23 Mobile Things: 17. Connecting to Community

17 is known as the 'least random number.'

In multiple studies replicated multiple times, when asked to give a random number between 1-20, humans overwhelming report 17.

Weird.

What's not weird is reporting on Thing 17 of 23 Mobile Things.

Connecting to Community. This is something incredibly important to me, and something that has become infinitely expanded with mobile technologies. You can connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime, about anything. It's no surprise This Thing boasts far, far more app suggestions than any other thing to date. In fact, the possibilities for connection via mobile devices is so robust that This Thing narrowed itself specifically to connecting in Minnesota.

Being a lover of all things Minnesota and a well established NE Minneapolitan, I've tried out a few of the suggested apps. Some of my favorites are:

• MPR Radio (cue guilty feeling if you are not already a member)
• Highlights of the Superior Hiking Trail (yay summer!)
• Minneapolis Skyway (8 miles of protection from our hideous winters)
• Minnesota State Fair (my derby teammate's name is Ana Stick to fully honor this esteemed and annual occasion)

A few I haven't tried from the list that sound positively intriguing:

• MN Museums (total museum junky)
• Enjoy Red Wing (total SE Minnesota bluffs and Red Wing Shoes junky)
• Going Out from Star Tribune (total nightlife and good food junky)
• Minnesota Beer Activists (total craft beer junky)

So...if you'd ever like to listen to MPR while hiking the Superior Hiking Trail followed by lunch in the Minneapolis Skyway preceded by some serious people watching at the Minnesota State Fair after a leisurely stroll through one of our many amazing MN Museums while wearing our Red Wing Boots before Going Out for the night and drinking a delicious beer suggested by Minnesota Beer Activists we may just be best friends.

So there you go. Your mobile device is your connection to all things wonderful in Minnesota. For those of you outside our regal borders, if I haven't convinced you to visit yet, you must be crazy. Just don't let those pesky 95° and humid or -40° with -60° wind chills scare you. There are like 5, 6 days a year that are actually quite pleasant.