Thinking Blogs Award

The Future was Yesterday has nominated the 3 of us for a Thinking Blogs Award. As I understand it, I have to come up with 5 blogs (with links) and explain why I keep going back to them.

Then I'm supposed to tag someone but I don't do tags. If any of the nominees would like to participate, feel free to write a post nominating 5 thinking bloggers. Update: Be sure to let the blogger know they've been nominated with a link to your post.

It would be easier if I didn't have to stop with five but I have to save a few for Worried American and Gadfly. I think I've linked to most of them here at one time or another. I'll try to focus on the blogs which combine family and politics since I have most in common with them. I'm including a couple of parents from the gay community since I have a gay son and I'm active in securing full citizenship for him and my other gay friends. One has adopted a mixed race child (my great-granddaughters and 3 of my grandkids are "mixed"). And I've featured 3 from outside the USA. That should narrow the field slightly.

There are many excellent blogs which cover the entire political spectrum but since much of my writing is focused on civil rights for all, feminism, education, medical care, and other domestic issues, I'll stick with what I know best. Worried American and Gadfly are much more knowledgeable (and vocal) on the war, the current administration, and trying to survive the next couple of years. I'll also try to spotlight blogs that our readers here may not know. Most have been personal online friends since my early days of blogging.

So, in no particular order:

Daddy, Poppa, and Me recounts the adventures of a San Francisco couple who have adopted a lovely little girl. It's part family journal, part writing about the experiences of a mixed race family (as is mine) and part political activism; especially with respect to gay rights.

Arwen (also known as West Coast Arwen) lives in Vancouver, BC and writes Rants for the Invisible People. Feminist, family oriented, and very funny. She was one of my earliest blogging discoveries.

Dana writes Mombian, a mix of politics, feminism, and her experience as the lesbian mom of a 3 year old. She and her partner have been together for 12 years. She writes a newspaper column as well as her extremely professional blog. The link is to her profile.

Kittenpie at The Further Adventures of Me is a 30 something mom who lives in Toronto, Ontario. I never know what to expect from her. She'll be writing about spiders on one post, a feminist issue the next, her opinions (quite vocal) on education, and then a list of 25 books which have made an impact (for better or worse) on society. A lovely person with a fascinating mind.

From Melbourne, Australia, Lindsay's Lobes. Lindsay is a grandfather and one of my several Australian friends over on "granny". He writes about life down under, civil rights there, the environment (Australia is experiencing a disastrous drought), and his philosophy on life in general. You may recognize him from his comments here.

He's also one of the kindest people I've ever known. He's helped me out with technical problems on the blog and the Christmas before last sent my girls a book of Australian carols and magazines about Melbourne because I'd asked him where I could find the music for the carols online. And I mustn't forget the little poems he leaves from time to time. Lovely man.

Finally (yes I can count but I couldn't decide who to leave out). I can't omit David Burke at Wandering Dave's Blog even though he isn't a political blogger in the strictest sense. He's certainly a thinker and he was a personal friend before he was a blogger.

David is a retired teacher and professional writer. I met him when I read one of his columns in our local paper. It was political satire, it was funny and sad at the same time, and I knew as soon as I read it that he was in for a rough ride from the Letters to the Editor people who wouldn't recognize satire if they fell over it. I emailed him to tell him so, he responded that the emails were already coming in, and we've been enjoying a weekly coffee date at Barnes & Noble (where my son works so we're well chaperoned) for the last year or more. We've spent hours and hours discussing family, politics, the environment, civil rights, the way our local government is headed for hell in a handbasket, you name it, we've talked (and emailed) about it. We don't always agree which makes our conversations that much more interesting. On a personal note, there have been many Tuesday mornings when our "dates" have lifted me out of the pits of despair.

His rent at the retirement community here includes free lodging and meals at all of their places in the USA and Canada. He embarked on a cross country journey in February and began his blog shortly before. His son, a talented cartoonist and computer whiz, set it up; Dave does the writing as he travels. He's seeking out the heart of North America, making friends as he goes, and staying off the beaten path for the most part. I told him he reminded me of a latter day Charles Kuralt (with camera but no t.v. cameras). He'll be on the road for about a year. In addition to the blog, they've put together maps, a forum, a column, and a podcast. At present, he's either still in Montana or on his way to Calgary, Alberta.

Darn. While I was putting this together, I thought of 2 or 3 more that I should have included but I've already cheated. I'll include them in a separate post in the next few days. They deserve awards too even if they weren't included here. They've written some very good posts and I've linked to at least one previously.

Speaking of awards, I haven't mentioned it here but "granny" was nominated for a Blogger's Choice award for Best Parenting blog. The link is over on my sidebar if you're interested and my page can be found by typing rocrebelgranny in the search bar. I don't stand a chance of course but it's a treat to be nominated and I've crept up to page 3 of 55 pages.

This was more fun that I thought it would be when I started. Many thanks to Future is Yesterday for the kind words about the "Golden Girls" as he calls the 3 of us.

COMMENTS:

The Future Was Yesterday said...
Me again.I screwed up the rules of The Thinking Blogger. It should have read:Those who have been tagged, should now list five blogs that they themselves find makes them think, leave a comment on that person's blog telling them they have been tagged as well as also including a link to this post (Yours), so that people can easily find the origin of this award. I apologize for my error.
Friday, April 27, 2007 12:53:00 AM
Granny said...
It's okay. I did that automatically because I try to let fellow bloggers know when I've linked to them for any reason.Then I went back to my post and updated the "rules".
Friday, April 27, 2007 1:25:00 AM
kittenpie said...
Oh, good gravy! Thank you! That is such a treat, coming from a longtime blogger I have been impressed by, although I confess that I am becoming lax about commenting lately... I will be sure to drop by all these links! Your travelling friend sounds fascinating, in particular. Thanks again, and hope all is well with you and your girls! (Lovely new pics and layout at rocrebelgranny, by the way. They are growing!)
Friday, April 27, 2007 6:57:00 PM
betmo said...
tua- somebody always has to clean up after you! :)
Saturday, April 28, 2007 8:02:00 AM
GDAEman said...
Congratulations! It's nice to see you being recognized.Re: "Parenting Blogs" I ran across one called High Tech Parent by Jadegreen. Not sure how much it covers "parenting," but it represents views of a parent.Keep up the good work.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:39:00 AM