feeling all superior.

Utah Savage recently awarded me with some recognition of the *pass it along* variety. Apparently, we DID learn something we needed to know in Kindergarten ... cos here I am being called a Superior Scribbler!

Utah has a generosity of spirit and is lavish with her praise ... we just need to get her to see the same in herself! Her writing and courage is inspirational ... she has put herself and her life out there in very raw form, and I hope someday to be as brave as her in my writing.

I struggle with these award things because the tradition is to 'pass it on' to other bloggers. I confess I have been fairly insular in my blog reading. Having discovered a core group of blogs that resonate with me, providing entertainment and distraction ... I haven't ventured as far out into the blogsphere as one might. So I think sometimes I've become a bit redundant in the matters of tagging. I also admire some blogs that have authors that are either already too famous for such frippery ... or just don't want to be bothered.

So I'll try and do a mix here, introducing one or 2 blogs that I maybe haven't touched on yet ... and thanking some dear favorites.

First up is one of the dear favorite variety ... La Belette Rouge. La Belette has amazingly soothing properties for a she-weasel. She is entirely relatable ... having had the honor of meeting her in person, I can confirm that those properties translate to the human form. She has a kind wisdom in her eyes that engender confidence in her words, belief in her smile. She can wax rhapsodic on an amazingly wide variety of topics ... from life's gut-twisting improprieties to the secret savings code on this week's best beauty product to insightful tips for budding authors to how to assemble the absolutely MOST desirable J Crew ensemble and many other stops in between. That sense of *ommmmmmmmmm* you get from reading her posts ... t'is the genuine article kids. Not to mention her comments are a balm to my soul.

There's a new fellow I've been reading cos I think he has a novel approach to blogging. Ask A Frenchman blogs on in response to questions he solicits from his readers. That's right, anything and everything you wanted to know about France & the French can get a response straight from the ... erm... cheval's mouth! I find this a bit ballsy ... sluffing off the work to one's readers in order to come up with blog topics ... but hey, it is working cos I keep going back (probably because he hasn't answered MY question yet ... ). He is frank and direct and a bit snarky ... well, you get it, everything one would EXPECT from a frenchman!

I've tried with No Place Like It before, maybe she is one of those bloggers who is anti-awards...but I have to drop her in the mix because of recent postings concerning her reaction to the elections and being Canadian and having her voting rights mucked with because of expatriate status. At least US Expats can vote! Also because she was subjected to some bullying by her countrymen and instead of ignoring it (it came in cowardly email fashion) she STOOD up to them on her blog and didn't just roll over. MY KIND OF BLOGGESS! And all this time I thought Canucks were mild mannered wussies who didn't know how to pronounce about. *ducks*

Okay, here's some late-breaking news ... a blog just introduced to me yesterday that I just HAD to include because of the raunchy, rock and rolling, irreverent, shockworthy socially relevant content that I am only just beginning to sift my way through ... Pour Quoi Pas defines itself in part in the following way... "This blog is a joint venture by a number of people. All members have a basic “common ground” in their outlook on life. Yet, we are all different. Some of us are religious, some atheist. Some are politically mild and “center-ish” (meaning with no particular tendency nor affiliation) - some are extreme left wing. Some are not even concerned with politics at all, but are about ecology and the welfare of this planet as a whole."

That said, the authors are a diverse cast of characters that are sure to provide, if not some controversy, a lively read.

My fifth recognition was destined for L'Ennui-Melodieux or Monsieur le 2 Ells (as I prefer) but EVERYONE fucking gets to him before I do. grrrrrr. So I'm just gonna say that I love his blog because 7 out of 10 blog readers prefer it more ... and where else can I go and have to read the post at least 3 times before I figure out what the hell he is gone on about this time? And seriously, the man can write. The man can throw down. He can serve you up some poetry, some prose, some satire AND bring home the bacon (I'm doubting there's much frying it up in the pan but what can I say? After all, he still is only MERE man. cut him a little slack). So RG, no passing it on required, just accept my much love and shout out because you truly are one of a kind.


Like I've said, I think part of the fun with these awards is the chance to be introduced to a new blog. So check one out if you haven't seen it. And now I'll have to do some more homework for the future ... (just in case!)
*small print*

*Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends (L'ennui-Melodieux is exempt, if he so chooses).
*Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
* Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.
* Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
*Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

no autographs, please. and paparazzi to the rear.

Recently I was bestowed recognition by two bloggers, the inimitable Utah Savage and Ask Allison .... AA proferred her Arte y Pico a while back when I was internet underprivileged and I've not responded ... When U.S. included me in her Kick Ass Blogger award roll, I figured I better get myself in gear.

