Here.

Go. Read. Yes, I entered, but am sad to confess it was a piece I had already written, and probably doesn't meet the criteria. Just too busy with work, meeting hot bloggers and sick kids. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Just one criticism: Tork, next time add a linky list or something similar. It is a pain in the arse to go cut and paste all the links to read the other entries. Just sayin'.

Off to spend my time reading the competition entries.

Well Whoa! And Hot Damn!

Okay, well here's the thing. I won! Yep, I won Challenge 67 on Blog This. Now, apologies are necessary for the lag in my realisation... this old Madmother had forgotten to update the link in my blog list to the new address. Woops. And I must also thank my friends adoring followers for voting for me. I honestly thought I was second, but must have been a last minute surge in the votes, lol. All that threatening cajoling on facebook must have had an impact...

No, really. You mean you missed it? Oh, well I did seriously consider a bit of biffo blackmail, but then it slipped my mind. Like most things. I guess it must have been this face that swung it for me. How could you resist:

But here's the thing. I now have to very quickly, as time is fast running out, come up with a new challenge. Any ideas? Cause I'm drawing a blank.

Anyone?

How about something like:

If you won the lottery, what would you do?

What betrayal has had the greatest impact in youtr life?

What has been the most positive influence in your life?

Show us yer tits (photographic challenge)?

Yes, I am kidding. But desperate. Hmm, maybe it's not such a bad...

Tell It Like It Is Award - the Second Ceremony. WARNING - NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED!

I think a quick refresher about this unique award and the rules governing it is in order before I bestow it onto my newly chosen recipients. So use this link, go read up peoples... I'll wait. I may be sleep-deprived but I am patient. Sometimes.

And now, *drum roll*, let the ceremonies begin...




There are two worthy nominees, and as with the preceeding award celebrations this means two winners:

Travis at I Like To Fish
and
Alex at WHOA-MUMMA!

Travis is a new find, thanks to Alex and a few other bloggers and  Alex is a welcome return to the blogging world. Both straight-shooters, tell no crap sorta bloggers.
Hope you both agree to receive this award in the tone it is given.

Rules are:


1.This award is for the straight-shooters. The "tell it to someone who gives a fuck" bloggers who don't let the ignorant minority dictate to them. As a certain commenter from my last post put it (and something a dear friend called me a few years back) the ones who call a spade a fucking shovel!


2.The recipients of the award (and I hesitiate to use the word winners as it is not some type of lame-arsed competition, it is merely a show of appreciation for the blogger who doesn't pretty up the harsh realities) do NOT have to pass it on! If you wish to, great! Means I get to find some new no-bullshit blogs. If not, meh, not my problem.


3.This is not to be passed on to anyone who cannot handle the heat. You know, the bloggers who post one controversial topic, get blasted, and so delete it whilst whining "youse are all bitches" under their breath. If you write it, own it! Note: exception to this rule is if you post something in anger which hurts those you love. Not anonymous, faceless bloggers or followers, but someone you genuinely care for, and realise later when you have calmed that it was not acceptable to blog about. We have all done this at one time or another.


4.This award is not to be awarded for just being nasty! It is for those blunt, honest, sometimes brutal bloggers who post from passion, not spite.


5.Link me! After all I am an attention seeking bitch according to some...

 
 

Look at Moi, LOOK AT MOI!

If the day didn't start off badly enough with a 3am invasion by Boy 1 after a nightmare, it rapidly deteriorated with a 5am rat dash. Yes - you read that right: a stinking rat in my bedroom! So, off I run to grab crazy cat 1 (crazy cat 2 is a little toothless, though only young. Ah, the joys of bad teeth and genetic inbreeding). So, cat is in bedroom hunting, searching, pretending to be a big scary predator. I am wide awake after four hours of sleep (not too bad in the scheme of things, though I do have to work today), figure, hey, I'll take advantage of this early rising to do some bloggity blog stuff and what greets me?

Two of my favourites shamelessly hussling for votes in the latest Blog This challenge! Well, I think, if it's good enough for Kellyansapansa and Moragg then it's good enough for me. Having won this with my first ever foray into the comp I constantly yearn to again feel that euphoric adrenalin burst of winning, though knowing I do not have the numbers of some of the entrants daunts me somewhat.

So I am throwing this out to the laps of the blog Gods: if you wish to read my entry, or happened to miss it it is HERE, to go read the list and find the links to the other entrants (after all it is not a true competition unless you have read the others) and or vote then it is here. Poll is on the right hand side of the page, and please note - you can only vote ONCE!

I am not going to shamelessly grovel or beg, or offer gratuitous bribery or incentives. You make like mine, you may prefer another. But anyone can vote, so please do. Great way to find some new blogs for your list too. Oh, and the cutesy puppy dog eyes, mere coincidence...

But he DID vote for my blog...

I will add, was pretty damn happy to see I already had a couple of votes. I confess it is a recurring nightmare that I go check the list, and am the only one to have a big fat zero. Bit like the dream where you go to your kids' school in only your knickers and thongs. Oh, you don't have that one? Ah, okay then, moving on. I don't either. No really, just wanted to put you at ease. Honest. Oh, just bloody well go vote would you!

Tell It Like It Is Award. WARNING - NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED!

I have taken a leaf out of Mel over at Sugar Coat It's blog (yeah, I know it should be book, but if I wrote book I'd have to admit to plagiarising...) and created my own award. So now all I have to do is set the rules!

