Where to Find Beyond Mom:
Blog URL: http://beyondmom.com/
Category: Parenting, Finance

Beyond Mom

Beyond Mom is the place where blogger and corporate/finance writer Jennifer Gniadecki proves that she is multitalented. As if her tagline wasn’t proof enough (”So it turns out I can write AND breed. Will wonders never cease?“) the blog lends plenty to back up her claims. Jennifer proves that being a Mom goes far beyond the child-rearing, yet is never entirely separate from it.

Beyond Mom - Why You Should Go

Beyond Mom is a blog that’s a bit about everything that touches Jenny’s life. There are posts about finance, children, children and finance, personal stories, and MommyBlog Reviews, all informative and all delivered with a touch of humor. And if her blog is not enough, loads of links will help you find anything your heart desires of similar interest. It’s a life and a blog any Mom can relate to—perhaps superficially harried (in the best of ways), but all the while meaningful and productive.

Summing Up Beyond Mom

Beyond Mom is an easy read because of Jennifer Gniadecki’s easy-going, relatable style. Mom or Dad, this is a blog with plenty to offer, and plenty of information that you’ll find useful and interesting.

Go here to check out Beyond Mom.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Yoga For Cynics:
Blog URL: http://yogaforcynics.blogspot.com/
Category: Personal Blog, Philosophy

Yoga For Cynics

Categorizing Yoga For Cynics was one of the hardest parts of writing this review (and perhaps I’ve still gotten it wrong). Capturing the essence of what the blog is was a close second place. So what is Yoga For Cynics?

Dr Jay Winston, the author, describes it as this: “possibly having something to do with yoga, cynicism, writing, politics, coffee, things to do while drinking coffee, art, music, the great outdoors, the great indoors, the not-so-great outdoors and indoors, drugs, and/or life in general, or maybe not.”

Yoga For Cynics - Why You Should Go

If you are still unsure the one thing to be sure of is that you are not alone; Yoga for Cynics is something of a “see it to believe it” experience where you have to visit and experience the blog for yourself before you can really figure out what it is.

At first take you might assume this to be a place of negativity and bad attitude; upon further reading you are more likely to see it as a place for thought and contemplation. That doesn’t mean contemplating cynicism, either; it’s more like a way of overcoming cynicism by stretching the mind to see all the possibilities.

Summing Up Yoga For Cynicism

What you get out of Dr. Jay’s blog will rely a lot on what you put into it; if you visit with only seconds to spare you may only scratch the surface of his random, deep thought process. If you go ready for a challenge you will exercise your brain even more, and delve deeper into the heart of the issue and to what it means to you. Yoga requires a bit more of your time and commitment, so choose wisely when you visit, and know that you’ll get something out of it for whatever you are able to put in.

Go here to check out Yoga For Cynics.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find A Tidings Of Magpies:
Blog URL: http://tidingsofmagpies.blogspot.com/
Category: Personal blog, Journal

A Tidings Of Magpies

Every once in a while, you come across a blogger whose distraction is her gift; a blogger like Distracted by Shiny Objects, for example. Distracted is the author of today’s featured blog, A Tidings of Magpies.

A Tidings Of Magpies - Why You Should Go

Distracted describes herself as a “Happily married wife and mom of two full- of- beauty girls. Critical Care Nurse for 29 years-or 100 years, depending on the day and who you ask. Just another soul trying to make sense of the kaleidoscope on the other side of my eyeballs.” Her blog is described as a place for her to share her “writings and works in progress, or another writer’s work which has moved my heart. Meant to be a bit of a journal on the days that pass by so quickly.”

In many ways, Magpies is just what blogging was intended to be—a journal of the author’s experiences and thoughts, in whatever form they come to her. There are posts of poetry, short story snippets, reviews of movies and books, commentaries on recent events and the state of the world, accompanied by wit and witticism and entertaining (and sometimes endearing) pictures, too.

Summing Up A Tidings Of Magpies

Tidings’ mission is for each reader to “embrace your grace.” Many of the posts here will help you do that, by painlessly spurring you to thought and appreciation, and reminding you to laugh at the funnier sides of even the serious side of life.

