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BLOG AWARD: Stepping into the Spotlight

6 March 2013
Blog Awards
8 Comments

The thing is, even after having presented with eight blog awards, I still wonder what I did in this life to deserve all of this. I am just a girl who had a dream of becoming an inspiration to people from all walks of life. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Writing—to me—has always been an avenue for expressing my thoughts and sharing my experiences with friends and family.

I may not be the best blogger—if not writer—there is, but the 124 followers and few admirers of this blog make every post worth the effort. Needless to say, as my readership grow, I am compelled to write more interesting stuff—not to impress—but to inspire them for the same reason they stumbled into my humble website.

As I accept this award, I only need to thank a few people: Moment Matters, for believing in the goodness of my Eat, Pray, Love entry; all my followers and occasional visitors who take their time in reading, liking, and leaving a comment or two in my posts; my family and friends who serve as my inspiration in everything that I do; and last, but certainly not the least, I thank God for the gift—this gift—that makes me a source of inspiration to other people.

To God be the glory!

I don’t have a sense of entitlement or that I deserve this. You’d be surprised at the lack of competition between nominees – I think a lot of it is imposed from the outside. Can I have my champagne now?

—Cate Blanchett (Best Supporting Actress, The Aviator)

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The Awardees

I unfollowed you. (A Love Letter) | Rarasaur
OH MY GOSH! | Breezy Books Blog by Maddie Cochere
The lost art of handwriting | All World Issues
Queen For A Day | I Just Want It To Be Perfect
Why I Write | Harper Faulkner
I am a tax payer and I’m proud of it! | Back to the Groove
Time Management | MomRunsHalf
Newly weds FAQs | Adventures of Moonchild
February: Attitude of Gratitude | iRuniBreathe
日本が大好き: Japan~ | Impressions of a Princess
Why blog? i.am.karlmeister
Only You Hold the Key to Your Dreams | Cheeky Social Marketing
Start on your knees to finish on your feet | about a girl…
I Fought the Law and the Law Didn’t Win | The Jackie Blog
Last Parent Standing | Martha Reynolds Writes

The Rules

Winners re-post this starting with their acceptance speech. This could be written or video recorded.

Winners have the privilege of awarding the next 15 people with this award! The re-post should include a NEW set of 15 people/blogs worthy of the award; and winners notify them the great news.

The Resources

  • What makes a good acceptance speech?
    • Gratitude. Thank the people who helped you along the way
    • Humor. Keep us entertained and smiling
    • Inspiration. Make your story touch our lives
  • Get an idea from the great acceptance speeches, compiled in MomentMatters.com/Speech
  • Display the award’s badge on your blog/website, downloadable in MomentMatters.com/Award
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BLOG AWARDS: Versatile/Very Inspiring/Shine On

3 March 2013
Blog Awards
6 Comments

…but wait, there’s more! Just last week, a recent follower, mother | worker | chef | wife, nominated me for yet another blog awards. Yes, plural. Not one, but three more awards to add to my chest! Indeed, when it rains, it pours. She actually bestowed me with The Versatile Blogger, Very Inspiring Blogger, and Shine On Blogger Awards. That’s quite a lot to take in!

For this recognition, I am supposed to tell seven (7) more things about myself. I’m not so much of an interesting person, really, but I’ll try. Here goes…

  1. Unlike my good friend who nominated me for this award, I can swim and ride a bike. By swim, I mean I can do laps in an Olympic-sized pool.
  2. I love singing to songs by The Corrs.
  3. When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. Biology class in second year high school made me think otherwise.
  4. When people hear my real name, I am often mistaken as a boy. IT. NEVER. FAILS.
  5. I still own and use two of my baby things: my red comb and coral earrings.
  6. All my cellphones back then were hand-me-downs from either Dad or Mom. I first had a brand new phone in 2009. It was my parents’ birthday gift for me.
  7. I love paper and office supplies. When I get colorful pens for my birthday or Christmas, I feel like I’m in heaven. For reals.

The Nominees

I’d like to give these three awards to the following people I find interesting, and whom I want to get to know more through their writing:

One Thousand Single Days
All Those Small Things
All World Issues
Better Half Weddings
Chantel • Lee • Lace
For Vanity’s Sake
Impressions of a Princess
Ketch’s Book Nook
Lala Aquino
Lily Petal
Meandering Musings
Putney Farm
Rarasaur
Jessie Thomson
Prego and the Loon

The Rules

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

It’s as easy as ABC, guys! Congratulations and good luck! Again, a big THANK YOU to Miss MWCW for this wonderful recognition!

