she who blogs

Site of the Week (A Little Space for Me)

The Blog

The Blogger

Her Sidekicks:

Your blog has changed quite a bit since you joined She Who Blogs. Tell us how you started blogging and what influenced the changes.

Well, I started blogging in November last year after stumbling onto a fun blog called Temerity Jane, through a World of Warcraft gamer's blog (did I mention I'm a geek? Yeah… I even have a WoW blog - A Little WoW for Me.). She had mentioned how she was going to do the NaBloPoMo challenge for November, I clicked the link and signed up to see what it was all about! After reading a few blogs I thought it would be a great way to share photos of our newest addition (about 1 month old at that point) to the rest of our family, and anyone else who wanted to nosey in too! :)

The changes (oh the changes!!)… I initially started off on Blogger… then moved to wordpress.com, then back to blogger because it had more customization than the hosted WP. Then the first "mommy blogger" I'd ever read, Veronica of the Sleepless Nights, had decided to make the move to a self-hosted site, as had her friend Lotus, so I guess I considered it because the cool kids were doing it! I also wanted to make sure the blogging didn't just become yet another 'hobby' that would fall by the wayside after a couple of months which normally happened. I figured if I actually spent some money on it (ie hosting and domain name) then I would definitely keep going! Well, 6 months on and I'm still here, so it worked!

Tell us about three blogs you visit often and why you keep going back for more?

I always go to TJ's blog, it's all her fault I started blogging in the first place, so I'm pretty attached to her writings :)

Veronica is the first mommy blog I ever read, and she's just such a sweety, I love her writing style, and her sense of humour rocks!

Sandy definitely deserves to be in the top 3 here too - I remember the first time I read her blog, I thought she was one of those seasoned 'been blogging for years' bloggers - she already had a self-hosted site after all! Turns out she had only started earlier this year! I love reading her posts and finding out how little Ella is doing :)

How easy was WordPress to install and learn?

Getting used to a self-hosted blog is hard! Not only do you need to learn how to use the platform, but also figure out how to work the control panel for the hosting. All the plugins that you take for granted on a wp.com blog you have to find, download and then upload to the right place in your blog, and the same for themes - it was so strange to start with! I just kept saying to myself *in a month's time I'll be doing this like I have been for years* and I was right. Now I chatter away to the hubby about it and he nods his head clueless about what I'm talking about - he's the computer savvy one and I outsmart him with this stuff! hehe.

Tell us about the graphics programs(s) you're using.

Well, I've just started using Photoshop Elements 6.0. I'm still learning and have a looong way to go but I'm definitely enjoying getting to grips with it! It's got a pretty decent learning curve, although I do keep pestering the husband about how to do some simple things. There's only one way to learn though and that's by doing things yourself! Mnd you, I have some of the best posers for my shots, so I think it's all them really! I've also been trying out Picturesque over the past couple of days which is really great for slight touch ups for pics to go on a blog. I think it's something I'll start using pretty regularly :)

So Max, Zack, what do you think of being the main players on your mum's blog?

Max says: Well, obviously the best content we can give our mum is the moaning about lack of sleep posts. Zack has fallen into the sleeping through the night trap but I have thoroughly snapped Mum out of her cosy sleeping all night routine! She says I should be sleeping through cause I'm 7 months old now, but come on - what would she blog about then? Come to think of it, she hasn't written one for a while, I must be slacking, but then I have been doing a lot of posing for Mummy's new camera recently... *sigh* I guess I'm just going to get used to being blog-fodder aren't I? *burps* Mind you, Zack likes to keep her on her toes by climbing all over things and trying to give her many heart attacks a day, so I guess we both have our parts to play, but she definitely prefers to take pictures of ME! It couldn't possibly be anything at all to do with the fact that I stay still where Zack is a blur most of the day! *needs a nappy change*

Zack says: Mummy!!! Stop blogging and come play games with me!!! (repeat to infinity). I want a go! Can I have a go? Let me on the puter! I wanna go! Muuuuuuum!!! *sigh* I'll just go draw on some walls again to get your attention away from the blogging then…

Mummy says: Ok ok, just let me finish these questions...! Time to go girls... thanks for making me Site of the Week, I've really enjoyed answering these questions!

Frances says:  Are those two boys cute or what? I'm just about ready to WALK to Scotland to give them hugs and kisses.

Happy Mothers Day Marylin.

