Tickled Fuchsia

I received this lovely little gift from Dixie Peach, over at her blog. And so did Dictator Princess. Here we are, two southern gals from AL and MS, respectively, finding readership in corners I would not have ever imagined. Southern gals rock. (Hey Dixie, where are my socks? Toes are cold...)

Seriously, I've been reading Dixie Peach for some time now, and I just love the wit that she pairs with her sincerity. She is a wife and a caregiver and a human being par excellence. She's also the same age as my big sister and I just identify with her. And she is one of those gals who tries to foster multicultural understanding, be it German-American or Muslim-non-Muslim. Thanks for all the respect you've shown me.

Anyhow, this dude is fuchsia.

And here's what he's about:

Those people given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc., etc. Let's send a roar through the blogsphere! The image at the top right can be copied and pasted onto other blogs. Also, a small size of the award for sidebars can be found over at the writing circle site.

My readability requirements:

1. Get down off of your pedestal before you scribble. I want to read writing that is genuine and shows the writer's desire to communicate to an audience that reaches beyond himself and his ego. While blogging itself can be interpreted as a form of narcissism, the blogs I read have to push past the me! me! me! stage and into the realm of the sincere.
2. Show me that you are part of the human struggle and are not rigidly fixed in your philosophies. Be open-minded.
3. When I read your words, make me experience emotions on various levels. Sometimes I may want to shout at my screen, other times I guffaw, often I may cry. Write from the heart.

I'm shouting out to these five bloggers:

1. Jobina of Think Noisy and Colorfully
Jobina and I started reading one another's blogs last year after her husband, on his blog, pressed the "next blog" button and found mine, commenting on a post I had written about a little girl who passed away tragically. I have always had a fascination with Canadians, because I just think they are cool and loving people. No one ever says, "Oh those damn Canadians," do they? Anyway, Jobina is a mom of two young ones, a Christian with down home traditions and a wholesome life, and I just love reading her realness.

2. Bin Gregory of Bin Gregory Productions.
He doesn't post as often as I'd like, but when he does, his posts are warm and genuine and thought-provoking--all the elements that make writing worth reading.

3. Ibrahim Abusharif of From Clay.
This blog is a new find for me. Br. Ibrahim is a Palestinian-American, published author, journalist, and professor from Illinois who brings truth and honesty to the blogging realm. When I read this post by him, I was blown away by the power of his imagery. I think that Br. Ibrahim brings a voice of intellect without academic stuffiness to this, our blogging genre. I expect his great talent to flourish.

4. Baraka of Rickshaw Diaries.
Of course those of you who have been reading Baraka for years know why she touches her readers. Keep fighting, keep searching, keep writing.

5. Naseem Tarawneh of The Black Iris of Jordan
Brother Nas gives me hope for the twenty-somethings of today. He is sharp and introspective and writes about the current events in Jordan like a seasoned commentator. When I read his posts I do not feel the generation gap between us. He takes risks in his writing and is spot-on more times than not. He makes waves. And he was educated in Canada, so that gives him an honorary 'coolness.'

Roar!