Saturday, October 25, 2014

One Lovely Blogger Award

Thanks to the extremely talented Tom Williams, author of The White Rajah series, I have been nominated to carry on the:

One Lovely Blogger Award
Thank you, Tom!

Rules:
1.       Share 7 Lovely Facts about myself

3.      Nominate the authors of those blogs to participate and do the same, linking back to the original Lovely blog. (That would be this page)
       
1.     I eat hummus almost every day and hardly ever get bored doing so. Sometimes I switch it up with pita chips or pita bread, or throw in a few cucumber slices (or a carrot?), but that’s pretty much it. Hummus. On an off day I go out and buy a sub sandwich. Then I feel bad and go back to the hummus. Obsessive maybe? Nah . . .

2.     If things had gone differently (if I hadn’t been such a clutz) I would have been a ballerina. Still have dreams of that one. Always wanted to own a pair of pointe shoes. But I had a mean-ass dance teacher who picked on me because I couldn’t do a proper plie. During a private phone conversation with my mother,  she explained that I would never be a dancer because I was too tall, too this, too that. Pick, pick, pick. It hurt my feelings so bad that I didn’t go back to lessons the next year. In my heart, though, I still longed to attend. 

3.     I almost made it to Pikes Peak a few years back, but the roads were closed halfway due to a recent snowstorm. However, I did get the chance to peer out over a cliff looking across a long vista of lower hills and high prairie, including the town of Colorado Springs. It’s the same landscape to inspire the song, America the Beautiful. And it was beautiful. Hopefully I’ll have the chance to go back one day, and to the top this time! 

4.     Every morning I wake up around 6:30a.m. Sometimes I wish I could sleep in like I did back when I was a loser slob, but something won’t let me do that. No alarm or anything. Just my brain. 

5.     I’m this close to ghost hunting. It’s always fascinated me as I tend to find the ephemeral more interesting that the living. Plus, there’s so much history in the old buildings these paranormal investigators get access too. Would it be scary? Heck yeah, but I’d still do it. For now, I just watch it on TV. Every Wednesday night I collect an array of snacks and then sit down to watch Ghost Hunters on SyFy. It is, literally, my favorite show in the world. If I ever get the chance to do an investigation, I’ll be so happy. And you guys will be the first to hear about the adventure!

6.     My first real dog as an adult was a red dapple dachshund named Jasmine. She was adorable and fun, but man, we did not get along. The entire winter after bringing her home she bit my feet, my hands, pooped in the house, barked at me, ripped things up. It was like, everything I did to train her, she’d defiantly do the opposite, just to spite me. One morning I put my coffee mug down on the kitchen table and then got up to take a shower. I pulled all the chairs away so she wouldn’t jump up to find scraps and crumbs. It was me being a jerk, kind of, but mostly I didn’t want her on the table. “You can’t get up there, Jazz. I pulled all the chairs out.” I went and took my shower. Half an hour later I walk into the kitchen and Jasmine is sitting right in the middle of the table next to an empty cup of coffee. My eyes strayed to the chairs—pulled out so far, much too far for a little dachshund to fly across the room from. She must have done it over and over, and I could picture her doing it too, until she’d reached her goal. And why? Just for some coffee? But that was Jasmine. Determined. Strong willed. A few years later I had my first child, and I always credited her for teaching me the art of patience. You think you know, but you don’t. We bickered every day, but when Jasmine became sick and I knew she was going to die, I gently picked her up and carried her outside to the backyard so she could lie in the sunlight and watch the kids play. It was springtime and the air was cool and the grass was sweet. I could tell it meant a lot to her. After she died I went to retrieve her ashes from the veterinarian’s office, and upon coming home the little stone statue of a dachshund I’d bought when Jasmine was a puppy had flipped over to its side. It had never done that previously and hasn’t done it since. I truly believe she was telling me that: she was okay, and all past arguments had been forgiven. She was also saying that she loved me. I love you too, Jazz.

