This week in the Blogerati Files, Tricia's Musings

Describe your blog in 10 words or less.
It stumbles through everything trying to find it's path.

Why did you start your blog? Blogiversary?
Tricia's Musings was born on a cold day in January earlier this year. It was January 21st to be exact. I started the blog because I'd been ill off work for a while and knew I'd be off work for a few months more since I wasn't getting any better. I created it to: 1. fill my time, and 2. to write about some of the things I was going through such as the illness itself (Crohns) and the pain. I quickly discovered that I didn't really want to write about any of that stuff at all and it's become a blog that discusses things that make me happy like hobbies, my constantly crazy pestering neighbors, life in Toronto and pretty much anything I feel like talking about.

How long have you lived in Toronto?
I've lived in Toronto a little more than half my life now. I moved here when I was 18, but I was always a Torontonian wanna be. My brother and then my sister lived here first and I fell in love with the city while visiting them when I was younger. I originally come from Ottawa, a much smaller town, but moving to the big city didn't bother me at all. I love it.

What's the funniest/strangest thing that has happened to you in Toronto?, Did you blog about it?
You know I'm an ER nurse in one of the busiest emergency rooms in all of Canada right? Spend just one hour in any busy ER and you are bound to see some strange things. When I'm working I get to spend 12 hours there, four days a week. I've had guys so drunk they can't walk, and they've urinated all over themselves and made passes at me. Also had a visiting relative in our resuscitation come up to me and ask me to get their relative a glass of water when I've been assisting during a code.

What are some of the changes in Toronto that you have seen in your lifetime?
Well I've seen the whole area around the Harbourfront change and Lakeshore drive for that matter. There was a time when you could drive by that area and see the lake for a good portion of your journey but now you can barely see it because of all the condos that have sprung up. I'm not sure that's an improvement.

There's always been crime and murder in Toronto but the amount of gun related shootings and deaths seems to be rising on a yearly basis. It's the random shootings that disturb me the most.

Who's your favourite Torontonian?
I really like Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies. Well I like the whole group and their music too. They always remember their roots. They make appearances at various events in the city - openings for new hospitals and they get involved with the community. I admire that.

Can we believe everything you post on your blog?
Yes of course you can.

Has blogging changed you or enhanced a personality trait?
I think I observe what's happening around me a bit more. You never know when something might occur that could end up becoming a great blogging opportunity.

Fav post from your blog?
Yes. I wrote a post about one of my ex boyfriends and how I walked into my apartment one day and found him trying on my one piece bathing suit and one of my skirts! Needless to say he got kicked out after that. The post is called Why do guys always want to get into my bathing suits?

Ever met a stranger who already knew you through your blog? How was that?
Not yet but I've met strangers who know of my website Tricia's Chinese Water Dragon,
Reptile and Amphibian Care and that's kind of weird. They're usually big fans and ask me all kinds of questions, or else they have a sick animal and want me to help immediately.

Have you had your 15 minutes yet?
Not blogging wise, but maybe before I was a blogger. I mentioned I maintain a website about reptiles... It and I were featured in the Toronto Star back in, uhm, 1997. I also somehow managed to get onto Hard Copy. Do you remember that television show? They were actually doing a good story instead of a gossipy one for a change. I worked in a pain clinic at the time and they filmed us treating one of our patients under general anesthetics and of course I was the nurse assisting the doctor during the procedure. I also have an article published in an annual reptile magazine this year.

Lose any friends or muck something up because of a post?
No. I don't expect that to happen. If something isn't going well with family or friends in my life I really don't write about it on my site. I've had a few distant friends that I haven't seen for ages discover my site though and it's kind of weird to know that they are reading my blog. It's funny how we don't mind writing for strangers but when someone we know is reading we feel a little more inhibited. I do anyways.

Fav bloggers?
I have a number of favorite bloggers but one site that I visit regularly is Pointless Drivel. He's always writing something that makes me laugh. I like sites that are humorous. They don't have to be joke sites but posts that are amusing are the ones that catch my attention.

What's happening in Toronto right now that the rest of us should be watching?
Well the recent race for mayor just took place. How many people ran? 56 or something like that? It's not surprising that David Miller won again when the race was so diluted.

You have the opportunity to gather with 5 of your regular readers - who are they, where do you meet and what do you talk about?
Lets see I'd probably get together with Mr Fab from Pointless Drivel, Shelli from Shelli's Sentiments, Doc Mom from You've got 2 b Kidding, Joe from Eat at Joes and Mrs Lifecruiser from Lifecruiser. Everyone is from cool climates except for Mr. Fab who's in Florida so I think it would be nice if we all met somewhere in Florida and had a little vacation together. Fab could show us some of the sites, the kitchy tourist attractions and we'd have a ball. All of these people have a sense of humor and similar values about life and living. I think we'd get along famously.

Have you ever had a question you wanted to ask random people throughout the world?
Do you have any regrets? One of my mottos is to live life to the fullest and not to have any regrets.

If your blog were a food, what food would it be?
I'd like to say chocolate since that's my favorite food, but it's not chocolate. It might be a chocolate milkshake though. Something that you get a craving for every now and then.

If you could gather all of the bloggers of the world together into one room and tell them one thing, what would it be?
"Lets Party!" You can't have all those people in one room and not end up having a party...