Happy Mothers Day Everyone.

Site of the Week (Dancing About Architecture)

Dancing About Architecture

The Blogger

1.)  How long have you been blogging?
 
I have been blogging since May 30th, 2004, first on Live Journal and then moving over to Blogger in November 2007 and then Wordpress a month or so later.

2.)  Is your first ever post still available?  May I post it along with
this interview?
 
My first ever post is available here http://riayn.livejournal.com/2004/05/30/  from when I used to blog on Live Journal.  You certainly can post it along with the interview.

3.)  Are friends and family supportive of your blogging?
 
My parents have no idea that I blog, they know I "do things on the internet" but that is the extent of it, they are still trying to figure out emailing. 
My girlfriend is very supportive of my blogging.  She will frequently send me things that she will think I would enjoy and might like to blog about and she reads and comments on my blog.
Some of my friends do know that I blog and since most of them are geeks, they understand it. However, it isn't really something I talk a lot about to them.

4.)  Three subjects which you are passionate about:
 
Gay rights, technology and anything remotely geeky.

5.)  You've just been told that your next blog post will be read on
National Television.  What subject will you write about?
 
I would probably do a piece focusing on gay rights and why it is important that gay, lesbian and trangender people have the same rights afforded to every other citizen of the countries they live in.

6.)  Tell us how blogging has enhanced your life?
 
Blogging has allowed me to improve my writing ability and to get out of my head what I think about certain subjects.  It has put me in contact with some amazing people and to learn more about people who are living completely different lives to myself .  It has allowed me to virtually walk a mile in someone else's shoes which I feel is very important breaking down stereotypes and learning more about the wonderful people that make up our world.

7.)  Do you think there are subjects that should not be blogged about?
 
I don't think any subjects should be taboo to write about, but for some people in certain situations there are things that they should not blog about. However, if blogging about something is going to put your wellbeing or someone else's wellbeing or livelihood in jepodary, then it is best to step away from the keyboard.

8.)  How do you handle flamers?
 
Given that I write a lot about gay rights and queer culture, I have had surprisingly few flamers.  Maybe that is because my blog readership is quite small and I am still trying to make a name for myself - and the Christian Right have not been able to track me down. For most flamers, I try to poke holes in their arguments or mock them with sarcastic humor and others I just leave them alone.

9.)  You're invited to teach a blogging seminar for young women - what
five topics do you cover?
 
1. The pros and cons of the major blogging platforms
2. The importance of social networking
3. Tips to help improve traffic and gain readership
4. Advertising on your blog - why should you or shouldn't you have ads?
5. The myth about generating income from blogging

10. What do you find the most challenging aspect of blogging?

The most challenging thing about blogging for me is the writing of the posts.  I struggle with being able to express my thoughts in the written form, which is why I began blogging in the first place.  Sometimes I can type and the words just flow, whilst other times I just can't get down what I want to say.  I do a fair amount of editing on my posts trying to express what I am thinking.

11.  Who are your favourite bloggers and what do you like about their blogs?

Two of my favourite bloggers are Neil Gaiman  (http://journal.neilgaiman.com/) and Wil Wheaton (http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/) - both of them are self described geeks and writers (Wil is also an actor).  I love the way they write as it is with such passion and joy.  It is also interesting to get an inside view of the writing process and how they approach their art.  Also both of them, even though they are well known, still geek out about meeting other famous people and get star struck just like the rest of us, which I just love as it makes people who we regard as famous a bit more like us.

Among the non-famous bloggers, I love reading Transman Diaries (http://transmandiaries.blogspot.com/)written by Jamie which is a diary of his transition from a woman into a man.  Also, The Junk Drawer (http://www.junkdrawerblog.com/) written by Kathy, another geek who is a brilliant observationalist blogger and Whitterer on Autism (http://whittereronautism.com/) who blogs about the challenges and joys of being the mother to two sons with autism. All of these blogs allow me to gain a greater insight into the lives of people who live a different life to mine and all of them are gifted with the talent of translating their lives into the written word.  I am extremely envious of them.

Frances says:  May You Live Long & Blog On!

On Top of the Duomo di Milano

In my husband’s home town they have a saying:

Se piove il 4 aprile, piove per 40 giorni

(If it rains on April 4, then it will rain for 40 days)

Well, it rained on April 4 and since then we have had 2, count’em two days without rain and I’m starting to get a little moldy.

