A couple weeks ago a local blogger by name of Jacqueline got on my case about doing more Blogger Profiles. She was of course right, there are lots of bloggers here in Yellowknife that I hadn’t approached about having a Blogger Profile. When I finally got my act together again and found the determination to do another know I thought Jacqueline would be the perfect one. She is one of the young bloggers in Yellowknife that I know of and has a style like no other. She is very passionate about blogging and here is what she has to say:

Who are you?

WHO AM I? I’m only the most awesome person you’ll find online. Ha. Kidding, but not really. I’m Jacqueline Brasseur. I’m known for my numerous jobs, my beautiful blog, and for having parents that everybody knows. Hmph.

Where do you blog (site address)?

I generally blog while I’m lying in my bed over at: http://www.wonderingandpondering.wordpress.com. I’m super proud of everything I write, and it’s pretty awesome. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should take a wander over to Wondering&Pondering.

Why do you blog?

I blog because it’s my art. Everybody has something that they’re really good at. I had always found it hard to find something when I was a kid. I thought I could do music, but realized that that would never happened. Then, I started drawing, but quickly realized that that would never happen either. Finally, I found Blogger. That’s when I started blogging, and I realized that this was perfect for me. I had always loved writing, but found the perfect place to share it with the world.

My sister’s always told me that blogger’s are people who are just vain and think the world wants to hear their opinions. Personally? I may be vain, and I may think that the world wants to hear my opinions, but that’s not why I blog. I blog because it’s my way of being me. It helps me relieve stress, helps me relax at the end of the day, and oddly enough, makes me feel closer to God, and closer to figuring out who I really am.

Goodness, aren’t I just full of teenage angst. Ha.

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?

The best part of blogging has got to be how many people I’ve met since I started. I’ve never met so many awesome people as fast as I have through blogging. I also really like how I’ve all of a sudden become different than everybody else in my group of friends. I’m pretty much the only kid at my school that blogs openly. I get made fun of for it, but really, I know that everybody else is just in the closet about blogging.

The worst thing about blogging has got to be the lack of respect that you get. People don’t realize how interesting the blogosphere really can be, or how difficult it can be to create something right out of your heart and mind, and share it with everybody with an internet connection. I only wish is was as appreciated by non-bloggers as it is by bloggers.

Who do you write for? Yourself? Your Readers? Google? For a living?

I write for myself. That simple. Any time that I’m writing a post, and I start thinking that so-and-so would find it funny if I wrote this or that, I immediately erase the entire post and start over. I’d feel like such a sell-out if I wrote for anybody else. People always ask me if I think I’ll try to write for a living, and I figure that I wouldn’t really enjoy it as much if I had the pressure of money to add on to it. I’d hate writing for deadlines, or writing about specific topics that were handed to me by a higher power. Writing for myself gives me the perfect freedom.

As one of the few Teenagers who blog in Yellowknife how do you find the blogosphere here?

I am one of the few teenagers, aren’t I? I love it. I love everything about the blogosphere, except for being one of the few teenagers. Ha. I feel a bigger connection to the community because of it. The blogosphere is huge, and I think that we really give each other more support than any other –osphere in town. I like the fact that I’ve met people who, even if they’re older than I am, are going to support me, and invite me into their lives. I absolutely love it. Everything about it.

Are you proud to be a blogger?

AM I EVER. Haha. What really made me realize how much pride radiated off of me, was when my BFF was shopping out of town, and called me one night to tell me that she found a tanktop with: “I am so blogging this.” on it, and she wanted to know if I wanted her to buy it for me. I wore that thing every day for like, three weeks. Ha. I’m proud to be a part of something like this. It may sound stupid, but I’m prouder to be a blogger than pretty much anything else.

Do you or would you ever censor yourself?

Oh, I definitely censor myself. I often will try not to and you’ll see apologies to my mother throughout my posts, haha. But I’ve definitely cut down on bad words and such ever since somebody told me that their mother read my blog. When I heard that, it made me realize that EVERYBODY could read it if they chose to, and that I should be a little careful about posting about how much I hate a teacher, or any information about employers or friends. There are definitely things I don’t write about, but I’d never censor myself about things that I really believed in.

PC or Mac?

