V.I.B. - Very Inspiring Blogger!

Imagine my shock when my friend Kim named me as one of her nominees for the award of being a Very Inspiring Blogger!  Thanks Kim!  Make sure you go check out her awesome blog about running/tri's/life in general: TriAndTrue.

The award has three simple rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who nominated you.  (see above)
2. Share 7 things about yourself. (see below)
3. Nominate 15 other bloggers and comment on their blogs to let them know. (see below)

Seven things about myself:  I wasn't sure what to share, so I did a quick Google search for "random questions to ask people" and came up with these - I hope they're interesting enough!:

1. What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year?  I. Love. Christmas.  So December is obviously my favorite month of the year - I love the nip in the air and the (seemingly elusive) chance of snow.  Cookies and cider and treats are shared by all.  Christmas decorations are up, carols are playing, there's a general feeling of goodwill and cheer in the air.  I just love the whole season!
2. What’s your least favorite mode of transportation?  Driving. I hate it. Especially if I'm the one doing the actual driving, and most especially if the trip is over 3 hours.  I don't mind bus trips because I can move around more than in a car, I'm fascinated by train travel, and I LOVE flying!
3. Which celebrity do you get mistaken for?  Ummm...I'm not usually mistaken for any celebrities, but there was a time in the late 90's when people thought I looked like Monica Lewinski (gee, great... :-/  )  In fact, I was almost her for Halloween that year - I even had the blue dress, just needed a beret.  LOL.
4. Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best?  When I was laid off from my job 5 years ago I thought it was the end of the world.  It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me because even though that job paid really well I worked insane hours and had absolutely no life!  My "new" job that I got a couple months later is a great fit for me - I'm not paid as much, but I have a much more regular schedule and actually have a life!  I realized not long after starting my current job that there's no way I would have be able to work at the old place and complete my training for that very first half marathon I signed up for - it just never would have happened.  It's amazing where life leads you and the bumpy road it  sometimes takes to get there.
5. What do you miss most about being a kid?  The lack of responsibility.  Don't get me wrong, being an adult has more than it's fair share of perks, but also those pesky things like a job/mortgage/responsibilities.  I'd like to go back to the days  where you'd have a fun day at school, maybe do a little multiplication table homework, play with friends and family and not have to worry about life.  I miss that simplicity and naivete.
6. What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?  There's no way to name them all.  Have you ever seen the musical/movie Brigadoon?  There's a scene near the end where every phrase someone says to the main character reminds him of a song from earlier in the show and he has a little flashback to the song.  My brain is pretty much like that with music.  One word/phrase/line, and all of a sudden I have a song chorusing through my head - and it can be something I heard yesterday or the most random song I haven't heard in years!  Crazy.
7. What chore do you absolutely hate doing?  The dishes.  If I could pay someone to just come do my dishes every day I'd be in heaven.

Nominations.  15 is a lot!  Anyone mind if I just do 10?:

1. Aunt on the Run - My BFF Carrie blogs about her life as a runner and aunt to two of the cutest little Texas boys around!
2. Elbowglitter - My friend Megan blogs about racing and tri training with wisdom and humor! 
3. Running While Chunky - A fellow Galloway-er, "Chunky Girl" gets real about running while trying to lose weight and being a back-of-the-pack-er.
4. Running Around the World - Rebecca's husband is stationed in Germany, so she's using the opportunity to take on the challenge of international racing.  I love reading about her adventures!
5. Diary of a Recovering Clydesdale - This is David's blog (remember him from the Rome marathon video?).  His vision is couch-to-Boston in twelve years or less.
6. Our Love on the Run - Bethany and Ryan are the cutest couple ever, and they're both amazing runners!
7. ...Just Me & My Running Shoes... - Karen is a fellow Disney fan, nurse, and runner whose posts are both interesting and insightful.
8. Eat. Sleep. Run. Disney - Jen posts about Disney, running, and crossfit - I tell you - the woman is a machine!
9. Running through the Castle - Jennifer blogs about running and tri training, as well as dealing with and recovering from injury.
10. RunJulesRun - Jules just recently started blogging, but I'm loving what I've seen from her so far.  A great mix of reality and inspiration.  Can't wait to read what she's got next.

I probably doubled up on some people who've already been nominated for this award, but this is a list I like and some of these bloggers may be new to you - I hope you'll go check out their blogs!