I feel like that woman who comes out of the bathroom with her skirt tucked into her pantyhose. Except it’s not in my panty hose, it’s in my underwear. Because I don’t wear pantyhose. Oh, and also, there is toilet paper on my feet. Because I forgot to wear shoes into the bathroom.
Seriously, that’s how embarrassed I am today.
I have been fortunate to receive some attention over the last 6 months.
You know, those sparkly invisible awards that you are supposed to put on your cyber-mantle?
Yeah, well, I didn’t.
Because I don’t have a cyber-mantle.
I don’t even have a cyber-fireplace.
So while I appreciated the awards, I didn’t do anything with them.
I sort of shoved them in a cyber-footlocker.
Which was actually very inconsiderate, and I feel like shitake mushrooms about this.
So I would like to thank a few people.
Waaaaay back in June 2011, Save Sprinkes from How Can I Complain gave me the Sweetest Blogger Award. Only I didn’t see this award until January 5, 2012. (How lame is that?) I just wrote Sprinkes a note letting her know how much I appreciated her recognition. Because I do. And I can’t believe I missed that blog post because Sprinkes is awesome. She hasnt posted in a while, but she was one of my very first subscribers, and I miss her.
I think for that award I was supposed to tell you 7 things about myself and suggest 7 other bloggers for you to read.
In September 2011, Jess Witkins from The Happiness Project sent me a Liebster award. What is a Liebster, you ask? I understand “liebster” is German for “dearest” — and so there is sweet Jess, trying to tell me that she considers me a dear friend. And what do I do? I shove her love in my cyber-footlocker. Nice, right? Four months later, I feel it, Jess. I do.
For that award I was supposed to link back to the person who nominated me and suggest 5 bloggers for folks to read.
Two people gave me the Versatile Blogger Award.
The first person to extend this kindness was Lorna Earl from Lorna’s Voice. A sociologist by training, Lorna started writing about her past when her future looked grim due to chronic illness. Her observations are keen, and I enjoy reading her posts.
The second person who found me versatile was Melissa Ridley Elmes from Cerridwen’s Cauldron. If Sarah Jessica Parker is my Celebrity Doppelganger (Ha ha. Yeah right!), then Melissa is my real life evil twin. She’s a teacher; I’m a teacher. She’s a painter; I’m a painter. She likes bad girls, I like bad boys. I’m telling you, it’s spooky!
For that award I think I was supposed to tell you 7 things you did not know about me and suggest 15 blogs for you to read.
Any math teachers out there?
I think I’m -21 facts and -47 recommended bloggers.
Do you see why I am hanging my head in shame?
Miranda Gargasz of Scattering Moments showed up to tell me that she had nominated me for the Awesome Blog Content Award. I hadn’t even heard of that one before, so I had check it out. When I did, I saw that it had no rules.
Thank goodness. (I like Miranda so much for that!)
I thought I was going to have to go through the alphabet and choose a word or phrase to correspond with each letter and use that to describe myself.
I started planning:
A is for Astoundingly Average.
B is for Beyond Belated.
Somebody should throw me in the Blogosphere Slammer for lack of gratitude.
A day later, one of my favorite bloggers, Gigi, from Kludgy Mom wrote a post called 12 Bloggers to Watch in 2012, and I almost died. Because there I was, on her list with many of my most favorite bloggers. I kept wandering back to the computer and looking at Gigi’s post all day, just to see if it was still there. I also checked this post from my iPhone and my iPad, too. Finally, my husband suggested I print out the article and stick it in my Happiness File that always makes me feel better when I am freaking out about a failing student, or sobbing hysterically about being out of Kona coffee or worrying that my writing has turned to lumpy oatmeal.
Not that there is anything wrong with lumpy oatmeal.
In fact, some people prefer their oatmeal lumpy.
I’m just trying to make a point.
