The words — FAMOUS. POWERFUL. CHIEF. WELL-KNOWN. INFLUENTIAL. MOVER AND SHAKER. — aren’t exactly words that I’d use to describe myself. Yet, these words almost glared at me today as I read the article featuring myself in Adelaide’s main newspaper, “The Advertiser”. Maybe it’s a good thing that it’s buried somewhere on page 52, so…
In any case, here’s the obligatory snapshot of the piece:

If you got here through this article - thank you so much for taking time to visit. I really appreciate it. I hope that you find something of value around here somewhere. If you get the chance, please say hello. I’d love to hear from you.

If you’re interested to know how this thing came about, well, about 3 weeks ago, an article on online businesses came out at the Sydney Morning Herald. b5media, the blogging network that I’m running with 3 other guys was mentioned in the said piece. And, there was a reference to me being an Adelaide-based blogger who’s part of this “10 Most Powerful Women in Blogging” list (see related blog post). Hence, that caught the eye of some folks at The Advertiser.

That’s when I received an email and an invitation for a coffee chat about the world of web logs. And, truth be told, when a photographer came in the middle of my talk with ‘Tiser writer/columnist Samela Harris, I was actually taken aback. You see, I was only expecting a small blurb on the newspaper, somewhere in business, IT, or some other section - NOT a full feature on me and blogging. So, I didn’t think a photo of me would be needed.

You see, blogging isn’t a real big thing here in this neck of the woods. And, the few who may have heard the word ‘blog’ mostly think that it’s just a personal journal or diary. Most certainly do not think of blogs as a way to promote a cause, to provide a platform, and/or to create a proper money-making business.

So, when Samela (The ‘Tiser’s Resident Cyberspace Expert) received the go signal to do an article about a blogger and blogging, she told me how pleased she was about it. And, I am too. Not just because I’m getting some taste of “fame” in my home city. I’m mostly pleased because I’m all for increasing the profile of bloggers and weblogs in general. You see, while mainstream media in the U.S. and other parts of the world have really started paying a lot of attention to blogs and bloggers, Austalia still has a lot of catching up to do on this front.

Anyway, as I said, the interview and impromptu photo shoot was done about 3 weeks ago. I was told that the piece was meant to come out 1-2 weeks back. When it didn’t get published then, I thought the article may have already been axed by the eds. I know this happens in the world of publishing, so I was okay with that. I was just happy to have gone through the interview, as it was a real pleasurable experience. It was great meeting Samela and getting to know her. I’ve known OF her since I moved here 3 years ago (she even wrote about FreshWave.TV on her column), so it was good to get the chance to talk.

But, just when I was actually putting the interview/article out of my mind, just before lunch time today, my husband received a call at home from a friend who was sending his congratulations on my “half page spread on the newspaper.” Since we didn’t have the paper just yet, and I was on my way to an appointment with my hairdresser then, I couldn’t check it immediately.

After dropping me off at the beautician’s, my husband bought the paper and looked for the article while he was having coffee and taking care of our son. Apparently, my two-year-old saw my picture and started shouting and pointing, “Mummy! Mummy!” A lady at the cafe was trying to interact with my boy very kindly then. So, she asked him, “Oh. You think that’s your mummy? Does that lady look like your mummy?” My husband, who probably couldn’t contain his pride, answered: “Actually, that is his mummy.” The nice lady was probably understandably put off by my beaming husband. Haha. Of course, hubs didn’t really mean to sound so snooty. But I guess, being British, he just can’t help himself. He did admit to me later on that he wished he didn’t say anything.
Ah, well. There’s my day in the limelight.

Tomorrow, I’ll be back to being boring ol’ me. Just blogging away quietly in my little home office in a suburb just outside Adelaide on some days. Or, being a wife, a mum, an employee, a friend, a colleague, a therapist/counsellor… Definitely none of that power and fame stuff. And, the only moving and shaking I’d do is if I ever get to haul myself to a Salsa dance class or club one of these days. Heh.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, “The Advertiser” doesn’t seem to have an online version of the article. If you’re interested in reading it, here’s a bigger JPG scan of the newspaper article.