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What a lovely thing!   The pleasure of peer recognition, for doing something which in itself is a pleasure – double the joy.

Of course, there’s also a double-whammy effect:  the delight of the award, being followed by a sudden sense of responsibility – what about that to-do-list of blog-improvements?   In order to be really worthy, shouldn’t I quickly put those in place before accepting the One Lovely Blog Award?

Well, my natural pleasure-seeking impulse has pushed my inherited sense of duty aside:  I’m just accepting with pleasure, and passing it on in that ever-widening set of ripples.

“The Rules” say that I must

  • “Thank the blogger who nominated you with a link.
  • Copy and paste the award logo to your blog.
  • Share seven things about yourself.
  • Nominate 5 other bloggers for the award and notify them.”

So – thank you again Karin, http://karinwiberg.wordpress.com/ for the nomination.   Karin’s blog is an artful combination of reflections in poetry and prose, which makes the award all the nicer.

Now – the seven things….   It’s quite an existential question. Who am I  – who do I choose to be – at this particular time?   I thought about seven little whimsies – bird-watcher, cat-chaser, ukelele-learner etc.  I’m reading an extraordinary book at the moment, which is full of lists. I could borrow that style….   But I settled on one version of reality.

Seven things about me – in no particular order.

  1. I live half a year in Switzerland (my partner’s birth-country) and half in New Zealand, which we both call “really home”. The language Swiss-German has not just come naturally – bother!
  2. I’m practising being retired –  how did I ever have time for a corporate and business life?
  3. My careers have been in writing, in people stuff, in strategic stuff, in business stuff, and organisational stuff – and all were most-of-the-time stimulating and doing things that mattered, and occasionally scary.
  4. In NZ we live in a retirement village (of course I’m too young…),  which has hugely improved my opinion of (most!) older people. Our friends and neighbours are funny, engaged in heaps of things, care for their community, and have the most fascinating life stories – but only when you ask.
  5. I have 4 brothers and sisters, who, while I’m currently lolling in the deck-chair in Switzerland, are taking the load over our 93-year old father’s health. I’m so grateful.
  6. Music matters.  I sing, play the piano, have a cello that’s waiting for more time, am loving playing the ukelele with a mad group, and am an enthusiastic audience at whatever I can get to.
  7. My guilty pile includes:  piles of notes for book reviews; notes for blogs; photos and videos needing to be compiled to DVD, sketches for paintings etc etc…. but when the sun shines I’d rather be outside, biking, swimming, and lounging in aforesaid deck-chair reading more stuff I really want to review…..

And an eighth, just because it’s my list so I can …  I miss my NZ friends: you know who you are.

Now – to pass on the pleasure….

 I’ve nominated

http://anartyblog.com/

Three great takes on art and craft:  other people’s stuff; her own; clever crafty gift ideas.

http://texanaskitchen.com/

So awarded she mightn’t even notice another  –  but such witty writing and food from no-nonsense to luscious stuff.

http://cristianmihai.net/

A writer writing about writing – it needs to be good!  The illustrations are superbly chosen too.

http://thehandmirror.blogspot.ch

I remember Broadsheet – the long-running feminist magazine in NZ – fondly. Here’s a new-era take, and worth supporting. It also connects NZ women bloggers.

http://onethousandsingledays.wordpress.com

Great writing, with both rueful and high-energy reflection.

On my blog-improvement list is putting up my BlogRoll to acknowledge the others I enjoy and follow – the political and satirical, the feel-good, the observational like http://arignagardener.wordpress.com/ which shares observations of seasons in a garden….

Another day!  Right now the sun is shining….

Why other things must wait!