised by the response. During the snowstorm, I was snowed in with family and kind of going nuts so I got on WordPress  and set up a blog. Other than playing Xbox Kinect with the neighbor (Hey Brian), I really had nothing else to do so I just started writing. I mean, it probably saved us from “The Shining” sort of episode.

I just started out by telling my stories. The Reader Q & A happened organically. People just started sending me questions. And now that has kind of grown so people will stop me while I’m out and about and ask me questions. It’s been pretty amazing because it’s allowed me to connect with people in ways that I just haven’t been able to before. I’ve  always been that person that my girlfriends will call when they’re going through a break up. I’ve always been that friend to say, “Ok, buck up. Here’s what you need to do.” But now it’s interesting to have people that I don‘t personally know, inviting me into their lives, sharing their stories and asking my opinion. Not that I do the perfect thing all the time. I never do or say the perfect thing. I mess up right and left in relationships. What can I say? When I’m in the thick of it, my own passion often clouds my judgement. That said, for whatever reason, I’m able to give really logical advice to other people. Do as I say, but rarely as I do.

What my wine companion has to say when I ask him, “Why am I the person to consult with on all things love?”:  I don’t know yet. Why don’t we spend Friday and Saturday together and then we’ll blog about it on Sunday?

Heheheehe. Men. *Please note: It is shortly after the above question that we discover that I am like a DECADE older than said wine companion. The bartender obviously finds this amusing. Sigh. So much for that. 

<strong>TDT: What are some of your most popular posts at Nicci6.com, and why do you think they've resonated with your readers?</strong>

"How to Date a Rockstar" has been the most read series, mainly because it stirred up so much controversy, I think. A lot of people thought that I wrote it to really roast an ex boyfriend but that wasn't my intent at all. His band was about to go on tour and I'm really proud to know them so I thought, "Hey, maybe I can help raise some awareness about them." So I started this series and didn't really conceal his identity. Well shortly after the first post, I started getting all these comments that just blew my mind. I was stunned. It was a revelation to say the least. But then I had to write the rest of the story as if this information hadn't been revealed to me. It was really challenging to be outright pissed but then to still sit down and write about a time in the past that I was rather smitten with this guy. I think that particular series was popular because it was a bit on the dramatic side and it just went viral. It circulated rapidly. Anyway, he wasn't pissed that I wrote it. He didn't ask me to take it down or anything. He apologized and it's safe to say that everyone has moved on. Everybody's cool. There's no ill will at all. 

I've also received quite a bit of positive feedback on "How to Lose a Guy in 30 Days" and "Is it Old Fashioned to Want to Be Able to Provide for a Girl Before Choosing to Settle Down?" The examples I’ve written are pretty extreme but I think that most people can relate on some level. I like to examine things from an anthropological perspective. I mean, as human beings, we all have a very similar experience when it comes to love.  

<strong>TDT: What's your process for creating content at Nicci6.com?</strong>

My process is pretty haphazard, actually. I write when I have the time to write. I’m almost always inspired. I get ideas for posts all the time. There are so many questions and concepts that I’d like to explore. It really comes down to time. I do find that I tend to write more when I’m feeling either slightly infatuated or slightly heartbroken over somebody. It just stirs up ideas and memories. It’s a telltale sign when I start writing a lot that I’m either falling in or out of something. It’s the in-between state that I can’t stand. I’ve been a bit wounded lately so I’ve been more prolific with my writing. I met this great guy and I am simply more into him than he is into me. And so it goes. At least it’s conducive to creation. Any time I find myself disappointed, I remind myself of that.

<strong>TDT: How did your build <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nicci.atchley" target="_blank">your 5,500+ following on Facebook</a> (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeekingNicci6" target="_blank">and here</a>), and what do your readers get from you there that they don't get from your blog?</strong>

I’ve built my network by accepting practically all of the friend requests that I’ve received. I started doing that early on. I think being really active helps too. Activity begets activity. The more you interact  with other people on facebook, the larger your network is going to be. My advice is that if you want to build a bigger network, go to other people’s pages and start engaging. It’s like that on facebook and it’s like that in life.

Facebook is fun because it’s really about story-telling. Anyone who gets my updates in their newsfeed will probably agree that my posts are kind of reality-show like. They are all snippets of a story. On my personal pages, people get the behind the scenes view of things. It’s the hour by hour version of my blog.
 
<strong>TDT: So you agree to go on a date. What do you hope is on the agenda?</strong>

Truth be told, it makes absolutely no difference to me what I do with somebody on a date. It doesn’t really have any bearing on whether I like a guy or not. I mean, I’d rather take a walk around the neighborhood with a guy that I’m really into than jet off to Fiji with a fella that I’m not. In this regard, I’m of the Epicurean mindset that it isn’t where or what you eat but who you eat with.

My Wine Companion: Depends on what kind of date. Horseback riding? Or dinner and drinks and see where the night takes you...That’s all I got to say about that.

Indeed.

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My thanks goes out to Nicci for being willing to be the first to interview for this new series. TDT readers, feel free to leave any questions or comments for Nicci here on this post, and be sure to <a href="http://nicci6.com/" target="_blank">check out Nicci and her take on the Tulsa dating scene at nicci6.com</a>. 

Next up in the series is an interview with <a href="http://route66news.com/" target="_blank">Ron Warnick, the blogger behind the Tulsa-based Route66News.com</a>. Ron has some interesting things to say about niche blogging, the impact of blogging on historic preservation and, of course, the Route itself, so stay tuned for that interview, due for posting at about this time next week. 

Know a blogger you think should be interviewed as part of this series? <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/contact/" target="_blank">Send me a message</a> or leave me a note in the comments on this post. 

<em>Photo by Mike Licht</em>