Someone I'd Like You to Meet: Lei from My Many Colored Days

After I asked Lei, a long-time blogging friend from My Many Colored Days and this month's Write-Away Contest guest judge, some questions I realized that even though I've been reading Lei's blog for 68 years (that's in blogging years which are each equivalent to 37 human years) there are things I still didn't know about this wonderful woman.

Of course I'm sure there are plenty more little secrets she's saving but it was fun to find out even more details about someone I've been thrilled to call a blogging buddy for lo these many years.

Where to start? Well first it doesn't take long hanging around My Many Colored Days to figure out Lei is multi-talented. She plays the viola, crafts, writes, mothers and takes amazing photos (here's the shameless plug for her relatively new Etsy store where she sells her work, the peacock photo is great isn't it?). Of course this is all on top of being a mother to four children (Adriana, Jonah, Drew and Sasha) and recently moving her family to a new home so I was especially grateful that she found the time to answer a few of my questions.

Lei's writing is sincere and thoughtful as you'll often see in her regular Woman-to-Woman posts and it surprised me when she admitted that a professor once told her she had "serious writing problems." It's funny but a similar thing happened to me. I was taking a general newswriting class (Newswriting 211 for any BYU communications alumni out there) and the professor looked at a piece I'd done and asked doubtfully if I was actually planning on majoring in journalism. It wouldn't have hurt so badly if he hadn't been a top-notch newswriter himself.

So I can feel her pain. But when I asked her if she had advice for other writers out there after judging the contest and she did say, "If you enjoy writing then do it. And don't let any one comment or missed award deter you. I write best about the things that I am passionate about . . . if the subject doesn't really hit home for me or if I don't know much about it, I usually miss the boat. So stick to the things that you know, that you love!"

Lei is passionate about many things (she's so talented) and when I asked her about things she enjoys doing and future goals she might have and she said,

"I could never settle on one job, I always have my hand in various pots because I love living a varied life. I mean, I always finish what I start but I do shift gears pretty often, I've been a violin teacher, viola teacher, recording artist, Weight Watcher's leader, font designer, photographer and craftician. But I can't sing as well as I'd like (you know, well enough to sing opera?). Nor swim very well (there go my triathlon dreams). I also do not know how to whistle ("And you have a degree in music?!?!"). So, those 3 are on my list of things to learn for sure. And in case you were wondering, yes I am an over achiever. Seriously, it is my nickname."

I think I'm in love, I always have to have different projects going at once and like to be constantly learning new things. Though I don't think there's any chance of me singing opera any time soon. Or not so soon--it just is not going to happen.

Finally, perhaps the thing that resonated with me the most was when Lei talked about her feelings about blogging--lately with summer on strong and having my kids home from school I feel as if I've really let things go around here, I'm normally completely on top of things and organized and together but I've found myself forgetting some of the most basic things and there never seems to be enough time in the day.

I don't get my regular writing time with the kids around all day and since they take priority I suddenly am scrambling every day to get my posts out on time. Don't get me wrong, I'm still completely addicted and will blog and blog and blog but I have less time for the extras--visiting other blogs for example--and I feel completely guilt-ridden about it.

I asked Lei about this and she said, "I feel guilty when I haven't visited other blogs as regularly as they've visited mine. And that's been often as of late. I also feel like I've lost touch with several very good bloggy friends. But it's not been done on purpose. I have a lot on my plate right now and I'll catch up with them again soon." But if you ask her how she feels about closing down her blog she says, "closing my blog would almost be like sacrificing a limb" which pretty much sums up my feelings about Scribbit as well.

I could have written those words myself and somehow hearing that someone else--particularly another blogger that I admire--is dealing with the same issues makes me feel better. I'm still behind in my work and I still feel rather guilty about it but I don't feel like beating myself up over it quite as much as I did before. I guess that's what appeals to me about My Many Colored Days is that it feels real and sincere and I can relate to what's happening--just what I need to hear.

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