Truly Outrageous

Well if Ms. Sylvia didn’t go and give me one of these Thinking Blogger awards that are going around. This is a meme I can support, since link love is a great way for us to find new voices, make connections, share knowledge, and get laid. What? Who said that?

Anyway, of course this thing has rules, so here they are:

Thinking Blogger Awards

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn’t fit your blog).

Here are 5 bloggers that make me think, every time, and you should read them. In alphabetical order:

As the Tumor Turns – I never read her previous blog called Granny Gets A Vibrator, but I love Lymphopo, as she’s known now, and her frank look at life during and after cancer treatment. Her writing is raw and angry and almost always hilarious. Like many of us, I initially came to blogging with a more personal bent, and I admire how L. mixes the scary facts about healthcare and cancer treatment in the US with her own experiences. She is fierce.

elle, abd – Has anyone said elle’s blog? I know somebody has. Oh well, I’ma say it again. First of all, she’s a historian. HOT. Secondly she’s a labor historian. SUPER HOT. Third of all, she writes insightful posts about, among other things, feminism and racism, with plenty of everyday intimacy to keep it all in perspective. Plus she constantly supplies new titles to my Neverending Reading List.

Jane Awake – My girl Jane is off executing secret plans of poetry world domination, but if you’ve never come across her blog until now, go and check out the archives. Sample the wide selection of strong opinions on reproductive health, religion, and MFA programs. This is no-holds-barred feminist poetry blogging!

The Kugelmass Episodes – I started reading Mr. K’s blog back when it was called The World’s Forgotten Boy, and he was writing about the stripper as an archetype. Since moving to WordPress (and a regular gig at The Valve), he’s written many thoughtful critical considerations of the delightful fun-house mirror that is pop culture. If I had to recommend just one post, it would be this one, entitled: ‘Superficiality, Alienation, Rhythm: Snoop, Clueless, Woody Allen, and the English Language’. If you’ve spent any time with my blog at all, you understand why that title is the Sexiest Thing I’ve Ever Read In My Entire Life.

Laila Lalami – This novelist packs a literary & political one-two punch, often pertaining to Morocco in particular, and the Middle East more generally. I don’t link to her very often, but she’s sharing stories you won’t find anywhere else. (You should also check out her novel!)