Sunday, January 08, 2006

Introducing My Fellow Bloggers

I have been trying to figure out what makes a blog good, popular, and worth reading.
There are sooooo many blogs out there now but, in my opinion, most of them are total crap, although I am sure there are some out there that put my own blog in that category.
Obviously there are many topics of interest out there, and a million categories: I have yet to figure out just where my blog belongs. I usually group it in the ‘Personal Blogs’ section, that is what it is really.

Blogger always has this list of blogs of note on their home page. I have checked a few out. Some I have found are good but I think most are crap. It confuses me. I must have a very different opinion from the Blogger company people as to what blogs are worth reading.

Granny always introduces the new people that she adds to her blog roll: I like this but have never done it myself. Therefore, I have decided to explain the blogs on my blog roll and give a brief explanation as to what I like about them.

First what I like to find when I read a blog is:
- I really want a blog that loads quickly. If it takes forever to load I just skip to the next blog. I have no patience.
- I like to smile and like a blog that makes me do that, but a blog that makes me raise my eyebrows in wonder, or that makes me cry, or laugh out loud is also great.
- I have also noticed that I kind of like simple layouts and not one that requires all the clicking to get in or has tooooo many graphics that are far more interesting than the actual reading part.
- A real person being a real person.

So the people on my blog role are: (Listed as they appear on the side)

Around the world

jerusalem wanderings - a wonderful woman (Israel)

And she is a wonderful woman. She is struggling to raise three kids and a husband in the land called Israel. She is also trying to change her new home doing one good deed at a time. Her list of friends is amazing; she moves easily between religious groups and is always entertaining to read.

Emily - Travel Itch (everywhere, mostly East Asia)
Travel Itch is an amazing writer, an amazing photographer and an amazing person. I found her through the ‘blogs of note’ section that blogger does. I have stayed with her travels ever since and amazing travels they are. It has been a privilege to watch this young lady grow into an amazing woman, conquer so many of her fear, and grasp love fully.

CaliGirl and her hubby (PEI, Canada)
CaliGirl found me and I am so glad she did. She has been doing an excellent job raising her daughter and loving her new husband. She also has the most trusted video ratings around. If you want to know about a new video check her side links as she rates every single one that she watches.

Stuff in General (Edmonton, Alberta)
Crazy Stone is a good guy: I just wish he would believe me when I tell him that. He also likes to throw REALLY BIG things, like telephone poles. He has some great snippets of wisdom and I have really enjoyed him.

Suburban Bliss (Michigan, USA)
This site is HUGELY popular. Her site meter lists millions, and for good reason. She has been a mother on an amazing journey the last few years having to sort out a lot of personal problems and struggling to be a good mother and wife. She can make me laugh and cry.

Connaissances (Paris, France)
This is a great guy who found me a while back. He is a British geologist living in France. He loves poetry and writes his own as well as translates many French poets. He also writes some amazing essays on how he joins his two passions (poetry and geology) together. They always amaze me.

The Humanity Critic - This guy makes me laugh!
One reason – This guy makes me laugh!! If you can handle his occasional colourful language you will love him. He is a bit crazy but at least he admits it.
He has also taught me a lot about hip-hop, a music style I have never really had much liking for.

Life isn't fair - Ontario, Canada: another giggler!
Yes another guy that makes me laugh but in a different way. He is a starving writer who has an amusing take on things. His Wall-Mart post was brilliant, and his smoking post just about made me pee. This is the very first post I read of him and I was hooked.

Roc Rebel Granny - a granny with a lot to say
Well what is there to say about Granny: She Rocks!! She is also a wonderful mother, an even more wonderful grandma and a great cyber friend. She tells you a little bit about everything, and though crazy and busy, her life seems so well balanced. She is a great person to get to know.

The Home Sick Home - USA to Japan to USA
Ahh the nice L. {{giggles.}} She doesn’t think she is nice: I think she is cool. She doesn’t think she is hip but one thing is for sure; L is a great writer, an excellent mom and the most patient wife around.

We move to Canada - USA to Canada
This L is also a writer at heart. She and her husband recently moved to Canada from New York and their blog has become HUGELY popular with the political crowd. This blog and all of it comments have kept me better informed on the goings on of Canadian politics and world politics than any of the newspapers I have read.

ipodmomma - USA to the UK
Ipod is a great lady all around. I have been in touch with her through Granny. Ipod loves to cook and share recipes but she loves her family more. She gives a great look inside a British home.

Building the Bigger Family (Canada)
Ahh Gawdessness has an avocado slicer that I ohh so want. She is also stuck in the head banger game of trying to adopt from within Canada. Her blog is a look inside the mind and home of a normal loving family.

Expat Traveler - Switzerland to Canada
Expat found me through ‘We move to Canada’. She is a recent arrival to Vancouver and has just stepped into the bottomless pit called Canadian Immigration. We are rooting for each other.

In Japan

Medeafication

Medea found me through both of our loves of Harry Potter. She lives in Japan and is happily married to a funny Japanese guy who is also pretty good looking. She has also introduced me to a whole world of Foreign Wives in multicultural marriages. For this I say “Thank You Medea.”

Wide Island
This guy is a great writer and funny to boot. He is married to a great Japanese woman and has the cutest little girl. He has some amazing stories to tell and some great views on this crazy country that we live in.

My Little Pleasure
Mina is a Japanese house wife/English translator. She is writing her blog in English which is just a wonderful feat. She is raising three great boys in Tokyo and sounds like a great mom. She is the reason I want a telescope.

Illahee's Blog
I met Illahee through Medea. We were both having troubles getting our little ones to sleep properly so were swapping notes. She is another foreign wife here in Japan with a lovely little boy.

International Marriage?!? What the heck is that???
Another foreign wife in Japan and a Japanese/English translator. She and her hubby are a funny couple that are definitely made for each other.

Japan Window

This is the last one I am going to tell you about. Andy is an AMAZING photographer. He lives in Tokyo and features a new photo every day. His photos are beautiful. He includes pictures of his gorgeous girls, various people, and Tokyo life, oh and ducks. (hehe) I highly recommend him.


There are a few more blogs linked on my side but these are my main, almost daily reads.
Stop by: I think you will enjoy them as well.

There are others I have been reading but have not figured where to group them on my blog role quite yet.
Turtle Guy ,
Grumppopotamus ,
Metro Dad ,
Chocolate Makes it Better ,
Gather Your Ideas ,
Petite anglaise ,
Waiter Rant ,
The Joy of Irrelevance ,
I was asked .


Update:
Negative note
: I have to return to work tomorrow. (sigh, sigh, sigh)

and never buy the apple chu-hi drink that says "calorie' on it: tastes terrible!

Today’s blessings:
- My daughter made me laugh about a hundred times today.
- I found very nice pink shoes to go with my pink suit. They are a slightly darker pink but quite nice and girly looking. hehehehe

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Posted by (Top)Andrea::1/08/2006 :: 8 Comments:

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