Super Sweet Blogging Award

Posted on by Dwayne

Wow, what an honour, I’ve been nominated for the “Super Sweet Blogging Award. How cool is that?

When I logged in and saw the comment from Kukileaf saying she nominated me for this award I was very surprised, and pleased. Thank you again. I have been nominated for other awards but it’s always nice to be recognized.

To accept the award I have to do five things:

  1. Thank the nominator for nominating me. For sure, thanks!
  2. Answer the 5 Super Sweet questions
  3. Include the Super Sweet logo in this post. You’ll see it below.
  4. Nominate a baker’s dozen other bloggers for this award. I wasn’t sure what a “baker’s dozen” is, had to look it up. LOL
  5. Notify my nominees on their blogs

1. Thanks 

Thank you kukileaf, I hope I can live up to the honour.

2. Here are the Super Sweet questions:

  1. Cookies or Cake??? – What? I have to pick? Well I’d probably say cookies. I do like my cake but cookies are fast, easily munched with one hand, and can be transported more easily.
  2. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate, definately chocolate!
  3. Favorite Sweet Treat? Probably one of my wife’s chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Her Mom’s were yummy too, all in a league by themselves.
  4. When Do You Crave Sweets?  Mostly at night, the worst time of course.
  5. Sweet Nickname?  Not sure if this is mine, or the cookies. A cookie nickname would be just “munchies”. Mine has just been “Ski” for a number of years.

3. Super Sweet Logo

Super Sweet Blogging Award
Super Sweet Blogging Award

4. Now for my 13 nominees:

5. On to notify my nominees.

There are a lot of great blogs out there, making the choice was a challenge. In the end I looked for those that exhibited some optimism and a general positive feeling. Good for all of you!

Inspiration from Others

Posted on by Dwayne
"Writing", 22 November 2008
“Writing”, 22 November 2008 (Photo credit: dr_ed_needs_a_bicycle)

Inspiration can can come from many sources, whether it’s the beauty of an scene outside your window or the heartfelt comments of a friend or loved one. In my case it’s more the latter with both sources, friend and family, having a part.

My mother should get highest honors in that arena having written 2 books so far and working on her 3rd. She has sent me her rough texts to read and in the process I’ve grown to have a better understanding of her and her past.  She inspires me.

My friend is an additional source having started her own blog. She has a knack for the art and although she’s only posted a few times I see a maturity and openness in her posts that give me hope for mine.  She is a single mother and I’m awed with her energy.

All we can hope for is to reach others through our written word.  It’s not the inspiration that challenges me, I often have that.  The ideas are there, I’ve only to tap into them.  It’s the dedication and determination to create another post, something that will strike a chord with others.  Whether it’s the time I don’t seem to have or the energy that’s evaporated from my life I’ve become stuck again.  I tell myself that retirement will cure that problem, that it will alleviate the stress that demotivates me and provide me with the time and energy that will move my writing forward.  I’m optimistic, and in the end isn’t optimism part of the solution?

So I will keep posting, on a frequency that works for me now.  In the upcoming months I hope to have more time and with a little luck and continued inspiration perhaps I’ll pick up the pace.  I read somewhere that typically blogs will die within one month, that the blogger will run out of steam or enthusiasm and the posts will cease.  I hope that will not be the case with me. It’s been just short of a year and I see no end in sight.  I’ll keep you “posted”.

Feelin’ pretty good

Posted on by Dwayne

I feel pretty upbeat this morning, better than many mornings lately.  Not that I have felt poorly just not as “up” as today.  The trick now will be to determine why, if there’s an external reason or if it’s strictly a function of meds operating on my body.  Gloria (my therapist) has said many times that I will have good days and some not so good and one of the benefits of journaling is that I can refer back and see progress, comparing with those days when things were not as good and I was less “up”.  It seems to me that there is a subtle distinction between most good and not as good days.

Doing a little armchair psychoanalysis would lead me to believe that part of the reason is that I was active yesterday, mowing the lawns and otherwise puttering around outside.  The “outside” part may be significant as well, getting more sun will elevate many peoples moods, I believe an increase in the uptake of vitamin D is one factor.  I have been suffering (another word I dislike) from SAD for a number of years that I’m aware, who knows how long before that.  I had been extremely lethargic during our winters, craving sweets and just generally blah feeling.  I purchased a SAD light and that has helped immensely.  During summer hours and/or if I get lots of sunlight my mood improves and the symptoms go away for all intents and purposes.

Another possible reason for the mood lift is my reading, perhaps even the types of books I’ve been reading.  Currently I’m reading a book on Procrastination, How and Why, and How to Fix.  That’s not the exact title and I’ll post it separately.  Essentially I think there’s a coorelation with (and it just struck me as possible) between exercise, both body and mind, and my mood.  Things that make you go Hmmm…..

I know that when I read non-fiction, self help books or motivational books etc. that I wish to post more, to get my thoughts down on paper as it were, but the posting also interferes with my train of thought and my focus on whatever book I’m reading.  I’ve tried to post from my phone, which is marginally more convenient, but I’ve yet to come up with the best combination of reading and note taking. (as an aside, note taking for the purposes of blogging is a bit easier on the phone in that the autocorrect and auto punctuation can speed things up)

Anyway bottom line is keep fit, physically and mentally.  And Dwayne, by the way, Don’t Procrastinate.