Bloggy Award

I Am
I Am is the personal blog of Lauren Hagee. In it, she shares bits and pieces of her life and the people around her. In her submission e-mail, she wrote “blogging from the perspective of a fun, quirky, slightly embarrassing, almost college grad!” Fun, quirky, and slightly embarrassing - we all have these moments!

Visual Aesthetics - 9
Blue, blue, and more blue - I love this color and it really looks good in this blog. The header is also very pretty and there is a lot of eye candy within the posts themselves. My only suggestion would be to create some sort of border scheme that would give more definition to the different sections of the blog.

User Friendliness - 9
I Am is very easy to navigate - all the relevant links are within easy reach from the left column. The pages loaded up very quickly for me as well. I would suggest changing the cyan (or some similar color) colored font for some of the blog posts. They do not really make for easy reading with the dark blue background.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
Even though I do not know Lauren, I had a good time reading through some of her blog posts. I like how she is trying to come up with entries that will cater to her audience. The pictures of her trips and her family members were also very pretty.

Useful Info - 8
As with many other personal blogs, there might not be much practical information in the pages of I Am. That does not mean that you cannot enjoy what is to be had, though!

Overall Experience - 9
This is another personal blog that I wouldn’t mind visiting from time to time. Even if there is no personal connection between the blogger and the reader, I think that many people would want to read the blog. If you’re looking for another person’s perspective and a fun read, then I Am is a good place to be.

Single Mom Meltdown
Single Mom Meltdown is the blog about the life of a mom and her children. It leans towards monetization but has a lot of content to offer its readers.

Visual Aesthetics - 8
I love the header of Single Mom Meltdown. It’s really simple, if you look at it, but it matches the theme of the blog very well. I also like the background pattern - swirls of white on black. However, there seems to be a lot of visual effects throughout the blog that do not necessarily match with each other, taking away from the visuals of the blog.

User Friendliness - 8
I didn’t have any problems with load time despite the tons of visual effects. However, I think that the archives links could be located at a more accessible place. More so, the posts could be cleaned up a bit in order to make it easier for readers to browse through them.

Reading Enjoyment - 9
I liked reading this blog, especially those posts about being a mom. The kids are adorable and the stories about helping other moms are just inspiring.

Useful Info - 10
There is a lot of useful information to be found in the pages of Single Mom Meltdown. From buying Tupperware (there are a lot of these!) to helping others , you can find these things here.

Overall Experience - 8
Single Mom Meltdown is a must for mommies out there. Not only can you get insights on parenting but you can find other useful stuff as well.

The Mother Load
The Mother Load is a site for mothers who are not afraid to say it like it is. Maintained by Jenica Bergere and Brooke Purdy, long time best friends, this site has various types of content - both audio and text. In their submission e-mail, they wrote “Just because you’re a mommy doesn’t mean you can’t talk smack.” Enough to catch one’s interest, yes?

Visual Aesthetics - 10
The main page of the site has very vivid colors but they mix well with each other. I love the picture of the two moms and their kids - it really gives you a very good idea of what the site is all about. Brooke’s Blog also has relevant photos scattered within the posts.

User Friendliness - 10
The Mother Load is very user friendly. The main page has links to all the relevant content within the site. I also had no problems with load time. More so, despite the vivid color scheme, the fonts are still easy on eyes.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
The tagline itself is enough to tell you how much you will enjoy this site. A word of warning, though, this blog is not for those who consider themselves prudish!

Useful Info - 8
The site is fairly new so there is not much by way of content. I was really looking forward to listening to their podcast but the page said that it is still to come. As for the blog, there is a lot of enjoyable reads but you may not consider them practical info in the strictest sense.

Overall Experience - 9
Are you a mom? Are you tired of being stuck in a box and labeled? Well, tire no more - The Mother Load will give you the chance to get out of that shell and have some fun!

Yes and Yes
“Because yes is more fun than no.” That’s a very intriguing tag line like anything, don’t you think? Yes and Yes is the blog of Sarah, who tells of her experience in the Amazon trying to catch a piranha but failing to land one. She describes herself as fairly adventurous but still needing to get over that edge.

Visual Aesthetics - 10
I love the color scheme, which features various shades of green. The header is eye candy, as well. Looking at it, I felt a sense of adventure without going overboard. The posts are also well-designed with lots of relevant photos.

