Cusp, at l’ombre de mon ombre, has given me an Inspirational Blogger Award for my beautifully crafted blog full of inspiration, creativity and courage in the face of M.E. Of course, Watermark has been completely redesigned since it won this award; let’s just assume it still wins.

These awards were initiated by Writer’s Reviews,
with the expectation that each blogger cited would nominate another
five blogs in some combination of five possibilities. Since Cusp
mentioned both of my blogs, I’m going to assume that I get two shots at
this; I did Abide last week; today I’ve chosen from Watermark blogrolls.

Before we get to that, though — yesterday I turned on the radio and out came Bill Moyers — his emphatic presentation voice, rather than his gentler interviewer voice, but unmistakable nonetheless. He was speaking about Media Reform, a speech from last January:

A vibrant media is the oxygen of a living democracy. When the media are
dominated by a handful of big corporations, citizens of a democracy are
on a respirator gasping for air. James Madison, founding father,
understood this well when he said, "A popular government without
popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but the prologue
to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern
ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm
themselves with the power that knowledge gives."

He outlined all the dangers we know of corporate media (Big Media), and expressed the hope that our digital age may provide a counterpart. He said that we must tell our own stories.

And I felt — inspired. Validated. I thought, yes — that I can do. I can tell my own story, and that matters. That counts.

These are people who tell their own stories, in their own ways:

The Inspirational Blogger Award

For
those bloggers who inspire others through their words and actions. With
a positive attitude, and an uplifting spirit these bloggers make the
blogosphere a better place, and encourage others to do the same. This
award is for bloggers who rise up to set an example but continue to
reach out and support others.

• Miriam’s scribblingwoman (now scribblingwoman2)
• Erin Noteboom’s Vivid
• Anne’s Ample Sanity
• Deb’s sugarfused
• whiskey’s whiskey river

Each of these bloggers have entertained, inspired, and encouraged me over the past few years, both publicly and privately — and I thank them for it.

If you are one of the bloggers nominated (& tagged) above, and you would like a blog badge, go to Writer’s Review
to pick one up. And, of course — as with any of these tagging memes
you find at my blogs — participation is strictly optional.

Between this post and yesterday’s, you have a lot of good reading to choose from. Enjoy!