The purpose of this monthly series is to highlight an outstanding contributor to the site as chosen by the editorial staff. Over the past three years, Blogcritics has grown tremendously, in large part due to the contributions of a stalwart group of writers who have consistently informed, engaged, and entertained us. This designation is meant to recognize and celebrate the best of the best, those writers who not only shine by virtue of their talent, but whose continual participation gives all of us a reason to tune in each and every day. As new readers are continually discovering Blogcritics, we also hope to introduce these fine writers to a new audience.
Please join me in a virtual round of applause for this month’s honoree, Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti!
Even if you’re a relative newcomer to Blogcritics, you’ve undoubtedly encountered Sadi by now. A contributor since May of 2004, longtime readers know her to be a writer of uncommon candor and perception. The honesty that suffuses her musings on music and film and her many personal essays never fails to strike a chord with readers, as is easily gleaned from a casual glance at the comments her posts garner. Her grasp of the ties that bind us together as human beings and her willingness to put herself under the microscope are hallmarks of her work. Lately, BC readers can find her penning a very popular music feature dubbed “The List of the Moment.” Music editor Connie Phillips describes its appeal thusly: "The great thing about Sadi is the way she connects with her readers. Her regular feature 'List of the Moment' is always highly anticipated. Long conversations full of memories about great music always develop on the comments. It never fails that I always end up heading to iTunes to download at least one song I had forgotten all about after reading a new installment of 'List of the Moment.'"
A born writer, Sadi Ranson-Polizzotti has worked in publishing for her entire career. It’s all she knows. She has worked at such houses as The Atlantic Monthly, Conde Nast Publications (Vogue magazine), Lumen Editions (of which she was the founder and editorial director) and is a freelance editor for a variety of presses both on and offline. A widely published writer of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, she currently writes for a number of print publications and websites in addition to Blogcritics and is finishing her second book, a memoir of her struggle with epilepsy titled Grand Mal. She has been anthologized in many books as well as had her own book published in Paris and London. She lives near the ocean, which she says grounds her.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Congrats Sadi!
2 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Thanks Mat ~ Congrats accepted and appreciated... ; ) Cheers, ... have a great day... sadi r-p.
3 - chantal stone
Congrats Sadi! And thank-you for letting us know you better :)
4 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Thanks Chantal ~ i posted on the Peaches thread for Steve and Scott to tell them in case they didn't know (how obnoxious of me, lol). Thanks so much for words of support in every way: on columns, here, every week... you be da bomb, girl... working on this week's list... think you will like a few of the songs v. much, i pray.... thanks again! sade... ; )
5 - Eric Berlin
Outstanding, congrats Sadi! I love this column, very very cool.
6 - Steve
Aww, Sadi, that was a sweet interview. I'm gonna check out those other Blogcritic articles you listed soon, I think.
7 - Mark Saleski
congrats sadi. there's a reason my rss reader has entry for your posts.
8 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Eric B ~~ Thanks -- i'm so glad you like this... i'm always nervous with interviews but she did a great job i think and made sound far better than i am in real life (but that said, i'll take it) ; ) cheers, S
9 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Steve, thank you - if you can't get to all the posts don't worry. Everyone is pressed for time. Try to get to Shimmer. You might like that one... i'd recommend different ones for different people... you might like that one...
10 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Mark Saleski ~ you have always been such a good and loyal reader that i can't thank you enough (i feel like i should be in slinky gown at Oscars bawling & etc blah blah blah ~ okay, shoved off-stage) Back to reality, you rock the house in all ways. Big supporter from the get-go... thanks for that. Thanks for driving people to my writing. All of it has helped no doubt. And no doubt, i will be back to writing my nonsensical articles in the very near future ... the sort of rambling ones such as those listed above that begin one place and end up somewhere totally different; if only i had more than those pesky 24 hours in one day and that absurd need of sleep (which frankly, i don't think i need but husband disagrees... *sigh*
what can you do?
Thanks, as ever... S.
11 - Scott B
Congrats, S.