7.     Some of you already know about this, because you were here on the blog when it happened! I once had the chance to play Blondie and Joni Mitchell in an all-female musical revue. Truly, I was shocked to be picked for those roles, my musical idols. But I didn’t think I had the ability to pull it off. I wasn’t a good enough singer, I couldn’t dance (there’s that dance thing again), I was too tall, too daft. Pick, pick, pick. But the director told me that, eh, sure I could do it. And . . . I did. After a month-long rehearsal in some old church, sans air conditioning, it was time to prove to the world, and myself, that I had the goods. It was magic standing inside the curtains each night waiting for “Janis” to finish her ode to Booby McGee.  I’d quietly step across the stage, guitar in hand, wearing a white lace dress and flowers in my hair, and I’d transform into Joni Mitchell. Then later, Deborah Harry—which involved a lot of makeup! That summer will forever be in my mind and my heart. It does somewhat erase my former dance teacher’s merciless taunts and insults. Yeah, it does completely, actually.

And those are my 7 lovely facts. I’d like to nominate my friends: Mollie, Cro, Starting Over, and The Broad, and Shelly Sly. It's late, so I might think of others! You are all great. Of course, I'd nominate Tom, but he's already done this thing. Thanks again, Tom!

10 comments:

  1. Oh dear, that tale about your dog really got to me. I sometimes wonder if I don't care more for the welfare of animals than I do for humans.

    May I think about your kind nomination?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow, Amy, do you mean me or another Mollie? I loved reading little bits of your life. BTW, I'm on the last chapter of 'The Time Seekers' It takes me ages to finish books, But I've really enjoyed reading yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm so sorry. I definitely meant Molly! And thank you for the compliment!

      Delete
  3. Dear Amy, I was just about to put a comment up on your latest post and then it suddenly all went into cyberspace and was lost. I am so sorry that life is really hard for you at the moment and I just wanted you to know that right now my thoughts and prayers are all around you and sending you all the hugs I can hold. All I can say is that the photos you put up of yourself are stunning. I looked up Facebook and you are the image of your niece. You are the best mum in the world for Julia and Liam and writing is NOT killing your family, in fact it's one of the ways you are supporting your family. I listened to your CD, 'Meadowlands' and I can tell you this - you have a fantastic voice. Love Molly xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Putting it in my heart, Molly. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Amy,
    I started to read your post on dashboard and then saw that you deleted it. I want you to know that I care very much about you and that even though I am not sure of what you wrote, I am concerned. Let me tell you that I have lived over six decades and none of it has been easy and some of it sad. I have been in the darkest holes with little hope, but have risen out of the ashes to be a person that I am very proud to be. I learned that I have value, that I am a good person, and that in all situations, I have tried my best. I look on the bright side of life now, I am strong, I am confident, and I love myself and all the challenges that I have had. They have made me the person I am. For you, I know that It is not easy raising children by yourself. It is not easy having financial challenges. It is not easy to confront what is negative in your life. However, it is so wonderful to have small victories and it is not hard to have those, you just have to find them and celebrate them all.

    Amy, you have people who admire and champion you on Blogger. These times might be difficult, dreams sometimes don't come true, but we all have the strength inside to survive, be it for ourselves or those we love. You are beautiful, you are talented, and you have two terrific children who see you as their hero. Everybody needs to be a hero for someone. Aren't you lucky that you have that. Take care of yourself, know your value, and never give up. Rain falls on us all, but rainbows do appear. If you need help, find it. I work at a resource center for those in need. We have answers for most problems if one wants to do the work. Look up and be proud of your accomplishments. You are a person of great value. We, who have been blessed to know you through Blogger, think you are a terrific and talented lady with great heart and courage. If you ever want to contact me to just talk, message me through blogger or facebook and I will answer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I appreciate this so much. Thanks for being here for me!

      Delete

A Millennial romp through Jane Austen

  A few years back I wrote this story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Frankie drudging through a very complicated life in a fictional sm...