I’ve got a few awards to accept and pass on. Deb over at Ranch Girl Ramblings, gave me this one. Thanks, Deb!
I’m pretty happy today because I can actually use my computer. It was invaded by a nasty virus which I tried to fight, but my outdated weapons just drove it in deeper. So I called the guys at Dell and they nuked the sucker. I’m seriously happy about that. A few other things I’m happy for:
That I can breathe. Sounds simple but it’s true.
That the knee surgery I had last April didn’t actually make things worse.
I’d like to pass this award on to Tina Laura Lee at Watch Me Practice. Tina, please tell us a few things you are happy about when you are ready.
Alissa Grosso passed this award on to me. Thanks, Alissa! She has two blogs: Slightly More Than Dirt and one at her Author Website. They are both cool.
I’m passing it on to Heather Kelly at Edit to Within an Inch of My Life. Heather has this cool thing going called Monday Meeting. It’s like standing around the Cyber Water Cooler at the beginning of the week and talking about what you hope to accomplish. Check it out.
Stephanie Thornton at Hatshepsut, a fellow Alaskan writer, gave me the Sunshine Award. Thanks, Stephanie!
The Sunshine Award didn’t come with specific requirements. I’m going to keep this one in the North Country and pass it on Terry Lynn Johnson, author, and driver of Sled Dogs in the wilds of Canada. Enjoy the returning sun.
Jill Kemerer passed this one on to me. Thanks, Jill! It’s supposed to say “You’re going places, baby,” across Bogart’s face but I couldn’t get that image to load so I just went for the Generic Bogart. I followed this award back several blogs and tried to upload the image but kept getting blocked. Another cyber-secret yet to unveiled to me. You can see the genuine image here. It’s pretty cool.
Requirements: Say where you’d like to be in ten years and pass it on. In ten years I’d like to be paddling my kayak next to a pod of Killer Whales, something I did on my first kayak trip twenty years ago. I seriously doubt that will even happen again, but it was amazing and humbling.
I’d like to pass this on to Ali Cross. Recently she’s started an Ask Ali Vlog on her blog. Check it out.
And finally, Roz Morris, across the pond at Nail Your Novel, gave me this:
Just for the record, I’ve never been called a Sugar Doll (at least to my face). When I told my wife about the award, she looked at me, smiled, and said, Hey, Sugar Doll. The Sugar Doll is sort of like the Honest Scrap Award, only with a twist. Share a few things about yourself, except with the Sugar Doll, it specifies that those things be interesting. Interesting to whom, I’m not sure, but I’ll give it try.
1. My main responsibility in my first post-college job was counting Walrus on Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. I got paid three dollars a day. I know the wage is not impressive but it’s considerably more than I’ve made as a writer thus far.
2. I’ve had WiFi for two years now, but have never owned a microwave oven.
3. I bought my first computer in 1994 but did not have indoor plumbing until the year 2000.
4. For sixteen years I had a beard that hung down to the middle of my chest. I finally shaved it off three years after I got married because my wife really wanted to see my face.
I’m gonna sling this award across the Pacific, and south to Jade at Jade Hears Voices. Share a few interesting things about yourself, and pass it on.
Today, I’m hosting Agent, Kendra Marcus of Bookstop Literary Agency for a question and answer session at College Coffee House from ten until noon. I met Kendra at a conference a couple years ago. I’m not sure what brings her to Fairbanks, but it’s very generous of her to offer this free session, open to all.
Afterwards, I hope to start my next rewrite of my YA adventure story. What are you working on this week?
Congratulations on your awards.
I’m revising my wip.
Thanks, Medeia. I hope your revisions go well.
Great list! I enjoy many of those blogs and I find your reasons behind selection refreshing and real.
Thanks, Jon. I’m glad you find my reasons refreshing and real. That is a real compliment. Thank you!
Congrats Paul. You definitely deserve these awards. 😉
You crack me up with that line about the three dollars a day being more than you have made as an author so far. You will make money and soon. Trust me on this. I’ve read some of your writing remember?
Robyn, glad you got a good laugh from that line. And, thanks for the vote of confidence. That means a lot to me.
Thanks for the award, Paul! I was very surprised and honored to read my name on your list. Thanks for thinking of me!
