April 1, 2009

Reasons To Create Blog - Interview with Dutch Garden Blogger Behind BLISS

There is a lot of discussions lately about purposes of writing a blog, how to do it, is there a sense to keep a blog alive, why others abandon blogging etc.
I decided to take part in the discussion by posting not only my own opinions, but also by inviting other passionate bloggers to talk about their own reasons for blogging and also about the ways, blogging is impacting their life.



Today I have invited Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen - the Dutch blogger behind BLISS.

Ewa: Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I'm Yolanda Elizabet and according to the Briggs-Meyer typology I'm a Rationalist Mastermind (INTJ) most often, but sometimes also a Idealist Counselor (INFJ). I hope, gentle reader, that you are suitably impressed by those fancy titles. ;-) If you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about please visit here http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp and do the test. It's about your favourite subject, namely YOU. ;-) Seriously, there is quite a lot to learn by taking the test, both about yourself and others. And it's the shortest way to get to know me a bit better too. Trust me, I'm a Counselor. :-D



Ewa: What blogs do you own, which one is your favorite?

I have 2 blogs Bliss, http://blissyo-elgarden.blogspot.com/ and Tuin Tirades http://tuintirades.blogspot.com/, both are mainly about gardening, but of course other things creep in from time to time. I've been blogging for more than 2 years now and am still enjoying it very much. I have no favourite, I like both but for different reasons. Bliss is more international and Tuin Tirades focusses on gardeners in my own country and nextdoor neighbour Belgium. I
started blogging after reading Amy Steward's book From the Ground Up.

Loved the book, visited her website, found her blog and those of others and it went all pear shaped from then on. So if there is blame involved, blame her. :-D On a more serious note; I started blogging to get back into the swing of things. I had been very ill (bedridden 24/7) for quite some time and I needed to get back into the rhythm of writing regularly. I also needed to flex my English muscles, it really is use it or lose it. I don't think many native speakers have
any idea how difficult it is to blog in a language so not your own, especially when it comes to expressing your feelings, your opinions or making jokes.
That's hard enough in your own language, let alone someone else's.





Ewa: What is the number 1 thing you learned about blogging? that makes the difference between succeeding and failing in blogging?

I don't think anybody could ever fail at blogging, it's just something that you do and hopefully enjoy and that's that. Failing and succeeding doesn't enter into it as far as I'm concerned.

Ewa: Can you say, that blogging changed your life? In what way? Do you see difference before and after blogging?

Yes, it has changed my life in some ways. First there is the hours that I spend blogging when I should be doing other things, secondly it has enhanced my life as it has opened a door to the rest of the world for me. It's great to get to meet so many fellow gardeners from all over the world. My blog is visited by people from 141 countries, I didn't even know there were that many. ;-) And all those people with their blogs and comments have added fun and knowledge to my life and have accepted me into their garden community International Gardeners United! (Thanks all!). And thirdly, as an INTJ I tend to look at the big picture (the whole garden if you will) and blogging has taught me to look at the details (each and every individual plant, even petal) more
often.

Ewa: If you have to bring instant visitors to your blog in the next 30 minutes, what steps will you follow?

Choose a title for a post that will intrigue many, like Pea Brained.

Ewa: What else would you like to share, something that our readers can immediately apply to their blogs and see results fast?

It rather depends on what kind of result you're aiming for. I'm all for having fun, making people smile, LOL even. I also think it's great if they pick up something useful from my blog and last but certainly not least it makes my day when people tell me that my blog has inspired them. Those are my kind of results. ;-)

Thank you Yolanda Elizabet!




You may read many more fresh and educational gardening stories at BLISS.

14 comments:

Piondröm said...

Hi Ewa (and Yolanda)
Fun to read and nice fotos,just perfect.
Ken

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Ha, you've beat me to it, but mine will be up soon. And I've linked with this post so that people can find it more easily.

Thanks for the interview Ewa, it was fun!

Helen/patientgardener said...

Thanks - I really enjoyed reading this post.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Thanks Ewa, nice to read about another blogger. Good interview. My late father in law was involved with Myers-Briggs. I am a ENTP (I think - it has been many years since I did the test).

VP said...

Great post Ewa - so nice to find out a little more about Yolanda.

F Cameron said...

Great story! Enjoyed hearing about Yolanda's view of blogging.

I am an ISTJ,
Cameron

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I have always been impressed with Yolanda Elizabet's ability to make jokes that are actually funny in English, as so many of us who are native speakers struggle with that. Thanks, Ewa, for getting YE to talk about herself.

James A-S said...

And not once did she mention cats. Amazing..!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Thank you for the interview Ewa and Yolanda. I am so impressed by you bloggers that can write in a foreign language. It is truly a gift and not only for yourself but for your readers. I do so enjoy reading your blog.

Antigonum Cajan said...

I keep a blog to keep my mental sanity. Also being critical and denouncing the pathetic environmental, ecological, uninspired, dull, boring, repetitive landscape installations in Puerto Rico.

The situation is so incredible that when observing carefully any installation in public/private contexts, one thing is evident,
down here, people into landscaping
are unable to even paint by numbers.

That is a lot to say, but my blog
is a picture of two years of watching and writing.

Excellent article. Ewa.

kd said...

That was a great interview, Ewa! Your command of the English language is great! Ciekawa czy bym mogla pisac tak dobrze po polsku? (Rats -- problem number one to me posting in Polish is that I don't know how to get the special characters -- aurghhhhhh!)

Kathryn/plantwhateverbringsyoujoy.com said...

Ewa, this is a wonderful post! What a great idea to interview other gardening bloggers to bring out points we otherwise would never have known. Bravo! I enjoyed this thoroughly!

garden girl said...

This is wonderful Ewa! Very nice interview, and great idea.

herbal remedies said...

Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!

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