rare reality

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awards, blog awards, blogs, miscellaneous, random, rare honour, reality award, thoughts, thoughts and ideas

It’s the first of February and what a wonderful start to the month it’s been. The lovely Diane has decided to nominated me for the Reality Blog Award, and what a rare honour it is.

Diane’s blog is called hometog0232 and is a place filled with fictional tales, interesting thoughts and lots of love, a true home of an inspired writer, even if she calls herself a “writerwannabe”

Now Diane knows me well enough to tell me I don’t have to play by the rules when excepting the award, so I won’t answer the questions asked but I will nominate three wonderful blogs of my own.

But first I will give the reasons why:

They are RARE in this multitude of blogs in this expansive wordpress world.EVERYDAY I look forward to reading their posts and/or their comments on my offerings of the day. I ALWAYS learn something of feel inspired by their words and I feel LUCKY to have found them, or they me, floating around in this world wide web. These blogs are INTELLIGENT and I always feel I better after reading them, either because I have learnt something, have something to think about or my belly hurts from laughing. I enjoy their TRUTHFUL representation of what they believe and who they are, always honest and truly enjoyable. These blogs are YUMMY bites of words, whipped up into delicious slices of thoughts and ideas, sustenace for teh soul if you will.

So here are my nominees for this rare reality award:

Mr JDGallager

DianaSSchwenk and her talktodiana

CarrieRubin

And because I enjoy her company so much:

jotsfromasmallapt

awarding day

Tags

awards, blog, entertainment, friends, miscellaneous, random

Yesterday I succumbed to my visitor Mr Sneeze who turned in to Master Sniffles and his friend Miss Throat-Tickles transformed into Madam Throat-Ache. So after my few hours of teaching I swapped skirt for sweats and stress for sweet honeyed tea. But that meant my blog was put on the pile of “can wait” and my messy desk was ignored.

But the advantage of giving into being a little bit sic meant I didn’t even feel bad about it and lay around watching good-bad TV and while sipping hot beverages. It also meant I finally got around to looking at all those lovely blogs I missed and read comments I got while AWOL. And then while enjoying all the kind words, thoughts and notes the lovely Tom Lucas sent me the Reality Blog Award.

Now he did say there are a few rules, but that we can change them if we like so as I don’t play well within boundaries I think I may just do that and instead of answering the five questions asked I will explain why I am nominated the five blogs that I am:

1) Tammy always makes me smile. And what would reality be without laughs, chuckles, giggles, smiles, guffaws, chortles, sniggers and any other form of laughter there is out there? So because of the joy it spreads I am nominating Laughing at everyday Life.

2) Laura gives tips, tricks and insight into fashion, always at affordable prices and with a little extra personal spice. And my reality would be not as much fun with out a little bit of fashion to brighten up those grey or unhappy days And even though I am not a big follower of fashion but love comfort I do like to look well and love it when others style up. That is why AsTimeGoesBuy gets my nomination.

3) Anarty has a lovely blog filled with art. He posts the most incredible and very divers things and what would life be without colour, beauty and creativity. That is why I am nominating Anarty.

4) Shoes has a delightful blog filled with quirky tales of her day-to-day adventures, always funny and very real. And lets be honest what would reality be like with out or day-to-day trials and tribulations. So for her honest, humourous and loveable view on life I nominate Shoes on the wrong foot.

5) And because I can’t make up my mind I am  nominating JDGAllagher and TalktoDiana. I love reading both their blogs because they are always interesting, always different and filled with their own personalities.
So time for me to sit down and enjoy my award and reward myself with a glass of wine in front of the fire, that really is the best kind of reality!

sunny surprises

Tags

awards, blog award ireland, blog awards, entertainment, jools holland, miscellaneous, music, radom, surprises, youtube

Yesterday was filled with surprises. It started when a friend parked her car outside my front door and let me use it for the day, my shopping trip was so much easier that way, and as I drove through the sunshine I felt very loved and cared for, what a great way to start the day.

