Fellow Blogger – Dave from Deliberating Dave

Sorry I’m a bit behind on this one. Today I would like to introduce you to Dave from Deliberating Dave. He may be a familiar face to some but to others not so well known.. Dave is a passionate man who writes about what he believes in. In his About page, Dave describes himself as an average American who also has a wife and family and works 50 hours each week. Dave is interested in politics of the world but mainly those of the U.S. You can find his blogs about politics in his category Voting and Elections. Along with his more serious posts, Dave ventured into poetry with the post Someday. So let’s meet Dave.

Hi Dave. Welcome to the couch. Sorry about the rescheduling issue but we’re on now. Talk to me about blogging. What drew you to begin blogging?

I used to think that blogging was just like facebook – another place for people to share the drama in their lives.

Over time, this view has changed dramatically as I have been able to gain perspective from all types of individuals.

I had a variety of reasons for beginning my blog.  I had been asked to start a couple of blogs for a business I was working for and wanted a platform to work with where I would not accidentally damage rankings or reputation of the business I was working for.  I blogged with a free wordpress blog for just over two years, and launched my self-hosted site in November.

Yes, there is definitely a vast difference between blogging and Facebook lol So how long have you been actually blogging?

I have been blogging for a little over two years.  Initially, I didn’t have a clear direction or goal for my blog, and I have just this January reached the 100 post mark. I am far from expert, having just recently learned some of the value of reaching and interacting with other blogs.

Wow! Congratulations on that! It is quite important to interact with others on blogs as it helps in developing the sense of community out there I agree. Do you blog about anything that comes into your head or does your blog have a particular theme that you write about?

The main thrust of my blog is to provide voters with pertinent information as we near elections here in the U.S.  In an effort to make this useful and more available to the public, I blog my reactions to different current events which strike my fancy. My apologies to those of my friends who are from other countries and do not benefit from this information.

In addition to the current events stories, I also share things on almost any topic that strikes me.  Many of these stories come from my personal life.  I’ve posted about my gardening endeavours, hunting stories, recently my first attempt at sharing poetry, memories of grandparents, etc.

Yes, I shared the link to your first attempt at poetry. It was heartwarming. Do you believe you have gained anything from blogging?

I have gained several things from my blogging already, and I only expect this to continue.

First, I’ve been gaining friends around the world.  I enjoy reading and trying to understand their perspectives, even when they differ from my own.

Second, I’ve learned more about my own system of government while researching different topics that I have posted about.

Third, I’ve gained a sense of purpose outside my work and family.  It almost feels as if I can give something back to my country if I can succeed at better informing voters a couple of times each year.

That’s great that you feel as if you have found a sense of purpose. Do you have any challenges in life that blogging helps you in dealing with?

I guess my third thing gained from blogging ties in here.  I’ve found that it has improved my time management, and helped me at times to do a little better job of getting out of my shell.Another way that blogging helps me is by reminding me how privileged my life is.

Sometimes it is easy to get focused on my own problems and forget about the people around me.  Then I read blogs of some of my friends who deal with things like autism, depression, grieving the recent loss of a loved one, PTSD or other problems and realize that I am very blessed.

I think it is human nature to become focused on the problems of our own lives at the expense of others. I agree that reading the blogs of others helps you to realise just how blessed we are and really puts our own challenges into context. How often do you take the time to blog?

When I first started blogging, I didn’t have a goal and because of this I was very sporadic.  I would post five or six times in a week and then go for two or three weeks without posting.  Now my goal is to post at least two times weekly.  Anything above that is bonus for me.

I think that’s achievable. Good for you! Apart from politics, where else do you find inspiration for your posts?

I find inspiration almost anywhere.  Listening to the news on the radio, reading a book, walking through the mall, in the checkout line, comments made at work – there is very little which doesn’t trigger a thought or memory.

So you are constantly planning your next blog post in your head 😉 You wouldn’t be alone in that. Many people find that a quote or mantra helps them out. Do you have any that have particular relevance to you?

I seem to go through phases with quotes.  I don’t think I have one that I have kept for a long time, but I have a couple that I currently like.  The first, which I cannot properly attribute, is

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail”

The second is a Zig Ziglar quote and it goes like this.

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”

Great quotes and so very true. Tell me, in your wanders around the blogosphere, what do you find that draws you to other blogs?

There are several things which draw my attention.  Good pictures (and word pictures), humour, accounts of climes and lands other than my own, and occasionally poetry are among them.  I love real life accounts of finer points of family life, cooking or camping adventures, and general happenings which might otherwise be missed in the hustle and bustle of life.

That’s terrific. It’s incredible just how many diverse blogs there are out there. In closing Dave, is there anything else that you wish to share?

I truly appreciate this series you have been doing.  I have found several new friends and learned more about some who aren’t quite as new.  I am honoured to be included, and I am grateful to be included in the greater blogging family.

You are very welcome. And thank YOU for your time. 🙂