Someone Loves Me

Woohoo, another award. Man, I'm hot.

Although, living in Houston, that's not unusual.

In this case, a charming blog called Got Quads? about a mother and her adventures with her darling little quadruplets passed the "Let's Be Friends" award on to me. Really, I'm desperately flattered.

[UPDATE: I'm also a ditz - squared. Quadmama's blog is Got Quads (and I'd forgotten the link) and she was right - Oldwestmom of Forever Family also gave me this award on March 18. Ack! I'm so sorry I didn't acknowledge it in the midst of my move! Sorry, oldwestmom and quadmama!]

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to those bloggers who then may choose at least 5 more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Of course, the hard part about awards like this is picking just five superlative blogs to pinpoint. Really, it's all but impossible. After more than six months in the blogosphere I've been inundated with clever, charming, funny and/or remarkable blogs. How to pick just five?

*Sigh*

So, I'm going to go this time by pointing out five blogs I've found rather recently that nearly always induce me to comment because I find them charming (albeit sometimes in off-nominal ways). Sometimes they make me think. Sometimes they make me laugh. Always, I'm enticed to read. These five are NOT the extent of the charming blogs I know, by any stretch, but they are a worthwhile read. And I'd be honored if they'd be friends with me.

Observations of a Nerd
Clarity 2009
Predator Press (I know it's been around a while, but I've just really gotten involved)
Occult View
Blanca DeBree Blog (so I find excessive sarcasm charming. Sue me.)

Now I'll notify all the lucky recipients so that they can laugh at me for my presumption. Have a good one. And believe me, if you're in my blog catalog favorites or my blog list, I'm a fan. Seriously.

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From Lola: The Honest Scrap Award

I’d forgone awards on my other blog Rocket Scientist, but actually being awarded involves a response so it fits right in over here. I have to thank Lola of Lola’s Diner (who, I might add, provided my first question on this blog) for this lovely “Honest Scrap” Award.

Lola has a very interactive blog and tells her many readers about the interesting events in her life and her thinking. She often has very pronounced opinions (as I do) and she doesn’t take crap from anyone (which I admire). She’s a remarkable individual.

“This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog’s content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant.”

Talk about flattering, I seriously am. I’m supposed to tell ten honest things about myself. OK, here goes.

1) On May 15, I’ll have been working at NASA for 20 years.

2) I’ve had shingles twice already, once when I was thirteen and once when I was pregnant with my eldest daughter.

3) I have naturally the worst fingernails in the world: brittle, soft, peeling, yuck! I currently have gel nails just to keep my nails from chipping down to the cubicle.

4) I’m way heavy. There’s a number of reasons, none of them particularly good with the exception of a very bad knee.

5) I have been writing stories/poetry/fiction since I was 11 years old.

6) I once had three short stories published in a magazine that no longer exists: Plot

7) I have had three last names, each of them four letters long.

8) My father and my grandfather both died the same week in March (different years). They both had spent most of their careers working for the government and both died of causes related to those jobs. My grandfather died of asbestosis (he as a master planner for the military). My father died of colon cancer after spending 20 years slogging through toxic sludge as a soil specialist from one horrible site to the next.

9) Through no effort on my part, I have found out that I can trace my family back to Alfred the Great.

10) I have had sex with exactly two men. Both of whom I married.

Now, who can I give this to?

How about JD at I Do Things

oldwestmom at Forever Family

shakespeare at Shakespearemom

Roy at Roy’s World

Davida at Glue for Families

flit on Flitting on Fiction

Brilliant blogs, all of them, though I know many more. I’ll do my best to showcase them over time.

1. # JD at I Do Thingson 02 Apr 2009 at 7:04 am edit this

   Aw, thanks, Stephanie. You’re a sweetie. And congratulations on receiving the award from Lola, of whom I am also quite the fan. I enjoyed reading your 10 “Honest” things. If I can think of even FIVE honest things I haven’t already foisted upon my poor readers, I’ll list ‘em. Thanks again. I do appreciate it.

2. # attygnorrison 02 Apr 2009 at 9:08 am edit this

   Thanks for the award, Stephanie!

   I’m sorry about your father and grandfather. March must be a very reflective month for you.

   It’s cool that you can trace your family back to Alfred the Great. I can’t go any further than my great-great-grands.

   I’m impressed with your writing experience… not that you need me to be. Your success speaks for itself.

   I’ve never come close to being that long on any job. Does it count that I’d have at least 20 jobs in my lifetime?

   Let’s just say, I’ve had sex with more than 2 men…

   Davida

3. # stephanieebarron 02 Apr 2009 at 9:44 am edit this

   You know, Davida, it’s interesting that both my father and grandfather were both doing what they thought was best for safety. My grandfather by bolstering defense, having fought in WWII. My father by working tirelessly to document the movement and effects of pollution in soils. I’m part of a proud tradition. Just hope it doesn’t kill me .

   I can take no credit for the tracing. It’s a side effect of growing up in a Mormon household and happening to be descended from Edward I - plugging into almost any royal line in Europe greatly facilitates geneology. I understand that it’s a real struggle for African Americans who must deal with incomplete (or misleading) slave records that can readily dead end with little information in Africa. If it makes you feel better, my grandmother is a black market baby with very little information available about her geneology.

