the upside to insomnia…

is that when you unexplainably wake up at 3:00 am, you can do a lot of blog reading. and meeting more cool people. I started blogging in 2005 (yes, I’m still trying to index my posts from my blogger transfer). And when I started, it was pretty much just me posting pictures and occasionally documenting a family event.

But the thing is, I crave creativity. And I have a decidedly uncreative job. And I’m social, and time-deprived for a social life. In such a short time, I’ve connected with an incredibly talented group of women, who I now count among my friends. And even if it’s just in cyberspace, they’re friendships are real to me. And their comments are encouraging, and they make me want to be a better person. This little hobby is sort of like taking a vitamin. Yes, I can live without it, but I feel so much better with it.

So SanDiegoMomma posted her response to a meme called “you had me at”. So I’m listing 5 blogs that hooked me, that I read regularly now.

1. TheMomCrowd: The folks at TMC are some of the nicest people you’ll ever want to meet. I started reading from nearly day one, and I’ve always admired them for their commitment to just being the best moms they can and sharing a little along the way.

2. SanDiegoMomma: Amanda at TMC introduced me to SDM through one of her posts. I was instantly captivated. You see, I am not awed by celebrities. But I do get starstruck when I meet smart, creative people. And this post is one of the most inspiring I’ve ever read. If you have a daughter, it should be required reading. And I’ve been reading her blog ever since.

3. MommyPie: At the epicenter of coolness, there is MommyPie. Sorry, I can’t point to a single post. I was just hooked. Maybe because she’s not a Track Mommy. I so get that! And maybe because she’s so witty and somehow puts words on paper that are exactly what I think, but wouldn’t occur to me to say. Like in this post. For those reasons, I read her blog every day.

4. Steph: She writes, she rants, she designs fabulous blogs, and she is one of the nicest doogs (see how I did that MommyPie?) I’ve ever met. Who else would actually be willing to take the time to share her knowledge of geek things to a novice she hardly knows? I was blown away by the lengths she went to just to help me out. Most importantly, she makes me laugh, she appreciates her husband, and I love that.

5. Kristen: The name of her blog, We Are That Family instantly drew me in. And after reading posts like this one, I liked her instantly. What an amazingly cool mom, and great writer. I want to be like her when I grow up. Thanks for the daily dose of bloggy goodness.

There are many more. You have filled my GoogleReader. I’ve appreciated learning and sharing with all of you more than you know.