Let the Sun Shine In

Sunshine Blogger Award

 

I would like to thank Nilakshi from Marakimusings for nominating me for this fun and uplifting award. She offers personal growth advice empowering her followers to be joyous, to overcome fears, and self-sabotaging behavior. Hey, we can all use a little help with our renegade thoughts, and distractive habits. MerakiMusings is here to provide tips and tricks to help one live a more creative, loved, fulfilled, abundant, and inspired life. Please stop by when you have some time.

The Sunshine Blogger is awarded to bloggers straight from the blogging community as a way of inspiring and promoting the creative work of fellow bloggers. What a joy it is to be acknowledged by ones colleagues and for goodness sakes I finally have something to brag about!

Honestly, I have met many wonderful people through the blogging community and have been deeply touched and inspired by the writing of this talented group. Please stop by and enjoy the writing of the bloggers I have nominated they are an extraordinary bunch.

Sunshine Blogger Award Rules

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blogging site.
  2. List the Sunshine Blogger Award rules and display the logo on your site.
  3. Answer the Sunshine Blogger Award questions.
  4. Nominate your favorite bloggers and ask them some new questions.
  5. Notify the nominees about their nominations.

My nominees for the Sunshine Blogger Award:

(It’s okay if you do not wish to participate, we’ll refrain from subjecting you to intense ridicule, and name-calling. That’s so 2019.)

  1. Data and Donuts by Bonny McClain
  2. Cynthia Harrison Blog by Cynthia Harrison
  3. Carrot Ranch by Charli Mills
  4. Beetleypete by Pete Johnson
  5. Pink Gazelle by Maryanne Pope
  6. Managing Grief by Elaine Mansfield
  7. Janet Given Blog by Janet Given
  8. Tuesdays with Laurie by Laurie Buchanan
  9. Your New Best Friend by Kara Post-Kennedy
  10. A Dad’s Vacation Blog by Michael Severance

My questions to answer:

  1. How different is your life compared to one year ago?
    1. Last year brought many joyful surprises, amazing travel, and a fair amount grief into my life. Two of my four children moved to new and exciting locations, daughter number two is engaged with plans to marry in 2020, and although we were fortunate to travel to Missouri, Portugal, Alaska, and Canada, grief and sorrow for my beloved brother-in-law has permeated the year, and his presence is deeply missed.
  2. Have you ever conquered a fear?
    1. Pushing my children out of the next so they can fly.
  3. How do you practice self-care, or how would you spend 1 hour if you can make for yourself every day?
    1. Every minute of my one hour would be spent at the lake, watching the birds, sipping red wine, writing in the doublewide chair by the hearth, charcuterie tray by my side, while my husband rubs my feet with essential oils. Right?
  4. Any personal anthem you may have?
    1. You can’t control what happens in this life but you can decide on the attitude with which you will encounter all things.
  5. What do you prefer, Kindle or Paperback?
    1. Always and forever paperback. I’m a textual person and love the feel of turning actual pages with my fingertips.
  6. One piece of advice to your future self?
    1. Be true unto thyself.
  7. Do you prefer a road trip or a scenic train ride?
    1. I’m a fan of road trips because it allows for unexpected stops and unique finds along the way. There is nothing more enchanting than stumbling upon an extraordinary view, some exquisite antique shop, or local restaurant with authentic cuisine and boutique wines. BooYah!
  8. What is one thing you are confident to achieve in 2020?
    1. I will watch my daughter enter into a beautiful marriage, my granddaughters will continue to blossom, and undeservedly may my writing, wrinkles, and wisdom improve.
  9. What is the one character trait you want to be remembered for?
    1. If not welcoming and kind than whatever impression was made I hope is conveniently forgotten.
  10. If you become a millionaire overnight, what would be the first thing you would do with the money?
    1. Travel (which includes a new wardrobe, fabulous restaurants, charming chalets, maybe a sports car with which to get around)!
  11. What is your greatest strength?
    1. Resilience, it comes with age, whatever comes my way I can side step if need be.

My Questions to Nominees: 

  1. Share with us a moment of genuine surprise in the last year?
  2. Explain how someone has enriched your life?
  3. What did you recently read, see, or watch that inspired a life change or new vision?
  4. What recently made you laugh out loud?
  5. What is your mantra for 2020?

