Blogivation

Hi there blogosphere! I’m a fashion blogger for the blog In Her Stilettos, I help out in judging band competitions/taking photos/managing the website for a small independent metal record label, and I’m currently double majoring in chemical engineering and biochemistry at UT Austin.

I’ve always loved fashion, or at least dressing up. I went to preschool happy only on the days I got to wear a pretty dress. However, I first discovered the world of fashion blogs when I started college. The magical world of streetstyle photography, scanned editorials, and fierce daily outfits from fashionistas just offered a creative escape from my engineering world of logic, application and mathematics. Pretty soon, I was subscribed to over 50-70 fashion blogs and regularly read about 150-200 more every week.

What ultimately prompted me to start my own fashion blog was when I noticed that there was a huge absence of fashion blogs by people in the science & technology field. With the vast majority of the fashion blogs written by fashion/art/design students, musicians, stylists and photographers, there was almost a hidden implication that science people shouldn’t or don’t care about looking fashionable. What’s more disturbing to me was how professors and fellow classmates were constantly surprised if anyone wore anything else other than a free engineering t-shirt and jeans/Nike shorts to class. I felt like I had to speak up for the fellow science gals and guys out there that enjoy fashion and dressing up. I felt like there was a need for more people that’s not from a career path headed towards the creative/entertainment industry to contribute to the fashion dialogue. That’s why I started my blog. Ever since I’ve started posting outfits, I’ve gotten mixed responses from the science world. While I get lots of comments about how shallow it is to post daily pictures of what I’m wearing, I also get a lot of emails from engineering and natural science gals/guys that are happy to see a fellow science gal blogging about fashion.

Fashion blogging has brought me a lot of opportunities and new friends. Ever since starting three months ago, I’ve gotten interviewed by the local news, featured on other fashion websites like modcloth’s blog, and met some of the most interesting and amazing fellow Austin fashion bloggers. I have also found lots of gals like me that have both an engineering major and a fashion interest. I feel like I’ve finally found my niche!

Anyway, that’s all from my little stream-of-consciousness jotting. Extra thanks to Jordan for contacting me to write this entry and for his extra patience for waiting over a month for me to actually write it up! Finally, if you feel like taking a peak of an engineering student’s take on fashion, jewelry, music, art and photography, drop by In Her Stilettos! I’ll love to chat.

-Diya-

Kelly Sutton

“Blogging is one of the purest forms of self-expression and personality, whether you write about lifehacking for college students or personal stuff. Developing the ability to shape an idea into 400 words on a regular basis is an extremely valuable skill to have.”

(Read More)

Nicola Jennings

“While I was at university studying fine art, I felt the need to start up a blog to post my work. However my blog then turned into writing about my day and photos I had taken.”

(Read More)

Linda Andersson

“but once I got started, I realized some of my experiences and findings also appealed to people beyond my network of friends and family and it became a hobby that is very dear to me.”

(Read More)

Marshall Jones Jr.

“I wanted to give people something that would last them the rest of their lives. I wanted to encourage people to be amazing, and I wanted to encourage those people to encourage other people to be amazing.”

(Read More)

Margaret Turley

“Blogging is an education all of its own. If I had my heart’s desire I would be an eternal student. My blogs, my writing, my schooling, my career, and my life reflect the diversity I crave and actively weave together into the fabric of my being.”

(Read More)

Jennifer Sauer

“I bring to my blog all of the skills I developed over the years as a media person…to share information, guidance and inspiration from tea masters, farmers, chefs, and other authors and merchants, with those who love tea.”

(Read More)

Stephanie (The Dirty Mommy)

“I started to read a blog that my friend forwarded me. Oh, what I had been missing! Blogs are exactly what busy people need – short commentaries, insights and stories of life, work, and fun.”

(Read More)

My name is Marshall Jones, and I used to tell friends in college that I was a Junior… because my father has the same name. I live in beautiful Louisville, Kentucky, and blog to encourage people to encourage people. Right now, I have two active blogs, bondChristian, which is a practical guide for serving others, and Marshall Jones Jr, which is about learning to love carrot juice, snagging two B.A. degrees before turning 20, and my journey to becoming the most marriable man in theworld. :>)

Here’s the story of why I blog: When I was in high school, I had a very cute friend, the kind of girl all the guys liked at summer camp. She and I grew really close, and we knew a lot about each other: she liked Care Bears when I met her, but I think I changed her mind. Anyway, years later after I’d gotten into my degrees and she’d gotten married, she posted one of those goofy notes on facebook. The note listed descriptions of various friends in her life, and everyone she tagged was supposed to guess which description was theirs. Naturally, I picked a good one for myself – not that good but still good – and I was pretty sure I’d guessed the right one (remember, I knew a lot about her). Later, though, she told me I’d missed it completely. The description she gave me said I was her best friend through high school and some other “wonderful” things. :>) I felt ecstatic. I knew we’d been close, at least from my perspective, but I didn’t know for sure she’d felt the same about me.

