And Now For Something Completely Different

Okay, so I know I've bugged (and harrassed. and harangued.) y'all to tell me about your favorite blogs before, and guess what! I'm doing it again.

But this time, I want more than a URL and a name. I want to hear about the women writers who really inspire you. And why. And how. I want to hear about the stories that still give you chills or the entries you have bookmarked so you go back and re-read again and again because MY GOD, it's just that good and real.

(Yeah, I've been watching a little daytime television with the new babysitter. What of it?)

Want an example? Here's mine: Julia. You've probably read her blog -- it seems like everybody does, and for good reason. Entries like this one. And this one. Her grace and humor and strength -- strength with a double dose of raw, human honesty -- continues to floor me every time I read her writing. I think, "I wish I could write like that. I wish I knew her in real life. I wish I could make everything all better for her. But mostly I wish I could buy her a lot of drinks with umbrellas in them and make her want to be my friend."

Nominate your favorite web writer in the comments (or send me an email if you'd prefer to stay anonymous). Tell me why they inspire you or what entries hurt, they're so good. And then I'll go immerse myself in their blog and archives and once a week I'll feature one of the nominees in my round-up post.

Please play along? Take your time if you have to -- nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis, but I'd love to feature one of these blogs this week. (And yeah, I probably should have thought of a name for this...contest...thing...whatever before diving headfirst into it, but maybe I will think of a name and perhaps make some sort of button logo jobbie in the meantime, or maybe I won't, let's be honest about who we're talking about here.)

Let's spread the inspiration (and mucho blog traffic) around. Go!

Comments

[JustLinda]

I love HELLO JOSEPHINE over here:

http://hellojosephine.blogspot.com/

And the touching post that comes to mind is when her dog died:

http://hellojosephine.blogspot.com/2005/10/beauty-is-gone.html

Warning: have a tissue ready. From her post:

When you see us, your sympathetic glances will be enough. Nice words and kind things to say will only get a choked up "I know", or "Thanks". The veneer of composure that we're wearing is the thinnest covering for our broken hearts, and all it will take is an "I'm sorry about Beauty" to break it. Our eyes are sore and teary, we have been sleepless for a long time, and we can barely keep ourselves from worrying our daughter with our shocking grief.

[susan]

Here's my favorite:

http://tebspage.blogspot.com/

I found her through a forwarded e-mail. She's a mom in Indiana who started her blog in April 2005 to chronicle her beautiful baby boy. In early May, she mentioned a persistent pain she'd been having in her hip. In late May, she was diagnosed with advanced melanoma, and I suppose you could say her blog changed a bit from a "mom blog" to a "cancer blog." But it's been amazing to read - she's honest, and raw, and real, and many a time I have sobbed at an entry. With her amazing friends she started a non profit org called Teb's Troops (tebstroops.org) and they've raised a lot of money and awareness. Sadly, it seems her fight might be coming to an end - there have been few posts these past few months, and the most recent is a heartbreaking one from her husband. Please read her.

[JustLinda]

Oh my gosh, I just spent a half hour at the Anne Nahm site linked above and she totally gets my vote. Anyone who can start a paragraph with the words "Now I firmly believe (based only on facts I pulled straight from my butt)..." gets my vote. I laughed too hard to finish the post.

[Catherine]

http://www.wouldashoulda.com/

Why? Just read some of it and you'll see why.

This post made me cry a little bit...
http://wouldashoulda.com/2006/06/19/the-diving-board/

And this one made me laugh out loud...and need a cold shower...
http://wouldashoulda.com/2006/06/22/pumped/

And this one had me crying I was laughing so hard...
http://wouldashoulda.com/2006/06/08/the-incredible-and-true-story-of-whitey-mcbrother/

[Jenn]

I love Julia too. Stories about Patrick crack me up and her strength amazes me.

Another favorite of mine is Akeeyu (http://herveryown.typepad.com/herveryown/). Where else can you read about flippy flaps? http://herveryown.blogspot.com/2004/10/hey-at-least-im-best-at-something.html

[Nancy]

It's a newish blog but I really like "Under the Mad Hat" (www.madhattermommy.blogspot.com). It's a weird stew of mommy blogging, memoir and bookishness with many a children's book review thrown in (the blogger is a librarian). Some good posts are http://madhattermommy.blogspot.com/2006/06/one-thing-remaining.html, http://madhattermommy.blogspot.com/2006/04/my-mothers-hands.html, http://madhattermommy.blogspot.com/2006/03/50-books-for-my-daughter.html and http://madhattermommy.blogspot.com/2006/06/mud-puddle.html

[Nancy]

Oops. The commas at the end of the first 2 "Under the Mad" hat links makes them not work. Delete the commas and the posts should appear. I hope.

[erin]

I read Sarah Dessen's blog every day. She's a YA writer, not a mom, and I've actually never read any of her books, but her blog is always entertaining and frequently thought provoking.
http://writergrl.livejournal.com/

Also, MUBAR is great.
http://tomama.blogs.com/mubar/

And I just discovered Writing as Jo(e) who writes beautifully about her life with her four children.

http://writingasjoe.blogspot.com/

enjoy!

[A]

http://bite-my-cookie.blogspot.com/

I can't even remember where I found the link to her blog, but I've been hooked ever since. I'm 99% sure she thinks I'm stalking her but I can't help it.

There are many things that keep me coming back, a few include: the fact that she's local to me, her fantastic writing, her abililty to crack my ass up without fail, and her fooliscious daughter.

Love this chic.

