joeyfullystated

One of the blogs I follow, Our Rumbling Ocean, is that of an amazing photographer and his family. They refer to their blog as “Our Blog.” Perhaps it is the frequent sweetness and light that keeps me reading, but surely anyone would love their photos. The photos are often breathtaking, particularly for this under-traveled American, who oohs and ahhs over the flora and fauna on a faraway continent. It’s a nature geek fix. Did I mention their blog often features an adorable tiny person who toddles about smiling and making dimples? Really, it’s a charming blog.

I am flattered that they have awarded me The Black Wolf Blogger award. This award was maybe more exciting than others, since I’d not seen hide nor hair of it until it appeared there. (more oohing and ahhing)

Rules for this Award: Thank the person who nominated you for the award. Add the logo to your post. Nominate ten (10) bloggers you admire and inform your nominees by commenting on their blogs.

I’m picking a rather eclectic set of blogs which are some of my favorites to read. Some are already wildly popular and some are seemingly under-read but I like them all.

Poui Season

Aussa Lorens, Hacker. Ninja. Hooker. Spy.

Cursitivity

Samara Speaks, A Buick in the Land of Lexus

Silver in the Barn

Behind the White Coat

Once Upon Your Prime

The Zombies Ate My Brains

Life in the Boomer Lane

Little Debbie

In the words of those who nominated me, and others before them — It is said the positive attributes of the wolf include sharp intelligence, deep connection with instincts, and an appetite for freedom. The wolf works hard, and usually works within a group, feeling connected to others. The wolf is also a social animal, and deeply connected to the earth. The black wolf in particular is also rare and beautiful.

Have a lovely Wednesday. I always spend my Wednesdays running around, pining for The Mister, wishing it was Thursday and time for Scandal and wine, but I always manage to pull through.

Another nomination, The Real Neat Blog Award, was passed on to me from Wide-eyed at Finding my Opti in this mist. Thank you, Wide-eyed!

The Rules:

1) Put the award logo on your blog.
2) Answer the questions asked by the person who nominated you.
3) Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.
4) Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.
5) Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.)

The Questions:

• If there was one moment you could get back—which would it be? Would you do it differently?
  I know I should say that I would do something differently. It’s not as though I don’t have so-called regrets, but honestly, I’m not sure I believe regrets are worth regret. You follow? It seems to me, in hindsight, the choices I made, although initially producing unpleasant results, were important things to do. Those are called consequences and they’re crucial to personal growth. In retrospect, maybe I should never have bit my tongue for two years, or built that house on undeveloped land, or trusted that old boyfriend. It took a long time to see the way it all worked out was actually perfect, and they weren’t actually mistakes. Lots of things happen because they’re (often) inevitable or (almost always) better in the long run.
• What is the one thing about yourself you’ve always liked?
  I’ve always liked my moxie.
• Advice to your future self
  Hmm. I have no idea. My advice to my tomorrow self is to work in the garden in the morning, before it gets hot. Feel free to pass that around, I think it’s solid advice.
• What is one thing you’d like to change about the present?
  Oh! Well, I’m almost out of peanut butter, bananas, Coke, and shampoo. I would like all those things to appear as if from nowhere, so that I could avoid the store!
• Favourite quote?
  No matter where you go, there you are.
• Piece of advice for young girls everywhere?
  Only ONE? Use sunscreen.
• If you could undo one of the most defining moments in human history, which would it be?
  No thank you. I would not like the power. Much like the first question, I think it all happens for a reason.

My Nominees:

Josh at My Friday Blog

Veronica at Owl Wonder

Judwina at Edwina’s Episodes

Sammy at bemuzin

Ritu at But I Smile Anyway

Hollie at My Blog is My Boyfriend

Per the usual, I am not invested in your acceptance of the award nomination, and am merely delighted to share your links (and my joy in reading them) with others.

Questions for any willing nominees:

1. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

2. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

3. What fictional character did you most identify with when you were a child?

Have a lovely…less than an hour left on Sunday…
Have a tolerable Monday. May it be kind to you.

This award nomination was passed on to me by the lovely Ritu at But I Smile Anyway…
Thank you, Ritu!

The Rules:

Thank and follow the blog that nominated you.
Tell us 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the questions that were set for you to answer.
Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them.

11 Facts About Me:

1. I think of myself as a writer, but more than any other title, I think of myself as a teacher. Teaching is natural to me, and words are my medium.

2. I’m an extremely predictable person, and I find contradictions and inconsistencies in others completely fascinating.

3. I’m an impeccable judge of character. This is often accompanied by the banal feeling of watching a train wreck or a tornado approaching.

