MGB-Blogger of the Month:: January 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It is January 1st and time to introduce a new Blogger of the Month!

I found this blogger last April while participating in The Ultimate Blog Party and this is what I said way back when....

"Musings of a Manic Mama: Get ready to laugh! Alisha is from Texas with an obsessive family dream of moving her homestead to Alaska! Quite a contrast! Her blog draws you in right away and you feel that you are along for the ride as she spins her quick wit around her adventures. From catching a fish to glamour shots channeling Evel Knievel, I find myself going back again and again!"


I have continued to go back to Alisha's blog and I have to say that she is F-U-N-N-Y!!! I love how she makes me laugh with her stories, from her bet with friends to compete in their own Biggest Loser competition, taking out a big snake on the porch (boots and all) to stories from her new job (you have to read it to believe it....and she is living it) she will have you snorting in laughter!

I am so excited to start out 2011 with such a fun Blogger of the Month! Please join me in welcoming
Alisha of Musings of a Manic Mama!!

MGB: How long have you been blogging?

MMM: I started blogging back in July of '09. A couple of my good friends had been talking about their blogs and said I should give it a try, since I've always written here and there, and I thought, "Oh, gosh, WHAT is interesting enough in my life to actually TALK on the internet about?" **snorts** Little did I know my life is perfect for oddball blog fodder. Between my kids, my own craziness, and now my job, I have unlimited fodder, only limited time! But I'm a "by the seat of the pants blogger," meaning, I don't pre-plan. It's all off the top of my head, baby! I obsess over planning and I think it takes the fun out of it. I might say, "Oh, I need to blog about that!" and just note the subject matter or a phrase or 2, but I don't write rough-drafts. I think it takes the "me-ness" out of it.

MGB: What do I love about blogging?

MMM: I love being able to have my own space to say my own thing and let loose with my own feelings and then have feedback saying, "You're not the only one that feels that way!" I LOVE the blogger community! It's like a whole new family all over the world. I have met some of the most amazing people that I am so blessed with their friendships and having them encourage me. I know I wouldn't ever have met them otherwise. I have always had issues with feeling accepted due to my quirks, and it's so nice to know that there are people out there who can overlook quirks and see there's a worthwhile person in there. The blogging community really has shown me that. It's nice to know someone has your back when they've never seen your face.

MGB: You recently went back to work, which has been giving you GREAT subject material! Do you find it hard to balance working, family time and blogging?

MMM: Well, so far it isn't that hard with the family aspect because my husband and I work it the way we need to that fits our family. And if you follow my blog, you will see my blogging has really taken a hit with the work. I might blog once a week, or it could be once a month. And I hate that. I face blogging issues of "Do I really want to blog about my real friends at work? Or will that endanger our friendships?" and "Whoa... is that interesting or **ahem** appropriate enough to add on my blog?" LOL, usually the most interesting things aren't really that appropriate. One thing I've gone back and forth on adding to my blog is the occasional rant. I mean, I really don't want to just gripe and moan on there and toss out negativity, there's enough of that out there already. But I believe it takes from the "realness" of the blog. I know I appreciate seeing the bloggers I believe are their own little June Cleavers in their little Wally and the Beav world, seeing them get PO'd and screw up from time to time. It's nice to know they're human.


MGB: You played and sang a beautiful holiday song for your readers! Have you always played the piano?

MMM: Hahaha! You WOULD bring the music part up! Honestly, I can't remember a time in my life that I didn't play the piano. According to my mom, I would come in from church or VBS when I was around 2 or 3 and say, " Hi, Mommy! We learned this song today. Do you want to hear it?" And I'd run over to the piano and play it. It would kind of freak her out. I did take piano lessons when I was about 7, but the teacher got so mad at me because I went home and taught myself to chord to "Go Tell Aunt Rhodie" over the weekend before my next lesson, and since I didn't do it "her" way, she told my mom that I could either learn it the "right" way or just quit. So, I quit, and I play strictly by ear now. Music is an important part of my life and the singing part is fairly new (as in about 2 years or so). I never thought I was a very good singer and JD (the hubby) snuck in and heard me one day and I was so embarrassed! And he said I should sing for people. And I didn't want to. So to make a long story short, I secretly recorded myself one day and listened to it and well, the dogs didn't howl, so I figured I'd just post it on my blog. I still pop one up occasionally, but there really needs to be a techno upgrade for those videos, lol. I don't prepare a whole lot and it's obvious, but it comes from the heart. And I was given these gifts for a reason (one which I still don't know why, (maybe to entertain myself and the blog world, lol) but I know I enjoy it. It's like it's own emotion for me. Excited? I play. Stressed? I play. Mad at the world? I play. It's a nice way to vent. My poor piano! Lol!


MGB:  Do you have a favorite post? Why is it your favorite?

MMM: Oh gosh... off the top of my head, I'd have to say this one, because I'm pretty self-deprecating in my humor. I mean, if you can't laugh at yourself, you have no business laughing at anyone. It's probably my favorite because I enjoyed laughing at myself while I wrote it and I really enjoyed the reader reaction. And I really liked this one and this one because I love the whole reader-interaction thing. It's nice to see people pitch their two cents in.

MGB:  What would you like to see for your blog a year from now?
 
MMM: Well, lol, hopefully, more followers! And that would require more posts from me. And I'd like to kind of reveal the real, too. I've been sticking my toe in the water here and there, but the "OMG! What will they think!?!" thing pops up from time to time about the rants and the real thoughts I keep locked up in my head for the most part. I mean, there are people in my community that read my blog and I know they'll be whispering about it and it could all blow up, but heck, if you can't say your opinion due to fear of "Them," that's not a very free way to be. And I am a pretty opinionated person. But, we'll see. I'm still hemming and hawwing over it. Can the Blog World take anymore Alisha?? We'll see. Probably. 



Go visit Alisha. Follow her. Laugh with her. You will be glad you did! :)

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