Interview with Liza R from “something something”

“something something”

http://lizarosenberg.wordpress.com

I started my first blog, Lights in the Distance, back in April of 2004. I was working from home due to a high-risk pregnancy, and blogging helped me to pass the time. I tried to keep it up after my son was born, but wasn’t terribly successful.

When my son was just over a year old, a friend persuaded me to start a joint blog, and we came up with something something. When my friend decided that he no longer had the time, I took over the blog and made it my own. I’ve been maintaining this blog for just over three years.

Whatever catches my fancy! Sometimes it’s politics and current events (both are hard to avoid when you live in Israel!) and sometimes it’s mommy-blogging and daily life. Other topics that pop up with some degree of regularity include regional issues and fertility issues.

I’ll write about anything that interests me, whether it’s something that makes me laugh, something that makes me cry or something that makes me angry.

I’ve got quite a few faves, which I’m listing in no particular order:

Tololy’s Box, written by a young Jordanian woman
Petite Anglaise, written by a British expat in Paris
, written by an American expat in Dublin
My Marrakesh, written by an American expat in Marrakesh
Diary of a New Mom
Motherhood: The Ultimate Survivor, which has to be one of the funniest blogs out there
Anglosaxy, written by a British expat in Israel (who just happens to be my former blog partner)
My Shrapnel, written by an American-Israeli who was injured in a terror attack in 2002
On the Face, written by a Canadian-Israeli freelance journalist, who also happens to be one of my closest friends
Shenanigans
In Search of Dessert, written by an American expat in Geneva

I also read a number of blogs about writing, and the links can all be found in my blogroll.

You can always opt to write about something, but once it’s out there, you can never take it back!

My best friend always reads my blog and is also a frequent commenter. In fact, she often plays the role of “peacemaker”, stepping in with insightful comments and diffusing sensitive situations that may arise when I’ve written controversial blog posts. Many of my other friends read the blog as well, and quite a few of them are individuals I’ve encountered while blogging.

From my friend who blogs over at Anglosaxy, who was also my blogging partner for a while. He’s also the reason that another friend of mine began to blog, and we both refer to Anglosaxy as our blogfather.

My son, brilliant writing, and being around writers.

Through blogging, I’ve made so many new friends all over the world (and I’ve even met some of them!). That’s probably the best part. I’ve got blog friends in different parts of the Arab world, as well as Europe and North America, and I’m humbled to run in the virtual, diverse circles of so many incredible people.

Blogging has also given me a platform for my writing, which I’ve successfully used to create a name for myself as a writer. The response I’ve gotten has been a terrific confidence-booster, and helped to give me the push I needed to take my writing to new levels.