4. I value integrity, honesty, and kindness above all.

5. I say and write the things that other people don’t because they’re polite. No one has ever accused me of being polite.

6. I like to go for a ride in the car every bit as much as my dog. Even more if there’ll be some iced coffee.

7. I always say I love you before I get off the phone. Not with customer service, but you know.

8. I’ve inherited a Not-Me ghost from my parents. The Not-Me ghost does strange things like haul my shovel to the patio, leave the 1/4 measuring cup in the cocoa powder, and steal all my pens.

9. I have a favorite child, and that favorite changes every day, moment to moment, on accounta which are acting as though they have some fucking sense in their heads.

10. I like those bright green flowers that look like dandelions or pompoms. The ones that often come in arrangements? Anyone know the name of those? They’re so cheerful!

ooh, last of my red tulips, barely hangin on

11. I sit cross-legged, Indian-style, like a pretzel, however you put it, ALL THE TIME. Sitting normally feels unbearable to me. This is awkward when dining out, especially in a skirt.

Ritu’s Questions:

1. What is the one thing you’ve always wanted to learn? I’ve always wanted to take a pastry class.

2. Have you ever had a diary? Yes, most famously, Angry Journal, circa 2003.

3. Do you like horror or comedy movies? I don’t care for horror at all, I like some comedy, but I prefer dramas.

4. What is the last song you listened to? Sassy and I just sang our hearts out to “Talula” by Tori Amos. We are proudly weird.

and I never cared too much about the
money but I know right now
honey that it’s in god’s hands
but I don’t know who the father is

5. Which is the one place you’d like to travel to? That question is too hard. Right now, here is very pretty, and I would not like to be anywhere else. After a few days in the 80’s, I might prefer Nova Scotia, Norway, Isle of Man, the arctic circle…

6. Why do you like to blog and what do you love the most to write about? I dunno. It serves me well. I gotta write. I like to write about whatever strikes my fancy. Maybe that’s the great thing about blogging, you can write about whatever, whenever.

7. Who is your inspiration? For what? For who I am? An imaginary woman who is the culmination of all the best of all the women I’ve ever valued?

8. If you had to choose between money or love, what would you? Love. Always love. I’ve chosen love over money a few times in my life. Money is always in flux. Love is constant.

9. What is the one thing you cannot live without? I always laugh at this question. Air? Water? My brain? Gah, I dunno. I really like beverages, the internet, lip gloss, Flonase, fruit…

10. What is the one thing you have to have in your purse? I have a key fob that stores all my identification and my money cards. It is my thing. It’s the perfect thing, unless you lose it, which I have not, because I am obsessive compulsive about it. *knocks wood* (and maybe superstitious)

11. What was the first thing that came up in your mind when you saw you were nominated here? Oh goody. I cannot wait for all the hyperlinks.

My Nominees:

But first, a short rant about award nominations. Accepting awards takes a really long time. Just getting the freakin links for eleven blogs takes a long time. Thinkin of things to tell about yourself takes a long time. Pinging everyone with your nomination takes a long time. Copy and Paste FOREVER, mk? Widgets, y’all.

Some people don’t accept awards. I follow 369 people, I can’t remember who doesn’t accept awards. If I’ve nominated you for an award and you don’t accept them, PARDON THE HELL OUT OF ME. Some people are too busy to accept. Some people think it’s cliquey. Some people act like you’ve sent them a chain letter, like their dog will die if they don’t nominate more people to accept an award. How dare you burden them with the task! But then, some of those same people wonder why they don’t have more readers, or why they don’t feel the sense of community…well, DUH.
I don’t give a damn if you accept the awards. You do not owe me an explanation. I will not notice if you don’t accept. I like your writing and I am happy to share your words with others.
I’m just glad someone thought of me.
That’s really nice, to be thought of.

Fellow bloggers thought of me six times during the month of April, and I appreciate all of them.

Lisa

IdiotWriter

Fondly Elizabeth

John

christinarose

Prajakta

Isabella

Nortina

Jewels

Mimi

Megan

My questions?

1. What’s your favorite ice cream?
2. What are you drinking?
3. Read any good books lately?
4. Seen any good films lately?
5. How’s your weather?
6. Had any interesting dreams here of late?
7. What’s ailin ya?
8. Do you know The Muffin Man, The Way to San Jose, or what I mean?
9. If you had to choose, would you rather be a cat or a dog?
10. What kind of fries do you like?
11. Do you think five questions would be more than enough?

I have things to do now. I’ll be pingin later. If you get to me first, thanks for saving me the trip. *winks*