Later that same day — the same day, people! — I was reading a faboo blog post, by the faboo Julie C. Gardner — a woman whose writing makes me “Squeeee!” like a little piggy, I see that Julie has written about how good it feels to be home after doing all her cyber-traveling this last year. (She was a busy little beaver blogger in 2011, and she was taking a moment to kick back and enjoy her home page. And her home life.) At the bottom of her page, she expressed more gratitude, thanking all the folks who had hosted her at their pages this year.
And she listed me.
Which felt like I had won an award.
While simultaneously making me feel like a dooj.
I mean, duh!
I should have totally done that.
And because I am a copy-cat great believer in the adage “Better Late Than Never,” I would like to thank the following writers for making my blog a richer place this year. My fryber Clay Morgan of EduClaytion continues to be a source of support and inspiration as does Leanne “Shirtsleeves” Shirtliffe of Ironic Mom.
The folks who posted for TWITS (Teachers Who I Think Scored/Teachers Who I Think Sucked) provided something special to unify my blog. Some people opted to glorify teachers while others remembered lousy teachers and opted to kick them in the pants. Either way, the variety of voices worked. So special thanks to the following writers. If you have never heard of these people, please consider giving them a look-see.
Steven Hess *
Penny Thoyts *
Life & Times of a Self-Proclaimed Saucy Bitch
*non-bloggers
I hope you will accept my belated gratitude.
I will try to be less sucky in 2012.
Or, in the very least, keep my skirt out of my underpants. 🙂
So what should my penance be?
renée a. schuls-jacobson 
Take a bow everyone!!!!
LikeLike
And thanks to you for being the best commenter! Seriously Susie.
You are the best. 😉
LikeLike
Hmm…how ’bout you owe us each a guest post? 😉
Happy new year, Renee!
LikeLike
I will write something for you Larry. I’m just working really hard on the book right now.
LikeLike
You are never sucky! You earned and deserve all of those accolades! XO
LikeLike
Thanks Jen. And you are so not kvetchy. Except when that is what you are going for. 😉
LikeLike
Awww, Renee, I won’t make you do any penance. I’m just happy that I got to tag along on your journey and get to know you. So excited to be WWBC partners. Now to just figure out my new logline…oy!
LikeLike
I am so excited to get to know you better this year.
LikeLike
And a big thanks to you, Renee, for maintaining such a worthwhile blog. It was an honor to post here. You’re anything but sucky. 🙂
LikeLike
Well, if you give me a big lollipop I’m pretty sucky, but that’s not what I meant. I just never know what to do with these awards. What do you do with them? I imagine you get them all the time.
LikeLike
You are too funny!
Also? I have a Happiness File, too! It kind of rocks, doesn’t it?
xo
LikeLike
It does rock. Especially when a big blogger you love pays some attention to you.
Or you win a cool contest at another favorite blogger’s page. 😉
LikeLike
You are awesome.
That is all.
(squee.)
(okay so that, too.)
(!!!)
LikeLike
I know you are but what am I.
I know that is totally Jr. High, but I kinda loved Jr. High.
Or at least the boys of Jr. High.
LikeLike
Your penance should be to keep writing more fabulous blog posts. That should put pressure on you.
LikeLike
Ack! I am cutting down a bit because I am really committted to working on my book. That is the neta project, but when I am done, I’m guessing i will have a whole heckuva lot of material on the chopping block.
All my “little darlins” that don’t make it to the book will make for lovely short blog posts. 😉
LikeLike
First – Happy New Year! And in terms of your being a sucky ingrate, well, no worries in this corner of the Interweb – I can easily forgive you, since a. it’s not in my nature to hold grudges b. I can never remember who I’m holding a grudge against anyhow and c.you’ve listed all these shiny new (well, to me!) blogs to check out! :o)
And also, the toilet paper-on-the-foot thing? SO there. With toothpaste as the sticking agent, no less. And not even the kids’ toothpaste. Nope, looks like the Crest to me. I’m going to have to blame my husband for that, in order to save a little face.
