A couple of weeks ago hugmamma of “hugmamma’s MIND, BODY and SOUL” kindly asked if I would like to be interviewed; honoured by her request I readily agreed.
1. What do you feel you get from blogging? Does it fulfill you personally? Has it opened up new vistas for you?
I discovered the “blogosphere” in January 2010 but it was not until May that I plucked up enough courage to create my own blog “Piglet in Portugal”. My blog was primarily to share my experiences of life in Portugal, hobbies and interests plus anything else that captured my imagination. I also created pages with static information which anyone moving to, or looking to holiday in Portugal may find of interest.
My biggest disappointment was that while I had many visitors to my blog there was no interaction in the way of comments. To be honest, it was rather a lonely existence; I really enjoy reaching out to others and frequently asked myself was it really worth all the effort?
In Jan 2011 WordPress introduced the Postaday/Postaweek challenge followed by a post on “Blogging Buddies”…what were these? I soon discovered and my whole blogging experience and perception of blogging changed for the better! Suddenly, I discovered a whole community of bloggers and some great “Blogging Buddies” such as Classyrose of “Things in life I find annoying” Seashell, Enjoying Creating, Redneck Princess, Granny1947, Wordangell, Jeanne’s Blog, Running Garlic, Soapbird, Wrinkledintime, and Spirit Lights the Way, to name just few. I now love to sit down with a cup of coffee or a glass or two of wine (hence the dyslexic fingers) and read and comment on all my buddies blogs. It feels great to belong to a blogging community where we all support one another and have fun. I do not aspire to be a writer but just enjoy taking photographs, writing about everyday life and researching different topics to post.
The highlight of the challenge to date, for me, was when my post Gazanias in January was “Freshly Pressed” it was great fun and I felt humbled that my little blog had been recognized.
Interview continues.. http://hugmamma.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/interview-2-a-portugal-connection/
Thanks hugmamma your interview questions certainly made me stop and think about blogging and I why I find it so enjoyable.
How do you feel about blogging?
Piglet in Portugal 
Oh sweet! Congratulations on being interviewed! I love your answers. You’re a peach of a blogging buddy. I feel blessed to have you as my friend. ~standing ovation~ 🙂
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EC you make me blush 😳 …and thank you for being mine 🙂
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I love blogging. But like you expressed early on, it can be isolating. I hope I’m fortunate to some day gather buddies as you have done so well.
again, kudos to you…hugmamma. 🙂
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thankyou hugmamma 🙂
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Congrats on your interview! I know I don’t say this enough. My favorite part of your posts are the pictures of your beautiful country and I enjoy your culinary skills, they are fun to read. Thank you for sharing with us. 🙂
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Hi SoapBird…thanks for your kind words of encouragement…I love taking photographs and carry my camera everywhere…not much good at food photography though. I will be trying your lavender salad if it’s still OK for me to post your recipe.
PiP
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Hello Piglet…thank you so much for the mention.
Like you I really enjoy the interaction…I don’t know what I did before I started blogging…hmmm…I think I read a lot more!
I feel I know a lot more about you now…cool 🙂
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Hi Granny,
I always find your posts amusing 🙂
This blog post is worth a read if you want a laugh about blogging
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/i-do-too-have-a-life/
I think it will appeal to your humour 🙂
Cheers
PiP
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Blogging gives me another world to live in, away from the stress of day.
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You are def not wrong there FD… 🙂
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Hello there PiP! You have won an award. Come by to pick it up! 🙂
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Hi Lisa,
Thanks for nominating me but what exactly is the Stylish Blogger Award?
PiP 🙂
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Great interview PiP, and now I know a little bit more about you. I feel the same about blogging here because we have a great little blogging buddy community that we are always adding to. The inter-action is great and we feel part of something.
I love your blogs, they are always so interesting and varied with great photos to match.
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Thanks barb 😳 You’ve made me blush 😳
Yes, we have a great community here; I really value everyones support!