In the afternoon, as I was trawling through some lovely comments my readers let me while I was AWOL, I discovered I was nominated for several awards (more  tomorrow). But the bigger surprise was when I saw that I was shortlisted for Blog Awards Ireland in the category Best Personal Blog. I couldn’t believe it and even though I haven’t won I was thrilled to even get that far. I did a little happy dance and couldn’t help but skip around the house. And I was so thrilled when I saw that funny, clever and quirky JDGallagher is a finalist.  His post Everybody Knows The War Is Over, Everybody Knows The Good Guys Lost is up for best Blog post so go check it out. I have been following him for a while and he seems to follow me and even nominated me.

Shortlisted for Blog Awards Ireland, category Best Personal Blog

As the evening approached and I was baking for today, I have a gaggle of girlfriends coming over for high-noon tea, a very good friend sent me a text and invited me to join her and some friends to see Jools Holland and his Big Band. I love boogie, jazz, blues and all those hip swinging, twist inspiring sounds so was delighted to accept. So I spent the night clapping, swaying, singing, dancing and enjoying a plethora of amazing sounds. And for all of you who weren’t there a little taste:

So bring on today and what surprises it may hold! After all the sun is shining and that is always a good sign.

accolade a day

Tags

awards, blogging, blogs, entertainment, friends, inspiration, ups and downs, writing

It’s Friday again and this week has been a little bit all over the place for me. I didn’t get half of what I wanted to done and I have been battling against sleepless nights, tingly skin and lots of lost cause thoughts. BUT two wonderful co-bloggers haven’t seemed to notice my ups and downs this week and have bestowed me with two wonderful awards: The One Lovely Blog award and The Very Inspirational Blogger Award. Now I know there are always rules attached to such accolades but I will be the lovely me I am and I feel inspired to break a few of them.

The funny Jim Chapman gave me the The Very Inspirational Blogger Award. His lovely blog  And that makes two is full of quotes, poems, pics and descriptions of his day to day life with his small kids. It’s very funny and always a good read so check it out.

The lovely TheForgottenWife nominated me for The One Lovely Blog Award. Her very personal blog  TheForgottenWife talks about her divorce, her hopes dreams and the ups and downs when starting over. It is a great little find and I always enjoy our “online” chats.

Both these awards require you to share 7 facts about yourself and nominate 15 co-bloggers you love and want to make happy with a well deserved token of gratitude. BUT I am really not that interesting so 14 facts seems somewhat excessive and 30 nominees is , well to be honest, just so much work. So I have decided to give you 7 facts in total and nominate seven for one award and seven for  the other and one very special blogger gets both … muwhahaha (evil laugh).

Okay my 7 facts are: I love getting awards (1) but hate nominating bloggers as I always feel I forget someone (2). I love spending time with friends (3) but sometimes staying home alone is all I want to do (4). I have been telling stories all my life (5) but there was a time when I found it hard to differentiate between tales and tall tales (6). I think I may have become a little too attached to my stats and am astounded that they can make me happy and sad in equal measure. (7)

My Nominees for The One Lovely Blog Award are:  AsTimeGoesBuy, TheSubterraneanWorld , TheGoodOldGirl, TinRoofPress, TalkToDiana, Hawkhru, Amusingdays

My Nominees for The Very Inspirational Blogger Award are: AdverseUniverse, Seapunk2, JotsFromASmallApt, ReallityInProgress, BrigittesBanter, NewsOfTheTimes, TheWitContiuum

And for both (insert drum-roll here): LillandJill
So have a wonderful weekend, browse all these lovely blogs and maybe I will have some more inspiration over the weekend and my blogs will be better again 😉

leisurely awards

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awards, blogs, day dreamer, friends, lather rinse repeat, mental vacation, miscellaneous, random, thoughts, writing

Well since I am home and I have been leisurely living through the day I thought these two awards are the perfect representation of my day.

The wonderful theforgottenwife nominated me for the Day-Dreamer-Award. this beautiful award encourages us all to take some time out and let our minds wander in and out of that magical dreamworld we all carry in us.

