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Thanks everyone who visited My Little Drummer Boys over the past couple of weeks. How are you finding this new system of having 2 weeks to get to know a new blogger?

For the next two weeks we are going to be getting to know Hippomanic Jen from Approximately None a bit better.

I asked her some questions to get us started. Here's what she had to say...

Jen, how long have you been blogging? Why did you start and why do you blog now?

I‘ve been blogging since August last year (just on 6 months). I’m almost at my hundred posts, which is very exciting. I was introduced to blogs by my good friend Givinya de Elba – I didn’t really know what a blog was before that. I’d been reading and commenting on her blog for a while and checking out the other sites on her blog roll. I’ve always found that amusing things in life around me are like short stories or turns of phrase and then I started thinking, “I could blog that.” I like words and story telling and amusing incidents - story telling is in my genes (my uncles and cousins would often have us in stitches at family gatherings), but I’m better with the written word. All of a sudden blogging gave me the voice to express myself.

What do you enjoy most about blogging?

Probably very self-centred, but I like the thought that I can revisit parts of my life that would otherwise be forgotten. There’s also a little on-line community that’s good fun to be a part of. Comments are great because you can see how you might have struck a chord with someone.

What blogs do you read and enjoy the most?

That’s really hard to answer, because I’ve got a few (too many) people I try to follow. My favourites are on my blog roll, which I struggle to keep down in numbers but keep on finding interesting people. I still particularly love the world of Givinya and Crazy Sister. I never know what I’m going to strike when I visit. I’ve also come to appreciate Femina, and of course Operation Skinny Cow (although that probably doesn’t count as I’m a contributor – but I love the support we each try to give to the others).

What do you love in a blog?

I love relaxed blogs that I can settle down into and be comfortable in. Generally they tell stories about life. I titled my blog roll “Blogs in Which I’d Like to Live”, and that’s pretty much the way I view them. I follow the lives of people who I would be friends with, who have a similar wacky way of viewing the world. Some were my friends to start with, and others I’ve made along the way. Not that it always has to be funny, but that there’s compassion and gentle humour in the way that person usually views the world. Sometimes there might be the odd sharp edge, but not consistently spikey towards others. On a more practical note, I love it when a blog downloads quickly, and you get to go straight to the new instalment of the story!

What's something we should know about you that we don't already?

Something you should know about me? I did some modelling once. Really, honestly, there was a time when I could call myself a model. I did a photo shoot for an advertisement. Waaayy before Skinny Cow. Okay, it was hand modelling for one photo shoot and the only reason I got the gig was that I was the only female in the room between the ages of 16-40 who happened to have half-way decent fingernails at the time. Does that make it a bit grandiose to talk about my career in modelling? Gee, I should blog about that. I wonder if I can find a copy of the advertisement?

What are some posts we should read to get to know you?

Try these:
Home life - Confleunce of Events

and Variation on an Australian Classic

Work life - Playful Professional

A bit more serious - Be still and know that I am dog


Thanks Jen, we look forward to getting to know you some more over the next couple of weeks. WTBAY readers, make sure you add Jen to your reader for the next two weeks to really get to know her and don't forget to comment, comment, comment!

See you soon,


Louisa