Blogger to Blogger

This week the awesomeness that is Raven stopped by for a little blogger to blogger action. She recently took a trip to my little hometown and found out that it is just as AWESOME as I keep describing. And she gave a perfect play-by-play over on her blog so you should go check it out.


Katie asked: I probably missed it somewhere, but where did the name Sprog come from?

Raven answered: Sprog is what I understand to be a British slang for child. When I first got going on the Internet I didn't want to be going on about my son without his okay and at that time, he was too young to really give that approval freely. So, I figured if I talked about him mainly under a nickname, he really couldn't fault me for it, much, as it would be too hard for anyone that knew him to find anything on him. Most of my posting is done under my nickname as well, so that really made sense to me but as I've been posting about him for so many years now under that name, the online nickname has naturally progressed to be one he's called at home. Usually Sprog, but sometimes: Sproglet or Sprogzilla.

Katie asked: If you were all alone for a night in the house what would you eat? Do you hoard or secret anything away?

Raven answered: Oddly, I would make myself my homemade creamed spinach, if I had to make something from scratch; it's so quick and so satisfying. If I have something ready made like cake? That's DOA for sure, especially if it's the lemon crack cakes from Costco. I have to hide that, but it's mainly from myself! If you've never had it? Please heed my advice and never try it, that is a serious addiction I am trying to break.

Katie asked: Why do you blog? What do you like the best about the forum?

Raven answered: I blog as a way to connect to other people. Before I was laid off from my job at HP, I was a tele-commuter and the internet was a way to have contact with the outside world, when not working. Of course, back then it wasn't blogging, it was online message boards and eventually MySpace but as those fell off (MySpace can be CREEPY) online friends had discovered blogging and it seemed like the next logical step. I love that you can always find someone that shares the same interests as you do, no matter how physically far away they may be from you. I've met a lot of wonderful people through blogging and even had the pleasure of meeting some of them in person; I hope that it's something that continues far into the future.

It feels oddly comforting having this network of people to turn to with my questions, thoughts, triumphs and even struggles or failures. All of my friends and family are completely used to me bringing up "my blog friend so and so" in conversation now, it's that much a part of my daily life.

...and then...

Raven asked: Here, I'm handing you an open ended plane ticket. Where are you going and for how long? In addition: light or heavy packer?

Katie answered: Just one ticket, or two? Because it makes a difference. I'm not one of those people who can just take off alone and really enjoy myself. I prefer to experience things with people I love. So, if you just gave me one ticket I'd head back out to St. Louis to see my sister and her kiddos. I'd convince my mom to meet me out there and we'd have a blast for a week.

However, if you gave me two tickets and endless vacation time I think I'd want to take a trip with the ear doctor to Italy. We'd spend the rest of the summer bumming around Europe. I'd get to see my brother in London and I wouldn't take very much more than a cute skirt and a huge empty bag to bring back cheese and chocolate.

Raven asked: If you could go to culinary school would it be for pastry or regular cooking? Which type of cooking do you prefer?

Katie answered: I think I'd prefer pastry school for a couple of reasons. I like the precision of baking. I always bake by weight instead of by volume. I like working on the same thing over and over until it's perfect. I like the effort required to make something perfect...and all that points to pastry. Plus as much as people drool over a perfectly made entree, they pretty much always satisfy their guilty pleasure with dessert.

Having said that, I really think I would enjoy either.

Actually, my current obsession/brilliant idea is to run a sustainable Bed & Breakfast where my guests arrive in the afternoon, help me harvest some veggies from the garden and then I make them a fantastic dinner/breakfast from what they picked. A smaller, Colorado version of Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

Raven asked: Is somewhere else in the world you see yourself living someday, like in your retirement years, or is Colorado it for you?

Katie answered: Colorado has spoiled me. The weather is perfect, there is a ton to do outdoors, there is enough "culture" for me and the cost of living isn't terribly high. There are only a few other places I've been that compare. Santa Barbra was spectacular...but unless we win the lottery I don't see that any time soon.

I think I need to travel more and see great places in the US to even comprehend my other options.