Yes, we are finally there, I have read and deliberated and hum-ed and ha-ed over who should be the recipient of the “Kiwidutch Prize for best summary that sums up your blog Contest” . It’s less important that I share your passion, (I may and I may not to various degrees) but I want to feel your passion, all the bits of you that goes into your writing and see that you write from the heart.
Deciding a winner was not as easy as I first thought it would be, I assumed that one of you would stand head and shoulders above the others.. but that was not so, each of you puts a great deal into your musings, and it shows. Some of your posts amused me, some fascinated me, some bewildered me and some I just got lost in, in both a positive and negative manner… but I do understand that we are all unique individuals and that our passions reflect our uniqueness, so it’s par for the course.
So… I have decided to do a short summary of you all, but the Winner gets the biggest slice of the cake OK?
I was going to post the Winner last, but come on, they came First, so let’s put ‘em up here first where they belong!
And The Winner Is.. Ta Dah, pass the golden envelope … complete silence and a dramatic pause for the mandatory drum-roll ! anincorrigible with his “Ramblings from a bass fishing enthusiast “ Blog!
He begins his sublime writing with a brilliant title for his blog ” A fool at one end… and a worm on the other” and his way with words gets even better from there on in.
This photo's by Kiwidutch but it's blatently borrowed without permission from fellow blogger "anincorrigible" "Ramblings from a bass fishing enthusiast " Blog because the results were to be a surprise
Post titles such as “The curse of the fishing classes...”, ” A bucket as large as his Enthusiasm“, “The Bass hit the rod like a bag of cement“, “Gently I swung a mackerel into the quiet of the dawn“ Drew me in, literally hook, line and sinker and even though my favourite part of fishing is receipt of a catch, gutted and cleaned all ready for a nice fry up on the BBQ, I felt the passion shine though here.
Fishing for Bass is clearly a seasonal passion and snatches of which, must be intertwined with family obligations, so when it all falls into place and a fishing “fix” comes to pass it is clearly all the sweeter than a hobby or passion that anyone could do any time, any place.
Add to this the clear question mark that is plastered on any non-fishing-enthusiasts face when the subject of fishing come up ” Where is the fun of standing swinging a rod and a line around for hours when you may not catch a single thing? Not just once, but every time you go out? “
Very clearly for me, Fishing is certainly a sport for optimists.
This photo's by Kiwidutch but it's blatently borrowed without permission from fellow blogger "anincorrigible" "Ramblings from a bass fishing enthusiast " Blog because the results were to be a surprise
But I do understand, because I think it’s the urge to go fishing is maybe similar to the urge that I have to put needle, fabric and thread together and to create something from scratch, or the urge to feel pastry being rhythmically rolled benieth my wooden rolling pin, with wispy dusting’s of flour scattered around my stone kitchen bench.
It’s all to do with the deep sense of satisfaction and the patience of waiting for time to bring a (hopefully favourable) result…
It’s the relaxation and meditation as your thoughts are your own and you can focus on the sparkle of the first rays of sunrise on the gently lapping water, the gentle waking up or going to bed of nature and the solitude of the moment, with nature, and so different to the compact and concreted everyday environment that most of us now live in.
Most of all it’s about finding the little spaces in your life and cramming them full of things that make you happy.
My very favourite post? This one, the description is pure poetry: http://anincorrigible.wordpress.com/2008/08/
This Blog looks like a Fishing Blog, but actually, it runs deeper than that. It’s all about embracing a passion and writing about it well. I also love that a lot of the fish he catches are returned to the water alive… Brilliant !
Now I want to give a short review of each of the other entries. In order of entry into the competition, only... Here they are (the first sentence for each of you is how I would have advertised you in the shortest and best way I could think of:
Skylar Hope and her blog “My Other Half Isn’t…” Skylar’s “Search For the Semi Non Fictional Prince Charming“, is a insightful look into a young womans search for a life partner within a self imposed and stupidly-short time-limit with cool music stuff thrown in.
Kiwi says: Looking for “Mr Right” she quickly concludes that he is proving elusive and that the Prince Charming Pretenders give her an emotional roller coaster ride as they puff up her hopes and let her down, oft none too graciously. Kiwi’s advice to Skylar is you write well, you have clear, sensible values and Sister, do not make compromises to your core values to suit any dweeb… The Gentleman you seek is out there, he’s the guy holding out for a girl just like you.
christiangrblr and his blog “tehbigwebtheory“ Useful and useless tips and reviews of websites with dollops of the author Christian thrown in for good measure. For reviews on the wild side, written to inform or put a smile on your face, it’s quirky and interesting read.