User Friendliness - 10
Yes and Yes scores perfectly in this category without a doubt. The posts are very well organized and there are always numerous links within the posts to help readers find more information. Her right column contains the archives and categories, as well as other relevant information. As for loading times, I didn’t have any problems at all.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
Sarah writes very well and engages her readers with her posts - well, at least I can say this for myself. She actually got me hooked at “About Me.”

Useful Info - 8
Yes and Yes does contain some useful information within the posts. I think I found the posts on non-traditional adulthood the most informational. Others may not contain that much in terms of practical info but you still get a kick out of reading them!

Overall Experience - 9
Yes and Yes is a testament to the fact that personal blogs need not be limited to people who only know the blogger. Witty writing and a sense of restrained adventure is what you can expect from this blog. Love it!

Tiny Traveller
Tiny Traveller is the personal blog of a young woman in Japan. In it, she shares tidbits about her life and experiences. In order to get her thoughts and messages across, she makes use of her photos and words.

Visual Aesthetics - 9
I really like the header of this blog. I cannot explain it but it made me think of the warmth of cuddling up in an over sized chair with a good book and a big steaming mug of coffee. I am not so sure that the background color matches the header, though. Still, the countless photos within the posts are more than enough to compensate for this.

User Friendliness - 8
Tiny Traveller is very user friendly in terms of finding relevant information such as the About Me and Archives sections. A couple of suggestions - perhaps a section for categories to make it easier for readers to find posts by topic and links to more information on the wonderful places mentioned in the blog posts.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
I really enjoyed reading through the posts in Tiny Traveller. Although English is not the native language in Japan, Mihiro is able to convey her thoughts and emotions pretty well. Reading through the posts made me want to visit her country even more.

Useful Info - 9
As with most personal blogs, not all the posts are full of useful information. Tiny Traveller does have its share of practical information, though, especially if you want to know more about Japan and if you are planning a trip there.

Overall Experience - 9
Tiny Traveller is a very interesting and refreshing personal blog. Japan enthusiasts, you should take a look at this blog and learn more about the real deal.

D’ Observer
D’ Observer is the blog of Lionel Gonzaga, a Filipino living in Dubai. In his blog, he aims to share the life of an expat. He also shares bits and pieces of information about the Philippines and its culture.

Visual Aesthetics - 9
I love the color scheme, which is predominantly black and orange. The fonts are mainly white, so they can be easily seen, considering the dark background. I would have preferred a header that relates to the blog instead of seeing Google Ads up there, though.

User Friendliness - 7
The formatting of the posts make them easy enough to read. A few suggestions, though - instead of the ads taking up a huge chunk of space at the upper part of the page, perhaps the relevant links such as archives, recent posts, and the like should be there. More so, I had a bit of a problem with load times.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
The posts are written well enough in a conversational manner. Even though I could not relate to many of the posts, I am sure that the target readers of D’ Observer enjoy their visits very much.

Useful Info - 10
D’ Observer provides a lot of information that its target readers would find useful. From events in Dubai to tidbits about the Filipino culture, this blog can give it to you.

Overall Experience - 8
D’ Observer is a very good blog catering to a specific niche. If you are a Filipino living in Dubai or in nearby areas, this blog should be a daily read for you.

Insights
Insights is the blog of Tanmay Vora, a “a software quality & management professional - passionate explorer of management/leadership subjects - chooses to look at brighter side of life - loves writing.” As the name of the blog implies, she shares a lot of insights that can be used in the professional world.

Visual Aesthetics - 8
Insights makes use of a two-column template, which suits the content very well. Everything is neat and in place, making the overall look of the blog pleasing to the eyes. It does look a little plain, however. It can use some sprucing up with some visual aids.

User Friendliness - 9
This is one of the most organized blogs that I have seen. The formatting is excellent and the navigation easy. There are also no problems with load times. The only suggestion I have is to relocate the archives above the outbound links.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
Insights offers its readers a very enjoyable time. Though the posts tend to be of a serious nature, they are well-written. She also has a propensity for quotes that add to the reading enjoyment.

Useful Info - 10
Definitely one of the blog’s strongest points. The blog’s content is very much in sync with its name and description. Anyone who is interested in management and life improvement in general would certainly pick up a lot of information from this blog.