12 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Congrats Sadi--you've made my list of much more than a moment.
13 - Steve
Indeed, Gordon, I'm with you on that one lol.
14 - Howard Dratch
Sadi. Interviews are difficult - to do, have done to you and, often, to read.
You and Lisa made a good read out of someone's life. Well done. We want more of your articles and your life when the interview is done. Just like a good story.
15 - Connie Phillips
Congratulations, Sadi
16 - Steve
I find it interesting that you DIDN'T choose James Dean as an idol...if I never hear another thing about Marilyn Monroe or Janes Dean, I would be a happy camper...talk about overexposure, wow. That's going back 40+ years now isn't it?? Sheesh.
I was initially surprised that you said you admired the Stoics, given the way you write...but as you said, what you are like online and in person are two different things, so I guess it may make sense in an offline kind of way, at least.
Given what you said recently about women's magazines, I'm surprised you still subscribe to any (are those an exception??)!
Re. Scooby Doo, I used to love that show as a kid. Other than the voices however, the recent live action Scooby movies were quite disappointing, I thought.
Re. books, have you ever read Harry Potter??
Re. TV, I love it, though more for info, than entertainment, there is alot of stuff on it that I'd never watch.
17 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Thanks Howard... Lisa did a great job of interviewing me and i hopefully provided her with some interesting material. overall, it's been a great and learning exeperince in every way... really interesting....
Thanks for reading through ; )
18 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
stoics have long fascinated me for myriad reasons but is see no contradiction between that and the internet, steve...
women's magazines - gifts, so that's that and W. is interesting. Really, the best part is this LUNATIC woman at end end, Countess Estherhazy or something, i'm sure fake name, who writes these hilarious columns.... that's really what i'm in for... and i admit, havnig worked at Vogue, it's stuck in my blood whether i want it there or not, it is just always going to be a part of who i am so there is a natural curiousity as well...
Scooby scooby doo!! what did you say about that again? I used to watch it all the time and i so so so much wanted to be the slinky chick not the chick with glasses and the plaid skirt (hence, here i am)...the movies suck, but the actual cartoons were and are great (the real old ones).
Never ready any of the Harry Potter books but as a kid loved C.S. Lewis and even as an adult but as an adult i read his adult books like recently i just read "the problem of pain" and "a grief observed" which are both great books if you are going through any kind of loss or illness or anything of that nature... suffering i suppose...
but anyway..... for me, some sleep now (again, profound waste of time but family mandated... lol ) house rules and all that... *sigh* I suppose it's a good thing to rest at some point, yes?
be well, and g'night. Next list should be up soon.
19 - Steve
Re. Stoics, just wondering why you admire them so much.
Yeah, I have also read Lewis, including those two you mentioned and also "Mere Christianity", "Surprised By Joy", "God In The Dock" as well as a devotional called "The Business Of Heaven". Really enjoyed reading his stuff, being a former atheist myself too. I never read the Narnia books as a kid, but just saw the new movie recently, which wasn't bad, more for kids I thought, though...
I just mention Harry Potter, because you seem to enjoy talking about male/female relationships and I'd read an essay the other night talking about how Harry ended up with the girlfriend he has by the end of book six, why he's attracted to her etc. instead of his main female sidekick Hermione, and I thought it was the kind of artcile you might be interested in. However, if you've never read the books, I suppose you might be a bit lost by it all. Never mind...
Re. sleep, can I ask, do you dream...or, more to the point, do you remember dreaming at night?? Just wondering why you have an aversion to sleep. Or is it to do with the 'being productive' idea?? Sounds like you've already accomplished alot in your life. What would you do in retirement, do you think???
20 - Mary K. Williams
This is a terrific honor Sadi - you are a superb writer.
21 - Scott Butki
Sadi, congrats!
Great interview. I had no idea you had so many different projects going on at once.
22 - Scott Butki
Oh and check back on your old lists - I'm leaving comments at them as I've been downloading and listening to some of the songs you included.
Like last nite i listened to that Jesus is Way Cool song and it's bloody brilliant.