MY NEXT BIG THING — My Sojourn in the Blogosphere

Thanks to Jennifer Bullis for tagging me in this Blog Hop. I could not have chosen a busier week of the quarter — two new sets of papers waiting to be graded, a new lesson to plan, a teaching retreat over the weekend to prepare for…but I said I’d do it, and here I am.

As part of the blog hop, I’m supposed to tag several blogs — this is supposed to be prearranged and all very tidy and organized. But it seems that the bloggers I read are just as busy as I am, and no one has gotten back to me. So I am merely going to TELL you about some blogs that I visit, and hope that some alchemy will take place.

I have a few bloggers who follow me — and I follow them. If you’ve been reading me for very long, you’ve probably visited Kathleen Kirk’s Wait! I Have a Blog? If you haven’t, I am happy to recommend her. (The Valentine’s Day post is especially swell.) While you’re there, hop on over to EIL (Escape into Life), the on-line Arts Journal (and blog) that she edits.

I frequently link to Priscilla Long‘s professional blog sponsored by American Scholar, but I can’t mention blogs without referring you to her, so here it is.

Abbie Johnson Taylor’s Abbie’s Corner  is a blog to visit when you’re feeling down. She is a poet, a fiction writer, a memoirist, and a full-time human being who I have grown to admire greatly. Someday I’m going to find out if we’re related through my maternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Taylor.

Amanda Laughtland’s A Teeny Tiny Blog is a must see for anyone who loves teeny tiny poetry — or poetry, generally.

I have several good friends who blog — occasionally. Although Deep Grace of Theory does not have any recent posts, it is one of my favorite go-to places for serious thinking about serious things, and links to more such places.

My friend Shawna is launching a new career as a wellness coach, very busy on Facebook and Pinterest, but she also has a blog, Shawna Michels Lifestyle Coaching. Who knows? If I tag her maybe she’ll start taking it more seriously. If you want to change your food, she’ll help change your life.

Carol Dunn used to work for the American Red Cross, and she is the creator behind the 2Resilience’s Blog, which is a great resource for information about disasters. She hasn’t been posting for a while and I hope it’s because she’s writing a bodice-ripping novel about pirates.

Finally, my dear friend Carla Shafer is the mover and shaker behind Chuckanut Sandstone Readers Theatre and all sorts of other literary doings in Bellingham.

I know that I have some other lurkers on my site who blog — I’ve met them at the It’s About Time readings at the Ballard Public Library (click on the link to find a schedule of upcoming readings). This reading series was founded by my friend Esther Helfgott, a Seattle poet, writer, and writing coach.

I’ll see you in Part II, with my answers to the interview questions.