I’m a terrible blogger.
In the last several months, I’ve been nominated for some very sweet awards, and it’s taken me forever to post them! Here they are:
I was nominated for these awards by:
- JM McDowell (Dragon’s Loyalty Award), who runs http://jmmcdowell.com/, a blog filled with good humor, advice, and original stories about her archaeologist mystery-cracker, Meghan Bode;
- Jenny the Wren (Liebster Award), who writes up all kinds of different musings, reviews, and personal stories of life and new-mommyhood over at http://itsjennythewren.wordpress.com/;
- Subhan Zein (Versatile Blogger and Tell Me About Yourself Awards), the talented and soulful writer of short stories, poetic observations, and freedom from the mundane at http://subhanzein.wordpress.com/;
- Summer (Wonderful Readership Award), whose inner peace and graciousness always shine through on her blog, http://summer4soul.wordpress.com/.
Some of these awards come with rules for posting: nominate so many bloggers, tell so many facts about yourself, don’t stop the giving chain. Normally, I’m one to adhere to rules. But, for the purpose of blogging awards, I usually let those rules go.
“The rules are, there ain’t no rules!”
But, for those of you interested, some “facts” about me:
- I like saying I’m an artist, but, really, I’m a jock. I have to exercise every day, or I don’t feel like myself. At school, I competed in Track and Field; the 100-meter dash was my main event, and I anchored our team for the 400-meter relay. I love swimming, and surfing is a relatively new passion. Aside from the sprints, I’m not a great runner, though I often find it centers me. When I’m feeling troubled, there’s not much that can’t be cured by a good, sweaty run!
- I’m Miss Middle-of-the-Road. Maybe it comes from being a Libra, but I’ve always had to look at both sides of a situation. Sometimes, that’s helpful, like when I have to mediate an argument between family or friends. Other times, not so much, as it can cause me to vacillate too long, and opportunities can pass me by!
- I’m not the brightest bulb…but I’m not the dimmest, either. Sports are, by their very nature, competitive, and that competitiveness found its way into other parts of my life. I was always comparing myself to other people: their strengths, their successes, the accolades and adulation. But, for every winner, there has to be a loser. It took a long time for me to understand that losing gracefully can be just as worthwhile as winning graciously. A good thing, since winning is so rare!
- I play favorites. Not among my family (my sister), or for my girls (the older one), but with my characters. Whoever is foremost in my story-writing brain naturally gets privileged child status, of course, but I’ll always have my perennial favorites, too, especially in my fan works.
- Speaking of fan works, there’s nothing wrong with writing what you want, whatever that may be. Fan fiction, open poetry, stream of consciousness diary, historical biography, children’s, drama, sci-fi, horror, terror, thriller, romance, research, religion, comics, smut, slice of life, short fiction, long fiction – it’s all good. Certainly, some of those genres relate more easily to publishing, but always write first for your own passion.
- Lastly, I can only be myself, just like you can only be yourself. Every person has their own conflicts, their own burdens, their own triumphs. The world is a big place; we only ever see a sliver of it. But, just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. So, be excellent to each other.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7532GXPnO8]
Would you like to pick up one of the above awards? Please, feel free to grab the icon!
If you’re looking for some great bloggers to follow, I advocate the talented ladies and gent above – JM McDowell, Jenny the Wren, Subhan Zein, and Summer – as well as some other blogs and bloggers I always make certain to keep up with:
- Limebird Writers
- 4am Writer
- Vanessa-Jane Chapman, and her specialized “Sugarness…for everything sweet” blog
- SJB Writing
- Kellie Elmore
- Lillie McFerrin Writes
- Shade the Raven
- The Red Pen of Doom, and
- beebeesworld.
Many thanks go out to everyone who’s ever followed, liked, or commented on my words and musings.
Happy blogging, everyone!
Thank you for the double-mention Mayumi, how kind! I’ve sort of lost track of my awards and haven’t done an acceptance speech for a while now! Hopefully people are just happy with me having said thank you at the time! Congrats on yours anyway 🙂 I’m like you with being miss middle-of-the-road. I’m a Virgo, and I think Virgos and Libras are quite similar in a lot of ways. Whenever someone is complaining about something or someone, I’ll often find myself saying something like “Well maybe they thought…” or whatever, it’s my instinct to think of the other side as well! But like you say, sometimes we just end up sitting on the fence too long!
Certainly, Vanessa! I always enjoy reading your posts, wherever they are.
Part of the reason I did this award post was because we’re busy with shoots this week, and I needed an easy topic. 🙂 I did feel a bit neglectful of the kind folks who’d thought of me, too.
It seems a bit silly going the astrological route. I know personality traits associated with certain signs are completely open to interpretation and hindsight – or perhaps are self-fulfilling prophecies – but I do often feel very “Libra-like.” 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
That’s how I feel about astrology too! Sometimes I think it’s all a load of rubbish and we can twist anything to suit and other times I think…hmm, well I do fit a lot of the standard Virgo traits! Also, whenever I come across someone who is completely full of their own self-importance and always thinks they are right, no matter what, I think to myself “Well I bet they’re a Leo!” and they usually are! (No offense to any Leos who might be reading this, obviously you’re not ALL like that!).
thanks for the shout out! thought i commented but obv not! duh 🙁 anywho congrats on the awards 🙂 x
Thank you for the lovely shout out, Mayumi! And I’m truly impressed at the way you were able to take some of the facts about you and turn them into helpful advice for readers. And this fellow Libra understands very well how difficult it can be to see so many sides of every situation. The moment can pass us by so easily. Of course, we can also save ourselves from rushing into what would ultimately be a bad situation. 😉
Congratulatons on all the shout-outs and awards! You’ve definitely earned them.
Thanks, Jenny – for the award and for stopping by. 🙂
Thanks, JM! Your post prompted me to get off my behind and acknowledge the kind folks who shared the blogging love. 🙂
Generally, I think seeing both sides of a conflict is a good thing. Internally, though, I can start tearing my hair out. 😉
Thanks, Shade! I totally should have put your blog in there, as well! In fact, I’ll do that right now. 🙂
Thank you for the mention, that was unexpected. 🙂 I’m a Libra, too, and I totally know what you mean about having to look at a situation from both sides. That’s probably why my blog is supposedly about ‘balancing’ writing and life, lol. And you are dead on when you say it creates hassles in decision making. I’m getting better now, mainly because my kids depend on me to be decisive, but when I was younger and more free I had a lot of trouble.
You’re quite welcome and thank you, Kate. 🙂
I’m terrible at nominating bloggers for these awards. Plus, I religiously follow only a handful, these days. But, every blogger I did mention, I genuinely enjoy and learn from their posts.
There seem to be quite a few Autumn babies among my commenters. I’m glad to have the company. 😀
Congrats on all the awards and to everyone you nominated too! 🙂
Thanks, Kourtney! I always have a difficult time with these award things, because I hate leaving folks out – especially the great ones I find after the fact. 😉