Thursday 20 April 2017

Q is for Questions to a Blogger #atozchallenge


I was in a dark place. The summer heat of Doha had sapped me of my will to carry on living in a place I struggled to call home. 

"What's the point?" I'd ask my husband and myself. 

The oppressive heat had taken away the things I thought made me happy: long walks and gardening.

This was almost five years ago. 

"I hate it here. There's nothing to do except shopping and working. Even the people are fake. They only want to talk about their branded bags and expensive cars." I was full of excuses and loving the role of victim I was playing (although I didn't see it as such) and believed that all my woes were because of our move.

"Mum, why don't you start writing again?" suggested my sixteen year old daughter.

One thing led to another. A Book, a trip and a few days of discovering the blogger website later, I posted my first post and saved my sanity.

I'm still in Doha. It still gets unbearably hot in the summer. I walk and garden and take pictures when I can, and when I can't, I sit and blog. I've found my tribe -- people who laugh at silly jokes. 

I've made my peace with bag and car lovers too. Discrimination of any kind is a result of a mind that judges. I'm trying to mute that mind. Who knew people with expensive bags can be kind and fun! 
Live and unlearn Arti...live and unlearn.

Via this blog, I've connected with so many kindred spirits that I can not thank the stars enough for putting me in hot and dry Doha, where I was forced to slow down and look inwards, peep within and find the pool of plenty. A pool that was always part of me, but I was so busy looking out, so busy complaining, so busy trying to fix the right place to live in that I never spared it a glance. This peaceful pool, this heart, this place of rest, this love that was always there, spills out in posts and pictures. 

Funny thing is, the more I share, the more full I feel -- full of hope (despite the news), full of awe, full of stories and sights and inspiration, too.
"What you seek is seeking you."
~Rumi
How true, I feel, especially when it's April and when I'm part of this challenge, I feel this fullness even more. There's this zing, this excitement when I visit other blogs, leave a comment or read one that's been left on my space. 

I'm grateful.

For you, my  fellow bloggers, I have 3 questions on Q day:

1)How did your blogging journey start?

2)Today, websites like Eventbrite allow you to organize a conference in a very easy way. If you could plan your perfect panel of bloggers to speak at a conference or have dinner with, who would you include?

3) What're the questions you'd like to ask your favourite blogger?

Please leave your answers in the comments column below or feel free to send them via mail at: myordinarymoments@gmail.com

Thank you.
Sun rises in Doha (above) 
and on Jersey Shore (below).
He doesn't discriminate.
He shares his rays.
And lights up all:
ants, leaves, cobwebs, trees,
even you and me.
Rise with R tomorrow.
so long...

38 comments:

  1. I've explained here how my blog started. A bit, like a letter:just for one person (or maybe two people). The idea has changed since the first post, but I'm still enjoying it, or even more.

    I write another blog, not in English. It also started with the idea of showing pictures to my family and friends, and telling them about the funny and curious things I'm discovering in Morocco.

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    1. When I find a new bog that might interest me, I read always the first post. Sometimes I find there the answers I need. And one thing that amazes me is that a lot op people whose blogs I'm reading during the #AtoZChallenge have a page about "Who". But sometimes they even write their name, or where they live.
      -----
      Eva - Mail Adventures

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    2. Thank you Eva. Will check out the link soon.

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  2. My blog started as my place to express. It is put up on the home page www.nehatambe.com I am still discovering like minded people but blogging platforms like blogchatter is super interesting with amazing people.
    Quaint

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to comment here Neha:)

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  3. Blogging was my first foray into social media (followed by Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest). I blog to connect with other writers and to share my writing journey with whoever wants to read my blog and be part of it. I'm glad that blogging had opened a new world to you. Happy A-to-Z-ing.

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    1. Cheers Ronel:)
      Happy A to Z-ing to you too.

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  4. Lovely post thank you Arti! The photographs are beautiful! You're asking big questions there - would take tooooo long to respond! Yes, blogging is very much part of my life; am grateful of the opportunity to meet many over the seas and mountains and feel the reciprocal connection...Glad to meet you on this challenge, came by you via Beth Lapin ...

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Susan. Yes, the questions would need time to answer. And that is in short supply in April:) Will hop over to your space later today.

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  5. My blog, as the name hints, started after leaving the West to move to the Upper Midwest (after ten years there, I moved South). It would be a great dinner party as there are readers who have been with me for 10+ years! I'm not sure what question I'd ask to get the conversation going...

    http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/q-is-for-queen-cassiopeia.html

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    1. Thank you. A dinner party under the stars sounds amazing, right? And then there may be sage tea too:)

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  6. 1. Jean got me started. I wrote about under J is for Jean-san

    2. Dinner with Jean, Eric, Eva and Heleen

    3. I think I have already asked Eva all my questions :)

    Phillip | Q is for Quidditch

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  7. 20 years ago I started a personal website at geocities. Coded it myself. I loved learning how to add images, have pretty coloured texted links and loads more. Later people started to call personal web pages a blog. As for a panel - any of the GeneaBloggers I meet a family history conferences or online. Fortunately we do get to meet up and have even had some panel discussions. I would ask about failures and why they think they happened and how they do it now.

    A to Z Theme: Sharing Family History via #GenealogyPhotoADay By Fran from TravelGenee Blog

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    1. Thank you Fran. Wow! A pioneer blogger:) Fab!
      I'm intrigued to find out what constitutes as a failure in 'blogging'.

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  8. "Live and unlearn" - that's a wonderful thought and I'm holding it as a mantra. I'm so glad you found blogging and it's been such a good thing for you. And I'm glad I've found my way here to your writing. :-)

    I started blogging when I started my online business. But I use my blog as a forum to express my personal thoughts - what I'm thinking about and what excites me. When I was younger I felt like I didn't have anything to say, and now I feel like I've found my voice.

