Link Lovin'

Some of you have noticed that I reduced the number of blog links featured on this page. In true Libra fashion, I will attempt to keep the peace by explaining my actions, which will hopefully have the effect of making me even more lovable or at least make you not hate me quite so much if your blog is not listed. If this explanation doesn't calm and soothe you, please send me hateful e-mails. As an attention whore, I will admit that any attention, even hateful insults, is better than nothing.

I have over 70 blogs in my blogroll and try to keep up with as many of them as possible. I love commenting on other people's blogs, and that's usually how I let my friends know that I stopped by.

There are so many interesting blogs out there, and I find new sites every day. I still want to point readers of Hot Toddy's Toaster Oven in the right direction if they want something to read. The people I decided to feature under my links to the right are not the only blogs I read. Not by a long shot. But these are the people I read every single day without fail. These are people who have become a part of my daily life through phone calls and e-mails. They're friends who send me goodies. They're people I think of throughout the day. They're more than just blogs I read. They are people I worship.

I'm sure the list will grow over time as I get to know other bloggers better. In the meantime, I will continue reading many blogs. If another blogger leaves me a comment, I usually go check out what they had to say in their blog that day. Or I might send them an e-mail to thank them for dropping by Hot Toddy's Toaster Oven.

I'd like to start featuring other blogs more because, all too often, very interesting blogs get lost in enormous blogrolls. People rarely take the time to actually click through all the links in a blogroll. Although I still maintain my blogroll and use it daily, it's just far too big now to be placed on this page.

So, here are a few people I think you should go visit, and I promise to tell you about others on a regular basis:

Little Man Scott was one of the first blogs I started reading. I'll admit that, initially, I was interested in him because he was an actor, worked out, and, I found it stimulating to read about his workouts, because that's kinda hot.

Then I got to know more about Scott's personality and found that he was a sensitive soul with a good heart. And recently we had a chance to meet in person when he visited Portland. It was great to have an intelligent heart-to-heart with him at CC Slaughters, of all places. So, if you'd like to read his account of his visit to The Vortex and other places of interest in Portland, check him out. I mean his blog. Check out his blog.

Another person I read on a regular basis is Pua. Visiting The High Priestess is like going to a friend's house for a barbecue. When Pua writes, it's almost like you're sitting at her kitchen table having a cup of coffee and chatting. Getting to know about her family and her personal triumphs is a special and memorable experience. She's the kind of friend everyone wants. Go see her. She doesn't require you to call first. She may answer the door in her bathrobe, but that won't stop her from being a gracious host.

Before you pop out of the oven, let me tell you about Jay. Although his site is called Jay Is... - I prefer to call it Jay Is...trying to get me fired. I warn you, the games he features on his site are so addictive they should come with a warning label from the Surgeon General.

See, isn't that nicer than a bunch of links on the side of the page? Well, even if you don't agree, I feel better actually telling you something about the people I have come to appreciate through the wonderful all-consuming world of blogging.