Noblesse Oblige Award

I have been kindly presented with the Noblesse Oblige Award by fellow blogger When I Am Rich - thanks a bunch!

I first discovered When I Am Rich and her eponymous blog a few weeks ago completely by accident, like most of my best discoveries! Her blog is cute, thoughtful and light-hearted, and the posts are written on a very simple premise: what she will do when she is rich. What I liked about her blog is that there's no wistful regret and sighing; instead you are rewarded with quirky, optimistic insights which show you - along with some excellent photographs - that there are actually many great things in life you can still appreciate, for free (like moonlit starry nights and hot cross buns - complete with some very yummy pictures of course!)

Here's what the award is all about:


The recipient of this award is recognized for the following:

1) The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervades amongst different cultures and beliefs.
2) The Blog contents inspire; strives to encourage and offers solutions.
3) There is a clear purpose at the Blog; one that fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture and Sciences and Beliefs.
4) The Blog is refreshing and creative.
5) The Blogger promotes friendship and positive thinking.

The Blogger who receives this award will need to perform the following steps:

1) Create a Post with a mention and link to the person who presented the Noblesse Oblige Award.
2) The Award Conditions must be displayed at the Post.
3) Write a short article about what the Blog has thus far achieved – preferably citing one or more older post to support.
4) The Blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award in concurrence with the Award conditions.
5) The Blogger must display the Award at any location at the Blog.

What my blog (Career Changing in the Credit Crunch) has achieved so far:
I started writing this blog about 3 or 4 weeks ago as a web diary of my attempt to change career, with the hope of helping anyone who is thinking of changing career but is not sure how to go about it. Every career changing resource I looked at offered small suggestions of advice but never actually offered a story of how someone did it, or how they dealt with any of the issues they went through. So I started this blog as a way of filling that gap: partly to offer practical advice based on my own experiences but also to share my story to those who need that little bit of encouragement to go for it.
As I wrote at the end of my very first post, back in March, "There is never a 'good' or 'right' time to change career for many people, but I don't agree that we must doom ourselves to unhappy or unfulfilling lives because of it ... if I manage to persuade one person that tough economic circumstances are no bar to changing career, then I will have achieved something."

While I think all the blogs I'm following are great (or I wouldn't be following them!), I am going to pass the Noblesse Oblige award to the following selection of blogs:
1) Paused in Peru:
Argentum Vulgaris has already won this award for one of his other blogs, but Paused in Peru is his latest blog about his travels through Peru, complete with some wonderful pictures and commentary.
2) Reduce Footprints:
Small Footprint's blog discusses ways for each of us to reduce our "footprint" on this earth and live in a greener, healthier way. Full of discussions about environmentally-friendly issues and tasty-looking vegan recipes (yeah, I know I'm a meat-eater, but still tempted to try these!)
3) England Rents, Rants & Raves:
Blog by an English expat living in America, aka The Prodigal Tourist, who occasionally returns to visit, taking some nice photographs and making observations about his homeland on the way.
4) Laura Reviews:
Intelligent, witty, insightful blog reviewing the written word - whether from books, news articles, or any other source. Includes interviews with authors of books Laura has reviewed.
5) The 1,000,000 Project:
This is a hilarious blog of projectmanager's attempts to be a millionaire by the age of 30. I still don't get why he/she wants to buy a cow, but it made me laugh anyway.
6) Greenback Savvy - You Can't B.S. the G.$:
US-based Greenback Savvy shares her sensible advice on how to manage your money in a highly readable way. As she says, "you can take her advice or leave it", but it's worth a thought if you need an idea of how to deal with your hard-earned US dollars.