Me? A meme?

The wonderful Katie over at MKHKK? tagged me for a meme about blogging, so here goes...

How long have you been blogging? I began blogging in July of 2006 with this post so I guess it's been about 18 months. That was 662 posts ago.

What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors? I saw my dear friend Cindy in the summer of '05 and she encouraged me to start a blog. As is typical for me, I was too timid to step out and try something new (yep, I'm a dork), so I just read her blog for a year while I got the courage up to start my own.

Are you trying to make money online or just doing it for fun? I would really like to make some money doing this, especially since I do it every day anyway. I've signed up with several different sites hoping for some success, but so far I'm still writing for me and the three people that read it (Hi Mom!)

What three things do you love about being online? First of all, I love the ladies I've met doing the same things I'm doing...most of us just trying to live our lives to the fullest while being halfway decent wives and mothers. We are a varied group with an assortment of ideas and philosophies, yet we can come together daily to provide and receive wonderful support from virtual friends most of us have never even met in real life.

Secondly, blogging allows me to vent, be silly, explore my feelings, and document my chaotic life with a larger-than-average number of children.

What three things do you struggle with online? I worry that with all the great people who are in and out of my bloggy part of the world, I'm not always the best blogger buddy I should be. Finding the time to read and comment on others' blogs can be a challenge.

The computer beckons me way too often throughout my day. I feel the need to respond to emails or check on fellow bloggers when I should be doing other things (um, maybe laundry?)

Also, the shopping. Yes, I get great deals and some super cute and unique items, but as my husband says (and don't tell him I listen so closely), imagine how much I would save if I didn't even look, much less buy. Yeah, yeah, I know.

Tag three people.

All of my online friends have already done this meme so I'll chose one, my sister Gina, who's new to the blogger game but will probably have some fun answers.