Category Archives: Awards

February Already?!?


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I want to thank Yvette over at Priorhouse Blog for the awesome billboard image she made just for me ❤

I can’t believe it is already February! February, really . . .

Each year that I celebrate another revolution around the sun, it seems that my revolutions get faster. And though I feel a bit like my ass is on the front-end of a rocket, I also feel as though I am on a slow free drift out in the middle of the ocean – no land to be seen, anywhere.

I can’t remember the last time I actually wore a watch – well yes, I can, it was 19 months ago. Often I have no idea where my day goes – it’s just gone. I wake up and then before I know it, it’s way past normal peoples’ bedtime.

Though I spend a large amount of time searching for a job, and working on other ways to make a living, I also spend a lot of time doing mindless/relaxing/time-suck activities – but they are activities I enjoy that when I worked I did not have time for.

Here’s a good for instance – I had planned to re-work my resume today, which may or may not need to be done. Instead I have spent a good part of the day catching up on a few of my fav blogs, though there are many more I want to get to!! [Okay by the time I finished this post, I did get my resume re-worked 🙂 ]

I have get to make three batches of apple butter this week, and blueberry jam, since blueberries are on sale at the grocery store and I have had many requests for that one. For some reason though, I am feeling quite lazy today . . . though I like a little winter, I have had enough. I feel for all y’all getting the brunt of this winter, mine is mild compared to yours.

I have started working on my posts about our food supply and how fucked up it is. Those are forthcoming. I keep writing myself into a corner in my novel – not sure what’s up with that! My blogs are all being neglected (yeah, I laughed out loud at that one!).

There’s a couple of very interesting jobs I have applied for in the last couple of weeks. I am so hoping to get an interview for at least one. Any extra prayers, good thoughts, finger-crosses, rabbit’s foot rubs, whatever I can get – I’ll take them!!

Loved the fight at the end of the Super Bowl game – what a shining example that was for the youth of our country 😉 (Yes, that was meant to be snarky!)

They keep saying unemployment is going down, but I know more and more people who are unemployed than I have ever known before, and sadly many are in the 50+ age group. Most of us aren’t being counted on the unemployment rolls anymore. I do live in an area where there have been many different industries laying off employees, and are continuing to do so.

Valentine’s Day is coming up and I bought each of my granddaughters a giant card. I was thrilled that they were $3 a piece and were Made In America 🙂 (which honestly is the only reason I bought them) AND I found them at Walmart of all places.

I also want to send a shout out and thank you to Doobster at Mindful Digressions for the honor of his nomination for the Premio Dardos award. According to Doobs, “Premio Dardos means “Prize Darts” in Spanish. It is an award given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing.” I haven’t named my 15 bloggers yet, as I have decided to add that widget of the blogs I follow  – I like that idea because in my opinion they are all worth reading!!

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Just a few random things I was thinking about today . . .

The LIEBSTER AWARD – A lovely way to meet new writers


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I have been really busy this month – watching my grandkids 3-4 days a week, making more jam than I could ever eat, a slew of family birthdays keeping my weekends busy, and looking for a job, as well as getting a nasty summer cold not once, but twice.

Catching up on my comment responses, I found a lovely nomination from Smriti at mumbaimornings for the Liebster Award. Thanks so much Smriti, I am honored.  I do not write for awards, but it is nice to know someone is reading and enjoying or finding value in my musings 🙂 Since this blog is more in the editorial spirit typically regarding current events, I don’t always write much about me personally. Often awards ask you to share information about yourself – which I’m becoming more comfortable with, as well as nominating others – which is the part I like the best!!

According to Smriti, The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Just another way bloggers support each other, as opposed to trying to knock each other down or stabbing each other in the back 😉 It’s a great way to discover new bloggers!  I love being a part of this community ❤

THE RULES – Yes, there are rules, but if you don’t want to participate, it’s all good. I have to admit – I changed the wording of the rules a little by editing out the “You have to’s” and the “You must’s.”  Being the non-conformist and rebel I am, had to do it 😉  The whole point of this is to introduce new bloggers to other bloggers!

  1. Saying thanks 🙂   Link back to the person that nominated you.
  2. Share a little about yourself 🙂   Answer the 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.
  3. Mentor other bloggers and engage them 🙂   After completing these questions nominate 11 bloggers with under 200 followers and give them 11 questions of your choice.
  4. Just common sense 🙂   Do not nominate the person who nominated you.
  5. Share the news 🙂   Let your nominees know that they have been nominated and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

Here are the questions given to me:

