I'd like to thank the Academy

Actually I'd Like to thank Sherri from Tied Up In Ribbons for honoring my blog with it's very first award! I have to tell you that this has been a banner week for my blog. First I was given this award, which is awesome. I'm not used to getting awards so this was something that really touched me. Thanks Sherri for reading my posts and even more for remembering me enough to give me an award. How great was that? Second, I found out that the author of the cookbook I've been wanting for over ten years is actually coming to my house. That's right the author read my post and is sending me the cookbook! That's two, count them, TWO wonderful things to happen all in a week. Maybe I should decide to buy a lottery ticket this week...hmmm.

Awards don't usually come my way. I can remember in grade school getting these awards for most polite and stuff like that, but never anything given to me based on effort or merit. The fact that I wasn't a jerk and actually feel compelled to be nice and not ugly brought me that award. I lived most of my grade school life scared to death of people and socializing. I was a really shy kid and didn't really ever mix it up with a group. If a group of kids were playing in a center I never felt the compulsion to join them. It just wasn't in me. As a matter of fact, to this day I don't walk up to a full table and join in, it's just not in me. I would rather sit at an empty table and let those who join in, join in. That's kind of a freaky thing isn't it, or is it? I'm not very extroverted. There are aspects of my job which require me to be extroverted, but it is certainly not natural. I have total empathy and instant compassion for those children who just don't fit in or find it hard to assimilate to a setting--they are me and I get it.

When I was in 5th grade we had a spirit week type thing and one of the days was Best Dressed. It was on the last day of the week and the whole school was in an assembly for those who made the cut for best dressed. I decided to wear a suit. I went all out, no holds barred on this day. I even took a bath! This suit was a heavy weave, double polyester job. Light tan plaid, with a dark brown matching plaid tie. I thought I was the epitome of style and fashion. As a matter of fact I even wore brown socks! I think every single person in the school was shocked by the fact that I bathed, had socks that weren't white, and wore a tie! I was 10 and wearing a tie...at school...WHAT WAS I THINKING.

I have this memory of me standing on the stage in front of the entire school thinking, "why in God's name did I do this... I never in a million years thought I would be picked" The faculty panel had us all walk up and show them our attire. One teacher asked to see my tie more closely so I leaned down and held the tie out so he could see it. Turns out the kids in school who made fun of me had a whole arsenal of ammunition after that and really poured on the torment. I was used to being made fun of, it really didn't bother me because I really could have cared less about what they thought of me. Had I care I would have been devastated, but I really had no desire to be in their company or their friend and their opinion of me didn't matter one iota. Looking back I can see how that drove them crazy, my indifference to their stupidity, because I never reacted to them. I didn't know I was doing the right thing, I just didn't care if they were here or there they meant nothing to me.

I wound up winning for best dressed 5th grade boy. The honor bestowed upon me was just that, the honor of being best dressed boy. No certificate...no name in the paper...no shiny new car or life time supply of Rice-A-Roni, just the title. I felt a sense of pride deep within, just knowing that I had accomplished something made me feel great.

Now that I am an adult I find that I'm more sensitive to what others think about me. I've really ridden a roller coaster in my relationship to this blog and those who read. There was a phase when I felt that comments would identify this blog as a making it's place in cyberspace. I'm beyond that, sort of. I also signed up for Google Analytics which is this cool little widget thing that shows page views, what posts are most popular (Playing Opossum is the most viewed-who knew), etc. I haven't ever hit the 40 mark on visits, but I'm into the 500's on views, so that's kind of good. I'm resigned to being a blogger for the sake of telling stories and know that there are tens of people who read this blog weekly if not checking it daily. So I tell the stories that come to me and I'll have a great time doing it. I just need to channel that part of me in 5th grade that was immune to the taunts of others because I wasn't influence by them in any way.

Having said all of that I would like to share with you my TOP 5 Favorite Blogs, and hope that you will stop by and visit them soon. They really are great.

