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So I had to pick an angle. Set some parameters. Whittle a list of 500 down to five. Okay – a slight exaggeration – but just barely. After almost three years online, my Google reader overfloweth.

In light of my current health crisis (another exaggeration – but a little drama never hurt anyone’s blog post), I thought I’d go with five blogs that I find particularly inspirational. When considering one’s own mortality, most tend to ponder how short a time we have to make the most of every day and truly appreciate all that we have. I myself, look to others from whom I think I could learn a thing or two.

There are a number of people who have long been inspirational favorites of mine for one reason or another, and I’ll start with an obvious one – one that may just be on everyone’s list:

Nie Nie from Nie Nie Dialogues

I started reading Nie Nie Dialogues before I started my own blog in June 2008. I loved how this young mother managed to make raising small children look like a dream come true. She took what others would accept as an ordinary life and made it seem like a daily cause for celebration. Her blog inspired me to (try to) see every day as an opportunity for magic – and maybe even find some.

Then, just a few months after I started The Big Piece of Cake, she was in a terrible plane crash. Her survival was a miracle and fervently prayed for by her family, friends and readers. People all over the world followed the story of her recovery, and her blog became more than just a happy place. It was a lesson plan for doing it right. Finding joy in exactly what you have and making every day count.

We were initially taken with the beautiful life she had made for herself and her family, but watching her fight to get it back has been literally breathtaking. She overcame incredible odds to be able to go home, mother her children and find her magic again. She challenged herself both physically and emotionally and she won.

In her new life, much has changed, but she still makes the most of every day. She makes me want to fight for my ordinary everyday life. And she inspires me to see true power in pure and simple love.

My next source of inspiration has a similar story in that she too, once had to fight for her life.

Heidi of Fancy Feet

I can’t remember when I found Heidi – but it was definitely during my first year of blogging. I thought she was funny and her writing was beautiful. But I was a little confused about what her disability was. She referred to it every once in a while and I knew it had something to do with her feet because of her blog name…but there wasn’t a statement about it anywhere on her sidebar or in her profile at that time. She just blogged like me. She talked about her kids and her days and she ended every post with “Swept Up” – a brief account of something that was inspiring her at that moment.

Eventually, she wrote something that clarified the vague allusions for me. She explained that she had been in a horrific car crash that killed her friend and burned her to the point that she lost both of her lower legs. And I knew nothing about that until long after I felt I could call her a friend.

Heidi has been writing her story in a novel and she’s posting pieces of it on her blog (which now includes a bit more detail on exactly what that story is – thanks to her husband and head cheerleader who is helping her navigate the world of social media). You hear about people spending months recovering in the hospital – but it takes a truly gifted writer to transport you there. To take you understand the struggle, the pain and the temptation to just give up.

Heidi is a truly gifted writer. And while, yes – her story of recovery is inspiring, it’s really her talent inspires me. Her talent and her choice to dream big. To make things happen. She chose the life she has. She made it happen. And she continues to dream for more. I look forward to seeing her make that happen too.

I don’t only read about people who survive flaming crash sites though…

Amy of doobleh–vay and Amy Turn Sharp

Amy is another blogger that I started reading early on. In fact – I think she may have been my first commenter (besides Mom of course). She immediately charmed me with her ability to make everything seem just a little more fun. Or real. Or both. She could write a poem about her son’s sock and a novel about a fleeting glance. She is by far one of the most innately creative people I have ever encountered.

Amy strikes me as someone who would be a very good muse. This is a bit ironic since she is the one looking at the world through an artist’s eyes… But she makes you want to do the same. She makes you want to create something. Mommy bloggers leave her posts wanting to write about pirates or paint wildflowers or perhaps burn a bra or something. She makes you want to embrace life with wild abandon and then give it the finger for good measure.

She inspires me to be more creative in my everyday life. To look at the world through an artist’s eyes and to raise my children to do the same. She inspires me to be bold.

While I’m trying to be a little less reserved in life – I could also learn to take myself just a little less seriously. Oh – I do try…but it is so genetically embedded into my core personality, that role models are often necessary.

So who better to take my Number Four spot on this list than someone who reminds me to laugh at myself and just lighten up already?

Jessica Bern of Bern This

Jessica is really, really funny. I mean really. But that isn’t what makes me such a fan of hers. She didn’t win my admiration with her comedic timing, she did it with her honesty.

On the surface, she’s writing humorous stories (or posting vlogs) about dating failures, family dysfunction and single parenting challenges – but take the jokes away, and there is still substance. There’s a real person behind the funny.

It seems like so many funny people hide behind their sense of humor – take away the laughs and all you find is a stranger. Jessica isn’t like that.

I’ve often thought that her blogging is very brave. She isn’t afraid to laugh at herself. Herself – meaning who she is in everyday life. Not a fabricated caricature of herself, carefully constructed for the audience. Her stories don’t sound contrived. They sound like things that could happen to you or your best friend. The way she tells her stories is what makes them funny and the fact that we can relate to them makes her more than just a humor blogger. She seems like a real friend. One who isn’t afraid to have a laugh at her own expense.

And to then laugh at you. Because you deserve it. At least I do. I need to laugh at myself more…far more often than I currently do. Jessica inspires me to lighten up and see humor in my daily trials. To not take myself so goddamn seriously!

FINALLY – Number Five is going to seem really random and out of sync with this girl power line up I’ve got going here…

Tom and Lorenzo: Fabulous and Opinionated

How on earth could two fabulous NYC gay guys with their finger on the pulse of the fashion world have any relevance to a suburban SAHM like?

Yeah – even I think it’s a stretch. But HEY the assignment was to write about “five fabulous bloggers.” And this duo has enough “fabulous” to last them three lifetimes AND provide leftovers to donate to style-challenged celebrities until the red carpet is thoroughly threadbare.

But, you ask, what about my theme about being inspired by the blogs I read and the people who write them? Well isn’t that obvious? I’m a suburban SAHM. I could use a little fabulous in my life!

Life is serious and gritty and full of hard decisions. It can wear you down and make your fashion choices seem beyond frivolous. Seriously – the only red carpet I ever encounter involves an exploding juice box.

And for some people that’s fine. They really don’t care.

But I kind of do.

I love clothes and the idea of developing a sense of personal style. One of the biggest things that I miss about working is the opportunity to dress up for something. There isn’t much incentive for that in my life right now. But these two make me want to try a little. Put on some lipstick. Consider a new signature color. Throw on some statement jewelry for a walk to the playground.

They inspire me to take a break from the daily grind and indulge myself a little. It’s fun. And it adds some balance.

So that’s it – five fabulous blogs. Some may be known to you and others may be new. But I highly recommend all of them for inspiration. To find magic in the life you have and to dream for more. To live it with passion and to have some good belly laughs at your own expense. To allow yourself a little frivolity – just to take the edge off.

I’ll never be just like any single one of these people – because I can’t be anyone but myself. But they inspire me to be more. To want more. Because I deserve it. I think we all do.

Don’t forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend’s wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.