It's a major award.

So, it seems I am a finalist for the BlogHer 2010 Voices of the Year.in the Opinion-Editorial category.  Very honored, very humbled.  Very much in great company.  The post of mine, Pissing off people Left and Right, was very difficult for me to write at the time.  It is still difficult to read.  The post came to me after I was publicly questioned on Facebook regarding my parenting (as in "would you really tell your kids that?")  Don't poke the Mama Bear, folks.  After my anger, I had to really sit and reflect.  And out of that, came the post.  I think there is a message in there for everyone, somewhere.  We all need to be true to ourselves, first.  And it is often very painful to get there, when it means hurting people you love, respect and admire.  Even when you disagree with their world views.  The fact that a post which was born out of such sadness is now being honored is bittersweet for me.

This is your segue and you will like it.

In more entertaining news, my BlogHer roomies this year, Dawn Rouse,  Kelli Best Oliver and Celeste Lindell (aka Average Jane, the oxymoron of blog names since Celeste is anything but average), were also finalists (Leg lamps for everyone!)  As such, the Other Kelli has declared our room a Power Room.  We just found our 4th roomie *waves furiously to Dawn* and I hope she will be not intimidated by the Awesome that will surely permeate our quarters.  And the alcohol.  The Other Kelli has promised alcohol (no?) and  I believe I am in charge of tie-dying the "I'm With Kelli" t-shirts.  And yes, This Kelli and the Other Kelli have been cackling about the name thing (Name Twin Powers: ACTIVATE!)  Actually?  when I first saw this "kelli best oliver" chick floating around The Tweetle, I thought she was mocking me.  How dare she claim the Oliver moniker and then say she is the best one??  It's been mine since 1971!  (Hey, I have never denied the narcissistic whore skulking deep within my psyche.  She's a Screamer, folks and the world is All About Me.)

Anyway, getting the Voices of the Year finalist news was a lovely way to cap a perfectly delightful weekend.  I hosted a sponsored party which I have written about on Queen of the Free Bees (seriously, it was so much FUN.  It was my first experience doing an in-home party like that and again, so FUN. Also, is it not great hosting parties if not for the sheer fact that it completely forces your hand on cleaning your damned house??  Yes?) 

Yesterday, I took Arun to the Kansas City Reptile Show.  And of course, you want to see non-simian snappage for a change, right?  No? At least I did save the snaps of the Burmese python hatchlings still in their eggs on my Flickr account, they are not for the faint of heart, even I was a little squeamish.  Click if you dare.

And yes, all of these things could be your very own Precious, if you are willing to fork over the cabbage.  Which makes me wonder, who the hell buys an alligator in Kansas??

Baby Alligators!

American alligator baby, about 18 inches.

Baby turtles!

Baby Humans!

Whatever.  He will always be MY baby.  *Sigh*  I simply adore the smiles on his face in these snaps because they are of pure, unadulterated happiness. He was in his element, folks.