The Pakistani Spectator

My name is Lottie. I am forty-one years old, and I was born and raised in southwest Texas, U.S.A. My current occupation is far too boring to mention, but I would like to write professionally one day. I haven’t traveled as much as I would like to, although I did have the pleasure of spending several months in England where my husband was born and raised. I am mother to an incredible boy who is quickly becoming a young man. My interests vary a great deal, but I am especially intrigued by other cultures and look forward to traveling more in the future.

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

I try to examine the world I live in on a daily basis, and many thoughts come to mind. The strapline on my blog is “But this is slavery, not to speak one’s thoughts. - Euripides“, and that is exactly how I feel. So I created my blog as an outlet, a place to freely speak my thoughts. I write whatever is on my mind, and comments from readers are always welcome.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

I definitely feel that I grow the longer I write. Not only in my writing, but as an individual. When writing about any particular topic, I routinely do research and check facts, and so I am constantly learning new things. This is important to me because the more I learn, the better I can relate to other people. Relating well to others helps me communicate better through my writing.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

I have only been blogging for about seven months, but I was quite pleased when I wrote about the Associated Press attempting to redefine Fair Use, and two professional writers commented in support of what I had written. One of them is a journalist who has also published a couple of novels. The other is the News Director of a public radio station in New Mexico, and also a journalist. That was a good day for me.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

I do my best to blog regularly, and I always reply to comments; it’s important to acknowledge people who take the time to comment. I also make a point of reading and commenting on other people’s blogs, especially those who read and comment on mine! I’ve recently started making regular Sunday posts in which I link to and briefly summarize interesting things I’ve read during the week. It’s my way of showing appreciation for my fellow bloggers.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

I don’t think politicians make the best use of technology at this point. In fact, some of them fall flat on their faces, unable to send a simple email. But politics, in general, is being discussed on just about every blog I come across. Blogging is definitely the way to go!

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

Definitely! More people are being heard than ever before. Blogging is changing the world.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

I’m still working on that, to be honest. I don’t think there’s anything extraordinary about my blog. I do my best to write honestly and accurately, and to take responsibility for what I write, which includes correcting mistakes as soon as I become aware of them. But I don’t think I’m alone or even in the minority because of that. I guess the only thing that truly sets my blog apart from others is that I’m the one writing it.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

My unwillingness to accept things at face value — I question everything. While some may consider this a flaw, it has been an invaluable asset to me. The drive to examine, analyze and understand things from as many different angles as possible has helped me overcome some very difficult situations in my life. By understanding that things aren’t always as they appear on the surface, I have been open to new and different interpretations of various things, which has contributed to my growth as an individual, and thus my success.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

I know this will sound clichéd, but the two happiest moments of my life were the day my son was born and the day I married my husband. I know the question didn’t call for two, but they are equally wonderful and I couldn’t possibly choose one over the other.
The gloomiest moment of my life was when my son was four weeks old. He contracted a staph infection from the hospital he was born in. This particular strain of staph was resistant to antibiotics, and the prognosis was 50/50. We didn’t know if our baby would live or die. Obviously, he made it. But that was the darkest, gloomiest week of my entire life.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Germany. Japan. Egypt.

What is your favorite book and why?
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Not necessarily because it’s the best book I ever read, but because it’s the first novel I ever read from cover to cover. I was nine-years old at the time, and it instilled in me a love for reading that has been a part of my life ever since.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Definitely his or her smile.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Yes, but it wasn’t someone whose opinion I valued much anyway. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by friends and family who support and encourage me. I’m probably my own worst critic.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

I’m relatively new to blogging so I don’t know how well I can answer this question. I’ve seen many blogs that promote products and services, and I know some people use their blogs to promote books they’ve published or their photography. I think that blogging can serve as a sort of live portfolio, if you will. For instance, if I wanted to inquire about writing professionally for a newspaper or magazine, perhaps I would refer to them my blog.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

I don’t think that’s true at all. While it requires a certain commitment of time, it’s something to be managed along with other commitments and responsibilities. I don’t think successful blogs are made by accident. They’re made by people committed enough to make time for them alongside other responsibilities.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

I think I’ll allow Thomas Paine to answer this one:
He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. — Thomas Paine

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

My husband, Mike: http://mek1980.wordpress.com
He’s a casual blogger, but he makes me laugh and think, and he has played a major role in my own blogging. In fact, he introduced me to it.
Gary Murning, who I believe you are already familiar with: http://garymurning.wordpress.com
Ed Darrell of Millard Filmore’s Bathtub: http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/
PZ Myers of Pharyngula: http://www.scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/
Street Roots — For those who can’t afford free speech: http://streetroots.wordpress.com/

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

Not long ago, I posted a few observations based on my own interaction with members of the feminist blogging community. I said that they want to control people’s language, and dictate how people speak and phrase things (I’m not the first to make this observation). A guest-blogger at a high-profile feminist blog wrote a response to my post. The reaction was quite strong on both my blog and theirs. Ironically, most of the hostility was directed at the way I had phrased my argument. The debate lasted for about a week and was quite hostile at times. But I survived, and I’m fully recovered.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

I am ashamed to admit that I don’t know very much about Pakistan as a country. I have had the pleasure of meeting a few Pakistani people who came to the U.S. to live. They were always very nice and polite to me and I enjoyed chatting and doing business with them. Since being asked to conduct this interview, I have made a point of reading about Pakistan and I am interested in learning more.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

Honestly, no. Each blog is different because the personalities of the authors are different. So while they are unique in that sense, I have never found one that is stunningly unique.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

That’s a difficult one for me. There are definitely some striking differences, but I would think that education is one of the most striking. I’m certainly no authority on the subject, though.

What is the future of blogging?

It’s hard to say, but I definitely think blogging is here to stay. I think that’s a good thing because a lot of bloggers challenge the mainstream media. It’s no longer a handful of people spoon-feeding ideas to the general public. Society is being influenced by a much larger array of voices now. My hope for the future of blogging is that it will continue to grow.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

While I try to keep them separate as much as possible, it’s inevitable that they will affect each other to some degree. On a personal level, my blogging life gives me a greater appreciation for diversity of thought, lifestyles and culture, which can’t help but create a greater compassion for the people I live and work around.Although I do not write professionally at the moment, I hope to write for a newspaper or magazine someday. Blogging has given me a small taste of what that might be like. And it tastes good !

What are your future plans?

Besides wanting to write for a newspaper or magazine someday, I would also like to move permanently to my husband’s home country of England. I am also secretly (until now) working a novel that will clearly be a very long time in the making. I would like to have at least one novel published in my lifetime.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Conducting this interview has been a privilege. Please feel free to visit my blog any time. I will make a point of checking in here from time to time as well. I look forward to learning more about Pakistan and its people. Who knows? Maybe I can even visit someday.

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