Freshly Pressed: Friday Faves
As usual, we were impressed by the fresh perspectives, different voices, and mix of topics in the WordPress.com Reader this week. Looking for something to read? Here are a few suggestions:
And Now For Something Completely Different
My point is this — I believe it would be incredibly naive to argue that the Pope’s decision is a reaction to scandal or contemporary issues that face the Church. This is not a cowardly man running away from the moment but an astute leader ensuring that the moment does not run away from his Church.
This week, Pope Benedict XVI surprised the world with his resignation announcement. Readers at What the Blackbird Said appreciated and responded to the intelligent and reverent discussion about this historical moment in the Catholic Church. The piece, a bit on the longer side, is thoughtful and crafted with care. “It is a heartbreaking decision that is incredibly brave and demonstrates both wisdom and humility. It is an example to all, and inspirationally encouraging in faith.” We also love this blogger’s voice and the variety of topics she tackles on her blog, and this post — quite different from her others — was particularly refreshing.
You Like a Bruce Springsteen T-Shirt in H&M, Then Realize It Isn’t Actually Intended For You
And then it hit me. Standing in H&M, surrounded by H&M’s core demographic, it hit me. This T-shirt wasn’t meant for me.
The forty-something blogger at You Know You’re Over Forty When . . . kept our attention with this humorous yet thoughtful post on finding a Bruce Springsteen T-shirt in the middle of H&M — and quickly realizing it wasn’t meant for her: “It was meant for girls whose parents owned and appreciated Born In The USA. It was meant for girls who probably thought that this was quite amusing.” And while she specifically recalls 1984 when Born In the USA was released — and her first real brush with the album three years after — the nostalgia she whips up in the piece makes us remember moments in our own past, and makes us smile and laugh because we, too, have been confronted with adulthood in similarly amusing ways.
Shoveling My Own Goddamn Driveway
I’ve read posts by dads who praise hired help because it gives them more time with the kids. I can respect that approach. If I had back every hour spent cutting the lawn or shoveling snow, I might have used it to have more fun with my family. . . .
But for me, I like doing it myself. I like the sense of accomplishment, and I like the message it sends to my son.
In the midst of the recent snowstorm on the East Coast, the writer and father at Undead Dad was able to reflect on what it means to shovel snow out of his family’s driveway, and how much of his pride is tied up in domestic labor. “I like being the one outside working on the house to make life better for the family. I like the idea that my son is watching me work hard, break a sweat, and get a job done.” Eloquent and honest, the post is a great example of what the blog is about: mindful fatherhood in the age of over-work.
Did you read something in the Reader that you think is Freshly Pressed material? Feel free to leave us a link, or tweet us @freshly_pressed.
For more inspiration, check out our writing challenges, photo challenges, and other blogging tips at The Daily Post; visit our Recommended Blogs; and browse the most popular topics in the Reader. For editorial guidelines for Freshly Pressed, read: So You Want To Be Freshly Pressed.
- February 15, 2013
- Freshly Pressed, Writing
Excellent blogs. Nicely chosen.
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Cheri, finally you’ve chosen blogs on Friday Faves that I actually feel are truly blogworthy.
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I appreciate great posts and titles that push the envelope a bit, however I was taken back somewhat by the shoveling snow title. It’s a great post and appreciate what CJ is disseminating, though I wonder if there wasn’t maybe a less offensive alternate title to fave on Friday. 🙂 Your thoughts, Cheri?
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We ultimately chose to leave the post title as is, but I understand it can be offensive to some. Thanks for your feedback and in a similar case in the future I’ll think about editing or replacing with an alternative.
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Wow! I can’t believe I completely overlooked the title on that one until looking back on these comments! I appreciate the value in what he has written but I too am not in favor of the title. Thanks Cheri for taking all of this in consideration in the future.
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Kind of new to your friday faves, liking it so far so tgif! I’m especially happy with the preview, which would be helpful over at “Freshly pressed” as well.
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The chosen ones are actually a lil bit different this time. They are simply the best.
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Great blog posts. I think they’re fresh enough to live up to the title of this post!
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I like the blog about the Pope. The man is not YOUNG. He looks as if his health is failing. He should step down and enjoy the rest of his days here on earth.
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I’ve always enjoyed reading the highlights about the blogs as it can lead me towards some interesting reading. Unfortunately I was a little disheartened to read this particular e-mail after viewing one of the titles. Could the point not have been made without taking the Lord’s name in vain?
~Laurie
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Hi @joesmechanical — as I mentioned to someone else above, thank you for your feedback. We’d chosen to leave the title as is, but I’ll consider your input in the future for similar cases.
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Good work Cheri, if in fairness I understand but do not agree with the comments over title. But hang on I was very upset over the use of a ‘z’ instead of an ‘s’ in ‘Realise’, there is just no hope left. I might as well just start writing like a 14 year old and make up my on words which mean whatever I want. (See Mrs Haigh, your English lessons weren’t a waste after all!)
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Thanks for your feedback. And your comment about the z vs. s spelling made me smile — thanks 🙂
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Hi – great reads. New to this & enjoying the fascinating commentary. Will tune in regularly.
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hey Cheri … I don’t agree with Matt George. That’s censorship. If the post itself was hateful or the word was flat out hard cursing … perhaps. But the title of the post reflects the writer. And is clear that he is in no way insulting any god or any religion It would be like cleaning up everything Hunter Thompson wrote. I hope you won’t let it happen. That post deserved to be read!
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Hi @sofagirl! Thank you for your input as well, and I appreciate the different perspectives here on that post title, expressed respectfully.
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Some great Choices Cheri. The Pope and Springstein in one go. Excellent.
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Hi Cheri! Sofagirl makes some great points about the concern over language.
Side point:
Here are some of my blog numbers:
14 separate wordpress blogs
First post (on WordPress): 2005
Number of posts: 650 (on main blog: granthuhn.wordpress.com)
Most views on single post: 11,940
All time views on main blog: 37,777
Total comments on main blog: 615
All with zero marketing or promotion
When do I get freshly pressed? 🙂
Thanks for all you do!
Grant Huhn
granthuhn.wordpress.com
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Hi Grant,
I think it’s awesome you’ve been with WordPress.com since 2005! I took a peek at your recent posts on your main blog to which you’d linked and wanted to offer a bit of feedback. We freshly press all sorts of topics, and I like the variety on your blog, as well as your interest in topical items (ie, Harlem Shake as a recent example). Try to expand on these posts on these topics that interest you — provide your own commentary to add to the existing discussion online (engaging with other bloggers, and perhaps referencing other conversations going on other WordPress.com blogs, is a suggestion). If you’re embedding YouTube videos or images elsewhere, add your own original commentary, whether via writing or your own media. We generally don’t freshly press posts that simply curate or repost ideas that have been created or shared elsewhere.
To get an idea of other posts we’ve freshly pressed, take a peek at these “Why Freshly Pressed?” discussions on the Daily Post.
Thanks,
Cheri
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Cheri, Thanks for looking and for your feedback! Here’s to WordPress and writing!
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Please…if the post is to be censored, then it should just be left out rather than alter the writer’s work. Obviously, the writer had no disrespectful or malicious intent and I applaud you, Cheri, for including it. I am continually amazed at “censorship gone wild” in this country, to the point of a chilling effect over everything. We have stopped laughing as a society, take ourselves way to seriously, and seem to be so generally tight-***ed.
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Appreciate your comment adding to this discussion, Marsha!
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I love the feisty comments as well as the posts. Please keep them coming.
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Awesome choices! Thanks for introducing us to some terrific blogs/bloggers. Cheers.
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