Thank you. This is my 101st post, shocking I have stuck with anything that long, but I have. (I know people like George Couros post that many in a week, LOL, but this is big for me.) It always surprises me that people even read my blog, seriously, but the big surprise is that people read it then actually come back again. I am very thankful. That support is what keeps me going, really keeps me teaching during the numerous times I want to quit. This blog started as a place for me to reflect, put thoughts together, and a place to store ideas, I hope I have not moved far from that. I look back as see that because I take the time to reflect on what I am doing, I grow as a teacher.

This year I was nominated for an #Eddies11, or Edublog Award, for “Best Teacher Blog.” I was completely surprised when I saw the blog name on the list. But it caused me to have mixed feelings. I then came across Josh Stumpenhorst’s post “Complaining and Campaigning.” It summed it up so well. Those nominated will now start campaigning and those who weren’t will start complaining. Yeah well that probably will happen. I have seen many campaigns, I know my chances of “winning” are slim since I will not be campaigning for votes and there are 50 other nominees (some being the popular folks). I am OK with that, I am just glad to be on that list. Last year I was bummed, but it came a at time where “failure” was kicking my butt, this year I don’t think I will be bummed at all.

I did post once that I was nominated on twitter and Facebook but that will probably be the last time I do that, but that does not mean I am not honored to be nominated. Like I have said before it amazes me that people actually stop here and read, so the idea that someone not only keeps coming back but took the time to nominate me is really more than I can imagine, thank you.

The Edublog Awards are important to me because of one reason: every year I find a blog or two that was nominated that I have never read before. Those blogs usually go into my reader and become a huge part of my life. This year there were a lot I have never heard of, though there were the regulars, I enjoyed looking through the ones that were new to me. Please do this, take the time to find a blog that is new to you, that will make you think or encourage you, and add it to your reader. The top purpose of educational blogs is pretty simple, to grow as educators. Those writing them are growing, so read them and do the same.