Ten Questions with Melissah of The House of Flying Monkeys

1. Describe your blog in five sentences or less.
My blog is really pretty random. The best description would be a sort of blogging eight ball, if such a thing existed. I give the Eight Ball a good shake and whatever category comes up, that’s what I write about. It’s about my life, in all it’s bizarre, odd, and even occasional normal permutations.

2. Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
As For Religion, Put Us Down as Undecided - This is a post I did around the Jewish holidays, talking about life in our house, with a lapsed protestant and a secular jew. Funny, but also thought provoking. I want to amuse but also make you go “hmmm”, at least sometimes anyway.

3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
If you want total Honesty? Nothing really, most of the family bloggers I read are a lot like me. I’m just as random as anybody else, but I do have a tendency to be snarky. That is amusing.

4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I found blogging through my sister-in-law, Jill. She had been blogging for a while and referred me to hers. I thought “hey, I can do that too!” And the result of that is The House of Flying Monkeys

5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
That I didn’t take any html classes in the past. You have no idea how much easier my life would be if I had. Oh, and, the fact that with all the porn out there, I can’t find anything of George Clooney nude. Now that’s a big-time disappointment! I mean, come on, Helen Mirren is out there, why not big George?

6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
Statcounter, because my wordpress stats have quit working. After all, I need the gratification of those numbers, that’s why I do this. Picture me, daily, reading those numbers and doing my best Sally Field impression – “You like me! You really like me!” That’s what you see in my house, every day. Sad.

7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
George Clooney, and I’d make him post the aforementioned nude picture in his posting. Why? Well, why not? Seriously, though, I’d like it to be Dooce. Heather Armstrong is one of my biggest influences in the blogosphere, and one of the first big-time blogs I found after I started doing this. She is so articulate and also funny as heck. My goal is to be as good as her… but I don’t think I’ll ever get there.

8. How has blogging made you a better person?
Has it? Really? I hadn’t noticed to be honest. Seriously, though, I don’t think blogging has made me a better person. I think the big difference that blogging has made in my life is that it’s helped me to become more thoughtful and more aware. I always wanted to keep a journal, just to be able to keep track of the changes in my life, but I was too much of a slack-butt to do that. Since I started blogging, I find that I am less likely to just exist. I pay attention to my life. I also find that I feel a need to write now that I never had before. If something is on my mind I will not be able to restuntil I have expelled it onto the screen. I think I found my muse… and boy is she annoying at 3 am!

9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Just keep writing, read other blogs to help you develop your own style, and pardon my triteness here but write about what you know. I read a story one day that talked about blogging and how there is nothing that is too strange to write about. It illustrated that even your weirdest postings will find an audience with someone who identifies with you on that subject. That’s scary, but in a good way.

10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
There’s so many! I can’t choose just one! Of course, Dooce – for all the reasons I listed above. But I recommend that you check out my blog links. They’re all really good!

Categories: Personal, Ten Questions