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BLOG AWARD: Liebster Award

2 March 2013
Blog Awards
14 Comments

Following my entry on the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award, on 17 February, I received a comment notification from Good Golly Miss Molly, letting me know that she has nominated me for a Liebster Award! Hold on a second—A WHAT? Okay, I honestly didn’t know what liebster means until Nica received the same award some months ago. According to her, liebster is a German word which means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. WHOA.

Miss Molly has prepared 11 questions for me:

Best day of your life so far. I got this from “City Slickers,” that scene when the guys are riding along with the herd and talking. And like their rules, the best day can’t be the day any of your kids were born.
The best day of my life so far is when my then-boyfriend-now-fiancé asked me to marry him. Ask me again in a few months, and I’ll give you a better answer. *winks*

If you could be somebody else for a day, who would it be and why?
I know this is weird, but I’d like to be Lady Gaga for a day. I want to know how it feels to wear those hideous unique wardrobe. What is an extremist?

What are your three favorite foods?
As of writing, I crave for Crunchy California Maki Roll, Beef Bulgogi, and Seafood Pasta. Oh, this question made me drool!

When did you consider yourself grown-up (if you do)? If you don’t consider yourself grown-up, what will be the marker?
Perhaps the day I realized that my role as the eldest is to look after my brothers more than anything else, that’s when I considered myself a grown-up. It was the time when I began thinking of my brothers’ welfare more than my own.

What tokens, charms, special objects do you keep around to inspire your writing or other work you do if you’re not a writer?
It’s not really a token nor a charm, but I have to wear my eye glasses on whenever I’m in the computer or just plain reading in my iPad to minimize eye-strain.

If you could make up your own astrology signs, what would the name of your sign be and what would be the symbol? Explain.
I’m really sorry, Miss Molly, but I couldn’t think of an answer for this one. :(

Who was your favorite high school teacher and why.
My favorite high school teacher will have to be my senior year English teacher, Mr. Aliton Infante. Next to my mother, Sir Al was the best English teacher I ever had. It was during his tenure that I developed the confidence in public speaking and performing (theater) for a large audience. This holds true to this day.

What was the last live music performance you attended? How did you like it?
Perhaps the last live music I attended was back in college. During the Christmas holiday season, our university holds an annual Paskuhan celebration in the campus, and inviting a few local bands over to play for the students is one of the much-anticipated part of the event.

As a kid, what was your favorite book? Do you still have a copy?
I’ll have to go with Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. I don’t have the book, but I do have the CD version.

Someone once said it’s not what we give that defines love but what we give up. Have you ever given up anything for love? What and why?
Technically, I haven’t, but soon I’ll have to give up proximity from my family. When I get married, I’ll have to move across the world to live with my husband. I know it’s going to be a very big adjustment for me and my family, but I’ll do it for love.

What’s your favorite mode of travel?
Travel by car. It gives me the opportunity to stop, pull over, and digest the beautiful scenery along the way.

Eleven Facts About Me

  1. I am afraid of lizards, geckos, salamanders, iguanas, and all other creatures of the same kind.
  2. I have never flunked any subject in school until college. It cost me another year to finish my engineering degree.
  3. I cry whenever a pet of ours dies. Yes, I even cried over the death of a goldfish.
  4. I have quite a retentive memory.
  5. To this day, I am afraid of mascots and clowns.
  6. I have one prominent dimple in my left cheek. (Got it from Dad!)
  7. I have personally seen the late Blessed John Paul II twice during the World Youth Day in 1995 here in the Philippines.
  8. I have the tendency to be mysophobic (a.k.a germophobic).
  9. My all-time favorite cartoons are Popeye, Betty Boop, and Huckleberry Hound.
  10. I am a very moody person.
  11. I wore dental braces for ten [long] years. *cue flashy smile here*

The Nominees

In honor of the last 11 followers of my blog, I will give this award to them. Thank you and congratulations, friends!

Ghostgrrl007
Hollis Plample | Daily Comic
The Top 10…of Anything and Everything!!!
One7Blog
Glenn Folkes
A Hot Cup of Love
mother | worker | chef | wife
Harsh Reality
Stuff I Tell My Sister
Sunny Sleeves | Sun Protection & Green Info
Eye Dancers

The Eleven Questions

  • What were you like when you were 21? Or if you’re not yet 21, what do you imagine yourself to be like when you reach that age?
  • I’m going to get married in December. Where do you suggest we go for honeymoon?
  • Pretend you’re an actor/actress. Which character in a TV series/movie would you like to portray?
  • Who/what inspires you to write?
  • What musical instrument do you play?
  • Are you a leader or a follower by nature?
  • What is your least favorite subject in high school?
  • If you could relive a moment in your life, what would it be? Why?
  • I believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What’s in your plate in most days?
  • What course did you take up in college? If you’re still in high school, what course do you wish to undertake?
  • Let’s try to be artsy fartsy. You are given a pair of scissors, paper, stick, and stone. What would you do with all four of them?

