Beerli, a new blog-friend from way Down Under tagged me for this blog meme. It's a little more interesting than your average meme because this one's about blogging.
Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
I'm fidgety about the look and keep tweaking here and there. I'm seriously considering changing monthly mastheads (like the
queen-bee of blogs does) and templates but I'm worried the screw-up fairy would pay a visit to my blog's archived posts and their accompanying comments and POOF!...magically disappear everything.
I like to think that I've chosen a suitable template for my blog's personality: readable, plain, yet not overly common. I think a template plays an important part in projecting who you are and what you're writing about.
It might sound conceited, but, yes, I like the contents of my blog. I, usually, give a lot of thought in what I post so I rarely regret what goes online.
Does your family know about your blog?
Yes, but unfortunately not all of them can read English, so a lot of what I write gets "lost in the translation". My eldest daughter and big brother are in charge of ratting me out to the other family members who "no spik inglish".
Can you tell your friends about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
Are you kidding? I even sent out e-mail invitations to close friends informing them of my blog when I started. Unfortunately, some aren't very fluent in English so they can't really "participate" by commenting nor have any clue what I'm talking about. Some were taken by surprise that I could convey thoughts in English as well as Greek. (Wait, till I tell them I can even twirl a baton AND chew gum).
I don't think of blogging as a "private" thing. I'm a firm believer in being truthful in all spheres of life, so I will never write anything that I wouldn't be able to say publicly or to someone's face.
Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? Or do you try to discover new blogs?
I always reciprocate a kind comment from a first-time visitor by visiting their blogs, thus giving me the chance to explore and discover fresh writings. If I fancy a particular blog I definitely revisit it. When I have the chance, I even try to read up on the archives of said favourite blog. Most of my favourite blogs are picks from other people's blog rolls.
Blog rolls are a bit daunting but extremely useful. You can't fit all the blogs you like on a side bar, but it's a way of showing people what groups or themes of blogs interest you.
Did your blog positively affect your mind? Give an example.
Blogging helped me rediscover my love for creative writing, instilled a new found appreciation of the so-called impersonal Internet and furthermore helped me organize my thoughts, at a time in my life when my mind's contents were scattered.
What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? Do you use a traffic counter?
I am not hooked on the number issue. It's interesting to see what topic may trigger off traffic or what the search engines drag in because of keyword analyses. I get my kicks out of Google Map visits, where you can see where visitors are coming from all over the world.
Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
Actually I didn't, until I came across this question?!!!
Placing a face with a blog's contents isn't essential, but it does help to have an inkling of who the person behind the blog is. Truth be told, I feel more laid back with blogs that provide some sort of "real-life" avatar or even a faded picture on their blog (near the about me box, which by the way is REALLY me up there in the corner).
Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Yes, because blogging helps people write.
Writing helps people think.
Thinking helps people become better people.
Better people make a better a world.
[hopefully]
Do you think that the blogosphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
How can that be? Bloggers are people, who write about their lives in the REAL world, they may constitute a group because of the medium, but it is NOT a stand alone community under any circumstances.
Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
Political blogs don't scare me, even if I disagree entirely with them. In fact, I think that political blogs give blogging a great excuse for existing. Blogging promotes the idea of exchanging ideas and what better way to find out what's going on in people's heads, if not by reading about it? I avoid the crazy ones that have no arguments and just rant.
Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
Nah-uh. My blog is personal, I am baring my soul, wearing my heart on my sleeve, writing for my personal pleasure and you want take a stab at me by criticizing me? Why? I am not bending anybody's elbow to read my stuff, if you don't like it... shoo.
Have you ever thought about what would happen to your blog if you died?
I guess my blog would remain suspended lifeless in the blogosphere for as long Blogger.com kept my account active.
Perhaps a close family member or friend would add a comment to inform any readers of my demise. Maybe I should consider writing my blog's password down in my will so they can make a decent post about my untimely death?
I assume -then- blog friends would see this obituary comment in horror. Teary-eyed they'd add their own kind comment on my last post, giving courage to my loved ones and praising how I'd added a little bit of sunshine in their lives.
My last post would in fact be the most popular because people would get drawn in by the popularity of its comments and newcomers would feel too guilty leaving a dead woman's blog without adding their comments.
An avalanche of comments will ensue, that will cause Blogger.com's "Blogs of Note" to (finally!) notice my blog, gaining me 15 minutes of fame on the blogosphere. Reuter's Oddly Enough news will speak of how a blog whose author no longer exists keeps reeling readers in.
Sadly, the spotlight would slowly fade out. The days would turn into months, the months into years and my blog's link would draggingly be deleted from other people's blog rolls and Flubberwinkle.blogspot.com will perish forever from the living realm of blogs.
No, I haven't really given it any thought what would happen to my blog if I died. Maybe I should.
Which blogger has had the greatest impression on you?
There are too many I've met along the way to mention, and way more I haven't even discovered yet that I'm certain will also make a great impression on me.
Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Everyone and no one. The wonderfulness of the world is mirrored in the blogosphere: All different, all alike.
Name a song you want to listen to?
Just when I thought this was one of those serious memes!
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight.A-weema-weh A-weema-weh A-weema-weh...
Tag some people
OK, here goes. Memes are not everyone's cup of tea because the first time I tagged people only two responded; some people just don't like 'em, so there's no pressure.
V-grrl In The Middle
Nuntius
Devious Diva
Melusina
EllasDevil
X-Psilikatzoy
Liliputaner
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