For Me?!

I won my first blog award!

Okay, so it's from a friend of mine. Still. She is a part of my sweetie's large friend group that I have adopted. We didn't know each other very well, until recently. I've been getting to know her through blogging. First by reading hers, and then through the shared experience since starting mine. She is such a shining example of how to live your life fully. Like every space full, right into the corners, and then stretching, and overflowing. Thank you for inspiring me Rita. Now on to the obligatory questions, and then I will pass it on...

Q1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy doing this? If you aren't anonymous, do you wish you started out anonymously so that you could be anonymous now? I blog anonymously. Finding safety has been a big theme in my life recently. The fact that I've been healing from PTSD, caused mostly by sexual assaults in my teenage years, is not something I'm ready to talk about with every person in my real world. Yet.

Q2. Describe an incident that shows your inner stubborn side. Which one do I pick, really? No has been a word that I've been holding onto very tightly. (I'm learning to give way much more now though).

Q3. What do you really see when you look at yourself in the mirror? I usually think that I look like a boy. Sometimes, I laugh or play in the mirror and I can see the beauty that my sweetie sees.

Q4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?

A big glass of water. Not too cold.

Q5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?

Read, draw, paint, blog, daydream.

Q6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life?

Always.

Q7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching? All of the above. It depended on the class, and my level of stimulation or frustration.

Q8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what would you see? The first couple of days after the Breakdown. Being curled up on the floor in tears, not wanting to talk or eat. Because even in that lowest moment I felt such great relief. I knew then that I would finally be able to live my life to its fullest potential. No more half living.

Q9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog, or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events? This is all me. Talking about my life and experiences out loud, so to speak, has helped me to understand myself better, and to become more comfortable in myself, and with expressing myself.

Q10. If you had the choice to sit down and read a book or talk on the phone, which would you do and why? If I've got me time, and I'm feeling social then I love to catch up with my people back east. Otherwise, I will curl up with a book and wander off.

Wow, those questions were quite soul baring!

As far as I can tell, I am to pass this award on to someone else. Well, if Rita thinks that I am strong and inspiring, then she would be completely blown away by Emily. She writes over at Broke Down Artist. Her life makes mine look like a cake walk. Challenged by severe chronic pain and a decision to give custody of her son to her ex-husband as a result, Emily stills keeps moving forward. She is a beautiful and honest writer, and an extremely talented artist. Her mixed media paintings are stunning. Emily has turned into a supportive new friend, thanks to our time spent journeying through #reverb10 together. Emily always maintains a positive tone, and reminds me that Life Is Good.