You Know, You Probably Shouldn't Encourage This Sort of Behavior

Hey, guess what??

I won something! No, not the lottery...if I won the lottery I wouldn't be blogging about it, I'd be collecting it.

Nope, no lottery...but I did win a blogging award. See?

SciFiChick gave it to me. Considering my content of late, I think she was being generous, but I was raised never to look a gift award horse in the mouth.

As is usually the case with these things, there are some rules. The question is, will I follow them?? Hmm...what to do, what to do...

I guess I'll play nice. For now.

First I'm supposed to tell you seven things that you may not know about me. Wow...umm...I don't know if I have seven things I haven't already blogged about. You already know I drive the crazy train, have two kids, a Someone, and a gracious plenty of cats. You know I'm a singer, a writer, a quilter, a photographer, and a lazy so-and-so. You know I'm Pagan. Huh...what have I got left? This is like writing a bio...and I really don't like writing bios. They give me hives. Ok, ok, enough with the stalling...here goes:

1. Some folks think I don't like dogs. That's not true. I grew up with dogs, and I love 'em. I don't like ill behaved dogs. I also don't want to be the only one cleaning up after or training a dog...so until recently I have refused to entertain the notion that Casa de Crazy could go to the dogs. Now I'm entertaining the notion, but have not begin to implement it yet - Someone loves dogs and I believe he would be a dab hand at dealing with them, but a new baby sort of put a crimp in caninery for a bit.

2. I have a dictionary that weighs more than my daughter. It is one of my favorite books. Someone likes it, too. We are constantly looking things up in it. We are, collectively, deeply weird and wordy.

3. I have been known, on rare occasions (although not in the last few years), to smoke something that is distinctly not tobacco. Shh, don't tell my Mum. Oh, wait...she reads my blog. Dang. I'm an advocate for legalizing said smokey comestible and will happily engage in a reasoned, educated conversation about it but am not interested in propaganda or hyperbole.

4. I am allegedly part New England Indigenous Tribal Person (read: Native American, but don't get me started on that semantic battle), which may explain why I don't like to borrow blankets from strangers.

5. I am an ordained minister. For reals! I can perform marriages and everything!

6. Whenever I'm in a new house, I mentally redecorate it with my stuff.

7. I have always wanted to be a phone, computer, or cartoon character voice. Really. I would love to be a voice-over artist or narrator (Hello, Discovery and Nat Geo channels, are you there??) as well. A gal can dream...

Whew, I'm glad that's over with.

And now I am supposed to pass the award along to fifteen other bloggers. This part's no easier - there are so many good reads out there...if I left you out, it's not 'cause I don't love ya!

In no particular order:

Hermit Jim. He's my kinda guy - warm, personable, intelligent, capable of spell-checking before he posts a blog...and he's practically family since I stole his nephew and brought him to Casa de Crazy to shack up with me!

Mizz Suzy. She's funny. Good grief, is she funny. She makes me laugh. A lot.

Mum. Hey, there was nothing in the rules about nepotism, and I happen to think my Mum is one classy and uber-stylish woman. Also, since usually all I give her is a headache...I figure she's due an award. Too bad there's not a cash prize along with it...sorry, Mum...

Vodkamom. I adore her. You, too, can adore her. Go on, try it...it's easy, and you'll live longer...

Mizz Rachel. Sister of my soul. Poet, mama, compassionate, intelligent, and one of the people I would very much like to meet in person some day.

Mizz Treesong. The woman is the epitome of perseverance. If introducing an art program to her community doesn't define style, I dunno what does.

Someone. What, you thought I wouldn't? Whoof...he's got some crazy style, and he's all sorts of sexy (not that I'm biased) and funny and sweet. Go look, you know you wanna.

Mizz Rene. Classy lady in the classic sense.

Kit. I adore her whole family.

Is that fifteen, yet? No? Huh...ok, then...

Friar. Ohmuhgoodness, his cartoons are hysterical (in the best way).

Mizz Marcy. She's so glamorous!

