Saturday, August 31, 2013

An Elegant Blogger? Me?

I'm not sure I've ever been described as 'elegant' before.  In real life, I lack the poise and finesse and clothes that I imagine one requires to be elegant.  However, Emma Jane has kindly bestowed the Elegant Blogger Award upon me, and humbly, I thank you, Emma Jane.  You're too kind!


The rules:

  • When you receive the award, link back to keepcalmandsparkle1099.blogspot.com and the blog that nominated you (in this case, For the Beauty of the Earth)
  • Display the award button in the post 
  • Answer all of the 12 questions given in this post (do not make your own questions) 
  • Nominate 8 bloggers (see below)
  • Notify them that they have been awarded.  

The questions:

1.  What made you start blogging?

A newspaper article.  Back in the fall of 2002, I picked up a newspaper in the break room at work and read an article about these new things called "blogs" that were cropping up all over the internet.  I'm not sure why I was reading the paper, as I always took a book along to read on my breaks.  Maybe I'd finished it or something.  Anyway, I decided to try my hand at blogging because I liked the idea of having a way to put my words before the public, as it were.  I'd graduated from college the previous May, gotten married in June, and kind of needed a new way to express myself, I think.

2.  What is your fashion style?

Comfy.  I wear jeans or denim shorts 6 1/2 days a week, and tank tops or t-shirts depending on the weather.  Many of the t-shirts are decorated with movie-related things :-D  

That other half day?  That's Sunday morning, when I dress up to go to church.  I love to wear jewel tones and brown, and I'm very drawn to long peasant skirts and simple tops.  These are similar to things I wear:




3.  What is something none of your followers know about you?

Dude, my mom, my husband, several in-laws, and three of my best friends follow my blog.  I'm not sure there's anything that none of them know about me.  But here's something you wouldn't know just from reading my blog:  I don't like ginger ale.  Shocking, I know.  Even more shocking is that I've spent 20 minutes thinking about this question.

4.  What are some of your blogging goals?

Throw my Tolkien Blog Party of Special Magnificence on my other blog without a hitch.  Finish the four unfinished posts that are waiting for me.

5.  Where is your favorite place to shop?

Etsy.  I try to only spend the money I've made from my own shop there, but when I'm getting gifts for others, I spend more.

6.  What would your ideal amount of blog followers be?

Enough that I get a comment or two on most posts.  Which I do.  I'm not real hung up on numbers of followers -- I don't blog to be popular.

7.  What are your talents?

Writing, music, baking, crocheting, learning new crafty things.

8.  Are you a leader or a follower?

I would rather not be a leader, but I tend to end up leading a lot of things because I have this drive to get things done, and if no one else is going to get them done, I'll step up.

9.  What is one of your favorite quotes?

One?  Just one?  Okay, fine:

"Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you."  (Hamlet in Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2)

I say that a lot.  In my head, anyway.

10.  Do you have a favorite book or series?

Yes, I do.  Here's a list of my 40 favorite books.  My favorite is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, if you don't feel like following the link.

11.  Out of all the synonyms for elegant, which would you describe yourself with?  (smart -- stylish -- dressy -- graceful -- dainty -- fine)

Um, none of those?  I'm smart, as in intelligent, but not as in stylish.  I care very little about styles, I don't like dressy clothes, I'm too klutzy to be graceful, I'm too much of a tomboy to be dainty, and um... fine?  As in fine china?  Not at all me.

12.  What is your favorite flower?

Daffodils!


Okay, now I'm supposed to nominate 8 bloggers.  I'm going to do 9.  Because I can.  Bwahahahaha!  They are:


Play if you want to!  Don't if you don't.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for the award! I'm glad you thought of me : )

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  2. Awww! Thank you so much! I have been buried alive in homework as of late, hence my bloggity silence, but I would love to participate in this! This is a PERFECT excuse to take a break! Yay!

    Totally agree with you on no. 8. I don't like leading...But I, too, like to get things done...And people end up (I just accidentally typed skiing...Ha! ) asking me how to do things...I don't always have the answers, but they ask nevertheless...

    Your Hamlet quote is awesome! Just went to see the play of Twelfth Night tonight, and it was HILARIOUS! Have you ever seen it performed? So, so funny...

    Happy Labor Day! :-)

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    1. You're welcome! I agree that this is a great excuse to take a break, and a fun way to provide some fodder for your blog if you haven't had time to think of something to post.

      Twelfth Night is cool! I saw it live years ago, and really enjoyed it. The heroine is one of my faves, though my brain has mysteriously forgotten her name right now.

