2006 Top Ten

Here's a dirty little secret - I really like reading my own writing. I really do. I am often amazed at my own turn of phrase, insight, or funny bit. How embarrassing and how, well, un-Minnesotan to be so full of one's self. Any who, this personality defect made picking a "Top Ten" list of this year's blog entries a challenge.

What criteria might one use?  Entries receiving the most responses? Some things I liked the best didn't get a single reaction. Entries seeming to be the most professionally "significant?" Well, others have better insights into education that I do. Entries that were the best written? Fewest spelling and grammatical errors?  Funniest? Gee, and I've only posted 176 entries this year - to date. And each a scintillating jewel of prose.

I did eliminate any blog entry that was the basis for a latter print article. I also didn't include entries that appeared electronically in other venues. Or entries where most of the writing was someone else's and I threw in a few comments  (ie. A subtractive education). 

In the end, I just picked those little bits of writing that amused me the most. I picked the most personal things, perhaps, the things I've not read in other blogs. In a bass-akwards way, I am taking Don Marquis advice, "write the sort of thing that's read by persons who move their lips when reading." That would be me, the one  subvocalizing.

Anyway, here's the list: 

1. Lobbying for spare change - or real change? Jan  8
2. CPVPV Jan 24
   
3. Growing old or growing up? Feb  13
4. Is it possible to motivate a cynic? Mar  24
5. The Technology Agnostic or When Stories Aren’t Enough, Apr 30
6. How the grandchildren got a webpage, Apr 10
7. Becoming George, Apr 5
8. The joys of throwing things away, June  30
9. Bicycling lessons, June 25
10. The professional stick, Oct  24

The Blue Skunk made no "best 100" lists this year. It wasn't nominated for an Edu-bloggie. I've no idea what its ranking in Technocrati might be. But I sure had fun writing. And I hope some of you had fun reading.