On one recent morning, the rain held off long enough for me to take my Dad and my son for a walk in a very unusual location.

I took them for a walk on top of the Duomo di Milano (Milan’s Cathedral).

You can actually take a stroll up on the roof (€7 if you take the elevator, €5 if you climb the stairs) and get a closer look of the incredible detail created by several generations of stone masons. It also gives you a chance to get a very different perspective of the city.

It just amazed me that so much detailed work went into statues and spires that were never meant for public viewing. I have been asking myself if that kind of dedication to perfection can still be found today. How much passion do we put into what we do? How important is it to us that our results meet exacting standards?

In two hundred years, will someone be impressed by the work that I have done?

The answer to that question is no, mainly because in two hundred years they work that I do will have disappeared, but maybe, just maybe I should ask myself that question everyday. It just might make me better at what I do. It just might make me take more pride in and get more satisfaction from the work that I do.

Who knows, maybe my flu medication is going to my head and making me delirious.

Here a couple of the pictures that I took up there. There are more on the My Milano page at http://fruttodellapassione.wordpress.com

Site of the Week (Blogtations, Bohemiology)

Blogtations

Bohemiology

The Blogger

You're a published writer - tell us something about your work.

It's been so long since I wrote for pay it seems like another person did it! But, for a number of years I wrote regular feature articles and literature reviews for a national education magazine. It was great. I got to write about things I loved, got to know some fantastic people, and even got a few pennies per word (woot!). Unfortunately, the publication changed hands and we parted ways. After that I stopped pursuing freelance work and, later, started blogging instead.

Bohemiology and Blogations are great blog names - how did you come up with them?

Blogtations was easy. Blogs + Quotations. Bohemiology took longer. The blog was originally called Musings of a middle-aged woman. After a couple of years, though, I realized I wanted a name that wasn't so confining (I won't be middle-aged forever!), that felt more like "me," and that wasn't so darn long. I finally hit upon Bohemiology, because I am a modern day Bohemian (artsy, usually barefoot, and have moved twice within the last year), and my blog is a study of my life...sort of. 

Where do you see your blogs in five years?

My cyberhome will always be Bohemiology. There have been times when I've posted every day and times when I've stopped for months, but if I'm going to share my personal experiences online, it will be there.

Blogations. In five years I plan to have featured thousands of quotes and hope it will be The Place for great blogger sayings. That when people search for, say, "quotes about parenting," Blogtations will be right there with Thinkexist and BrainyQuote.

I'm also excited about it becoming a cool blog directory. I hope in time to send multitudes of readers to those quoted.

I think it can happen. Blogtations is only two months old and has already had over 14,000 page views, and the responses in my inbox are overwhelmingly positive. I can't wait to see what the future brings.

How do you find quotes for the site?

It's funny. People email me and say, wow, I wish I'd thought of Blogtations and I think, if you only knew how much work it was you might reconsider!

It takes about 30-60 minutes of reading to find one quote and I feature about 12-15 a week that I've discovered (the others come from submissions--and I thank the quote gods for them!).

I love it, though, because I'm a blog addict like that.

Have you met any of your online friends/fellow bloggers?  If you did how did it go?

I knew JulieUnplugged before she started blogging (she introduced me to the concept, btw). She's a writer extraordinaire and one of the best conversationalists I know.

I've also met the perceptive and way-smarter-than-me, Novel. We share a mutual love of all things L'Arc~en~Ciel so when the lead singer, Hyde, came to California in concert, my daughter and I flew halfway across country, Novel flew from the east to the west coast, and we rocked out together in San Francisco. 

And I was supposed to meet Ampersand (aka, the coolest mom on the planet) in March, but a one day blizzard got in the way. We're trying again soon.

Your book blog is fabulous, but your last entry was in 2006 - any chance of reviving it?

Sure, as soon as I start reading more than one book a year! Since I began working outside the home about five years ago and then took up blogging after that I've read less and less offline. I know, it's terrible.

You're invited to give a seminar on blogging.  What three topics will you cover?

Maybe 1) How it took me three years to find a successful niche and why it doesn't have to take you as long, 2) Quote your way to a killer blog post title, and 3) How to balance calculation and intuition when blogging.

Would you like to "blog for a living" ?

Yes! I'd love for Blogtations to achieve that level of success. Because how cool would it be to read blogs for a living?