So what’s this got to do with blogging? Well, about an hour after reading her response to my pick, I realized in a general but “I’m not going to be able to get to sleep now” way what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to make deep, deep friendships. I wanted to give people something that would last them the rest of their lives. I wanted to encourage people to be amazing, and I wanted to encourage those people to encourage other people to be amazing. And I still do. But that’s like a young, “Philosophy major meets old philanthropist” type goal. Without any practical details, it’s easy for that goal to turn into a dream and fade in the daytime. So that’s why I blog. I blog because it’s a small, actionable detail in my Hulk-like, life goal. I blog because I’m so insanely thankful for everything I have and I want everyone else to feel this too. I know Blogivation isn’t about giving advice, but I’ve got to share something anyway… two somethings, actually (and if you’re reading this now, you know it wasn’t edited out):

1) Figure out why you’re blogging.

2) Make your “why” humongous.

If you don’t know why you’re blogging or if you think your main reason is to build a platform, you shouldn’t be blogging. I mean, come on, this is life, not elf practice. If we mess this up, we don’t get to quit – we die. I seriously want everyone to be amazing, and I think figuring out why we’re blogging or living or playing freakin’ Wii all day is a tremendous step in that direction. Will you do that for me?

Thanks,

-Marshall Jones Jr.

I’m Stephanie, aka Dirty Mommy. I am currently at stay at home Mom (love Canada’s maternity leave benefits!), however work is unfortunately beckoning me back in June (well, work isn’t, but Hubby says that the bills need a-payin’). When I’m not on maternity leave, which is not that often these past few years, I work in Social Services as an Employment Facilitator.

I had heard about blogs for years. I saw them on sites I shopped on or visited, but I was busy – too busy to read blogs. Busy working two jobs, getting married, getting pregnant, getting pregnant again, and then, of course, tending to my two small beings. Then my life changed forever and The Dirty Mommy Club was born.

I started to read a blog that my friend forwarded me. Oh, what I had been missing! Blogs are exactly what busy people need – short commentaries, insights and stories of life, work, and fun. So I decided to join the fun.

The Dirty Mommy Club is my blog about the messy business of Parenthood. What started as a blog about my kids has become an outlet of parental moments that, hopefully, most parents can identify with. I also try to keep the writing identifiable for those that don’t have their own children, but observe those that do in public.

I am still a busy person, like the rest of the world, but my blogging is my time. And as any busy person knows, “me” time is valuable and should be spent doing what makes you happy.

Jennifer Sauer/Author/Photographer/Tea Journalist for Bon Teavant

I have been a professional media provider for more than 20 years, and happen to be extremely passionate about artisanal, handcrafted tea. My blog, Bon Teavant, originated as a continuation of my communication to an unseen “audience” who bought my book, The Way to Tea: Your Adventure Guide to San Francisco Tea Culture, which is really more of a photo documentary of the blossoming tea culture in the U.S. from its epicenter in San Francisco than a guide book (which it is also).

Most people can remember a moment in time when they heard a string of words connected together that changed their thinking or their lives forever. When I happened upon the words “tea culture” I was wowed to the core. So much so that within just a couple of months of hearing these words, I devoted myself to writing a book on tea culture in San Francisco. As a professional photographer, but a novice tea connoisseur, I decided my goal would be to document tea culture in my community and share my tea adventures with others. In effect, I would become a “tea journalist”.

Now several years later, I bring to my blog all of the skills I developed over the years as a media person—digital video, still photography, interviewing, and writing—to share information, guidance and inspiration from tea masters, farmers, chefs, and other authors and merchants, with those who love tea. I am a what you might call a “bridge person”, the one who helps others to consider new ideas and ways of thinking as well as the one who connects people to each other.

Bon Teavant gives voice to a cross-section of people who wish to share their knowledge and perspective on tea with others. Tea masters share brewing techniques, rituals, and their knowledge of farming and processing tea. Authors share history, folk lore, and stories, as well as their own experiences with tea. Chefs share their ideas on cooking with tea and pairing tea with food, and herbalists share their knowledge of traditional plant medicine.

Following my personal fascination with the intersections between plants and humans, and more particularly, the role plants play in traditional medicine, tea has become my vehicle for continuing my exploration in these areas, and I have become the vehicle for tea….disseminating as much practical and practice-able information as possible through the many voices that all sing for tea.

-Jennifer Sauer

I am an author and a nurse. My book Save the Child is about Parent’s rights to choose healthcare for their children. On this blog I write about anything to do with children’s welfare, healthcare, parenting or related subjects.” I’ve been doing quite a bit of introspection since then. This morning I came across a student nurse who set up a blog and their article intrigued me – especially the term blogivation.