Go here to check out A Tidings Of Magpies.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find The Fearless Blog:
Blog URL: http://thefearlessblog.blogspot.com/
Category: Personal Blog, Life

The Fearless Blog

The Fearless Blog is the work of M. Cueto, a teacher, writer, and editor who is a professor of developmental writing by day, and a fearless blogger by night. Her posts span many related and relatable subjects, and are primarily an analysis of life and living, a meditation on where the writer has been and where she is going.

The Fearless Blog - Why You Should Go

M. Cueto has a strong sense of where she is really from, and this has a clear impact on how she lives her life and her level of appreciation of it. She sums this up best with an inspiring quote from Georgia O’Keeffe, who said, “Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest.”

To demonstrate the what and the where of where she has been, we are treated to stories, lessons really, from life learned, accompanied by insightful poetry, books, film, videos, success stories, and a “Think About It” series to further expand our own boundaries and experiences.

Summing Up The Fearless Blog

The Fearless Blog is inspiring for its ability to gently push you into thought about life and your current state of mind. Leading by example, M. Cueto gives us plenty of food for thought, exploring life from all depths and angles.

Go here to check out The Fearless Blog.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Writerquake:
Blog URL: http://writerquake.blogspot.com/
Category: Personal Blogs

Writerquake

The tag line at Writerquake reads “now the words are tumbling.” That leads you to believe that there was a time when the words just were not there. Sure enough, a glance back to Lydia’s original post confirms that this blog was started as a sort of therapeutic writing exercise at “Sending my thoughts out into word space…my last idea, really, to free myself to write.” Back in February she said she hoped it worked. Apparently it did, and the words are still tumbling for all to enjoy.

Writerquake - Why You Should Go

The content at Writerquake is a bit diverse. There are human interest posts, personal posts, historically motivated posts, and posts of a more general nature. But all the posts here are written thoughtfully, inviting you to join Lydia as she works out all the very big deals that have shaped her life and brought her, and us, to this spot today.

Summing Up Writerquake

Lydia is a writer not unlike others we’ve profiled here who has used her blog in part to work out the path that has been her life. It seems that as she’s travelled that path she’s become a passionate and well-rounded being, and her blog is her contribution to the species, encouraging others to share that care and passion.

Go here to check out Writerquake.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Writing To Survive:
Blog URL: http://writingtosurvive.com/
Category: Writing, Personal Blog

Writing to Survive

Writing to Survive is how one woman, also a mother, is finding ways to reconcile her past and find intellectual stimulation in the midst of it all. Hers is a blog that is hard to categorize, as it is part work-in progress, storytelling, personal blog, and writing exercise. But the whole is a blog that is both entertaining and a bit unsettling, and completely engaging.

Writing to Survive - Why You Should Go

There are many things that stay at home mothers and those with an unsettled past can find to relate to on Jennifer’s blog. What all are sure to find refreshing, though, is that Jennifer has the courage to be blatantly honest about her feelings and her place in life, in a way that is not always deemed socially appropriate (case in point, see what Jennifer has to say about being a stay at home mom); and what makes that so refreshing is that, if we are being honest too, Jennifer is far from alone—she’s only in scant company because she if forthright when others choose to wear the appropriate guise. And for those who can relate, that is empowering, too.

Summing Up Writing to Survive

Jennifer’s Writing to Survive blog is one that enjoys a bit of a multiple-personality. The diversity that that creates is endearing in its own way, making this a blog that is entertaining (in the way that all good dramas are). Join Jennifer on her journey, and maybe learn a few things about self-growth and forgiveness, and see how another has worked to come back through less than optimal experiences.

Go here to check out Writing to Survive.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find The Creative Junkie:
Blog URL: http://thecreativejunkie.com/index.php
Category: Personal Blog

The Creative Junkie

Just in time for some weekend amusement comes The Creative Junkie, Andrea ‘Andy’ Chamberlain’s personal blog dedicated to…whatever comes to Andrea’s mind. Most often that appears to be a spirited take on life in general as a mother of 2 and wife to an IT guy, interjected with bursts of creativity (which she hopes to feature in her blog’s gallery one day).

The Creative Junkie - Why You Should Go

The people who can attack life head-on and find humor in it seem to fair better than the rest. Perhaps that is why Andrea Chamberlain is able to come back smiling and laughing to recount the insults and injuries life has dealt her, while still remembering to celebrate what’s right with life. Or maybe it is just the passage of time, or the therapeutic nature that is blogging. Whatever it is that keeps Andy blogging, she does it with a flair for the funny and an unending wit and personality. Like Black Belt Scrapping’s Barb Hogan, it is this personality that makes it so much fun to read Andrea’s blog, and find a kindred spirit to commiserate and celebrate with.

Summing Up The Creative Junkie

It’s a bit of a toss-up trying to guess what will come up next on The Creative Junkie, but the trip to see what’s up is definitely worth the while. Andrea writes about everyday life with stories that are easy to relate to, without taking herself so seriously that she chances being tagged a complainer. Go here for a fun read, and maybe to remind yourself to lighten up on yourself.

Go here to check out The Creative Junkie.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Of Cabbages And Kings:
Blog URL: http://cabbages-n-kings.blogspot.com/
Category: Humor

Of Cabbages And Kings

“Life’s funny. Embrace the nonsense.” Words to live by; words Jenn Thorson, author of Of Cabbages And Kings, does live by. And the philosophy seems to serve her well. Jenn is a writer with a deep appreciation of humor who’s decided to share her life, in a humorous sort of way, with the rest of us. Inspired by several of the great humor writers, Jenn set off to write what makes people laugh. We can’t speak for the rest of her writing, but her blog posts, at least, have achieved that goal.

Of Cabbages And Kings - Why You Should Go

Jenn Thorson describes herself, in a Seinfeld-ian kind of way, as “the type of person who gets cracked up by‚Ķ oh‚Ķ grocery shopping.” So finding enough funny things to support a blogging habit wasn’t hard for her. Her life is her inspiration, and her blog is “a way of sharing some of the everyday things that make me chuckle. That way I‚Äôm not just out there, wandering the streets laughing to myself. * Or, at least, if I am, I can say, ‘Look, you, I have a blog post to write.’”

What makes the blog so inviting‚Äîeven given the common-nature of her post topics‚Äîis the common-nature of her post topics. It’s not hard to relate to her posts, and reading her wit might just make it possible for you to have a few laughs at your own expense. And when you can start taking life less seriously, well, life becomes somehow less serious, in the best of ways.

Summing Up Of Cabbages And Kings

You’ll never know what you will be reading about when you visit Jenn Thorson’s blog, but you can at least count on getting a few good laughs from it. Go here to relate to the real human condition, and take comfort in the fact that you are not the only one out there walking around laughing at yourself.

Go here to check out Of Cabbages And Kings.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008

Where to Find Rob’s Megaphone:
Blog URL: http://robertstevenson.wordpress.com/
Category: Writing, Comedy

Rob’s Megaphone

Rob’s Megaphone is Rob Stevenson’s place to let his voice be heard‚Äîboth his expert writing voice and the voice of his comedic, slightly skewed sense of humor. The goal of his blog, courtesy of Rob’s About page, is two-fold in nature; his mission is:

1. to post about writing - specifically trying to make learning about grammar and writing fun, and
2. to post funny, interesting stuff.

If he can pull the first off that is quite an accomplishment. But his posts tagged funny prove that the second has been definitely achieved, which can only mean he’s off running to accomplish goal number one.

Rob’s Megaphone - Why You Should Go

Better writing skills and a better command of the English language is something that everyone (writing in English, of course) could use from time to time. With the proliferation of social media and the WWW in general, writing skills are taking on a new level of importance, which only means that blogs that help us communicate better are taking on more importance.

That being said, I have to say (as one who writes herself), that the best reason to visit Rob’s Megaphone is the funny stuff he comes up with. Really, it’s hard to imagine where one would find with all this stuff. One of the Megaphone staples is the silly news, some of which is just plain odd and entertaining, and some of which is just plain scary when it gets down to it. Nevertheless, there are plenty of laughs to be had.

Summing Up Rob’s Megaphone

Rob Stevenson, who by profession is a Mass Communications professor and writer (so one can only hope he’ll go easy on the critique here), really does seem to know his stuff‚Äîboth the writing “stuff” and the funny stuff, too. Go see Rob for your regularly scheduled English writing and grammar lesson, or to have a few laughs. You won’t be sorry you did.

Go here to check out Rob’s Megaphone.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2008