[erin]

On Club Mom, my favorite post thus far as been from The Wait and The Wonder

http://thewaitandwonder.clubmom.com/thewaitandwonder/2006/06/hold_me_like_a_.html

partly because the Suzanne Vega song Moreena references is my all time favorite song but mostly because it is beautifully written.

http://rach.typepad.com/finding_wonder_in_the_mun/

I love Rach. She's so brave. She writes posts that are sad, posts that are sweet...and often both at the same time. She has a little girl that's just over a year and is pregnant, and I can't wait to go through the pregnancy with her. Here's one of her recent posts about trying not to dwell on all the stuff that can go wrong in pregnancy:
http://rach.typepad.com/finding_wonder_in_the_mun/2006/07/why_didnt_you_t.html

[Ann]

Finslippy makes me laugh out loud on a regular basis (very important). This one came at a particularily appropriate time, and I can totally relate:

http://finslippy.typepad.com/finslippy/2006/01/speaking_of_ban.html

[Amy]

Hi Amy -

I actually have a Daddy Blogger to recommend. Rob over at My Beloved Monster and Me is great! He wriites so beautifully, telling about his spunky daughter's fight against her "monster" (CBPS). Throw in the fact that he's got his own health issues of diabetes and you get a great look at what life is like for him and his family. Visit him at: http://belovedmonsterandme.blogspot.com/

[Emily]

As I read through these comments, I am reminded how much I enjoy reading not so well known blogs and tend to only list them on my link lists. Every site on my list deserves a read from you guys!

But of all of my amazing blogs that I love to read, you must give mad love to Shokufeh who moved from Hawaii back to her home town of New Orleans to help rebuild her city. She's awesome!

http://www.lay-c.com/hi

[Bean]

My two favorites are:

The Open Window
http://closeddooropenwindow.blogspot.com/

Margaret writes with humor and an open heart as she shares her story of adopting her child. She's had some major roadblocks, but manages to write with grace and honesty nonetheless.

Moxie
http://moxie.blogs.com/

Moxie is a mom with an easy confidence and her "voice" is so open and friendly you feel welcome just visiting her blog.

[Molliebee]

This is reminding me of fantasy football, blog style. So here is my dream team:

Julie:
http://www.alittlepregnant.com/alittlepregnant/
Armed with a quilt and a bottle of vodka.

Cecily:
http://zia.blogs.com/wastedbirthcontrol/
A bad mofo with the biggest heart in the world.

Flea:
http://buggydoo.blogspot.com/
Watch out! Her kids know karate. And she sells teh sex toys!

Tertia:
http://tertia.typepad.com/so_close/
Sweetest A**hole ever.

Karen:
http://thenakedovary.typepad.com/the_naked_ovary/
She's NEXT!

SJ:
http://shenuts.com/
Her kid is a poo painter.

And Amalalalalah, of course.

[supermom_in_ny]

I blog about my life with my 7 kids, autism and ADD. Searching for other autism bloggers, I came across Sal's blog: Octoberbabies.

Here's one of my favorite posts:
http://octoberbabies.blogspot.com/2005/10/37-see-sal-spiral-only-hours-after.html

Autism. This is why I started blogging on 7/13/05. It is my desire to help others through the hurt, frustration, struggles and triumphs. I want to encourage, edify and inspire. Sal writes for the same reasons. She poetically presents the trials and tribulations we experience on an everyday basis in a manner that stirs the emotions.

Just visit and see what I mean:
http://octoberbabies.blogspot.com/

[Amy]

I enjoy a bunch but my two favorite are ones that bring me to tears or laughter most weeks. They write honestly and openly about their trials and tribulations as well as their achievements and mountain top experiences.

Beth at www.crazyus.com

and Laura at http://baggagethatgoeswithmine.typepad.com/

Check them out and bring the Kleenex.

[Claire]

I love me some Mimi Smartypants but I just about died the day I read this entry:
http://smartypants.diaryland.com/091003.html
That she kept it secret, that she just announced in her usual bizarre but hilarious fashion. But I tell you what, when I read her sign-off ... well I lost my shit just a little bit.

[April]

American Family is one of my favorites. She is so honest, funny and real. It's a treat to read her posts.

http://americanfamily.typepad.com/american_family/

her Mother's Day post:
http://americanfamily.typepad.com/american_family/2006/05/for_mothers_day.html#comments

"Fight the man, drive a mini-van":
http://americanfamily.typepad.com/american_family/2006/06/fighting_the_pa.html

[moreena]

Here's my vote for best-kept-inspirational-mom-blog-secret:
Bettie Bookish
http://etb.typepad.com/bettiebookish/

This pants-wetting entry about chickens and Little Tikes cottages:
http://etb.typepad.com/bettiebookish/2006/06/bok_motherscrat.html

is followed immediately by this heartbreaker, Paper Miscarriage:
http://etb.typepad.com/bettiebookish/2006/06/paper_miscarria.html

Of course, I've a lot more to list, but BB is the one that has the lowest size-of-audience to quality-of-writing ratio.

[Black Belt Mama]

Irreverent-Antisocial-Intellectual. I found her when she kindly linked to me. Her first meme cracked me up. Read it here. http://irreverent-antisocial-intellectual.blogspot.com/2006/06/im-no-longer-pure-mea-culpa-mea-culpa.html

[Greypattern]

I obsessively check Sundry.
http://www.sundrymourning.com/ and
http://purplefruit.clubmom.com/

I started reading her about a year ago. If you want someone to make you laugh this is one of the best on the web.

[melissa b.]

I am great friends in real life with the ohmygod always drama-filled http://mamas-drama.blogspot.com/

I love http://bitchphd.blogspot.com//.

I adore http://othejoys.blogspot.com.

I sort of stalk http://www.mylifeasacliche.blogspot.com/>Midwestern Mommy.

And I asked http://www.supamb.com/supafine/ to marry me. She accepted.

[Jennie]

Your lovely self and Sundry are the only blogs I read. And I love.