Blogivation

Who are you?

I’m Amy. An Eighteen year-old dreamer with a love for short story reading, ballet dancing, Wes Anderson films, tea drinking,photography, and discovering the meaning of the universe. I live in to super hot Arizona desert cooling off with sips of iced tea from juice glasses with octopus’s on them. I play Regina Spektor songs and Erik Satie pieces on my beautiful piano, singing to myself when no one’s listening.

What blogs do you do?

My personal blog is Amour Et Chocolat. I also have a tumblr by the same name.

What is the meaning behind/How did you come up with the name of you blogs?

Well, originally my blog was called “My Pointe Of View” as a sort of play on the word “pointe” referencing pointe shoes and my love for ballet, but earlier this year I decided that I grew out of my almost two-year-old title and renamed the blog “Amour Et Chocolat”. I actually gave my readers a vote it was between “Amour Et Chocolat” and “Blue Jay Way” (“Blue Jay Way” being the title of my favorite Beatles Song). Amour Et Chocolat’s meaning has less to do with yummy chocolate (although I do love chocolate) and more to do with my love of Joanne Harris’s novel “Chocolat” and my love for literature in general. So in English: Love and Chocolat.

What motivations drove you to start blogging/vlogging?

Originally I began blogging as a creative outlet whilst on a hiatus from ballet due to a foot surgery. I used it to voice my opinions on various interests of mine, and as an outlet for my restlessness. It has turned into so much more over the years though.

What motivations keep you blogging today?

The community first and foremost. In addition to having this amazing tool for complete creative freedom on my hands I have a portal to another world, the blogging world. I’ve met so many wonderful people through this medium. Friends even. Like minded people that send each other packages via snail mail and have late night conversations together. It’s really an awesome community.

What future projects are you workings on?

Right now Aren, Shelby, Kait and I have an idea for a group blog in the works. It will be a place for us to share information about our favorite authors and books.

Which blogger inspires you the most?

I don’t think I could choose just one. I’ve come to know so many wonderfully inspiring bloggers over the years. But Aren, Shelby, Kait are most definitely my go-to bloggers for inspiration.

8.What are some of your favorite blogs to read and watch?

Of course those three beautiful girls I just mentioned! I’m also a huge fan of John and Hank Green of Vlogbrothers, The Dapper Kid , It Ain’t Meat Babe, Inside The Cabinet Of Wonder, and From Lina.

Name one thing that you have learned from blogging?

Only one? Well I’ve learned that what you have to say does matter, maybe not to anyone else, but to you for sure! And that through blogging, even if no one reads it, you can say whatever it is that needs to be said, and you’d be surprised who all is interested in hearing your voice!

What randomness would you like to share with the world?

I’m in the process of folding one-thousand paper cranes. I am not Greek (contrary to popular belief). I am a flexitarian. I don’t drink coffee. I am a complete and total geek at heart. I love lazy Sundays.

Amy

Photographs ©Amy and Amour Et Chocolat 2010 All Rights Reserved.  Used With Written Permission.

Who are you?

I’m a work-at-home, homeschooling Mom of 4 (soon to be 5) who lives on a small hobby farm with my husband. I blog and freelance for private and corporate sites, and have done a little magazine work.

What blogs do you do?

Lille Punkin’ Reviews (a family review blog since 2007)

The Freelance Farmer (my new blog on hobby farming and freelance writing)

I also blog for WiseBread.com, and I’m their community manager

You can see all my work at Knerl Enterprises

What is the meaning behind/How did you come up with the name of you blogs?

Like many people, I’m just struck with inspiration. Usually in the shower. For my own blogs, I’ll have an “a-ha” moment similar to how I get post or articles ideas. Of course, I have no say for the blogs that I regularly write for that are not my own

What motivations drove you to start blogging/vlogging?

I started blogging as a way to keep busy when my husband lost his job, and I had a new baby. When I figured out there was a business behind it, I went full force into applying for blogging gigs. I wrote for corporate sites doing blog posts and articles (The Learning Annex, American Greetings, etc.) while I built up my own blogs and helped grow WiseBread.com

I’m motivated by money, sure. But then there are those days when I really want to communicate something important, and blogging is the best way possible!

What motivations keep you blogging today?

I keep blogging now, because it’s part of my full-time professional writing business. About 30% of what I earn is blogging income. The rest is consulting, more traditional “copy” writing, and social media/community management fees. I recently started another personal blog because I missed that element of my day. You can’t write for everyone else all the time.

What future projects are you workings on?

In addition to my newest blog “The Freelance Farmer,” I’m basically waiting around to have another baby! (That’s not exactly true.. I rarely “wait” for anything.) I’m still working with some of the same clients that have been wonderful to work with in the past, including Tom’s Guide, Red Plum, and My Life Scoop. I’m also working on some speaking opportunities, but of course, they have to be “new baby” friendly

Which blogger inspires you the most?

I am totally awe-inspired by those that can open up in their blogs in a personal way and not care what other people think. Arianne from “To Think Is To Create“  says the most beautiful, truthful things. She writes in a way that I don’t think I could ever.

What are some of your favorite blogs to read and watch?

Out of necessity, I follow over 300+ personal finance blogs for my community position at WiseBread.com. This means I have MANY favorites. I really like those that I stumble across that have nothing to do with work or money. I love blogs on organizing, cooking, and crafting — even though I don’t do much of that stuff. It just makes me feel good to know that there are so many talented people out there sharing — not keeping all the good stuff to themselves! Some super-duper ones:

Mom Advice

Being Frugal

Stuff Christians Like

Cake Wrecks

Sometimes you just need a laugh, too

Name one thing that you have learned from blogging?

The rules change all the time, but some things will always be true (like good content trumps everything else, and you can always delete stuff you wish you never said.) Just remember, there are screen shots and cached pages. Double-check your posts, and then check them again!

