It was so nice of Shellie from The FABulous Journey to nominate me for the Sisterhood Of The World Bloggers award. Basically, this is a just-for-fun-award that allows our readers to get to know us better and to spread the word about other fabulous, inspiring bloggers we know.
So, here are the rules:
- Provide a link and thank the blogger who nominated you for this award.
- Answer the questions about yourself.
- Nominate 10-12 blogs.
- Provide links to these nominated blogs and let the recipients know they have been nominated.
- Ask them ten questions of your own.
- Include the award logo within your blog post.
Shellie’s Questions For Me
1. If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently in your 20’s?
I would tell myself to go away for university. I had so many options but chose to go the cheap, easy route which was going to my hometown school. Maybe I wouldn’t still be living in the city I was born in.
2. What is your best skin care tip for mid-life women?
I know this sounds ridiculous, but wash your face every night before you go to bed. My skin would bounce back when I was young and it was usual for me to just fall into bed at the end of a long night. A habit I still find very hard to break.
3. What is number one on your bucket list?
I would have to say that it is to have an extended vacation away from home. It doesn’t even matter where to or if I’m in a caravan. No tenting though. My sleep on the ground days are long over.
4. What is your best piece of advice for a woman who are anticipating the empty nest?
Well since mine are still here, I anticipate re-decorating their rooms, spending money on myself, not waiting in line for the bathroom and having a party with MY friends.
5. What has been your greatest discovery since turning 40?
I would have to say that I am surprised that every year gets better, I like myself more and that I look forward to the future. My greatest discovery is ME.
6. In another 10 years, is it go gray or color all the way?
I haven’t coloured my hair in months and I am trying to see how far I can let this go before giving in. I am so tired of colouring and hope my hair comes in a nice shade of gray. Otherwise, I am thinking highlights but all the way, never more.
7. What is one product you can’t live without?
Unfortunately, the only answer that pops into my head is my mobile. (Yes, I’m that bad.)
8. What physical change has annoyed you most about aging?
Hairs growing where they have no business growing on a woman.
9. What is biggest motivation for being a mid-life blogger?
My biggest motivation is my mind and my heart. I love to pay it forward to new bloggers and to support my blogging community.
10. Where do you find your greatest inspiration?
Everyday, my greatest inspiration comes from other bloggers. I am amazed at the creativity, information and soul baring content that they share so freely in their blogs.
The bloggers I am nominating are all successful in my eyes. My questions, therefore, are all blog related. I know that they are all generous with helping others and I hope I can get some answers that new bloggers would appreciate the answers to.
- Head Heart Health
- Suzie Speaks
- Skinny and Single
- Plagued Parent
- New World Moms
- Yadadarcyyada
- Boomer Haiku
- Smart Living 365
- Flip Side of the Bikini
- Call Me Crazy
I know that not everyone likes to participate in these awards so please feel free to use the comment section to answer one or more of the following questions if a blog post does not fit your format.
- How did you choose your blog name?
- When did you write your first blog post and what was it about?
- Has your blog changed direction since then?
- What is the most time-consuming task for a blogger?
- How many hours in a day do you spend on your blog related tasks everyday?
- What would you like to see happen more in the blogging community?
- What is the worst piece of blogging advice you have ever read or been given?
- What has been your most read post and what was it about?
- Why do you think it is your most popular post?
- Excluding direct blogging advice, what pearls of wisdom would you give a new blogger?
Wow, this is a great list of questions if I do say so myself! I hope some of these great bloggers will join in. I will be doing a future post referencing their answers and linking to all that participate.
Again, if you choose not to do a post, please note that I would appreciate my nominees participating in the comments below so I can quote you in my future post.
18 comments
Hi, Elena! Wow! Thanks so much for nominating me for this. Finally getting to this!
Here are a answers to a few of your questions:
#1. How did you choose your blog name?
I wanted the name to represent the other side of life – the positive sides of the bad and the difficult, the way we don’t have the follow the norms, the way we can stretch ourselves by thinking out of the box while we’re going through this midlife transition. “Flip side” kept gnawing at me. And it helped me make my mission clear for the bog. But now flip side of what? I thought we’re now on the flip side of youth…so… My friend and I started batting around words that represented youth and she blurted out “bikini.” Perfect! Flipside of the Bikini (I put flipside as one word because it looked better). And there it came to be.
#2. First blog post?