Frances says:  She Who Blogs is delighted to have you among our ranks.  In a year or two we are all going to be saying, "You know I was quoted in Blogtations years ago.  I knew right then and there it was going to be big."

An Ode to the City

Last year we moved to a small Northern Italian town surrounded by corn fields and rice paddies. Natural parks and rivers are minutes away. The population is just under 8,000 and everyone seems to know us. Feels like Stars Hollow sometimes. We can walk our kids to school and the cats roam freely around the block. Well, except for poor pudgy Sausage who got stuck in the fence the other day. We had to call the vet and fireman to set her free. It was quite the event in town!

I really do love it here and it's a great place for my kids to grow up in BUT sometimes I get an itching for concrete and traffic that just overcomes me and I have to rush to Milan to get my fix. I guess you can say I'm a city girl at heart.

I was born in downtown Toronto and spent my first months of life there. Maybe I breathed in too many exhaust fumes back then that did something to my developing baby brain. Whatever it was, I think I've always felt an inexplicable connection to big cities. We later moved to the burbs where I spent most of my formative years but every time we would make our annual summer trek to the Ex, the sight of the CN Tower and skyscrapers fascinated me to no end. When I was a teenager, I would skip class just to walk down Yonge Street, "the longest street in the world" or hang out at the Eaton Centre, even if there was a perfectly fine mall nearby. And when I was old enough to travel on my own, I never felt more alive than when I was walking down the streets of Montreal, Mumbai, Paris, Madrid, New York, Rome and Poughkeepsie (ok, I've never actually been to Poughkeepsie but a girl can dream, can't she?).

Some people go to the country to "recharge their batteries". I go to the city to get my fill of energy. There's something about the lights, the crowds, the colours, the anonymity, the hustle and bustle that make me feel at one with the universe. Yeah I know, I'm nuts!

In less than a week I'll be in la ville lumière, Paris. Can't wait!!! I'll be posting lots of pictures and stories from there when I get back. Another place I'd love to visit again but won't for a while is New York. For me, it is THE city par excellence. I love it and keep trying to find ways to get transferred there. For now, I dream and make do with looking at some of the best pictures of NYC I've ever seen on Blogjem.  Frances' photos make you feel as if you were really in Times Square or Central Park. And her black and white pics are spectacular.

So folks, what's your favourite city? Where would you live if you had the chance?

Visit Milanese Masala

Spring in New York

Spring in New York
(An Ode To New York City)

light drizzles
sprinkle the brick pavements
as I walk the streets
soaking in the rain of people and their fragrances
holding my avocado umbrella
closed in my hand

the smell of gasoline exhumes
from their opened underground caves
drowsing me
in their dreamlike smoke

crowds smother the sidewalks
lightly caressing each other's arms and shoulders
barely stirring
while lining up together
by the silver breakfast cart
the scent of hot coffee
drifting through the air

up above me
tree branches blanket the ceiling
of the wearisome sky
covering the hemisphere
in blue brown trilateral patterns

soon the sun begins to show its yellow head
lighting up store fronts and street vendors
changing the colors of the city

time seem to travel rapidly
everything suddenly moves in lighting speed
the sound of voices spring up with excitement
as the aroma of a new morning
descend upon us


--------------------

lissa
http://www.justwritingwords.com

A Birthday Present for Mom.

Me and Mom celebrating another, long ago birthday

April 17^th is my Mom’s birthday and I really want to do something special this year.

Let me tell you a little about my mom.

She was born Esterina Cerone in a small mountain town in central Italy in 1950. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 10 and in the spirit of integration, promptly changed her name to Esther.

She got her degree at night school – after having 3 kids and without a high school diploma. She rose to the top of her field in a multinational company, winning the respect and confidence of all her superiors and colleagues. She made our Halloween costumes, baked for bake sales, ran the PTA, was President of the Ladies Auxiliary for the local K of C council and threw kick ass parties – she was the original Supermom.

When Mom was 45 she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, but in true Esther style she attacked that disease like a Four Star General.

This first thing she did was to go to the hairdresser and got her hair cut really, really short. And when the chemo started to cause hair loss, she shaved it off herself. When treatment was over she decided that she needed  to keep fighting, so she threw herself into fund raising for Breast Cancer Research. For 9 years she raised funds for the CIBC Run for the Cure. She had been invited to speak at the run in October 2007 for her 10^th anniversary as a survivor but Mom never made that appointment. In May 2006 test results showed that the cancer had come back. Mom fought as hard as she could but she lost her battle on June 9^th 2007. Today she would have been 58. And as a tribute to her memory I would like to invite you to help an under privileged woman get a mammogram.  All you have to do is go to http://www.thebreastcancersite.com and Click on the pink button that says: Click here to give – it’s Free.