 

I’m Living in the Gap, drop my anytime, we’ll compare awards 🙂

 

 

9 Comments

Leave a Comment

  2. Thanks for nominating me, Cheryl.
    I don’t pass on blog awards, but will happily answer your questions here.

    1) I was surprised to be contacted by someone I hadn’t heard from in a very long time.
    2) A teacher at my school enriched my life by believing in me and encouraging me to write. He became a lifelong friend to me and my family, and before he died I was able to tell him how important that belief in me was.
    3) To be honest I have no new vision or plans to change my life. I would be happy just to have a better year than 2019.
    4) I laughed out loud watching a female comedian on a TV special two days ago.
    5) To try to get through the year with no (or less) stress.

    Best wishes, and happy new year. 🙂
    Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Hi Cheryl
    Thanks for the nomination. I have been called many things, but a Sunshine Blogger or Sunshine anything else is not one of them. As a Severance, we tend to look at the least positive outcome possible. When I see a deer in the field, I wonder how it will leap in front of my car. I don’t think of the glass as half full or half empty, but rather cracked. As far as my blogging, I use it as a way to remember past trips, while satisfying a writing “Jones” so to speak. Thankfully I have been able to satisfy that Jones by occasionally posting on your blog when you inspire me.
    I will answer your questions at the risk of total humiliation.
    1. Last year was great. My family is doing well on all fronts. I enjoyed work though it remains stressful and hard. The main difference is as Pink Floyd stated “Another year older and another year closer to death.”
    2. Have I ever conquered fear? Every single day (conquered is the wrong word, rather temporarily overcome.)
    3. Stretching my left shoulder (not very glamourous.)
    4. Personal Anthem: Well, Neil Pert recently passed away, so words I chose to live by
    Something for Nothing
    5. Kindle vs Paperback? Ultra-complex question which delves into human nature. On the surface I totally prefer paperback. However, …. give me convenience. Pro’s: The Kindle library is instantly available, green, no storage issues. Cons: Kindle is not comfort food for the soul. Requires a power source, and is not something that can be counted on in our doomed off grid future existence. Imagine if Socrates had written his philosophy in digital format. Where would we be now? I guess if it is really important, then paperback is critical.
    6. Don’t sweat it. We are all just dust in the wind.
    7. Road trip vs train ride? Dad would take the train ride, but for me, life is meant to live and is a participation event. So, road trip!
    8. Confident to achieve? Nothing.
    9. Being nice/kind/generous.
    10. Pay taxes and then lament that 1 million doesn’t go as far as it used to One Million Dollars!.
    11. I am relentless.
    The questions…
    1. Genuine surprise: The Niners won 13 games.
    2. How has someone enriched my life? My teachers and professors, for guiding my education. My wife and mother-in-law, for teaching me how to look for the best in people, and my kids, for showing me that the total (them) is greater than what went into them (Gail and myself.)
    3. What inspired a life change? Seeing the obituaries of so many icons from my age. (Ric Ocasek, Eddie Money, Patches O’ Houlihan and Valerie Beauregarde) Don’t put off for a future that may never come. Live and love today.
    4. What made me laugh out loud? Your blog…., and seeing Jerry Seinfeld.
    5. My mantra for 2020? You only get 1 bite of the apple. And of course
    keep on the sunnyside.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Congratulations Sunshine Blogger! Love your answers and bravo for getting through all of the questions. Using my incredible summation skills you seem focused on the aging process in a few of your responses or should I say the speed of the aging process? Oddly this has been a focus of mine lately and I suppose many of us who have tipped back five decades or so feel the drudgery of the aging process. I think we have to ask ourselves “What would Gail say?” She seems to have a grip on the positive aspects of life whereas I’m always tangled up with the ball and chain of the negative. So here’s the deal, we need to cling like lint in a dryer to the good stuff: I have great people in my life, the grandkids rock, I love this crazy fun life, I don’t have to pay for hair coloring, I have the time and money to travel, there is not a 6 in my age yet, I’m dumping the scale, and cooking with more butter, even so my husband still chases me around the kitchen, and my dog is adorable. If we only get one bite of the apple lets make it a big one! Thanks Mike, I enjoyed reading your responses.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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