This morning I staggered to my desk, cup of tea in hand, before the sun came up. I logged on toDixiepeach's Blog, and conceive of my surprise when I discovered I was one of the people she wanted to give an award for powerful writing! It meant so much, since I truly admire Dixiepeach, both as a writer and as a person. I couldn't have been more excited if I'd won an Academy Award.
Actually, this is probably better than winning an Academy Award, since The Oscars would require weeks of diligent dieting, a stylist, a hairdresser, and a makeup artist, and I'd STILL probably end up being treated badly by Joan and Melissa Rivers and having my picture posted the next day on Go Fug Yourself under the heading "Random Fug" because they'd have no idea who I am. Which, much as I love the Fug Girls, is just WAY too much pressure. I am accepting this award while wearing my blue flannel pajamas with clouds printed on them, a polarfleece robe, and giant slippers shaped like sneakers. Much better.
Here is what the award is about: Those people given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc., etc. Let's send a roar through the blogsphere! The image at the top right can be copied and pasted onto other blogs. Also, a small size of the award for sidebars can be found over at the writing circle site.
I don't actually read a whole lot of blogs, what with my busy schedule of Golden Girls reruns, scooping the cat box, and exercising so I need to take Xanax less often. But this is what I look for in my blog reading:
1. I feel like I can hear the writer's voice. I appreciate it when I feel like I'm sitting across the kitchen table from the writer, listening to her talk. When a person writes in such a way that I'm convinced that if I met her, she'd sound exactly the same --whether it's true or not -- to me that is good writing.
2. A brave and honest point of view. I admire those who can really let it rip and tell their story or give their opinion, even when it's not pretty. Especially when it's not pretty. I aspire to that in my own writing, and I admire it in the writing of others.
3. A sense of humor. The writing doesn't have to be screamingly funny, but if I am convinced that the author has a sense of humor and an appreciation for life's absurditites, I enjoy reading.
Aside from Dixiepeach (who fits all the criteria, but sending it back to her seems like cheating somehow) I could only come up with four blogs on short notice, but they are blogs I've enjoyed reading. Here they are:
1. Dub Dub, my sister Rachel's blog. It started as a way for her to share about her adventures in weight loss (doing Weight Watchers, hence the Dub Dub, which is, I think, the way today's young hepcats say "WW"), but has been about other things as well. I admire my sister for getting back to her love of horseback riding and in general creating a wonderful life for herself. That postive attitude comes across in her writing, and believe me, she talks exactly how she writes.
2. Allie of Memoirs of A Gouda is seriously funny. And prolific, since she has something like 3 or 4 blogs she posts to regularly. Plus she's a wife and mother, which as we know, keeps a gal pretty busy. She seems like someone I'd like to drink margaritas and people watch with.
3.Joie De Kitty. Can I just tell you how much I admire Kitty? She is an amazing young woman who has overcome a lot of obstacles and yet she is fearlessly creating the life she wants. Her writing is intelligent, funny, and wise beyond her years.
4. The Geek Inside. When I read Sari's blog, I feel like I'm there, experiencing whatever she's writing about along with her. And she loves Tim Gunn and Project Runway! I love that in a person!
So tag, y'all. You're it!
