Celebrating 300 and Lovin' Ya!

Sometime ago in early June of last year, I received a "Love-Ya" award from my friend Christopher Laney at www.lessonsfromthecockpit.com I was just back from another traumatic trip to New Orleans; only to discover unknown tax traumas waiting on me here in France.  I was a basket case.  When I opened up that e-mail from Chris and saw my Love-Ya award, I cried...someone thought I was brave and "admired" me!  That little extra lift from my soaring, flying friend; got me out of my basket and back to my own soaring once more.  The meat of the "Love-Ya" Award is as follows:

"These blogs are exceedingly charming.  These bloggers aim to find and be friends.  They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.  Our hope is when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.  Please give more attention to these writers.  Deliver the award to 8 bloggers who must then choose 8 more and include this cleverly written text in the body of their award."

Being the baby blogger that I was at the time, I honestly didn't know eight bloggers who I believed met the criteria for the award.  The parts that stumped me most were that it had to be bloggers who "aim to find and be friends" and who "are not interested in self-aggrandizement." How would you necessarily know these things about a blogger?  I drop in on blogs from time to time.  Sometimes I leave a comment and sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I send an e-mail and sometimes I get a return response.  And then there are those bloggers who have found me and have become a part of my life in interesting ways. If I thought the friendship piece was going to be tricky, the self-aggrandizement piece was even more difficult to suss out.  Is that a "me, me, me person?" Would that include people who are selling things they have created on their blogs?  Some blogs certainly seemed to be all about shopping and selling.  Are they deserving of the "Love-Ya" award?  All these questions ran through my head, as I attempted to genuinely and passionately pick the eight bloggers and blogs that I would choose for my Love-Ya Awards.  So, without further adieu, I have bestowed my eight Love-Ya awards on the following bloggers:

Whitehawk is one of those bloggers who found me and found me very early on in my own blogging career.  I'll never forget the day when I got an e-mail from my sister with a site notation asking me if I had seen it?  My first book on my beam was "Creating the Work You Love" by Rick Jarow.  Whitehawk discovered it and put it on Rick's website.  I commented on the site and said thanks.  Pretty soon we were off and running with regular contact.  Whitehawk's blog: www.wingingwithwhitehawk.wordpress.com reaches out with depth and substance. Whitehawk is not afraid to shoot straight and opens a range and breadth of issues rarely found on most sites .

Kristin Espinasse-I found Kristin long before blogging was even a flicker in my repertoire.  In fact, back before I was living in France I found Kristin's blog: www.french-word-a-day.typepad.com Kristin had actually suggested to me that I start a blog when we were talking about our writing aspirations.  She writes with warmth as she shares her life, her family, her trials and tribulations and her love of la vie en France.

Evelyn Jackson-Evelyn found me and I'm still not quite sure how.  One day there she was, commenting on my blog.  I remember thinking, "Do I know this woman?" I went over to visit her at www.redbellfarm.blogspot.com and we were off and running.  Evelyn loves France, Life, Living, and Magic and is one of the most spiritual people I know.  She was the perfect person to bounce my Mélange-ing Magic idea around with.  Pretty soon I found Mélange-ing Magic in the sidebar of her blog.  She'd write about it from time to time and send me suggestions.  We began to e-mail almost daily and one day I bit the bullet and asked her if she wanted to come and "pilot" the idea here at the Chatette.  The rest is history.  Evelyn is the magic I mélange-ed.  That magic and our friendship continues to grow.

Niels Lund-I was also discovered by "The Bib Professor".  I posted one day about pearls and overalls and voila...the Bib Professor commented and we were off.  I went over to www.bibprofessor.wordpress.com and discovered a whole new world of overalls fans and friends who always found a way to make me laugh and smile.  Niels and I were in touch regularly via comments and e-mail as our friendship and International Overalls Day unfolded.  I don't want to say that International Overalls Day was the most important thing that happened to me in 2009-but I never had so much fun in such a global way with so many people of like mind and spirit.  It has taken on a life of its own and goes on.  We have plans, and Niels is our fearless leader...Overalls Guru Extraordinaire.

Maya Paretti-Niels suggested that I check out a couple of other sites where I could find Overalls Compadres.  I became especially fond of Maya over at her blog: www.onlinegratitudejournal.com I began to stop in regularly and found that I missed her on days that she didn't post.  Now I know, that's a lot of pressure.  Maya's wit, commitment, life experiences and sense of humor kept me coming back for more and enjoying every minute of it.  Then it happened.  There was a string of days of no postings, which was very unusual.  Niels and I were in contact and trying to figure out what had happened to Maya.  As she described it...we sent out an on-line search party for her.  We were really worried, but she's back and at it again and making our days.

