Snorkelling selfie while in Fiji for a destination wedding
Posted on by Debbie

What makes the delightful Birthday Girl so interesting?

It’s time to hear from the Birthday Girl – yes that would be me!

I’ve enjoyed featuring lots of interesting people in my series of interesting people but as today is a very special day for me, I have decided to ask myself the 10 questions I usually ask my guests to answer.

Everyone has a story to tell. Yes, even me!

I started this series with my sister Sharon  from Musings from the Cold. Sharon then responded with a post from the guest’s point of view – Life’s Like that: on being a guest blogger

My guest posts continued with interesting people including my friends Donna from Retirement Reflections; Louise from The Year I touched my Toes; Miriam from Out an’ About; Shaun from Clockwork Clouds and Sue from Travel Tales of Life.  I’ve enjoyed sharing these posts on a Tuesday.

This week it’s my turn!

Guest Post Series: Debbie from Deb’s World

If you would like to join in on the fun, why not take one of these questions (e.g. What are five things that you won’t leave home without?) and leave your own answer in the Comment Section below. I would love to hear your thoughts!

1. What do you enjoy most about blogging?

As most of my guests have stated before, it’s the community I’ve joined that I’ve enjoyed the most. It wasn’t what I expected at all. I’m still constantly surprised that I have so many people following my blog and they’re not all my relatives! Most people who don’t blog just don’t get it, but the blogging community understands and supports their own.

I love the interaction with commenting and sharing of posts and I belong to a few groups of dedicated bloggers who offer support in lots of ways.  I also have made many good friends, and met some in real life, through this blogging journey.

I also enjoy the intellectual side of it all, learning from others, reading new ideas, seeing things happen and keeping my brain active. My husband thinks I spend too much time at the computer some days but I just get so engrossed in it all.

2. Your blog is about lots of things – where did the description come from?

When I started my blog I wanted to share my thoughts, stories and travels.  It’s not hard to see that Deb’s World is a mish-mash of my life.

I write about travels, midlife issues,  retirement, being made redundant, Mother of the Bride thoughts, running, reading……

I’m not a niche blogger but I do believe older women have to keep active mentally, as well as physically, so I use my brain to learn new skills by blogging. The technology tips I use on a daily basis have made a real difference to me. I want to inspire others;  you don’t have to be a celebrity to be worthwhile, everyone has something to offer and everyone is important with a story to tell!

My family feature on my blog because they are an important part of my life.  I’ve learnt to be aware of what I’m sharing but I really want to leave something of myself, and my take on life, for my grandchildren (and maybe even myself) to read as I get older.

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

I’m not really sure where I’m going with my blog, that’s probably not the best answer to write here, but at least I’m being honest!

I enjoy sharing other people’s work and participating in link ups.  I’m really enjoying this new People of Interest series. I’m trying to learn how things like Pinterest and Twitter can help my blog but sometimes its like learning a whole new language.  I’m waging a war with Pinterest at the moment and am almost ready to ditch it as I’m struggling with why things have to be done a certain way to get any traction.  It just makes my blogging life that bit more difficult.

I love writing Travel Blogs once we’ve returned home from our travels but apart from that I’ll continue learning and improving as time goes on. I’m also enjoying improving (I hope) my photography skills.

I recently underwent a complete overhaul of my blog and I was very proud of myself for being able to manage it without too much trouble (my husband could tell you a different story but we won’t ask him).  It gave me a real sense of accomplishment to manage themes, widgets, pages and other related issues and the feedback I received was mostly positive. But I really did it for me, no-one else, and I’m happy with the changes.

I want to stay consistent and true to myself, so I have to remember why I started blogging in the first place.  This is my piece of the internet and in reality it doesn’t bother me if I have 1 follower or 2000!  I enjoy writing, sharing and having people over for a chat – that’s the way I see it!

4. What’s your favourite post and why?

That’s a very hard question!  It’s like asking which daughter is my favourite (which they ask all the time).

I have actually collated what I call my ‘special’ posts, those I’m most proud of, in a page of their own – My Favourites. 

A recent favourite would have to be my Thoughts on a Destination Wedding from the Mother of the Bride

I’ve enjoyed sharing my journey as Mother of the Bride (MOB) twice now and keeping a track of my thoughts throughout the process.

Being made redundant late in 2016 at age 56, had a significant  impact on me and I’ve come through the first year of retirement pretty well unscathed, so I like reading the posts I wrote looking at how I coped (or didn’t as the case may be).