    The question I always like to ask is - where is your heart leading you today?


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    1. Beautiful question and so grateful to you for finding your voice:)
      Thank you for taking the time to comment today.

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  9. Oh, those are some great questions! I think I'll answer the first one. (And by the way, I agree! I've meet some amazing people through blogging, too!)
    I started blogging because as a writer and wannabe author, I knew it was important to begin building my platform. Since then, I've realized there's so much more to blogging than just building a platform as a writer. I've had so much fun learning and connecting and growing with other bloggers. It's been a great journey!

    Visiting from the A to Z Challenge. You can see my "Q" post here: https://lydiahowe.com/2017/04/20/q-is-for-questions-atozchallenge-also-time-for-yall-to-ask-questions/

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    1. Thank you Aidyl. I love the way your name reads (would love to find out how it sounds, too).
      Yes, I agree. Blogging is a great journey.

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  10. Live and unlearn is a great philosophy!

    Great questions but *scratches head* don't have the answers - have to do some figuring out...

    Best wishes,
    Nilanjana.
    Madly-in-Verse

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    1. I like the sound of that Nilanjana. Figuring out always yields surprises and reflections...and that is worth waiting for.
      Thank you for stopping by.

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  11. Lucky you started blogging! Blogging does take me out of myself too.
    Finding Eliza

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  12. My blogging journey originally started when I had the realization that I was living the opening of Dante’s Inferno… you know, Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost.
    I had to find myself, and I had to write to do that. Writing had been integral to the lost person I had been. So I began…

    I can’t answer question two because there are too many wonderful bloggers, of vastly varied lifestyles for me to be able to winnow the selection. I’d have to have a big bash and invite you all!

    And I’m too darned curious to limit myself to one question - not to mention not having one single favorite blogger.

    Unsatisfactory answers to 2 & 3, I realize, but truthful! :-)

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    1. Just looking forward to the post big bash post:) Ha! HA!
      Oh! Thank you Jz. I wouldn't be able to answer the last two without pondering for a very long time, too. And maybe not even then.
      I appreciate your truth.
      So glad to have found you.

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  13. One day, after reading others blogs, i just jumped in. It's been a post a day since, and it helps save my sanity.

    There are so many bloggers i would want to meet in person we'd have to rent out a whole restaurant, i'm sure.

    As for asking questions, i'd want every blogger i meet to just tell me their own story, their own way.

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    1. A post a day? Wow! RESPECT. Seriously.
      A restaurant full of like minded bloggers sounds just the ticket.
      Thank you:)

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  14. I was whining earlier to hubby how there were so little choices for internet here in the country. Then I realized I'd have to live somewhere I'd be miserable otherwise to have those choices. As to you questions: one - I started blogging on AOL's J-Land in Aug 2005 on a Windows 95 on dial-up. I had gone through the hardest thing in my life with God's help and I promised Him I would share what He taught me with others. I was looking for a way to do that. It ended with me doing my own devotions on L&F that I eventually copied to their own blog, Devotions on Marriage. two- I'd love to have dinner with my oldest blogging friend Paula at Pauline's Country Tales. And maybe with Alex Cavanaugh just because he seems a wonderful guy. Don't think I have any unanswered questions.
    Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

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    1. Your response has warmed me up today Barbara.
      Thank you.
      A hardship overcome. A message shared and this love goes on giving. Lovely.

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  15. I started blogging at the prompting of my husband. He thought I wrote well and wanted me to use my voice and to polish my voice. I don't think I am anymore polished but I have learned a number of things because of my blog. I have also been introduced to new people and ideas through the community of blogs I have found and followed. I had a long pause to deal with some health and family issues, now I am back to blogging because it is a healthy outlet and because I have more to learn. I blog at My fragmented Journey

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    1. Thanks to you for sharing and thanks to your husband for being the catalyst:)
      So true, blogging is indeed a healthy outlet.

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  16. I started blogging on an incredibly irregular basis shortly before we moved from the US to Ecuador. As soon as we arrived, I stopped with the exception of a post here and there.

    Started again this month! Once the month is complete, I plan to blog weekly. That will be my first regular blogging.

    Emily | My Life In Ecuador

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    1. So glad you started blogging Emily. Now I can look forward to seeing Ecuador via your posts. All my cells in my body have a bad case of wander lust and we look forward to your blogging journey (my cells and I).
      Ecuador and Peru are on my bucket list...just so you know:)

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  17. I opened a WordPress account several years ago so I would be able to read and comment on the blog a friend of mine had started. At the same time, another friend and I started writing a YA SciFi together. Of course, all the advice to writers includes having a Social Media Presence, and when someone whose opinion about writing I respected suggested I join the 2016 A to Z Challenge, I decided it was time to develop a blogging habit.

    In the last year, I have met so many remarkable human beings, it didn't take long to realized this exercise wasn't just about building a Platform. The world opened up before my eyes, and I developed connections with people all over the world, whom I now consider to be friends. I've learned how cultures can differ greatly from mine, but people are so similar at their cores, our differences are like jewels we all can appreciate. And as a mere footnote, my writing continues to develop, a couple of my short stories have been published in contest anthologies, and my writing partner and I are querying agents about our book.

    Who would I want to dine with? Haha! It would be easier to list those I wouldn't want to dine with.

    I'm always curious how people perceive things, especially if their perceptions are different from mine. What do they think about? What authors do they value? What's most important to them? So much to learn, (and unlearn :) ), so much to contemplate, so much to do.

    You've made me stop and look inward and outward. Thank you, Arti, for this inspiring post. You are a gem in this world we share.

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    1. Thank you Sue. You've put a HUGE smile in my heart today and I'm beaming.xx

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