And if you like, you can go to the Link to Us section and add a button to your blog so that your readers can do the same anytime they come to visit you. 

Happy Birthday Mom.

Joanne Natale
http://fruttodellapassione.wordpress.com

Site of the Week (Puss Reboots)

The Blog - Puss Reboots

The Blogger - Sarah Sammis

The Interview

How different is your site today from the original in 1997?

In 1997 I was trying to freelance as a web designer out of my house so my site wasn't as personal as it is now. I didn't have a blog and the site was much uglier than it is now. It's no wonder I didn't have many clients back then!

Have you always been a "techy" person?  How did your get started in digital art?

The short answer is no. To be honest, I don't really think of myself as "techy" now. I think I know to many other people who can do amazing things with computers that are beyond my ken that I just don't count myself as techy.

For a second opinion, I asked my husband since he's known me for half my life. His response: "As long as I've known you, yes, certainly. More accurately, you always took technology at face value, as one more tool. You've never been about technology for the sheer joy of tech, but nor have you had that strange "magic box" attitude. You've never taken that weird pride that some artists seem to take in NOT understanding the technology. So in that sense, certainly you've always been techy. You've been the sort of person who wants to understand the tools that you use right down into the ground, if you can."

The number of book reviews you publish are amazing.  Tell us how you manage to get that much reading done?

The reading isn't the problem, it's the reviewing. I can read under almost any circumstances and any environment (except for driving, sleeping, eating and bathing). I don't watch much TV and I'm often reading while my kids are up and playing.

Writing the reviews, though, is a different matter. I need it quieter to think about what I want to say. I need time to fact-check, spell check, proof read and of course publish my post. Since I'm not using blogging software, I need extra time to do all these things manually. I typically have a three week backlog on the books I have read and want to review.

If you were teaching a seminar in blogging what are five topics you would cover?

I would teach:
1) The basics hand coding of HTML
2) The basics of Dreamweaver
3) Creating and using images on the web
4) The basics of analytics, technorati and feedburner
5) Basics of javascript, xml and forms

As you can see, these topics aren't really blog software specific: blogger, word press and the like, but you would learn how to build a website and blog from scratch.

Unlike most bloggers, you don't use a blog engine; you hand-design the site each time. Do you think that affects the content of your blogging in any way? Does it make you tend to be terse, or, conversely, does it tempt you to be a bit more experimental than the average blogger? (My husband's question)

I don't actually hand-design the site each time. I have templates that I work from but they aren't programmed into my site. I don't think it affects how or what I blog about except that I sometimes find myself falling into ruts. I tend to be terse more from a lack of time or the ability to concentrate. I live and blog in a noisy household! I like doing things by hand because I know it will work, it is easier to change on a whim and it is harder to hack.

Where do you see you and your blog five years from now?

I hope to see it improve. I'd like to see more sales of my digital art. I'd also some day like to be a published author. Then I could talk about the publishing industry and use my blog to hook up with readers and book signings and the like, but I don't know if that's tenable in five years.

You credit your grandmother for inspiring you to be a photographer. Tell us about those who inspired your love of books and art.

Grandmother would have to take the credit for my love of art. She was always taking me to the local museums when I was a child.

My mother taught me how libraries work. She taught me how both the Dewey decimal system and the Library of Congress systems work. Knowing how to find books makes libraries less intimidating. She also taught me how to do research and the importance of putting things in perspective.

Now my crazy obsession with books, I think that's just me. My husband certain encourages me but it's still just a passion of mine that I've had since I was about 13.

When I was in 7th grade I had to write a book report on a biography I had read. I wasn't too thrilled with the subject and grumpily went to the school library. I found the biography section and there were just too many to pick from. I decided to pick a book a random since that would be the quickest way to get started on the assignment. I closed my eyes, spun around a few times and then picked a book. It ended up being a biography of Walt Disney by Bob Thomas.

The process of picking a book at random taught me two things: there are many gems hidden among the chaos of bookshelves and that sometimes the best way to find something new is to read by random.

You've been handed 1000 dollars to invest in anything you want for your website.  What equipment, software or classes would you buy?

