Noblesse Oblige

Pasadena's City Hall has no bad angles, even if I can't always flatten myself far enough behind my camera to get them. I've enjoyed our tour this past week.

Now a little order of business, then onto whatever else I can find to take pictures of. Tomorrow is the first of the month, which is City Daily Photo Blog theme day. Here at PDP that means we'll have Zen Monday on Tuesday. There's a thought.

Lynn of Cheltenham Daily Photo has honored me with an award. Did you know there are two Cheltenham Daily Photos? Say hi to Marley.

Anyway, the award is called the Noblesse Oblige Award. It looks like this:
Dictionary.com defines noblesse oblige as "the moral obligation of those of high birth, powerful social position, etc., to act with honor, kindliness, generosity, etc."

It means those of the nobility are obligated to be kind to others, including and especially "the little people." It's why the royals are always going to charity functions.

Thank you, Lynn! I'm crazy about Lynn. She was one of the first people to welcome me to blogland when I began commenting on Paris Daily Photo. She's almost of the nobility, living so close to the Royals and all. But there are a couple of things I haven't told Lynn about me: one is that I'm not always a rule-follower, and the other is that I'm not of the nobility.

Here are the qualifications to win the Noblesse Oblige Award:

1) The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervade 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.

Hmm. I try to be respectful, encouraging, creative and positive. But I wouldn't recommend any blogger split focus as described in #3.

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 posts to support.
4) The Blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award in concurrence with the Award conditions.
5) Blogger must display the Award at any location at the Blog.

Jeez Louise, it's a tall order, innit?

#1, check. #2, check. #3... well I don't think I have any posts to support this. I don't wish to seem ungrateful. I'm very grateful to be acknowledged by my fellow blogger, Lynn. But see now, I'm not sure PDP qualifies for this award. My purpose here is for us to discover things about Pasadena and have a good time doing it. My intent is not to "foster a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture and Sciences and Beliefs," though if that happens, okay. But I'm lucky if I foster understanding of my captions and map directions.

I'm hesitant to pass on blog awards because I've come across bloggers who don't want the obligation. So what I'd like to do here is acknowledge some blogs that, in my opinion, "foster a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture and Sciences and Beliefs," or at least come close. Then if they want to post the award and pass it on, they may do so.

The winners, should they decide to accept the award, are these:

1. Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo: Dina has a big following and has probably already won this award several times. Dina is one open-minded, fair, generous, warm-hearted, funny, smart, terrrific--uh, have I given you a noun yet?--blogger.
2. Portland (OR) Daily Photo: Dina and her (our) friend Meead are exemplary of my theory that when we talk to each other, we prove our governments don't represent us as well as we represent ourselves. Meead is an exchange student from Mashaad, Iran. He left Mashhad (IRAN) Daily Photo in the capable hands of Sara, a student of architecture. Sara's taking a blogging break right now (presumably for exams), but keep checking. It's worth it just to see how much the same we all are.
3. Finnegan Begin Again: I don't know if Margaret's blog qualifies and I don't care. Everyone needs a fiesty goddess to watch their back. (Mine is Bast.) Everyone needs bacon. Wait. No one needs bacon. Bacon is for fun.
4. Izmir: Selim's is perhaps one of the most beautiful photo blogs you'll ever see. Another is Diederick's Arona Every Day. These photographer/bloggers foster international understanding through the art of of visual communication. Their styles are very different. Through their blogs, the Turk and the Italian have become friends.
5. Altadena Hiker: Karin's banana plant post alone meets all the requirements of the award.

Have fun exploring.