Blogging is an education all of its own. If I had my heart’s desire I would be an eternal student. My blogs, my writing, my schooling, my career, and my life reflect the diversity I crave and actively weave together into the fabric of my being.

Some of the purposes that blogging serves for me include journaling, networking, fulfilling the need to reach out and help and share knowledge with others. I dipped my toes in the blog pool at the invitation of Marsha Ward on the ANWA Founder & Friends Blog in 2008. It was a comfortable atmosphere to get started as I had been part of the American Night Writers Association for nine years and was among friends. They gently encouraged my efforts and taught me basics about blogging like I’d learned about writing from them in critique groups and chapter meetings. I rambled on writing about whatever subjects caught my fancy at the moment. I appreciate their kind tolerance.

As I took writing classes in the local community colleges I was encouraged to start a blog and participate regularly to network with other writers. I was still working full time as a nurse and didn’t have the time to work in blogging, as well as writing on top of my nursing career. So it was filed away in the good thing to do folder.

I started writing back in grade school. I’ve created poetry, prose, and essays. My friend Kerry Blair encouraged me to write down my stories and try to get them published. With her nudges and cheers from ANWA sisters I self-published my nursing memoirs under a pseudonym. I couldn’t keep my thoughts to one genre and wrote animal stories about my pets, fantasy stories, middle grade stories, lyrics and music, screen plays, new age stories, short stories and kept jotting down notes for many more ideas. I was kindly told by well meaning instructors that I needed to pick my genre and stick with it if I ever wanted to be published.

Then I had the fortune of being referred to Dr. Pamela Goodfellow by an ANWA sister and friend – Cindy Williams. From the very first moment I spoke with Dr. Goodfellow I knew she was the answer I’d been searching for throughout my life. She doesn’t believe in writing for one particular genre. Hallelujah! I am free. Now my writing can reflect who I am: A girl who grew up with a Dutch mother, a father in the Army, and then on a rural farm. I love music, and play violin. I love nature and all creatures and I love to help people so I became a nurse. When I went to college I couldn’t stick with just the required courses – I carried anywhere from 19 – 23 college credit hours per semester to fill my curiosity needs. My e-mail handle is musicnurse.

I blog on four different blogs now. Margaret’s Blog reflects my wide writing and reading interests. A Nurse’s World provides a place for me to educate people about health issues, and play nurse. Save the Child is my website for my first novel that will be release next month. Dr. Goodfellow is my producer, editor and mentor. After seven long years I am finally going to have the finished product in my hand. I devote that blog to children’s health, children’s welfare, parent’s choice to choose their child’s health care. As Pamela’s student and her Teaching Assistant I helped her set up this blog for Goodfellow publishing students, authors and guests so we could share our thoughts about writing, and learn to network as Dr. Goodfellow has taught us in class.

A comment I received on the original article I posted on Goodfellow Blog indicated their blog was to stay in touch with family. I tried that and flopped. So I peak into their lives using Facebook window. One way or another the wonderful world of technology is helping me reach out and touch the lives of love ones, friends, acquaintances and new contacts. It is an exciting adventure.

-Margaret Turley

So, who am I?

The eternal question… What I’ve learned so far is that I am a fun-loving, movie-addict, music-maniac, fashion-slave-shop-o-holic and on top of this, I love all sweet things (with the exception of marmalade candy!)! I also have a quite serious popcorn addiction… Borne and raised in Sweden, but living in Switzerland for almost two years now.

Turned 31 this year (brrr) but still feel like and think I am 25 (and I KNOW there’s an expression that says “It’s the thought that counts”)…

Why did I start blogging?

Well, I’ve always been a very curious person and curious people sometimes stumble upon treasures, whether it’d be some new friends, cool stores, new music, fantastic web-pages or movies and I have always shared these findings with my friends, hoping it would bring them even a fragment of the joy I felt when finding it in the first place. Curious people also like to travel a lot and SOME curious people, like myself, also can’t help but to follow a path once it’s laid out in front of you and by doing so, they find their way to a foreign country from which this sharing with friends is less easy.

This is how the thought first started…..wanting to share what I see, do and find with my friends – but once I got started, I realized some of my experiences and findings also appealed to people beyond my network of friends and family and it became a hobby that is very dear to me.

Funny enough, this thought of me starting a blog also came as a suggestion from one of my best friends a few days after I already took the decision in my mind to start a blog and this motivated me even more.

What blogs do I run?

As I have quite a demanding full time job, “Linda – Lost in Switzerland” is still the only blog I run, but I also try to update my Facebook fan page regularly and am a devoted “Tweeter.”

What keeps you motivated?

The feeling of sharing things with other people make me happy!

I also love reading other peoples blogs and have found some favourites that I always go back to and they always inspire me.

By blogging, I’ve also come across some really nice and interesting people, both just online but also in person.

