Links Less Ordinary
I’ve decided to start a new regular weekend feature, in which I’ll share some of my favourite posts from the past week by bloggers who are consciously embracing less ordinary living. I hope you enjoy what you find!
- Karen Wallace over at The Clearing Space celebrated her blog’s 3rd anniversary with a really lovely post called A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step.
I will stay on this path I have chosen, wandering the trails and hidden lanes, the open paddocks and the mossy streams. And I reserve the right at all times to change my path – to decide a detour has become the route. To change direction and to move with the seasons and the ebb and flow of life.
- Diane Cordell who blogs at Journeys wrote a post entitled Both Sides Now, which is just beautiful in its brevity. She takes a look at her Tweetcloud, an application I’ve never really understood, but which generates a ‘cloud’ of the words you use most often on Twitter, and she provides such a poetic perspective on it. She also references one of my favourite Joni Mitchell songs!
When we speak, I use words like “new,” “time,” “school,” “know,” “love.”
- Another Twitter related post, Joanna Young from Confident Writing has been requesting powerful writing tweets as contributions to her monthly theme of ‘Power’. She’s had some great responses, as you can see here, in this, the 3rd installment of Powerful Writing in 30 Words or Less: Part 3: Twitter Contributions.
Powerful writing is what makes ME want to write! rich, multilayered, evocative, beautifully arranged words make me want to do the same Captainstardust
Powerful writing is the kind of prose which come from inspired intent. tldtim
- Liz Strauss from Successful Blog has written a couple of posts this week that have really resonated with me. The first is Tunnels, Flying and Where You Belong, which includes this wonderful gem:
The world needs your song, your determination, and your laughter. The world needs you to “Build and Become.” No one else brings your version of clever.
- The second is called Find the Extraordinary In You! where Liz looks at what it means to ‘do the work of a master’. She says:
We change the world just by being. Imagine what happens when we do what we’re meant to do.
- Karen Swim has had a great week over at Words For Hire where she’s written a series of blog posts comparing the setting and achieving of goals to marathon running. Here’s a link and a snippet from the first one, The Long Hot Race, posted on Monday, but I urge you to check out the rest too!
You can run a few marathons of your own (and if you’re up for it, I totally recommend it!) or stay with me this week as I share from my own successes and failures. You may not run the same way, distance or speed but I hope that I can spare you a few blisters on your own run.
- Robert Hruzek from Middle Zone Musings had a great two-part post up on Getting A Handle On Big, Honkin’, Life Changing Decisions (Part 1 and Part 2). Here’s a taster from Part 1:
Go ahead; ask anybody! Making big, life-changing decisions (flash of lightning; crash of thunder; sound of terrified scream) ain’t easy. We’ve all had to make our share of ‘em. What’s even more irritating is, they keep on comin’, getting bigger and more dramatic as time goes by. In fact, you may be facing, or be in the middle of one, right this minute. Hey, it’s all part of the adventure we call life.
- Lastly for this inaugural edition, is Shelly Tucker’s launch of a new group writing project, Gentle Rebellion – Finding Balance over at her blog, This Eclectic Life. The project’s description, in Shelly’s own words, reads as follows:
I’d like to know how you define “balance.” Do you believe there is there such a thing, and how do you achieve it? Have you joined the “Gentle Rebellion” of which Beck speaks? Do you cling to the expectations that our society has upon you, or do you make up your own rules?
Well those are some of my favourite posts from this week. Care to share your own favourite online read from the week?

Karen Swim replied:
Amy, thank you so much for the link love. I find great blogs and bloggers through friends like you. I think this is a wonderful idea and perfect for the weekend when we can sit with tea or coffee and explore new links. The Karen Wallace post is incredible and her words echo what has been in my own heart. Thank you so much for your support and friendship!
Karen
xx
April 26, 2008 at 3:56 pm. Permalink.
Joanna Young replied:
A nice addition to lives less ordinary Amy – and thanks for including my twitter round up on powerful writing. There were some real gems in there.
