Jo from Jo's Cafe

Today, we're happy to have a local girl. Local to me anyway. I've never met her, but it's a pleasure to interview Jo from Jo's Cafe ...


It looks like the interviewers are set to go ...


Now, for our first question

What is your motivation in blogging?
It started out after I was diagnosed as a diabetic. I wanted some place where I could put down how I was feeling and chronicle my journey with it. As I moved forward, I also wanted to give my thoughts on events around me, so I changed to the format I use now. But the main focus is going to be diabetes and how I'm dealing with it.


How do you manage to find all of those delicious posts for your specials?


LOL Actually I use a feed reader with several blogs and news sources in it. Also from Stumble.com. It's Tre's fault that Casey and Andy show up now and again.


I appreciate your diabetes awareness ... when did you find out you had diabetes? And what is the most important thing you'd like the rest of us to know about the disease?


I was diagnosed in December 2004. After fighting massive weight loss (yes, I am female and it was betting bad), the doctor decided to see if my thyroid medication was out of wack and took a blood sample to check my TSH and the rest of the stuff. That's when we found out. What I would like everyone to know is that the old stereotypes about who gets it nd are just that, stereotypes. Anyone can get it - age and lifestyle sometimes matter. I want everyone to understand that the food we eat today contributes, as does the lack of exercise. I love computer games, but get you and the kids out of the house and walk or play an outside game. My grandmother use to make us take a walk with her after a big meal, like Thanksgiving, instead of taking a nap. Now I understand why. She lived to 93 and I hope I'm that spry at 93.


OK, Gilligan or the Skipper?


Skipper!!


Have you always lived in the south? If not, how do you like it?


I grew up in Southern Minnesota. As the saying goes, "I wasn't born in the south, but I got here as fast as I could." I wouldn't live anywhere else but the south - as long as it's not Texas and that's a whole 'nother story. I have lived in the south since leaving home for the Army in 1980. There is nothing I left at home that I can't live without, and that's been proven now for over 20 years.


If you could do anything else in the world besides what you do/how you live now, what would you want to do/be?


I would love to be able to sing and entertain. I admire the singers that honestly love what they do and their fans. Maybe that's why I prefer country and old rockers over the new stuff out there today. I'm not saying it's not hard work, I'm sure it is - but just to be able to belt out a song and have people enjoy it so - instead of howl at me like Bubba does.


What blog was the first one you ever laid eyes on and what did you think about it?


I believe it was Powerline. I don't go there anymore because it's too big for its britches. I like small and homey. But from there I started looking around the internet and finding people with blogs about stuff I liked, mainly diabetes.


Who is your favorite writer?


Patricia Cornwell.


Do you hope to make money from your blog?


Nope - paying for it has not become a problem for me.


Lowes? Or Home Depot?


Ah, Home Depot. The people at Lowes are always so rude or too busy to help.


Favorite Blogger?


And have everyone hate me? Girl you have got to be kidding!


Jo, with some Botox, do you feel you resemble your Pogo Avatar?


I think that ... wait - are you saying I have wrinkles?! There are no stinkin' wrinkles on this face.


How many readers do you have? Average per day?


Actually, I really don't know. (wanders off to check) Okay, Site Meter says on average about 50 a day. Cool .. I never really looked at that part of the stats before. Small potatoes you know? But I don't want to get so big that I can't read each trackback or comment, or do my blog roll at least once every 2 days to keep up with my buds out there.


What do you like most and like least about today's music?


I don't like much about today's mainstream music - I prefer KISS and the old way music was sung, and that includes country as well. The new stuff has too much rap in it and you know you can't spell crap without rap.


Since you do have so many readers, do you feel you have to curb your thoughts on any given subject? Or do you feel you can truly be yourself on your own blog? Do you try to put on some kind of persona? In other words, do you worry about what others will think of what you say about any given subject? Wait, let me re-phrase again ... having built up a large readership has your blog writing changed at all; style, content, etc?


I use to worry - but I finally gave up on that. I want to put stuff out there that is informative, funny, and what I like to read. If someone doesn't like what I want, they can "click" the back button, or go somewhere else. I do not delve into really meaty subjects that I'm not familiar with and that's because I don't want to put out incorrect information to anyone. If I don't know for sure, I won't blog about it.


If you could have one James Bond gadget, what would it be?


OMG! Does Q count? Does James come with it? Hmmm, has to be the car.


What is the hardest topic for you to blog about?


Politics. I see these great blogs like Blogs for Bush and Don Surber and all the information they have and I'm like "they are so smart with this stuff." I feel dumb talking about politics at times because I did not do well in school with regard to history. I'm not very knowledgeable about the history or back bone of stuff. Gawd, I hope that all made sense.


What do you want to be "when you grow up?" ;-)


I refuse to grow up!


What topics do you tend to stay away from?


Economics. I don't know how the DOW works or the stock market. I'm a fish on top of the mountain not even close to water in that area. I'm just glad to pay my bills on time, have enough money to do so and balance my checkbook.


Sean Connery? Or Roger Moore?


Sean Connery!!


If you could have a guest Blogger on a regular basis, who would it be?


Tre would be my first choice of course, but someone like Don or Basil, with a bit of Carol thrown in .... You didn't say one!


What's your favorite musical instrument?


Flute - played it in the high school band.


Have you ever neglected regular real life responsibilities to blog?


Well, I have been 'caught' at work updating or posting something. But while at the Vet ER the other night with Otis, I was thinking I had to text message Tre and tell her to grab the blog for the next day - but unfortunately, she didn't have to. BUT if it ever gets to the point where it takes over my life - it will be gone like that. I do sometimes stop in the middle of the day and think "that would be cool to blog about," and write it down on sticky notes.


Will the Cafe stay open with the Bear not around?


Who is Bear?


Would you make basil a sandwich?


Of course I would - as long as he likes egg salad in whole wheat pita bread AND he tells me where he got the collapsible blog-roll plugin for his site!


...


Oh, I stole it from Phin.

Alright, the last question: How many Catfish and Cottonmouths games have you attended?


None. I'm not even sure which name goes with which sport .. baseball and hockey right? I'm a NASCAR gal.

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Thanks, Jo, for agreeing to the interview. And thanks to everyone who asked questions. This was fun.Next weekend, we have questions for The Florida Masochist and Gennie from Dizzy Girl.