Why Yes, I *Am* That Fabulous

Susanne at This & That recently gave me this blog award, for which I am happily grateful. It's always so nice when people acknowledge your genius. ;) Susanne is, ( I just went and checked), my longest running commenter. She is fantabulous (fantastic/fabulous, for those who don't know), in many ways, and you should all go and appreciate her blog too. :) She posts, most often, about what she reads, and they're always, without fail, things that make you think. Plus, she went to Damascus earlier in the year, and took enough photos to almost make you feel you were there!

Here are the rules:

List five current obsessions.

Pass the award on to five more fabulous blogs.

On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well.

Don’t forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by leaving a comment on their blog.

My current obsessions:

1. Books -- I know, I know, control your shock. :) Books are my eternal obsession. I love books, I love everything about them. I don't read books on line, or or Kindle, or whatever, because it. is. not. the. same. I like to hold the book, feel the weight. I love the smell of books! I love reading! I cannot comprehend people who don't read. I just can't.

2. Religion -- Again, try not to collapse in shock. I've always found religions and philosophies fascinating, even when I myself didn't believe. The way humans have always known that there was something higher than them, and the ways they interpreted the events around them that they couldn't understand, the manipulation of mythology to express deep human truths that we're still discovering. It's all endlessly interesting.

3. Sharks -- What can I say about sharks? I saw Jaws and was terrified. I wouldn't swim in pools that weren't perfectly clear. I had nightmares about a giant shark swimming up the canal behind my grandparents' house. And somewhere along the way, I started learning about sharks, and I fell in love.

4. Merlin -- It's a BBC show that NBC was playing over here during the summer. Now, I've always loved Arthurian legends (not that the two have *all* that much in common - you're happier with Merlin if you forget everything you know about Arthurian legend, trust me). It's a fun, fabulous show, and I spend *way* too much time reading fanfic about it lately. But the boys! I just want to *squish* them! Arthur and Merlin are just so cute! *wibbles at them* Hmmm... and Anthony Stewart Head as Uther...ah...well...I don't want to squish him, but I do love him, once I got over the 'It's Giles!' and giggling.

5. Vampires - Ones that Do Not Sparkle! Vampires should NOT SPARKLE! I'm a vampire fan, I admit it. I don't run around all in black, all emo and goth, but I like vampire mythology, I love vampire fiction, and Dracula is one of my favorite characters of all time. Ever. And I will hear nothing to the contrary! I want to travel to Transylvania and visit the real Castle Dracula. Yes, yes I do.

Five blogs I want to pass this on to...well, to be honest, anyone I read should get the award. I wouldn't read 'em if I didn't think they were fabulous, but to stay in the rules (and if I don't pick you officially, consider yourself chosen unofficially), and in no particular order...

1. Barei Lev - Sanil, I don't recall how I found her, but she's a seminary student who wears hijab, and is my long lost nerd sister. :) I hate stuff like this, because I never really know what to say. What do I like about her blog? Everything. I like reading about other peoples lives, and how they think, because they're not me, so it makes me think about things differently.

2. Non-Muslim Niqabi - Heather's new to the blog world, but, okay, a non-Muslim niqabi? How can you pass that up? It's just so *interesting*.

3. Answering Life - Again, I can't recall how I found Candice, but she's a newly Muslim wife and mother living in Canada. Can we just take as written that I follow/read people because I find them interesting and different from me? Because I have a hard time quantifying and breaking down why I read people other than that. Do I *need* another reason? I think not.

4. Farm Hijabi - Michelle's blog is private, but basically, she lives the kind of life I want, on a farm in the middle of nowhere, she writes about the realities of it, and she's another Catholic hijabi. She says what she thinks, and isn't afraid of hurting peoples feelings with the truth. Again, not brain surgery to figure out why I like her.

5. Morning Coffee - I read Alana for the smartness. (Shut up, I just made it a word.) She posts on a variety of topics, but they never fail to make me think, even when I don't comment. Plus, she's the first Orthodox blogger I'd ever found, and since that's a (growing) interest for me, it's all her fault. All of it.