My first blog post was a Top 10 of my midlife realizations because I had so many ideas and posts half-written that I was making myself crazy. So I decided to calm down and let my post be simple… knowing that my first may be somewhat lame. ha ha. went live 4/23/2015 http://flipsideofthebikini.com/2015/04/23/top-ten-list/
#3. Has your blog changed direction?
No. Still new. It’s storytelling so I can’t imagine it changing – but, who knows?
#4. What is the most time consuming?
Everything. But, I guess, ultimately, I would say the social media stuff takes the most amount of time. I am learning quite a bit and learning that I need to learn quite a bit more…if I’m ever gonna get my blog read out there. Oh, and my frickin’ computer and internet aren’t fast enough for my needs and cockblock me every now and again.
#6. What would you like to see happen more in the blogging community?
Particularly, in the midlife blogging community, I’d like to see less attention being put on our physical changes, midlife cliches, comparisons to youth…especially in the negative light. I know for me, I don’t need to be reminded of what I’m going through. I’d rather be distracted. I know some people need to relate. But, speaking for myself, I’m looking for inspiration to move ahead. Validation for who i think I can be and who I already am. A showing of what we all are capable of. And lots and lots of humor. And bring men into the conversation please? any more man-bloggers out there? ha!
Okay…I think I now won the prize for the longest answers ever. ha ha. Thank you, Elena, for all your support and help with this blogging community. You’re very generous. I’m just having a great time with all this.
http://flipsideofthebikini.com/
Ciao for now!
k
Hey thanks Karen! I just found your comment in spam! I will be writing my post soon and will let you know when it is up.
I wrote my response in a post. Here’s the linky.
http://head-heart-health.com/16865/1000-posts
Thank you lovely!
Hi, Elena,
Here are my answers to most of your questions:
How’d I choose my blog name? I’m honestly not sure…it was just one of those things that came to me. I knew I wanted to write about the experience of moving through midlife and beyond as a baby boomer — with humor — and the haiku thing just kind of popped into my head as a way to capture thoughts/ideas that either inspire a post or encapsulate a message within one.
When did I write my first blog post and what was it about? I launched Boomer Haiku at the start of 2015, and my first post was about women and shoes – and how at this age, I’m relinquishing (most of) my high heels in favor of a healthy back.
Has it changed since then? Not really…there’s such a wealth of material relating to aging, self-awareness, mortality, medical advances, relationships, health, menopause — all the things we boomers are dealing with. And then there are current events seen through the boomer lens.
The most time-consuming task as a blogger? As someone else mentioned: social media. This can be such a huge time suck, especially if you’re a relative newbie, which I am. I’m active on Facebook, semi-active on Twitter (had to learn it first), and am dipping my toe into the Pinterest waters (but still don’t “get” it).
Hours a day spent on blog-related tasks? I haven’t kept track, but some days (weekends, usually, since I have a “day job” as a medical writer) I can put in 6 – 8 hours writing. I post on Mondays, so that’s my busiest social media day. On average, I’d say I spend about 10 hours/week on the blog.
What I’d like to see happen more in the blogging community? I don’t have any suggestions at this point. I’ve been delighted to find such a welcoming, generous community of (mostly) midlife women who’ve made my entry into the blogosphere such an affirming experience.
Worst piece of blogging advice? Nothing stands out.
Most read post? I honestly don’t know. I’m not very good about checking my stats.
Pearls of wisdom I’d give a new blogger? Write well and succinctly. Expect blogging to take more time than you anticipated. Interact/engage with your readers. Remember that it’s not all about you. Find your tribe (and a wonderful champion like Elena).
Thank you for this opportunity!
Thank you Roxanne. I will let you know when it is posted.
How did you choose your blog name? I believe life is a journey of transitions…how you deal with them depends on your attitude and perspective. I want to encourage women to live life with vigor, enthusiasm and purpose!
When did you write your first blog post and what was it about? I wrote my fist post shortly after Christmas on my weight journey blog. It was an article about the mind being the key to sustainable weight loss.
Has your blog changed direction since then? I started writing about weight, but quickly discovered I had more I wanted to say, thus The FABulous Journey was born!
What is the most time-consuming task for a blogger? Social Media will bury you if you let it!
How many hours in a day do you spend on your blog related tasks everyday? too many
What would you like to see happen more in the blogging community?
I am already amazed at the help and assistance fellow bloggers give each other!
What is the worst piece of blogging advice you have ever read or been given? I can’t think of any bad, just unheeded.
