Commercial Break For Some Appreciation: The Reader Appreciation Award

When I took the requisite five-minute break from morning chaos (while eating breakfast, drinking tea, and toggling back and forth between the distressing stock market news–welcome to my multi-tasking life) to check my blog comments, I found the lovely one below. It’s always a plus to be told how wonderful you are, first thing in the morning!

Hi there Candida.  CONGRATULATIONS!!! I just nominated you for a Reader Appreciation Award, because I love your blog.  Check it out at my post http://infinitesadnessorwhat.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/appreciate-and-appreciated/  I hope this makes your day.  Cate

I’m generally not good with awards that require you to write about, say, 94 things you’ve never told anybody, or 9 horrible memories from 5th grade, particularly since I prefer to keep most of my private life out of my blog, to leave room for more cutting edge research or experiences from my practice. But the Reader Appreciation Award seemed manageable, particularly the second part, which inspired me to think about all the blogs I read and enjoy and encourage me to think more deeply about  issues close to my heart.

So the rules to winning this award (and there are only 2, just my speed) are:

• List something you’ve been up to lately.
• Nominate 6 other blogs.

• Up to lately? My practice, which I so enjoy, of course, and writing some articles on practical matters in family relationships (parenting, managing money, dating, etc).

And doing more care for my youngest granddaughter [I believe I must have mentioned her here, maybe 20 or 30 times], as my daughter-in-law has been a bit under the weather. Spending time with my granddaughter is an unmitigated pleasure, recently improved by her brilliant success in potty-training.

My daughter-in-law’s illness is due to her hyperemesis, which is a dreadful condition, but which only goes along with. . . being pregnant. SO. . .while enjoying the little one I’ve got, I’ve been spending time getting excited, looking at confusing ultrasound images,  and feeling grateful for another little one I hope to have in September.

On to the more fun part. . .

• Six Blogs Worthy of The Reader Appreciation Award (and there are many more)

1. Out of the Lens Photography. Dorothy–a versatile and creative woman, to say the least–does what she calls ‘narrative photography.’ And indeed each jewel-like image spills forth a story that tells us about the affairs of mankind. A creative site that’s a pleasure to look at, and then return to view again, to see all the complexities you missed the first time.
2. Andrew’s My Lymphoma Journey is the Internet at its best in providing relevant and up-to-date news stories on health topics, with commentary and links. He’s covered issues as diverse as doctor-patient relations, gene mapping, Twitter as a health resource–I’m just getting going. It’s really worth following.
3. Recently Separated…What is next? A practical, unbiased blog that provides the information people need when going through a divorce. Without  being overly emotional, it covers all you need to know to get through the experience, even starting with an explanation of how the divorce process works.
4. Manic Muses is a blog about bipolar disorder, but instead of merely talking about her own experience, Vivien finds, comments on and links to relevant studies and news stories–about medications, lawsuits, the drug companies’ role in treating the disease.  Always a good read.
5. Don’t be turned off by the name of ColdDeadHeart’s Blog, for it’s a very alive experience. Combining expressive photography and poem-like stories, she tells of her native Arizona–and, in doing so, the story of growing up in America.
6. No list of superlative blogs would be complete without Marie’s Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer. So rich and complex it’s difficult to encapsulate it here, Marie’s blog has already won so many awards she probably doesn’t have room to even fit this image on her site, but her dedication to health, her interest in health and social media, her work on connecting people through their writings, and her positive responses to so many people absolutely demand that she get a Reader Appreciation Award.

I hope the nominations help you 6 realize how truly appreciated you are.

So, Cate, thank you for the award–and for giving me the chance to verbalize how much I am an appreciative reader.

Tagged: Gratitude, Reader Appreciation Award, wordpress

Posted in: Candida Abrahamson PhD