Death of a Great Blogger

This is the saddest and most difficult blog post that I have ever written. My friend and fellow blogger, Marie Jackson-Bonenberger, age 58, also known as "TheMom" of Attentive Aphorist passed away this past Saturday night. Marie and I were Facebook friends as well as blogger buddies and her daughter posted the sad news Sunday on Facebook. I have already commented my sympathy on Facebook, but again, my deepest sympathy goes out to her family.

Marie's blog was one of the first to appear on my blogroll and was one of my favorites. I liked her outspoken, tell it like it is rants! I also loved how she mixed it up and would update her blog, sometimes several times a day and just let us know what she was up to, and it was never boring. "TheMom" had many interesting things to say about "TheDaughter," "TheGrandson," and "TheSon," who were all regular features on her blog, and of course her neighbors! Many times, before her "TheMom" signature, she would say, "I shall return!" She especially loved using those exclamation marks too! I think it was one way of expressing her happiness with life.

Marie was a loyal follower of my blog and passed on several MeMe awards to me and of course left probably more comments than anyone. I was also surprised at nearly every holiday to receive an e-card from her. She also sent me e-cards "just because" with no special occasions. That little gesture meant a lot to me. I think we had a special connection, because we had so many things in common.

If you read her blog often then you really got to know her, as she was practically famous for her many MeMe's--especially her "Sunday Stealings," which I don't know why, but she sometimes apologized for having so many MeMe's. Each time she did that I would leave a comment telling her not to apologize, and that reading them let us get to know her even more intimately.

Last summer she had wrote about "TheGrandson" and his Mickey Mouse watch and I commented that I loved it and had one too that I bought from Nickelodeon, but it didn't work any more. It just needed a new battery, but no store would install one. The stores made excuses that they might damage the watch in the process of removing the back.

That same day I got an email from her telling me that she had worked many years in jewelry and she would be happy to get my watch working again! She had all the necessary tools to remove the back, install a battery and make sure it worked properly! I was so excited and asked her if she would also do the same with an expensive watch I had bought many years ago from the now closed Sharper Image. She said sure, she would be happy to get any of my watches working again, gave me her mailing address and said to send them and we'd work out the details later. She had big plans coming up, so I put it off.

She had been so excited to take "TheDaughter" and "TheGrandson" to Virginia Beach for vacation, so I waited before I mailed the watches. Then I waited a little longer to give her some time to rest up after vacation. It wasn't long after that and she was first hospitalized with heart problems. I didn't want to burden her after that, as I knew she needed rest and less or no stress. I say "no stress," because she had mentioned in December that she was going to refrain from some of her blogging rants about certain Republicans and a certain Faux News Channel. She could get herself really worked up just thinking about those things!

I don't know if her blog will remain up, but I hope so. It will remain on my blogroll though. There are so many archives and I have not read all of her posts yet. I didn't always leave a comment, because I would read blogs so late at night that if I left a comment then with the time stamp people would wonder if I ever slept! Of course, she said not to worry about that! She didn't worry about petty things like that and if somebody didn't like what she did, said or thought, then too bad! With Marie, what you see IS what you get, and she lived life to the fullest with very few regrets. She was not afraid to let her opinion be known and I loved that about her. She was a very strong willed woman that I admired greatly. I always hoped to meet her in person, but I am thankful for the interaction I had with her online.

As a tribute to her, I am going to carry on her tradition of her Saturday "Caturday" posts. Mine won't be as good, I already know that! Marie had to spend a lot of time looking for those funny postings for us cat lovers. I am planning to have something though to do with cats every Saturday, if possible. This will help me to keep her memory alive. Rest in Peace, Marie.

"TheMom" is gone, but won't be forgotten.

Wow! Check out my new award

I received the "You are a Great Read" Award from one of my favorite bloggers-- themom over at Attentive Aphorist. Thank you themom for the recognition! I really appreciate it. And the feeling is mutual, of course--you are truly a great read! Attentive Aphorist IS a great read and always so timely and updated frequently--sometimes several times a day. Be fore warned; she WILL speak her mind! I think that's why I like her blog so much!

This award is especially nice, because it has no mandated instructions to follow. It's just a nice gesture! I'm not formally awarding any particular blogs for this award, but I do want to give recognition to a few of my favorites that are written by women, since it is a woman in the award picture. And I have a disclaimer: the woman in the award icon is in no way intended to represent how the bloggers that I mention look, dress, act, what she reads, or any kind of likeness of the image whatsoever!

The award sure would look 'purdy' on Blonde Goddess' blog--"Huh? The Blonde Godess is Confused...", whether in a post or on her sidebar. Her blog is such a good read. It's possible that the award picture has already appeared on her creative blog (minus the caption). Let me explain--she has this unique ability to tell a true story and make it hilarious by using some of the funniest pictures and captions on the Internet! You should check it out sometime!

