Tuesday, January 29, 2008

A Case of Mistaken Idealism


One of my best blogger friends, Vic Grace -from way up north in British Columbia - just informed me that she has given me an award. It's called the "Blogging Mentor" award and here's what it represents from the person giving it to the person receiving it:
This award is “to recognize and thank those who help us on our path to blogging, be it encouraging and helping us to start blogging or helping us to be the best we can, once we have started.”

Vic claims I have been instrumental to her and her blog by being a cheerleader, of sorts, for her.

Now, I won't deny that I have on many occasions tossed out a few comments her way that were intended to tell her good things about her blog. But they weren't put out there just to cheer her own, to make her feel good about herself and her blog. They were put there because they were the truth. Plain and simple. Because Vic writes a really terrific blog as well as showcasing her home, the countryside around her home -flora and fauna both -with some really outstanding photographs too from time to time.

She also posts on topics that she doesn't just have a feeling for but things that she has gone to great lengths to provide documentation, studied data and condensed this into a very interesting, readable format then for readers, such as myself -probably many others who otherwise wouldn't know the story behind the story, you might say.

So, although it is a great honor indeed to have Vic bestow this award on me, it is really Vic who is the one who has been, more often than not, MY mentor and not the reverse there.

Now to spread this Mentor Award further within the blogosphere, here are my choices of bloggers I believe -along with Vic -live up to the ideal of being classified as a mentor.

Linda the 911 Operator Here's a blogger who never fails to entertain but she, like Vic, frequently puts a lot of research into her posts with historical details, photos and the like. She also started a very admirable addition to her blog with a memorial she is keeping to pay tribute to fallen law enforcement officers, firemen, emergency personnel who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. She does this because of her own commitment to working in that field, knowing the difficulties these people must endure in their day-to-day duties and because of that, it's her belief they deserve at least that little bit of a means to give just a little extra meaning to what a valuable service all the people in this line of work give to all of us. If anyone has a question about blogging, and especially those who venture into the paid blogging sphere, Linda's a great "go to" person who, if she can't answer the question directly, usually has a good bead on someone who can.

David McMahon
- Next on my list is this very prolific blogger -who also just happens to be a writer/journalist/photographer as his base occupation. David writes a fantastic blog -on which he frequently posts many photographs he's taken in his travels around the world, as well as from his current home in Australia. Reading his blog, viewing the photographs he has taken and posted, he often also adds in many, many pointers as to how others can work with the written word or images to create works the blogger can surely be proud of in the finished product. Got a problem, a question -one needn't hesitate to ask David for assistance as he's there in a flash with a response and great, quality instructions to help others any way he can. Those who are regular readers of David's I'm sure will also agree with me that he is also probably a master of the art of puns, bar none! Don't believe me -just go see for yourself and then come back and tell me he isn't superb at that fine art.

Barb - alias "Skittles"
- Now here's a lady who is just that - a true LADY! Knowledgable about blogging, willing to help resolve little nitty-gritty annoyances that pop up from time to time with these pets of ours -our blogs, of course -Barb will try to assist any way she can. She also puts up a really terrific blog -sometimes with very deep, thoughtful posts, other times, with little "quickie" questions and whenever, wherever possible, she generally manages to interject little bits of humor to her readers as she goes about her quiet, unassuming way. Often, her open, frank, up-front postings of her own trials and tribulations from her past, as well as her present circumstances give the readers much insight about daily living and trying to overcome obstacles that often get placed in our paths.

Those three bloggers -along with the others on my "favorites" list -have all contributed greatly to my trying to keep things going with my own blog. I couldn't do this without contributions and input across the board there from all of you my readers, my favorites, ya know!

There is one other blogger I would like to give this award to but to do that, it will be an award to the memory of a gentleman who in the short year I came to know him through his blog, through our many communications over that time via e-mails, was truly MY Mentor and that would be the late Bob Johnson, a man of many talents who lived in Alberta, Canada. I first stumbled across his old blog -"Letters I Wish I'd Sent" -which consisted usually of a letter he would compose that would address many and various topics -mostly things people did that really aggravated and irritated him. Occasionally, these "letters" were serious presentations but most of the time, they were classic sarcasm, outlining the foolhardy actions of people. In the short time I "knew" Bob -using that term loosely as I never met him, never spoke to him on the phone, but felt like I knew him and he knew and understood me -he also put out several other blogs such as "Bob's Odder Blog", or "Rotten Robert" and a few more too. He was just a great guy who, before I became acquainted with the likes of Linda, David, Barb and Vic, answered many a question I put to him. Bob died quite suddenly this past November, just before Thanksgiving, and although there are none of his classic posts remaining on his old blogs, I still have him listed on my "favorites" roll simply because that's my way of remembering what a great guy, a wonderful friend, he was to me during that time.