Overall Experience - 9
Insights has a very promising name and the blog itself delivers on that promise. Want to gain new insights? Bookmark this blog!

Modern March
Modern March is the blog of Brandon Smith, the Director of Student Ministries at Christ Wesleyan Church in Bedford, Texas. In this blog, he shares insights about life and his faith. The name Modern March means “means that my aim is to reach and impact Christians and those searching for Christ (March) with my thoughts on Christianity and faith in the 21st century (Modern).”

Visual Aesthetics - 8
I like the color scheme of Modern March - shades of gray, black, and red. Though it may seem dark, I think that it gives off an aura that there is intensity in its content. The header is also visually stimulating and appropriate to the blog’s theme. However, I feel that the posts themselves could use more photos - same thing for the blog as a whole.

User Friendliness - 10
Modern March is very easy to navigate as it is fairly new and there is not much content as to be overwhelming. All the relevant links are also easy to find. As for the loading times, there is no problem at all.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
I really enjoyed reading the posts in Modern March. The way that Brandon writes is very engaging. More so, he comes of as very real and sincere, at the same time, he does not sound too preachy. There is a lot of thought-provoking insights to be read in this blog.

Useful Info - 10
If you are looking for spiritual insights, then this blog scores perfectly in the usefulness category. The posts are not overwhelmingly theoretical - although there is a lot of theoretical bases to be found in the posts. You can actually find some ideas that you can apply in your life.

Overall Experience - 9
Modern March is a spiritual blog for the modern person. It is something that I would recommend to those who are seeking for fulfillment in the spiritual sense.

jj’s travels
jj’s travels is a travel blog that focuses on the blogger’s trips - with some other things thrown in. From Bolivia to Ecuador to Pennsylvania, travel the world in this blog.

Visual Aesthetics - 9
jj’s travels has a lot of visually appealing and related photos. The color scheme - green and white - is easy on the eyes. It could use some more tweaking in terms of the header and the other elements of the blog, especially those found in the right column.

User Friendliness - 9
There is a lot of content to be found in the pages of jj’s travels but despite this, it is relatively easy to navigate - thanks to the archives section in the right column. It would have been easier if there was a tag cloud or a categories section. As for the loading times, I didn’t have any problems.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
I really enjoyed browsing the posts of jj’s travels. More than the fact that I get to read about different places, the insights that the blogger shares kept me reading. I particularly liked the posts about the South American countries.

Useful Info - 10
There is a lot of useful information about the various places that the blogger has visited. Though I didn’t see a lot of the run-of-the-mill info found on travel blogs (prices, airfare, etc.), there is still a lot of ideas that I find very useful and interesting in jj’s travels.

Overall Experience - 9
This blog, jj’s travels, is both interesting and useful. I would suggest those who love to travel to bookmark it.

J.T’s Hoops Blog
J.T’s Hoops Blog is the brainchild of Jeffrey Thompson. As the name implies, this blog is all about the sport of basketball. Jeffrey offers news, videos, and other information relating to basketball.

Visual Aesthetics - 7
The biggest thing going for J.T’s Hoops Blog in terms of visual aesthetics is his header. It was obviously made specifically for the blog and it really suits the theme. In other aspects, however, J.T’s Hoops Blog can use some improvement. The posts themselves could use some relevant photos. The placement of the ads and the formatting in the right column take a lot away from the visual element.

User Friendliness - 8
I like how you can find tons of other information in the right column, which Jeffrey has kindly populated with links. However, the archives are inconveniently found at the bottom of the page. The posts could also use more links to make it easier to find related information from within the posts.

Reading Enjoyment - 10
I love basketball and I like reading blogs like J.T’s Hoops Blog. I think that one edge that J.T’s Hoops Blog has is the fact the blogger offers his own insights in the analysis part.

Useful Info - 10
J.T’s Hoops Blog is very strong in this aspect as well. Even though the NBA season is not ongoing, there are lots of things going on in the world of basketball and you can find some of that info here.

Overall Experience - 8
J.T’s Hoops Blog has very good content. Any serious basketball fan would love to pay this blog a visit. It just needs a little tweaking with regard to the visual aspect and some formatting.