You know how some weeks you set a lot of ambitious goals, then find yourself huddled on the couch drinking Theraflu and rewatching Buffy? Well, this is one of those weeks for me.

This was my to-do list:

• try to reach 30,000 words so that I can reach 80,000 words (total) with NaNoWriMo
• write a pithy blurb for my newly remodeled blog
• make the Community page beautiful, complete with pithy blurbs for other people’s blogs
• rewrite the Books page, which would mean writing a synopsis for my current book, Shaken
• hire a wedding officiant
• write a thoughtful blog post on owning your writerhood
• be generally awesome and productive

Instead of doing any of those things, I succumbed to a month-old sinus infection, went to the doctor, picked up my super-antibiotics, and semi-permanently changed into my pajamas.

But to keep my web-presence alive, I’m hereby presenting the Versatile Blogger award! I received the award from the lovely Emmie Mears, whose writing blog is thoughtful, detailed, and really inspiring. Plus, she’s a cool gal who is in a very similar boat to my own. (In case you’re wondering, that ship is the leaky, slow, and often painfully adrift Revision.)

So what how does this magical award work, you ask?

1. Thank your nominator by linking to her or his blog.
2. Pass the award on to 15 worthy bloggers. Share links to their sites and drop by to tell them you loooove them.
3. List seven things about yourself.

Now, I’m sad to say that, while I read many, many blogs, most of their authors probably don’t care that I do. They also straddle many, er, genres of blogging. So I’ll only list a few here, and perhaps add to the list as I make some new blogging friends.

1. The Goodwin Blog: A high school pal of mine, Goodwin is a terrific writer (even if he won’t admit it), and he’s just started a new writing blog.
2. Sara Toole Miller: Sara’s blog is fresh and shiny and new, but when I stumbled across it, I discovered a fellow-writer whose blogwork struck a chord with me. Lots of promise for this blog, I think.
3. Bishop in the Grove: Teo Bishop’s inspiring and thought-provoking blog over at Patheos.com. Teo is a friend and a truly lovely soul. He’s also participating in NaNoWriMo this year, so kudos to him.
4. Courage 2 Create: Ollin Morales runs a writing blog that is a role model for my own. Professional, smart, encouraging, and full of practical advice.

Man, that’s a pretty paltry list, isn’t it? The majority of blogs I read are professional agents and super-famous authors who would probably disregard my linkback. (Sigh.) Still, you four are now recipients of the Versatile Blogger award! Congratulations.

Now, to do my part, seven things about me:

1. I reread Jane Austen’s collected works every year, and as an undergrad I started a chapter of the Jane Austen Society at my university. Yes, I’m that person.
2. I had open heart surgery when I was 16. Junior year of high school, when some guy commented on my scar, I managed to convince him I’d had an accident with a chainsaw.
3. I’ve worked as a newspaper reporter in Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, California, and New Mexico. I didn’t always get paid.
4. I lived in Rome for a semester.
5. I am a vegetarian.
6. I secretly love to watch the Antiques Roadshow. Actually, not even secretly. I love old stuff, and I could wander flea markets and antique malls for ages.
7. When I was a kid in Missouri, I rode in rodeos. Barrel racing, pole bending. I even learned to rope a goat. No one believes me when I say this now.

That’s it for now, folks. I’m going back to bed.