Kan I Be Kreativ?

With many thanks to fellow blogger from across the pond, Steve over at The Last Picture Show, I've been awarded a Kreativ Blogger Award. I'm very honored to be included in my friend's nominated group of web journalers (all of whom I consider very imaginative and worthy bloggers). But before I thank The Academy, my parents, etc., I have some housekeeping duties and need to lay out the rules for the award:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
   
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link the person who nominated you.
4. Name seven things about yourself that no one would really know.
5. Nominate seven "Kreativ Bloggers."
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Okay, the first three have been accomplished. That means I have to name some aspects about myself that I've yet to mention. Hmm...

1. When I was born, I didn't cry (and the doctor didn't bother to spank me). Since she thought she'd had another stillborn delivery, I scared the hell out of my mother right off the bat!
2. The Monday morning my wife went into labor with our first, I had an almost empty gas tank when it came time to drive her to the hospital (and she still never let's me forget that).
3. Being a Leo (astrological sign), I find it a strange coincidence that actor Bert Lahr (the actor who played the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz) and I share the same birth date.
4. I absolutely love the smell of ground coffee, but I've never enjoyed drinking it (I'm a long-time tea drinker).
5. I'm right-handed, but when I give applauds, I clap like a southpaw (left hitting into the right hand instead of the other way around).
6. In the 11th grade, I suffered a fractured jaw (the result of my '63 Ford Falcon suddenly meeting a 1935 Pontiac after a gymnastic meet).
7. In the past 20 years of playing, I've met my share of people who've achieved a hole-in-one (some with more than one, and many of them just starting the game of golf)--and I still don't have one!

These are the Kreativ Bloggers I wish to nominate because I really enjoy reading their content and am happy to make them a daily habit:

pattinase - Patti's blog description say's it all, "Looks at writing, books, movies, politics, life, music".

Lesa's Book Critiques - She-Who-Reads-Unbelievable-Amounts is always worth a read (Lesa is in fact, a librarian).

Technicolor Dreams - Christian Devine's wonderful and colorful look at culture, film, music, politics, and skidoo.

Novel Whore's Blog - I recently discovered this delightful blogger, and way happy I did.

Elogios - he may be a distant relative, but I would have selected Poncho anyway because he's someone I like to read.

Jen's Book Thoughts - this blogger continues to inspire for the joy she takes in the author and book thoughts she writes down.

The Drowning Machine - how could I not include Corey since he's a fan of crime fiction, old movies, football and good whiskey.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Book Blogger Appreciation Week (lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com)
• Literate Housewife Seal of Approval (literatehousewife.com)
• Who am I? Why am I here? (drowningmachine.blogspot.com)

A Splashy

I find a certain rightness in the world when good people get rewarded, or in this case, awarded. It's so easy to get down on things, or lose perspective, if you listen, watch, or read the news services on any kind of regular schedule. A recent post by blogger Confused of Calcutta brought some insight on this subject:

The web has places of light and places of extreme darkness as well. I like spending time in places where people build each other up, say encouraging things to each other. I like spending time in places where people pass along tips and recommendations about people they like, books they like, music they like, food they like, restaurants they like. Positive things.

There’s an abundance of bad news out there already, in all shapes and colours and sizes. So why add to it?

It is a thought-provoking piece, and well worth a read. So when I awoke this morning with an email from a friend who I consider one of the most positive people I know, I was immediately beckoned to the light. As usual, today's post by Jen's Book Thoughts re-orients your frame of reference with her excitement of reading in general, and specifically the enjoyment of crime/mystery fiction (and the underlying community around that genre). Plus the fact that she was given a Splash Award by Meandering and Muses, made it a good morning (no matter what was on my work/personal schedule today to get done). Jen wrote:

Most recently I received a note that said, "thank you for being a friend to crime fiction writers," and I felt horribly guilty. I've always viewed my blog as a selfish indulgence. I blog because I love mystery and crime fiction; I love to talk about it, share it, promote it and just be surrounded by it. I love having an avenue to be creative with it. The friends I've made have been the greatest bonus

You see, positive. It's like that hug you get from your kids (that seems to come out of nowhere) when you just pass by them, you can't help but feel buoyed by the experience, and warmed by it.

So when she turned around and bestowed it upon me, I was more than a little taken aback. Modesty (and knowing that my lovely bride of 20 years reads my posts and is not about to let my ego grow any larger than it already is) prevents me from repeating Jen's very kind, generous words in conferring this award. For those who manage to stop by, read what I write down and leave a thoughtful comment or two, it is humbling. In the spirit of the community that Jen writes about, I only hope my musings on life and the popular arts bring a portion of what bloggers like Jen do regularly.

And with that spirit in mind, I'd like to grant a Splash Award to another blogger who more than fits the bill of making an impact: blogger Corey Wilde of The Drowning Machine. Not only swimming upstream in a river of books, Corey successfully blends discerning book reviews of crime fiction (foreign and domestic) with periodic contemplations on a number of varied subjects. From the importance of keeping libraries open, to music, and the noirish quality of certain lyrics, Corey provokes curiosity and enjoyment in whatever he writes. Like I do with Jen's blog, his is another of the blog posts I most look forward to reading. So for Jen's fellow Ohioan, this Splashy is for you.

My thanks to both of you for the community you engender.

Humbled AND Tagged!

Corey, of The Drowning Machine, has honored and humbled me with a Premio Dardos award in his post today. Being tagged for any award is an honor. But when it comes from someone you really enjoy reading (and miss when he doesn't post in awhile :-), then it's easy to humble any curmudgeon (like me). BTW, Corey's ether contributions do live up to the description (by way of  K-Squared Ramblings) he cites in his post:

---

"recognizes the values that each blogger shows each day in their efforts to convey cultural ethical, literary, personal, etc. values… in short, it demonstrates his creativity through his vibrant thoughts, which remain innate within the letters, torn between his words."

---

If I am anywhere near that neighborhood, I'll die wax happy. And, it is a great way to start the season of Spring! Of course, our weather here has a wonder sense of humor--by way of the temperature dropping and rain in our weekend forecast. So, to state the rules of this meme (for which I'll credit Holger Haase):

The Rules are:

1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.

2) Pass the award to another five blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

I've checked that first one. Now, to the second. I'll nominate in the spirit of this award meme:

• Gay at Words in Place because of her always interesting written work, posts, and because her About Me byline is so good: Wife | Mother | Writer | Painter | Jewelry Maker | Sister-in-Crime
• Vérité Parlant at Whose shoes are these anyway? because of her truth-saying talent, prose, and life verve (and my new daily fix)
• Darrin of Darrin Defined because he is a husband and a father and can lighten up, have fun, and enjoy life! I just wonder how he does it?
• Ny of NYNOTES  because anyone that can list Heaven Must Be Like This by The Ohio Players and the Random House Japanese-English/English-Japanese Dictionary as favorites is worth keeping an eye on
• Sarah at The Fox And The Hounds because she looks good in funny hats and thrives in a house full of boys

Thank you.