Beth’s blind blogging buddy

Hello from our seat on the Hiawatha train to Wisconsin. Hanni and I are on our way to Waukesha, where I’ll be leading a couple sessions at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books. I’ll be sitting on a panel about blogging, too, and the moderator sent some questions for we panelists to ponder in advance.

Each of you plays a significant role as a blogger, bringing entertainment, news and social commentary to the world. But you also appear to write your blogs in lighthearted ways. Is this intentional?

You’re often connecting to people who need a voice in the community. How does this influence the specific content of your blog?

As a writer I’m often encouraged to keep a blog and although I have a page on my web site, my writing tends to feel a lot like navel gazing. What advice would you give a blogger in this situation?

What is the most heartwarming connection you’ve made with a reader through your blog?

I’ll have to give those first few questions some thought before our 4 pm

That's OJ, Jen's guide dog.

panel tomorrow. I’m ready with an answer for that last question, though.

I’ve made plenty of heartwarming connections through my Safe & Sound blog, but one I find particularly touching is my connection with Jennifer Doherty, a guide dog user an Ireland. I know all this internet-blogging-connecting stuff is old news by now, but I still find it amazing that a woman in Ireland could pres the keys on her talking computer to search for “guide dog” or “blind” or whatever,, come up with my name, link to my blog, type a few words and shazam! She’s responded to me here in Chicago!

If you enjoyed Jenny’s comments here, you’ll be pleased to know Jenny keeps a blog of her own, too. Paws for Thought talks about life in Ireland with OJ, Jenny’s guide dog. Jenny keeps up with blind bloggers all over the world, and last month she asked a few of us if we’d be willing to write a guest blog for Paws for Thought. I was flattered to be asked, and wrote a post about retiring Dora, my first Seeing Eye dog. You can link to my guest post at Paws for Thought. While you’re there, check out the other guest bloggers that week. Interesting stuff!

Uh-oh. They’re calling the Milwaukee stop, and I still need to come up with answers for those other panel questions. Better stop blogging about blogging here and think about what I’ll say when I’m blah, blah, blahing about blogging at tomorrow’s panel instead. Waukesha, here we come!