Tell me a little about yourself. When did you start blogging and why?
I am a mom and a wife, and my family is my everything. I am a certified running coach–I currently coach for Team in Training, and I am on the committee of the Tour de Cure bike ride Houston and the committee of the Get Your Rear in Gear run Houston.
I love to do things outdoors with my family, and I love to organize events, whether for charitable causes or just plain fun. I haven’t fully entered the world of blogging yet, but I started a Facebook page last year after my cancer diagnosis. It was a space to share my experiences going through treatment while keeping my friends and family updated in one fell swoop. At first it was scary putting myself and my life out there for all to see, but ultimately it has been a blessing. So many people have reached out to me on the page–many to offer me love and courage, but also many seeking advice and guidance for their own battles with cancer. I have made amazing connections with folks near and far by sharing my story. Writing for Her View From Home has allowed me to share other aspects of my life and the human experience outside of cancer…though most of my writing may reference cancer as I only finished treatments six months ago and my life has forever been changed by it.
What are some of your favorite sites on the ‘net?
I spend a lot of time on the internet for work since I work for a tech company, so I try to stay away from my computer after work. Honestly, the site I probably go to the most is www.imdb.com. On the rare occasion I watch television/movies, I can never recall the name of an actor or want to know what else he/she has played in before, so I will go look them up on imdb.com to satisfy my curiosity.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I am so lucky to work from home. I wake up, stretch, do a few push ups (I am working on getting up to 10 military style in a row–it’s a slow process!), and head to my “office” which can be my kitchen table, my bed, or once a week, the big conference table at my local Starbucks. I work until about noon, then will go work out at the gym, hit a yoga class, go to the grocery store, or my favorite, hang out with my son and/or daughter and my husband, who also often works from home. On certain days, I haul my son to one of three different music lessons, a duty I love doing because I am blessed to be able to support his passions and talent. I volunteer for several organizations, so some days I am busy with those duties. It’s summer now, so my schedule is a little loosey goosey. When school starts back up, I will be more disciplined–at least that’s the plan!
What advice do you have for someone who wants to blog or share her/his story?
You have to be willing to open yourself and your life up on the page. Don’t just write a chronology of events. Take your reader down the side streets of your story. Those tangents often offer up something to which your reader can relate. Writing a blog style story is challenging for me because I can be very wordy and go down many tangents but have to remember that writing for the internet needs to be a bit more concise and digestible in one sitting. Share your truths. You are not alone. You are brave for sharing your story.
What story are you most proud of?
One of my best stories is one I wrote many years ago that I have not yet shared with the world…it’s very personal, but I do think it is my best writing to date. Maybe one day…
But, my favorite recent piece is about my daughter. Many people identified with having a young adult child who is still figuring this life out. Writing it helped me sort out my feelings and solidify my resolve when it came to advocating for her. It’s still a challenge, but I am in a better place about it all.
How can people follow you?
Of course, on Her View From Home–I post a piece the first Wednesday of every month. And I still maintain my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fightlikeaboss . A blog may be coming soon…