Definitely PCs. I’ve hated Macs ever since I was six years old and playing on one in the computer lab at school. I think they’re made for people who are too simple minded to use PCs. This is an example of how I censor myself, because I know that most of the blogosphere loves Macs. There was actually a time where I decided my friendships on if they preferred PCs or Macs. I definitely like PCs better. I’ve tried Macs, and I can’t stand them. No left click? WHAT?

Blogs you read or would recommend?

I read a lot of blogs, generally ones from the NWT.

• I read Reflections in Snow-Covered Hills, but really, who doesn’t? She’s hilarious, intelligent, and best of all, has a beautiful blog.
• Dispatches from the Failed Mommies Club is also one of my favorite blogs. The way she explains motherhood in a whole new way is incredible. I love it.
• I really enjoy Fight Off Your Demons, and if you’re looking for another teenager blog, this is definitely a perfect one. Emilie knows really how to make you interested in her entire life. It’s utterly amazing.
• I also read Amy’s MUSICisME. I think the idea is absolutely magnificent, and has a sort of beauty to it that few blogs do. If you haven’t checked this out, you just HAVE to now.
• The non-NWT blogs that I read include Slap Upside The Head and PostSecret. Those are pretty popular though.

I suggest everybody checks out these Tumblrs I found:

• F*** Yeah, Advertising!
• American Apologies
• Stuff My Girlfriend Says

Are you originally from Yellowknife?

*Sigh* I was born here. I like it. It’s different, friendly, and perfectly sized. I’m planning on living here for the rest of my life because, well, you’ll never find anything better.

Even though it is a day late, here is this weeks Blogger Profile. Our blogger this week is Nancy the Money Coach, who is one of the leading forces of our social media club here in Yellowknife. She is all for Web 2.0 and Gov 2.0 and will do great things for Yellowknife. Check out here profile below.

Who are you?

#42. No wait. Sorry that’s the meaning of life.
Who am I? pop by my blog, hang out a while, and you’ll find out.

Where do you blog?

I hope one day soon I shall be blogging again from Javaroma, but for now I’m blogging from home.

Why do you blog?

I started blogging because it was a much less expensive form of marketing than print — and I got more business! But even though I’m on sabbatical from my money-coaching business, I’m still blogging for several reasons:

• It gives me voice to speak about issues I care about
• The blogosphere satisfies part of my social (yes, online relationships are “real”!) and intellectual needs
• I enjoy living in this new, global, web 2.0 space and participating in its evolution

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?

I love the interaction with people from all over the world. My global awareness and access to new ideas has skyrocketed since blogging. The worst part is sometimes the best, too: the Tech (serious geek) side. I get frustrated not being able to make my blog look as nice as I want, but on the other hand, peer-to-peer collaborative events like #yzfbarcamp are a lot of fun, and I really enjoy learning those geeky bits.

Who do you write for? Yourself? Your Readers? Google? For a living?

Well, for the world. Seriously. My blogging is giving fuel, in my own little way, to this brave new world of social media. It’s almost like this parallel universe, and I want that universe to be as vibrant and colourful and engaging as possible. I hope I’m contributing to that.

You are known as the Money Coach, how did that come to be?

For the past several years I had my own business helping people manage their money – spend appropriately, get out of debt, create budgets, save, define for themselves what is important to spend money on, and what is a waste for them. I loved my work, but I needed a break. It will resurrect though! And in the meantime, I still like blogging, and tweeting about the topic.

Do you or would you ever censor yourself?

There’s always the tension of voicing opinions and having personality yet writing with diplomacy and respect for others’ sensitivities. This was more acute when I was blogging in part to attract and engage clients. I had to decide that I was going to show my political stripes (green) and that I’m religious (high Anglican) even if it cost me readers and business. In that way, blogging forces intention and integrity. So I don’t think I “censor” myself, per se, but I do care about my readers and I care about my opinions and integrity, and both shape what I choose to write.

PC or Mac?

Mac. ’nuff said.

Blogs you read or would recommend?

Well I’m sure enjoying all the blogs up here in the NWT.

I’m increasingly interested in Canada’s public policy about the web – it’s being created right now, and what you and I say and think about it matters – so I am spending more time reading blogs like Eaves, MichaelGeist, and CPSR. There are many more!

