Interview with Debbie from “Deb’s World!”
All about your BLOG:
Tell us about you lovely BLOG.
What is the name of your blog and how did you decide on your blog name?
Deb’s World
- When I started blogging a few years ago, it was as a creative outlet. Since then I’ve started blogging about travel, retirement, my Mother of the Bride journey, running, cycling, family….you name it just about everything! It is really just pieces of my everyday life, so Deb’s World is a very relevant name. I don’t take myself too seriously and am very surprised that I have amassed the following that I have! I love an adventure, sharing my travels and stories.
- My Deb’s World blog originated a few years back when I was feeling stifled by my professional work environment and needed a creative outlet where I could be just me.
What prompted you to start on this blogging journey?
My Deb’s World blog originated a few years back when I was feeling stifled by my professional work environment and needed a creative outlet where I could be just me.
You may not be aware that at the time I worked in a correctional center for male inmates, as the Manager of Educational services and programs. I had been in that environment for over 20 years and the constraints on what I could talk about, what I could show of my personality, and how I could express myself – was wearing. I had to be on my guard the whole time, and watch out for my teachers as well so that no-one was put at any risk. Overall I enjoyed my role and found it to be very rewarding but at times stifling.
My blog started with travel stories, personal reflections and as the years went on I extended myself by participating in writing and photo challenges. I am now engaged in various blogging communities and this has been one of the really unexpected bonuses of blogging.
One of my self-imposed rules was to never talk about my work in my posts. That changed the day the Government decided to outsource all education staff and replace us with clerks and bring in external education providers to do the teaching. I was devastated and so I started writing down my thoughts and sharing our fight for survival. I gained a great deal of support from bloggers who had been in similar situations and the encouragement helped me cope.
It took six months to get rid of us all and they were six frightful months. I became angry, I made myself sick, I gained weight, I lost interest in things, I worried about my staff and also the inmate students who we had worked with to increase the participation rates in Education and ultimately improving their skills for life after their release.
In the end, we all took a redundancy and were finished up on 23 December 2016. My career of over 2 decades was over and I was only 56 years old.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, I get that, but at the time of being forced out of my career, it was very hard. I know now that I was grieving and look back at that time with sadness. I know I worried unnecessarily, I know there’s always a silver lining, I know life will continue, I know there are benefits to finishing work at an early age – and now I’m posting about all my amazing travels and have far more time to engage with other bloggers, read, run, cycle, live without toxic people in my life and enjoy my newfound early retired lifestyle. My husband also retired (voluntarily at age 60) in January 2017 so it’s been a whole new lifestyle for us both.
To date, what blogging achievement/s are you most proud of?
I was voted Runner Up in the Hidden Gem category at the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, held in London in May 2018. As I was visiting my blogging daughter in the UK at the time (I live in Australia) my daughter and I attended the awards and met so many great bloggers in person. It was a real highlight!
How would you describe your own blogging style?
Relaxed and chatty – I don’t myself too seriously and love to share stories and photos about all sorts of things.
What excites you most about blogging?
Writing and sharing my thoughts and having others read them. Meeting other bloggers around the world has been a bonus. It’s my little corner of the internet and I love it!
What platform do you use and why?
WordPress dot com due to ease of use and it was the first one I tried. I’ve upgraded to a premium account and haven’t had any dramas at all. I can always get help on issues whenever I need it.
What genre/topic/theme do you blog about? Do you ever deviate from that theme?
I write about everything, but mainly midlife issues, family, adventures and lots of travel posts. I have deviated into personal issues and some of these posts have had the most views. Being made redundant and writing about it has also proven a good topic
How often do you blog per week or month?
About 2-3 times a week, sometimes more, sometimes less! No matter what, I try to do a photo post for Wordless Wednesday
Do you have any wisdom or tip/s regarding blogging to share with us?
Don’t try too hard, just do what makes you happy. Not everyone has to make money out of blogging; it can be just for fun. I personally don’t like pop-ups the minute I go to a blog!
Do you participate in linkup parties? How do you feel about it?
I do enjoy linkup parties but sometimes I don’t enjoy some of the blogs I read as they’re not in my interest range. I still read and share though because that’s polite!
All about YOU:
Tell us something about you, the real YOU.
What do you like to do other than blogging?
I travel, read, cycle, walk, run, do community work with Rotary, cross-stitch, enjoy book club, movie club and a women’s discussion group. I now have a granddaughter and love to spend time with her and her parents. Then I have two other daughters, one in Brisbane and one who lives in the UK, so I have to keep traveling!
Where do you reside?
A small rural town in NSW Australia called Tumbarumba.
Are you an indoor or outdoor person? Usually outdoors unless I’m blogging
Do you still work, and if so, what is your trade/profession?
I am retired now as I was made redundant in December 2016 (at age 56), after a 22+ year career as a Senior Correctional Education Officer. I worked in a minimum security correctional center for males.
Or are you retired? If so, what do you do besides blogging?
I don’t quite know but the days just fly by!!!! There aren’t enough hours in the day!
Do you wish to be 20-something or the age you are now and why?