1. This award is for the straight-shooters. The "tell it to someone who gives a fuck" bloggers who don't let the ignorant minority dictate to them. As a certain commenter from my last post put it (and something a dear friend called me a few years back) the ones who call a spade a fucking shovel!
2. The receivers of the award (and I hesitiate to use the word winners as it is not some type of lame-arsed competition, it is merely a show of appreciation for the blogger who doesn't pretty up the harsh realities) do NOT have to pass it on! If you wish to, great! Means I get to find some new no-bullshit blogs. If not, meh, not my problem.
3. This is not to be passed on to anyone who cannot handle the heat. You know, the bloggers who post one controversial topic, get blasted, and so delete it whilst whining "youse are all bitches" under their breath. If you write it, own it! Note: exception to this rule is if you post something in anger which hurts those you love. Not anonymous, faceless bloggers or followers, but someone you genuinely care for, and realise later when you have calmed that it was not acceptable to blog about. We have all done this at one time or another.
4. This award is not to be awarded for just being nasty! It is for those blunt, honest, sometimes brutal bloggers who post from passion, not spite.
5. Link me! After all I am an attention seeking bitch according to some...

Boring shit over, now on to the inaugural proceedings!

Firstly, we need a presenter, and who better than the original boss of the brutal, blunt brigade:

We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline...

You can't handle the truth!

~ Col. Jessop A Few Good Men (1992) ~

Now for the award:

 I am not including pithy little remarks or cutesy summations of these sites, if you are curious go read for yourself. 

• Chrissy @ I Shoulda Been a Stripper
• Kitty @ Shrinking Kitty
• Maggie @ Mind of A Mad Woman
• Epskee @ Barrel of Monkeez

Now Epskee, I know you have objections to blog awards, but let's face it, this one is unique. You don't have to do anything, it is not a popularity thing (mind you, it could be put into the piss people off or unpopular award category, lol), and hey, I know these get under your craw... Cheeky, ain't I?

That is it people - now go forth and blog.

I am no scrapbooker but I have tried...

to create an award. Here it is:

Not much, I know, but hey - the idea is there! This one is for the straight talkers, the bloggers who think political correctness has gone too far, the people who tell it like it is!

Now I will have to go and ponder to whom I will bestow the initial honour on. Sadly one of those to whom I would have automatically given it has left the blogging world (yes, Alex - YOU).

Oh, and any photoshoppers who want to help refine this one more - please, step up. Can give you the bits 'n pieces if that helps...

Well, it's like this...

I have been tagged, for a meme. Now my first reaction is what the flick is a meme? Is it a moi, moi, look at moi sort of thing? What the hell do I have to do? Thanks to Dr Google, I now know a little more:

In the context of web logs / ‘blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it’s some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on. I generally consider these to be actual questions and not some multiple choice quizzes that determine some result at the end (what color you are most like, what cartoon character are you, what 80s movie are you).

I must admit also, as it is a happy meme, that I am finding it difficult due to the sad announcement that Alex over at Whoa-Mumma has decided to give up her blog. She has her reasons, but like all self-focused people all I want to do is grab her and shake her hard whilst crying snotty tears of WHAT ABOUT ME?

But I am a big girl now, and am pulling on my XL panties, giving her a cyber pat on the back (mixed with a little self indulgent shoulder squeeze) and sadly saying "I understand."

I also know I need to follow through on two awards: the one from Mel, plus a new one from kakka.

But since this little black duck had a very early start, this will all have to wait until morning. Sorry peeps, too damn tired to even add photos. See you tomorrow, but please... not TOO early!

The Blogies!

Yep, another blog award, this time given to me by the wonderful Skipper. I am naming this one a blogie, you know... after the logies.

I guess I better do the acceptance speech thingy.

"*sniff* *sniff* You like me, you really like me! I never could have dreamt I would win this prestigious award, I didn't even know I had been nominated at first. To be recognised by one of my most respected peers... well, I just don't have the words to express my gratitude.

I am so flustered, I knew I would forget someone so I wrote a little something just in case...

A few short words of thanks, now let me see... *flip* *flip* *flip*, just bear with me for a minute. Oh, here it is.

Sending out my love tonight to

• My mermaid girls. Mythical or not, I adore your quirkiness, strength and beauty. You know I love you all. Sometimes I so wish I was one of you hiding under the waves. Wouldn't need calm blue ocean if I was under it.

(yes, these are above my desk)

• The professionals who have helped my family over the years. The speechies, OT's, psych's, aides, teachers, principals, lawyers (apt right now), doctors and anyone I have missed. We owe you much more than words can express, you have done so many amazing things for us.
• My cat. It is years since I owned an animal that was solely mine. Flower, I love you as unconditionally as you love me. I even forgive the fleas.

• My family and friends. This last year I have learned some hard lessons about people and their duplicity, about loyalty and betrayal. To those who are honourable, steadfast and true, I love you all. And thank you for your honest words and support. My family, well, you all know how much I worship all my family. My amazing kids, wonderful husband, incredible mother. Enough said.

• The blogs, oh all the blogs who have entertained me, made me laugh, cry, write. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And on from this, I am passing this blogie onto a further five talented bloggers. Without your inspiration or support I could never have achieved this.

1. Pink Patent Mary Janes. I swear this poor woman must think I am a crazed stalker with the amount of comments I leave her. I wallow in her blog, drool over her photos, just enjoy the whole thing really.
2. Barrel of Monkeez. Straight talker, no holds barred, tell you like it is gal. Love it!
3. Whoa-Mumma! Alex makes me laugh. A lot. And she only lives a drive away - one day we shall do a blogger meet!
4. jemikaan. Yes, I know I give her lots of awards, but she writes the way I think, and we have the same journey to follow. Hers is just a few years later than ours.
5. Ignore Reality. Vicki makes me think, giggle, smile. A new discovery, but one I am enjoying.

And that brings me to the end of my speech. The producer has been frantically gesticulating for me to wind up for the last five minutes, and I thank you all for your patience. God bless the Bloggies!"