Are you originally from Yellowknife? Or what made you decide to move here?
Yep, born and grew up here.

Next up for our Blogger Profile series is Liz Hargreaves. Liz just moved back to Yellowknife after finishing up studies at BCIT. She’s a journalist, videographer, web designer, editor, photojournalist, writer and award-winning newspaper designer and we are so glad to have her here in the north. Read all about her:

Who are you?
I am a new media nerd/videographer/journalist/photographer/designer/mum to a rambunctious toddler. I am also a limey gypsy who has lived in many diverse spots across Canada. I have a partner of 10 years and together we do fun family activities on the weekend (like our picnic to Long Lake today). I keep busy ☺

Where do you blog?
From wherever I am living at the time, so mostly from our home office, or living room since I am using a laptop.

Why do you blog?
I blog to keep up my writing skills and as a way to archive interesting information I come across that is mainly new media and tech related. I am also interested in provoking debate or discussion. For instance the Vimeo vs. YouTube thread I started was fun for me (though the comments for this came on the Facebook link as opposed to the blog!)

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?
The best part of blogging is the community it creates, and debate about what’s happening in the community – or around the world. The worst part of blogging – writing is hard.

Who do you write for? Yourself? Your Readers? Google? For a living?
I write mainly for myself. Blogging helps me research new technologies. But I am always aware there are other kindred nerd-types who might enjoy the information and ideas I come across.

Do you or would you ever censor yourself?
Of course! I wouldn’t want to burn any bridges or look like a new media douchebag. Blogging is like life and requires a social filter.

PC or Mac?
I work on Mac as my British Columbia Institute of Technology program required the purchase of a MacBook Pro. But the hard drives of my last two Macs died within months of use so I am feeling less love for Apple these days.

Blogs you read or would recommend?
Links people post on Twitter and I follow all the Yellowknife bloggers I can find by doing a search for hashtag #yzf.

You recently finished studies in New Media Design and Web Development, what prompted you to take that program?
I worked in the print and newspaper business for more than a decade and I wanted to keep my technology skills up-to-date. There are so many more interactive ways to reach viewers these days, through websites, social media channels, videos, gaming, etc. We live in an exciting time of change for communication and I love to learn about new ways of storytelling.

Are you originally from Yellowknife? Or what made you decide to move here?
We moved to Yellowknife in 2003 after my partner found a job for me on journalism job site jeffgaulin.com.   I worked for Northern News Services in its photo and production departments. For the past year, we lived in Burnaby, B.C. so I could complete my courses at BCIT. But we missed our friends and the great community feel of Yellowknife so we moved back as soon as the ferry was running this spring. I am looking forward to lots of great media adventures here as Yellowknife has a very Internet focused population, perhaps because of the harsh winters. You can bet I’ll have cool Yellowknife photo/video ops all over Flickr and YouTube in the coming months.

She’s some lady in Yellowknife, NT. Who has opinions and things. Her blog won first place in the Best New Blog category and second place in the Best Post category in the Best NWT Blogs 2008 competition. And yes I did just steal this introduction from her blog. Although she is leaving Yellowknife here is her blogger profile:

Who are you? Your average person would probably call me a nerd, but I’m not actually smart enough to fit in with the real nerds. I’m more of a turd.

Where do you blog? On the Internet, mostly.

Visit me! http://theferrytales.blogspot.com

Why do you blog?

I had a hard time getting famous with rock and roll.

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?

The best part so far is being part of the Northern blogosphere. It’s amazing how bloggers spread out from Whitehorse to Arctic Bay have formed this online community. And it goes beyond nerdy gatherings in Yellowknife – this winter, when I organized a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, several of the items that sold in the silent auction came from bloggers I had never even met in real life.

The worst part is when you make a typo and can’t get back and change it. I did that in my most recent poll.

Who do you write for? Yourself? Your Readers? Google? For a living?

I keep my readers in mind when choosing topics, and occasionally I go on a self-indulgent photography spree or rant.

I think it’s fun to write about things that will attract random Googlers, so I must admit I write for Google as well.

Do you or would you ever censor yourself?

**** yes. My blog attracts a lot of readers, and I don’t want to air any of my dirty laundry to creepy randoms. Sometimes I think writing about something of a personal nature can be helpful to others, such as when I write about OCD or coping with death. But people don’t need to read about intimate relationships, my work or my bowel movements.

