My Blog Honor Roll--Part 1

When I first discovered blogging, I viewed it primarily as a way to swim the creative waters and as a way to detail a journal of my days. I have started a number of journals/diaries in my past, only to abandon them shortly thereafter. When I discovered that I could include pictures to my blog it only added a wonderful new dimension in testing those creative waters. After a while my blog became interactive. I commented on others blogs and they commented on mine. My personality is such that I like to intereact with a broad range of people. Variety is the spice of life and has been my mantra in food, music, entertainment and blogreading. (My husband often jokes that he doesn't understand why I have stayed married to him for so long, if that is the way I feel.) In blogging, as others tweaked my perspective and motivation in a whole new way, my addiction was complete. I also am intrigued by the voyeuristic aspect of visiting people and their lives so virtually.

Egoiste commented on my very first post and now has disappeared into the black pixels of the blogosphere. This probably says a great deal when it comes to blogging and bloggers. We are an ephemeral bunch, and perhaps not at all what we appear to be and maybe, instead, more so what we want to appear to be. When I first started this blog I viewed it as something that might be of interest to any geeky grandchild that I might have. But, to my surprise, although I got less personal as I got more public, along the way I made many pixelated friends.

The two-year anniversary of this blog falls on August 22 and I feel that I really should comment on this approaching milestone in some way. Sticking with something like this for two years should be of some significance---at least for me. (Maybe it shows that I at least have tenacity if no writing talent.) So, I have decided to honor my blogroll, the list of my motivators, which has grown in length as I have grown in courage. I have to list them now, because if the list grows longer, I will not be able to accomplish such a task in the future. This will be a three-part series where each blogger gets their little time and space. ( Ah, I've got you now, don't I? Your dying to see what I say about you. But if I hurt anyone's feelings--get over it--you shouldn't be blogging if you are that sensitive!)

PART I

Tomorrow is Another Day -- middle-angel, who lives in Japan, was my first. (Tee hee, sorry about that). She has the following text in her blog description: “As a libran, I put a high value on balance in everything. Pacifist, optimist. middle-aged, married.” I misread this during my early blog reading days. I mis-read the same way I mis-type. I thought she had written “As a librarian” and was wondering what a Japanese librarian would be like, so I started reading her blog. I find she does more sophisticated work than that and that is why her English is so outstanding. She is my gentle and slow day person. She helps me re-enter the Asian simple, retrospective and peaceful mode. She posts pictures of really delicious looking food. Sometimes she talks about her grown daughter, and her husband is a wonderful potter as well.

My World and Welcome to It --Peruby, who lives in Ohio, is an everywoman. She is a single mom with a beautiful teenage daughter and various pets. Yes, for her, this is the best of times and the worst of times. She has also discovered digital photography and provides a pictorial review of her rural life in Ohio in between making sure the public schools have their PC systems working. She always sympathizes with me when I am down. We don’t really have a lot in common but we are somehow always on the same wave length.

Living the Scientific Life -- Hedwig the Owl aka GrrlScientist is a very special young woman. She is pretty, very smart, outspoken, and has overcome tremendous challenges in her personal life. I think a Blogger comment helped me discover her blog. She is currently looking for a job in the field of science/working with birds and is a WONDERFUL journal-type blog writer. I am totally amazed that someone hasn’t gobbled her up yet—either by marriage or by work. It will happen someday I know, no grass grows under her feet. We share travel and the love of the South Pacific and Asia, but I cannot keep up with her passion for birds. She has a crazy sense of humor as well. I sort of feel 'motherly' when connecting with her. She has built up a hugh fan base in the blog community.

Pure Land Mountain -- Just go to Robert Brady’s well-known blog on Pure Land Mountain and you will know why I visit there often and why he is so famous. He doesn’t need the ‘interesting’ younger photo of himself to attract readers. He is a poet and a philosopher. He paints pictures and feelings and funny events all with just words. He is insightful and inspiring and makes most blog writers jealous. (His brother is a terrific writer also, but is not linked on my blogroll--I have to stop somewhere---don't I?)

Full Fathom Five -- I think I remember how I found Mary Fowler at Full Fathom Five. She is a New Englander and part of all that that entails--spare of words but clear of thought. She has a love of boats and a new, energetic white dog. I stumbled on her husband’s blog where he was talking about sails and I thought I might learn something to share with my sailor husband. Then I discovered the blog of his wife who teaches English to Asian students and in a focused way is working on self-improvment.

White Noise -- I started sharing blog comments with mannababies when she was pregnant with her third and building a house. This is a woman who can never have too much to do. She is a devoted and talented mom and yet still has time to blog, take very artistic photos, and eat the good food she cooks. Her life currently revolves around those lovely children. She has no time to sleep, unfortunately. She reminds me of myself juggling all those balls years ago. We do have coffee and chocolate in common. Her life is always moving, new houses, new jobs!

Roomination – I think I found Ginga through Hoss (who is honored in the blog to come). She knits and I don’t. She does have a youthful sense of humor that brightens the day. She may actually live within driving distance of my new house.

At The Cerebral Outpost Carol has wonderful patience as she doesn’t post often and each post has been carefully edited and written and is a very good read as a result. She has that ‘wry’ sense of humor, and when she leaves considerate comments on your blog, you may actually think you were old friends at some time. She was recently married and shared that special event with her readers. The first blog I read of her’s was so flat-out funny about a large crawfish, a cat and a treadmill…yep, she is worth visiting.

Loose Leaf: Notes from a Writer's Journal Colleen, on the other hand, is a prolific blogger, a published writer, and a featured person on NPR. She is fearless and her philosophy is "Things I would not tell anyone, I tell the public." She lives in a small town of artists and active bloggers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. While our daily lives are not all that similar, there are threads of philosophy in her blog that I can always relate to. I also frequently find little details in our historic lives that we have in common as well. Her place in her community reflects a strong citizenship.

Well, that is the first batch of virtual friends who have allowed me to visit. More to come.