Um...

So there I was yesterday trying to act all grown up when I discovered something that brought all progress toward adulthood to a squawking halt. I found out that distracted by shiny objects (is that not the greatest line?) had "tagged" me to receive only the the grooviest award of my life, and this just made me what to stand on a table with a gaggle of friends and perform the funky chicken.

But seeing as how I was sitting up in bed, draped in dogs, and doing one last check of e-mail (and a couple of blogs) as poor Mr. B tried to get enough sleep to safely drive 3 hours to Morris, MN, pick up our son Erik, and drive 3 more hours back to the cities all in one day, I restrained myself. 

T'aint gonna be any restraint today, boy-howdy, cuz there's cause for celebration. Here's what I'm clucking about:

The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all...

Now here's the kicker: In my current line of work, editing a Web site about pandemic influenza (known in the vernacular as bird flu), I'm among the first to know when masses of poultry around the world are headed to the great free range in the sky because they're cursed with a very bad virus and could sicken very nice people. Some day, all those "culled" poultry are going to rise up in one great zombie rebellion, and it isn't going to be pretty. I'm not sure what will be worse--pandemic influenza or the invasion of some very hacked-off zombie chickens.

Therefore, I'm not taking any chances, and I'm bestowing this great honor on the following:

1. Jennifer on the verge, whose wicked sense of humor and dazzling take on life deserve more light of day.

2. Johnjoiner, a self-described "peaceful guy with good hands and an unnatural appreciation for the smell of wood."

3. Tales of a big dog, because canines have feelings, too, and we can all learn how to get along better if we watch how they behave (when they sleep).

4. Juhnke's Junket, whose entries I dare not read when I have a beverage in my mouth and who will someday be our president because she has completed her senior seminar and will be moving to Washington, DC, and is smart as a whip.

5. This 'n That of Life, because the author wrote a 50-page novel in 7th grade, is a splendid wordsmith who should be honing his sharp talent daily (or I may have to "unbirth" him) and blogging may be the only way I can keep track of him now that he's graduating from college and going on a archeological dig in Portugal, and finally, because today is his birthday. 

There are others I know who deserve this honor, but they're shy and probably don't want public attention drawn to them. They know who they are, and they can let me know if I have had yet another lapse in good judgement.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program...

Image by Chrisirmo