Who Influences You?

I recently received a blogger award for my Libeary Corner blog, I was thrilled.  Part of the procedure was to nominate 15 other bloggers that I thought were versatile.  Wow, one of the people I wanted to nominate is a friend who has really encouraged and supported my efforts at blogging.  We played phone tag.  I couldn't find her blogs that I had bookmarked and usually read.  FRUSTRATION!

This morning through happenstance I reconnected with both her blogs. To Craft A Fine Line and First One and Then the Other.  Melissa has a strong voice and a great sense of the absurd.  The first time we met was in an education book store that she was managing.  Imagine me in a book store.  I know you are LOL!  From their we developed a friendship.  One I treasure very much.

She has the rare knack for listening when you are feeling most confused, celebrating your victories and sneakily suggesting the next step that I have been running from or maybe its to. As a teacher I have tried to analyze this practice because I would like to duplicate this quiet influence with my students.  I believe the best learning is inquiry driven. Questions the individual wants answered.

This morning I was reading Two Writing Teachers -  I was moved by the post "Ruth's Slice of Life - Listening to Photograph by Nickelback . I was also influenced to listen to this piece of music.  Then I thought about using music and photos in my own class.  How will those things combine to influence my writing?

What is it I want to know? I want to know how to make my writing better.  From a conventions stand points my commas and dangling participles along with fragments are the boon of my literary existence.  But now as I try my hand in the free lance writing ring I realize I am probably going to have to learn to master them.  For nearly half a century they weren't even on my radar.  Now they seem to be in my headlights.  As I ponder my own personal learning net work I have two questions for you?  What do you want to know?  And who influences you?