Madly Perfect, Perfectly Mad

I've been meaning to nominate the Mad Hatter for a Perfect Post for months.

In November, it was her breastfeeding post that got me, but I was still new and shy. Plus, I'd already singled the post out in an earlier post of mine that month, so I worried it would be redundant and exclusive. So I chickened out.

In December it was her Ghosts of Christmas Past series that struck me, in particular part 2, about her mother. It pierced me with its honesty and vividness. And pain. I haven't lost my mother, and as ambivalent as our relationship has been, I can't imagine it. I think that's what I liked best about that post, that it portrayed the push-pull of a mother and daughter's relationship. When I wrote my piece about my grandma, Mad said in the comments something along the lines that my post had brought her to life. This is really what Mad's post did for her mother, and I love that she wasn't afraid to write about her mother's complexities and imperfections -- those parts that make us human and unique. But it was Christmas and New Year's and before I knew it I'd missed the boat on the perfect post deadline.

The fact is, you'd be hard pressed to find a post of Mad's that is not a perfect post. This month, I actually got my nomination in on time, and nominated Mad's Big Bloggy Think Fest Finale, the final post in a series of five meta-posts arguing that what we parents are doing here in the blogosphere is revolutionary. I'm not even going to try to summarize them here, because Mad's posts are perfect all on their own, this is heavy stuff, and for all the effort that I'm sure was required to write them, I think it would take even more for me to summarize them.

All five posts are stunningly thought-provoking, both for Mad's thoughts and the discussion they provoked, and if you haven't already read them, check them out (parts 1, 2, 3, 4). Heck, even if you have read them, why not read them again? They're that good! What's especially great about the series, for me, was that although I mostly gaped dumbly at the end of each post, I understood what she was getting at. Her intellectual capacity, while mind-blowing, was accessible and persuasive, and it is for this reason that I am nominating her finale post. Long live Queen Mad!

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Funnily enough, Mad has in turn nominated one of my posts for a PP. And I really have no words to respond. But I'll try anyways. I love that she thought my post was worthy, and I feel tremendously honoured. That post also generated responses that have been most helpful to read, to know that we are not the only people struggling with this kind of thing. It seems to me it's a perfect illustration of Mad's point that the blogosphere is revolutionary. Mental illness has such stigma that we are silenced in most spheres of our life. But here, I can write about my feelings dealing with a mentally ill family member and people not only don't judge (or if they do, they do it silently), but they support me during a difficult time.

And then they give me some blog bling for it. Yippee!!

Thanks, Mad! (AND thanks to all who commented with support!) Truly. It means a lot.

Check out Suburban Turmoil and Petroville for other perfect posts.