Blog FAQ

Snagged from Creepy Cupcakes...

1. How did you come up with your blog title OR what does it mean?
When I first started in the SCA I had a Romani persona who went by Lelya de Foxfire. No one could remember Lelya, so everyone just called me Fox and I went by that for years, even through two more persona changes. At one point I was given a fox tail as a gift and wearing it on my belt helped people to remember my nickname. Through each new persona I incorporated the word "fox" into it: when I had my Celtic persona her name was Cera inghean Sionnach meaning "Cera, daughter of the man called Fox," and Emine has the laqab (descriptive byname) al-Tha'labii which roughly translates to "the foxlike" although further research will almost assuredly change that (the Turkish word for Fox is actually tilki).

While we are on the subject, I am currently documenting a Greek name for myself which would have been my name before I was sold into slavery. I know I will use the first name Cassandra since my mundane name is Kasandra and I'm sure "fox" will be included somewhere. I do not intend to use this name, only to weave my mundane name into my persona story.

2. What are your general goals for blogging?
I'm using this blog to chronicle my journey through 16th century Near Eastern clothing, food, art, and culture. Basically I write whatever I have been thinking about recently and if someone deems it interesting enough to sit through, all the better. If someone feels inspired by something I've written, I'm happy to have brought light to the subject for them. But I'm not out there to tell anyone "this is the way it is and if you don't do it this way you're wrong!" by any stretch of the imagination. I respect other people's ability to dress themselves according to what they like and I am a firm believer in the "you pick your own level of involvement" concept.

3. Do people “in your real life” know that you blog and do they comment on your blog OR is it largely anonymous?
I post the link to my blog in my email signature. It seems that I get a few readers this way, but I'm not out hunting them down or anything. I have a few very good friends who are subscribed, but at least a couple of them are not involved with the SCA so I believe they read along on the more personal posts. My SCAdian friends who read regularly have approached me with questions or comments which is always a nice feeling because, like any blogger, I love discussing topics about which I have blogged.

4. How often do you post (x per week)?
Depends on how busy I am, but usually at least once. However, I write every day, so there are several posts waiting to be finished. I just work on them when the mood strikes me and post them when they feel finished.

5. How often do you read other blogs (x per week)?
Since I check my blogs every day and I always read my feed blogs as soon as I get them...

6. How do you select blogs to read (do you prefer blogs that focus on certain topics or do you choose by tone or…?)
Most of the blogs I have subscribed to are SCA-related just because that's where my focus is right now. I tend to prefer the hardcore costuming blogs just because that's the direction I would like to travel in with my own costuming. And since the harcore costumers are usually Norse or English in origin, I spend a lot of time drooling over garb that I will never make. lol But I do enjoy watching their processes. I also have a lot of A&S blogs on my feed dealing with embroidery or fiber arts because those are other things I'm interested in. I have a very small number of blogs that are not on any of these topics because I either enjoy their writing or they are close personal friends of mine with whom I enjoy keeping up-to-date.

7. Do you have any plans to copy your blog entries in any other format, or do you think that one day, you’ll just delete it all?
I hadn't really thought of it before now. Perhaps one day when I'm a Laurel in Near Eastern stuff I'll reconsider. lol Until then I'm quite happy to share my journey here.

8. What are the things you like best about blogging?
First and foremost is the opportunity to write. I used to write constantly and got out of the habit during college when I had other projects going on. Secondly, the ability to share knowledge with others who are just starting to work on their personae. I don't pretend to be a professor of Near Eastern studies, but I do a lot of research and follow people whom I consider to be experts on the topic and I think sharing that information is important for us Near Eastern personae since we are in the minority of the Society and most information is geared toward Europe.

9. What are the things you don’t like about blogging?
I'm constantly afraid of offending people so I over-explain myself. And as a certified obsessive compulsive, I hate worrying about spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes. (Vanessa, quit laughing!)

10. How do you handle comments?
That's the most annoying part of Blogger, in my opinion. If someone sends me a comment on my blog I have to comment back on their blog or they will never see my reply. In the meantime, they think they have gotten this really valid comment on something they've said and then they find out it's just me replying to something else. Annoying. I wish blogger had its own email system.

11. Do you have any burning thoughts to share on blog etiquette?
I know some people dislike comments and that's fine, but it's hard to ask questions that way!!

12. Any desired blog features?
Other than the email system mentioned in question 10, nope.

13. Have you suffered blog addiction?
I don't suffer, I enjoy it!