End of year madness
Current mood: relaxed
Category: Life

I sit here on my laptop waiting for "Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader" to end so I can watch the "So You Think You Can Dance" results show.  Twitch and Carrington look safe tonight so I'm happy.

I'm working out some knots in my calves and shins from our track workout tonight.  We're really putting a lot of work into coaching our walkers this time around and I think it's really paying off.  Attendance is high and we have a good shot at retaining all of our participants for the whole season.  This pleases me to no end. I even started another MySpace page dedicated to TNT and our walk training as we prepare for Nike in October.

I even started a Plurk page, thanks to Captain Josie.  It's good for quick hi/bye/how the hell are you between meetings and on the train.

The fires in Northern California are blotting out the sun with the smoke they're putting out. The prism of colors usually reserved for sunset start when the sun is still high in the sky.  There's no risk to our houses yet, but there's a health advisory out for people with asthma and allergies.

Work just turned ugly this week.  I was prepping for mid July and a few weeks of hell with a Walmart event followed by our next big product launch.  Now I also have another project that is going to require some serious focus for the next few weeks.

Good news is that my "rotation" in this position is reaching the three-year mark.  I've been interviewing for other positions in the company and prospects look good to move in the next three months.  Wish me luck.

All of the MySpace blog subscription notices get filtered into a folder.  Since I stopped reading blogs on February 18th, I stopped clearing out that folder. I checked my email this morning and saw this:



That's right.  10012 blogs.  129 days.  about 77 blogs a day that I've missed.  If you don't count PQ, it's only about 6000.

Kidding.  Of course, she's in Turkey, so I might get away with that

I have friends getting married, friends having babies, friends coming up to stay with me for a race weekend and friends moving out from the other coast that I can't wait to see.  I know this because I still try to drop by their blogs.

I used to live vicariously through the writing  of close to 600 subscriptions.

I miss reading.  I try to drop by when I can, but there's never enough time.

Never is.

The avatar looks like it's not changing for another month at least.  Just wanted to stop in and say hi.

What's everyone up to?

3:41 AM - 83 Comments - 74 Kudos - Add Comment

20 years, 30 miles and still going strong.
Category: Sports

There's something you're resigned to when you're a race walker in an event filled with runners.

You're pretty sure you're not going to win.

Last weekend, I finished my eighth marathon in three years at the 11th annual Rock n Roll Marathon in San Diego.  It was something of a fluke that I was there at all.  I found out a bunch of friends were going to be racing and something about not being there just seemed wrong.  I hopped a flight minutes after the summer season kickoff and landed just in time for the pasta party.

Don't ask how long I trained for it.  Let's just say I wasn't sure if I was going to do a full or half marathon or just do some creative course cutting to support everyone else.

This is Gordy Lat, the honored patient speaker for the pasta party.  He's currently battling chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and after Gleevec drove his cancer into remission once, he became resistant to the treatment and relapsed.  Gordy is now a Triple Crown winner with TNT, previously completing a triathlon and century ride.  He talked about how everyone raising money was a superhero, wearing a cape of courage. He also raised over $15,000 this season (the top fundraiser, Ramon Burmo raised $51,000!).

Gordy's favorite quote was from Diana Hunt: "Goals are Dreams with deadlines".  He fights on, a living inspiration.



Usually, I'm with my wife or another teammate and we depend on each other to make sure we don't sleep too late on race morning. I set two cell phones, the cheapo alarm clock at the Super 8 and - just in case - my wonderful Danish Alarm clock.  Lady Anita volunteered to give me a wake up call at noon, Denmark time.  As promised, she was annoyingly cheerful (just what you need to roll out of bed at 3 AM).  We got to the starting area at 4:30 to wait for a 6:30 AM start.



RNR had the music going early, even before we crossed the starting line. This year, about one in 5 were wearing Team in Training purple.



This is Tisha, one of the walk coaches for the Diablo Valley walk team. She's one of the 122 atlhletes to finish all 11 races since RNR San Diego started, each year, raising money for TNT.  She and her twin sister are also cancer survivors.



The world famous TNT cheerleaders. (*snicker*)



We had a lot of angels on the course that day.  Not all of them were wearing wings.



This picture is courtesy of Coach Alice at mile 8, just before we go on 3 miles of San Diego freeway (banked at about a 15% angle).  About this time, Meg (far right) and I finished our 2 hours of discussions about the last season of LOST.



Last year, this guy was at the same place, coming off the rough stretch of freeway, holding the same sign (though he updated the number of years ).  I'd already walked a pretty decent 11 miles and was feeling good about at least the half marathon.  Seeing him made me realize I could finish the full.



At the 13.2 mark, I caught up to this guy.  He carried an Armed Services flag for the entire race, chanting out cadence and getting the people around him to join along.  Guts. Honor. I was in awe.



Strictly false advertising.  They may have had margarita-flavored Shot Blox.