Pearl. She makes taking the bus sound like a good reason to stay home so cool.

Busted Knuckles. He uses grown-up words...lots and lots of grown-up words. I adore him.

Aunt Becky. She calls her kids "crotch parasites". What's not to love?

Mizz Suzan, who isn't blogging any more, dang it...but I'm giving it to her anyway.
~~~~~

Whew...done. I'm worn slap out...time for a nap. What're y'all reading, these days?

Sweet!

Lookit that! My friend Kit gave me an award, bless her pea-pickin' little heart! All I ever gave her was...umm...hey, Kit...have I ever given you anything? Yeah, I can't remember, either. I think there may have been some asparagus handed off in the past...

Anyway.

Thanks, Kit - you're an inspiring, artistic, sister-type friend, and I adore sharing hours and child-rearing with you. It's nice to know you care.

So there seem to be rules to these things, and according to the site I backtracked to, I should name five people who embody this award. What I'm wondering is, do they have to be people in the Blue Nowhere? Or can I name folks outside of Blogopolis and this strange electronic world? I'm thinking I may have to limit myself to bloggers, or it's a little self-defeating - the award would never get passed along!

So, who to name, who to name?

I'm going to cheat a little and name my Mum...unless you are part of may daily life, you have no idea what she means to me, to my son, and to our well being. She is an artist (especially with copper jewelry!), got me involved with the gallery and the sometimes outrageous, often hilarious group of women there. Knowing that she raised two kids, largely alone, has helped me wrap my mind around being a somewhat single mum - only I'll have her, and my amazing community of friends to help me find my feet, and she had...umm...yeah...

Next I'll name my friend Gypsy. Her son and mine are like brothers - they try to kill each other on a regular basis, someone always ends up in tears when they play, and they constantly want to know when they'll be together again. She's beautiful, intelligent, and has an opinion. She writes, too, quite beautifully, and she's always ready to lend an ear, a thoughtful response (whether she thinks you'll like what she has to say or not), and hard liquor as needed. Except the hard liquor part.

Third is Susan. I've never met her in real life, but I hope to remedy that one day. I read her blog like it's oxygen and I'm out of breath. She's also e-mailed me kind, supportive messages of late, for which I am grateful. Susan has had a few bobbles in her personal life and handled them far better than I believe I would have, and often with grace and humor (you have too, Susan, so hush!). She's clever and funny, a deadly combination, and I'm right fond of her.

Then there's MereCat. Another one I've not met in person. She keeps dodging my offers of a free kitten, but I like her anyway. She's raising twins. Twins! And she doesn't want a kitten? How odd. I am envious of her current yard project, but not of the disasters that led up to the project to begin with. Another funny, charming, disarmingly honest woman, and did I mention the twins? I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Suzy Soro springs to mind next. Her blog isn't always funny, but that's on purpose...comedians don't have to be "on" all the time! She is a funny, intelligent, well written woman who takes the time to respond to her readers and let us in on the fun of living in Hollywood, land of the deeply weird. I haven't met Suzy IRL, either (hey, look, I used an Internetz abbreviation back there!)(Why is "abbreviation" such a long word?), and likely won't unless her tour bus breaks down outside Casa de Crazy in Redneck Central, which could totally happen! Umm...or not.

And last, but not least, is Rachel. Yes, yes, I know, this makes six...but I cannot leave her out of a list that is meant to name people who embody art, inspiration, friendship, sisterhood, sharing, and caring. Rachel writes poetry, and thoughtful, thought-provoking posts on her blog. She is creative in her home life, and with her beautiful children. She inspires me, when she points out the iniquities between humans and our animal brethren and sithren (yes, I made that word up...you'll survive), how we impact our environment, and how to make a difference in our daily lives. She's been a friend in the truest sense of the word for years. We've never clapped eyes on each other, but we've been through each other's rough times, offered virtual shoulders to cry on, offered to don shit-kicking boots and head to each other's distant home to teach someone a lesson, and made each other laugh, cry, and feel loved and supported across the miles. If she doesn't embody what this award is about, I don't know anyone who does.

