People of interest #4 – Meet Miriam

Welcome to my next Person of Interest Guest Post – today it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Miriam.

I always enjoy the interaction that being a guest poster brings and so I decided to start a series where I share guest posts by people who interest me. 

Everyone has a story to tell, sometimes you just need to ask them questions. I’m a natural stickybeak so I don’t mind asking questions!

So what I’ve done is invite my guests to answer a set of 10 questions and I am using their responses as a guest post while I’m away travelling in New Zealand.

It’s a great way to share the love around and introduce interesting people to other interesting people – like you!!

Who better to share with my blogging friends than my bloggy buddy Miriam, from Out an About blog.  I met Miriam in person after following her blog for ages and can tell you that she is just as lovely and positive in person as she is on her blog.  Her heartwarming and inspirational posts are always a pleasure to read, so if you haven’t been to Miriam’s blog before, I encourage you to do so.

You deserve to know more about her so here is Miriam’s guest post to add to my new series!

10 questions with Miriam-

Q1. What do you enjoy about blogging?

A1: Everything!  Honestly, when I started I had no idea what to expect. I thought I’d simply be sharing camping tales that people may or may not want to read and relate to but it’s become so much more than that. I love the creativity that lets me run loose with an idea. I love the fact that I get to share in the lives of so many other bloggers who share their own experiences. It’s such a great community here but only bloggers can understand that, it’s hard to explain to someone who’s not part of it (though I try with my hubby!)  I love the connections that I’ve made from all over the world and the friendships in my life, both in person here and online from people I haven’t met yet but feel I know so well.

Q2. Your blog is called ‘Out an about, inspiration on and off the tracks’ – where did this description come from?

A2: I can’t believe how long it took me to come up with this unoriginal name when I look back on it.  Actually, it was my 14yo (at the time) son who helped me decide, so I’ll blame him (haha!)  I didn’t really know much about blogging and how a name could become like our own brand, maybe if I thought harder I’d have come up with something slightly more original. I knew my blog would be about camping and travel but the name also left it wide open to incorporate just about anything, getting out and about anywhere in life. Whether it’s at the beach or the bank, at the shops, doing Zumba, in my interactions with others. It’s wide open to interpretation.  These days, I’m happy with the name, with the concept and where it’s lead me.

Q3. What plans do you have for your blog in the future?

A3: I’d like to keep growing my blog and down the track start up another one, self-hosted that will give me more options, that will allow me to hook up to affiliate links and promote services and products that appeal to me. Earning money online is a goal of mine and plans are afoot to expand in that area. Travel is such a huge market and there are so many blogs that write about travel destinations but I feel that I  do offer a different perspective and I have a unique voice so hopefully if I target it properly and do my homework well, I’ll be able to build another blog as equally satisfying and successful.

As for Outanabout, I may change the look of it a bit, revamp it a little with a new theme and I may even start a photography challenge down the track for my readers to get more involved if they choose, that’s been on my mind for a little while.

Fairly recently I started a Facebook Group (Outanabout YOLO) as an offshoot of my blog. My aim is to build it to the point where I have the same sort of interaction on there as I do on my blog. It’s great to connect with like-minded travellers and share the inspiration.

Q4. What’s your favourite post on your blog and why?

A4: In more recent times I’d have to say Fearless at 52. After a few hard years on the personal front, and losing my dear and beautiful mum, I feel as though I’m finding my joy in life again. I’m back on track and doing what I love and this post encompassed all of that. It was like shouting out to the world, “hey I’m 52 and life is great”.

There are so many limits we place on ourselves and in the past I’ve been plagued by doubts and I’ve held myself back by my own limiting beliefs. This post was a big deal for me to write and I also included a track of me playing guitar and singing Frisky. I know I’m no Taylor Swift but I had a lot of fun. It can be daunting putting yourself out there but I’m learning as I get older that it doesn’t matter what others think, as long as you’re doing what you love.  The song was written by fellow blogger Deb Cowdrey and it was such a wonderful collaboration, that continues today, with more songs planned.

 Q5. What’s your biggest achievement in life to date?