You’ve already listed a lot of my favourite posts from the week, but here’s one that really moved me
http://wendikelly.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/having-faith/
The origins made me smile (a lot) too. She wrote it after listening to Thunder Road, which I included in a post earlier this week after reading a post by Brad Shorr on powerful writing… how our words connect and inspire. Wonderful.
Joanna
April 26, 2008 at 4:45 pm. Permalink.
Robert Hruzek replied:
Thanks for the nod, Amy; isn’t it fun to be “less ordinary”?
April 26, 2008 at 7:14 pm. Permalink.
diane replied:
Amy,
Thank you for considering me “less ordinary”! Librarians are often stereotyped as very ordinary, indeed. I’d like to share a posting from another teacher/librarian.
Cathy Nelson used “My Spring Fever Manifestation” to analyze the reasoning behind her new avatar and other changes in her digital presence. She is extraordinary in every way!
http://tinyurl.com/6ptg3h
diane
April 26, 2008 at 9:38 pm. Permalink.
Liz Strauss replied:
Thank you for this lovely list. I love being part of such a “less ordinary group,” even more I so enjoy reading about all of them.
Everyone here is extraordinary and bring so much to us all. I’m grateful to know you.
April 27, 2008 at 1:38 pm. Permalink.
Bo replied:
Thanks for these wonderful new places to visit.
April 27, 2008 at 2:22 pm. Permalink.
Zhu replied:
Some good read in that! Thanks.
April 27, 2008 at 5:28 pm. Permalink.
On a Limb with Claudia replied:
What a great idea! Thanks for the suggestions! I will check them out.
April 27, 2008 at 7:16 pm. Permalink.
Karen Wallace replied:
Amy, my thanks may be a little late but all the warmer for it. Thank you for the beautiful words about my post.
I am honoured to be included in your first Links Less Ordinary, thank you. I’m following some of those other wonderful links to amazing places…
April 27, 2008 at 10:56 pm. Permalink.
Mrs. Chili replied:
Ooooh! I like this idea!
April 27, 2008 at 11:29 pm. Permalink.
Damien replied:
The Tweeter cloud is an interesting idea. I’ve recently given up my Tittering because it takes too much time. I like this new feature of your blog, especially how you take time to write a bit of commentary on each one.
April 28, 2008 at 3:13 am. Permalink.
josh replied:
Saw those photos down there. Spring, the stream, the flowers..Amy, you are indeed living in a paradise. Nice to meet you.
April 28, 2008 at 3:35 am. Permalink.
amypalko replied:
Oh, I’m so glad you’re up for it, Karen
What a fabulous addition to the list, Joanna. Thank you!
It so much fun, Robert
I don’t think I’ve met an ordinary librarian yet, Diane! Oh, and thanks for the link. Great stuff!
I love having you as part of the group too, Liz, and I am most certainly glad to know you too. I’m learning so much from you through your blog, so thank you
You are most welcome, Bo!
Glad you liked what you found, Zhu!
Thanks Claudia. Enjoy
Your beautiful post more than earned its place, Karen. Hope you enjoy following the links
I like it too, Mrschili!
Well, Damien, I took my inspiration from your blog safaris. It’s just taken me a while to get moving on it. I’m so glad I have now tho!
I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such beauty, Josh. Although I honestly believe that beauty can be found every where, and paradise is all in the perspective
April 28, 2008 at 7:44 pm. Permalink.
Links Less Ordinary 2 « Lives Less Ordinary replied:
[...] the success of last week’s edition of Links Less Ordinary, I’ve brought it back for another run. This week has been a fabulous week for blog writing. [...]
May 2, 2008 at 11:06 pm. Permalink.
This Eclectic Life » Balance Is A Choice replied:
[...] didn’t resonate with anyone except Marcia and Kate Lacy. But, I want to thank Amy Palko at Lives Less Ordinary and Jacob Share at Group Writing Projects for trying to get your [...]
May 11, 2008 at 8:51 pm. Permalink.
Results from the Finding Balance Group Writing Project } Group Writing Projects replied:
[...] Thanks to Amy Palko as well for promoting the Finding Balance group writing project. [...]
May 12, 2008 at 1:22 pm. Permalink.