I'm going to play along...twisted my arm! ; )
1. When did you start blogging and why? Or talk about your blog. What can I learn about you in under 5 minutes?
I started blogging last year...April 10, 2005. It's a dumb post, and so are the next few, actually, ("God bless the lord God bird"? What the hell??? This is why I live in fear of people judging me from one thing that I write or say) but I really didn't know what I was doing or thinking or saying at the time. I still don't, really, but I seem to have stuck with it long enough to catch a groove.
As far as why, eh...There were a couple of reasons. First, the acute cause: (God, I hope this doesn't sound too dramatic or ridiculous, but it really is the truth, which is sometimes dramatic and ridiculous. I'm a terrible self-editor; it's a wonder I ever get anything written) I had a bad year. My job was pretty harsh, and my living situation was about to change in a way that I really didn't want it to. I was in a long-term relationship that ended, with someone I talked to constantly who I'm pretty sure was usually actually interested...the stereotypical (although not at all, in fact) "best friend" that you're supposed to hook up with...sort of like Lucy and Ethel, except for I liked to kiss him a lot. ; ) The communication and "best friend" deals are good relationship traits in theory. I still highly recommend them, but I learned that if Ethel (or...Dirk. Or Max. Jack? I'm not thinking of a good manly name all of a sudden. Haha.) splits, THIS Lucy needs to have all personal means of creative expression and everyday interaction basically intact, and I hadn't paid too much attention to those for a variety of reasons. Therefore, I was unhappy. I felt boring and bored inside, as well as sad (cue cello...no violins, please) and if you know anything about me, it's that that is death. It kills me slowly and it will annoy the hell out of you, because I'll be miserable to be around and you won't want to be my friend anymore.
So I did a few things. I stepped away from Extreme Home Makeover long enough to get a Typepad account, and I started to post things in it. I hadn't written much for any reason for a while, except for reviews of freezers and only mildly interesting features about restaurants. Hence the CHRONIC reason for the blog: I needed a writing practice back, and somehow I got one. I didn't want to go to therapy and talk about stuff I already knew about from before. I didn't want to talk or even write that much specifically about my God-blessed FEELINGS, but I did want to talk and write. I found out that occasionally I was still funny, and that sometimes when I'm depressed or pissed off, I can be a riot, at least to myself. Regardless of who was reading, I got sort of a cheap thrill out of being able to slap stuff up on the web at a moment's notice. It was a concrete activity at a time when I needed some. The blog got me interested in my own photography again, so I started taking classes and learning how to do it better, and I just...kept going.
I am not a mommyblogger. I am not specifically a doggie blogger, although I do post pictures of my dog and love him like he's my kid, although I don't talk about him every day. I'm a multipurpose writer and whatever interests me is fair game. I focus a lot on pop culture because I think it's fascinating and funny. I write about music because it fuels me and language because it's my orientation. I'm often amazed by what seem to be very minute details to other people, and a 30-second interaction might get airtime because I think it's interesting, or mind-boggling, or whatever. I think too much, and therefore I write it down.
Apparenly in five minutes you can learn that I have no problem conceiving of a past boyfriend as a middle-aged white woman on a situation comedy, and this probably sums me up fairly well. The rest varies depending on the weather, my mood, and frankly, what kind of effect you have on me - but hopefully you'll catch me on a good day and learn that I'm fairly articulate (except for I swear a lot. I try not to, but fuck if I can help it. ; )) I care about most things a lot, and a few things a REALLY lot. I listen to a lot of music, and love traveling, excellent food, and cool people. That's it in a clam shell. (It's summer. Eat some seafood. ; ) )
2. How do you use blogging to build friendships?
Besides paying people to read my page and tell other people about it? No, really...My real-life friends laugh at some of the stuff I write, so they tell me. That makes me happy because I enjoy making people laugh, and because they suck up to me I buy them presents and consider making them beneficiaries on my life insurance. I've also connected with a few interesting people through this page, although nothing terribly deep as of yet. I've also come to appreciate several very cool women who also write online, who I don't consider friends because we don't know each other, but I wish we were. I read them on a regular basis and am constantly amazed at how many talented women (and the occasional guy, yes. ; ) ) have found outlets in this medium.
3. Who do you read every day, rain or shine?
I'm a dooce-head. Laina D. is someone I just discovered and need to read every day. I read the brilliantly funny Sarah Brown every day, who would totally be my friend if we met in real life (or so I like to think), even though she's way hipper than I am. I read Wendy's Pound site, because she's hilarious too, Tracey/Sweetney, and Maggie at MightyGirl, like the rest of the world. I read my friend Erin's livejournal without fail, and a few of my friends who have MySpace sites. I love Heather Champ Powazek's photography and links. Marit is funny, and is also a Boston Terrier person, which is an obvious draw. I like funny. I need funny. Life is too stressful sometimes and if you don't laugh, it becomes a daily eight-hour bath and you walk around all shriveled.
4. (We're supposed to put a picture of a piece of ourselves here. I'll spare you my echocardiogram shots...)
Ummmm...Typepad will not currently allow me to insert a photo, but the one I was GOING to put here was a reflection of myself in a street-level window in Boston earlier this year. Here, I'll try to copy and paste it and see if it works: 
Hmm. Seems to have worked, but it may show up as a red "x" in a box when I try to save. Anyway...carrying on...
Why did you choose to share that piece of yourself in a photograph?
