Such a Sweet Thing

Lookie! One of my must-read blogging friends, Becca, gave me this award. She said she was focusing on bloggers that not everyone reads (of course, we'd ALL give awards to Yarn Harlot or my heroine WendyKnits, but they are amply awarded already).

The funny thing is, I had read someone else's nominees for this one and thought, you know, that's a nice one, "you make my day," because that's what a lot of the blogs I read do for me. They just make me happy, knowing that there are people like me out there sharing their extraordinary insights into their normal, everyday lives. It's so much fun for me to see all the fascinating things that go on within the range of "normal everyday living," too.

I don't blog for fame or publicity for my great knitting patterns, because, well, I make patterns for me and am happy if anyone else wants them. And I don't need fame--I had enough of being a big fish in a small pond in my nonprofit organization career to know that the constant scrutiny is hard for an INFP. I like being more of a knitting friend--someone else going through the ups and downs of a life with a big focus on fiber, but not someone competing for readers or feeling compelled to write scintillating copy to entertain people.

Heh, I'm funny sometimes, educational sometimes, and simply documenting my life at other times. I hope some people enjoy it, but I don't expect to be everyone's must-read! (This is a really good thing for me--I finally am growing out of wanting to be a rock star!)

So, knowing that there are people like Becca out there who enjoy what I write makes me feel good--it's nice to be a companion to a cup of coffee/tea/healthy beverage to some reader friends (some I know and some I don't), because bloggers give me so much pleasure. They remind me the world is larger than the headlines, and that there are still kind, generous, funny and thoughtful people out there all over the world. We all need reminders of that nowadays.

OK, the award came with strings, as they all do, hee hee. Here's what they say about the ten other blogs I am supposed to recommend:

"So here's the deal, inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times."

Getting it once was fine with me. I read a lot of blogs, ranging from "famous" people to personal friends. I'm going to concentrate on blogging and knitting friends to whom I turn daily, eagerly hoping they posted something, but who aren't the "famous experts"--just fellow human beings trying to figure life out. These are NOT all of my favorites--if I comment on your blog, you are one of my favorites!! And some of my favorites haven't been updating often, so I didn't include them.

OK, you people are tagged. Folks, check them out if you want to read some different views:

Bird Salad: Robin in New Jersey, from my old life working with a nonprofit organization, doesn't post a lot, but when she does, it can be brilliant. Read about her thoughts on life and philosophy. She can get you thinking.

Hand in Hand with Sam: a Canadian friend of mine from my old life working with a nonprofit organization, who's a wonderful doula and childbirth educator, and a mom of some great kids. Not a knitting blog, but a real taste of authentic mothering.

The Hermitage: Well, he doesn't knit, but he lives with a knitter. This is my fiance's blog. He recently wrote a sweet post about the sweater I just made him, so there is knitting content.

Knit Stuffs: Another friend from my previous life, who lives in in Florida, is a good knitter and also an enthusiastic SCA member. Her blog's relatively new, so not a lot of readers yet. Check it out!

Liz's Blah Blah Blog: I've known her online since my children were babies, longer than anyone else here,and she's another one I also know "IRL". She has some really interesting political commentary and is not shy about sharing her viewpoint. Whether you agree or not, this Illinois blogger gets you thinking.

Rhonda's Knitting: She used to live near me, but now she doesn't. But I love reading about her lovely knitting projects and her yarn purchases in the Great Northwest. She was also the first knitting podcaster I ever listened to!

Skyline Chilly: Emily works at Lorna's Laces. Inside scoop! Also lots of fun information about being young and living in Chicagoland, a life I wish I'd had.

So Love Is Hard and Love Is Tough: NYJLM is another old-life friend with whom I've reconnected in blogland. She is a wonderfully introspective writer--very honest and open about her issues, and equally generous in sharing the good parts of her life. She is also doing the 365 photos a year thing, and her images of Florida are lovely.

So the Thing Is... currently the blog of Barb, a wonderful humor writer who lives with her children and pets in a very clean home near me, soon to be the blog of Barb, who lives in New York. Great stuff on parenting and some knitting, too!

The Wonderful World of Stephanie: another friend of mine with whom I used to work, who does knit, but I read her blog for the writing. You will usually find her near Washington, DC. Right now she's on a trip to Italy. It's like I am THERE reading her travelogue!