Happy Friday, all:

A kind fellow-blogger has nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  It’s a fun and supportive thing and I truly appreciate it.  Many thanks to Crazy Train to Tinky Town – chronicling the thoughts of a single woman living in Turkey; you can find her delightful blog at 
http://crazytraintotinkytown.com/
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The rules of receiving this award are:

1. Add the award to your blog
2. Thank the blogger who gave it to you and include a link to their blog.
3. Mention 7 random things about yourself.
4. List the rules.
5. Give the award to 15 or more bloggers.

The Seven Random Things about me are:

1. I have a Kindle but still love my hard-cover novels;
2. I love to see mountains on the horizon;
3. I love my husband’s dreadful, corny jokes;
4. I am addicted to Cafe Latte from our neighborhood coffee shop, Cafe Blue in Kingston, Jamaica;
5. I am a complete non-cook – the microwave was the best invention of the 20th century;
6. I am a loyal and devoted fan of Arsenal Football Club – Go Gunners!
7. I am in love with Ryan Gosling (of course, he doesn’t know)

My fifteen nominees, in no particular order, are below.  I think these blogs reflect the wonderful diversity of thought, opinion and topics online… and some great Jamaican ones are included, of course!

1. A great blog celebrating women around the world and their achievements: inspirational, informative, interesting.  
   http://ladyromp.com/
   
2. Funny, insightful and warm: a blog from Jack Scott – one half of “Jack & Liam Go to Turkey” (yes it is a book, too) from “two openly gay, middle-aged, middle class men…”
   http://perkingthepansies.com/
   
3. An incredibly informative, comprehensive daily overview of cultural life around the Caribbean written by two young academics, Ivette Romero-Cesareo and Lisa Paravisini-Gebert. 
   http://repeatingislands.com/
   
4. A lovely blog from a woman living abroad with her family – in the Netherlands – with wry observations and a lot of humor.  Today’s blog post has a touch of Jamaican, too!  
   http://www.adventuresinexpatland.com/wp/
   
5. This is a weekly blog from the photography editors of Time magazine – if you love good, cutting-edge news photography this is for you. 
   http://lightbox.time.com/
   
6. A very thoughtful blog from an expat living in Canada, with an unusual background.  Aisha Isabel Ashraf is a convert to Islam; she is currently writing on “Mindfulness.”  
   http://expatlogue.wordpress.com/
   
7. I am an art lover and this blog fascinates me.  A great California-born woman artist with Russian/Tatar origins with a passion for the Vodou religion.  Great art.  
   http://erzulieredeyes.wordpress.com/
   
8. Well, I told you already that I am an Arsenal fanatic.  Here is a nice blog from another fanatic with good insights on the Gunners.  
   http://arsenalheart.wordpress.com/
   
9. Here is a great, down to earth blog from the vibrant city that is my home: Kingston, Jamaica.  The blogger is, in her words, “110% Jamaican.”  
   http://ayooutloud.wordpress.com/
   
10. For techies in the Caribbean, this is a must-read from Jamaican pioneer Ingrid Riley, who also has a great FB page “Caribbean Women in Technology.”  
    http://www.siliconcaribe.com/
    
11. From an important commentator and interpreter of Jamaica (and dear friend) columnist Jean Lowrie-Chin… 
    http://www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com/
      Read her marvelous book of poetry and thoughts, “Soul Dancing.”
12. Another great blog from another dynamic Jamaican woman, Dr. Marcia Forbes – Fulbright Scholar, author, businesswoman and social media analyst.  
    http://www.marciaforbes.com/
    
13. Winner of the Jamaican Blogger of the Year 2011 award, with sharp commentary on Jamaican public affairs and politics.
    http://constructedthoughts.wordpress.com/
    
14. A superb blog by Jamaican broadcaster Dionne Jackson-Miller focuses on current affairs from a journalist’s perspective.  Take a look at 
    http://newsandviewsbydjmillerja.wordpress.com/
    
15. Often humorous observations from a fellow Kingstonian (and fellow Arsenal fan!) - “We are more than a beach, we are a country”.  
    http://jamaicantillidie.blogspot.co.uk/
    

Do take a browse through the above, when you have a chance.  You might like to participate in the Versatile Blogger Award, too!

See you later (with one eye on an action-packed opening game for Euro 2012, Greece vs Poland).