So there you have it folks - five people who I credit greatly with helping me to work through questions, problems, writer's blocks - you name it - virtually anything having to do with my blog!

Each one, and as I said above, all the other bloggers I have listed as a "favorite" has contributed to my desire to keep blogging, to try to learn, hopefully improve and also from time to time entertain a little, maybe even pass along some information of my own to some along the way.

You're actually then, in that respect, my "blogging mentors" you see.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

There you go again, and I thank you for it. I think this is a mutual admiration society, isn't it great!

Linda Murphy said...

Hi Jeni-you are most deserving of the blog mentor award. You always have gracious and supportive words for your fellow blog writers.

Plus, I have had the chance to stop by your blog mentors and they do have great work. Congrats to all of them as well.

fuzzbert_1999@yahoo.com said...

You did well in picking David...he's put a lot of ideas into my head, and therefore the blog.

david mcmahon said...

Dear Jeni,

It sounds so trite to merely say `thank you' but may I just express my utmost gratitude - from the very bottom of my heart.

None of us blog for recognition. I sincerely believe we blog for fellowship.

But to get this sort of recognition is as important as a novel getting a great review.

My thanks, not just for this award, but for everything you bring to the world of blogging.

God bless you

David

(PS: Thank you, Mushy. You are a great friend.)

Dianne said...

David is so right about the fellowship aspect of blogging.

You wear this award well Jeni - you always give insightful and thoughtful comments and you are a genuinely supportive soul. I've come to think of us as friends and that is dear to me.

Barb said...

Jen, I am honored to be in such fine company.

If I have felt comfortable enough to post some of the things I do it's because of loving and understanding comments from bloggers like you that have taught me it's ok to be myself.

I wasn't aware Bob had passed away. I lost touch with his blog and his wonderful sense of humor.

Sandi McBride said...

Hi Jeni, congratulations on the award. I wanted to come in and thank you for visiting with me and hope you won't be a stranger. I love finding new blogs to visit, so I certainly won't be a stranger in yours!
Sandi

Suldog said...

David is a great choice, of course. I haven't read the others, but I'll be sure to check them out.

Casdok said...

Congratulations on your award!
Apart from David i dont know the others so will go and have a nose!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Jeni,
I too have been negligent in reading other blogs. I've been pretty wrapped up in my own little world lately. Thanks for dropping by and leaving me the message. I came by and caught up. I love the blog mentor award idea. I'm always happy to know that Bob touched so many other people's lives. I guess in my heart I always knew it, but he always had so much time for us that it's hard to imagine that he had any left to go around! I'm sure that the omniscient Bob is reading your blog from a beach somewhere with a margharita in one hand and the ever present smile on his face! Here's to 2008!

Take care

Barb (Bob's sister who can't remember her sign in name!!!)

Linda said...

Hi Jeni -

Wow! What David said! I am really honored and humbled by this award as well as flattered and blown away.

You're quite right in that I started my memorial posts for officers who have died in the line of duty to give them some recognition and honor but another reason was to make people aware that these horrible tragedies happen right here in our own backyard and not just overseas on foreign land. Maybe if enough people realize how many good men and women are dieing, maybe some one will finally take some action. It's one voice crying in the wind but if more voices join in then maybe we'll make a loud enough noise.

Thank you again, I accept this award with honor!

TomCat said...

Congrats, Jeni. And well deserved!

Travis Cody said...

This is an interesting award. I can think of a couple of people who really helped and encouraged me when I was just an infant blogger.

Misty DawnS said...

I am subscribed to all of the blogs you mentioned - Vic's, Linda's, David's, Barb's, and yours! All of the aforementioned are truly, truly deserving of this award - they are fabulous blogs!

By the way, Linda needs our help right now - I'm sure you already know about it, but if you don't, the third post down on my blog (www.mistysmusings.com) titled "Give Her a Real Life" will explain.