The Inspiring Blog Award (including more random mini-stories about me)

I have been inundated with beautiful people nominating me for various awards over the past month or two, and have several awards posts that I have been meaning to write for far too long, so I shall begin here with this, The Inspiring Blog Award.

I have been nominated for this by two people (I think it’s two…if I forget to mention you on any of these awards posts please feel free to remind me – I am a bit forgetful and some of the nomination comments are in different posts so I get confused). I have been nominated by Arab Writer Chick from her blog of the same name, and nymuse88 from Oh My Muse! – both these blogs are awesome, full of fascinating insights into literature, writing, poetry, music and more, so if you haven’t come across these blogs before please do check them out, as they certainly inspire me!

As usual there are some rules to this award – I have to link back to those who gave it to me, then provide seven facts about myself, before passing it on to seven people who inspire me. So, firstly, the seven facts about myself (you might want to get comfortable, I tend to ramble when writing these).

Seven quite possibly uninspiring facts about me (don’t say I didn’t warn you):

1. Up until a few years ago, I had spent my whole life thinking I was allergic to penicillin. This supposed “fact” came under scrutiny when I was told I had Golden Staph (which was just delightful), and the doctor actually said “are you sure you’re allergic to penicillin?” After being met initially with bewildered looks, he explained that some people, when very young, have been told they are allergic to penicillin only because they took it while suffering from something else, and they had an allergic reaction – one which could have been caused by what they were suffering from, not the penicillin. Turns out I am such a case, and I am not allergic to it after all, which meant attacking the Golden Staph was made substantially easier. It also increased the types of cheese I can now eat, on a side note. Oh goodness I’m still on my first fact…
2. I can play guitar. When I say play guitar, what I really mean is that I possess three guitars (one of which is really quite nice), and can pretend to play all of them. I haven’t played as much recently but I do intend on getting back into that soon, because it was enjoyable (even though I sucked at it).
3. Once, when applying for a job at a much, much younger age, I remember filling out a form before an interview (there was a group of us being interviewed one by one), and on this form was a question asking if we had any special talents or hobbies. They insisted it could be absolutely anything, so I jokingly decided to test the waters, and proceeded to write “can make fart sounds by cupping my hands over my ears and eye sockets.” Goodness only knows what I was thinking, really. Anyway, about twenty minutes later I was being interviewed by a man who turned out to be the big boss of the company, and he requested that I demonstrate these abilities. He seemed quite pleasantly surprised when it became clear I was telling the truth. I got the job. (But it was rubbish so I quit after 2 weeks and half a day, but that’s another story in itself).
4. In march I had a haircut that was rather significant. Why? Because the last haircut before that was back in October 2009. I have done this three times in my life, grown my hair long and then cut it all off, and this is the first time where I quite like it shorter. Having said this…I’ll probably still grow it long again. Might book in for 2015.
5. I don’t have any piercings or tattoos. I know, pretty terrible for someone who is about to turn 26 in a few days. I don’t intend on getting any piercings, but I wouldn’t mind a tattoo. Only one, though, and it would have to be really good. As a friend once said “a tattoo either has to mean everything to the person getting it, or it has to mean absolutely nothing at all.” Anyway, if I never get one I won’t be too upset, but we’ll see what happens.
6. Although I clearly enjoy English and History as subjects a lot more (evidenced both by my love of literature and history books, and also the fact I teach both these subjects), in high school Mathematics was my strongest subject, and gave me my highest marks. I have taught a bit of this too, and it weirds the students out that I can teach this subject as well – I think in their minds it’s breaking some fundamental law that binds the universe together, by being able to enjoy and manipulate both words and numbers.
7. When I was younger, and my family had first moved to Australia, we lived in the west of Sydney, about an hour from the city centre and also from the coastline (we now live an hour north of Sydney, on the coast, which is much nicer). Anyway, we used to holiday every year for several years to this little place near the sea called Kiama. We’d listen to the Beach Boys in the car trip every time (and so that is my childhood memory of going to the beach or on holiday – singing Wouldn’t It Be Nice out loud. One day, my family is going to have to listen to Jack Johnson when going to the beach, as I have already decided this has to happen). Anyway, every year without fail it would rain. The whole time. The last year we went, we decided this would be it, our final family visit to Kiama. And the sun finally came out that time, and it was a lovely holiday. We decided not to tempt fate, and to just leave it at that point.

Seven Inspiring Blogs you should visit:

The Tiger’s Eye – An awesome blogger who writes about books, quotes and more. She also should win the coolest header image award, if such a thing existed.

Japan in 365 days – One of my favourite photography blogs, which as the title suggests, is based in Japan. Definitely worth a visit – this one is on my list of blogs I try and check daily.

Isle of Books – Another fantastic book blogger, who also blogs about poetry and other things. Intelligent and insightful, this one is deserving of your time!

So So Poems – One of the coolest ideas ever: writing poems on coffee cups, and then taking a photo of said coffee cup, and placing it up on a blog (with the poem typed up). You know you want to see this. The poetry is really quite good, too.

Books Speak Volumes – An awesome book blogger with remarkably similar taste in books to me, she is also a great reviewer. She has pretty good taste in music, too!

Book Club Babe – A passionate book blogger who has many insightful thoughts on books, and who isn’t afraid to voice her opinions when necessary.

Bigbadwolf31  – A blogger who I have just realised I have more in common with than I first knew – she too was born in Britain and moved to Australia at a very young age. Her blog is just hilarious and makes me laugh every time, no matter what the topic – if you ever need a pick me up, this is the place to go (she managed to make depression funny and uplifting…need I say more?).

Of course there are many more blogs out there I find inspiring, including both those I have nominated for awards before (I tried to focus on blogs I am yet to nominate for an award for this one), and even those I am still yet to nominate for an award. The blogosphere is an incredibly inspiring and motivating place, and I have all of you, my awesome readers and fellow bloggers, to thank for this!

Until next time….oh dear I just saw my word count. Next time, I’ll attempt to be brief. Honest.