Site of the Week: Bleeding Espresso

The Blog: Bleeding Espresso

The Blogger: Sognatrice - non-practicing attorney, amateur chef and baker, and proud auntie.

The Interview

Where do you see you and your blog in a year?

I see myself still here in southern Italy, perhaps married, perhaps preggers, time and destiny will tell...and my blog?  Since I've recently moved to BleedingEspresso.com, I hope to still be there for a long, long time!  I also hope to have established some new and creative features and be generally more involved in the blogging community.

Any other blogs in the works?

Hmm. Maybe although nothing in the very near future.  I've been toying with the idea of a Strange News kind of blog because there's just so damn much of it these days.  It would give me an opportunity to be a bit (a lot) more snarky than I usually am on Bleeding Espresso--and I'm snarky at heart.

Some folks are doing video blogs (VLOGS) with themselves as the
stars. Could you see yourself vlogging?

I hate getting my picture taken so, um, not likely that I'll be a vlogger in this lifetime.

Do you remember the first blog you ever read? Did you know right there and then that this was for you?

I do remember it and I found it quite accidentally through a search for something or other.  I actually came into this thing pretty late because I didn't have regular Internet access from 2003-2006.  I wasn't completely sold on the idea of having my own blog from the get-go--I'd say after about three months, it grew on me.  Like a fungus.

Is owning your own address making things different?

I don't know if there are really any tangible differences just yet, but I do feel more in control of things and that makes me a happier blogger--plus I really, really hated my blog address before. Blogger gave me a ridiculously long one and there was nothing I could do about it. Boo.

Some bloggers are very explicit about their personal lives.  Are you
comfortable reading blogs like this? Do you think there are certain things that should not be in a blog?

There are some things that have made me uncomfortable in some blogs--I can think of one that I've stopped reading because of it in fact. To each her own, of course, but really explicit, raunchy s*e*x stuff turns me off. I like to use my imagination.  And I'm apparently a prude ;)

Have you met any of your fellow bloggers in person? If you did how did it go?

I have met two other bloggers (Cherrye of My Bella Vita and Antonino of Antonino's Photoblog) in person as they're the only ones really anywhere near me; I plan on meeting more, though, as I travel around Italy a bit--that's a goal of mine this year.  I have, though, met quite a few readers, believe it or not, who have passed through my tiny village in southern Italy.  All of the meetings went swimmingly, thanks :)

List three blogs that inspire you:

Ooh, so hard to narrow this down. First of all, each and every one of your blogs, Frances (I count this as one for this answer though); you have done such a fabulous job keeping up with them and keeping the quality of content high--truly inspiring.  Then there's Corey Amaro's Tongue in Cheek and Ninotchka's Cease Cows, Life is Short! Both of them always have awesome photos and such uplifting messages.

You are using a new blogging system.  What do you absolutely love about it?

I absolutely love that I haven't had a single problem with Wordpress (knock on wood) since I started using it a month ago. *Love* that.

If you were invited to give a seminar to a group of young women who
wanted to start blogs of their own what topics would you cover?

Deciding what and what not to write about/Drawing boundaries; Providing quality content; Writing regularly; Building a community; Visiting other blogs as part of your blogging homework.

Your new design is very different from the old one. Did you do all the work on your own? Did you know what you wanted before you started?

Yes I did everything on my own, and I had no idea what I wanted until I dug in.  I first found a template I liked that was pretty basic--that's actually all that I *knew* I wanted.  For the header, I scoured Stock.xhng for a free photo I liked to create my header around. I found this one.  I cropped it and played with it in Photoshop, and then changed the background color to a pink fade because I didn't want my whole blog theme to be orange, and I've always liked pink and brown together. With the effect I used in Photoshop, the cup turned shades of grey, which worked perfectly with the rest of the color theme already in place in the theme so I kept it and just changed the links, etc., to pink. And then I played *a lot* more with widgets and whatnot ;)

I flipped through the very convenient calendar on your new blog and
read your look back at 2006:

What kept you sane?

The Internet, fellow expats, blogs, emails, and frequent phone calls.

What kept you sane in 2007?

Honestly, more of the same plus long walks with my pooches.

How are those puppies doing?

The puppies have all been adopted out and all are doing well. I still get to see most of them  pretty regularly and I just love that they remember me and freak out when they see me. So cute!

You've bought your address and have a fab new site. Anything else on your blog-related wish list?

Hah, more blog revenue ;)

My question to me: What's your least favorite interview question of all time?

What is your biggest weakness?

Gah! That's so hard to answer! You don't want to say anything that will make them not want to hire you but if you don't give a "real" weakness without tempering it with a positive quality, well, then you're not evaluating yourself honestly at best or a big fat liar at worst. I hope I never have to interview for a job again.

Candid Karina said it best:

"Bleeding Espresso is one of my stops on my blog hopping train every day because not only does her newly redesigned blog have an inviting and fresh look to it, but Sognatrice herself is the kind of blogger you warm up to instantly.  From the first time I visited, I knew I had to come back, and from the first time I commented, she made me feel welcome.  I love that she always takes the time to reply to her commenters, and aspire to be able to create the type of rapport with my readers that she has created with hers.  I could say so much more, because she really is one of my favorite bloggers out there, but I'll just leave you with this...if you haven't yet, go visit her...you won't regret it.  Just make sure you have some free time to waste, because you'll get lost in her posts."

Comments

[michelle of bleeding espresso]

Thank you Frances for posting this and also to Karina for such lovely words! You are both two of my favorite bloggers too, and I'm so grateful that She Who Blogs has brought us together :)

I should add that if any members need help setting up a new WordPress blog, please feel free to email me; I've been doing mini-tutorials with some friends over email so I have quite a bit of stuff already typed up :)

[meredith]

Hello from a Bleeding Espresso fan :)

[Karina]

Great interview! I loved finding out how the puppies are doing, and all about the move to wordpress and your own web address. I'm still pretty new with wordpress and am not sure about it yet, but I'm glad to see it has worked out for you...maybe I'll give it more of a chance. ;-)

And how surprised was I to see myself quoted. I just reread it, and want to say that I still feel the same way! ;-)

[anne]

Hi B/Espresso...what a great interview..love reading your posts...I have been thinking about changing to wordpress so would appreciate anything that you could email me.

Have started looking already at templates etc your mini tutorials sound a brill idea.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon xox

[michelle of bleeding espresso]

Thanks Meredith, Karina, and Anne; always nice to see friendly faces away from home :)

[Linda]

Great interview! I really enjoy your blog so it was interesting to find out more about you. If you ever decide to organize one of those blog seminars in Milan I'm sure you'll find lots of takers!

[Linda]

Great interview! I really enjoy your blog so it was interesting to find out more about you. If you ever decide to organize one of those blog seminars in Milan I'm sure you'll find lots of takers!

[michelle of bleeding espresso]

Thanks Linda; I can't imagine I'd want to actually *do* a seminar anytime soon, but if you have any questions, I'm here ;)