A5: Raising two beautiful kids who have grown up to be wonderfully unique and kind human beings.  I thought about this question long and hard and there are plenty of other things I’m proud of, like realising my dreams and having my travel articles published in a swag of Aussie travel magazines, travelling alone to Europe when I was 22 and even winning a blogger’s award at last years Bloggers Bash in London but my thoughts always come back to my family. Even though they’re older now and mostly independent, I know that they’ll always be number one. Any mother can tell you it’s not the easiest job in the world raising kids and we’ve had some challenging years, but it’s definitely been the most fulfilling time. Now as they get older I can start realising other dreams and achievements. It’s like having a second wind in life.

Q6. What do you like to do outside of work/blogging?

A: Reading, writing, gardening, bush walking, traveling, camping … life is pretty good. Up until a few years ago I worked in admin/marketing. These days I’ve shifted my focus from job hunting to full time writing and this has become my full time job and passion. For magazines, blogs, journaling, photography, my days revolve around writing and I love it. I’ve learned to move past the guilt of not wanting a conventional job anymore, preferring to focus on doing what I love and earning some money from it as well. I enjoy getting away and camping on weekends and exploring new places. I love Zumba, music, keeping fit and going for walks with Harry. I enjoy cooking, trying new things, working in my garden, playing guitar, composing songs and at the moment I’m teaching my youngest son to drive.

Q7. What book are you currently reading?

A7: Growing up I always had my head in a good book. I love reading a wide variety of genres from thrillers to dramas, romantic comedies and inspirational books. I used to love Dean Koontz, before tuning to James Patterson and Harlan Coben. One of my all time favourite books was Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, an absolute epic read and more recently I loved The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon as well as the Kite Runner. I have a tonne of books on my shelf by Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Eckhart Tolle and many others but I must admit since I started blogging I haven’t been reading nearly as much as I used to.  Having said that however I plan to read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert next.

Q8. Where’s your dream holiday destination – who with?

A8: I have a few dream destinations. For pure island bliss and native friendliness I’d love to go to Fiji. For spectacular scenery it’s Canada without a doubt. I’ve always wanted to visit and see the Rockies so that’s way up there on the bucket list. Iceland too, I’ve always wanted to visit there. And believe it or not, New Zealand is there too. Much closer to home and more accessible so hopefully one day soon that’ll become a reality. Careful Deb, I might stow away in your suitcase.   Ideally I’d love to go with my entire family, i.e. hubby and two kids but who knows? Hubby has a job in New Zealand soon so maybe I can wrangle it and go as his Assistant.

Q9. List 3 things you won’t leave home without?

A9: Well, that’s a tough one. It depends where I’m going. If I’m only going down the road, all I need is my phone. But if I’m going further afield then I’d probably need a bit more ….

Yes, still My phone – sad but true. How times have changed. I used to be able to drive from Sale to Melbourne (3 hours drive) without a phone. These days it goes everywhere with me.  Also my purse – how’s a girl to buy a coffee after all?  My chapstick and/or lipstick and sometimes even my dog, Harry, he’s great company and generally doesn’t let me out of his sight. I should have named him Shadow.

Q10. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met and why?

A10: My Zio Arno (my Italian uncle). I met him when I visited in Aosta, Italy about 16 years ago. He was a small man, almost petite in his stature, quiet in nature but he had a wicked sense of humor and a high intellect. When I met him he was about 92 but he looked twenty years younger. He wore a hearing aid and when he couldn’t handle the banter and noise around him, he’d take it out so he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. But I remember, he was a legend to talk to. He was a master skier and instructor, one of the best apparently, and taught people how to ski on the mountain up until he was about 80 years ago. He was a local legend, an inspiration in the village of Aosta and I was thrilled to meet him and get to know him, as mum had often spoken so highly of him when I was growing up.

So that’s me in a nutshell. Just an everyday, ordinary but content woman seeking to find a bit of love and inspiration and turning the ordinary moments into the extraordinary ones.  We only get one chance at life so my big philosophy is to “just do it”. Life’s too short to live with regrets or waste on things that aren’t important. As I always say in my blog, shine on, in light and love and let’s all continue to enjoy the journey.

Links:

Miriam blogs at Out an’ About

Instagram: outanaboutblog

Facebook:  Outanabout

Cheers and happy travels everyone,

Miriam

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I’m sure you’ll agree with me that Miriam is a very interesting and passionate person and a great addition to my new series.

I encourage you to check out her blog and other links, as I’m sure you’ll be hooked in no time!

Stay tuned for more interesting people.

Thanks for joining in, please feel free to leave a comment below and Miriam and I will respond. We love comments 😊

Make life the adventure it was meant to be.<<<<<

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