A $1000 isn't much in terms of classes. I think some day I might like to go back to school and get an MA in computer science but that would cost more that $1000. For $1000 I would probably buy an SLR Camera, some good lenses (telephoto and macro) and a $67 digital kids camera for my son. I currently let him use my camera but I'd like him to have a camera that can take more of a beating.

I see you're a bookcrossing member.  Tell about some of the positive experiences you've had as a member?

I've been a member since 2003 and I've loved every minute of it. It's a great way to share the love of books with people around the world. The active members are an amazing group of people. Right now I am asking members to donate books to my son's kindergarten class library and the response has been fantastic.

Bookcrossing is a nice blend of online activity, personal activity (reading and releasing) and face to face. Once a month a local group of us meet to exchange books in person. We just had our monthly meeting on the 8th. We had dinner together at Panera Bread and then exchanged our books.

How did Puss Reboots turn into a book review site? (from my husband)

When Harriet was a newborn I was basically stuck at home taking care of her. The only think I could do while nursing her and holding her was read. At the same time I was participating in a BookCrossing challenge called "Keep it Moving". The idea there was to read, review and released as many books from other BookCrossers as possible. I used my blog to post my reviews as proof that I had read them since I didn't want to bog down my blogging talking only about new born baby stuff.

The book reviews were so well received that I continued to do them. I have seen a steady climb of subscribers from 32 (in 2006) to 150 (in 2007) to 220 (in 2008).

Another question from my husband: You blog on two very different topics--digital art and books. Does your coverage of one ever affect the other? Do they ever interrelate in ways you hadn't expected them to?

I also blog about my family and my cat. Of course they are all interrelated. They are all things I am interested in. My reading inspires my art and in turn my art inspires my reading.

How did you arrive at the name Caligula for the cat?

When my husband and I were newly weds I wanted a cat. He said yes but he asked that I follow his family tradition of naming the cat after Roman emperors. The first cat we tried to adopt we named Tiberius or Tibby for short but that cat ended up having health issues and before we could take her home she was deemed un-adoptable. If we had been older and more financially secure, we would have taken her still. As it was, we just couldn't give her the care she needed. The shelter then allowed us to pick out a second cat since we had paid our fee. We were picked by a feisty calico kitten who bopped me on the elbow from her cage. We immediately adopted her and called her Caligula (that being the next name on Ian's list).

Tickle, tickle Caligula - Harriet

Sean working on a yummy looking project.

Frances says - The sidebars on Sarah's site are filled with treasures.  I love checking the quotes that appear on top of the page.

This is the current one:  You need your shoes — Harriet Sammis

Quite right Harriet we sure do.

Site of the Week (It's all about me!)

The Blog - It's all about me!

The Blogger - Teena

The Interview

How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging in July 2005.

Do you remember the first blog you ever read?

The first blog I ever read was my friend, Angie’s.  Alas, she doesn’t blog anymore.  But I liked the idea and thought I’d give a try.

When did you know blogging was for you?

Right away!  And I’ve rarely missed a day.

Does your first blog post even still exist?  Can we post it along with this interview?

I started off slowly … here’s the first one:   http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2005/07/canada-day.html

I read on your profile that you're a fire sign - Leo.  Do you believe in astrology?  Do you think you are a typical Leo?

Yes, I believe in astrology.  And yes, I’m definitely a Leo!  Creative, fun-loving, affectionate, loyal, strong, independent, sunny, enthusiastic, generous, broad-minded and bossy.  And Gord is an Aries which is a good match for a Leo.

I read on your blog that you have a sunflower tattooed on your lower back.  What made you pick the sunflower?

I've always been attracted to sunflowers ... it seems like such a happy flower! A sunflower's meaning differs from culture to culture. To some, the sunflower promises power, warmth and nourishment. To others, the sunflower's turning as it follows the sun symbolizes deep loyalty and constancy.

I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me, that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life. Chris (Helen Mirren), Calendar Girls

Here is my sunflower:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2006/11/ink-update_13.html

You are preparing for the CN Tower Climb.  Tell us a bit about the climb and what inspired you to sign on.  Have you participated in events like this before? Is it likely to become an annual event on your calendar?

I’ve always wanted to do the CN Tower Climb.  It happens twice a year … and I’ve always missed it.  It’s 1776 steps up up up.  It will take me at least 30 minutes.  Will I do it annually?  Let’s see if I survive this one!  I’ve never done anything this physically challenging before.

