My blogger friend k8edid nominated me for the Versatile Blogger award, which is basically a nomination to a mutual admiration society. I was very pleased to receive this honour and have spent several days, while commuting to and from work, thinking about my response.

The rules laid out were:

1. Link back to the person nominating you.
2. List 7 things about yourself.
3. Nominate 15 blogs you either follow, enjoy, admire, or covet.

Let me start by listing 3 things about me:

• I’m awfully busy at work these days.
• When I was 14, I led a mutiny in my Girl Guide group.
• I tend to be a “reformer” and like to fix things and processes.

Given the above, I am going to comment on the Versatile Blogger Award Rules, and unilaterally impose a change or two.

Rule #1 is an easy one. I’ve already linked back, and expect to do so again many times, since I really enjoy K8edid’s blog. Thank you!!

Rule #2 gets trickier. Not because I am too modest, or don’t like to express myself. (I have a blog, DUH! That is as self-indulgent as it gets.) The problem is that I am carefully preserving the several interesting facts about me, stretching them  out as much as I can, so that I can continue to post blogs when nothing otherwise exciting is happening. I am not going to suddenly give away all the interesting facts about myself (all 7 of them).

Rule #3 is very complicated. Fifteen is a lot, especially as I mentioned that I am quite busy trying to have a life these days. I still spend hours writing here (witness this post) but I don’t even have time these days to meander through the Fressly Pressed ones. And several of my regulars have already been nominated so I can’t just toss the ball back to their courts. Then, some of the blogs I read regularly are semi-professional writers who aren’t going to get excited about my nomination. Some others are ones that I may be fascinated by, but I’m not sure I want to stake my reputation on them!

So, here are MY rules:

1. Link back to the person nominating you.
2. List 3 things about yourself.
3. Nominate 3 blogs that you think are worth checking out. (But you don’t have to tell them. The Pingback (is that what it is called?) will go to them. It they are hungry for recognition like me, they will respond. If they are unable or unwilling to respond, that is fine too and they can just ignore it.

After all those excuses and justification, I’ll nominate 3 blogs:

1. The Meandering Matriarch who has been travelling from Australia to her high school reunion in the US, and is in danger of being led astray by her GPS.
2. If you are  interested in language (and most bloggers are) you might be familiar with As A Linguist already. If not, check her out.
3. Joanna writes about how Life Has Its Ups and Downs. I found her when researching my post on geriatric tennis. She knows breast cancer all too well, and is just recovering from a nasty case of shingles, so maybe she’d like some new visitors.

Having written all the above, I searched “Versatile Blogger Award” and found that furthermore, I must tell my nominees that I have nominated them (which then puts the onus on them to continue).  “If you do not complete this step, then you cannot claim this award…” So folks, I stand contrite but firm on my principles, and will not be placing the award icon on my blog.

I feel like I’m 14 again and ready to lead a mutiny against the blogger-club rules. Who are those rule-makers, anyway?

I’ve searched and searched and have not found even ONE other ungracious response to the Versatile Blogger nomination. Sorry folks. Am I an old ungrateful grump for not playing?

UPDATE!!!! I found another very nice but critical view, from Alaina Mabaso. I am definitely a fan of hers now.