Award Thingie

I got an award!!

I'm so excited and VERY grateful.

It came from one of my favorite bloggers Three Ring Circus

Now I have to follow these rules.   If I don't follow them, our cute fat cats will turn into Gremlins--or something wicked like that.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to these blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

Okay, logo thing.



I'm so excited.   I guess I'm a little desperate for attention and validation.

Okay, now I will nominate other blogs.

First I will indulge in some nepotism.

1. I'm going to nominate Jack's blog although he hasn't written in it for awhile.  He's my child and so of course I think he has the all time best blog ever.

2. This also might qualify for nepotism. We're not exactly related, but she's one of my sister's best friends.  Andrea's blog is BRILLIANT.   She's an amazing writer.  Her post Hell is a Baby Shower in Texas deserves its own awards. It gives me goosebumps. I'm close to tears whenever I even think about it.

3. I don't agree with everything Stephen says--well because I'm the type of person who reads spiritual meaning into almost everything and he's an atheist.  But I enjoy reading his blog. He gives me a lot to think about.  I also appreciate all the comments he makes on my blog. And despite our differences in spiritual beliefs, I end up agreeing with him on a lot of stuff.

4. Catatonic Kid has shown me how dark depression can really be.  Before I read her blog, I had a habit of using  the word "depression" to describe minor sadness and disappointment.   I've been making a conscious effort not to do that anymore. I realize what I was doing is like having a cold and calling it cancer.

5. I'm not always the biggest fan of Christianity, but Georgina's blog shows me that there can immense beauty in the faith that Christians have.   It's a scary and heartbreaking story. But I'm still holding out for a miracle.

6. Zhen is weird like me. She might even be as weird AS me and that is quite an accomplishment.   It's not just her weirdness I adore.  There's just something about her. I feel a little spark of happiness every time I see she has posted something new, has left me a comment, or sent me an email.

7. After I saw the movie The Story of Stuff   I made major changes and reductions in what I buy (not that I bought that much before that.  I've never loved shopping).  Eilleen spent a whole year not buying anything new.   That experiment is over, but now she buys with a conscience.   Her blog has very valuable information on things like free trade chocolate, and birthday parties with more homemade stuff and less store-bought.

Well, when I first started this post, seven seemed like a big number.

Now it seems incredibly small.

There are more people with blogs I love--and people I love with blogs that I love.

You know how I feel right now?  I feel the way I used to feel when I had to decide which stuffed animals I would sleep with at night.

This is WAY too hard.

Note:  I am out of town right now.  Actually, I'm not.  This gets so confusing.  I'm at home right now, but we're all packed and ready to go.  We're leaving tomorrow morning--way too early.   But by the time you read this, we should be there (Oregon).   I hope to have Internet access, but in case I don't...I've pre-published a few entries (including this one).    If I start acting weird like ignoring your comments or not reading your blog, this is why.    If I do have time to post and have something exciting to say (such as we found a used bookstore with tons of Aussie books) I will unschedule my pre-written posts and post something fresh.