and I’ve just been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by James from A Tolkienist’s Perspective. Thank you, James!
Now, granted, I’ve been spending my time not in Florida, and there hasn’t been too much sun here lately. But I like to think we bloggers are people who give a bit of sun- both positivity and perspective- in each other’s and other readers’ lives.
I usually do the things the blog award rules tell me to do of my own accord, so it’s not a big deal to follow them. Rule following comes naturally to me…maybe that’s why I get along so well with the Germans–though I did get muttered at yesterday by an older guy about riding my bike on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the road. *Sigh.*
The rules:
– Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
– Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
– Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
– List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
So check, check… okay. I love the questions James asked, so here goes.
- What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
Depends on which shelf we’re talking about. I have my “dissertation shelf” and “bed-time reading” shelf. One is above my computer in my desk. The other is in my bed-room. I’ll let you guess which is which. Since both shelves have far too many books I haven’t gotten to yet, but really want to, I’ll name the two I want to get to finish first. One is Wie der Soldat das Grammofon repariert [How the Soldier Repairs the Record-Player] by a German-Bosnian writer Saša Stanišić. The other is Orality and Literacy by Walter Ong. I actually have a blog site devoted entirely to my textual pursuits, in case anyone is interested!
2. How do you motivate yourself to keep the blog up and running?
Because things keep happening in my life that I want to share with the world. One can see from the way my blog was a bit neglected while back in the US, that I make many more observations that I think are worth sharing while here in Germany versus back at home.
3. What was the most recent compliment you’ve received and savoured?
Being called a real-life-friend by two fellow bloggers. I am someone who has a pretty difficult relationship with virtual realities and social media, so knowing I’ve built a relationship with people through blogging, even if it’s only through words… means a lot to me.
4. What’s your favorite season?
Not deciding. Right now. I’m really enjoying Fall. However, in Winter I’ll love winter. Spring makes me happy and summer is amazing. Though summer in Florida is awful. I guess I can decide that.
5. What’s something that amazes you?
How all the theories in the world connect and how they all make sense to help make sense of the world, even when they seem like they should be paradoxical. Also, since this needs to be said: How far optimism can bring a person.
6. Do you have a catchphrase?
In my head I do: “it’s a bitter-sweet symphony, this life” taken from The Verve song, of course. Also, “why is the rum always gone?” mostly because I never seem to have any in the abode when I’d like some. That’s probably a good thing.
7. What do you like to do on a rainy day?
Watch how the rain falls and figure out how to get my run in anyway. Or ignore my laundry. Or read a good book.
8. What’s your all-time favourite town or city? Why?
Don’t have one. But I really like Berlin… though that may just be because I’ve crossed an ocean to get here and done a lot of work to be able to stay here. And it’s just pretty cool. But I also believe any space where people have settled and created lives is worth exploring!
9. Where would you like to be in blogging five years from now?
Still blogging is the obvious answer. Still have readers is another… a few more readers, maybe.
10. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Since I don’t eat ice cream anymore (story for another day), I don’t have a current one. My favorite flavor used to be peppermint with dark chocolate chips. I called it Wicked ice cream.
11. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?
Right now, it would be Jame Joyce. Nah, it would probably always be James Joyce. But maybe I think I’d be having dinner with Harold Bloom? Actually, I would like dinner with Ralph Ellison.
Now, I would also like to nominate these blogs for this sunny award:
- A Pilgrim in Narnia (ha! Double nomination! but it just so happens you’re on both my and James’ radar!)
- Never a Dull Bling
- 50 in 50 Marathon Quest
- running in t shirt
- Slow Runner Girl
- Fit Recovery
- Mice Notes
- Pip in Motion
- Simply Aging
- Writing By Ender
- Jane Runs Wild
Dear authors, if you would like to accept the nomination, please answer my kind of carefully thought out questions:
- What do you associate the word “sunshine” with?
- Do you have an analog planner/agenda/calendar? Or is it all on a digital device? Or do you just not have something like this?
- Do you think you could live abroad for a year in a foreign country where you kind of knew the language, but just barely? I’ve been thinking about this one myself lately. Honestly, I don’t know if I could!
- Do you set apart a certain time each day for a specific activity? What activity?
- What motivates you to keep blogging?
- What is the primary feeling or “thing” that you associate Fall with?
- Do you have a particular scene that runs through your mind at a given moment? For example, when James explains what got him started blogging, I couldn’t help but think of a certain Sherlock scene in which Anderson says: ” I founded the Empty Hearse so like-minded people could meet, discuss theories… ” 🙂
- Which do you do more: enjoy Sunday evenings or dread Monday mornings?
- What book are you currently reading?
- What was the last country you traveled to?
- If you had all the time and money in the world, what would you do to help “enhance” your blog? Or, alternatively, would you do nothing different?
Wanderwolf 
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