…they don’t, do they?

PC or Mac?

PC

Blogs you read or would recommend?

My favourite blog is Slap Upside the Head. Mark posts about LGBT issues and completes each post with hilarious illustrations.

Visit him! http://www.slapupsidethehead.com/

What made you decide to move to Yellowknife?

I came here for work in 2007, but found other reasons to love it.

You recently announced you would be leaving the north, do you think you will ever return?

I love the North. I want to return for visits, but I’m pretty sure my happily ever after is going to be in Newfoundland.

Megan from Snow Cover Hills is our next featured blogger. She is known for her caring ability to write about grammar and journalism and sometimes answers her readers submitted questions as well as complaints. Being the David Hasselhoff fan she is has also complimented her blog. Here is her full profile:

Who are you?

I’m me. Nobody, really; just a person who likes to write. I’m not important or particularly relevant or even all that interesting. I’m still amazed that anyone reads my site. There is a reason I will never write a memoir: My life is too boring to be believed. The pajamahadeen would be all over me within days, demanding proof that I am actually this pathetic.

Where do you blog?

I always blog from my living room, usually with my feet up. I almost always blog in my pajamas: I think this gives me more legitimacy with other bloggers, although my living room is not in my parents’ basement. It also gives my critics a sense of satisfaction, because it is proof that I do not take writing seriously. Serious writers always wear warm-up jackets.

Why do you blog?

Writers write: I don’t think I could stop. I’ve been blogging for about three years, but before I had a website I did other types of silly writing. I used to write parodies of Dr. Seuss poems. It was every bit as awful as it sounds. From time to time I’ll post a poem, but I usually stick to prose these days.

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?

I really like the relationships I’ve developed over the years because of my site. It’s also really nice to have something that’s MINE, ALL MINE. It’s the only thing I have that’s just mine.

The worst thing about blogging is that people sometimes decide that I’m a horrible person because of something I’ve written. I’m actually a very nice person, and I don’t think there’s any need for the kind of personal attacks I sometimes get — always from people who’ve never met me, of course.

Who do you write for? Yourself? Your Readers? Google? For a living?

Hmmm. Definitely not Google. I’d have to say that I write for my readers. My site developed into what it is now because of the reaction I’ve gotten from readers. The David Hasselhoff stuff is the most obvious example, but when I first started my site, I didn’t write about grammar or journalism, and I never took reader-submitted questions or complaints. All of those things came over time, and only exist because people responded to them.

I have a whole life that never gets mentioned on the blog, so I can’t say that I write for myself. I can be self-indulgent, though: if I’m listening to a lot of Green Day, you’ll know about it.

When did you first notice people were actually reading your blog?

My readership grew slowly. I don’t think there was a moment when I realised that there had been a shift away from friends and family to total strangers, but obviously, that happened quite some time ago. I have a lot of readers who are current or former journalists, and I think they found me through my posts about journalism.

Do you or would you ever censor yourself?

We all do. I don’t think there’s any point in pretending otherwise.

I’m quite honest with people: if they want to know what I think about something, they should call me and ask instead of waiting for me to blog about whatever it is. It may never make it to the site. Then again, it may become a reader-submitted question.

PC or Mac?

Ugh. Well, I use a PC right now, but I want to throw it across the room at least once each evening. I’ll probably get a Mac in the next few months. I’m just not smart enough to be able to deal with PCs. I need things to be as easy as possible.

Blogs you read or would recommend?

Oh, there are SO MANY. I’m just going to pick a few, though:
Amy at On The Present Moment – for inspiring me to start my blog and for showing the rest of us that it’s OK when someone doesn’t like what you’ve posted.
Karan at Dispatches From the Failed Mommies Club – for writing about the difficulties of mommyhood with such grace and humour.
Geoff at Meeker On Media — for being one of the few media critics in the country.
Torq at The Big American Zero– for daring to be different, for having a great sense of humour, and for developing an amazing comment section that really is a conversation.
Craig at Townie Bastard– for being funny, ornery and thoughtful all at the same time.

Are you originally from Yellowknife? Or what made you decide to move here?

