Schmooze award, Kim Miles trip

Before I address this wonderful Schmooze award, I must direct you to a collection of photos on Kim Miles' bloghttp://greetingsfromtaos.blogspot.com/ which are so breathtaking, with accompanying writing so touching and heartfelt it is a great entry. Thank you Kim, for sharing that.

Now I would like to thank Margot Potterhttp://margotpotter.blogspot.com/ for this award and the cool things she said about me. They are so cool I am going to repeat them, as I don't have my parents around any more to call up and read this to, and they wouldn't have understood the word schmooze anyway. Here is the definition of it and the link for how she was awarded this, from Margot's blog:

"Here is the link to the original post from Mike at Gummy The Lovesick Alien. If awarded this most auspicious award you must award five others, post a link to the original post AND post this lovely little blogging award in your blog.

Here is the definition of schmoozing:schmooze (shmz) Slang v.intr.To converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection."

That sounds sort of predatory, the way it is phrased, but I like the social connection part, because I am very sociable and you all are my PEEPS<--jean learned this word about a month ago, which went out of fashion five years ago approximately.

I have kids who have difficulties making social connections, and I have always understood how very import it is to communicate. I NEED to. I do it on my blog, but I am never phony. I have things I think about and what you see is what you get, and I thank Margot for thinking I am worthy of this award.

She said, "Come on, do I really have to explain?! I mean, it seems it should be common knowledge. Jean is...well...a schmoozer first class. Her schmoozing skills are legendary. She schmoozed me into being her friend via email and I’m so very, very glad she did. She’s what you might call...a people person. Check out her blog!"

Coming from Margot, this is a huge huge honor. Margot is a writer who thinks, all the time and she works, all the time. I love her dearly and I am so happy to accept this award from her. Thank you, Margot. I love you for this!

Now I choose five people to receive this award:

I choose Jennifer Dangerfieldhttp://theartofcuriosity.blogspot.com/whose blog is as astounding as she is, and full of remarkable and fascinating observations and places to think about or see, and we are all the better for it! An amazing blog from a brilliant woman.

I choose Andrew Thornton:http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/ what will he do next? is always my question. For example, go there today and get your socks knocked right off. Andrew has led us on a journey through his life in a variety of aspects, all thoroughly fascinating and frequently beautiful, whether it be jewelry creations or just a picnic. Andrew rocks.

I choose Cathy Lybarger of Aardvark Art Glass:http://www.aardvarkartglass.net/blogpageShe hates when I award things to her but I HAVE to: go to her blog and you will see why. She is SO funny the only person who makes me laugh more is JIM. This is my highest compliment in the fun world of blogs. I cannot help but almost pass out with the joy of it every time I see her blog. A good example is today. Additionally, if you look on top, she has a new thing, called "Watch me Create" which is a beading group of lampwork artists. She writes there in a very excellent fashion when it is her turn and you get to see another side of her: the creative side with the thought processes all right there for you to understand. Very cool blog. One of my all time favorites.

I choose Melanie of Earthenwood Studios blog:http://www.earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/ She is very honest, very intelligent, very in tune with many aspects of creativity such as painting, music, and general thinking. I like her blog because I can go there and really read HOW SHE IS. As she is an extremely cool person, it is extremely worth it to take the time to read her blog. Melanie discovers things and writes about them. I love that about her blog. I totally appreciate that aspect in a well written blog like Melanie's.

Finally--last but not least: I choose Tammy Powley's blog: http://www.jewelryandbeading.com/

Tammy is the guide for the About.com group:http://jewelrymaking.about.com . It's the great about jewelry making group with a masive readership. I want you all to know that the very first thing I did when I got serious about making jewelry was go and sign up for her weekly emails from that group. Her blog is always about jewelry, and bead related and extremely informative. If you want to know something, don't "Go ask Alice"...go ask Tammy. She is a great positive force in the beading world both online and with the books she has written.

Well, this was cool.

I liked choosing these blogs to receive this award. These people must now choose five people of their own as soon as they get a chance, link to the award, post the award, and explain the award. I thought I would have a hard time doing this, but it WASN'T HARD AT ALL, CATHY.

xox to you all! thank you for contributing so much to my life!

jean