What has been your most read post and what was it about? I have no idea. I guess I should know.
Why do you think it is your most popular post?
Excluding direct blogging advice, what pearls of wisdom would you give a new blogger? Don’t forget who you are. Blogging can suck you in and there is so much to do in the beginning. I recently did some soul-searching to realign my priorities. The blog should enhance your vision and purpose. If you feel yourself losing focus, it’s time to rethink.
Thank you lovely. I will let you know when I write my post.
Hi Elena! I agree with Roxanne above that you are a very generous and giving blog friend. Thank you for including me in this great list… but as you mentioned, some of us don’t do the award thing so thank you for also giving us an alternative. Here are answers to most of your questions:
#1 SMART is an acronym for: Sustainable, Meaningful, Aware, Responsible, Thankful. I think all those ingredients make for SMART Living 365.
#2 My first blog post was on another site Coachella Valley Green where I wrote about all things environmental. I can’t remember exactly because it was 7 years ago and it’s all gone now.
#4 & 5 I think researching and choosing my topics take about 1/2 the time. If I am excited about the topic it goes fast! I probably spend 15 hours +/- a week.
#6 Reciprocity.
#7 Nothing…I’ve learned from everything–even when it was wrong!
#8 http://smartliving365.com/is-there-really-proof-of-heaven-or-life-after-death/
#9 This is a vital topic and there are millions who are interested in it…I wrote it two years ago and it still draws a lot of traffic.
#10 My post this week is about just this! http://smartliving365.com/10-lessons-about-life-ive-learned-by-blogging/
Thanks again for the chance to think about why we do what we do! ~Kathy
Thank you for participating Cathy! I will let you know when my post is up.
I chose my blog name because it reflects the breadth of my topics, which pretty much range from great recipes to spirituality to style to dogs–Heart, Mind, Soul! I might also have called it the Smartest, Savviest Readership in the Blogosphere because often the comments are even better than the post!
Congratulations!
Congrats, Elena!!! Not only is this award well-deserved, it’s perfect for you, you’re such a lovely, kind, and generous blogger.
Thank you so much for thinking of me for this award, here are my answers to your awesome questions.
1. How did you choose your blog name?
It was sort of a funny (I thought) joke, but looking back I wish I’d taken more time to think about it.
2. When did you write your first blog post and what was it about?
Fibromyalgia http://yadadarcyyada.com/2013/08/08/fibromyalgia-is-a-four-letter-word/ August 2013
3. Has your blog changed direction since then?
Yes and no, the blog has always been about whatever I’m thinking about.
4. What is the most time-consuming task for a blogger?
Research, fact-checking and surprisingly, the comments section.
5. How many hours in a day do you spend on your blog related tasks everyday?
It really varies.
6. What would you like to see happen more in the blogging community?
More support and mentoring.
7. What is the worst piece of blogging advice you have ever read or been given?
Blog every day even if you don’t have anything to say. Huh?
8. What has been your most read post and what was it about?
http://yadadarcyyada.com/2013/08/27/blurred-miley-lines/ Highest ever views.
http://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/04/10/im-hooked-on-a-feeling/ Highest ever likes.
9. Why do you think it is your most popular post?
Miley Cyrus one, she was in the news and blogging – there’s some good advice hidden among the humour, I think.
10. Excluding direct blogging advice, what pearls of wisdom would you give a new blogger?
Enjoy yourself, it shows! http://yadadarcyyada.com/2015/05/12/i-cant-make-you-love-me/
Wow, that’s long, thanks again sweetie and congrats, now I’m off to share this so all the world can discover the wonder of Elena and hopefully #MidLifeLuv !!! 🙂
Thank you for participating Donna. I will let you know when my post is up.
Elena, as always, you are most generous in “sharing the wealth” with the community of midlife bloggers. I’m just digging out after a week of helping an elderly aunt move from Colorado to California (with an emergency hospital admission – her, not me – at the tail end of it, just to make things more interesting/stresssful!). I’m writing this from my layover in Chicago on my way home. Anyway, long way of saying I’m delighted to be included in this, but it may take me a few days to get to it. But I WILL do so!
Take your time Roxanne and hope you have a safe journey home.
just quickly, the most irritating advice on blogging I’ve ever read was “Write interesting content”
ohhhh, I hadn’t thought of that!!!!
Thanks for the nod 🙂
Interesting content is in the ear of the reader so generally, useless advice.