No, I’m from the east coast. I moved to Inuvik in 2000 to work for CBC North: I’d been working at stations in Halifax and Newfoundland, and I took a permanent job at the station in Inuvik. It was a tough place to work. I was young and completely unprepared for the challenges. (If I ever DO write a memoir, that will be the title.) I stayed in Inuvik for three and a half years and then moved to Yellowknife to work as a writer.

Don’t forget to check out her blog Snow Cover Hills. Did you know she also just joined Twitter, follow her @BlackMoonEyes

Here at YkOnline we are going to start two new series, the first being Blogger Profiles. This series will feature profiles from Yellowknife and Northern Bloggers and should be published once a week. Our first featured Blogger is definitely worthy of the spot. Not only has she been blogging for over 5 years but she also brought most if not all the northern bloggers together on one site called NWTBlogs. She has more plans in the works for Northerners online, check out her profile below.

Who are you?

My name is Amy.  The roles I fill include: wife, mother of three, employee, volunteer and friend but none of these words can accurately describe me.  I don’t think I can either.  If you really want to know, talk to someone who knows me, they are able to me much more objective.
But, on a superficial level…  I love to organize, participate, aggregate, conglomerate and laugh.  I am easy-going and friendly, love to play poker and have a good time.  I like to exercise my creativity, and get a kick out of trying new things.  I suck at giving advice, but I am a good listener.  I tend to lurk, and only comment when I really have something important to say.  I like it when friends call me Ames.  I don’t like it when people I hardly know call me Ames.
I enjoy eating the low-hanging fruit, but feel a constant need to climb higher and get the one on the highest branch.

Where do you blog?
My personal blog can be found at www.hacala.ca.  Hacala is my last name.  If I could do it all over again, I would’ve picked a different URL.  My blog, is unofficially titled “…on the present moment”, and I am aware that mention of that is, right now, completely lacking from the main page (if not all pages).
My handle most other places is amsiebee.  It is a nickname my dad gave me when I was a little girl.  It is a mashup of both my given names, Amy and Bronwyn.

Why do you blog?
I started blogging in 2004, primarily to keep family in faraway places updated on our comings and goings.  This was before Facebook, or any of the other more recent methods of keeping stalkers aware of what is going on in our lives.
My blog has changed quite a bit over the last five years; initially it even hosted an internal photo gallery.  These days, with Flickr and the advent of many of the other social networking sites, there is no need to do that anymore.  My site these days is more of a mashup of all of my online activity, with the occasional rambling journal post about my life or my thoughts, or the lyrics to a song I am currently obsessed with.
I blog primarily to stay connected with the online/blogging community we have created here in Yellowknife.  Seeing the number of people who blog in YK and the NWT grow over the last five years has been great.  I like the idea that I am adding my voice and my perspective to the dialogue going on out there…
The core reason I blog though, is purely selfish.  I love the act of building the blog, and changing it, and adapting it, and adding to it.  I am, in truth, much more interested in the technical side of the blog that the content side of it, which can make life a little difficult.
What gave you the idea to start NWTBlogs.com?
I am not exactly sure where the idea came from.  When I started the site, there was really no place where you could find a directory of blogs being written in the NWT.  Next thing you know I was carrying out daily Technorati searches trying to find as many Northern bloggers as I could and adding them to my aggregator.
There are all kinds of cool things I would like to see the site do, including aggregating the content of NWT Flickr streams, displaying NWT/YK tweets in a more user friendly kind of a way, and to provide users with a choice of RSS streams that include bits and pieces of the site or all of the site.  I have some really neat ideas about geotagging things too, so you can pinpoint a bloggers location on Google maps.  It is almost more fun than my personal blog because I do not have to write content for it, I can just obsess about the technical stuff.

What is the best part of blogging? …Or worst?
In my experience, the best part of blogging has been the new friendships I have made.  I have met and become friends with people whom I otherwise would never have known and am happier for it.
The worst part of blogging, or the most difficult for me anyways, is the struggle to create content regularly.  Because I want to write things that my audience will generally find interesting, I can’t just write about web 2.0 constantly (although I want to, and I seem to be doing it more and more lately).  Maybe I lead a boring life, or I am intellectually uninteresting, but I have been having a really hard time lately keeping my site updated.
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