You have a serious list of Awards here. I can’t really think of a more deserving blogger. I really appreciate seing you around all the blogging haunts. Good work passing them on. You had me chuckling several times. I agree with Jonathon about the ‘refreshing and real.’ I love the water cooler at Heather Kelly’s and I love the where you want to be in 10 years and of course the Sugar Doll award!
I’m wondering if you could show us a picture of yourself back when you had a beard!
Tina, I wanted to post an old photo, and hopefully will soon. I don’t have any digitized. I’ll probably just take a picture of a picture. With all my computer problems last week, I just didn’t get around to it. It would’ve been a nice addition to the Sugar Doll Award.
And, thanks for all your kind words.
Congrats on all the awards- looks like you’re a hoarder like me!
I’ve just edited the first 85 pages of Book #2 (major character rewrite) and am now working to hit the 100 pages mark.
Stephanie, just reading your progress helps to get me moving on my revision. I hope you have a productive week.
Tina has a weird thing with beards.
I’ve been curious. Do you vote by absentee?
Jon, I vote in the regular way, just down the road from my house. I live on the road system.
Just for the record, I like bare faces too!
I can’t believe you have no microwave! How do you thaw anything out?? I lived without one for a while and it was torture. At least you have your priorities straight with the Wi-Fi. I’m glad you got your computer back.
I think I’m working on staying sane. That’s all I can manage this week. Maybe. 🙂
Elana, thawing out is definitely an issue up here, especially in the winter. I’m glad my computer is up and running and all the little critters running around inside it have been ousted (knocks wood now). Good luck in your quest for sanity. I’ll be rooting for you!!!
WOW! I’m thrilled to be named on your awesome blog Paul! Thanks for the award!
I enjoyed learning strange but true tidbits about you. I’ve also had internet for only 2 years! What a hoot about the walrus and your beard! That must’ve been a shock for you when you shaved!
Thanks, Terry. Glad you enjoyed the strange but true tidbits. The walrus job was amazing. And shaving was a shock, not just for me but for people who knew me. I could walk into a store, see a friend and say hi, and my friend wouldn’t recognize me, and would look away from me or give me that look that says, “do I know you or what?” That part of shaving the beard was fun.
Paul–I’m so happy the computer virus is all fixed. And that your knee is better.
Oh, and my kids would go hungry if we didn’t own a microwave. For some reason, that would bother me a lot more than the indoor plumbing thing. And the three dollars a day–so funny. I hope that once you sell a few books (which I’m sure will be sooner, rather than later)–you keep a tally of how those numbers reverse.
Thank you so much for the wonderful award. I’m so glad that you find the Monday Meeting beneficial. I like getting my head on straight first thing in the week! And, it’s a wonderfully supportive gathering over there. And, you are a big part of that supportive group, so thank you so much for hanging out at the water cooler!
Thanks, Heather. It is a relief to have the computer virus wiped out. And my knee surgery did fix a problem, the jury is still out on whether it created another. Time will tell on that front. And the Walrus job was low pay but fascinating. One day there were 12,000 walrus hauled out.
I’ll see you at the water cooler.
Holy awards!!! Nicely done, sir. I just received my very first award a few days ago.
Thanks, K.M. And congrats on your award!!
You’ve been a busy guy Paul! SO many awards AND all of them well-deserved. I always enjoy your blog so much. I loved reading those last things about you there, the incongruous details of your life are what make you so fascinating.
And THANK YOU for the award! It means a lot 🙂
Thanks, ali. I really enjoy learning the details of other people’s lives via their blogs, too. It’s like getting a little window into their worlds. I hope you have better luck than I did in my attempt to upload the award:-)
Thanks Paul and congrats for all the awards.
I always forget to accept and pass on awards. My short term memory is terrible!! But I’ll try hard to remember this time.
Thanks, Jade. Your call on whether you want to accept and/or pass it on. You won’t offend me. No pressure here. Good luck with your rewrite.
Congratulations on all the awards. Well deserved! I like how you’ve responded to them, too. I have received a couple, among them the Sunshine Award, and mine came with its ‘requirement’ which I chose to ignore… it was meant to be passed on to twelve other worthy recipients. I preferred to choose just one and not ask that person to take on the pyramid requirement. Somehow it seems more meaningful that way and doesn’t promote a ‘chain letter’ situation.