      Happy Labor Day to you too! Got any fun plans?

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    2. Her name is Viola! She disguises herself as a boy named Cesario, though...So it's kinda hard to catch her name cause she's called Cesario for most of the play! :)

      No, I really don't have any real plans for Labor Day, except to study...Ha! You?

      Hey, I've been curious...Have you ever put up a portion of your book on one of your blogs? If so, I'd love to read it! :)

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    3. Ahh, yes! And she has a brother, right? And there's a shipwreck, and a hilariously pompous servant character.

      My brother and his family are coming over to spend the day today, and there will be much feasting and laughter :-) Those are my plans.

      I've never put any of my novels up for people to read anywhere, but you can read all my fanfiction at the website I co-maintain, this page, though there are two that I co-wrote with my friend DKoren here, and my two crossovers are here.

      However, if you want to try just one story cuz you're curious, but don't have any familiarity with the characters, I suggest "The Better Part of Valor" because it takes place before Combat! actually starts and it requires no real knowledge of the characters. It's pretty different from most of my stories, in that it's a love story :-o

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    4. One of my links is screwed up -- I meant most of my stories are on this page.

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    5. Yes! She actually takes her brother's name, Cesario! And yes, there is a "fool" character who is sooo funny! We laughed so hard! He jumped down off the stage and gave me an apple during the play...It was all part of the play, but it surprised me none-the-less! :-)

      Awww, I should have dropped in at your place, though I would have had to take planes trains, and boats...Okay that's a bit of an exaggeration...! Feasting and laughter sounds glorious, indeed! :)

      YES! I am so excited to read what you posted in your reply! Who knows, I might be reading pre-published works of the next Great Novelist!

      Nathaniel Hawthorne's story has always inspired me...He spent twenty years, basically locked away in his room, working on his writing style until he felt confident about pursuing publication. And he became one of the best American writers of all time! So you never know... ;-)))

      Happy Tuesday!

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    6. I realized after I recommended that particular story that it contains the implication that two unmarried people spend the night together -- just warning you! You might like some of the others better, I'm not sure! "C'est la Vie" is short and humorous, as is "What Goes Around". If you like more excitement, the Three by Moonlight ("Hide and Seek", "Finders, Keepers", and "Ashes, Ashes") is fun, if I do say so myself.

      I comfort myself with the knowledge that a lot of female novelists get their careers going in their 40s. I've got seven years yet, then!

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    7. Thank you! I can't wait! These will make for great weekend reading and in-between-homework reading!

      And yes, you have plenty of time!!!

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    8. Hee! Can't wait to hear what you think :-)

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  3. Aw! Thank you so much for nominating me, Hamlette! And it's funny you don't like ginger ale, I don't either. I think its because my mom always used to give it to me when my stomach was upset...

    Anyway, Happy Labor Day! :)

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    Replies
    1. You're so welcome, Maddie!

      I'm not sure why I don't like Ginger Ale -- maybe because I never really had it as a kid? Funny thing is, when I was pregnant with my third baby, I LOVED it and drank it all the time. And once she was born, I went back to disliking it. Huh.

      Happy Labor day to you too!

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  4. Hehee, well, to tell the truth, I've kind of gathered that you aren't really the elegant type, but I thought you would like receiving the award, and I wanted to nominate you since you've been such a dear in faithfully commenting on all my posts. : P Anyway, I'm glad you did it!

    ~Emma

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    Replies
    1. Hee. Maybe if I had more time, I could train myself to be elegant? It's not something I've ever aspired to, but I do sometimes kind of wistfully think, "What would it be like to be that elegant?" Usually while watching Emma or something similar. So maybe I'm wishful-elegant? Sometimes? ;-)

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  5. Thanks for the award! I'm looking forward to completing it. I enjoyed reading your answers to the questions! Ginger ale isn't my favorite either, but you should try my brother's homemade! It's pretty yummy. ;)

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    1. I've never tried homemade ginger ale, but I've had homemade root beer, and that was amazing -- I'd give it a whirl!

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  6. I love your blog! Am following... :)
    Thank you so much for tagging me - I'm afraid I don't have time to do the tag, but I loved your answers! Have a lovely day.

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    1. Oh, and it was sweet of you to put my button on your page, thank you!

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    2. Thank you for following! I understand about not having time -- I'm in the same predicament so often. I think today I might manage to have time to write some posts for the first time in ages. And you're welcome! I really enjoy your blog :-)

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