Giving and Receiving and other stories

Tonight, it's raining.

This week, I've stared out the window at snow on the ground, sung myself hoarse in pre-Easter practices, sent my first query, read my novel initsentiretyinhardcopyandoutloud, read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and received my first-ever blog award.

First-ever Blog Award! I got totally excited.

The nomination came from new friend Kiernan, whom you may have met in the comment box. It comes with two simple rules: 1) post seven interesting things about myself, and 2) pass the award on to fifteen other blogs. So. Here goes.

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The challenge: finding seven interesting things about myself that I haven't already told you here, here, or here.

1. After years of writing songs about God, boys, unrequited love, Lou, and Harry Potter, a couple of weeks ago I found myself writing a song about Nynaeve al'Meara and al'Lan Mandragoran. I finished it, too—just haven't recorded it yet.

2. Fantasy fiction is the only thing keeping me from cutting my hair to shoulder-length.

3. I would certainly have a pet bird if the sight of one in a cage didn't make me a little bit sad. And if I didn't have a cat.

4. From age twelve onward, I've wished I were graceful in a pair of skates on ice. And that I could jump a single axel, even on dry ground. I've tried, a lot of times, but it's harder than it looks.

5. It's possible that if I'd read Sarah Dessen before J.K. Rowling, I would have taken to writing contemporary fiction instead of SFF. It probably would have been the wrong choice for me. And Shannon Hale probably would have made me change my mind.

6. When I feel like reading randomly in the Bible (as opposed to going straight through a book), I almost always land in the Psalms.

7. I live in fear of the day when I'll look in the mirror and know that sparkly eye shadow and Old Navy T-shirts with butterflies on them are no longer a decent option.

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Time to pass on the Versatile Blogger Award! So: What makes a versatile blogger? Courtesy of Dictionary.com:

Versatile: adj. 1. capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer.

We'll stick with definition one, not being zoologists or botanists or likely to award someone merely for having changeable moods. Pretty much all this means is that I've ruled out subject-blogs that never break from their theme. I've also ruled out group blogs and anyone with hundreds of followers, because I doubt they care. And I've ruled out anyone who never posts. So there.

Family and personal bloggers, special note for you: I've kept you off the list because your blogs seemed to me to be meant for the eyes of people who know you. But I'm sometimes wrong. Lindsey, Sarah, Lizzie Marie, if you want nomination, you have it.

This should take care of your links of the week. And yes, I am going to nominate a whole list of my friends. I like my friends.

A note to recipients: No pressure. Fulfill the rules on your own blog if you care to, or just bask in the glow.

I can't really nominate Kiernan, since she already has the award, but anyone who likes reading should check out her blog, Fire In Mine Ears. She also talks about music, Orthodoxy (as in, the Eastern Orthodox church), and whatever else comes to mind. Hey, Kiernan, thanks again for the award!

Leaf by Jana. Art, writing, life, and faith. Beauty in every corner.

Annie K. O'Connor. Mostly various philosophical questions, and every time I read one of her posts, I have to think much harder than the Internet usually requires.

The Paradoxes of Mr. Pond, mostly about fairy tales and writing, but also discussing George MacDonald and the occasional Over the Hedge piece. He's got a giveaway going on this weekend.

The Knight Shift, run by one of my first Internet-based friends, Chris Knight. He discusses life with bipolar disorder, politics and religion, and what I most like to read him for—Star Wars and other nerd stuff.

Cyganeria, by Masha. I don't know what the name means, but she writes beautiful poetic prose, mostly about daily life, sometimes about reading and belief.

City Wife, Country Life, although the Farmer's City Wife has gotten this award before. Her blog contains chickens, cooking, house-buying, and a suspenseful love story that she really needs to finish (HINT).

Books Kids Like. This is a stretch, because Kathy almost never posts anything not about books—but there's just so much to say about books. She also keeps up with various memes that give insight into bookish thought.

Eric Pazdziora. Music, various humor, evangelical thought, etc. Did I mention music? As in, sets George MacDonald poems to?

Carrie Pazdziora. Life, thoughts, and oh yes—music. This is not my first recommendation of hers, but check out this video of photography set to her song about living on the streets.

Chris Russo, who sometimes comments here. He gets this for two reasons: 1) this poem about cooking and reading, and 2) his classic defense of what happened to Susan Pevensie at the end of Narnia.

Zeitete Sophia. A true versatile, who posts about anything that comes to mind—from Greek text to wine facts.

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Shoot... that's not fifteen. I tried, honestly, but I'm out of energy. Hope I didn't forget anyone... Happy weekend, everybody!