   I’ve actually worked at four different companies during my near 20 years here, but always associated with space and increasingly involved with safety. I suspect it’s my calling.

   I wasn’t trying to criticize anyone’s sexual past. I’m just a hopeless romantic. I wonder if it goes with being a Scorpio?

4. # shakespeareon 02 Apr 2009 at 12:41 pm edit this

   It goes with being a Pisces, too. Thanks for the nomination! Now I have to think of 10 true things about myself… or, at least, ten true things anyone might be vaguely interested in.

   I need to check out some of these other blogs, too. I haven’t done that enough lately.

5. # Musingon 03 Apr 2009 at 5:17 am edit this

   Fun! A few new sites to discover.

6. # Baron von Rochesteron 03 Apr 2009 at 4:50 pm edit this

   I’m not the least bit surprised that you can trace your ancestry back to Alfred the Great. There is something marvellously intrepid and pioneering about you, I think.

7. # attygnorrison 03 Apr 2009 at 8:49 pm edit this

   Just noticed you got some buttons up. I just grabbed them and added them to both of my sites.

   Davida

8. # bookishon 04 Apr 2009 at 7:10 am edit this

   >> Through no effort on my part, I have found out that I can trace my family back to Alfred the Great.

   That’s so great! The only “famous person” I’ve been able to find in my lineage was George Custer — but not the George Custer. This guy was a grandson or great grandson of the youngest brother of that George. Very minor connection. In other family lines, I can’t get back any earlier than the late 1600s, but they’re all still pretty varied and interesting.

   It’s sad about your grandfather and your father. Especially since they were doing government work that had a good purpose. My first thought was, “Uh oh, just don’t ever let Stephanie go up in the shuttle or anything.” Heh.

9. # stephanieebarron 04 Apr 2009 at 7:41 am edit this

   Glad so many have come by!

   Hi, Shakespeare!

   Davida, I need to set up a button field. Definitely.

   Baron, a pleasure to see you here!

   Bookish, on my mother’s side, I go back to the Pilgrims and have a published naturalist, but it’s my paternal grandfather (the one I mention above) that traces back to Edward 1 and that takes me back to Alfred the Great. It is cool to read a book about William the Conqueror or Eleanor of the Aquitaine and realize I’m descended from them. And no worries about the Space Shuttle. Not only am I not remotely qualified, free fall scares me to death.

10. # Aron Soraon 04 Apr 2009 at 9:25 am edit this

    Ok, this question is really lame, but should I go to my prom?

11. # Aron Soraon 04 Apr 2009 at 9:30 am edit this

    Hey, you work at NASA, that is really cool. One day you have to write an article on how you landed that job. I dream of leading a space habitation effort with NASA, maybe you could provide a roadmap on how to get that job. If answering this won’t put your job in danger, how much red tape exists in NASA.

12. # stephanieebarron 04 Apr 2009 at 9:42 am edit this

    Two questions, Aron, bless your heart. I can write them both and TODAY.

    (Remember, folks, I need your questions or I sink down to the pathetic level of talking to myself.)

13. # Aron Soraon 04 Apr 2009 at 1:49 pm edit this

    Your helping me more, I’m a hopeless geek

14. # Kathyon 04 Apr 2009 at 3:14 pm edit this

    So sorry about your father and grandfather. Horrible.

    I echo what everyone else said about your relation to Alfred the Great. Shall we dub you Stephanie the Stupendous?!

    Shingles? After watching my mother suffer through it five years ago, I asked God to break my leg, crack my skull, anything but shingles. It pained me to see her go through that, and I can’t imagine your own pain while being pregnant, no less.

    Oh, and I’m way heavy, too. I’m at a very scary weight and pretty much spent the day crying about it. Misery loves company?

15. # attygnorrison 04 Apr 2009 at 5:26 pm edit this

    Question–

    Ok. Danny and I have read your view on my needing time “off” and agree that it better be sooner rather than later. So, now he keeps asking me what I want to do. I haven’t a clue. He’s trying to help me get away and I have no idea what I want to do or where I want to go that won’t be too costly. If $$ were no object, I’d be gone this afternoon. Any suggestions?

16. # stephanieebarron 04 Apr 2009 at 8:22 pm edit this

    No need to give me a title, Kathy. I’ll settle for having a few good friends.

    Shingles SUCK! What’s more, since the presentation was unusual, my dermatologist did not realize that’s what it was (it was on my hands and feet) when I was pregnant. It had been on my back when I was a teenager. So, my daughter was exposed without my knowing. I only know she was because she never had chicken pox but, at the age of FIVE got shingles, painful and horrible shingles. Fortunately, none of our incarnations lasted long, my daughter’s least of all. But it also means she’ll probably face it again later. *Sigh*

    If knowing others are heavy and struggling with it helps, I’m happy to help. It IS hard to be heavy, nor do heavy people get much sympathy for those struggles. I don’t know that being heavy means anything about WHO someone really is, though. Many love you as you are. One’s size doesn’t make you less of a person. Seriously.

17. # Kathyon 05 Apr 2009 at 11:16 am edit this

    Stephanie, I’m sorry your daughter suffered through shingles as well. God awful thing, isn’t it. And thank you so much for your uplifting words. I’m trying to look on the inside instead of what I see in the mirror.

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