That's my legs in a window in Cambridge, Massachusetts in April of this year. It was taken almost at the one-year anniversary of this site, and if there's anything to be said for the past year...and all of them, really, regardless of circumstance, it's that I keep on moving. Plus I like my stance in this shot. The motto for this year (besides, "Damn, how much was that plane ticket?") is "bring it" and that's what that stance suggests. At the time I took it I was also walking way far to pick up a light meter - longer than I have ever walked in a new city, or any city, for that matter, to pick up ANY sort of equipment, and I have to admit that I've been proud of my commitment to the photo stuff. So yeah, it kind of pulls a bunch of stuff together...which is what good photos do, regardless of the quality of the shot. I also leave the same photo at the top of this page all the time, even though it's not been adequately Photoshopped and my dog's crazy eye is still crazy, because I like my left eye, I love my dog, and I think this is a pretty typical expression for me. I'm Laurie Left Eye not-Lopes (may Lisa rest in peace. I loved TLC.)
5. How would you describe your writing style?
I don't know. How would you describe it? If you met me you'd probably say that I write like I talk - effusively, sarcastically, occasionally sentimental, often goofy, but very rarely without intent. Sometimes I write about serious things, and sometimes I want to talk about how much I dislike Shakira's new song (see below.) Depends. But my ultimate goal is not to sound like a total idiot, so if that's met then I'm doing okay, I guess.
6. If you could spend time with one person (other than your spouse, because really, let’s not rack up the suck up points here) who would it be?
I don't think I've met him or her yet, because honestly if I want to hang out with people I generally do, unless they don't want to and in that case, well, oh snap. It would be nice to see my Nanny again. I won't at all say John Cusack because his handlers are probably monitoring the net for stalkerish activity at this point and I AM NOT A STALKER! I swear! I don't even own a screwdriver!. ; ) (But since you mentioned it, I'll get disgustingly preachy for a minute and note that if you've got a spouse, you should likely want to spend time with them more than anyone - even IF you do the right thing and have lots of other friends and interests - because that's the person who never. goes. away. So you should be fine with it if they don't. This is what's guiding my choices in this endeavor anyway - abject terror of the alternative.)
7. What don’t you write about? Anything considered a no-no in your book?
I steer clear of anything I feel may embarrass anyone I know personally, or embarrass ME should they ever see it, because nothing is a secret when you splash it on the Internets. God, you wouldn't BELIEVE the people who have found me on here. ; ) I'm even pretty nice about public figures who should be beyond embarrassment. I don't name names very often and I think that's fair. I don't write about specifics of my friends and family members' lives, except for in pictures, which might be their least favorite, come to think of it, but I can't help that part. The only crushes you'll hear about are celebrities, because I'm not a total idiot. (Just a half of one.) I don't write about work specifics because although crazy and story-worthy stuff happens there ALL THE TIME, I like my job. Plus, my work involves the lives of other people, which, as interesting as that can be, is no one's business. A shame, I know.
8. How do you feel about meeting bloggers in real life? Are you nervous? Will you have great expectations? What do you home to take away from the BlogHer experience?
I'm generally not nervous about meeting anyone, in a non-dating situation (that's a whole 'nother pile of cupcakes right there.) And one thing I've learned at this point is that expectations are generally not useful. With the amount of time and effort that's gone into the planning of this shindig, and the relative She-Ra strength and talents that I've seen in the women involved, I'm quite sure it will knock my socks off. I'm hoping to meet some cool people, learn a lot, and have a great time. I've never been to California so I'm really looking forward to that also. Bring it on!
9. So soon we’re going to meet each other at BlogHer. Important question. How do you party?
With a glass of red wine (or maybe a margarita?), good music, good people, and a smile. That's all you need.
10. What is your favorite thing that you wrote? What got a strong reaction from readers? Links please?
My favorite quote that I quoted:
"My psychic powers are not for sale. And by that I mean they totally are for sale."
~Eric Cartman
I don't know that I have a favorite thing, although this is pretty funny to me still. This is too. My hit numbers are pretty good, so I know I have readers, I just don't get that many comments, so either people think I'm boring as hell, or...oh. Maybe I am! Oh. Oh well.
11. Have you written anything controversial? Is blogging controversial?
I don't think I've written anything terribly controversial, unless you consider the possibility that liberal politics are bound to offend someone every now and then. Anything can be controversial, and certainly blogging can be at times - or rather the opinions that are expressed and the ability of others to comment and agree or disagree. Just check out the comments on Junichi's Dixie Chicks blog. People write some mad shit on the Web in the name of freedom and patriotism, it seems.
12. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?
I am unavoidably myself. Another blogging "persona" would make it fiction...entirely possible but not my thing.
13. Have you ever anonymously posted on a site to flame them? Nope. I hate the whole concept and psychology of flaming. If I want to argue with someone I'll do it live, and I don't get much out of that anymore either.
14. If you had a super power, what would it be?
I consider prodigious musical talent a super power, so right now I'd like to be able to play any instrument I wanted...but I guess unless it helps people it's not really a super power? In that case I'd like to be able to control the weather. I was watching a special last night about Bill and Melinda Gates and Bill Clinton in Africa, sobbing watching the kids and people in the clinics, so I'd like to bring them some rain, at least. Plus the tsunamis need to be bitchslapped, and of course the hurricanes too...That would actually be an interesting human interest comic book, I think. Timely, too. If I could draw I'd totally do it.
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