“The Nominees Are…” and other random flocculate

I have no idea where some words come from and enter my stream of consciousness, thereby leaping from cellular thought point into usage.  Actually, the word that came to mind as I was standing at the kitchen sink making a cuppa joe was ‘floccula’ – about which I mused if that would be flocculae (nope, not a word) and then I was off to determine if such a word actually existed.   Not in English, no.  In Italian, maybe; although my preference was ‘flocculi’ in Italian which means ‘flakes’.  I’m pretty flaky most days!   I settled on flocculate, which is in noun form, “something that has formed lumpy or fluffy masses”.  I liked it and that’s why it is in the header. Perhaps you, by reading, have learned a new word today.  Or, maybe you think I’m quite the weird one.   Might even be both, who can tell?  🙂

Sunshine Blogger Award

In coming up with nominees to bestow the “Sunshine Blogger Award” I tried to do research on the origin and meaning of the award. There are other folks who do the same thing, and I found their blog post about nerdy attempts to track down the award origin and immediately felt a kinship with this blogger.  Perhaps I’m not such a weirdo after all; there are at least two people that have similar thought processes!  Her research  yielded the following quote from back in 2010 on someone else’s blog:  One is supposed to acknowledge fellow “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.”  There is a word that didn’t even exist prior to my lifetime – blogosphere.   The oldest links that I could find were to Counting Coconuts and Delishhh

Here are the 11 Questions for those who choose to accept the nomination.

11 Questions

1. What is the first thing you do as soon as you wake up in the morning?

2. What is your greatest fear? 

3. Do you have a new years resolution for 2014? 

4. What is your favorite song at the moment?

5. What is your favorite childhood memory?

6. Facebook or Twitter? 

7. What did the last text message you received say?

8. What bugs you the most?

9. What do you consider to be the most important appliance in your house? 

10. If you could have one song that would play whenever you entered a room, what would it be?

11. What’s your favorite movie quote?

Without further ado,  the Sunshine Award nominees are:

1. that cynking feeling

Since I came upon this blog while doing research, it gets one of the nominations.  She blogs about her son’s autism and the path that has taken the family, about her bouts with depression, and the reality of life.  I like it.  I like real people, real things, real dealings.   I have no connection with this person other than stumbling upon the blog while researching the award origin.  She’s won it before a few years back, and the requirements of the 11 Questions, 11 Random Facts and 11 Nominees were only limited to five back then.  I hope she forgives me for the increase in requirements (Pssst, I didn’t make them, I’m just following them).

2. You’re Dreamin’ Girl

I fully confess that this blogger is one person that actually *knows* me in the real live world and still puts up with me!  I have watched her writing and photography skills blossom beautifully over the years, and she truly offers positive and creative inspiration with her art.  She’s also an amazing wife, mother and friend.

3. Lesley Carter @ Bucket List Publications

Lesley has a huge readership.  But every time I read her blog, it feels like a one-on-one engagement.  Her  posts often make me think about things in a different light.  Her zest for life is infectious and she goes far beyond ‘Carpe diem’!

4. Valeriu DG Barbu

Valeriu writes poetry in three languages: English, Italian and Romanian.  That is inspiring enough right there!  But there is more in his poetic translations somehow, that sharply brings into focus certain things.  Often his words bounce around in my brain during the rest of the day.

5. The Mirror Obscura

Great poetic writing, insights related to writing, creativity, reading, and great eye for paired photography  that sets the tenor so often for the poetry  – all in one place.   K. A. Brace inspires deeper thought on creativity and the path and place of it going forward, both in his personal writings and by his sharing of items of interest in the literary world.

6. Christian Mihai

Christian writes often about the struggles to create, to be a writer, to find ones voice.  Many times in his work, I find an echo of my own inner voice, traces of my own thoughts.  He rises repeatedly from side roads and speed bumps  to return to write, and that encourages me to continue on my own path.

7. Jason @ Harsh Reality

Jason runs a few blogs, all of them interesting and good reads.  I enjoy his mental processes quite a bit, and his background on his adoption is inspiring. The realism in his blogs is palpable.  His active interaction with his readers is what often catches my eye.  I wonder when or if he actually sleeps…

8. Of Fries and Men

This is just a fun and realistic blog that I enjoy, bringing humor and lightness into the painful arena of dating. The creative combination of Fries and Men is genius to me.  She gives me an insight on dating,  which has  changed greatly while I was in my cloistered married life prior to widowhood.  Great humor and attitude!

9. Vic Briggs

Another energizing writer/poet that I enjoy and find inspiring.  Her real life stories are also brave and insights on current events offer a fresh perspective.  Stimulates thought.

10. Brenda Knowles

The blog that I have read the longest so far.  Brenda has truly opened up a space for introverted types on the ‘net, and her self-revelations are always inspiring.  Her voice is one I always look forward to.  She is one of the writers that actually played a part in my return to writing.

11. T. K. Coleman

T. K. Coleman is also another blogger that I have followed for some time.  Part poet, part philosopher and speaker of truth in various forms, he is always actively creating, and along with Brenda, is part of the reason that I returned to writing again after such a dearth.

You may notice that many of these bloggers are quite ahead of my skill level.  Some of them may not even accept this award as it might interrupt the flow of their more professional blogdoms – and that is perfectly understandable.  At least by the awarding, they will know that they provide inspiration to others on a regular basis.  They will know that their words are read and often pondered.  The ‘like’ buttons and follows are some indications, this is true.  Comments are always good.  But most of the people that I have listed here are more than just a random like, tit-for-tat interactivity.  They show themselves, their thoughts, their perspectives.  They reveal cracks in their armor, and show a bit of what runs beneath the skin of themselves, and for that I thank them.

When I thought of having to nominate eleven bloggers, I was intimidated.  Some of these people I have on bookmarks in my Chrome favorites and had never clicked ‘Follow’!  I have a folder labeled “Blogs that I like” and that is how I access many of these folks.  And there are many other blogs that I read that are quality offerings, interesting and diverse in their own rights.  Some are recent introductions, others I’ve followed a while.  But the goal was to identify those positive and creative folks in the realm.

It took me some time to sort and read many of the current blogs to decide on the nominees.  I spent most of the day after girl chat catch up reading, both online, and in a real live book in my hands (shocker, I know).  It has been a day of reflection and sitting down with great minds, examining their thoughts, dreams and desires.  Now, as the rain begins to fall again, I’d like to thank these bloggers for their inspiration, their skill, and the admittance that they allow us into the recesses of their thoughts.  Today we have access to both the great thinkers of ancient times and also fresh, new lively voices; access to more information and data possibly than ever before.  It is daunting sometimes, the amount of information at our fingertips, at least it is to me.

To close with a favorite quote of mine about writing, located in the Introduction section of “The Norton Book of Women’s Lives”, penned by Phyllis Rose:

“We should never forget that writers confront their own thoughts usually in their own homes, in rooms by themselves, struggling, whether alone or in collaboration, to bring their own vision of their lives into being for other people.”

This is what we do.

~SE