Glad to hear your computer is up and running again. Today I committed to March Madness via Denise Jaden’s blog so this week I’m back at revisions on an old ms that I will hope to finally finish by month’s end.
Hi, Carol. I changed a few of the requirements that came w/the awards (don’t tell anyone.) The manuscript I’m wrestling with is my very first novel. I’m basically keeping the premise and going from there. I’ll be interested to hear how the revisions of your old ms go for you as the month progresses.I hope that March Madness committment serves you well. Good luck!!
Congratulations on all your awards, Paul! Also, I have to say that I too have had wifi for a couple of years and never owned a microwave. It’s amazing how many people were shocked by my lack of a microwave. Though not quite as shocked as they were for those three or so years I didn’t own a TV.
Alissa, Thanks! It is nice to have a stone-age cyber-companion like yourself. Although, I must admit I’m still trying to figure out the Google Friend Connect for a wordpress blog. I think I need to upgrade to a website similar to yours. Yes, I’m following in your cyber footsteps, or at least trying to. I’m in the market for a rotary cell-phone. How about you?
Congrats on all your awards. I’m glad to hear your computer is back up and running.
Thanks, Susan. I’m glad to have my computer back, too. Good luck with your revisions!
New links to check out! Thanks….sugar doll. 🙂
And–you’ve never owned a microwave? Wow! Y’all must eat healthy there (see how I’m equating healthy things with ovens? You’ll have to tell me you heat up McDonald’s in the oven and burst my bubble.)
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Thanks, Elizabeth! I was wondering when someone else would refer to me as a sugar doll. And, I can’t remember the last time I ate at McDonald’s but there is lots of chocolate and ice cream in our house. Luckily we don’t need a microwave for those things.
Wow! That’s a lot of awards! But well-deserved! You’re doing a great job with your blog! I always enjoy reading your posts!
Wow, you are popular:)
I’d love to see a picture of the beard.
Congrats! And good news about your computer. I`m in the process of setting up a new computer system. It seems like a lot of work lol
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jody. I really enjoy your blog, too!
Thanks, Maribeth. Maybe a beard picture in a future post. We’ll see.
Deb, good luck with your computer project. Get some good virus protection!!
Congrats on all the kudos you’ve been getting from the blogosphere. You know that soon it will be from reading public sphere as well.
Kayaking w/orca – wow. I’m excited to see them from the ferry to Victoria. A big ferry, not a kayak. You’re very impressive.
Thanks, Robert. Regarding the Orcas. I was just in the right place at the right time. They were what was impressive. I was just a matchstick, but a happy matchstick at that!
Living by the water like you do, I’m sure you’ll see some amazing things. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to be in the right place at the right time!
No indoor plumbing until 2000! You are pretty much awesome. Counting walrus sounds pretty fun too.
And I totally covet your treadmill desk. I need to talk my husband into making me one.
Natalie, I think this is the first time I’ve seen the phrase “no indoor plumbing” combined with the word “awesome.” People who came to visit us when we lived in a cabin didn’t describe the no plumbing feature quite like that.
And, counting walrus was fun. Our peak day was over 12,000. It was amazing, and the pay, well, you know the rest. Money isn’t everything.
And, that treadmill desk took about two hours to make even for a seat-of-the-pants person like myself.
I hope you shake that illness completely, and soon!
what fun! and, so glad the virus is gone. it’s the worst feeling to realize one has invaded your computer. for us as writers, it’s kind of personal. at least, that’s how i felt.
Thanks, Tess. Glad you enjoyed the post. And, yes, when that virus attacked my computer I definitely felt invaded, like I’d been hit by a cyber sledge hammer. It sounds like you had to deal w/something similar. I hope you didn’t lose anything.
Congrats on all the awards!! And I would love to count walruses for pay. Or for free! Sounds fun!
Thanks, Jill! And, hanging out w/several thousand walrus on a remote part of the Alaska Coastline was fun!! I feel fortunate to have had the experience. They are amazing animals, very social w/one another.
No indoor plumbing until 2000? You are a true tough guy writer. Hemmingway had nothing on you.