November Blogger Spotlight

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Welcome to my series in which I spotlight one of my followers. I’ve always had a deep fascination with people: how they became who they are, the struggles they won, and the hard lessons they learned over time. All of these scars and stories make up a person’s life. While I think it’s important to reflect on your own journey, it is also equally important to hear other voices and see diverse perspectives. In this series, the spotlighted blogger will be able to tell their story through curated questions I’ve asked of them.

November’s feature blogger has been a regular and consistent supporter of my blog and I wanted to show some love back! Her blog is about thinking out of the box, and answering the questions you never realized were questions, and how to view the world when you have a few miles under your hood. She loves interacting with a community, sharing ideas and thoughts. 

Without further ado, I introduce you to LA of the blog, Waking up on the Wrong Side of 50.

A little about LA…

What is something most people don’t know about you?
At this point I feel like I’m an open book, because I really talk about everything for better or worse. I guess very few people know that I once swam with sharks on purpose. I was on my honeymoon in Bora Bora, and one of the excursions we took was a swim with sharks thing. I wasn’t caged, we just sort of jumped off the boat and saw reef sharks from less than twenty feet. At first I was scared, but then when I put my head in the water and saw them I was just in awe. One of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.

What is a guilty pleasure you have?
My guilty pleasure is watching house porn. Whenever I’m stressed, I just put on HGTV and all cares fall away. I am amazed at the creativity those designers have, and their ability to visualize. I also started playing Sims Build It. It’s nice to have a world that I can totally control.

Who do you look up to and why?
I look up to any author who has completed a book that they are satisfied with. I have tremendous self doubt about my writing ability because there’s no quantitative way for me to determine if it’s good or not. I am hesitant to put my writing out there. Kudos to those who take the leap.

Random Questions

What is the last thing you lied to your mother about?
I told my mother that I don’t go on the subway. This was recent because she freaks out about crime and it’s easier to avoid the conversation.

What is a compliment you wished you received more frequently?
Though my husband says it once a week, I’d like my husband to acknowledge how often that I’m right about things.

How can you become a better person? 
I need to judge people less.

On life so far…

What was/has been a barrier in your life so far?
I had self-esteem and self-confidence issues for at least half of my life. My first job helped with some, and then I got past it when I had my daughter. It has dictated much of what I did, and led to some regrettable mistakes.

What have you spent the majority of your life trying to get over?
Why my mother was never satisfied with anything I ever did. It tormented me until I became a mother, and I realized that my mother was very wrong in things that she did. Then I was able to heal a little bit.

What lesson took you the longest to unlearn?
That no matter what you do, some people are not going to respect you or your decisions.

On Writing…

Why do you write?
I write because I love words- they animate the flotsam and jetsam of our lives. 26 letters create a feast of language, and no two people will say the same thing in the same way, even if they are talking about the exact same thing. Words have power, they have beauty and without them there would be nothing.

Do you consider yourself a writer?
I write so therefore I am a writer.

What makes a writer a writer?
A writer is someone who is able to put out a complete thought on paper, whether it be one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one chapter or one book. If you can do that in whatever form you choose, you’re a writer.

On Blogging…

When did you begin your blogging journey and why did you start?
I started right before my 53rd birthday. One morning I really had trouble getting out of bed- I felt that after 50, aging really kicks into high gear. I was a little sad, so I thought I would blog to get to a better place regarding my age. I learn something new every day, or think about something in a way I never thought about. I guess I’m surprised at how much people like the posts where I get down and dirty about my life. I didn’t realize how many people have the same thoughts, experiences and feelings as I do. You can check out my first post here.

Who was the first blogger that followed you that still posts today?
I don’t know if Ann was my oldest follower, but she’s been around a long time and deserves a shout out.

Who would you say has been a strong supporter of your writing adventure?
Deb has been a strong supporter for a very long time.

Thanks so much for sharing, LA!

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60 thoughts on “November Blogger Spotlight”

  2. These interviews are always fun, Bosssy. I’ve seen LA on some of the same blogs I follow, and it was great to learn more about her. As someone who tends to be an open book, that part really resonated.

    I have a rather adventurous friend who likes to go off on these two-month excursions (she’s married with no children) by herself to write and reflect. She and her husband are both free spirits and understand the need to do this periodically. I’ve often wondered what she tells her mom about where she’s going because a parent’s natural tendency is to worry. (Don’t we all avoid things this way?)

    One of the things you always do well in these interviews is asking interesting questions, Jenn. Thanks for that.

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  4. Hey LA! Great to get to know you a bit more! You know I always read and ponder your posts – just don’t always respond/comment. To be honest, that’s often due to my slower way of processing thoughts and then writing them down in an understandable manner! True confessions, eh?
    BosseBabe: LA is always up to the task of keeping a discussion going, isn’t she? Great interview

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  8. Interesting about your mother, LA. I’m sorry you had to go through that and that it required so much healing. Sad to think how easily we can make life difficult for our children. Makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong with mine. Eep!

    Swimming with sharks–wow! Aging kicks in after 50. Yikes. I have been warned!

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  9. Pingback: Anything Can Happen Friday: The Interview – Waking up on the Wrong Side of 50

  14. Interesting questions. I follow LA regularly and admire her blog because of her challenging topics, informative posts about books and movies, the sharing of museums etc. I see all the work she puts into creating her posts. I would have felt uncomfortable answering some of those questions so I respect her honesty. I wonder if I have trouble identifying some of these thoughts? – David

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  15. Thank you Bossybabe for featuring LA. I’m a “recent” and constant follower of her blog. It’s wonderful to learn a little bit about her. And to you LA, swimming with the sharks is certainly one of the coolest things to experience. Thank you for this small window into your world! 🙂

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