And the rule of this award are quite simple and I love doing them:

1. Upon receipt of this award, you are to take a mental vacation for 5 minutes.  (Gaze off into space, look out of the window, have yourself a wonderful daydream….)
2. When you have returned from you daydream, you are required to take another one tomorrow.
3. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
4. Award this to 3 other people. You can only pass this award on to three (3) people.

I think I make have done the first three more than required today and will promise to keep it up, no matter what work, bosses or tie-people say.

And for rule number four  I have to really think hard as their are so many wonderful blogs I love to follow, but here you are:

As I love these girls I just can’t help myself : the wonderful comic duo in skirts, heels and stained sweatpants LilandJil

The lovely cat-loving and coffeed-up Kate as I love reading all the things she gets up to and thinks about

This beautiful blog inspires me to think in all shade, shapes and forms: Anarty

Another wonderful award was given to me  a while back but I never found the right moment to post it. And because today I think I may be turning into a potato judging by the time I have spent horizontal staring at the TV I am thanking the wonderful Katie for the lovely Couch Award. And the lovely thing about this award … NO RULES, so I’ll go back to my vegetative (or vegetable) state, count my eyes and take a nap. But because I think his brain cells need a rest i am passing this on to the weird and wacky NovoZen

perfect three

Tags

appreciated, appreciation award, awards, blog awards, bloggers, blogs, creative, creativeness, friends, love, miscellaneous, random, thoughts, writing

Another week filled with appreciation,writing and creativeness and I get three awards too boot! I can’t believe how thoughtful people are and how many seem to enjoy my little posts of random thought, ideas and sometimes rants.

The lovely EllieBloo thanked me for writing

The weird and very wonderful NovoZen called me creative (I think) 

The endearing Hawkruh appreciated me

Now most blog awards have rules and I am happy to partially abide by them, three of them to be exact. Link back to the blogger who nominated you, link to your nominees and post the award. As I have given tidbits about myself away in the past (I am really not that interesting)  and it has been quite a long day I will just ignore talking about myself or giving long accolades so here are my three times three nominees:

So check them out, enjoy getting to know them and have fun:

My 3×3 for  the Thanks for Writing Award:

The lovely Miles

Entertaining morezenow

Funny lilandjill

Readable Kate

Weirdly wonderful NovoZen

Endearing Hawkruh

Adorable RealityinProgress

Bantering Brigitte

And quirky Kinked Slinky

My 3×3 for the Kreative Blogger Award:

brilliant thesubterraneanworld

captivating newsofthetimes

Wonderful thewitcontinuum

Witty vickynewham

Fashionable katespadegirl

Interesting life@thirtysomething

Lovely circlesunderstreetlights

Big eyed ellieboo

Divers Adverse Univers

My 3×3 for the Reader Appreciation Award

The stunning AsTimeGoesBuy

Picturesque Earl

adorable greeneyedmom

varied katie

wordsmith dpbowman

inspiiring riatarded

The fabulous  Sorryiamnotsorry

Pink Suzy

Clever ailialana

sunshine and pants

Tags

awards, blogs, friends, love, loyal friend, miscellaneous, pants, random, sunshine, thoughts, writing

Well I am thrilled this week two lovely awards have been bestowed upon me and I really don’t know what to say … I suppose a big thank you is all I can do for now, just except, smile and take a bow.

The Sisterhood of the World Bloogers Award was sent to me by the very young but insightful Naima. Not only was I thrilled and very surprised but I love the look of the award too.

The are a few rules so here they go:

• Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
• Share the love and link the person who nominated you.
• Tell 7 facts about yourself.
• Nominate 7 other fabulous bloggers.
• Link your nominees to this post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

The seven facts about myself (really who wants to know?) are:

1) I am a paper and pencil kind of girl, although I do type away on my Mac all day I have a passion for all things paper.

2) I am a good cook and bake … just don’t really get the opportunity too often as am single and live on my own.

3) I am a very loyal friend and love them dearly.

4) I love walks on the beach and taking photos

5) I have tried to go to Italy four  times, it somehow never worked out but I hope I get to go this year.

5) I am a green label Lyons Tea girl

6) I always have a book I am reading, mostly carry it with me and it’s a new one every week

7) I can’t type with all 10 fingers (well properly) but I have my own six-fingered system and I am very fast.

