Passing the Badges of Honor

Last evening, while catching up on HootSuite/Twitter, I noticed my name in a tweet from Lisa Rivero, who provided a link to a post. The author of four books on education and learning who writes at The Wild Thyme Unseen, Lisa had received this week three blog awards, including The Versatile Blogger and One Lovely Blog awards. In the spirit of the "rules" that accompany these symbols of recognition, she was passing on the honors and let me know I was among those on whom she was bestowing the badges. I was delighted to learn that Lisa is among my Writing Without Paper readers.

It's my pleasure to take up the drum roll Lisa began by giving these same awards to:

✭ Louise at Recover Your Joy
✭ Diane at Contemplative Photography
✭ Nancy at Ballyhoo Hobnob Crossroads
✭ Laura at The Wellspring
✭ Ami at poetryNprogress
✭ Jenne' at Loquaciously Yours
✭ Kathleen at Almost Paradisical
✭ Melissa at all the words
✭ Robin Maria at Pocketful of Colors
✭ Kelly at Kelly Lagner Sauer
✭ Cassandra at The Moonboat Cafe
✭ Susan at Just a Moment 
✭ Joyceann at Peaceful Legacies
✭ Diane at Blogalicious
✭ Susan at The Alchemist's Kitchen

The intent in passing on these acknowledgments is simple: to express my admiration and appreciation for your fine and always interesting writing, the time you take to acknowledge and respond to followers' comments, and the community you help create, encourage, and nurture all over the Web.

The "rules", such as they are, follow, as well as images of the badges, which you can "grab" and upload to your own pages, if you like. You may award both accolades to the same group of people or one to one group and the other to a different group, or mix them up; the choice is yours.

The Versatile Blogger Award

► Acknowledge the award and thank and link back to the person bestowing it. A good way to do this is through a post such as this.

► Pass on the award to 15 other bloggers.

► Let the new recipients know you've selected them.

Optional:

► Share seven things about yourself that your readers or followers might not know. (I allowed myself this option this time. See "Seven Bits" below.)

► Post the badge to your blog.

One Lovely Blog Award

► Acknowledge the award and thank the person who bestowed it. Consider doing so publicly via a post such as this, an e-mail, or a tweet. 

► Pass on the award to 15 other bloggers.

► Let the new recipients know you've selected them.

Optional:

► Post the image of the badge to your blog. 

Seven Bits of Information About Me

◈ A poem of mine has been selected for publication in the anthology Oil and Water. . . and Other Things That Don't Mix. The target date for the anthology's publication is September 2010. Proceeds from sales will benefit individuals who have suffered misfortune because of the BP oil spill in the Gulf.

◈ My poem "When Laughing Gulls Hover" is published at Poets for Living Waters in the Open Mic section.

◈ My first post at Writing Without Paper appeared September 17, 2009. It comprised my poem, "I Offer 'Enough'". I expect to write my 500th post on or before the first anniversary of my blog.

◈ My company is Transformational Threads, which licenses images of original fine art on which are based limited editions of custom hand-embroidery crafted for me by artisans in Vietnam. One of the thread paintings, "Peacock", is being displayed and offered for sale next month in a "trunk show" of Vietnamese fine art and craft at a major museum in downtown Washington, D.C.

◈ I own two Westies, Jack and Seamus, both rescues.

◈ I graduated 35 years ago from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a city made famous by the movie The French Connection. I was sitting in a movie theatre in the city when the movie first ran.

◈ I worked a number of summers at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts in Fairfax County, Virginia. At that time, theatre ushers were paid and in the employ of the National Park Service. In what might pass as my 15 minutes of fame, I once got to walk across the stage in front of the bright lights to bestow a bouquet upon the leading lady. I managed to do it before the crowd rose and left.