I am humbled...

The flu hit my house a couple of days ago. It is hard to get a 15 year old through exams with a high fever, chills, and body aches, but I think he is over the worst of it. During that time, with my house a Petrie dish of uninvited influenza germs, I read that I had received a nomination for the first star of the Blog of the Year 2012. I am so blessed and so humbled. The amazing poet and storyteller Tiny of the Tiny Lessons blog at http://tinylessonsblog.com/ gave me this honor and I send her my sincerest appreciation. Tiny’s blog was one of the first I ever read, back in August when I was just taking my first, tentative crack at blogging. Her words and images entertain of course, but more importantly, they often challenge the reader to take a different perspective or take a moment to reflect. Tiny creates a mood through her poetry that captures our current reality and infuses it with a sense of peace that is so often needed these days. If you have not experienced a Tiny Lesson, I promise it will bring a HUGE reward.

When I began my blog last summer, I think I was an emotional mess, worried about health issues and starting the last year of my professional career. Thinking about retirement made me question so many things, but I believe it all boiled down to staying relevant. If I am no longer a speech-language pathologist in a large urban school district, then what am I? Will I still be relevant and have a voice? I have often thought that the reason many senior citizens have hearing difficulty is simply lack of practice. We stop talking to them because age is not a valued commodity in the United States.

But WordPress has allowed me a new voice and a new community. I remember when I was Freshly Pressed. I was stunned because I had read so many authentic, uber-talented writers on this site and somehow, my little blog was noted. It was a challenge to keep writing and keep improving because I am truly humbled by the writers of all ages whose work I read daily. So this is a big THANK YOU to my community of fellow bloggers. You have kept me sane and entertained. That is an incredible gift. Now on to this award business…

The ‘rules’ for the Blog of the Year 2012 Award (from the creators of this award) are simple:
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award.
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!). I took special notice of that rule.
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them.
5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…!
You can find the award designs here: http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/
Here are my nominees for Blog of the Year 2012
• http://adlibb3d.wordpress.com/    This guy just cracks me up with his honesty and wicked sense of humor. I also think he may be my husband’s doppelganger.
• http://40isthenew13.wordpress.com/ Jennifer’s ability to evoke a laugh or a tear are amazing. She’s another weaver of tales…
• http://mrsfringe.wordpress.com/ Living on the periphery isn’t easy but this mom in Manhattan does it with style and humor, and a bit of dog poop thrown in…
• http://mrscarmichael.wordpress.com/ Mrs. Carmichael and I agree on our love of dogs and being able to laugh at life. She’s quirky, insightful, and full of heart
• http://jmgoyder.com/ Julie is all heart, sharing her birds and her family with an open heart. She says she’s on break for a while but you can read her older stuff, right?
• http://agraciouslife.wordpress.com/ Sweet, sensitive, and always gracious, Kay already has at least one star, so stop by and see why. You will love her thoughts on life. Here’s star #2
• http://thecheekydiva.com/ This diva invented Twinkies, the sleeve for designer coffee drinks, and sarcasm. Well, at least she says she did. I dare you to not get hooked on this bloggess.
• http://hikingphoto.com/ Patrick’s photography takes my breath away and takes me to places I would otherwise never be able to see.
Please check out these amazing writers. I am honored to be in their company.