And here are all of my nominees, check them out, enjoy getting to know them and have fun:

The lovely Miles

Entertaining morezenow

Funny lilandjill

Readable Kate

The fabulous  Sorryiamnotsorry

Pink Suzy

Interesting 400days

Adorable RealityinProgress

And because she hates having to re-post I want to give a special nomination to Gorgeous jotsfromasmallapt … check her out and love her as much as I do .. and Jots if you don’t want to don’t repost 🙂

The cheery and so weather appropriate Sunshine Award popped up in my comments early on this week and the lovely GoodOldGirl is to thank for that.  So while I get the sunblock why not have a peek at her lovely insightful and often very funny posts.

The are a few rules so here they go:

• Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
• Answer 10 questions about yourself.
• Nominate other fabulous bloggers.
• Link your nominees to this post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
• Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

1. What is a favorite childhood memory? Oh I have so many but I think the most excited I ever was when me and my sister flew for the first time on our own … I was five she was seven and the airline went on strike so instead of a direct flight from Dublin to Hamburg we went on a European  tour and got loads of gifts and attention.
2. What is a real fear you have? I think dieing old and alone, even worse in a body that doesn’t function but with an alert mind
3. How would you describe yourself? Creative, clever and a little off center 
4. What Countries have you lived in? South Africa, Ireland and Germany and then Ireland again
5. What is your style? I don’t have a style, maybe a bit arty and hippie … lose fitting and natural fabrics. love shoes but love going barefoot
6. What is your favorite breakfast food? I nee my tea, have toast or muesli most days, porridge in the winter but every now and then I love a big fry-up and fruit after
7. What are some of your hobbies? Films, reading, writing I use to paint and need to take it up again, love my friends and what ever pops into my mind
8. If you could tell people anything, what would be the most important thing to say? Always stay true to yourself and love.
9. What is one of your passions? SHOES
10. What is the one truth you have learned? It’s hard to find the right guy but so much better being on your own the with the wrong one

And here are all of my nominees, check them out, enjoy getting to know them and have fun:

thesubterraneanworld

newsofthetimes

thewitcontinuum

ailialana

vickynewham

katespadegirl

life@thirtysomething

spookysister

circlesunderstreetlights

ellieboo

passionatly pleased

Tags

awards, blogs, friends, fun, life, miscellaneous, passionate, random, thoughts, writing

The funny and very passionate Lil and Jil have decided to pass on Mr Nowan Zen new Living Passionately Award to little old me and all I can say is that I am passionately pleased about this.

Now I am not sure I live passionately every day but I am passionate about many things, sometimes this is good, sometimes bad and other times only I know about it. But I do believe whether something makes your blood boil, your heart jump, your skin tingle or your head explode feeling passionately about things is good and makes you feel alive.

Well as always there are a few rules to go with the award (so Mr Nowan Zen’s edict)

1. Take a deep breath
2. Think about who you’d like to pass this on to
3. Do something weird and out of the ordinary today
4. Post the award someplace conspicuous…..the underside of the hamper lid, inside of the lav door, at the bottom of the bird cage.

I took several deep breaths today, especially as I nearly choked o my sandwich when I read I was being nominated … so number one done.

I put on my Jimmy Choos while still in my PJs just because I wanted to feel pretty, and my feet really did … so I think that covers number three.

I posted the award underneath my desk, just in case a midget or leprechaun happens to come by … number four done too.

Now to my passionate co-bloggers who live colourful lives I love to follow

1) The Girl with the Hat

2) theforgottenwife

3) realityinprogress

4) gina

5) Ailialana

6) astimegoesbuy

i am-bidextrous

Tags

awards, blogs, friends, love, miscellaneous, opinion, random, thought, writing

The lovely Tanvi awarded me the other day and I am only getting around to sharing it now. I am thrilled as I have only been blogging six weeks, 3000+clicks, 77 followers, 42 posts and three awards later I am hooked. I have no idea how I will survive next week when I am off invading Germany and the internet will be but a memory. Happily the stint will only be for ten days so I can save up all my weird, wonderful and wacky thoughts for when I get back. So being versatile or ambidextrous if you will, is what I aim to be!