Another one of my favorite blogs that is a "good read" is Pwn Star. Pictures are rare on her blog, so I don't expect to see this one there. But you never know with her! She is very unpredictable. I love that about her blog. You never know what to expect, but you can always expect a good read. It's a personal blog in every sense of the word! Be sure and read her profile!

One blog that really stands out is True Crime Book Reviews, which is definitely a good read! The blog is just what the title says and is your one stop for reviews on true crime books. For readers of true crime stories, you have the option to search by true crime writer, by title, or by true crime genre. The blog also has many links for readers to buy books online and to access other reader reviews. And who wouldn't want a free book? True Crime Book Reviews is known for its ongoing book giveaways too! If you love true crime books, then you will want to follow this blog.

And I can't resist telling you about a blog called Six Pence and a Blue Moon. It too is a good read. I only recently discovered it, but it has quickly became one of my daily must read favorites blogs. At first glance you night think it is a photo blog, but there is some good writing in the archives too. If you like personal blogs, this will probably become one of your favorites.

And last but not least, I want to give praise to a blogger that has taught me so much and has a very interesting blog! Elizabeth's Hot Topics will update frequently day and night with the latest events happening and what's hot at the moment, and anything that has proved to be interesting. Her blog is very popular and if you notice my 'Widgetbox Network' widget about half way down on my sidebar, you will see that her blog is usually in the number one spot of "Musings, Etc." The last time I checked, there were over 126 blogs in that category, so you do the math! She also authors a couple of other interesting blogs that can be found on her blog in the upper right corner under "My Other Blogs." Beth, your blog is a great read! Thank you for taking the time to publish such a great blog.

As I said in the beginning, this award has no mandated instructions, and as themom put it, IT JUST IS! So, I am offering it out to ALL of you that read this. Feel free to help yourself to it! If you do accept it, a link back to this blog would be nice! Thanks!

Again, a big thanks to themom at Attentive Aphorist.

Honest Scrap Award!

Wow, another award for me! Or is it? I've heard it's kinda a pseudo award (a tag perhaps), but it still makes me feel special. Thanks to themom for passing this on to me in her recent post, which I feel so honored to accept. TheMom's blog Attentive Aphorist is frequently updated and utterly awesome! I hope you check it out!

“This award is bestowed upon a fellow blogger whose blog content or design is, in the giver’s opinion, brilliant.”

"Scrap means left over, fragments, discarded material. Many times truth and honesty are discarded material, considered fragments and left over. People like us need to tell it like it is, and let the scraps fall where they will.

I must admit that I don't mind one bit getting an award. I hope that's enough bragging (see #1 below). But passing the torch is not so easy, as I learned with my first Award. Some people (and you know who you are!) for one reason or another just don't want to pick out a chosen few to receive the same award, which is a shame, because it stops the circulation. Why not make someone's day. They may be feeling down and this small token might just cheer them up and make them feel appreciated. It did that for me.

I hope everyone who receives this award will keep it going, even if they feel the need to make it easy and say, "hey, if you're on my blogroll, consider yourself awarded this Honest Scrap Award." After all the rules say a "minimum" of seven blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Unfortunately, if you do that the recipient may not feel they really deserve it, and may not pick it up. Whatever... it's up to you--those of you that receive the award. I think you deserve some recognition, but I can't make you accept it, but I hope you do!

These are the rules and the instructions for the 'chosen ones:

1.You must brag about the award

2.You must include the name of the blogger who bestowed the award on you and link back to the blogger

3.You must choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or you may improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have seven friends (hey, I haven't been actively blogging that long myself)!

4.Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog. Or think of it this way--show the seven random victims' names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog Award. Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

5.List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. Then pass it on with the instructions!

Now I have to contribute TEN (10) things about me....so here we go:

Back in January I did a "six things you don't know about me" meme similar to this, so I will list some random different things now.

1. I gotta have my morning coffee! But that is the only time of day I drink it, and to keep my teeth white, I brush afterwards!
2. I frequently have insomnia, which is another reason I only drink coffee in the morning.
3. I like to dress comfortably at home, which is usually shorts and t shirts in the summer and sweat pants and oversize sweat shirts in the winter. As soon as I get home, I change and I never wear shoes in the house, except for Adidas slides that are never worn outside.
4. I love to dress up in nice clothes and shoes and look my best, just give me a good reason!
5. I love dark chocolate! The darker, the better. That means less sugar. I don't eat many other sweets unless it's a special occasion.
6. I don't like texting. I think I would, if I had a qwerty keyboard, but I don't. I love my phone and paid a lot of money for it, and it has many features not found in other phones. For that reason I will continue to use it as long as I can stand it. I will send out some text messages, but I don't enjoy it. It takes me forever!
7. I can't resist a bargain, especially if it is something that I use frequently. In that case I will buy mass quantities. I try to buy regularly used items only when they are on sale.
8. My favorite store is Trader Joe's.
9. I'm an expert video poker player.
10. I have stayed in touch with my high school sweetheart for thirty one years. She lives in Phoenix and we still call and email each other. We are close and confide in each other.

