Thankful Thursday - Blogs & Introverts... or Introverts & Blogs

Today is Thankful Thursday and here are a few things I am grateful for--

Introverts! --
A great article in Forbes magazine on why introverts make great leaders.

I've been appreciating (and dare I say "honoring") own introvertedness.  Yes, I've said before, if you met me, you'd think I was an extrovert.  I speak loudly (I have terrible hearing), I'm friendly and smiley (big eyes, big teeth), but truly, large social gatherings do me in.

I gain my energy from being alone. I probably need 2 hours quiet/alone time for every one hour with a large group.  This is really what being an introvert is-- where you gain your energy (from the inside = introvert) rather than from being with other people (from the outside = extrovert).

It's not how well you do in a social situation and being an introvert is not the same as having social anxiety (though sometimes they do go hand-in-hand). But know that many introverts are incredible socially and there are extroverts who are socially inept.

And we live in a culture where "being popular" and "having a lot of friends" are considered good things and things one should strive for.  But I tend to lean toward quality and not quantity, not that I don't have a lot of people I consider friends, but I'm cautious and aware of who I spend my time with.

And I do sometimes remind myself that normal & happy (for me) is having a large amount of time alone.

What I love?  And what am I thankful for--

Dinner parties/social outings with no more than 4 friends
One-on-one time
Dinners out with no more than 2 other couples
Spending the evening talking to one person
Meeting new people, but being able to talk with them outside a group
__________________

I'm also thankful for Blogs and other bloggers!

I was supposed to put 5 new blogs I've been reading for DJ's Versatile Blogger Award, but haven't.  So here are some new blogs I've started reading recently and a little description of them.

What I realize as I put them down one-by-one, is that they each have something visual and creative to offer me.  Even if it's something to do with the home, these blogs offer eye-candy and the part of the mind that appreciates simple beauty.


Inspired by Charm:  This blog makes me happy.  It's so clean and well, inspiring.  The blogger, Michael, is a bed and breakfast owner in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania.  He cooks and sews and appreciates beauty.  One of his blog posts said something like "Today was one evil test and although I'm pretty sure I failed miserably, I'm happy I get to try again tomorrow."

Kelly Sauer Blog:  She's a photographer from Charleston, South Carolina.  I read her bio and she likes rainy days and poetry.  Always good.  I like seeing her photos, plus she's creative in other ways.

You Are My Fav: I may have mentioned this one before, but I love this blog because the blogger, Melanie, just posts her favorite things.

Jane's Apron:  Domestic eye-candy.  Vintagey stuff.

Marta Writes:  Marta offers both the visual and the words to go with them.  If there's a blogger who has the spark to "make it big" somehow, she'd be my pick.  Maybe's she's already made it big, I'm not sure, but I always enjoy her blog.


~~~  So there's my picks of new blogs I'm reading and have found in 2011.

Happy Thursday.  And feel free to tell me what you're feeling thankful for today.  I am currently feeling thankful for Goodwill and finding the perfect bowl for my betta fish, Picasso Whitman.