We’ve started a new series of posts under the banner ’5 Questions with …’.
The ‘with’ will be an Aussie blogger. First up with have the spirited Eden Riley aka @edenland.
Eden describes herself thus: Redhead. Mother. Wordsmith. Australian. Sometimes hot, mostly not. I’ll show you my Universal Truth if you show me yours.
Her popular blog (Edenland) is an eclectic mix of acute observations laced with acerbic wit, personal stuff, the mummy blogger lifestyle warts ‘n’ all … think of it as a personal journal on speed.
1. What’s the number one thing that has blown you away being involved in this blogging caper?
Blogging has, oddly, really helped me become real. When I turn up to write on my blog, I’m thinking about where I’m at in my life, where I’ve been, and where I am going.
It kind of forces me to become present and mindful – I never expected that. And I never expected to make actual friends. Some of my best friendships have started in the computer! Must be a sign of the times.
2. You recently gave a presentation at the BlogHer Conference in San Diego – how was that experience? Did anyone comment on your hair?
HA! Sadly, nobody commented on my hair … but I know what they were thinking, “Wow. Bouffant!”
Talking at BlogHer was a huge honour. Being the only Australian in such amazing company … I loved everybody’s presentation that night. They were all different, all so amazing. Women’s online voices are a powerful thing indeed. It was definitely one of the best and greatest experiences of my life. Like, the pinnacle of my blogging career. Guess it’s all downhill from here.
3. How do you approach blogging? Are you a planning freak or disorganised freewheeler?
Completely ramshackled and disorganised. I’ve never scheduled a post … I plan them, in my head. But usually I sit down to write one and I write about something completely different. It’s very immediate and in the moment for me.
I don’t really know what I’m doing, or why I am doing it. I just know that I’ll never stop.
4. Which bloggers locally and overseas do you read and admire … and why?
Overseas bloggers:
I adore reading C.Jane. At first I didn’t, I thought, who is this loud, brash, unabashed woman? She annoyed me … until I realised she reminded me of myself. She lives in Provo, is Mormon, and lets her light shine.
Heather Spohr from Spohrs are Multiplying. Heather is gold. She is funny, talented, and blogged her way through the grief following the death of her beautiful girl, Madeline Alice. I love her. We recently ate nachos together in her hometown LA. Heather came to Australia on her honeymoon, and is hanging to come back.
Liz from Mom 101 lives in Brooklyn, New York. She has one of the sharpest minds around, I *adore* her take on – everything, really.
Tracey at Sweetney once described herself as the misfit who sat smoking behind the bleaches. In fact, she is one of the Queens of the entire blogosphere.
Local Bloggers:
For so long I thought Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim didn’t like me, because I was too rude and dark … but she does! She is one of the best bloggers in Australia, with a beautiful heart.
Shae from Yay For Home is the coolest homeschoolin’ mama you’ll ever meet. She’s real like Pinocchio.
Magneto Bold Too is an Aussie blogging Goddess. She is very big in America … I love her brain. And her shoes.
Mrs Woog is the funniest blogger in Australia.
And Nikki from Styling You talks about blogging, style, AND is a trained journo. And she posts pics of herself in clothes next to pics of models in the same clothes. Love Styling You.
The Australian blogosphere is red hot right now …. it’s exploding. It’s scary – I hope we all make it though without imploding.
5. If you had to give up either Twitter or Facebook, which would it be?
No-brainer … I’d give up Facebook. Facebook is where you treat your family like friends … twitter is where you treat your friends like family.
But, we all need to step away from social media every once in a while … take a deep breath. There’s a whole world out there. With trees and everything.
About Trevor Young
Eden, you are a blogging goddess – and not just because you included me here.
Shucks Nikki. Takes one to know one X
Eden rocks. Why did you stop at 5 questions? I could listen to her all day!
Laney, what a lovely thing to say!
What a great idea for a series! And a great blogger to start with. Sometimes I suspect we get a lot more out of Eden blogging than she does herself… Love her stuff. Am off to check out the American blogs now!