Anyway the rule is, post the award, nominate 10-15 fellow bloggers and tell your readers seven facts about yourself!

So here are my seven facts:

 

1) I love shoes, have a shoe tattoo and love trying them on when I feel low … even if my purse can’t afford my longing.

 

2) I drink way too much tea, or possibly just the right amount in my eyes. Have a huge ug on constant standby and never run out of teabags.

 

3) I enjoy dancing and singing along to ABBA when I cook and bake … “The name of the game” is my favourite.

 

4) I was born in South Africa, grew up in Ireland, moved to Germany and studied there, moved back to Ireland eight years ago and love it here in Dublin.

 

5) I love liquorice, especially the salty kind. I keep a tin of it in the kitchen and eat a little nearly every day.

 

6) I will pick savoury over sweet every time and have a real thing for cheese … the smellier the better

 

7) Have wanted to write since I was four years old, still unpublished the dream lives on

 

And my nominees are:

morezennow I just love her posts and enjoy reading her thoughts

erikchristian I enjoy reading his tales and they are so beautifully written

postitscribbles is always entertaining and very divers

girlinthehat I love her, her honesty and fearlessness

LilandJill I’ want to move in with these girls (and yes I know they’ve had it before but so what)

Snottingblack I have so much fun reading her take on the world and I always have to smile

400daystill40 following her on her journey is truly inspiring

simplysolo as a single bilingual I enjoy connecting with what she writes

Sally and her delightful treats always make my mouth water

IslandGirl is a real breath of fresh air and looks so cute in that hat

Suzy with her pinkness and creativity are just adorable

goodoldgirl is very entertaining

astimegoesby always inspiring outfits and posts

bloggerintraining bluntly honest and a good read

stylishbabe makes me wish I had long hair

There you go, 15 lovely blogs I read and love so check them out and don’t forget to like and comment on them all. We bloggers need and enjoy the attention! 🙂

let the sunshine in

Tags

awards, friends, fun, people, random, sunshine

I didn’t see it at first but lovely NotLostJustWeird nominated me for my second award … yeah me and yeah  those who are reading me … not quite a month in and I am amazed at the positive response I am getting. So go and check out Mr Weird and the truly entertaining thoughts of his sometimes lost mind.,

And there are MORE rules to follow.  So here we go:

The Sunshine Award rules:

• Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog.
• Answer 10 questions about yourself.
• Nominate 10-12 other fabulous bloggers.
• Link your nominees to this post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
• Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Here are some questions you might find interesting;

1. Favorite color? I have  a thing for green … all greens from vivid apple-green to the darkest forest green
2. Favorite animal? I think I would have liked the Dodos, just look at the drawings and you know they are a little bit stupid but so much fun
3. Favorite number? Have none, but one with 1/2 in it … always good to have that little bit extra
4. Favorite non-alcoholic drink? Tea, black tea, really strong with a drop of milk … otherwise water
5. Preferred Body Part? Have a freckle on my right foot that I enjoy
6. What Are You Passionate About? Shoes, laughing and my friends
7. What is the phrase or sentence you are least likely to hear? You are going bald
8. Favorite place? Anywhere near water, preferably the sea but a beautiful lake is also lovely
9. Favorite day of the week? Saturdays … everything and anything is possible on a  Saturday
10. Favorite flower? Love most flowers but have a thing for forget-me-nots, poppies, cornflowers and  Sunflowers … but any will brighten my day
11. If a rhinoceros is trotting across the Serengeti, and it rains while you’re standing near the river, what do crocodiles eat for dinner? crocodiles don’t do dinner, are strictly breakfast creatures

And here are my nominees … wonderful blogs I pop in on and that inspire me:

The lovely Miles

Gorgeous jotsfromasmallapt

Entertaining morezenow

Funny lilandjill

Readable Kate

The fabulous  Sorryiamnotsorry

Pink Suzy

Interesting 400days

Insightful Jen

Creative The middlest sister