Right around mile 15, I went into full blown Coach mode.  I was planning on meeting Jaimi (aka. blah, blah, blah) at mile 18, but ended up walking with a woman from the Gateway Chapter who was having serious IT band problems in both legs. I got Kelli as far as the aid station at 17.8, but she didn't want to quit.  The last official time cut-off was 12:15 at mile 19.2 (people who get there later are swept and aren't allowed to complete the race).  Kelli gutted it out and passed the cut off with about 15 minutes to spare.

The cut-off is in a weird place for coaches to support unless they actually do the whole race. If you look at the course map, there's an easy shortcut from 13.4 to 22, but not a lot of people cover the northwestern loop.  It's a real shame too.  I've never seen people so happy, standing at mile 19.3 and telling them "you made the cut-off".

About this time, I'm wondering where Jaimi was.  At 12:13, I see her coming up the hill, the sweeper wearing the big sombrero was behind her a few hundred yards.  Clearly, she was maximizing the value of her marathon dollar.

Helpful tip: if you don't know a person's pace, do NOT text them at mile 19.9 and ask if they're done.  You'll get a pic mail like this:



The last 4 miles of marathons are almost all a mental game. You take anything you can get to give you a boost - cheerleader squads, for example.



NBC San Diego had finish line cams this year, so instead of waiting for pics from the race, you can see us in low-res here.  Videos are 10 minute captures until the very last finisher. (looks like some of the links are updated - I'll post the right ones in a second).

Race Clock time 7:53:10:  Jaimi and I cross the finish abot 10 minutes into this clip.  I gave her a hug, said "I've got work to finish" and turned around and headed back down the chute.

I walked back out to about 24.5 to cheer in maybe 50 - 75 more finishers.  At 8:21, the last TNT participant came down the chute.  She was from a local chapter, so there were maybe 60 people still waiting for her. Everyone who finishes is a hero, and she got the welcome she deserved.



About 5 minutes later, the last racer crosses. He had stopped about a half mile out and he didn't look like he could walk another step. A few of the TNT coaches put his arms around their shoulders and walked him all the way in.

The marathon community is a pretty tight knit group and TNT's Cause makes it that much more special.  Seeing two finishes like that is something that keeps me coming back season after season. I feel truly blessed to be a part of something bigger. I covered close to 31 miles that morning and felt like I could keep going for another 30.

Maybe I actually DID win after all

The numbers:
3400 Team in Training runners and walkers
$12.5 million raised for RNR San Diego in the fight against blood cancers
In our 20th year, that brings the total to just over $850 million.

Summer season started last week. 

What are you waiting for?

2:13 PM - 93 Comments - 76 Kudos - Add Comment

The Rome Marathon - a jumbo sized photoblog
Current mood: inspired
Category: Sports

When you swim... in the creek...
and and eel... bites your cheek...
that's... a Mo-rayyyy....

Sorry, couldn't help it.

Monday is an a significant day for the SF Bayside Marathon team for Team in Training so I wanted to post this before then. This was the last event of the Winter 2008 season Maratona della città di Roma.

For Susan and me, this was our first international marathon after seven full and seven half marathons.  I love new races.  This was no different.  I'll skip the coverage of the pre-race sightseeing days for now since I'd be here all day and it'll probably cause my weak-memory computer to crash.

Saturday night was the traditional Pasta Party.  Fifty-ish runners and walkers from the Silicon Valley, San Francisco/Marin, SF Bayside and SF Diablo Valley met at the Empire Palace Hotel's restaurant.  The pasta, as you might imagine, was pretty darn good.

The highlight of the evening is always the speech by our honored patient, this time it was Mark.  He'd been an avid runner, but at one point he lost an unexplainable amount of weight quickly while training.  The diagnosis was a rare variety of chronic myelogenous leukemia.  Fifteen years ago, that form of cancer had a low survival rate and a prognosis of 18 months.  He started on chemo immediately and within seven days, he was in full remission. It was so fast, he didn't even lose his hair.  The treatment was made possible in part by funds raised by Team in Training.



This race had a relatively late start for a marathon - 9 AM as opposed to the usual 6:30 or even 5 AM.  But while we got to sleep in, most roads were blocked off so we ended walking a few miles to the starting line. We had a lot of first timers who were soaking it all in...



... and a few veterans who were thinking of why they were here.



Rome is the MOST scenic race we've done so far.  Seriously, pictures like this are just there for the taking. This is our amazing Staff who took care of all the arrangements - Lindsay, Debbie (staff/participant this time) and our Silicon Valley manager (whose name escapes me... grrr...).



Veterans of the marathon know the first thing you do after hydrating all week is to hit the lines at the porta-potties.  Maybe we were just there early, but there were no lines to speak of.  Kinda creepy actually.  This guy was either a walking advertisement for his energy gel, or was going to crap out from the sugar imbalances sometime by mile 18.  (or maybe just crap out... *snicker*)



Coach Al delivered the pre-race pep talk and led us through the round of GO TEAM!!  NO WIMPS!! TNT ROCKS!! cheers.  NOTHING sets a rookie's mind at ease faster - and no one does it better than Coach Al.  I think we shocked the rather sedate European crowd awake after that.



Coach Al with some of the honorees who were racing that day.



Starting line - right in front of the Colosseum. This was right before some guy came through the starting corrals selling cigarettes (no, really!).



Meghan and Sarae. A few or our first-timers from Diablo Valley.



They made a big deal about the cobblestone surface of the course.  If you're thinking of trying it, it DID seem to leave a few more people hobbling with knee and hip injuries than usual.  You shouldn't have problems if you train well though.



Now we know why the lines at the porta-potties were so short...



We saw this guy right after the starting line. Apparently he does this every year. I guess he wanted to re-create the original run by Phidippides where he ran 26.2 miles to deliver the news that Athens pulled off an amazing upset over the Persians with a desperation shot at the buzzer.



Course-side entertainment for US races is usually a rock or jazz band.  Not in Rome.  They had maybe 4 full bands playing some upbeat classical and what sounded like great school fight music.



There were about two dozen people in a group who specialize in running marathons backwards. (No, I can't explain it either).



Castel Sant Angelo (the headquarters for the Illuminati in Angels and Demons).



This race got full marks for course support. Even for the late-arriving walkers, there was plenty of Gatorade, water and blood oranges (*drools*...)



My favorite shirts from the race



Photo op at Piazza Navona, where the party never stops (even if you have marathoners running you over because you're stupid enough to try to cross the course without looking both ways).



Susan and Sandi (Silicon Valley) in front of the always crowded Spanish Steps.



Passing by the Trevi Fountain.  I had to snap quickly because by this time the course barriers were almost all gone. We were dodging pedestrians and tourists for the next few miles.



I only shot this angle once, coming down the finish chute. Did I mention this race was scenic?  This was the first full marathon we actually raced the entire way together.  Our warm up curves just don't match well, but we still finished with a walker-respectable 6:23.



I can't remember this fellow's name, but he's from the TNT National Capital chapter.  He's done upwards of 30 races and (get this) at least one on every continent, finishing the Antarctica Marathon earlier this year.  Susan's looking at my 'life goals' list and cringing.



The lady fourth from the left is Laura, one of our honorees.  She's been a part of TNT for 10 years and has beaten cancer twice.  Midway through this season, she found out she found another lump - one of the now-known side effects of her original radiation therapy.  Coach Al made the trip to support her, but at mile 18, Laura noticed a few other first-time participants struggling.  She told Coach to help them out instead. She said later that what she'll remember the most from the race was that every one of her Bayside teammates waited at the finish line - some for hours - until she finished. Laura had surgery the other week and is home now, just waiting for the clearance to start another season.



Meghan had been battling cramps since mile 8 and Sarae had to fight through a migraine around mile 12.  At mile 18, Coach Al dropped back to see them and asked Meghan what it was going to take for her to finish the race.

"Gelato"

"What flavor?"  Coach ran into a shop, everyone in line let him cut in front, and in about five minutes Meghan had her Cream gelato.  She and Sarae both finished.  It was the first marathon for both of them.



I'm thinking this is what Coach Al looks like to participants around mile 18.



I missed getting a shot of this, but I hear Coach Joe has some pictures.  A TNT participant was one of the last to finish the race.  She had an escort of about 10 police cars, a paramedic, her staff support and two coaches.  Just about everyone was crying by the time she finished.  After she got her medal, everyone of the race support staff got one too (below).



The numbers:
- about 50 participants.  As far as I know, San Francisco was the only chapter to have this an an official TNT event. We had our friend from National Capital and one from North Texas who did it on her own.
- The top fundraiser was an SF/Marin walker named Gilda. She raised $15,625.
- The team collectively raised over $320,000 for blood cancer research.  Not bad for our first winter team in two years.



Monday is the one-year anniversary of the day beloved TNT participant and honoree Brenda Donato lost her battle to blood cancer.  I only knew her other through MySpace but I remember her as a fighter who was a positive inspiration to the end.

Sunday morning, one of our local team captains and friend of Brenda's will be organizing the first Brenda Donato Rainbow 5K Fun Run and Walk in Walnut Creek.  The event is closed, but if you're so inclined, I'd love it if you could make even a small donation.

Ever wonder what it feels like to save a life?

Take a step (or ten or fifty thousand). 

Anyone can make a difference.

Work is still taking up way too much of my time. If you happen by the stores and see our new Greenworks products, just nod sagely and know that I'm doing everything I can to make the world a more environmentally better place.  I still may not be back full time until mid-May.   Miss you guys!

7:05 PM - 83 Comments - 84 Kudos - Add Comment

"Quickly, because I have shit to do"
Current mood: rushed
Category: Life

Thanks to Loree Harrell for that title. Heh.

Got back from Rome on the 24th to find something of a mess at work. I put in an 80 hour week and got an average of 5 hours of sleep.

On the good side, I haven’t had enough sleep so I don’t think I’ve felt the effects of the jet lag.

We’re off in 5 mintues to a TNT post-season party. Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and emails while I was gone. Can’t believe I haven’t logged in since the 12th.

Back tonight. Hopefully a photoblog will ensue.

Missed you guys.

Seriously

1:22 PM - 110 Comments - 116 Kudos - Add Comment

Blogwatch Anniversary Edition (Final - Thanks everyone)
Current mood: sad
Category: Blogging

Just updated the replies.  Work mode took over today and I didn't get back until late.

Thanks everyone.  You certainly know how to make a guy feel loved.

This is the last part of the Blogwatch Anniversary Tribute. I swear...

Numbers in parentheses indicate how many time the blogger appeard in Blogwatch.

Blog with Flair:
Bangin' Brunette:
 
Crackberry blogging, boot camp, stilletos and nutrition - all this and an Iron Butt too.  Bangin' blogs with the kind of carefree passion that makes me want to just hold on for the ride. I don't know many other bloggers who live that much in a lifetime, much less in a year. (14)

Püra's Mind of a Married Woman®:
 
I met Pura whle she was running her Valentine's Day Match Game last year when she was writing for SIN under Diary of a SINful Wife. What struck me as interesting was how incredibly classy and gracious she was. She hosted several co-blogs with ~Kristie Lynn~ and with Stephanie. She hasn't blogged since September. (17)  

A Picture (comment) Says it All:
»-(¯'Bella'¯)-» 
 
It's odd that I've NEVER mentioned Bella in a Blogwatch until now. She hasn't blogged in quite some time, but I wanted to let her know that her beautiful picture comments and poems remind me not to keep my eye solely on the blogs.(0)

Lady Shane
 
Another lady with a deep photobucket. Shane also does a daiy music blog.  Prime lurking material for the busy cubicle jockey.(2)

Solaris:
 
I've seen some of the most incredible photographs and art posted by this lady.  Her life is a balance of dark and light and it shows in her pictures as well as her blog writing. Some of you may remember her under her previous screen name of Nemain.  Friends, add her back. (4)

Sir Monkey:

I just HAD to include him.  Anyone who has the kind of dedication to have that many pictures along a single theme gets some Watcher Love. (3)

My Best Friends off the Blogs
Orangeesq (22), CherrieDragon (11), Minor Irritation (26), Tatiana (6), JeNiFuN (6), Mrs. Michelle (11), Michelle (11), ~SuNshine~ (9), Lourdes (31):
While we've been drifting apart due to our schedules or some very hard times, I still feel that special bond we had when we started out on MySpace together.  Thank you, my friends, for being there for me and letting me be there for you.

Pretty Darn Special:
 
Tinya was one of the first friends I had on MySpace. Early last year, she had a weekly Romance Wednesday blog with tips to help people spice up their relationships. While she took an extended deletion break, she's back, now posting regular blogs some around a healthier living theme.(12)

Christine McGoogle:
 
I first met "Stine" around the Jabs blog reveaing that Todd and Chad were fake. I was one of the believers who ended up searching for someone with some objectivity to make some sense of it all. She was one of the first to gather what little factual information available and present it without bias - something I appreciated. She was also the one I believed when Babe died - that she was probably also a fake.  She continues to blog mostly in a diary style with her new love Mike.  Mushy and heartwarming.  (xoxo )(5)

Wicked Witch of the East
 
I didn't know I could make the kind of connection with someone like I have with Cherie.  She's a real witch (check her religion on her profile page) and still surprises me with an email or a text message just when I need the lift. She also held a few blog auctions for her single guy friends and continues to be one of the best friends of the troops overseas on MySpace.  I less than three you, Cherie.(18)

Hemingway Kat
 
Bethany and I met on *behind blue eyes* blog (who apparently now has something called a "real life", pffft). She blogs daily in a diary style of writing, and is one of the most expressive writers on my subs list.  Her Dirt and Dreams series about her new house being built from the ground up really inspires me. Stop by her blog and shop her wonderful collection of handmade knit goods for sale on her Etsy website.(4)

Meredith:
 
I friended Meredith after she revealed that Buddha Mama and Captain Mobius were the same person (ok, they're not, but it would explain a lot).  Since we met, things have been a rollercoaster for both of us in our personal lives. Off the blogs, she's a great friend and has been one of my best sources of feedback for the cleaning products that I've been trying like heck to put on the shelves.  Meredith ran a few weekly features including You Write the Caption and Would You Rather? She blogs about her kids a lot.  They're fricking adorable. (19)

AE:
 
I met Jaimi after blogdicking one of her comments on a Mobius blog. We instantly became friends. We've shared a few drunken blogging adventures and she's even pursuing her own Team in Training event this year at the Rock N Roll San Diego. I'm sure ONE of us is going to drag the other across the finish line!(3)

Lady Anita:

Anita was the first MySpacer who inspired me to write a blog when she posted a simple photo of a tree in winter.  Her photoblogs are magical and continue to inspire me. I hope she can find her path in that field. Her long-distance relationship with Steven started on MySpace and I continue to watch it grow on her blogs.  Anita is an active member of ~Alicia's weekly GBE and she's one of the dozen MySpacers I've had the pleasure to meet in person.(25)

Ambellina:
 
Like a lot of people, I met Amber through a blog subscription request. I'd been reading her for a while already and we struck up a conversation about Lost, MySpace and the now-defunct MySpace Mozilla.  Her blog can range from a mild rant to a book review to a deep discussion about philosophy, and it's always wonderfully written. She and Levi are getting married in less than two months. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them, but since they only live a few hours away, I know it's only a matter of time.(10)

CajunSoleil:
Celine and I met on a Mobius blog (see the theme here?).  Because of a few trips that were already planned, we actually met in San Francisco (twice) and San Diego. Her blogs ranged from the cute and silly to the SBT erotic and occasionally an incredibly deep blog about her family history and her beliefs.  Off the blogs we fought crime as Stud Muffin and Cupcake. Don't ask. Celine deleted her profile recently, but we still keep in touch. (13)

Heather:
 
I met Heather on a Mobius blog too, mainly because the comments she used to leave cracked me up. Great writers tend to hang around other great writers so I subscribed to her. She said I'd be disappointed - I'm still waiting for that to happen. Heather blogs about her kids and life and writes the occasional piece of fiction.  She doesn't blog often, but the blogs are fabulous and worth the wait. Off the blogs, she's been my support through a lot of rough times and I can't imagine what MySpace or my life would be without her. I had the pleasure of meeting her in November. (4)

FROM THE DESK OF Ok, NOW What?:
Thank you for indulging me as I did this little memory walk.  Going through a year of blogs and picking out a few dozen wasn't easy. I know I missed a lot of people, but I hope you know I appreciate every one of the subscriptions I have. I've said it before, but it's a real pleasure being let into your lives.

On a bigger picture, I've noticed that MySpace is starting to show a little life again. I'm not sure if the weather is keeping people indoors and the creative juices are flowing again, but I'm logging in more and finding it to be fun.

Which is why it kinda kills me to say this.

I have to go. 

Every Blogwatch I've posted since I moved into my new position started or ended with "work is still killing me."  I've been putting in 10 - 12 hours a day to get stuff finished and I'm finding myself skimming through blog titles instead of really reading.  My brand appears to be taking off.  It's already the biggest brand our company has launched in decades, and management and our customers are asking for more. And just like I don't want to do my job at any less than 100%, I'm applying that same thinking to MySpace.

I won't be deleting my profile.  But until I can get a handle on how much it takes to get my job on track, I'm going to be shutting down Blogwatch.  Right now the calendar looks pretty busy until the middle of April. If you haven't already, please subscribe my friends who have started doing weekly top 10's, Princess Quello and angelheartwxyz.   Their profiles are on my front page if you want to friend them. I WILL be stopping by blogs where I can, but won't be collecting links.  Apologies to all my new readers from Myke and Cheryl's blogs.  It just hit at a bad time.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't unsubscribe. I'll be back eventually, it's just a matter of time. I've made too many friends to totally shut down here and I have no plans to do go away completely.  When I'm ready to come back.  Look for the avatar to change .

Until then... be good to each other. 

I may still be Watching.

1:00 AM - 216 Comments - 212 Kudos - Add Comment

Blogwatch Anniversary Edition (Part deux)
Current mood: jedi
Category: Blogging

I finished our longest training of the season today - 22 miles.  For some reason, I'm not sore, but I'm pretty exhausted. I'm sure I'll be paying dearly tomorrow.

Oh. The picture links keep breaking after a certain number.  Sheez... this is going into a part 3 soon... The numbers at the end of the blurb indicate how many Blogwatch appearances the blogger has had.

Politics and Social Issues:
Caroline:

You tell me Tuesdays was one of the best run debate formats I started reading.  Caroline did her best to have a range of topics and her readers - for the most part - were respectful of each other.  YTMT (and Caroline) have been on a hiatus for a bit. She hosted the Best of 2007 Blog contest in December. Caroline recommends: .:robin:., Giorgina, Gina the Ninja BAMF, Jeremiah the Amish Blogger, PETA (Bryce), Stephen.  She's making her subscription list public for a while. Go check it out!(23)

GranDiva:

Tamika hosted several co-blogs debating some fairly intense issues and she's not at all shy about sharing her opinions.  She blogs a weekly feature called Salon with the Sexpert (relationship issues) and is once again organizing Blogstock.  This year it's the first weekend in May in La Jolla, California. (16)

Napoleon B:

NB has gone through a few incarnations over the last year. Much of his most passionate work is about the men and women in the military.  He also had a few next-to-impossible riddle blogs for those who like a good mind-bender. Notable blogs include the Brain Girl contest, the first contest I saw with only anonymous submissions. NB recommends: Becky (19)

Tall, Dark and Complicated:

His military background gives him a strong connection to issues affecting our troops. He also has a great respect for law enforcement professionals at home.  Notable blogs include a couple of fundraisers for the Phoenix Rescue Mission and the Fisher House. (11)

Photoshop Bloggers:
Skorp:

Skorp's "You Should Be In Movies" series is reason enough to have a MySpace account.  He actually used examples of some of the work he did on the movie poster avatars into his current job. Getting 'Skorped' was one of my favorite MySpace moments.  He also raised money for the Sean Kimerling Foundation in the Great Stache Off. He also has a few off-MySpace sites, so he blogs infrequently now.(30)

illusionary/Assilem:

Melissa started appearing in Blogwatch in September with her photoshop avatar blogs. Even though she claims not to be an expert at it, I really loved the themes she picked - old pinups, cartoon characters. illusionary recommends: B-Brizzle. (9)

Anthrogeek:

Tanya takes her photoshopping and turns them into a story book, sometimes an adventure, sometimes a mystery, but always a thrill ride.  Her namesake holds true as she posts the occasional academic blog about some fascinating tribe or a plight of some indigenous people.  She also hosted 2 Blogger Bowls last year - one of the best presentated blog contests I've seen. Antrogeek recommends: Douleur, Lady Anita, Lauren, Captain Nighttime, Maurice ain't right, Grau Geist, Twentieth Century Author,Smarty.(29)

Ravnostic:

Morphing just doesn't get any better than this.  Rav's Morphamania is one of my 'Blog Award' bookmarks that I go back and just marvel at occasionally.  I think he said there were over 250 bloggers in the 8 minute clip.  Rav has also made morph-avatars and has a website where you can order custom morphs. Rav recommends: Maniacal Mommy. (25)

Community Builders:
Cheryl's Pals Colab:

Cheryl has built an amazing place for poets to meet and collaborate.  The 'give me one more line' call goes out on Tuesdays and by the end of the week, dozens of beautiful poems are built from individual lines. The Saturday share out always hits a top rank because of the number of poets who contribute.  The Colab will be celebrating its one-year anniversry soon. (6)

DJ Myke & The BoomBox:

What gets me about Myke is that most of his blogs aren't about him. He's always hosting a fellow poet, the Poet's Round Table or some tribute to a friend.  His "A Gathering" blog linked BY HAND over 160 bloggers. That's a record, in case you're wondering. (7)

~Valerie Vodka~

Anyone who's been to "Make a New Friend" day on Valerie's blog knows what it's like to be a part of history.  The last two party blogs netted 53 and 105 pages of comments.  Co-hosting the last few blogs with Pura, Quello and a list of powerbloggers made for a rather extensive guest list.  (21)

~Alicia:

The Group Blogging Experience is in week 24.  This is a great place for both beginning and experienced bloggers to write on a random topic every week.  I can see a few future super-bloggers in this feature. (13)

~Gabbi~:

She started pulling together other bloggers with a Dear Gabbi column.  Writers would send in questions and she'd get some well-known bloggers to answer in a panel-style blog.  While that feature had a good run, her more successful current weekly is the "What Not To Say..." series that posts on Sunday.  About half way through the week, I see her post a bulletin saying "Where are my girls at?" and I know I'll be headed over that after posting Blogwatch.  She REALLY brings people together. (21)

Blog for Awareness:
Princess Loretta:

By last count, Loretta has raised over $3000 on MySpace for the American Cancer Society in various events like Strides, Relay for Life and the current Daffodil Days. Her selfless devotion to a greater good is one of the shining examples of how powerful this social network can be. Princess Loretta recommends the GBE Bloggers (see ~Alicia's write up below). (37)

Arris (Undercover Agent)

Look for Arris's "Awareness Calendar" blogs early in the month. This is a fabulous service for people looking for information on various organizations, weeks of observation and websites.  She follows up during the month with some detailed discussion on the appropriate weeks.  (8)

Crimson007:

Amy has a personal connection to autism. She doesn't post often, but has some great information about the workings behind the affliction and current events that affect legislation and policy. (4)

Photographers and Artists:
Loree Harrell writes and paints:

Reading Loree's blog is like stepping into another world.  Between the beautiful photos of her walks on the river, her fabulous paintings and the weekly SBT's, you can't go wrong with this subscription. Loree recommends: Art Carcass, Decker, The Essential Jason. (6)

Wovoka:

I linked a few of his how-to drawing blogs.  The process was intriuging for me since I like to draw, but really suck at it. Wovoka really used his blog well for this instructional writing style. (5)

Pandy:

Amy has been away doing actual work for some time, but back when I started reading, I used to love her photoblogs.  She had a knack for finding extraordinary shots from the most ordinary things. (9)

Lifetime Subscriptions:
Shannon - The Untamed Shrew:

Shannon's writing just leaves me in awe, whether it be a rant, an erotic blog, or something touching.  Some of my favorite include "Return to Sender" and older blogs like "Dimes" and "Olive Juice and Elephant Shoes". Tune in to her Tuesday SINs Untamed Shrew on the NOW ONLINE SIN Magazine. (7)

Goddess Ivonne:

To think I knew her when she was just a Princess!  Ivonne blogs infrequently now, preferring to comment on blogs, which is great because she adds a little life by doing so.  Some of my favorite Goddess blogs include "The Treasure Chest", "Making of an Old Friend" and "I'm Getting Married!"  (doofus, I still owe you for that ). She also ran one of the more well-presented Blogtalk shows for a few weeks (The Goddess Hour). Ivonne recommends: Dictator Jon. (35)

pam:

There's something about the way Pam writes that just captures your attention.  She usually builds her blogs around a video and the short, simple sentences are powerfully written.  "18 Minutes" - a story of her friend going through domestic abuse - was the one that really started me reading her. pam recommends: The Diary of Miss X, Crabby, Kim - THE Psycho Princess, Kim ~ Wife of Tarbox, Bangin' Brunette, LD,  JD, ~Nurse Ratchet~.(7)

Great writers under 50 comments per blog:
Goddess of Strength:

Melissa doesn't have many readers and it's a shame.  A lot of you are missing out. She blogs infrequently, but her fiction is top-notch.  (2)

Wholly Random/Wanderlust/Marjie Ann:
When I first read her blogs, I thought I'd stumbled across a Buddha Mama alternate profile - THAT's how good I thought she was.  She's gone through at least 8 profiles that I know of, but I won't post a link to her latest one here unless she let's me because of some of the drama that follows her from profile to profile.    (11)

KimberlE (is an art major):

She was pretty shy in approaching me for a subscription request at first, saying that she didn't have quite the blogging or writing ability as our common friend, Valerie Vodka.  I think she sells herself short.  Her writing is light and unfettered, just like it should be. (5)

Who I miss most:
Buddha Mama – Sans Drama:
In my opinion, Mandy was one of the top 5 writers on Myspace before she delete her profile. She could make me laugh, touch my heart and get me horny – sometimes all in the same blog. Along with being a gifted writer, her stories about her son "Cracky" were absolutely classic. BMSD left MySpace to concentrate on writing a book. (17)

Captian Mobius:
Where BMSD went, I could always find Mobius.  D was also an extremely gifted writer (another Top 5 for sure), but what I found just as amazing was the kind of friends and readers his blog attracted.  He ranted occasionally, wrote some wonderful blogs about his kids and still got into some deep social debates.  Then the 'comment brigade' came in.  I spent just as much time laughing at the comments and replies. (13)

WhosQueen:
Queenie uses photos and graphics in her blogs for maximum impact and she can write with a great range of styles. She is probably THE best picture commenter I've read. No matter what, it seems like she had something perfect to say with a photobucket picture.  She is currently on an extended break from MySpace. (8)

FROM THE DESK OF Ok, NOW What?:
Ok, I lied.  For some reason, the piclinks don't let me get too many in the blog before they start barfing, so the last piece will post tomorrow.  I just have a section or two more, one for my closest friends and then an announcement.

Like yesterday, if you're mentioned on this list, do me and my readers a favor.  Tell us who YOU recommend to people who read your blog.  That way, people who enjoy your stuff can find a few more to add.  Feel free to link them if you can.

Part three should post tomorrow, (ugh.. maybe Monday morning...)

11:33 AM - 160 Comments - 148 Kudos - Add Comment

Blogwatch - Anniversary Edition
Current mood: ninja
Category: Blogging

Welcome to the Anniversary Edition of Blogwatch.  Seems this project just got bigger as I went along, so it'll post in two parts.

Geez, it's been a year since I cobbled together 13 links in a tabloid blog.  After 47 blogwatches, over 2800 links and I estimate nearly 15,000 blogs read, here we are.  This is just a tribute to the MySpacers who've shaped my reading habits.  You can think of these as 'Best Of's' and personal recommendations.  After a year of reporting with as neutral a slant as I could muster, I figure I can show some favorites.  If you're not mentioned directly, it's very likely that you're closely tied to one of the bloggers on the list.

The number of Blogwatch appearances is listed at the end of the blurb. 

Where I started:
Like most people, I started by browsing the top Blogs list. If you're interested in a "Now and Then" comparison, check out last year's "MySpace Superlatives 2006" by Chad 360 and Mayet's "MySpace Top 100 Bloggers" from last week. If you visit, leave Kudos, please

These three were the first I subscribed to and except for one profile deletion, I'm still a subscriber/lurker.

Stephanie:

She was the first blog I read everyday when I started, posting at 5AM my time. Her Flash Christmas tree blog was the first one I remembered reading and it really showed me how much fun this could be.  Notable appearances in Blogwatch were the series of MySpace Dating Games, the Stephayno saga (I was really rooting for you two, but alas...), and numerous co-blogs.  Stephanie still blogs daily and has the most apperances in Blogwatch (51).

The Super Jabs:
 
It took me a while to read him regularly. Clicking into his blog was like walking into a bar... ok, sometimes a seedy one... but as popular and polite Stephanie's blogs were, Jabs was popular and a bit crazy.  He was actually the first time I realized that guys online aren't the home-bound, sheltered geeks I though.  Jabs blogs a few times a week. Notable achievments were outing Todd/Chad and getting female readers to send pictures of themselves with bALLS written on their bodies. (16).

~Kristie-Lynn~:

One of the younger bloggers still out there and had a wide range of blog styles.  She had fun, blogged deep, got dirty at times.  She blogs infrequently now, but I like to stop by (25).

Entertainment Bloggers:
Aaron - Pop Culture Pimp:
 
Besides Buddha Mama's Sex Blog Thursday, Aaron's was the first weekly feature that I followed.  He does a great job with music, movie and sporting event reviews and does a great intro with some really nice personal touches. Aaron recommends: Katrina Brown (9)

Garney:
 
He doesn't blog often, but his coverage of the annual awards shows (Oscar's, Grammies, SAG Awards) are extremely well written and linked extensively to IMDB and other resource sites. (5)

Nwahs Ecnirp:
 
I met him as "Storm Shadow" a while back when he was posting "In Case You Missed It", world news-of-the-weird and stories of future Darwin Award candidates. He's added the occasional mug-shot blogs too.  It makes me dizzy keeping up with the changes on his avatar and profile page. (6)

Lee Ann:
 
Stranelicious Fridays links to some of THE weirdest stuff on the net ("urinal of the week"... 'nuff said). Add the Blog Rodeo under her Madre profile, the Spank Meeee!!! Princess takes a place as one of my favorites. (10)

Pirate Captin Blackheart (oh, for cryin' out loud, Josie):

One of my all time favorite pictobloggers, her WTF weekend series is not for the faint of heart.  She's not as over-the-top in person, but when you click into her blogs, be sure to fasten your seatbelt and be ready for some turbulence. I also don't know of any other blog that posts that many pictures of food. (12)

Contest and Game Bloggers:
~Melia~:

THE most prolific blogger in this category. Prior to changing profiles last year, she had a contest just about every other week. Most were small, but they were always well attended.  Biggest contests include the first and second (currently running) Best Rack contests. (32)

Minerva:
 
Her professional background must make MySpace a treasure trove of potential subjects. Notable blogs include the Blog Survivor contest and the monthly Ask Minerva column. (41)

Quita/The e(Que)strian Director:
 
Creator of the Blogger Carnivale (I believe there were 3 shows in the last year).  She had a great way of advertising the Carnivale by having all contestents add Big Cat to their screen name.   (14)

Blog with Passion:
Princess Quello:
 
The more I read about how PQ got to where she is now, the more I respect her.  She's outspoken, strong willed and willing to stand up for herself and her friends.  Blogs ranged from fun, loving, silly to deep or erotic.  She blogs a LOT.  I stop by as many times as I can. Quello raised over $1000 for the Global Fund and (with Chell) posts on the 1^st Amendments profile. (27)

Mz.B:
 
She created my Blogwatch banner way back when and it stuck.  She created the Naked Blogging group where writers are encouraged to explore the limits of their expression.  She also holds an occasional interactive blog where readers post a phrase or a picture and she spins some pretty impressive poetry.  She also started the Velvet and Lace Diaries series. A great read. (40)

Blog for Fun:
Kat:

I'm seriously happy that Kat's actually picked up blogging again (I guess winter in Montana makes indoor activities necessary).  Her blog is more of a chat room, but always starts with something fun. She's found a lot of cool toys for avatars, flash embeds and runs a photohunt contest every once in a while.  She's also a great person behind the profile. (32)

Sara:

Smooches and spanks.  She wears her heart on her MySpace sleeve. I love the smiles she wears on all of her avatars and her love for her friends is amazing.  Sara made a lot of appearances helping Kim with her MS walk charity fundraisers and a series of Blogger Idol entries. She earned a Blogwatch Hall of Fame spot by doing the MySpace Truth or Dare game twice – basically spawning a ton of involvement with her readers and a bunch of blogs. Sara recommends: Leggy Brunette, Minor Irritation, Kim - THE Psycho Princess. (41)

Strango:
 
She doesn't blog as much recently, but Strango is another BW Hall of Famer.  In addition to executing the MySpace Truth or Dare game three times, I'll always remember her for the successful search for her father, estranged for 25 years.  If not for MySpace, she still might be looking. (25)

Kim - THE Psycho Princess:
 
Not many people have the kind of flair that Kim has. She lives up to her Psycho namesake with the kind of blogs you may not want your kids to see without parental supervision.  I met Kim when she was raising money for MS last year and she's doing it again now.  As crazy as she is, she's still got a heart of gold. Kim recommends:  Art Carcass, Lori. (15)

Blog Erotic:
Tits McGee:
 
If you haven't stopped by Sex Blog Thursday, you're missing out.  Created by the self-deleted Buddha Mama – Sans Drama, SBT now resides on Julie's blog.  This is the longest running weekly feature that I've seen on MySpace.  Blogs range from the educational to the hilarious to the 'get a room HAWT'.  Tits holds her own too.  (as a writer…not that way… pervs…). (10)

Just Zac:
 
Zac just finished a series of blogs under the tile of the 543 Connection - the steamy story of Mike and Jessica. Zac did a few other blogs about friends and relationships, but his erotica project was one of his finest writes.  Day-um! Zac recommended COMMENTORS that can turn your blog into a party: Jessica, Fidel Che, Goddess Ivonne, Deana Damnit, Kat, PQ and Raven. (6)

Spirit Wild/Speak Easy Cafe:
 
Cyn was the first poet I saw using the audio embed to read her poems.  While she started with a few of the deep, meaningful poems, she added a few that - combined with her wonderful voice - really got me going. (3)

Laughter, the Best Medicine:
Minor Irritation: