Reading my friend Doobster’s blog Mindful Digressions last week — because he’s always got something interesting to say to the world — I noticed one cool looking blog badge.
It’s for the Premio Dardos Award, and my fellow University of Maryland Terrapin Doobster was noting its uniqueness. Although he walked the quad of College Park a decade before I, we’ve developed a sturdy blog relationship since meeting through last November’s Nano Poblano writing event. So I was reminded that mine is one of the blogs listed in his right well, and thus I’m nominated for the Premio Dardos.
Although not accepting — this WordPress Award thing is indeed a sticky wicket — Doobster was acknowledging and passing along the torch. I wrote him back saying “aye.” As in I, too, have given up on awards acceptances the past half year or so because of the work and some of the duplications involved, but was going to actually retrace my steps and go through the acceptance process for this one.
So:
Premio Dardos means “Prize Darts” in Spanish. It is an award given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing.”
As with all blog awards, there are rules for accepting it. The rules for this award are:
• Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his or her blog.
• Include the image of the “Premios Dardos” in the post.
• Pass the award to another 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement.
My Nominations:
The Modern Philosopher With the House on the Hill in Maine is one of the most creative minds I know.
https://moviewriternyu.wordpress.com
Exile on Pain Street This Ohio transplant commutes from New Jersey to work and enjoy the arts of Manhattan, agonizing over riches of spirit and pocket while nourishing his family and his readers.
Irish Investigations My real life friend Jim works hard with his mind and his words to make our Syracuse a better place.
https://irishinvestigations.wordpress.com
Love. Marriage. Worms. Wormy has fun with life through illustrations and concise stories of life with her husband, dog Beaker and a box full of worms in the Big Apple.
https://lovemarriageworms.wordpress.com
Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth Marissa’s every post is a poem of great insight and astute skepticism. She’s a rock and roll supermom with pop culture savvy.
https://rockandrollsupermom.wordpress.com
Odyssey of a Novice Writer Novice compared to what, exactly, is what goes through my mind as I read Kate’s sharp fiction no matter the word limit of the challenges she accepts.
https://kateloveton.wordpress.com
Brickhouse Chick Mrs. B faces every and any subject without fear and with great humor, staring down physical pain, an empty nest and embracing the quirks of a big Puerto Rican family and a hard-working husband.
I Didn’t Have My Glasses On ksbeth of ann arbor never uses a capital letter, but she fills her posts with huge ideas, clever photos, poignant poems and love of her family and life.
http://ididnthavemyglasseson.com
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally Ann Koplow of Boston shares her view of the world daily through smart observations, photographs and song choices. She’s a group psychologist and the owner of a very special heart, and her mind will win you over to Team Koplow and have you cheering for her mission.
https://annkoplow.wordpress.com
I Don’t Get It Oh, but Kerbey does get it, as she proves by posting photos from old yearbooks and orchestrating strings of comments with her sharp and witty observational and writing powers.
Not a Punk Rocker Sheena tackles life with an interesting eye and a big set of Lego pals to illustrate her observations. She writes about depression, bulemia and a nasty nucleur family frankly, and also about good Kidlet, good music, good comics, good movies, good gaming, good friends, good hopes …
https://notapunkrocker.wordpress.com
The Chatter Blog My dear buddy Colleen is full of hope for good things for life, but is unafraid to address the bad things she sees around her. She draws BlogHeads and takes pictures to punctuate her wise words.
https://bikecolleenbrown.wordpress.com
Inside the Life of Moi Amanda of the U.K. writes with flair and style about her travels and adventures at home. Amanda has a husband on the road and hilarity on her mind as she looks at life.
https://insidethelifeofmoi.wordpress.com
Talk to Diana Diana of Calgary writes about keeping your head on straight about humanity as life swirls around you at work and play. Her Enormous Book of Quotes is original and thought-provoking … and quite often words to live by.
https://talktodiana.wordpress.com
Evil Squirrel’s Nest Bill draws a weekly comic featuring a squirrel and his favorite critters, posts weekly squirrel photos and is always happy to write about squirrels. Lo and behold, his wit and wisdom extends to music and pop culture and people.
If you haven’t checked these folks out, their creativity is sharp as a dart.
Mark Bialczak 
Where is Doobs blog Mindful Digressions? I haven’t seen it in ages. I am so confused
about now…
LikeLike
Doobster stopped blogging, I’m afraid to report, Lorraine. I miss his work, too.
LikeLike
Did he? I wondered what happened to him. That’s too bad.
LikeLike
I also meant to say congratulations on your award, Mark. You never fail to amuse, move, pay good stuff foward, or inform. You ARE the man! 🙂
LikeLike
Now I shall thank you, Kate, and blush. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark, thank you for the kind nomination – and the even kinder words in your post. You are ever the gentleman! It seems I’ve accepted this award in the past. To be honest, at first I didn’t realize I had. 😀 Your words and acknowledgment mean more than I can say – and you’ve nominated some pretty incredible people. I’m honored to be mentioned in the same group. ❤
LikeLike
I needed you to complete the bunch, Kate. 🙂 You are welcome. ❤
LikeLike
Congratulations to you and all your worthy recipients, Mark! 😀 Oh, and lest I forget to mention it, I LOVE your new advice photo on the sidebar! 😀
LikeLike
Thanks on the Sammy, which I got two years ago, Rachel. The famers this year are very cool!
And, lastly, the logo shot for my ‘Free Advice,’ believe it or not, is a selfie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, the selfie! Very nice, indeed!
LikeLike
Wonderful list and you deserve prize darts and good awards for consistency in writing often and well, Mark!!
LikeLike
Thank you, my great friend Robin. 🙂
LikeLike
Congrats Mark!! Well deserved! That’s what I love about these award nominations – discovering new blogs!! ‘Cause I don’t have enough that I try to keep up with 😉 Looking forward to checking them out!
LikeLike
Yeah, Sadie, you just have oodles of time. Keep writiing, my good friend. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on your award Mark. Well deserved! ❤
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Heather B. I appreciate your kind words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome Mark, you’re one of my favourite bloggers! ❤
LikeLike
❤ And you are one of mine, too, Heather B.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on the award and I am honored that you nominated me! You’ve put me in with some pretty amazing company 🙂
LikeLike
They are in amazing company with you, Sheena. You’re welcome. And thank you.
LikeLike
Felicidades Mr. B, on your premio dardos! Only the best dardos for you, mi amigo. Gracias por la nominacion, es un honor recibir este premio. Eres muy amable. 🙂
LikeLike
de nada, mi amiga!
LikeLike
Thank you for throwing darts at me, Mark! I’m not sure I’m up to par on those cultural (cough) and ethical (hack, ahem!) values, but I am grateful nonetheless, and would like to thank all of the little squirrels out there who made it possible. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve actually done a post accepting an award, and I was just recently thinking of cleaning all the old ones off of my sidebar…. but we’ll see.
LikeLike
You are a kind of pop culture, and I I think you stick up for what you believe, which is as ethical as it comes in my book, my friend. And I’ve yet to see you bamboozle anybody yet. Do with this one what you may. I think you rock.
LikeLike
Much appreciated, Mark! And kudos to you for being such a dedicated and giving blogger. I am amazed at the energy you put into this endeavor. Jim
LikeLike
And I am amazed at the efficacy of your posts, my great friends. 🙂
LikeLike
congratulations, mark and thank you so much, kind sir. for your nomination, for the great company of the other nominees, and for your kind words as always – i am flattered )
LikeLike
You are so welcome, Beth, and thank you for being a trusted and talented compadre for this ride through WordPress and life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are incredibly deserving Mark. And always super kind to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As we all should be to each other, Colleen. 🙂 You, though, have earned it with words and deeds.
LikeLike
Mutual admiration society here. 🙂
LikeLike
I am honored to be named by a pointedly creative person like you, Mark, in company with all these other sharp nominees. Mucho thanks, before I dart away.
LikeLike
This is just the tip of how much I appreciate your work, Ann.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One small point, Mark, regarding your kind description of me. I’m not considered a “psychologist” because I don’t have an advanced degree in that. (I have a Masters of Social Work). It’s a very fine point, indeed.
LikeLike
OK, I defer to the academic specifics and regulations, Ann.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done Mark. I had you on my list too. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Colleen. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats Mark – you deserve it my friend. Cool list – I subscribe to about half of them, I’ll have to go check out the others. Thank You
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you appreciate the new folks I introduce you to as much as I do, Paul. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Mark! How thoughtful. I’m usually singled out for some stupid mistake I made so it’s refreshing to be singled out for something that I’m actually pretty proud of. I already know a bunch of my fellow nominees but there are a few I need to check out. I’m always looking for some fresh meat so thanks for that, too.
It is award season, isn’t it? The Directors Guild.The Golden Globes. The Academy Awards. The Screen Actors Guild. And Premio Dardos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are quite deserving, Mark. And let’s not forget the Grammys next week, too. Music we love.
LikeLike
Congratulations on a cool award and also for paying it forward to a great list of bloggers. Not a bad pick In the lot. I’m anxious to start following some of these great writers.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Apple Pie. It was hard to limit the list to 15!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done, Mark. Congratulations!
LikeLike
Thank you very much, Aud. I appreciate it.
LikeLike
Well done on your award, never heard of this one before!
LikeLike
Thank you, Marjma. It’s a relatively new award. I think it’s pretty cool.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Exile’s blog (and the others I know) and I will definitely check out those i don’t know – thank you!
LikeLike
Exile’s blog is very sharp, Ann. I hope you enjoy the others you check out. Thank you, and you’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats on your award, Mark! Very much deserved. *Clink, clink*
Thank you ever so much for nominating me for this award. I haven’t received this award before, so it is evermore a pleasure! One big Amanda-styled Awards Ceremony to follow… 🙂
LikeLike
Now I have to go get my hangover remedy ready again! Oh, my, my, Amanda! 🙂 You’re welcome and very deserving of this award, and thank you for the clink-clink. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats, Mark! Thank you for the nomination and the kind words!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Austin, and very deserving.
LikeLike
As are you!
LikeLike
Interesting that several of your selections would appear on my list, as well. I keep hearing about there being millions of blogs and more every day, but my own experience is that it’s more a small town than megalopolis…not surprising at all that the bloggers I enjoy reading have found and enjoy each other as well.
LikeLike
I find, Chuck, that you, I and many of the folks that we both read are of the same generation, plus or minus, say a decade or so. Maybe that has something to do with it, too.
LikeLike
Thank you Mark – what an honour coming from you. ❤
Now I must go check out the others you listed!
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have fun, Diana! And you’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the nomination! An honor indeed!
LikeLike
You’re welcome, Marissa.
LikeLike
Way to pay it forward, Mark.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thanks and thanks, Doobster. 🙂
LikeLike