Ruth Cox of abitosunshine (and more!) is offering a Swap A Shop! If you are interested in Swapping A Shop, please contact Ruth via her blog. Just click the button at the end.
You can see her interview with me here:
I originally met Ruth through gather.com. From there, it's bloomed into the blogging world and numerous other social networking websites. Ruth is a wonderful writer. She puts her poetry with great photos to match. You will want to check out her cafeexpress store.
My interview with Ruth:
Tell me about your online shop at cafepress.
I've always enJOYed using my poetry and my graphics to spread a bit o' sunshine, online and offline, and CafePress does a wonderful job with the products that I design, which gives me another way to reach into the lives of others with the warmth o' the sun and hopefully share a bit o' wisdom.
When did you start writing?
Seriously writing? When I got my first computer in 1999. But honestly, I attribute my current creativity to the past year or so of spending my time at Gather.com. The peer group there is fabulous; members are supportive, encouraging, and willing to tell it like it is if you're willing to listen, and I am. (Most of the time..:-)
How do you come up with the inspiration for your poems?
A thought, a feeling, gather group writing challenges and prompts, something someone says or does, a photo, nature, animal antics, anything and everything ... and I have a favorite aMUSEr who keeps me motivated.
I love the photos that go along with your writing...what inspires you to choose certain ones?
Thanks Marsha! My poetic creations seem to be a favorite of those who regularly view my work. Often, I write a poem and go in search of a photo that represents what I've felt in what I've written. Other times I see a photo and a poem starts writing itself in my mind.
What other things do you enjoy doing online when you aren't writing?
Reading what others are writing and sharing in the many social networks I'm a member of, although, Gather is my favorite place to be doing such, as the talent there is immensel and diverse. I enJOY just surfing personal websites and dropping a bit o' sunshine into the guestbooks of friends and strangers. I also belong to a half dozen web groups where I have been socializing and/or writing for over a decade now.
Over a year ago I became unemployed and began building my business -- abitosunshine Hosting and Design -- I host web sites and domains, design and/or maintain web sites. It's slowly building into a good business and I am learning so much along the way. I also design and sell my graphics and poetry on request.
And I spend a couple of hours a day doing things to earn online, other than my paying social sites.
What do you enjoy doing that doesn't involve being on the computer?
What, is there life other than that shared on a computer? My favorite thing is to spend time with my dog, Tidbit, be it just playful lovin' around the house or in the yard or a walk in the park or just taking her for a ride -- she loves to go bye-bye. Before computer, I did all sorts of needlework and sewing, but rarely make time for these things now. I do, however, always have a jigsaw puzzle going. I just finished a killer whale puzzle and am now working on a Kim Norlien "Sanctuary" jigsaw.
I also love to read, and, of course, write book reviews. However, my eyes fail to cooperate all the time, so my time is limited in how much reading I can do. I think I've strained them from staring at a computer screen all these years!
With friends, I enJOY getting together for food and a Bud Ice and shooting a few games of pool. I used to shoot on a league, for years, but haven't done that the last couple of years.
List other places on the internet where we can find you.
My 4 blogs:
