Forwarding on my Blogging Award

So I’ve already  mentioned this twice, but I’m finally going to do it justice in a full post and say a big Thank You!!! to AnotherJennifer for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award!!

Last week I mentioned that one of my posts got featured on BlogHer and the award adds to that lovely feeling of doing something well.  It’s nice to find that not only do I love writing but it is well received by others – I am very appreciated of everyone who takes time to stop and read a post here. Thanks to all of you reading this!!

So the recipient of the Versatile Blogger award shares 7 things about themselves, and then forwards the award on to 15 or so other bloggers. I don’t know if I can get to 15 blogs in a reasonable amount of time for this post, but let’s start with the 7 things about me:

1. I play the fiddle; I was a classically trained violinist (played Carnegie Hall with the Westchester Youth Symphony in high school – major accomplishment!!) for over 15 years, but switched to fiddle music after college. I now play in a band (the Contra Banditos) which has a CD out (it’s for sale, if you like old-time style fiddle music!).

2. I LOVE tattoos!!  I have not idea what it is about them that I’m so drawn to, but I just love them. Love them on me (I have 2, and am working on a 3rd), love them on other people, love tattoo studios and magazines… if I thought it were  more socially acceptable I would have full-length sleeves of ink on both my arms.  For now I’m sticking to the upper half of my upper arms.  Along with other parts of my body (legs, back, feet, etc.)

3. I have a weird amount of stuff in common with AnotherJennifer, including being a mom, a lefty, a metalhead in the 80’s, disliking pie, and stepping on the occasional velociraptor. I don’t yet live in Maine, but we’re working on moving north. We’ll probably end up in New Hampshire, though.

4. I have a scat collection. If you don’t know what scat is, you’re probably better off. Just move on to #5.

5. My list of job titles/positions/life accomplishments (in no particular order) would include:  Dog groomer, horse trainer, equestrian team captain, Masters swimmer, park ranger, camp director, concertmistress, recorded musician, first responder, challenge course manager, and bookseller.

6. I wrote a Master’s Thesis as part of my degree in Conservation Biology. I’m super-proud of this accomplishment as it was an insane amount of work.

7. If there’s anything else on this Earth I’d rather be doing, it’s riding a horse. Almost any horse (almost). I’ve been away from them for too many years and it makes me sad.

Ok, now for a list of bloggers to pass the Versatile Blogger award on to.  I’m having a hard time coming up with 15 at the moment, but all of these folks have terrific blogs that I find to be inspiring and worth a visit, and are sites I try to get to on a regular basis:

1. Rowdy Kittens

2. The Crafty Homestead

3. The Crunchy Chicken

4. Pagan by Design

5. Harvesting Maine

6. The Non-Consumer Advocate

7. The Domestic Pagan