Interview with dawn from “belle of the blog”

“belle of the blog”

http://belleoftheblog.blogspot.com

Since becoming a parent, I have found that life moves at breathtaking pace. I began blogging to help myself process all that came my way and to give myself a chronicle of where I came from, where I am, and where I’m going.

I began blogging about two years ago, while I was pregnant with my first son. I stopped for a while and then began again in earnest when my son was two and a half.

I love a., woman of independent means. A. has such a strong voice, both as a mother and wife and as a woman in her own right.

Other favorites include rennratt, dancing on the jetty, and mimi on the breach.

It’s a cliche, but just do it! Initially, I wondered why anyone would want to read anything I have to say about my personal life, despite the fact that I work as a professional writer. However, I realized that this was something I needed and wanted to do for myself. And in the process, I realized that perhaps something I had to say about my own life could help someone else somewhere along the way. I know I’ve certainly been intrigued, inspired, and set in motion by things I’ve read on other blogs, so who’s to say that I can’t do the same for someone else?

I do. It makes me feel connected to the world around me. Just like reading others’ blogs, it really allows me to feel connected to humanity in a way that is sometimes missing in the isolating world of being a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom.

I’ve told a select few of my friends about the blog. There are other friends, along with my family, whom I fear would be shocked by my honesty. Of course, my husband knows and reads the blog, sometimes much to my chagrin.

The Duke Basketball Report and a couple of forums for professional event and wedding planners.

What a challenge! Whenever I have a free moment I’m torn between the dozens of options….blog, workout, read a book, read other blogs! I often try to get up and blog before my boys wake up. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try to do it while my oldest is at preschool.

I read other blogs at least 30 min. each day. I spend probably two hours a day thinking about what I’d like to write, maybe more. I actually only get to write every other day or so.

I use Technorati and search the other blogs at blogger.com where my blog is hosted. I also use blogexplosion.com to find other blogs of interest.

The first blogs I read were political…Glenn Reynolds’ Instapundit and Andrew Sullivan’s blog. It’s now at Atlantic Monthly.

My husband and kids. My husband is a true renaissance man. He’s the kind of person who can do anything he decides he wants to do and it amazes me. He works a full-time job as a programmer, sometimes putting in very long hours, and still makes time to create the most amazing music, all while being a terrific dad and husband.

And of course, my boys! They are both pretty cool, if I do say so myself. Everything I do is in an effort to be the best person I can be, to be the best mom and wife, to be someone my kids can look up to and be proud of.

I don’t have any other personal sites, but I do work with my husband to promote his music site, writing copy and doing PR.

Absolutely. There are so many good, positive, and inspiring women out there blogging. And men, too. But I seem to learn most about myself and get a lot of support from fellow women bloggers.

I’ve learned that I may not always be perfect, but I don’t have to be. Sometimes good enough really is good enough.