The Sunday Roast

This Is Extremely Easy For Me To Say

This week's interview is with Kathleen Kimball-Baker,
who writes the blog Easy For Me To Say.

Thank you Kathleen

Here's the first of the standard questions. Why do you blog?

Thank you for asking, Eddie. I could give you many reasons but at the core it’s because blogging brings me joy, and ever since the Year of the Sledgehammer, I’m all about joy. Discovering my spiritual nature brings me joy. So does prowling online for beautiful and generously offered images to accompany a post. Reading each precious comment gives me joy. I’ve always loved simple quotes that are full of wisdom, and blogging lets me share and illustrate them, which is another source of joy. Even posting the occasional sorrow with this supportive community lightens the burden and reminds me of our connectedness and the depth of compassion out in the world. When I started blogging in February, I did so to learn and to explore and to have a daily writing/spiritual practice. But it’s the joy that has made blogging addictive. My sidekick guest bloggers, Cora and Charlotte, have their own reasons for posting -- most likely for attention, I reckon.

What's the story behind the blog name?

Sheer panic. Anytime I have to pick a name or code for Internet purposes, I almost always go blank. So the name came to me in a hurry and it was meant to be a play on words and a reminder not to get too high and mighty with whatever I wrote. A story my son told me when he was in high school illustrates this point: A mother brought her son to a wise man, complaining that the boy was eating too much sugar. She wanted the man to tell her son to stop. Instead, the man asked the mother to bring her son back in 2 weeks. During the next visit, the man told the boy to stop eating so much sugar. Perplexed, the mother asked why she had to wait 2 weeks, and the man responded, “Because I had to give up sugar myself before I could ask anyone else to do the same.” Supposedly the man was Gandhi, and while I don’t know if that’s true, I sure like the message. I’m always tempted to jump in and suggest a solution when I see someone struggling. The name (a play off the phrase, “Well, that’s easy for you to say, but . . .”) is meant to remind me to keep my advice-giving in check. Don’t think it’s worked one whit!

What is the best thing about being a blogger?

Surprises. Like finding out that Eddie Bluelights has graciously agreed to carry on the Sunday Roast tradition of our beloved David McMahon, formerly of authorblog.

What key advice would you give to a newbie blogger?

Aw, you’re a rascal, you. And here I was trying to keep my advice-giving in check... But you asked! So I’ll put it as a note to myself: Put some time limits around blogging and get some sleep.

What is the most significant blog post you've ever read?

Not one, but three posts stand out for me. I stumbled upon the Blog of Note feature not too long after I started. And the first blog to catch my attention was A Tidings of Magpies. From the author’s beautiful banner to the witty quips in her sidebar to her masterful use of photos, every aspect was irresistible. Her blog absolutely set the bar for me. I See A Bad Moon Rising fascinated me and introduced me to the range of expressions a post could have. From her blog roll I found A Knitting Nurse. Something’s Missing just walloped my heart with a poignant remembrance of her dog. And, well, I’m a dog nerd (correction: a dog fanatic) so I was hooked. Then, one evening, after a very long and difficult day, I happened upon a post by the author of Gump and Gandhi Holding Hands, whose beautiful artwork accompanies her words. The post was simply titled Work, and the provocative questions she asked set my imagination afire, evoked a strange response, and still haunt me today.

What is the most significant blog post you've ever written?


That’s such a interesting question, Eddie, because defining what is significant is so personal. I didn’t quite grok the concept of comments when I started blogging. But receiving them has been one the loveliest surprises. No pun intended, but I truly love the comments that this post, That which connects us, drew. As for me, what has been most personally significant to write is a toss up between A rogue and a scoundrel,which opened my eyes to the inscrutable but fascinating man who was my father, and And who picked the grapes, which completely took me by surprise and left me feeling humble, a place I like to be.

OK, then, that was fun! At least for me.
Carry on, Eddie! What a gift you are to the blogosphere!
What a gift David started!

Today's Sunday Roast with Kathleen is the 85th in a weekly
series of interviews with bloggers from around the world. __________________________________________________

This interview will feature in The Roll of Honour
for all published Roasts. To view press HERE
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