versatile-blogger-award

Many thanks to Memee over at Memee’s Musings for her kind nomination into the Versatile Blogger Award community.  I’m greatly honored when other writers choose to compliment my work.  We tend to be a particular bunch, so when someone steps forward and names Riddle from the Middle as noteworthy it does make my chest swell a bit with pride.  (But not in that obnoxious, “well, doesn’t SHE think she’s the bees knees” sort of way.)

I tend to stutter step a bit when people ask what Riddle from the Middle is about.  They say you’re supposed to have an “elevator pitch” – a one or two sentence summary to describe your blog.  But no matter how I try, I can’t seem to boil RFTM down into that kind of description. When I try to answer someone’s “What’s your blog about?” I end up rambling about parenting and dogs and adoption and life and current events and sharing interesting links and such…quite a mess, right?  I much prefer the title “versatile” to “can’t get her shit together” so this award falls solidly in the win column for me.

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award.

  • Thank the person who nominated you (because, you know…manners).
  • Include a link to that person’s blog.  That’s also good manners.
  • Then select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly who you consider versatile and excellent in their writing.  Nominate them for the Versatile Blogger Award and notify them on their About page.  (Full disclosure: 15 is an intimidating number.  I’ll do my best.)
  • Finally, share 7 things about yourself.  Interesting is good…truthful is important…bonus points for brutal honesty.

Now for the seven fascinating facts about me:

1.  I have been blessed to love five dogs in the last twenty years.  One we lost to natural causes, and I was with two others when they took their last breath.  Holding Ginny and Roxie as they died split my heart wide open, but each time I was grateful that my loving eyes were the last thing they saw.  Now I adore two very different dogs – a giant Golden whose fluffy goofiness is matched by her tendency to cause trouble, and a mid-sized Lab mix who has wormed her way solidly into my heart.

2.  I’ve spent most of my life being perpetually cold.  I nap under throws year round, and I can only stand walking around barefoot in the very hottest of months.  Unfortunately, I also adore a great pair of flip flops.  These two sides of my personality are constantly at war with one another.

3.  I hate heels.  My feet hurt terribly when I wear them, but I’d probably hate them even if that wasn’t the case since the odds of a foolish spill increase exponentially with heel height.  In my twenties I had bunion surgery in an attempt to make dress shoes less painful.  Two decades later I know this:  a) dress shoes still hurt, and b) telling people you’ve had bunion surgery makes you sound remarkably old.

4.  I do not give two flips about sports teams.  For any kind of sports.  At all.  You wouldn’t think this would be a particularly notable fact except we live in an area where Sports are King, and apparently I’m breaking some sort of unspoken law by not having a favorite college basketball team I’m willing to defend to the death.  Seriously, people look at me like I’ve sprouted wings when I say I really don’t care.  I’m worried one of these days I’ll be deported to a state where sports aren’t taken quite so seriously.  Like Utah.  (Wait, is there some Utah team I’ve just dissed? See?  I have absolutely no idea.)

5.  I was once implicitly accused of brainwashing my students with a Republican agenda by having them write a letter to the president.  A fact which is all the more ironic when you consider I was the president of the University Democrats at my college.

6.  I greatly dislike small talk.  For a while this confused BrightSide – I was in a sorority, and I had to do that whole small talk thing during Rush.  But I didn’t like it then and I’ve only grown more introverted as I’ve gotten older, so now making small talk is akin to walking over hot coals.  I recognize it’s a necessary evil; I just don’t enjoy it.

7.  I find few things quite as soothing as a soft dog curled up by my side for a nap.  Especially if they snore just a little.

These are my nominations for the Versatile Blogger Award:

1.   All In A Dad’s Work
2.   Coach Daddy
3.   vanbytheriver
4.   Okayest Mom
5.   Adoption Expectant – Hubby Edition
6.   Joeyfully Stated
7.   Chronicles of a Blogaholic
8.   Herding Chickens and Other Adventures in Foster and Adoptive Care
9.   almostfarmgirl
10.  Behind The White Coat
11.  A Thomas Point of View
12.  mind JO business
13.  The Ninth Life
14.  Molly B and Me
15.  Bipolar For Life

Each nomination is my recognition of a writer’s unique perspective and voice.  I enjoy visiting these blogs; pop on over and you might find a few new favorites, too.