Thinking Blogger Award

Thank you, Scott, for giving me a Thinking Blogger Award! Scott has a lot of blogs that he reads and I am truly touched that he thinks so highly of this blog. I don't consider myself a writer, really. I started this blog as a way to keep the people in my life up to date about what I'm up to. I was hoping in the process it would improve my writing skills. I certainly didn't intend to use this site to heighten awareness for any of the causes near and dear to me. After some internal struggle, I did give in to using my little space on the internet to spread knowledge and awareness about the issues I face. After all, if you know you are reaching people you might as well plead your case, right?

Anyway, here is what people are saying about Field Lines (and by people I mean Scott):

"Natalie will someday be a Nobel Peace Price winning scientist. Sure, today she is but a student, but watch out for this one. She writes from the heart, whether about caring for stray dumpster kitties or a good friend that she recently lost to cancer. Natalie has the word power to make me regret the loss of a man I have never met."

Wow! I'm blushing. So here are the rules as outlined on his site:

The Thinking Blogger Award is an effort to build a network of blogs linked together outside of the usual search engines. Here is how it works (sort of like a meme):

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that tickle your gray matter.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme;

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative gold version if silver doesn't fit your blog).

Now, the problem comes in when I think about all the well-thought-out and executed blogs I read. Most of my blog friends aren't the types to do memes and spread things throughout the blogosphere like wildfire. But that doesn't make them any less deserving of an award for what they do. Since this particular meme should propagate like 5^x, I'm going to tag people knowing they may not spread it any further. That's fine with me, and I hope it's fine with the other multitudes of participants out there since I don't think my actions will be enough to bring the Thinking Blogger Award to a crashing halt.

Let me first say that if Scott hadn't already gotten one, and tagged Mr. Schprock, these two gentleman would be at the top of my list. They are truly fantastic writers. So here are my five picks for the Thinking Blogger Award:

1. brainhell: I have been reading brainy pretty much as long as I have been doing this blog thing. He tickles my gray matter more than anyone else, asking questions about quantum mechanics that even I couldn't answer without bouncing ideas off my friends. He has an absolutely delicious sense of humor and I urge you to scroll through his archives if you have some time to spend with him. I have watched his site grow from an online diary to a full-fledged force in the ALS community.

2. Spantalones: One of the most distinctive voices I've "heard" with all my reading. She has a true knack for humorous writing but can invoke in her readers a range of emotions and leave you thinking for the rest of the day. We share a passion for baseball, reading, ice cream, and politics. Even though you don't see spants around here much, frequent readers may find her sounding familiar.

3. e.b.'s World: Relatively new to my favorites list, e.b. is one of the most eloquent and succinct writers I have ever encountered. Her observations on life are right on and her words are equally likely to spark laughter, reminiscence or soul-searching.

4. greensunflower: Her raw, frank writing is a breath of fresh air. Her ability to write so openly about living in the shadow of depression is nothing short of inspiring. Read one post about her experiences in nursing school and you will amazed by the passion this woman possesses for caring for others.

5. Life in the Canadian Desert: jackie was my first reader who wasn't my family. I have had the pleasure to watch her grow as a person (figuratively and literally!) as she gets ready to be a mom. A fellow female scientist, as well as an accomplished artist, she has a wide range of interests . She has a way of writing that makes you feel as if you sitting across a kitchen table from her. Just don't ask her about snakes.

So there you have it. Award winners, do with this what you want. Just know I think you are some of the best out there.

As a side note, I noticed while rereading this that most of the blogs I read are by women. It's not that I don't enjoy blogs by male writers, I'm just not as exposed to many. So, readers, if you know some witty, thoughtful male writers (besides of course the highly talented ones I mentioned above), send them this way!

Gotta go, Twins and Rays are playing. Always a roller-coaster of emotion.