I'm happy to pass this award on to the following great and well deserved bloggers, and I know they won't brag too much about their own blogs, so I will help them out with that:

1. HalfCrazy is a very popular young lady, who has been blogging for five years. She is a college student, but still finds time to update her blog An Ardent Cosmic Journey every two or three days. She is well known for her beautiful story telling photography, especially on Fridays, when she participates in a ring of "town shoot outs." These photo shoots feature a different theme each week and links are provided for all who participate.

2. AllenMcalister is a blogger whose content includes many personal things in his life. His blog Allen McAlister.com has featured many "how to" projects, home videos, and some creative computer artwork, especially for holidays. Once Allen didn't post anything for several weeks and I missed his blogging. I'm glad as he states in a latest post "He's back." I was beginning to worry!

3. libhom describes himself as "the epitome of evil to the Religious Right." His blog Godless Liberal Homo is chalked full of daily content dealing with his thoughts on anything from the latest news, to his strong stance against the war in Iraq, to ending homophobia, and anything else that strikes a chord with him. He has a very thought provoking blog. He's got guts!

4. Blonde Goddess is a truly gifted writer. Even though she has explained in a recent post how she comes up with her snarky commentary complete with the funniest photos and captions that you will find anywhere, I still don't know how she does it! Her blog posts are short, fun and easy to read. I guarantee you will laugh your ass off at her blog--that is if you have an adult sense of humor! Not for the faint of heart Huh? The Blonde Goddess is Confused is the funniest original content I have ever found in a blog. She is most deserving of this award!

5. If the profile is there, sorry I could not find it. I'm talking about the blogger named Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein at Monkey Muck. This was one of the first blogs that caught my attention and had me visiting it everyday. You could look at his flickr photos and scans for days! Dr. Monkey will keep you coming back for more with his frequently updated content. He has some regular features like his "Pop Culture Friday" posts, movie reviews, news commentary, politics (and believe me, he is no republican), and so much more. Some days will feature the most beautiful "Barn of the Week" photos and sometimes you will see pictures of the most bizarre images ever, especially those from the past. I must say I absolutely love it, when he mentions certain family members that he'd rather not run in to! That is so ME, and I can totally relate! Dr. Monkey is truly deserving of this award for the content mention and also the design of the blog. If you visit the blog often, you will notice the header is almost always different--with a monkey theme, of course! I love this blog, and I think you will too.

6. Another blogger profile that I couldn't find is Mary Ellen of Bad Habit. You can't miss the long disclaimers and copyright along the right column. That in itself is a must read! Unfortunately, she has recently taken a leave of absence from blogging to spend more time with her family. After she announced her retirement from blogging and didn't update for over a month, I didn't want to take her off my blogroll, but I also don't like to keep blogs listed if they don't update very often. That problem was solved, when I gave her a widget link, "She's a hard habit to break" that you will find at the end of my blogroll. "Nunly" as she is also known by will hold nothing back, when it comes to politics! She is from Chicagoland and you will find original political material that you won't find elsewhere and no one is off limits when it comes to Chicago politicians (and some who now reside in Washington). Luckily for us, Nunly has posted a few blogs since her previous intentions to stop blogging! And don't let the politics scare you off, because she will post on anything and everything--whatever is on her mind at the time. Even if she never makes another post, her archives are very much worth reading. This is one smart cookie! And her design is brilliant with it's hilarious nun pictures. What a perfect title for this blog, Bad Habit!

7. Rick Owens says he is just your typical gwm. I'd say he is very modest and anything but typical. At his Travelingman Rick's Blog you will get to read about his latest travel adventures, which by the way are all over the world. He loves to blog about politics and is very good at it. He knows his stuff. I love reading about his life in Charlotte with his friends, his dogs, and his never ending work on his beautiful house. What I love most about this blog is the intense personal details he will let out every now and then. He is human after all. I love reading the mixture of politics (and believe me, he is no republican either) and the latest events going on in his life. He is never boring and I wish he would post more often!

So there you have seven well deserved winners of this Honest Scrap Award. Please do check them out, when you get time. Hey, I already know many of you are on each others' blog rolls--small world!

As I said earlier, the hardest part is choosing seven blogs, when there are obviously many more just as deserving. In choosing these seven, I took into account some that I didn't name (Re-Re for example) have already received this award! Also, it is soooooo much work for me to write this with clarity and get all my links right. This post was a lot of work for me. I know, I know I didn't have to make it so long, but I did. For that reason, I am glad I just had to name seven other bloggers to receive this award. And I hope they each accept it and pass it on. Thanks.