About 8 million years ago, Keith at Digital Doorway nominated me for the Thinking Blogger award. I was supposed to name 5 blogs I love that make me think, to keep it going. The problem was not that I couldn't think of 5 blogs that make me think, the problem is that many of the blogs that fit that description are like me, slightly to the left of Abby Hoffman(STEAL THIS BLOG!) I have tried to keep this blog apolitical, because, holy cow, do people get crazy about politics and I'd like to keep us all on the topic at hand, organ donation, and not have to worry about comments like, "your stupid and I'm right, nyah, nyah!"

Also, a lot of the blogs I like have already been nominated-like emergiblog. But, I must do something-it's an honor that someone thinks my blog makes them think(name your girlie parts, et al) and also I'd like to pass it on. Keep the karma rolling, as it were.

So here goes.

If you're unfamiliar with the Thinking Blogger award-here's the site that started it all. The Thinking Blog-how appropriate.

Here's my 5 blogs that make me think. Possibly, some of them don't even know I'm a reader, some of them may eschew such an award, I don't know, but they all make me think and that's really the only criteria, I believe.

1. Patrick Hughes' Bad News Hughes. Listen, it ain't called Good News Hughes and there's a reason for that. It's rude, irreverant and sometimes a wee bit gross( or a lot gross, actually. He has a whole post where he talks about his balls, for God's sake). It is also the funniest shit I have EVER read. It reminds me of "A Girl Named Zippy", only ruder and grosser. I'll try to explain for those of you who may be from a gentle, civilized background. When your life growing up is a train wreck, there are really only two things you can do, slit your wrists or say screw it all and laugh about it. Patrick Hughes not only proudly lays claim to his crazy, dysfunctional family and all the consequences thereof, he makes you wish you could be a part of it all. Somewhere in it all you start to understand why "Those People" do what they do and why it's a good thing we're not all Normal, Thank God.

2. Now for something completely different. Pop Occulture, Tim Boucher's online journal is like Soul-if you have to ask what it is, you don't have it.

3. A shout out to one of my nursing peeps. Why Nurse Ratched has been overlooked so far for this award, I'll never know. And yes, I love that she named her blog, about psychiatric nursing but so much more, after the evil nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Hey, I named my blog donorcycle, didn't I. Irreverence is always rewarded in my world.

4. The Wait and the Wonder. If you haven't been to Moreena's blog run, don't walk, over there right now. I'll wait. There, aren't you glad you did? She writes very tenderly and very well about her experience as a mom of two amazing kids, one of whom is waiting for a liver transplant. It's a lot more than just a mommy blog. Moreena brings a wonderful insight into every day living. She's an inspiration to me and a joy to read.

5. Last, but not least, Mama Midwife Madness. Because my first desire, in nursing school was to be a midwife, but somehow I wound up in critical care. Because some days I still think I'm going to chuck it all and go catch babies. Because I'm a strong advocate of keeping pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period natural and woman centered. I like Louisa's blog because she's funny, doesn't take herself too seriously and yet manages to talk about some very serious subjects in a thoughtful way.

So, if you've been nominated, here's the "rules" from the Thinking Blog.

The participation rules are simple:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

So, there's my picks. Thank You Keith.