I’m never going to have a viral post but I’m happy with the way the numbers keep climbing every month! I’m also happy with how I’m evolving as a blogger.

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

Being adventurous and taking on challenges – like when we moved to live in the UK for a year with three little girls in tow and had no idea of what to expect; travelling around Europe as a family with no real language skills or much money; backpacking to UK on my own (aged 53) for four weeks and getting lost on the first day.

Walking the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal even though I’m scared of heights. Trekking part of the famous Kokoda Track in the Papua New Guinean jungle, both these walks took me way out of my comfort zone!

Surviving a tragic accident while on a school excursion when I was 17 and being awarded a Commendation of Brave Conduct from the Queen.  I have a healthy respect for making the most of the life I’ve been given and will never let a chance go by!

Bringing up three beautiful, clever and caring daughters. Somehow, despite my not knowing what I was doing, they’ve turned out really well!

Being married at 19 years of age and still being happily married to the same man 37 years later (and counting).

Setting up this blog from scratch and learning new skills all the time.

Having a smile named after me – the Debbie Smile!

Staying compassionate, caring and maintaining my sense of humour in my job as an Educator in a Correctional Centre for men (jail), for over 20 years was also a great achievement. Then they went and made me redundant 😦

 

 

Cycling in Croatia
Finishing the Otago Rail Trail
Love – on our wedding day

6. What do you like to do outside of blogging?

I love to travel and have adventures, usually with my husband.  I read voraciously. I enjoy watching movies, listening to music and podcasts.

I like to use Instagram and other social media and trying to learn how to use these various platforms.

I keep active with regular walking, running, cycling and I’ve just started aqua aerobics, as it’s now summer here.

I take photographs.

I talk with my daughters (who all live miles away from me) constantly throughout the day, usually via messenger.  I maintain regular contact with my mother and other family members and I help out in the community by being a member of Rotary. I drink a lot of black tea!

I should help in the garden more and do more house work but I’m too old to change tack now – well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

I also love nothing more than swinging in the hammock on a hot summer’s day.

In short I like having fun 🙂

 

 

Snorkelling selfie
Family photo of my daughter’s wedding in Fiji
Pink Flamingo fun

7. What books do you like reading and what are you currently reading?

I will read almost anything and have lately enjoyed listening to books while I’m out walking via Audible.  I’ve just finished reading two books by Jane Harper, an Australian crime author. I love apocalyptic, dystopian, science-fiction, some fantasy, Young Adult, Scandi writers – just abut anything really!  I’m currently really enjoying reading Saga Land by Richard Fidler and Kari Gislason, it’s set in Iceland.

Broadcaster Richard Fidler and author Kári Gíslason are good friends. They share a deep attachment to the sagas of Iceland – the true stories of the first Viking families who settled on that remote island in the Middle Ages.These are tales of blood feuds, of dangerous women, and people who are compelled to kill the ones they love the most. The sagas are among the greatest stories ever written, but the identity of their authors is largely unknown.

Together, Richard and Kári travel across Iceland, to the places where the sagas unfolded a thousand years ago. They cross fields, streams and fjords to immerse themselves in the folklore of this fiercely beautiful island. And there is another mission: to resolve a longstanding family mystery – a gift from Kari’s Icelandic father that might connect him to the greatest of the saga authors.

If you have any suggestions for something to read, feel free to leave me a comment below, I’m always looking for new things to read.

8. Where’s your dream holiday destination and who with?

The Greek islands with my husband – one day I’ll get there!  I hope it won’t be a disappointment after all this time!

9. List five things that you won’t leave home without.

1. My Debbie smile

2. My sense of adventure

3. An idea of where I’m going (that’s sometimes questionable)

4. My sense of humour

5. My glasses – both sunglasses and reading glasses

Mature aged backpacker
Mature aged backpacker

10. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met?

This is a very hard question to answer Debbie!

I’ve met so many ‘interesting’ people during my working life, both staff and inmates, but one that comes to mind is the guy who’d just been released from jail when I was on a bus in the UK.  He sat next to me and just started talking, and it all came out once I mentioned where I worked. Of course, I wrote a post all about it:  The Day I met a Murderer on the Bus.

Another interesting person was Australian actor Richard Roxburgh, who I met when we were both teenagers, at a school French Camp.  We corresponded by letter (snail mail) for a while and every time I see him on TV or in a movie, I remember how funny he was back then and our ‘connection’.