Veggie … you make me want to eat more veggies, so I can look like you do. And those American blogs are bloody cool X
Couldn’t have picked a better blogger to start with.
Eden rocks my world.
And makes me blush.
Love your face off biatch.
I just read on twitter that you ate a spoonful of Nutella for lunch … I didn’t know that you were a food blogger!
Love it! And a have a few new blogs to look at!
Thanks Kelly .. there’s so many great blogs, it was hard to name just a few.
All my favourites too and a couple of new ones too. Thankyou x
Thanks Nathalie!
Wow! Huge props for @edenland … thank you Nikki, Laney, Veggie, Kelley, Kelly, Nathalie for stopping by and being part of the Eden Riley Appreciation Society.
Who else should I give the ’5 Questions’ treatment to?
Cheers TY
Trevor, thank you for having me! Some people who’d be good interviewees:
Liss from Frilly Hills, Rick from Squiggly Rick, Veronica from Sleepless Nights, Mrs Woog, Toushka from Toushka Lee, Claire from Clairey Hewitt … there’s HEAPS. WE’RE EVERYWHERE!
Awesome idea for a series, and great questions and answers from one of my fave bloggers Eden. I fucking love Eden.
Bronnie I fucking love that you wrote the word “fucking” in your comment.
Wow-thanks Eden xoxo
Love you, even after seeing the mushroom haircut pic
Real friends love your mushroom cut X
I love that you love cjane! I love her vlogs with her husband, they just crack me up – she needs her own show!!!!!!!!!!!!
corrie:)
Corrie … and I love how YOU love cjane! How cool is she … such a shame she had to turn her comments off because of haters. Hope that never happens here.
X
I agree with Veggie Mama, I think we get a lot more from Eden blogging than she does herself.
She was one of those blogs I avoided reading for so long but was hooked from the first post. She should have been on my reader a year ago.
Miss Pink – thank you so much. I’m fascinated though – a few people have said to me that they avoided reading my blog for so long. Why is that?
Hope your weekend is going ok. x
Love your blog and love your top picks, c.jane and heather are def in my top 10. I had a dream, my only bloggy dream I must add, that I was drinking with c.jane in a bar which is all sorts of wrong given her pregnancy and mormonism, makes me giggle. More <3 for our pinochhio comment for shae
Leah, thank you so much for your words. And I reckon that surely cjane imbibes a teeny bit, sometimes? Heh.
Edenland is a blog I go to on a daily basis, sometimes it’s a great giggle, other times it’s a smack in the face. It is NEVER disappointing. I love Eden’s honesty and ability to express herself so simply yet in such a powerful manner. Kirstyx
KIRSTY. I was just thinking of you tonight, when me and Rocco had a dance-off.
Thank you so much XO
Congrats on this BlogHub interview Eden. And the most awesome thing I noticed is that you wrote back to people who commented……… Are you really going to keep doing that coz I know I love a bit more of Eden commenting… Yes I Do. Love your work of art… Edenland….
Denyse, look at you with your beautiful comments sprinkled all over blogland. I *adore* being able to comment back to people …. am waiting with baited breath for Blogger to hurry up and introduce their new system.
X
Bahahahaha and here I was thinking I was such a novice cause I can’t plan/schedual a post! Write it in the moment and you’ve got the real you! All the awesome people do that huh Eden *flicks hair* lol
Great interview Eden! xx
*flicks hair back and pouts*
Miss Cinders, knowing my luck I would schedule a hugely irrelevant and silly post and some big world event would happen and it would post when i was asleep and people would be all …. who’s the idiot?!
Just checked out your website for the first time and am so impressed with your video – on many levels – about depression and life’s ups and downs (constant).
Cheers
Rosemary
Rosemary, thank you so much for saying that. I usually don’t care too much about what people think but I really do on that video … I felt like a BASKET CASE for posting it, so thanks heaps.
“Facebook is where you treat your family like friends … twitter is where you treat your friends like family.” LOVE that quote. Very refreshing to hear about a successful blogger who does it off the cuff as well – keep up the great work Eden!
Dan
Dan, thank you so much!