Here’s a link:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2008/03/cn-tower-climb.html

I usually do one fundraising event a year.  Last year it was the 10km Bell Walk for Kids Help Phone.  Here’s the link:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2007/05/bell-walk-for-kids-help-phone.html

What would you like to remembered for?

I’d like to be remembered for being a good person … helpful, friendly and kind.

Tell us about three of your favourite online buddies and their blogs.

I have a few favourites that I read everyday so can’t narrow it down to just three.  So instead here are three that I’ve read the longest:

Fleur de Lisa - http://www.fleur-de-lisa.com/
All about me - http://moonlightpath97.blogspot.com/
The Cheaty Monkey - http://cheatymonkey.com/

You and Gord have been married since 2002 … what are the top three pieces of advice for women considering marriage?

Be happy with who you are, marry for the right reasons (it’s okay to be single) and keep your own bank account/credit cards (don’t co-mingle your assets with his).

Here are 10:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-on-tuesday_25.html

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A high school English teacher.

You are both a dog and cat lover.  Give us links to three of your favorite posts about your pets.

My dog and cats are such a big part of my blog so it’s hard to pick just three.

http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-dinner.html
http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2008/03/while-i-was-gone.html
http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2007/11/lazy-kids.html

Tell us three must-see places in Toronto.

How about 10:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-on-tuesday_18.html

Have you met any of your online friends?  If you did how did it go?

No, I haven’t met any of my blog buds … yet.  I almost did.  I was at a restaurant in the summer and thought that a woman on the patio was a blog bud (I recognized her from her pictures).  But I wasn’t sure.  So I didn’t approach her.  It turned out it was her!

What's on your blog wish list?

A better photo program and more time to visit blogs.

How supportive are friends and family of your blogging?

Everyone is used to me always having my camera with me and blogging about the stuff I do with them.  It’s a hoot when someone talks to me about something I’ve done because they’ve seen it on my blog.

What is something that you collect?

I collect cat stuff (ornaments, etc.).  One of the cooler things is my collection of cat wine bottles:  http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/2007/11/cat-wine-bottles.html.  I have 18, all still sealed.  Two are released at the liquor store every year around Christmas time.

Frances says:  I am so glad Teena has joined our group.  She has a great blogger with lots of "pep."  I know all the whole group will be cheering her on during the CN Tower Climb.  Go Teena!

From Nona (Noner Says)

I am from paper.  White, blank, eager to be filled.  Holding truth and lies and fantastic stories yearning to be told..

I am from pepsi cola and Tide laundry detergent and bed sheets drying on an outdoor clothes line.

I am from the middle of nowhere, surrounded by forests and smelling of wet soil.  I am from the thick layer of pine needles on the ground and the pine cones overhead threatening to fall.  I am from the dark nights, the starry skies and the barn owls screeching at the moon.

I am from the shade tree, the roots deep down.  Not moving from where I was born unless being moved by forces beyond my control.  I reach for the sky.  I reach for the depths.  I endure storms even though I may lose a branch or two along the way.

I am from home cooked meals and hardheaded women, from my father and my aunts and from the Johnson bloodline, so much thicker than water.

I am from walking barefoot in the yard and listening to country music.  I am from rides down dirt roads in the back of pick-up trucks with the wind in my hair and laughter in my heart.

I am from never going outside with a wet and never talking to strangers.  From working hard for what I want, and not keeping up with the Joneses.

I am from the Oconee Church of God. From speaking in tongues and dancing in praise.  I’m from prayer clothes carried in wallets or left under pillows.  I’m from kneeling by the altar and asking for forgiveness.  I’m from an angry God who takes away who I’m not speaking with currently.

I’m from Sandersville Georgia, fried chicken and fried cornbread.  From sweet iced tea and hand squeezed lemonade.  From the Kaolin Capital of the World.

From the stuffing recipe that began, “First wash your hands.”, my fathers lost dentrues, and “getting sugar from a gnat.”  I’m from catching fireflies that turn out to be wasps, falling off front porches and colliding in the sprinkler.  I’m from meeting life long friends over backyard fences, and making mud pies in the pool.

I am from dresser tops, and the tops of televisions, from yellowing albums and living room walls.  I’m from stories told at thanksgiving and Christmas.  I’m from laughter and tears and love.

Visit Nona