I find most people are interesting, hence my new series, and it sometimes just takes a few words to get them talking.  I enjoy listening to people and hearing their stories.

Thanks for having me in the hot seat today, I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview as much as I have 🙂

As it’s my birthday I’m off to relax and swing in that hammock.

Deb 🙂

12 December 2017

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Everyone has a story to tell!

Debbie - mother of a 40 year old

Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here

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43 Replies to “What makes the delightful Birthday Girl so interesting?”

  2. I commented on this when I originally saw it Deb and it gets better on a second reading. I’ve shared it to my social media – thanks for visiting our #MLSTL party and I hope you take the time to comment on and share some of the other posts.

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    1. Thanks for that Leanne, I wanted to share something a little more upbeat than my recent posts. I’ve been and visited, commented and shared this afternoon. I’m really enjoying the ‘select’ club!

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    1. Thanks so much Terri! Happy birthday to you for the 4th 😊 I rarely keep mine quiet.. I sometimes read the things written about Sagittarians and think I can see myself and other times I wonder who they’re talking about!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my posts because I usually enjoy writing them but wonder if anyone else will get it. Have a great weekend.

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  11. Fabulous post Debbie!! Hope you had a great day yesterday. What a brilliant idea interviewing yourself on your birthday, it was great to find out even more about you. Keep adventuring my friend and I hope you make it to the Greek Islands one day. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much Miriam, it was a lovely day. I decided to use my birthday as my interview, just for fun! I enjoyed the opportunity to answer my own questions and I’m glad to know you enjoyed it. I’ll get there one day 🙂

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  14. Happy Birthday Deb! Cheers and to many, many more years! 🎂
    I enjoyed this so much, though I’ve virtually “met” you before, I really feel like I virtually “know” you more now. Thanks for the peek into your brain and heart and hope your birthday is as wonderful as you (probably not possible, but we can hope). 😍

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  15. Now that is a first, interviewing yourself 🙂 Funny and I loved reading more about you and our connection. Pleased to see you had a hammock relaxing birthday, here’s to many more. Entirely agree with getting out there and making the most of life. Now it is time for me to go and prune a few olive trees and they are on a hill, it will be interesting to see if I stay upright 🙂

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  17. How fun to read about you Debbie in your Persons of Interest series. Hoping you had a marvellous birthday and very best wishes ahead. It is hard to know where a blog should go but I think we both are in a spot where we thankfully aren’t using it to put groceries on the table. Good luck with Pinterest. I’m no superstar there but that is where most of our traffic comes from. If you ever want to chat just let me know.

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    1. Thanks Sue for your birthday wishes and thoughts on my interview. You are right, it’s not about putting groceries on the table and I have to keep it in perspective, it’s fun, sociable and interesting plus the amazing contacts we make along the way. I’m thankful to you in the past for your Pinterest help, I’m making progress slowly with some help from friend! Thanks again for your god wishes it’s been a great day 🙂

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  19. Loved that you interviewed yourself Deb – sometimes we forget how much other people enjoy discovering more about the person behind the blog. I hope your birthday is a truly happy one and look forward to reading more of your blog in the year ahead xx

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    1. Ah Leanne, I’ll be hanging around like a bad smell next year, you just wait and see! I’m glad you enjoyed my interview, I enjoyed sharing m answers to my questions! My birthday has been lovely and relaxing – that hammock did its trick very well 🙂

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  21. Happy Birthday, Deb! I love this post and am so glad that you included yourself. I enjoyed learning more about you. I am glad that it is not only me who finds Pinterest frustrating.I look forward to continuing to follow this series.

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    1. You are such a great friend to say that Donna! I decided to interview myself when I saw my birthday fell on a Tuesday – I don’t really consider myself to be all that interesting but couldn’t let the opportunity go by 🙂 Pinterest is not my friend at the moment but I’m working with someone to help get me back on track as we speak!

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  22. I enjoy reading this post. Good thing Debbie didn’t write about herself in third person 😉 I’ll have to check out the post “The Day I Met a Murderer on the Bus.” We never know what interesting thing that can unfold when we chat with the person next to us, right? Anyway, Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day! 🎂🎁🍾

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    1. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes Herlina! Everyone has a story to tell and usually it’s interesting if we take the time to listen. It was fun interviewing myself and I didn’t even consider doing it in third person!

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