Hi there. Remember me? I’m Mo, and I write a blog called Mo Livin’ Large. I haven’t written a single. solitary. post. since November. And I’ve missed it. But there were a few things going on in my life and a lot of things going on in my head, and the combination of it all was driving me mad. So I stopped writing to fight off some inner demons, help my family with a few things, help some friends with other things, and take some time to just figure out what I want.

I’m still working on that last part, but in the meantime I’ll start writing again.

While rebooting my blog on WordPress, it seems only fitting I should tell you a bit (more) about myself. So I looked to the web and the very wide world of blogging for some “About Me” questions and found a style I liked on the site Blogger’s Wardrobe. (Though I may have added a few of my own as well). So without further adieu….

HOW DID YOU START BLOGGING?

Throughout my life, starting in high school actually, I’ve had people tell me I should write. Keeping that in mind, I went to Central Michigan University to pursue a degree in journalism and quickly discovered while I loved writing, I was really more of a human interest person rather than a news hound. I also knew it would take years for me to ever get the human interest stories and I more or less gave up on the journalism aspect of the degree and went down the marketing, advertising and public relations road instead. In the meantime, I was accumulating a variety of “truth is stranger than fiction” stories that have become my life (or that of family and friends) and one day, after my mom told me for the umpteenth time that I needed to start writing these stories down, I decided she was right and thus, Mo Livin’ Large was born.

WHAT’S YOUR GOAL WITH YOUR BLOG AND BLOGGING?

At first, I had intended Mo Livin’ Large to be about my life as a plus size woman, but then I realized how narrow the scope was for me. And my readers seem to like my stories about dating or my tales of a working girl, so Mo Livin’ Large has become more of a catchall blog about my life and how I’m getting through it, or at least trying to get through it.

WHAT OTHER BLOGS DO YOU READ?

I read a lot of cooking blogs including Visions of Sugar Plum, How Sweet It Is, and Skinny Taste. I especially love Jessica’s Tuesday Things where she writes quick blurbs about what’s going through her head and shares things she finds online on How Sweet It Is. I also enjoy CeCe’s blog, The Big Girl Blog, where she writes about being a PSP (Plus-Sized Princess). Truthfully, there are so many wonderful blogs out there that I can’t keep track of them all, but I do intend to start an ongoing Blog Roll of all my favorites soon.

YOUR BLOG – IS IT BUSINESS OR PURE FUN?

It’s pure fun for the moment. If I can be discovered like Jen Lancaster’s Jennsylvania it’d be a dream come true.

WHAT DO YOU WRITE ABOUT THE MOST AND WHY?

I think the two things I write about most are dating and self image. The two go mostly hand in hand when you think about it. And I recently made the not so startling discovery that my self image takes a nasty hit each and every time I decide to start dating (or trying to) again. So you can see certain trends in my blogging habits when you look closely enough. As for the why…. I cannot (cannot, not will not) specifically say why I write what I do except that every post is something I either want to share or get off my chest, or it’s something I think readers will find funny or relate-able. And so far, this non-scientific/mathematical format seems to be working for me.

WHAT DO YOU READ ASIDE FROM BLOGS?

Very early on, my family instilled within me a deep love of books. I have my original copy of “Anne of Green Gables” inscribed for me by my grandmother as well as my copy of “Little Women” that came from my aunt. I’ve read and forgotten more books than the average person reads in a lifetime, and when I loan out books, I hope they provide many many people the adventures or laughs or thoughts they’ve provided me with. That being said, my favorite authors include Pat Conroy, James Patterson, Meg Cabot and Jen Lancaster. I’m also a fan of the “Pink Carnation” series as well as “The Outlander” series.

And I have subscriptions to about six different magazines right now, too.

DO YOU READ TRADITIONAL BOOKS OR ARE YOU AN E-READER?

Both. I love my Nook, but sometimes the books can be a bit expensive. I’m also a Barnes & Noble member, so I get a discount and coupons there. And I’ve recently discovered www.thriftbooks.com so I buy a lot from there, too. But my biggest regret about the Nook is that I can’t give my dad or friends without an e-reader or tablet a book I’d think they’d enjoy.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BOOKS YOU’VE READ THAT YOU’D RECOMMEND?

I enjoy James Patterson’s “Women’s Murder Club” series immensely so I recommend it a lot. Jen Lancaster is a favorite of mine, but she’s not for everyone. That being said, if you’re going to try her on for size, start with “Bitter Is the New Black.” Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” is one of those I recommend to everyone (and even got it as a Christmas present for my grandfather, though he didn’t have a chance to read it before he died). “Lords of Discipline” by Pat Conroy was assigned in my high school novel class, and I’ve been hooked ever since. As far as light and fluffy go, I recommend anything by Meg Cabot, specifically her “Boy Meets Girl” series or her Heather Wells series, and a friend recently introduced me to a rather lighthearted historical mystery series by Lauren Willig called “The Secret of the Pink Carnation.”

WHAT ELSE DO YOU RECOMMEND?

As far as things to try or places to go or any of that that I haven’t mentioned here or in my past posts? Keep reading my blog to find out. I’ve come across some great shopping sites, CDs, recipes, and so much more the past few months it’s crazy. And I plan to share it all. 😉

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE?

To win the lotto, buy a huge condo in Chicago, a lakefront property in Northern Michigan, meet Prince Charming, have great sex, be a successful writer and live happily ever after.