I think I got you beat…! ;op
LikeLike
Melissa: Can you believe how twinsy we are! And — I didn’t even mention this — but I am working on my book now too. So we really are on the same parallel time travel continuum thing. 😉
LikeLike
You’re not sucky fryber. Thanks for all your kind words.
LikeLike
Thank you for remaining steadfast as an amazing commenter even though I know you are writing furiously trying to work on your own project.
Best. Fryber. Ever.
LikeLike
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post!
I had the same thing happen to me, although unlike you I forgot who gave me the awards. I, like an idiot did not keep track. Then I thought, what do I have to do here, give out 45 awards? I was experiencing cyber shame. And really, did I deserve this much attention and honor? Well absolutely not.
So how to save myself? Well I got together some buddies from Kristen Lamb’s WANA1011 class and we put on a Blogfest to give out these awards to those in the class that had not received recognition. And that was the best experience. Everyone got involved and it became a celebration for the whole class. Like a graduation party only better.
But then what happened? I received another award. LOL
Here we go again! 🙂
LikeLike
Karen:
So funny that the moment you did your big #MyWana Blogfest you got another award.
I still haven’t made peace with what to do with them.
I prefer to do mash-ups and recognize great writing that way.
Thanks for visiting! And commenting.
LikeLike
Well, of course, you certainly deserve all of those awards! That was a very nice acceptance speech… and you didn’t even swear! 🙂
LikeLike
I totally meant to swear. Or at least say “boobs” for you.
You should totally do a guest post for me for Lessons Learned.
Wanna?
LikeLike
Sure I’ll do a guest post sometime. 🙂
LikeLike
Cowboy: That’s vague. I’m a woman. I’d like a little more commitment. I’m collecting stories about little life lessons that people have learned. Funny or Serious.
Info here: https://rasjacobson.com/2012/01/02/lessons-learned-guest-posts-for-2012/
Send me a post and I’ll pop you in the schedule. Or pick a Friday and commit.
LikeLike
Ha ha! “I feel like shitake mushrooms” – that REALLY made me laugh out loud. And if it makes you feel better, I’m not a very ‘fun guy’ (er, gal), either, because I’ve also not acknowledged any cyber awards! Better late than never!
I think your penance should be to make another dance vid for your super-followers. 🙂
LikeLike
Julie, I keep planning to make Saturday night dance videos a regular thing.
And then somehow it is Sunday morning.
I don’t know how that happens.
Maybe I should take requests from people as to what song I should dance to on Saturday nights. That might keep me more focused.
LikeLike
OMG. Seriously? This is why I love you. Okay, one of the reasons.
I’m going to have to start brainstorming. The song possibilities are endless.
LikeLike
Your penance should be sitting down for breakfast with those who love lumpy oatmeal–especially me because it makes me feel sooooooo less guilty about my belated behavior(s). I waaaaaaaay overdue on reading your blog and/or responding to what I read. Not sure where I’ve been, but if this is retirement, I’ll take working any old day!!!
LikeLike
D:
I’m grateful whenever you show up. No worries there.
But I’m happy you are enjoying your retirement, and I hope you have your bunny slippers on as you read. 😉
LikeLike
Ah, new blogs to read. I always appreciate it when my friends recommend other people to read.
LikeLike
Click on any of those people, Jack. They are all very good writers and I am proud to have been able to have them here at my place.
Would love to have you in 2012.
LikeLike
Sorry for commenting late; I read this on my phone and my fat fingers have trouble replying on the small keys.
If you’re sucky, I’m pathetic.
Thank you, my good friend. You are one of the best “things” about 2011. Although it feels like I’ve known you way longer!
LikeLike
Somehow sucky + pathetic = true love.
LikeLike
Ha – so funny that you posted this. Make that 3 bloggers who sent you the Versatile Blogger award. I added your name to my list this weekend:
thanks for giving me another huge list of blogs to check out 🙂
LikeLike
Nooooooooooooo! 😉
Thank you Shannyn. I’ll stop by soon to check out your shizzy.
LikeLike