Y'all, I know a lot of clever, funny, artistic, creative, inspiring, caring, kind, give-you-the-last-olive-in-the-jar type people, on and off line. People who e-mail when you're down and offer sympathy, empathy, and humor to help you up again. People who offer a place to sleep and a meal when you're in town. People who care, deeply, for this peculiar community I call Blogopolis in the world of the Blue Nowhere. I couldn't choose everyone, but if you know someone who deserves to be recognized, pass this award along!

Thanks again, Kit - you totally deserve to be on the list too, only I figure that's just be redundant.

You like me...you really like me!

Well, Gina does, anyway. At least...I think she does...because she was sweet and gave me an award - my very first, in fact! Thanks, Gina!

The Dardos Award is in appreciation of the merits - cultural, literary and individual- of every blogger who expresses him/herself on his/her blog.

The conditions are to:
Be tickled pink,
Copy and paste the award picture to your blog,
Write down the regulations,
Link the blog who bestowed you the award,and finally
Nominate 15 blogs for the award.

I am delighted, which I hope will be an acceptable stand-in for "tickled pink". I've followed the rules (as much as I ever do), and will now get on with the nominating.

1. Rachel at The Waxing Moon - her blog is part poetry, part environmental crusade, part photo-journal of life in the Yukon. I dig her.
2. Kit at Kitmama's Penseive - she's not just a real-time friend, she's a spot of crunchy granola goodness punctuated with accents of nature, kids, cooking, and occasional Internet goofing-off.
3. Tanis at Attack of the Redneck Mommy - I don't know her in person, but anyone who make me laugh out loud (and then have to tell the Evil Genius that I won't read him what made me laugh because it's adult in content) deserves a prize.
4. Susan at Stop Calling Me That - she's had some rough days recently, but she still brings the funny...and maybe a bit of grace under fire, too.
5. Charlie at Back to the Fridge - dude makes weight loss seem almost like fun. Almost.
6. Marcy at The Glamorous Life Association - her take on vintage ads is hilarious, and her recent series on Swedish Rock Bands almost hurt me, I laughed so hard. Her slices of California life are cool, too.
7. Laurie at Foolery - if you don't know why, you haven't read her...but here's a hint - she's almost as deeply weird as I am, and she's way cuter.
8. Shawn at Backpacking Dad - he's well spoken, thought provoking, and dang it...he's cute!
9. Mrs. G over at Derfwad Manor - she's who I would like to be if I ever grow up.
10. Elden at Fat Cyclist - someone I have never met, never spoken to, but has made quite an impact on my life. I think about his wife, his family, every day, and constantly send them little blessings because they need them. Despite that, he manages to be gracious, funny, and generous with his blog, time, energy, and dollars.
11. Suzy at Hollywood: Where Hot Comes to Die (R) - she's one funny, tart, witty woman who is way underemployed.
12. Mizz Magpie at Magpie Musing - she is warm, welcoming, a real Lady, even when she's not.
13. MereCat at More MereCatherine - she's considering hanging up her hat, but I hope she doesn't - she's fun, bright, and good-natured, and the world needs all of those it can get!
14. Sean at Writer Dad - well spoken, well written, imaginative, creative, and industrious - need I say more?
15. Black Hockey Jesus at The Wind in Your Vagina - there is no way to quantify him, you just have to go read his words to understand.
16. (yeah, yeah, sixteen). Becky at Mommy Wants Vodka - if for no other reason than she's ninety-months pregnant and still has a sense of humor.

Please understand, it wasn't easy for me to narrow it down- I read all those blogs on the sidebar every day, and a few more besides...and every one of them is engaging and worth the time. I didn't mention Mum and her blog, or my dear friend M and hers, because they haven't been writing much of late - but I love them nonetheless. I didn't mention Noble Pig, BloggerDad, Organized Doodles, Boobs Injuries and Dr. Pepper, Baby on Bored, Namasdaisy, and a dozen others because I was trying to follow the rules. Sigh.

Thanks, Gina, for thinking of me!