7 Blogs in One Post

Being what my best friend describes as “genetically shy,” and also a bit of a contrarian, I suppose it makes a zany kind of sense that I’d want to start a blog.  Truth is, though, the old saw about no one being an island still applies, even in the blogosphere.  So I’d like to share some blogs with you that I follow and that have either guided me on my journey so far, given me enjoyment and inspiration, or a little of both.

First, a shout out to Joanne Faries of Word Splash, to thank her for linking me on her blog.  Joanne is a writer and a friend of mine from Trinity Writer’s Workshop.  She crafts short stories and poetry, and is also a film critic for a paper in San Saba.

I discovered The Freedom Experiment when I was doing some serious soul-searching over the summer.  Marthe, who writes it, encourages her readers to dig down inside themselves to discover their dreams and then take bold steps to live them.  She reminds us all of our own self-worth every chance she gets; in fact, this post reduced me to tears when a guest minister at our church quoted it in his sermon earlier this year, and I ended up reading and re-reading it many times to get through a difficult summer.  I still read it from time-to-time.

From Marthe’s site, I discovered Sir Flamingo and Leonie Dawson.  Both blogs are about living your dreams, but with completely different approaches.  Casey Addinsall, aka Sir Flamingo, specializes in what she calls “engaging good-for-you nonsense” and points out that “we’re here for a good time, not a long time,” so we should make it count.  Leonie Dawson rolls as the Business Goddess and brings sparkling rays of much-needed sunshine as she seeks to help other women fulfill their dreams of doing what they love and having their own businesses.

A couple of my friends on LoseIt have blogs I enjoy following, as well.  Trevor LaRene writes Make Your Someday Today!, where he shares recipes, weight-loss tips, and life experiences on his journey to a fitter, healthier him.  Trevor, by the way, has lost over 80 pounds and is keeping it off, and his blog helped plant the idea in my head that I might want to start my own.

Danni Blazek writes curvesRkicken, where she chronicles her journey from "skinny fat" to bodybuilder.  I love her in-your-face attitude and never-say-die outlook, and she posts photos of her progress that make me want to grab my dumbbells and work out every time I see them.

Most recently, I started reading 4 Quarters, 10 Dimes.  David, a political historian who writes 4Q10D, shares stories and photos from his life, with occasional political commentary.  And while I won’t spend any time on politics here (as this is not a political blog), his posts range from thought-provoking to humorous, and are always enjoyable.

So here’s a sample of what I’ve been reading lately.  I hope these bloggers and their sites give you as much enjoyment and inspiration as they have me.  (And now – back to that NaNo novel!)  :-)