5. Ramblings of a Frantic Home Cook

This blog is a hoot. I love the way she writes and really love the food she makes. I have adopted her Amish Snickerdoodles as the snickerdoodle recipe of choice. Snickerdoodles are one of the most sentimental cookies in my life, my Mom's favorite, and the recipe I've always made is the recipe I know she loves. These babies, though, bumped them right out of the place. This is a great food blog. As a matter of fact, I would like to make my blog a little more food oriented, if that's ok.

4. Memaw Bakes Memories

This blog is great, too. I love how Memaw writes and even more that fact that she is doing her part to call us to be better people, on account. Her posts are all about her life and what's going on in her world. She has poignant posts, funny posts, general things about her life, but she digs deep to make her writing meaningful. I can tell she is pouring out her soul and connecting to her audience. I don't really know how Memaw found my space, but she commented which led me to go to her blog--we had the same format for a while-and I've been hooked ever since. She's in my Google reader and I always read her posts, usually try to go visit her blog and comment when I can. But I do read every post the minute I know it's up. Memaw is also the winner of my only Giveaway-ever. She won a cookbook that I wrote. When you visit, say I said hello.

3. Author Suzanne McMinn (Chickens in the Road)

I can't say what attracts me to this blog, but I really can't stop reading it. Suzanne McMinn is an author (aren't you glad I have the uncanny ability to point out the obvious? You are welcome) who writes romance novels. This website is dedicated to her journey back to her family homestead and her homestead state. She lived in a 100 year old farmhouse for a while and built her own home, which is really nice. Now she tells the ups and downs of establishing a farm--out of nothing. I get a kick out of reading her stories involving the addition of chickens, goats, a huge dog named Coco, and also the rest of the stories about her children. One very interesting thing about her is that she identifies her regular stars by number (Her sons, 15 & 17, her friend 51, and then Princess--the only girl child). It's a kick. The recipes that she posts sound good, and are really nostalgic Appalachian recipes that touch a part of my history with food. My Granny was an Appalachian cook. She is curious but I think, if I knew here we'd be friends. It's a lot of fun and a great place to see--she posts daily. I found her via my #1 favorite place to go. She sponsored a link on this page and the name was curious. One visit later I was hooked.

2. Posie Gets Cozy

I really want to be Andy and Alicia's friend or relative. She has the most exquisite writing style and I find myself reading her posts over and over. I was completely crushed when her dog, Audrie, contracted cancer and passed away suddenly. It just ripped my heart out. This was her baby, her child, and I mourned with her as she wrapper her heart around the grief she felt. She is the most accomplished seamstress, kneedleworker, quilter I have ever seen. It's just a great website. She also posts delicious food recipes, and has some super interesting crafts that I really wish I could make. When Mildred first directed me to her blog, Andy Paulson did a guest post about egg rolls I still want to make, I read posts from the very beginning to current and haven't missed a day or a post yet. As a matter of fact it was Andy Paulson's post about egg rolls that inspired Mildred to want to post which made me want to post and so it's all Andy Paulson's fault/credit that I'm blogging. Worth your time, even if you find you aren't interested in her craft. She writes the most beautiful posts, I love her wording. It is her craft at writing that I admire the most.

1. Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

This is my hands down absolute favorite blog--hands down. I've followed this blog ever since I knew blogs existed. I've read every post, studied every picture, salivated over every recipe. Her blog has been radically transformed from several sites to one mammoth site that is amazing. She incorporates a cooking page, photography page, home and garden page, and general page. I love reading about her punks, her husband who she adores, and her antics. She has led quite a life let me tell you. She has a way of telling a story that draws you in and connects you to her life. You may as well be sitting on her leather sofa in the middle of her ranch drinking coffee, it's that familiar. I've laughed out loud which I don't do often when reading. She hosts contests and I always enter hoping to win, but when over 10,000 people enter her contest your chances are slim and none! I get keyed up when I know I'll be away from the computer for a couple of days because I'll miss the Pioneer Woman! I'm hooked, like a fish. It's really great.

There are many other blogs I read, I really need to put that thing on the side of blogs I like so you can go shop around. It's really fun to browse blog land. You can copy that award to your page, if you want, or not.