Hello Friends,

As I was responding to the comments readers had made on my blog this week, I was delighted and surprised to find this:

“It’s an odd little community of bloggers–those of us on-line writing our mind and heart. And then to stumble upon you and the Grace and courage conveyed … remarkable. I read your blog, because it breaks open my heart each time I do and it reminds me what truly matters in life. As Billy Joel once sang “I have been a fool for lesser things.” I nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  I want you to know that you and Lulu have a wide touch…beyond family and friends…into the internet ethers, inspiring and blessing people like me who bear witness to this sacred dance you do with your daughter. You and Lulu are in my heart and I am grateful to follow your story and to bear witness to its awful tenderness.”  

Stephanie Raffelock  http://callingoftheheart.wordpress.com/

Wow.  What a wonderful surprise.  I’d like to thank Stephanie for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  I didn’t know if my blog would really reach people beyond the cancer story … I just hoped that it would.  The award is truly lovely, but the words from Stephanie are the real trophy to me.  Her writing is soothing yet inspiring, and reminiscent of my mother’s ideology.  I’m so grateful that she found me, and that I found her writing.  I hope you will visit her site often:  www.callingoftheheart.com

To receive this award, I must list 7 interesting things about me, and tell you about some bloggers that inspire me, so here ya go!:

7 Things:

1.  I used to be an opera singer.

2.  I (very) occasionally snort when I laugh.

3.  Between singing jobs, I once did a national tour where I played a dancing Sesame Street-type character.  The costumes were 40lbs, and difficult to see out of.  At one of the shows, I fell off the stage onto the unsuspecting first row of children.  No one was hurt in this horrifying incident :-).

4.  I grew up painfully shy, and although you wouldn’t guess it if you meet me, I still struggle with it.  Now it just comes out as intermittent moments of social awkwardness. Nice, huh?

5.  Mad Men and Smash are my drugs of choice.  I’m totally addicted.  I even dressed up as Joan for Halloween.   I stuffed a padded size F bra into a tight red dress.  Men still stopped me to ask if they were real.    Oy.

6.  I rowed crew for a summer 3 years ago.  I was in the best shape of my life and always long to get back to it.  I loved the peacefulness of being on the water and the camaraderie of the women.  Of course, there was that time this duck took a paddle to the head … He came out of nowhere, I swear!

7.  Having a daughter with cancer has almost wholly cured me of the disease to please.  I find it easier to speak my mind, write, and say no.

Although the rules suggest I nominate 7 bloggers, these days I don’t truthfully keep up with 7.  With that in mind, here are my 4 nominations:

Fancy Feet:  www.heidicave.com

A tragedy turned triumph led this woman to share her message of hope, love and courage with us.  She is currently publishing her first book, based on her blog.

An Inch of Gray: www.aninchofgray.blogspot.com

Thoughtful and self-depracating, Anna See takes us on a visceral ride through her life.

Chase your bliss: www.toussaintmorrison.blogspot.com

If you read my entry “Seeing is Believing”, you will know why I am nominating Toussaint.  His young, raw talent is blossoming into a strong voice that will have an impact on this world.

Glamaross:  www.glamaross.wordpress.com

Sharie Ross found me by chance over the worldwide webs.  I just like her.  She combines glamour with reality and humanity.  She reminds me of the fashion industry I recently worked in, and that motherhood and glamour are not independent of each other.  She is also a cancer survivor, and therefore, in the club.

Thank you to these, and other bloggers whom I have yet to discover.  I’m simply a newborn to this world, but feel excited, connected and supported by it already.  As the award states, you are all “keeping the blogosphere a beautiful place”.

Gratefully,

T. Marie