Rewarding Awards & Random Information

It's my week for getting charming blog awards. And those awards went a long way in making this otherwise irksome week fade a bit. Irksome, you ask? Even with such wonders as ComicCon going on? Yes, sadly, even with (considering I live nowhere near San Diego it's not that surprising). I spent far too much time in the bright hot sun this week attempting to hook up my watering system only to discover that several of my electronic timers were LEAKING. Ugh. Stupid expensive pieces of crap. I wielded pliers. I bought rubber washers. I stood and peered fiercely even. And I might have cursed a bit. All to no avail. Leak, leak, leak. Drip, drip, drip.

But that was another moment in time. Let's turn our gaze instead to the fun side of the week. First it was Suji from funschooling giving me a Blog With Substance award. I am thrilled with this, Suji, thank you so much, although I don't think I am as substantial a blogger as you are. Substantially silly, maybe...

As per the terms of this award, I am supposed sum up my blog motivation, philosophy, and experience in 10 words. Ten words? Who thought up these terms? We bloggers are wordy people. Is this a sort of haiku contest designed to torment me?

Okay. Let's see.

What motivates me to blog? I like telling stories.

What is my blog philosophy? I don't think I have one. Oh wait, I think I do: while I am an opinionated person, the Victorian in me likes to keep it polite. I am unable to write rude without at least a little bit of wit. It's one of the more Unforgivable Story Teller Crimes, in my book.

What is my blog experience? Mostly great. I love reading other people's blogs. I find so much inspiration in other people's blogs. It has expanded the fun quotient of our homeschooling world immeasurably. And enabled me to enjoy this temporary incarnation as a mother more than I probably would have otherwise.

So. Ten words. Hmm. You know, I'm going to steal a line from Max, aged 3. Whenever he did anything inexplicable, like, say, tossing a Hot Wheels car off our balcony, and I'd ask him why he did it, he'd say "Because I can!" very spritely. It was such an odd yet reasonable answer I never had a retort. Well, other than "How about you go get that Hot Wheels car?" So here is my summation in ten words or less:

I blog because I can.

So thanks again, Suji, you Substantial Blogger you.

But wait! There's more! Later this week Subadra from Library of Books, Links & More who passed a Versatile Blogger my way. Thanks Subadra! You have one of the more versatile blogs out there, so it gladdens my heart to get this from you. Not to mention the fact that I too love green. This is a particularly nice green, isn't it?

According to the terms of this award, I am supposed to list 7 things about myself. Seven things you don't already know. Hmm. Other than outing myself as a bit of a Victorian? Here goes...

1. I love show tunes. When I was in grade 6 a shiver of thievery ran through the girls in my class: to be considered cool one had to shoplift something and bring it to class to show the Head Mean Girls. Mostly jeans or nail polish or slutty bras. Now, let me preface this by saying that while I was fairly confident that nothing would give me Good Standing with these girls, there was something I really wanted and this seemed like a reasonable philosophical moment to do something about it. Under torture, right? Well, torture of a sort. So when the moment was right I stole my coveted object. But I didn't show it to the Head Mean Girls, because even way back then I knew they would not know quite what to do with me and my Stolen Object. So I took it home and hid it under my bed, when I wasn't using it, of course. That acquisition was probably my best memento of Life In School with those Mean Girls. I still have it, in fact: a cassette tape of the soundtrack to Bob Fosse's Cabaret, with Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli. That was some movie.

2. When I was a little girl I went through a stage when I insisted on eating my meals out of a bowl on the floor, as if I were a dog. I even used to bark and run around on all fours. A couple of years later, I came across the book Harriet the Spy and took to calling myself Harriet and insisting on tomato sandwiches for lunch every day at school. Intriguingly my parents indulged me in these pursuits, although I'm sure the idea that I wanted to grow up to be a dog worried them somewhat. But they needn't have worried: I'd rather be a cat any day.

3. I am afraid of wolf spiders. So afraid that I can taste my fillings when I see one. I turn into one of those stupid shrieking women when one scutters across our floor - ask my kids. Ugh.

4. I am extremely selective about the TV I watch but to the average outsider it looks as though I like weird (and sometimes bad) TV. First, I like the kids show Arthur. I've even been known to watch it when my kids aren't around, although I am not very sympathetic with the parenting philosophies of Arthur's mum and dad (they let DW get away with too much, IMO). I hope one day to be a guest on this show, just like Yo Yo Ma, Art Garfunkle, Jack Prelutsky, Mr Rogers, Click and Clack, Alex Trebek, and even Neil Gaiman, even if I have to be a moose or a skunk. I also like this rather cringe-inducing show called Flipping Out, mostly because of the truly repulsive central figure, a diva of a man I want to smack on the bum and send to his room he's so rude. I say I like it but I've only seen it three or four times; perhaps if I watched it more I'd find him too obnoxious. Finally, when we were living at my parents and renovating this house I became rather obsessed with Family Jewels. It features an aging Gene Simmons, a man I always thought of as a tragic relic from Bygone Sexist Days of Big Dumb Rock Bands. Which he is (remember KISS?). But he's also a very devoted dad. I was mildly astounded that such a sexist relic could be a nice dad.

5. I love action movies. One of the best things about being a parent, IMO, is the fact that I can attend all sorts of silly action movies under the guise of being forced to by my children (2012, anyone?). And yes, I do consider Lara Croft Tomb Raider high art.

6. I am a compartmentalizer. It's pathological, I think. I am firm about not having aspects of my life intersect with other aspects. Richard thinks I am a tad neurotic but I consider myself merely careful.

7. I don't like holding babies. Most women I know relish this kind of activity, but I do not. Yes, I spent many a happy hour mauling my own kids but put me in a room with a newborn and a bunch of women and I'll be the one crouching in the corner hoping like hell no one asks me if I want to hold the baby.

So there you go. Perhaps things you're better off not knowing about me. But now I am supposed to pass these awards on to other people. So let me say this: all of you who read this blog can consider yourself passed one of these two awards. Because I think you all deserve something for having read this far, and well, I didn't say this in my 7 things but I am a bit of a voyeur and I'd really love to see your 7 things.