What randomness would you like to share with the world?

Blogging helps me clear my head (even if I’m working on a boring piece on credit card rates) and allows me to have some “me” time. When I’m writing, I imagine I look like a zombie… but my family is used to it by now.

Who are you?

I’m Corvida Raven, a Social Media Architect if you will. I am a walking energy of passion for writing, researching, analyzing, and sharing the things I produce and discover using technology.

What blogs do you do?

SheGeeks.net is where I share my usual social media and mobile findings. I co-blog with Chris Miller for EverythingTwitter. And of course I have a Posterous blog and Tumblelog.

What is the meaning behind/How did you come up with the name of you blogs?

SheGeeks represents my passion for technology and learning complicated things. It embodies what I wanted people to think about me when they read my posts. Plus, it’s pretty easy to remember and read.

What motivations drove you to start blogging/vlogging?

I started blogging because I had a desire to do something and didn’t know what to do. I had co-administrated a few message boards. I ran a few livejournal communities and I shared a lot of the tech tips I came across within these personal and private communities. It just seemed best to take it further. With a little encouragement, I took the plunge and started blogging on a consistent basis.

What motivations keep you bloggingg today?

The people I meet keep me blogging today. Their support, love, and encouragement refuse to let me stop. It gets hard, but people let me know everyday how much I am or have helped them through my blog. I’m becoming an entrepreneur and some big opportunities are coming along. I keep blogging because it’s helping me create a better life for myself and the world.

What future projects are you workings on?

I can’t say right now

Which blogger inspires you the most?

Bloggers don’t inspire me, people do. Some blog, some tweet, some don’t do either one. I’m inspired by the people who have taken the time to make our communities better with or without my help.

What are some of your favorite blogs to read and watch?

I keep up with the tech industry usuals, but I like to visit design blogs and music blogs a lot. Design to Inspire and Habitually Chic are some of my favorites in Interior Design. Concrete Loop is my favorite music blog right now.

Name one thing that you have learned from blogging?

Anything is possible.

What randomness would you like to share with the world?

If you believe it, then you can achieve it.

-Corvida Raven.

The reason I blog would be null and void without me talking about why I started reading blogs. The first blog I read was Engadget,where the addiction first started. That led to Lifehacker, which was the perfect gateway for me to start reading HackCollege. By the time I started reading HackCollege regularly (as well as plethora of other blogs) I was in college. This was also when Kelly Sutton put out a call for writers.

I applied, for some reason, I don’t really remember why. I knew the job wasn’t going to be paid or that I would get internet fame overnight, but I knew that it would be cool to contribute to the internet through the best way I knew how, blogging.

I had been following the HackCollege show when it was on the Revision3 Beta network a little while back. I was really entertained by the show and when they sent out a call for writers I knew it was a no lose situation. Looking back on it now, it was all win.

How did I win? Maybe it was the chance to go to Vegas and wear a press pass for CES or reviewing gadgets just like the uber-nerds I idolized in high school. The honest truth here is that I’m happy with the time I’m spending as a blogger.

I also blog because it sharpens my writing skills. Being a Psychology major, I do a lot more reading than writing, even as I get into upper level classes. So to have that once or twice a week (depending on how motivated I feel) to write and put something out there has been really go for me. Whether it’s with HackCollege or another blog in the future I’m going to try and write for as long as possible.

When I started blogging for HackCollege, I would have never guessed how many opportunities I would have had while working with the guys there. It has been an awesome ride and I look forward to what we’ll be able to create in the future.

Hello blogger world, I’m Wendy and I’m a shy 19 year old who loves photography, clothes, food, and animals. I blog about yummy vegan food on my blog Vegan Goodies, which is my second blog. I entered the blogging world with my blog Raindrops on Roses on which I blog about my life and sometimes about things I wear. I started Vegan Goodies mainly because of this question, and I’m sure all you fellow vegans out there know what I’m talking about, “You’re vegan?! But what do you eat??” Followed then by, “Can you eat anything besides lettuce?” or “What do you do for protein?” I was so tired of getting asked these questions and people thinking that vegan meant everything you could eat would taste like cardboard. Well I wanted to prove them all wrong and show them how yummy and healthy being vegan could be. Also I am the only vegan amongst my friends and  family and so I am constantly trying to show them how great vegan food can be and that you really don’t need to eat meat or dairy products.

My mom wanted to raise me and my brother up as healthy as possible and so I was raised vegan, but then a few years back I got so tired of eating differently from all my friends and not being able to eat chocolate, that I started eating everything (but meat) and I loved it.

To this day my favorite food has got to be Gouda cheese. But I got a little older (and a lot more unhealthy) and the main reason, that I became painfully and undeniably aware of the brutal mistreating and torture of the animals that are used to produce things such as dairy and eggs, and of course meat, that I couldn’t eat those things anymore and decided I would become a vegan again and this time for good.

At first it was very difficult to stop eating all those things, and I thought that eating vegan again would be really hard and sort of bland and boring. But then I got a passion for vegan cooking and baking and discovering the many new and delicious foods and substitutes that were available, and how much more creative in my cooking I could be. I discovered many new food combos and how artistic food can be when it’s alive and colorful and not dead and bloody, covered in cheese, or super processed. And also, once I got into the habit of reading labels I realized how many things are actually vegan anyway.

(like most dark chocolate, woo hoo chocolate!)

And being vegan/vegetarian is the most green thing you can do, even if everyone in the world stopped driving their gas eating cars or saving electricity and water, it wouldn’t even compare to if we all went vegetarian.

And so cooking and baking vegan food has become a passion of mine and I hope to one day attend a vegan culinary school so I can keep learning about food possibilities and help broaden people’s culinary horizons.