I was actually even lucky enough to meet my all-time favourite writer, Paulo Coelho,  in January for dinner. All thanks to my blog…

Another thing that I also really love is when people leave me comments or feedback, having followers and receiving blogger-awards as these are all such sweet tokens of appreciation, making you feel like you can actually touch or inspire people through your blog – regardless of where you are in the world.

All these things make it very easy to stay motivated!! The only difficult thing for me is finding enough time, which is why sometimes I write 3 post in just one day and at other times there might be a couple of weeks between my posts.

The most important motivator for me to keep blogging is really knowing that someone actually reads what I write, that something good comes out of it, even if just once in a while and regardless if it’s about planting an idea for someone to buy a new shirt or if it is making someone smile.

xoxo

Linda – Lost in Switzerland

Why do I, Kelly Sutton, blog?

The simplest answer to that question is: I don’t want to be forgotten. Sounds desperate, right? It’s a strange complex I’ve developed over the years.

Blogging is one of the purest forms of self-expression and personality, whether you write about lifehacking for college students or personal stuff. Developing the ability to shape an idea into 400 words on a regular basis is an extremely valuable skill to have. It might not get (all of) the ladies, but it’s trumped the portfolio in terms of show-off capacity. Reading a blog can tell you so much about a person: their sense of humor, their ambitiousness, their smarts. It speaks much more than a resume or a handshake ever could.

Some of the people I love to hang out with the most are bloggers (or at least regular content creators) themselves. Those with the blogging mentality are just much more wholesome people. I suppose I am a little biased, though.

Just as other guest posters here have mentioned, I think of myself pre-blogging and post-blogging. I’m not sure exactly what I did before September, 2006. Now I have an ever-evolving piece of work that represents me. When my great-grandkids are looking through ancient cached pages of the Internet, my name will pop up a lot on this strange site named “HackCollege.”

Of course, a college education will be obsolete by then so they might have to ask their parents, my grandkids. And then they will realize how awesome blogging was, way back in the day.

-Kelly Sutton.

Who are you?

Hi! I am Nicola! I am an Artist and part time Visual merchandiser who enjoys reading comic books, collecting stuff, and listening to Michael Cera sing.

What blogs do you run?

The first blog I run is my own, inside the cabinet of wonder. I post photos, words, my art, or anything that I feel influenced by or interested in. I also have a side blog of mine, which I tend to post random photos, but this one is still at the early stages: hello my name is nicola.  Another blog I run is with one of my best friends called; have you seen my shoes? It’s kind of just a bit of fun. One blog that I am proud to be a part of is here–and–there, which I run with Lina. One of the greatest things about having a blog is the people you meet and speak to. Lina is one of those. We became pen pals all because she sent me some ‘hello my name is;’ stickers, which I think is pretty amazing. We decided that we wanted to create a project together, and we came up with one where we compare our lives, what I am doing in the UK, and what she is doing in the US.

Why did you start blogging?

While I was at university studying fine art, I felt the need to start up a blog to post my work. However my blog then turned into writing about my day and photos I had taken. I do still show my art on my blog, but I now feel my blog is a place to relax, and I can share the events of the day.

What keeps you going & what are your motivations?

One of the most important things that keep me going are the amazing people I have met. I enjoy reading other peoples blogs, and that makes me what to carry on. The amazing commenter’s and followers that let me know that I must be doing something worth while, keeps me going.

-Nicola Jennings.

What you may have missed so far…

Julie Daniel

“So a few us of started tumblr blogs and followed each other to keep up with what was going on in each other’s lives. It was easy enough, posting quips about your day, anything you found interesting or thought someone else might. ” Read More

Joseph Sanchez

“As a punk high school student, all my original blogs were almost nothing more than ranting and bad grammar, but going back and reading through them I can see how my blogger’s “voice” was beginning to take hold of my writing.” Read More

Andrea Sanchez

“I really liked the idea of managing a knitting blog because that was something that I was actually interested in. I knew I would be more likely to post if I was talking about my everyday interests (and yes, I’m knitting every day).” Read More

Jordan M. Williams

“…blogging has always been where I can share with the world my life’s travels, and thoughts on random things. A self expression that I can look back on in later years.” Read More

Lina

“One of the best things about blogging is that you are able to meet many interesting & talented people from around the world… The blog has transformed since then into a place where I share things that I like, have giveaways, show any crafts I have made, & more.” Read More

Wes Murdock

“The origin of my blog life started circa 2004 when a friend of mine convinced me to start a blog. It was an exercise in futility as my blog was garbage. Not only did I disregard rules of the English language and all rules of proper spelling, there was a general lack of complex thought.” Read More

Nate Desmond

“One of the main reasons I blog is to learn. Starting with my first blog at age fifteen, I have always chosen topics that I am interested in learning more about.” Read More