Sunshine Blogger Award

And the award goes to…….those who are creative, positive, and inspiring, while spreading sunshine to the blogging community and, apparently, that includes me! I am chuffed to little mintballs!! A big shout out and a huge thank you to Word Hunter who kindly nominated me for the award and set a bunch of questions that I found surprisingly difficult to answer. Of course that could be because I’m still suffering from the plague a cold but enough playing for sympathy (if you could just pass the tissues and a hot toddy would be lovely, thanks) let’s get on with the rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog

Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you

Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions

List the rules and display The Sunshine Blogger Away logo in your post or on your blog

So, off we go, here are the questions that were put to me:

1. What inspired you to start blogging?

Quite simply I needed something that would help me fill a void in my life.

2. What is your favourite book/ books?

Difficult to narrow it down but I suppose the ones I have read repeatedly are The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory (I find Henry VIII fascinating despite his proclivity for offing wives), the Harry Potter books, anything by Terry Pratchett, Weaveworld by Clive Barker……OK I’m going to stop there otherwise I’ll be here all day!

3. How do you gather ideas for your blog?

I feel that I should be explaining a ‘process’ here but, to be honest, I don’t have one; random thoughts pop into my head (often when I’m in the shower) and, after a bit of fiddling about, they end up on my blog. Occasionally I’ll read something in the paper that inspires me to write but I find the news too bloody depressing these days to use it for ‘inspiration’ very often.

4. What an ideal day like to you?

Honestly? One spent with my husband but as that’s no longer possible I’m going to say one where I wake up……..

5. Who inspired you the most?

My brother. He has achieved everything that he set out to achieve because he has absolute focus (whereas I have the attention span on a gnat)

6. If you could have any super power, what would you choose?

I’ve been asked this before and I think I said ‘the power to make people laugh’ but I;m going to change that to ‘the power to give people inner peace’. Sorry if that sounds a bit hippy, new agey but I think that’s what most people really hope for……..it’s certainly what I hope for anyway.

7. What is most important to you while writing?

Om. Sounds bizarre I know but I always have an Om chant playing on Youtube whilst I’m writing, it helps me concentrate

8. Do you enjoy poetry?

I do yes.

9. Which kind of poems do you like?

Those that move me in some way

10. Do you have a favourite poem? Which one?

This one by Stevie Smith, it’s called Not Waving But Drowning:

Nobody heard him, the dead man,   

But still he lay moaning:

I was much further out than you thought   

And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he’s dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,   

They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always   

(Still the dead one lay moaning)   

I was much too far out all my life   

And not waving but drowning.

11. What is the One thing you value the most in your life?

The fact that I have one.

Right, now I have to come up with 11 questions and 11 bloggers to nominate so, in no particular order, here are my nominations – drum roll please…..

1. Darren because he is a genuine ray of sunshine in the WP world
2. Wendi who does so much for others even though she suffers herself
3. Billy who has his fair share of struggles but still keeps his wonderful sense of humour
4. Tom, a genuinely great bloke who’s just been through a tough time
5. Brian who is absolutely hilarious
6. Matt, not because he is a bringer of sunshine exactly but because I think he’s a creative genius
7. Lorraine who finds light in the darkness
8. Dr Perry who always motivates and inspires
9. Andrea who makes me chuckle
10. John whose quirky little posts bring a smile
11. Mike because I love his writing

Right, now I need to think of some questions………..here you go:

1. What’s the thing that you like most about yourself?
2. Do you have any little oddities?
3. A million dollars or a 1000 hours of bliss? Which would you prefer?
4. Which animal do you most identify with?
5. Do you believe in fate or think we create our own destinies?
6. Which of your blog posts are you most proud of (feel free to add link)
7. It’s your last day on Earth – what will you do?
8. What’s your favourite quote and why?
9. If you had to give up one forever would it be reading or writing?
10. What’s your happiest memory?
11. Who are you?

Ok, I think I’ve covered everything. Thanks again to Word Hunter for the nomination and I look forward to reading the answers from my victims nominees in the near future.

Have a great day one and all

Lisa x