Kreative Blogger Award

Flamidwyfe gave me the Kreative Blogger Award, and I cannot thank her enough. Her life’s journey has taken many interesting turns, but most importantly–she has maintained her Dukan Diet and lost over 100 pounds! She is such an inspiration to me. Thank you, Sandi! Looking forward to the Danskin Triathlon with you and TGT next year!

Seven things about me:

1. I love the outdoors: just being. Some of my favorite things to do outside are photography, camping, walking or running with my dog, reading, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, exploring, visiting historical sites (my new favorite is Chaco Canyon, but Frijoles Canyon–Bandelier National Monument–is a VERY close second, and had been my first for 20 years), dreaming, reading, swimming, laying on my back and watching the clouds go by and listening to the wind in the trees.

2. I have completed a few Triathlons, have been active my whole life (varsity basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, track–all the things we could do as 9th grade girls back in 1979-1980s), but remain frustrated that I continue to be overweight. I am really a softball player, though: lettered in softball in college and continued playing up until a year ago. They called me Steady Eddie because I never dropped anything and never missed my mark on throws. I could hit anywhere. I played 500 games in 1989. I miss softball.

3. When we were kids, we always went camping for our vacations (or skiing in Colorado). Mostly in the West. We rarely stayed in hotels, and only ate in restaurants when we ran out of food at the end of the trip.

4. I married too young the first time around (24), and stayed with him for 17.5 mostly not happy years (no trust in the relationship because he was a gambler and a liar). I was single five years, happy as a clam the last few. Then I married the most amazing man that I had dreamed about since I was a little girl. Tall, dark, handsome, and he plays the guitar (and banjo and harmonica and mandolin), and is the most talented and compassionate man I have ever met.

5. My favorite colors as a kid were green and blue. Now, add pink and purple.

6. I got into blogging two years ago for the sole purpose of keeping my family (siblings) informed about my Dad’s slipping condition (http://yakkergirl.wordpress.com/category/dad/). I don’t know whether to remove that site now, or leave it up. Either way, I’m converting some of it into a book on Alzheimer’s.

7. I am a historian, author, and photographer. I love my life.

Seven nominees:

1. I really appreciate VegasTriGirl’s honesty and courage to go after her Triathlon dreams! http://vegastrigirl.wordpress.com/

2. I am really motivated by this guy’s post at http://swimcyclerun2012.com/

3. I’ve enjoyed the journey of http://iwanttobeatriathlete.wordpress.com/, who recently changed her blog’s name to I AM a Triathlete! You go girl!

4. Although he’s been quiet of late, I really enjoy the artistic talent of http://natefakes.wordpress.com/ and hope that you will all stop by and help him with his endeavor: cartoon drawings of your pets!

5. I also have really enjoyed the imagery and words of Bill Chance over at http://billchance.org/. Do yourselves a favor and read his posts.

6.This man has amazing talent and I love that he’s in Norway–where my uncle Alf Eik lived up through the 1940s (he fought in the resistance as a young teenager). http://bentehaarstad.wordpress.com/ BEAUTIFUL photography, and I learn something every single time.

7. And wow, if you want motivation, read this man’s posts at http://runningforreachout.wordpress.com/

There are so many amazing bloggers out there (fitrecovery.wordpress.com, trigrandmatry.wordpress.com, theblondecoyote.com)–but they’ve probably already won these awards. If you have not–YOU are nominated, too.

Thank you, Flamidwyfe, for nominating me. YOU are my inspiration, too!

Oh my goodness, I have forgotten one that shakes me to my core: http://secretlifeofamanhattancallgirl.wordpress.com/. I teach women’s history (among other things) and often use the diaries or journals of prostitutes. This blog, and the whole movement, blew me away.