  1. Tea or Coffee? Neither, really. My guilty pleasure is a Starbucks venti mocha frap (with only ½ the amount of Frappuccino and chocolate syrups) with 2 shots of espresso. Hot drinks are not my fav. Never liked tea of any kind.
  2. Beaches or Mountains? BOTH, absolutely!
  3. Backpacker hostels or Luxury hotels? (assuming you have the money) If I am assuming, then Luxury all the way 😉
  4. What is your favorite food? Have to be a toss-up between Mexican food and seafood.
  5. Which city would you love to live in? I honestly can’t answer that – not sure, as there are many – I truly do like the beach & the mountains. I‘d hate to live in the big city, I know that.
  6. Who inspires you? People who stand up for the little guy or change, even though it may cost them, because it’s the right thing to do – people like Erin Brockovich, Crystal Lee (Jordan) Sutton [the woman who inspired Norma Rae], Erin Gruwell [teacher who founded Freedom Writers]. These people didn’t start out to be activists, they just wanted all people to be treated fairly and compassionately. I am also inspired by writers like Robert James Waller – Bridges of Madison County, and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – Good Will Hunting. They just wrote it and got it out there and it was thought-provoking, provocative, emotional and people loved it! Then there’s William Young who wrote The Shack – he self-published after being turned down by 26 publishers. (Come on – as writers, expression is most important, but money is always a bonus not to be turned down!!) Really, I am inspired by many different people and a variety of things.
  7. If a day had 25 hours, what would you do in the additional hour? That would depend on the day 😉 [Read, sleep, write, spend with family or friends, sit on a deck drinking a margarita watching the pelicans fly over, sit in the woods listening to it talk,  etc.]
  8. What would the name of the movie based on your life be? If It Was Easy Where Would the Fun In That Be?
  9. What is the one thing (single most important) you itch to do in life? Many many things, but (I had to really think about this one to pinpoint it down) I’d love to write a Pulitzer Prize winning piece 🙂 (Yeah, I dream big!) Seriously, the thought of owning a bakery or a little pub has come up in many conversations, too 🙂
  10. What is holding you back? Fear – of failure, success, whatever, and Money – the root of all evil LOL!!! Don’t need a lot, but do need enough. 😉
  11. What is the one piece of advice you would want to give all your readers? Live for today, but don’t forget about tomorrow – chances are you’ll have a few of them 😉

The best part – the 11 bloggers with under 200 followers, I wish to recognize and nominate:

  1. http://davidscottmoyer.wordpress.com/
  2. http://whenwomeninspire.com/
  3. http://joeburridge.com/
  4. http://leftbraintendencies.wordpress.com/
  5. http://lifewithgreeneyes.wordpress.com/
  6. http://sideofheart.wordpress.com/  (Live free or die trying)
  7. http://littlelearner.wordpress.com/
  8. http://minahmisteri.wordpress.com/  (People Places & Perspectives)
  9. http://monimorphism.com/
  10. http://laurelclarke.wordpress.com/ (Words:  a steamy love affair)
  11. http://sophiaschildren.wordpress.com/

My questions for you:

  1. Do you have more than one blog?
  2. Do you like (good) surprises?
  3. Favorite book and why?
  4. Night-owl or morning person?
  5. Do you write & hit publish right away or do you spend a considerable amount of time editing?
  6. Would you stop & help a turtle cross the road?
  7. Do you know your blood type? (And NO I don’t want to know, but you should if you don’t!)
  8. What would the name of the movie based on your life be?
  9. Who inspires you?
  10. What is the one thing (single most important) you itch to do in life?
  11. What is holding you back?

 

Thanks again Smriti – certainly appreciate the shout out!!

Just something I was thinking about . . . ☮

Nomination from a Peer – One Lovely Blog Award


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I want to sincerely thank Monika, from monimorphism, for the “One Lovely Blog Award” nomination. I was truly surprised and am honored. Though I do not write for awards, it is so nice to know my audience is enjoying my musings and how I express them. If you have the opportunity, visit Monika’s blog – she is a great writer with a smorgasbord of things to entertain you on her blog from touching and funny stories, to beautiful poetry, to videos. Thank you again Monika, for your kindness and inspiration! ❤

There are a few guidelines that come with accepting this award:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
  2. Display the One Lovely Blog Award on your Blog.
  3. Share seven things about yourself.
  4. Nominate fifteen Bloggers you admire. Inform them by commenting on their Blog.

Seven things about me you may not know:

  1. I LOVE music and it is typically playing, most times with the volume cranked.
  2. Seafood and Mexican food are my favorites, and I could eat homemade salsa daily.
  3. I am incredibly patient at times, but often not very tolerant of certain things or behaviors.
  4. I could live on the beach or in the mountains – both would be great!
  5. If I am drinking booze, it’s almost always a margarita or a hurricane.
  6. I have worked as a journalist, public relations/communications specialist and a technical writer – these employers did not wish to read about my personal opinions, nor would they now.
  7. I love writing, but I love reading just as much! (Which is why I have often sat down and started writing, then got lost in reading other’s posts!!)

My favorite part of accepting this nomination is it allows me to share some of my favorite blogs, blogs that I think are definitely worth a read, and in my case a dedicated follow. I have learned so much from my fellow bloggers – about writing, sharing, and humanity in general. I have learned more about the world by reading blogs from and having readers from around the globe.

Here is a start at my list of favorites, though in all honesty I had more than fifteen I would have liked to nominate. I read many, but I find myself always gravitating back to these – due to their great writing, style, and/or inspiration. Some of these blogs feature poetry, opinions, romantic musings, or inspiring or hilarious (or both) personal memoirs. Some feature opinions on current events, and some represent fiction. Some feature all of the above and more – they all feed my soul!! I hope you get a chance to check them all out, including my gracious nominator. So find a nice block of time and get ready to enjoy some fine reading!

Fifteen Blogs I Admire:

  1.  http://adcwrites.wordpress.com/
  2. http://afadedromantic.wordpress.com/
  3. http://charlypriest.wordpress.com/
  4. http://distantshipsmokeblog.wordpress.com/
  5. http://erikslehman.com/
  6. http://gottafindahome.wordpress.com/
  7. http://jenniferann1970.wordpress.com/
  8. http://iithinks.wordpress.com/
  9. http://lindaghill.wordpress.com/
  10. http://lineoftheweek.wordpress.com/
  11. http://mindfuldigressions.com/
  12. http://logosconcarne.com/
  13. http://playingyourhandright.wordpress.com/
  14. http://teelahart.com/
  15. http://texantales.com/

CHEERS to my WordPress community  – a place where I  can write unedited ❤

Just something I was thinking about . . . ☮