My Favorite Nice Blogs (and some not so nice ones too)

Some time ago, Cami over at Full Circle chose me to receive the 'Nice Matters Award'. Her site has this to say about the award...


"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

I'm both flattered and surprised; I hadn't realized that I'd kept so much of my snarkiness out of my blogging. When it came time to choose other 'Nice' blogs, I picked sites based on whether or not I would want their authors in my house. Martha Stewart whips up some great stuff, but I wouldn't let her past my front door. And that has nothing to do with her time in jail- I just doubt I could feel comfortable around her. She scares me a little (still have a subscription, though).

I once read that Maya Angelou only lets people with positive energy into her house. I understand her point. Bad energy drains you. Good energy encourages and energizes you.

So, after much thought and a very difficult narrowing-down process (honestly, I would love to have the authors of all the blogs I read over for a party, all 50 of them, and Maya too), here are my 7 favorite 'Nice' blogs (in no particular order)...

• Tricot du coeur (I'll post more about this later. Vivi started this site to help collect blankies for sick kids. What more is there to say?)
• AfricanKelli (Kelli's so very inspiring as well as encouraging and just plain nice.)
• Nibbling Along (Sarah is just so sweet. And no, that's not supposed to be a pun. Because nothing's nicer than free recipes. Also, she actually changed from blogger because it's so difficult to respond to comments. As opposed to me, who is too cheap to spring for Typepad and occasionally sends out a response to a comment after I track down your address on your blog. Now you know.)
• Dalai Mama (I love Catherine's description of being a mother. So perfectly true and beautiful.)
• SouleMama (Frankly, I just love Amanda- not as a stalker or anything, though sometimes it sounds that way to my own ears. I just love how true to herself she seems, so real, genuine and beautiful.)
• Lucky Seven Cat Ranch (Angeleen and I just recently connected and she seems so fun and cute and happy, even when she is up on her soapbox.) :)
  
• Montessori by Hand (Meg has such wonderful ideas for montessori goodies. And she just seems genuinely nice.)

And I also would like to say that I don't feel that we all need to have the same opinions or the same hobbies, but there is a certain meeting of like-minds that happens as I read blogs, the feeling that I'm meeting friends, people that I wish lived closer to me. I just received an email from Angeleen stating that she wished we were neighbors. And I agreed heartily (and not just because it sounds like she's got awesome chocolate at her place). Sometimes I can picture all of us in a happy little community, coming out to sit in the town center and craft and chat. I guess I'll have to settle for the online version of that, though.

And now, I do have to admit that I read several blogs that would not readily be described as nice... Finny Knits (whose motto is 'If you have nothing nice to say, come over here so we can chat'), No Appropriate Behavior (pretty self explanatory) and Bad News Hughes (wow, he is just super offensive, but read about his family's drunken Christmas parties and prepare to wet yourself laughing). They say what's on their minds, and I appreciate them for it. Also, they're hilarious, which wins major points in my book. I have several friends like this, people that either don't realize that they offend, or don't care. Those are the people I go to for real advice. (my friends, not the bloggers)

So, I hope I haven't sullied the spirit of the nice award; I do feel that being nice is important and that our world could do with more of it. I just need the balance, you know? It's like a yin-yang thing.

And in no way am I claiming to really know any of the people that I've mentioned above. For all I know, they could enjoy kicking puppies.

I doubt it, though.