Kiwidutch says: Christian Some of your blog makes complete sense and/or appeals, and some had me lost in the jargon in an instant: it probably depends on the age of your reader and their current awareness of the technicalities of todays modern age as to how well your blog will be perceived. That said, that’s their problem and not yours. Via Christian’s site I have amongst other things discovered singer Mike Tompkins and played with digital sand way too much… One thing Cristian, you mentioned I’d feel guilty if I didn’t pick you as the winner…Ha! I chose my winner on higher levels of reasoning so your emotional blackmail couldn’t reach me. ( and yep, I DO know you were kidding!) Get to the point a little more succinctly in some posts and you may be onto a winner…
chibivega in her blog “One of the Guys, An account of a chick’s time as one of the guys and keeping up with life” is an insight into being a Gal in a very non-Girlie pass-time, Computer Gaming. She gets her kicks, punches and shots quite literally out of the computer or TV and will either kick your butt or talk tactics if you wish to take her on.
Kiwi’s Conclusions: Naturally she has her gentle side too.. and like all good action hero’s and heroines, a sidekick too. Hers is called Grendal and we are all sure he’s a secret Viking in disguise. Being a Chick in the mostly male dominated genre of Gaming probably means that sometimes you have to muscle up to hold your own. Even to someone as Gaming illiterate as me, it’s instantly clear from her posts that she knows her stuff and probably has no problem blasting past much of the opposition. Her WordPress theme suits her blog perfectly. Ka-Bam! she’s good!
Allegra and her blog “Here’s to Us, be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” (-Dr. Seuss). and gives literary reviews to mostly recently published books via a rating system of 0-5 that’s backed up with great reasoning and wickedly insightful critique.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Kiwi says: Add to that her Green ideals and she’s a Gal to admire. … and the phrase “let me show you how to use that zipper ” and subsequent meaning is one that I could totally relate to since my late Mother was one of those types too.
Allegra is a Gal after my own heart, she crafts, cooks, lives reading and writing and it all shows…
Hey and she’s into “real” books made of paper (recycled paper of course) and wind energy! Kiwidutch reckons that anyone into Windmills is awesome!
(the book photo at right is for you Allegra and are ONLY our children’s book’s in their bedroom…
Himself and I have a large room downstairs filled floor to ceiling in every available wall with books, but with personal family photos and stuff that would be too personally identifying are also in there, so no photo of the “Himself’s Office” will be posted here.
( Influenced by your posted photos of your bookshelves!)
Pie is a mate from over the Ditch… and his blog “Pie And Biscuits, the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright ridiculous” is a fabulous Blog could be summed up in three words as “Cor Blimey, Limy!”
Kiwi says: I love his humour and take on events in and around London where he lives and observations on the UK populous and the irks and quirks of political madness. (although recently a local burglar wondrously managed even higher degrees of stupidity)
Pie’s posts are exactly as pastry should be: Morsels of deliciousness, with the buttery crispness what comes from being baked in dry wit, and the flaky crunchy softness that tickles your taste-buds and leaves you wanting more than just one bite.
Pie’s only crime is to often leave me in tears… tears of laughter that is, and I’ve learned not to partake of his blog whilst partaking of my morning play-lunch in my pause at work… because I usually can’t control my mirth and I live in fear of one day having to explain to our tech people how the beverage on the computer screen or keyboard got there after exiting my nose.
A Mall Cop is taking a small pause from blogging at the moment to work on his upcoming book. That said, his Blog “The In(S)ane Ramblings of a Mall Cop“ is well worth a read though of earlier posts, he has a style of writing that will find you hooked on the posts and then delighted at the twists that often appear unexpectedly at the end of them.
Kiwi’s comment: Who knew that life as a Mall Cop could be so funny? It’s an “inside” look on an inside world that the customer usually never gets to see. Mall Cop has the Security Pass to show us behind the scenes. Flash your library card and sneak inside…
milkayphoto is a Photographer not only with passion (I also have that) but with bucketloads of Talent ( I don’t yet have that). Her Blog “Milkay Photography, …because Life needs Pictures” sports photos that will take your breath away. With Pictures like this, Life is richer indeed.
Kiwi says: I’m a detail fanatic and clearly Tracy is too… Check out the Squirrels in the “Critters” section if you want your mouth to hang open and check out the Playground photos too.. I loved them so much that I bought the book!
You don’t need to go on safari to Africa to get majestic and awe inspring photos, Tracy proves that you can find them in your own back yard. Since as an apartment dweller I only have a garden in my dreams, I’m totally envious of the amazing shots that she captures there… and her blog gives me a smile to start the day with whenever she posts.
Finally, My Prankster, blisterina is another superb Photographer, and in her blog ” Moody Over 40“ she shoots in Film, often in Black and White and shows us the results.
Kiwi says: I have to confess that I’m a little addicted to Blisterina’s “Places” photos… they inspire me, and remind me that I have a LOT to learn about mastering the art of Photography. Blisterina calls herself a “Luddite” which to me kind of implied backwardness, but her photos are FAR from backward and in not embracing the digital age, she actually captures the present in a manner that is brilliantly unique.
I know this post has been the length of a small novel… I hope it was worth waiting for. Many Thanks for some great new blogs to explore.. I will be back!!!
… I’ll email you.
