Sunshine Award(s) Nomination(s)

I’d like to thank Jesselyn at Every Little Things Gonna Be Alright and Alexis at My Silver Lining for both nominating me for a Sunshine Award–this really shows how sweet and positive they both are, looking for the good in what I write, because I actually b*tch and moan a lot, but they are nice ladies and they wanted to make me feel good (even though I don’t deserve it) so thank you ladies! Sorry I didn’t respond promptly Jesselyn, but hey, since I took so damn long now I have TWO nominations! Woohoo!

Jesselyn’s Questions:

• What is your deepest fear? How bout “most irrational fear”. I actually acquired horrible anxiety about plane flights 3 years ago, and every time I fly I pray “please God, just let me live to have a baby, and then after that if I have to die in a plane crash then please make sure my baby isn’t with me when that happens.” I don’t fly without a fistful of Valium.
• If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it? Terribly ordinary stuff, like paying off my student loans and buying my dream home. But also, I am vain and I would set aside a chunk for cosmetic procedures–not in the interest of perfection, but in the interest of preservation.
• Why do you blog? Because you guys listen to me and we relate to each other and I learn stuff and I share stuff that might help other people. Basically: Sharing & Caring.
• If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? My Mom (who passed away 6/2/09 of Breast/Lung Cancer)
• When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A rock star! I loved to sing and I used to be pretty good.
• What is a meal from childhood that you crave? My tastes have totally changed, but for sentimental reasons I’d say mickey mouse pancakes with chocolate chips would be my #1 choice.
• Name 3 of your weirdest quirks. Um…uh…well, I like to give people nicknames using their names (I want to give my kids names that can be shortened to cool nicknames) and I have always done this since I was a kid. Erm…I’m very flexible: I can do the “American” splits on both sides and (thanks to Bikram yoga) I did once touch my forehead to my toes (I’m totally out-of-practice now though). And…I guess…I bite my nails when I’m nervous? That’s the best I got off the top of my head.
• What quality of your hero do you wish you had? Invincibility, duh.
• What is the one thing that can always make you smile when you feel really sad? My cat.
• What kind of candy describes you and why? Chocolate. Cuz e’rybody loves it (and if you don’t then you suck and nobody cares what you think).

Alexis’ Questions:

1) Who or what inspires you? People helping others when no one is watching and they get nothing out of it (except the satisfaction of being a good human being).

2) What did you want to be when you grew up? How close did you get? I wanted to be a pop star or actress (famous). I’ve had a few moments in the limelight but I’m not famous. However, I also loved to write and I wanted to be an author. I’m dipping my proverbial “toe in the water” with this blog, but I intend to be published someday. And I’ve always wanted to be a Mom…

3) Best vacation and dream vacation (if you haven’t already been)? I would say this trip I took to Puerto Rico when I was 20 years old. It was a trip with my ‘psychology of ecology’ class (score! college credit + parents were happy to pay for it)….it was just incredible…hiking through the rainforest…going down a natural water slide…drinking underage…oh–and we were there for the turn of the millennium! I had always wanted to travel and it was my first taste of adventure. Dream vacation? Well, I want to visit a friend’s family who lives in Tanzania–I want to travel the whole wide world, but I’ve always felt like Africa was “it” for me and my friends there are very dear to my heart.

4) Favorite food you get at the fair? (Yeah I’m country   and love going to fairs for the food!) Hmmm…well, I’d have to say those warm sugary spiced nuts–I got some of those at the Pumpkin Festival this year–they give me “warm fuzzies”.

5) What’s your Silver Lining for the day? Today? Well, I just had a really healthy bowel movement, and for me, that can really make-or-break my day, so hooray for healthy poop!

6) Favoriate TV show?? I have begun to watch an embarrassing amount of television in the last year (being sick and alone a lot). I am a fan of the BRAVO network, particularly the RHW series (particularly Atlanta and the OC). I watch a lotta HGTV (Property Brothers, how cute are they?!) and the Food Network (Pioneer Woman–I’m rather devastated that they axed Paula Deen).

7) What US state or world capital would you like to visit? I would like to visit a lot of them. I haven’t been to Washington, D.C. so that is on the list.

8) What would you do if you could go back to being 18 years old? Appreciate my Mother more. I was such a punkass.

9) All time favorite movie and why?? Tough one. It’s almost unfair, really. I’ll give you several:

“The Neverending Story” (the original): because I had a wild imagination and loved to read as a kid, and I love the characters.

“Steel Magnolias” (the original): because I watched it with my Mom and sister; because it’s funny and sad and all the actresses are phenomenal.

“Little Women”: because I love period films; because I identify with Jo March; because it reminds me of my childhood; because my Mother loved it.

“The Brave Little Toaster”: because I’ve watched it like a million times, and my Mom always loved it too.

Anything Disney: because they remind me of my childhood and the music is always top-notch.

10) Favorite dessert? I freaking LOVE dessert! I LOVE to bake. There’s not just one. But I will say, that I am looking forward to making some (gluten-free) bread pudding with a bourbon sauce sometime soon. I made some (gluten-free) pumpkin chocolate chip muffins this weekend and they are to die for. I used this Breads from Anna mix and Ghirardelli chocolate chips (1 cup semi-sweet and one cup milk chocolate)–believe me these chips are far superior to other brands and you can find them in any grocery store in the US.

Ok, that’s it for the questions. Thank you ladies again for the nominations. I do not know of 10 bloggers who have not been nominated (if I’ve neglected anyone then I apologize), but here’s some ladies who definitely do deserve a Sunshine Award:

1. Merlion in Holland

2. A Bride’s Blog

3. Bruised Banana, Sad Bunny

4. Steph Mignon (an experienced blogger who probly already has this award, but she is my sunshine IRL, and the reason I started to blog in the first place)

 

And here are my questions for you ladies (stolen from my good friend Calm Persistence):
1. Why do you Blog?
2. What are you most proud of?
3. What is one thing you want to learn how to do?
4. If you could have any super power, what would it be?
5. What is your best piece of advice?
6. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
7. What is your favorite season? Why?
8. What is your all time favorite meal?
9. What is your favorite song?
10. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?