Okay, I'm going to cheat a bit. Because both awards demand passing it on to five bloggers, I'm going to combine the effort. I know, I know; I'm a lazy so'n'so ... but instead of making excuses I'll just agree with you and move on.

I've explained all the rules for Arte y Pico here, so for you control freaks who want to make sure I'm staying in line, check it out.

The Kick Ass Blogger award seems to have a few more vagaries in its origins. I do know it was started by blogger Mamma Dawg. Rule #1. Select five bloggers who "kick ass". Rule #2. Blurt out why you think they are deserving of this award--must have some kick ass in the description. Rule #3. Link them all together in some slightly sexual way. (HUNH?????) Rule #4. Acknowledge the originator of this award and also the lovely, generous, beautiful kick ass woman who is sending it your way. Rule # 5. Make this one up as you go along.

Well hmmm.

My first Kick Ass cum Arte y Pico Award goes to the very interesting, recently discovered Riana, who writes a blog entitledThese Days In French Life". First off, I selected Riana because she recently actually DID kick a little ass, so just remember she can folks, don't piss her off. Secondly, it is interesting to watch this young woman's own adventure combining life with a French husband and their little girl as they fulfill a commitment to spend a "slow year". That is a year without shopping. I recently went back and read some of the archives on this site, pre-slow year-pledge and its fascinating to watch the changes in this woman's life and writing. In fact, you'll see links for blogs written by many people like her. Apparently its a movement. It reminds me of the centuries-old aesthetes (monks and the like) who took vows to God and progressed to vows of poverty ... chastity ... silence. You'll see varying degrees of aescetism on the part of these bloggers and it really is an interesting experiment. In fact, I have a whole separate post percolating around in my Kimba pot at the moment.

My second Kick Ass cum Arte y Pico Award goes to my favorite woman in red, La Belette Rouge. As I recently wrote her, LBR she-weaselled her way into my heart almost from her very first comment. As a writer, she is mistress of her domain and can range from heartfelt memoirs, insightful commentary on politics & culture to girl talk of fashion, maquillage and the like. She is well-read, well-versed, and well-dressed. Having had the honor of meeting her in person, I can also verify that the real-life belette more than lives up to the online belette. When she kicks ass, you can count on it being with a well shod foot.

My third Kick Ass cum Arte y Pico Award goes to none other than L'ennui Mélodieux, currently my favorite online political satirist and general master of high-jinx extraordinaire. Now the primary reason I'm proferring this to Randall Graves is for the intelligence and wit exhibited in his writing. Hell, more often than not one has to actually THINK about what he's going on about in order to understand all of the many subtleties and multi-entendres. Why, I even am willing to overlook the more than occasional forays into the hidden world of sports. But a secondary benefit of bestowing RG this award is I think it will piss him off. Man, that's just gravy! Because half the time he doesn't respond to awards, instead he just whines complains sulks and harumphs. And all of that is kind of cute.

My fourth Kick Ass cum Arte y Pico Award goes to my good, good friend and blogger Geekgirl Unveiled. Stacey is solely responsible for introducing me to the world of blogging. Yep that's right, six short months ago I had never read a blog. Well okay I had read Huffington Post but I didn't know it was a blog. I thought it was an online news zine. (hey wait come to think of it, I STILL don't get the difference on that one. hmmmm....) but I digress. Not only did Stacey introduce me to blogging, she taught me how to link and in the early days helped me shed some of my blogs more embarrassing features. Like how when you opened it you heard music. *blush*.

So all of that is well and good, but let me also tell you that Stacey is a wonderful writer and an especially talented photographer. When you read her blog, you'll see the background on how it has evolved to less writing and more graphic and visual displays. And how she is okay with that. How she has owned her own little space on the blogosphere and uses it to share her extremely interesting life with us all. Check her out.

My final Kick Ass cum Arte y Pico Award goes to one of our favorites who has JUST returned to blogland. I'm speaking of Function of Time. FOT is one of the first bloggers I found who was contemplating a French life, and one of the first commenters on my blog who I didn't know in real life. She always has a pithy insight to share, she has walked in my shoes a little, she has decided to return to her writing and I think we should all welcome her back with a champagne toast. *clink*

Okay, so those are the writers on my designated hit list. You figure out the sexual thing. Its there. well kind of.

And as far as number 5 goes, let's just say that I picked writers that not only Kick Ass, but aren't afraid to pull out a can of Whup Ass when warranted, which I can respect and appreciate. No namby pamby's here my friends. Not a one in the bunch.