Get ready for a fly-by week on The Happiness Project! Today I want to say thank you to the writers who bestowed me with some great blogging awards and tell you about this Friday’s upcoming Milestone Party!
First, a big BIG thank you to Amanda Rudd and Gene Lempp who both nominated me for a Versatile Blog Award. Amanda and Gene are such awesome writers, readers, and friends that I am very honored to share this award with them. Amanda is, like me, an example of persistence, and a very encouraging and charming woman. Gene is irritatingly smart about how to set goals and I credit him for getting my nose to the grindstone.
Thank you immensely to all my readers, I wouldn’t be doing this without you! Well, I might, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun or filled with potential learning opportunities. I’m so humbled to share my day with you and get to know so many of you through your writing, your projects, and of course YOUR COMMENTS-my fave!
Another BIG thank you to Marcia Richards for naming me a recipient of the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster is a german word for Friend, and coming from my Life List Club co-founder, I can definitely say Marcia is a great friend. She’s got the creativity and energy of a toddler chewing espresso beans and at the same time comes off as the wise fairy godmother of all things chocolate and life lessons. Marcia, thank you for being my sound board. I love bouncing ideas around with you!
Part of receiving such honorary awards is presenting them to others you feel deserve them. The Versatile Blogger Award is for bloggers that are able to write about a broad range of topics with talent and enthusiasm. I must recognize the writing works of Catie Rhodes, who is a woman after my own heart with her posts that range from the paranormal to films from the 80’s-90’s. For starting her own blog not too long ago, Catie has it figured out!
I also award the Versatile Blogger Award to Ellie Ann Soderstrom, another new blogger who regales her readers with fascinating tales of mythological creatures and fairtytales as well as stories about why her husband is so annoying. And if you comment, she may make up a story for you with the character name of your choice. Ellie Ann is pure fun!
The Liebster Award is for bloggers I consider a true friend. There are two people that stick out in my mind who have come to my writer’s rescue and shared their own stories with the world which I always think is a brave and self-aware act. I present this award to Mark Petruska and Renee Schuls-Jacobson.
Mark is my guy, he keeps me in the know on what’s happening in Portland, Oregon, a city I visited 2 years ago and fell in love with. Lately, Mark’s been on some trips of his own and really grown in the past year. He recently fell in love! *communal Awwww* And with this year of change, Mark’s been sharing more about his life with us, and I couldn’t be happier for all he’s accomplished, including his decision to self-publish!
Renee wrote a post called When Writers Meltdown where she was so honest about how we all judge ourselves and think we’re never doing enough. I was SO in that moment then, and Renee not only reached out to me via comments, but did so with e-mail and twitter too. She wanted me to know I was not alone, and that she knew exactly how I felt. What better definition of friend is there than that?
There’s more fun to be had this Friday with the Life List Club‘s Milestone Party! Be sure to come back and comment this weekend while each of us shares an update of our goals and YOU can win a shot at several LLC giveaways! Share your own successes and learning moments with us. We’ll all be offering goodies to win and cyber treats and playing our kind of party music. I’m thinking…CeCe Peniston. You?
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 
Congrats! Jess! Two awards! Told ya you’re awesome! I love the way you described me! That’s exactly how I see myself! For a young’n, you’re perceptive, smart and have great taste in music! Have a fabulous day, little buddy 🙂
Thank you for the honor Marcia. Don’t look now, you’ve got some espresso bean on your cheek. Let me get that for you, friend.
Wow, Jess! I am honored to be on such nice company! And I’m so excited that we are starting to get to know each other. I think you are a very good writer.
You can totally sit at my lunch table.
Of course, it’s the dork lunch table, so… 😉
Schweet! I’ll schare my schips with you. They’re scheesy! Mmmm.
Aww…thanks, Jess! I consider you a true friend, too. I checked my comments stats and guess who wins the award for most comments on my blog? Yep, that’d be you! BTW, Portland is going to be partly sunny today with a high of 74. There you go…you’re still in the know! 😉
I would be jealous, but Wisconsin had decided to make it to 70 degrees today. This could turn out to be my kind of fall.
“Irritatingly smart” eh Witkins. Like it 🙂
So now that you are a super-famous blogger, don’t forget all of the little people *camera flashing* Congrats on the awards, they are well-deserved. You always do a fantastic job (especially loving your book reviews). All the best, always, my friend.
Looking forward to working with you and Renee more in WWBC too! Thanks for the versatile blogger award, Gene. Shouldn’t be dodging your own fan club now too? Lookout, paparazzi!!
Also the world’s most incredible tweeter. A true maven. Admit it, you bring your devices into the bathroom. Seriously. How can you read and tweet this much? 😉 You are a gem!
Congratulations on your awards!
You too Alica, I saw you won a critique from Kristen Lamb!! She critiqued my first pages and it was such helpful advice that I wouldn’t have caught just starting out and being so close to the story. She really offers smart advice while still giving you a challenge to pursue your dream. Enjoy it!
Jess, that is wonderful! Congratulations!
Thanks Shatha! Be sure to swing back on Wednesday, there’ll be a nod to your hometown, Sweet Home Chicago, coming your way.
Congrats Jess – such well-deserved recognition to one of my favorite bloggers! I have to tell you, I think I just fell in love with the expression “like a toddler chewing espresso beans.” Perfect : )!
I’m so happy Marcia thought so too. 😉
Congrats! 😀
Congrats, well deserved!