Constance Muller-Both Evelyn and Kat recommended that I check out Constance's blog: www.rochambeau.typepad.com I happened to wander over around the time of Constance's birthday and her trip to New Orleans.  I loved that she found Constance Street, but mostly, I loved her fresh view and very clear love of the New New Orleans.  We corresponded some, e-mailed some, commented some, and I even tried my first "following" experience with Constance.  I discovered that it was way too much for me, but I'm grateful that she still checks in and comments from time to time, as I do.  Her site is beautiful, artistic, creative, sensitive, socially conscious, and I can only imagine what it must be like to be a fly on the wall when she is creating one of her beautiful dolls or doll purses.  They speak to me!

Anne Arnott-I couldn't tell you who found who but Anne and I share a love for travel, Paris, France and collage.  You can see some of Anne's beautiful photo collages at www.anne-arnott.blogspot.com I love to see how excited Anne gets when she receives postcards and items from abroad.  She is quite the traveler and it seems that she is usually heading off somewhere exciting and finds piles of friends wherever she goes.  When I had my contest to advise me on the redesign of my blog, Evelyn, Niels and Anne all joined in.  Even though my blogger friends weren't chosen by Dali, everyone got a prize.  It was fun to see the prize on Anne's blog one day.  I stop by regularly but don't comment much.  I seem to have trouble commenting on blogspot blogs and haven't worked those kinks out yet.

Donna Sarjeant-Donna was another one of our Overalls people that Niels pointed me to.  I loved seeing so many of her jewelry designs at www.gabriellalucretia.com but especially her shots of Chic Overalls and Overalls on fashion runways.  I laughed because it was around that time that my French friends were telling me that "salopettes sont trés chic cette saison" and after looking at Donna's blog I had proof.  We've commented back and forth, but the best for me was when Donna gave me a great suggestion for what to do when the hook fell off of the strap of my overalls.  You can never have enough good friends who can share their great overalls advice from personal experience!

So today, I celebrate my 300th post by making my "Love-Ya" awards to a group of loving, giving, interesting, bunch of bloggers who I would be honored to call friend.  Stop by and see them if you haven't already!  Happy Three Hundred Lovin' Ya All the Way!

Comments

[Niels Windfeld Lund]

Dear Laury and all of you, thank you so much for this ! A year ago, I had no imagination of the fantastic friendships I got during 2009 based on our shared love of overalls ! For me it means a possibility of expressing feelings I have no chance of sharing in my academic professional world, at least so far, because the funny thing is that due to Laury and all of you, my family and my colleagues think it is cool that I'm doing this overalls thing !, so thank you again and I'm looking forward to what kind of book we will come up with etc. love Niels

[Laury Bourgeois]

I think we're "pretty cool" overalls or not Niels-You're so welcome and I look forward to all of our future Overalls Adventures...Love and Merci-Laury

[Evelyn Jackson]

Hey...thanks for including me in your "Love Ya" awards! It is truly amazing how this blog thing creates community and friendships. I'm very proud to be called your friend; you are my friend as well. Wish I was there to raise a glass and toast 'a votre sante!'

[Laury Bourgeois]

Oh Evelyn...how could I not include you? You really are my Mixer of Magic Extraordinaire-Love and Merci-Laury

[rochambeau]

Hi Laury,
You're a doll! Merci bien for your award and kind words. So glad we have met here because of your beautiful New Orleans. Blogging is a miraculous place where like~minded souls can connect.

You know I am smiling and wishing you the very best on your journey. It's going to be a good one. You are going to help change lives and others will help change in good ways.
Happy Martin Luther King Day. He was a man who believed in the best!

Love,
Constance

[Laury Bourgeois]

Merci Bien to you too Constance-Blogging really has amazed me. I've always felt rich...getting to know you and all the rest has made me "richer"! Love and Merci-Laury

[Kathleen]

Congrats on 300 posts...WOW!

[Donna]

Laury, what an honor and a wonderful surprise. Funny how the universe works, I have been in a hospital room with my ill son for 21 days, so this was a lovely surprise. I want to respond 'officially' to your beautiful gesture on my blog but it will have to wait, until then thank you!
Donna

[Laury Bourgeois]

You're welcome Donna-please don't fret-take good care and I'm just pleased it came along for you at a good time...Love and Merci-Laury

[anne]

Hello Laury

Wow thank you for the wonderful award.. :-) Yes I don't remember how we found each other, but it is great that we did. And I see you have Constance on there too! She is such a lovely lady, she helped me alot last over the last two years :-)

I have been away for a few days and need to catch up with everyone. Take Care anne xx

Congratulations on your 300th post ..Well done.

[Laury Bourgeois]

You're so welcome Anne-I noticed Constance's comments on your blog too and with all of us...it doesn't really matter HOW we found each other, just that we DID find each other-Love and Merci-Laury