Putting on my thinking cap

It’s both an award and a meme: the Thinking Blogger Awards. Cinnamon Gurl over at Write About Here listed me as one of five blogs that make her think. And so now it’s my turn to do the same. Of course, this has already started trickling through the blogs on my Bloglines, meaning that some of the blogs that immediately come to mind have already been tagged. Nonetheless, before I list my five, I want to also point out which other blogs I might have mentioned:

• Bub and Pie was the first on my Bloglines to mention this award.
• She mentioned Mad Hatter over at Under the Mad Hat.
• Mad Hatter then tagged Cinnamon Gurl...
• who wrote about Jen at One Plus Two.

Now back when I was going through a period of angst, feeling like I wasn’t making enough of a difference in the world, Mad and Jen were putting together a wedding of minds, a celebration of our concerns for social justice. I sheepishly made a contribution to the wedding party, mostly a lamentation of how overwhelmed I was by everything that needed doing. But once that was out of my system and I had a chance to read other people’s posts, I was reminded that I wouldn’t be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once—nor should I expect to—but that, as long as I was doing something, I could make a difference. Global Warming Wednesdays is a small step towards that.

Now, let me get on with my 5. I don’t know that all of them read me regularly, so I may be killing the chain, but these are truly thought-provoking writers:

1. Sunshine Scribe. Sandra is amusing, intelligent, and active in her community. She is also unafraid to mention the humiliating moments, but for the introspection and reflection, not just for the laughs. Sometimes she perfectly captures an experience I’ve had, sometimes she gives me an entirely new perspective.
2. Her Bad Mother. HBM can write on philosophy or popular culture—and how they relate to her experience of motherhood. Even when I don’t agree with everything she says, I come away from a post with grand ideas swirling in my head.
3. Crazy Mumma. I found out about her blog when I met her at a Toronto mommy bloggers gathering. I don’t know that I would have found her on my own, but her writing keeps me coming back. What I find compelling is the combination of her candor and her artist’s perspective.
4. Mombian. In many ways, Mombian serves as a clearinghouse of recent gay and lesbian news. I especially appreciate her weekly political roundups, as she often catches stories I wouldn’t find on my own. But I also find that the mix of her posts is an important reminder to me that being a lesbian mother is as much about books and toys as navigating the political climate.
5. Art-Sweet. She writes both at her own blog and for LesbianFamily.org. She and her partner are in the process of adopting a gorgeous little boy from Guatemala. This is all interesting and well-written in its own right, but also serves as a reminder to me of the different paths to family—and how we worry about the same things. It also reminds me to be thankful for the relative ease and luck I’ve experienced in becoming a parent.

Go have a look and get your mental exercise!