I’d rather be the age I am now, it’s a more confident age and I’m very happy with my lifestyle.
What makes your day a good and happy one?
Sunshine, reading, a walk
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Quirky, fun, enthusiastic
Share with us 3 interesting facts about yourself.
- I have a Bravery Award from the Queen.
- I was a Breastfeeding Counsellor when I was a young mother.
- And I graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Adult Vocational Education when I was in my early 40s.
Do you have any other tidbits to share with us about yourself?
I became a new grandmother to my first grandchild Emilia Jane in September 2018 – so happy!
Last but not least:
Please share with us your social media links, in order for our readers to follow you!
Blog: www.debs-world.com
Pinterest: https://www.Pinterest.com/wonderwomandebz/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/wonderwomandebz
Instagram: https://instagram.com/debs__world
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/WorldaccordingtoDebbie
Hi, Esther – Thank you for hosting Debbie on your site. I learned many new things about her (even though I follow her blog regularly. Great series!
Hi Donna, thank you so much for your visit and note left. May I ask if you would be interested to also do an Interview ??? What do you think of that. You can also do a Guest post and if you would like (I know I would love it) that you participate in the weekly Senior Salon series.
It was really good to know so much more about you, Deb, through this interview. From handling a forced retirement to the happy blogging space that you are in today, the journey is really inspiring.
Thank you Esme for doing something like this. I am looking forward to reading the other interviews featured on your blog.
Hi Deepa – Thank you for visiting and your kind note. I hope that you may be interested to also do an interview. Please let me know and drop me an email then we can connect and chat and set this up for you. I will be honed to have you 🙂
Hi Deepa, many thanks for your kind comment. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my interview with Esme, it was a privilege to be included. 🙂
I am the lucky one here. Thanks. Deeps let me know if you would like to partcipate. Looking forward to hear from you.
Wonderful to read some more about the lovely Deb – she is such a ray of sunshine and I love the connection we’ve made through our blogs. Aussie bloggers just seem to resonate with each other for some reason.
Hi Leanne – thank you for popping in and visiting and reading Deb’s wonderful post here. I would love to have you also here and do an Interview with you. Would you be interested Leanne?
Oh Leanne, your lovely comment made me smile on this wet day! I like the fact you see me as ray of sunshine 🙂 . Us Aussie bloggers rule! You’d be a great interview subject for Esme. Your blog is so inspiring and I love your writing.
Yes I hope that we can get Leanne also on board for an interview. Looking forward to hear from her.
Hello Esme, it is lovely to see my friend and fellow Aussie Blogger, Deb here in your interview series. Although we have never met in real life as she lives at the opposite end of the country to me, we have developed a lovely friendship online and shared many special moments such as the birth of our grandchildren and the Bloggers’ Bash Awards. Thank you Deb for the contribution you make to the blogging world and I think you know by now, I’m a fan. Have a beautiful week, ladies.
Sue – Thank you so much for your lovely comment and visits here. What do you say, would you also like to do an Interview here. Please let me know as I will be honored to feature you and your blog.
Hi Esme I would love to do an interview for you. xx
Awesome – I will email you the information – Yippee!!!
You’re such a special friend Sue, and I just loved your comment. thank you so much. I think Sue would be a great blogger to interview Esme!
Sue, now you’re on the hook, please let me know if you would be interested to do an Interview. I am looking forward to hearing from you
Thanks Deb the feeling is mutual. xx
Another interesting interview, Esmé. I follow Deb’s blog and always enjoy her posts – and I like that she interacts with readers, as that makes the whole blogging experience so much richer.
Thank you Clive – great to see and ‘hear’ from you again.
Hi there Clive, I’m so glad you found my interview with Esme interesting, it was fun to answer her questions. I love the interaction we get as bloggers and enjoy meeting people, it’s a great community isn’t it? Thanks again 🙂
♥
Wow! A Bravery Award??? Fantastic.
Hi Susie – glad you mentioned it, I was hoping someone would pick it up and ask. Hopefully, Deb will elaborate a bit and enlighten us on this bravery award.
Thanks Esme, I’ve included the link in a reply to Susie’s comment, I hope that’s OK..
Deb. Perfect, thank you for sharing. Will for sure pop over to read that today.
The story about my bravery award is here Susie https://debs-world.com/2018/04/08/what-ive-learnt-from-surviving-a-school-trip-that-went-terribly-wrong/
Thanks for your interest.
Thank you for sharing Debbie. I read this post and am sitting here with tears in my eyes, for you and your friends. You’re such an awesome person. Take care
Thank you Esme, that means a lot to me! I don’t consider myself brave or awesome but I just did what had to be done at the time. It has made me a better person and I’m far more empathetic. Any news of a bus accident, anywhere in the world, still manages to bring me undone all these years later though.
I can understand that any new bus accident will do this to you. This is not something one will ever forget.
Thanks so much for having me over Esme, I’m thrilled to be on your blog today. It’s so generous of you to share our stories and I really appreciate your support and encouragement.
Deb, I truly value each and every blogger I come into contact with and Love to showcase your stories. Feel free to share this on your blog and other social media if you wish.