Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Honestly, I have no idea what this thing is or how it works. But I guess I was nominated by a fellow blogger friend of mine for it. So, thank you Michelle, I appreciate it :). Even though I don't know you very well or what you're going through, it's nice to read about it. And your recipes make me drool!

Part of the rules is that I have to post the picture,

I guess.

More like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Another rule of this nomination is that I have to list 7 things that you don't know about me. Since this blog is also read by some of my family, that task is pretty much impossible; so I'll just go with what most of you don't know about me :P

1. My favorite pet in the whole wide world was a duck. I own a cat now that I love with all my heart. But before then, it was Chipper the duck. A lot of people in school made fun of my love for this animal. Nobody understood how I could love waterfowl. Well for one thing, he grew up with me, so he didn't run when I came inside his cage. I held him and pet him and talked with him. I pretended to help him fly even though he couldn't, and I took him for walks just like a dog, but without a leash. He was always there for me when I had a crappy day at school. And when he got eaten by a predator my heart was broken. I cried for days. And if you think ducks can't make good pets; that they have no capacity for emotion or to love, you would think differently after seeing Robin, his mate, sitting inside the small house that we kept their food dry in. Ducks hate things above their heads. But there she sat the day after his death. Unmoving, silent, sad, traumatized. I still miss my Chip-chip.

Chipper is the mallard. Or what is known as a 

Rune Duck, when not wild

2. I have Arachnophobia. It's not 100% debilitating, but it's close. As a small kid, I used to capture spiders in jars all the time. Then one day, all of a sudden (this may have to do with watching the movie of the same title!) I became scared of them to the point where I would freak out and hyperventilate if one got in my way. I'm not scared of all spiders. I just scream in surprise and then avoid them. Or kill them. But hobo spiders scare the f out of me and I can't STAND them being anywhere near me. They come indoors during the summer to look for mates. And they. Are. HUGE. Also dangerous, since they're related and sometimes mistaken for the Brown Recluse. They're funnel web spiders and run like a mother - yeah. They're fast. And I scream and run and hide. Nothing scares me like that. I care not for bugs, rats, or snakes. Just spiders.

3. I talk to myself all the time, even when I'm not alone. I'll mumble my thoughts aloud because I just take comfort in it, I guess. I give my thoughts a presence if I give them a voice. Even if no one hears them but me. 

4. I sing. I'm no Mariah Carey, but I think my voice is decent. I probably also think I'm better than I actually am, but at least I have the wherewithal to know that I'm not good enough for American Idol. I record myself singing many different things. As long as it's with music, I sound pretty damn good. If I mute the music and listen to just myself... eek, not so much. I actually posted my best work on youtube for all to hear. I'm normally embarrassed to hear myself sing, but this song is very special to me. Please read the synopsis and you'll understand why. 

5. I'm kind of a geek. And I like geeks. I used to be a huge Star Trek fan when I was in school. I was the Kevin Bacon of Star Trek. I could link just about anything to Star Trek in some way. I had a huge crush on Julian Bashir of Deep Space Nine. I wrote story after story after story. I basically began my whole writing career off Star Trek alone. I dabbled a little in Dungeons and Dragons, but I didn't last very long. I'm creative with my hand, not necessarily with the quick wit that's required for D&D. I play World of Warcraft. I love RPG's. I have my own Warhammer army. I started that because my husband got into it, and trying to be the good wife, I tried to share his interests. I found more pleasure in painting my figurines than actually playing the game. Strategy was never my strong suit. 

6. I love doing research. I didn't realize that everyone wasn't this way until I had a candid conversation with Justin's friend, who says he hates it. Research is how one learns and expands knowledge. It's all I've got now that school is out. A lot of the things I know are self taught. When I needed to upgrade my computer and I was looking for what to buy, I delved deep into the recesses of how computers work. I learned about RAM and what they call "timing"; the 4 numbers you see when you're looking at a stick of RAM on the internet. I learned about what makes processors fast. You could say that I make "informed" decisions. As long as what I'm reading doesn't completely baffle me, I'll work it out. 

7. I have more friends on the internet than I do in real life. This has always rang true for me. The internet has always been my social outlet of choice. It's harder to be judged here. I've had many a relationship here. I used to visit chatrooms when I was in high school. I don't do that anymore - every time I try I just can't get into it like I once was. I had so many friends there who I was able to tell my problems to. They listened. That's what I needed most. I met my soul mate and fiancee there, before he died tragically of a heart attack in 2005. I have two friends in real life but I rarely speak to them. They've hung on from High School, and I know Mary attempts to reach out and I love her for it; but she has a kid now, and is going to school. The internet has always been my constant. The people are different from long ago, but the relationships I hold still remain the same.

And now, the last rule. Apparently, I have to nominate 7 other bloggers this honor. Unfortunately, I don't know 7 other bloggers; I don't follow a lot of people. But I do follow one, and even if I had more to choose from, I'd choose her anyway. Anne is one of the bravest people I know. She's been through so much in her life and she has not given up. Her blog, Starving Writer at Large, is about faith and mental illness and being able to write. Anne, you deserve this award even more than I do! Love you, girl.