It would be nice if this was presented by some sort of society of eggheads and double-domes based in Oslo or some such, but it actually comes courtesy of my ex, Sue Ellen (who posts under the name Sudiegirl, which still sounds like an Earl Hamner character, but we'll let that go).
The Thinking Blogger award is supposed to celebrate blogs that do more than entertain, that make you think, and part of the deal with this is to name other blogs that make you think. I should, in fairness, mention Sue Ellen's--sorry, Sudiegirl's--site, which, despite a frequently snarky tone, details many of her personal struggles as somebody living with bipolar disorder and everything that entails. It's usually funny, not depressing, though I admit I think she writes better when she's depressed. Maybe that's just me.
A newly-started blog comes from Shawn Grandstaff. He writes with more enthusiasm than finesse, but he certainly has a unique perspective: He calls himself a "Christian anarchist", which means he believes the world can not only be changed, but saved. The rules of fair play compel me to mention that, as with Sudiegirl, I know Shawn, but that in no way influences my opinion. Ahem.
Okay, to recommend a site maintained by someone I don't know, let me suggest Dennis Perrin's site. Perrin wrote the splendid Michael O'Donoghue bio Mr. Mike, and is well-schooled in the art of comedy, but his site is mostly political, occasionally personal, frequently cynical but with just a hint of hope. An essential read every day.
There are many other blogs and sites I read on a more or less daily basis, but they fall a bit out of the purview of this particular award. So for now, I'd just like to thank the Academy, my agent, Marty Abramowitz, oh, and God, of course, and...hey, why is the orchestra cutting me off? Hey, wait...