I take my hat off to those of you who post everyday it must be so difficult!
PiP
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Hi, Miss Piglet, I enjoyed this post! I always enjoy your style. And I have come to admire your capacity to ask engaging questions, something I’m not so very good at. The process of blogging, for me, has been very powerful. One, it has confirmed for me how much I do, truly, enjoy writing. It is an alchemical thing and I want to keep doing it and doing it and improving my skills. And, the blogging has also taught me in a VERY BIG WAY how important encouragement and feedback are. I am a consultant for prekindergarten teachers and I am constantly reminding them to do more positive reinforcement of the children and less scolding. More and more I treasure the remarks that people leave for me on my blogs. And I have become much more diligent in leaving comments for others. Keep at it, Miss Piglet, with your blogging. You lift up people’s spirits!
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Hi Ellen,
Thank you again for your encouraging words. You are right encouragement helps to motivate us to achieve. 🙂 I think the most important thing is to enjoy writing. Grammatical gremlins, comma mishaps and use of complicated language can often weigh us down. I love to just tell a story, engage with people and have fun. I keep promising myself I must enrol on a creative writing course 🙂
Ellen I’m sorry I did not realize you had more than one blog…what are the others?
Kind regards,
PiP
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Hi Pip, Great interview! I loved learning a little bit more about one of favorite blogging buddies.
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Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for the kind words…it did make me stop and think what a wonderful group of bloggers we have. Unfortunately, I could not list everyone…
Cheers
PiP
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Like you, I felt very lonely in the world of blogging. But now I feel like I have this blogging family which makes every word I write seem to have more purpose.
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I am so GLAD that we are blogging buddies. 😀
Wonderful interview, Pip. Hip, Hip, Hooray!
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Thanks 🙂 I really enjoy reading your posts…they are so varied!
How do you feel about Blogging?
PiP
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If you go to SLTW and type “blog” or “blogging” into the search bar, a number of articles on blogging will surface.
Hope that helps.
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I’ve just read your post I Do TOO Have A Life! it’s “Absolutely Brilliant”
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/i-do-too-have-a-life/
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Thanks, PiP! Your comment had me laughing. 😀
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Hi nrhatch,
I did what you said and searched for ‘blogging’ and found the following one interesting. 🙂
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2011/02/05/what-blogs-do-you-read-why/
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Thanks, Rose. I love blogging about blogging ~ the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the cyber friends who become fast friends.
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And then you could come and see me on THIS side of Canada!!! See you have places to stay on both sides 🙂 Interview was great 🙂
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Hi RNP thanks!
The interview did make me think and actually took me awhile to write 😦
But how do you feel about blogging?
Cheers
PiP
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Great interview PiP!! I’ve decided to post the entire interview on my blog today.
I would love to have you come visit me in Canada. 🙂
http://whatsbuggingmetoday.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/or-not-my-first-blogging-buddys-first-postaweek-interview/
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Hi Rose,
Canada must be a great place to live…and if we ever won the lottery it would be great to come back for another visit!
thanks for the shout-out re the interview! 🙂
PiP
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Hi PiP, it’s the least I can do for my best “bud”. 😉
Canada is a great place to live except for the cold winters we have but then we love talking about the weather.
We really appreciate spring and summer when it finally arrives. 🙂
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HI PiP,
You and I are pretty much on the same plane, when it comes to blogging. I started in August of 2008 and dove into the political arena. This started me on a wild ride, which I got burned out by quickly and after the election I took a hiatus.
Even now I wonder!
Take care, Charlie
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Hi Charlie,
Blogging can be a lot of work…but then as long as it’s fun…that’s the main thing. There are aspects of blogging I don’t like but I try and rise above these now 🙂 LOL
PiP
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oooh, congratulations on being interviewed! do you feel famous? i always feel famous when someone wants to feature me or something 🙂
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Hi phrogmom…not famous but just honoured that someone felt I was interesting enough to interview!! LOL 🙂
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