The Rules

  1. Post 11 facts about themselves.
  2. Answer the 11 questions they’ve been asked.
  3. Nominate 11 other bloggers.
  4. Ask those bloggers 11 questions of their own.

That’s just about it, folks! Have fun!

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BLOG AWARD: Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

1 March 2013
Blog Awards
17 Comments

I know this entry is long overdue, but I hope posting it on the first day of March kind of makes up for it. On 16 January, my colleague-turned-blogger, Nica, nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Her quick note on why she’s nominating me gave me a good laugh. According to her, I was the “pestering” colleague who encouraged her to write, and build a site of her own. I am happy to see that it turned out to be a good idea because she’s now getting a lot of traffic in her blog.

Anyway, here are the ten questions Nica required me to answer in acceptance of the said award:

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Modesty aside, most people think I’m [still] in my early 20s. It could be the food I put in my mouth, but I’ll have to say it must be the genes. After all, you don’t get an apple from an orange tree, right? I just turned 26 in November, by the way.

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?
Incidentally, I thought about this the other day. Now that my wedding draws nearer, I tend to think about my grandparents. All four of my grandparents from both side have passed away, but if I’ll be given a chance to meet only one of them, I’d choose a no-brainer: Tatay Inong. I’ve talked about him here in my blog quite a few times already, so you’d know why.

Nightly owl or early bird?
Definitely an early bird.

Bare or with make up?
I used to wear make-up almost everyday in college and in the first few months of working. Eventually, I grew tired of making it a part of my daily routine, so I go bare-faced in most days. Since then, I seldom had major breakouts which did me good.

Coffee or tea?
Ha! This is a tricky question, Nic! I’ll go with tea.

Forest or beach?
BEACH!

Shoes or sandals?
I’ll go with shoes—sneakers/boots—any time of the day! Besides, I’m not really a fan of strappy sandals for everyday use.

Favorite place to travel.
Anywhere outside the city that has fine sand, vast waters, and jaw-dropping scenery. Trans: BEACH!

One food you could never eat.
I would have answered carrots, but I get to eat them when they’re thinly sliced, so I’ll go with liver.

Favorite smell.
Ah, this is something Nic and I both have in common: anything powder-scented.

The Nominees

I would have nominated other people for this award, but I thought they are the perfect people to receive this particular award because they have been like sisters-from-another-mother-and-father to me which makes more sense to it. Congratulations, ladies!

Susan Hunter Mysteries | Maddie Cochere
Back to the Groove
Adventures of Moonchild | Life at 25 and Beyond

Ten Questions

  • What is that one song that lifts your mood up no matter how bad your day had been?
  • What is your most favorite Disney Princess?
  • What is that one trait you think you got from your mother/father that you love?
  • What is your favorite month?
  • If given the choice, what name would you choose for yourself?
  • If you could take me anywhere in the world, where would we go?
  • What is your worst mannerism?
  • What is the most recent book you have read?
  • What is your greatest frustration?
  • What is the essence of a woman?

The Rules

  1. Acknowledge the person who passed the award to you and provide their link.
  2. Include the award logo on your blog.
  3. Answer the ten questions I posted above.
  4. Nominate blogs and link those you have especially enjoyed reading. The number you can select is up to you.
  5. Notify each individual that you have nominated them.

Thank you, Nic, as always for this award. It’s an honor to have been considered like a big sister to you, and I’m very much obliged. You keep doing what you do best, kid!

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BLOG AWARDS: Double Recognition

15 January 2013
Blog Awards
6 Comments

I still haven’t recovered from the craziness brought about by the holidays; in fact, I haven’t even completely cleared my backlog at work. So much going on in my life these days, and I say it’s a good thing. Perhaps I’m just not used to this kind of hanky-panky for I’ve always been the home-buddy type of person.

Anyway, I’m going through my notes—the things I will write about in the coming days—when I realized that I received two awards from two awesome blogger friends, Nica and Ms. Maddie Cochere, in December. These are actually the second and third time I’ve been nominated/given an award. My first blogging award was also bestowed by Nica in September last year: the Super Sweet Blogging Award.

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Click this photo to view rules for this award.

Let me begin with the Blog of the Year 2012 award from Nica. As mentioned in her post, I convinced pestered her into starting a blog site. It took her weeks to finally give in to my plea, and now she seems to be having fun sharing her thoughts on things (mostly related to politics or those that would  start a fire in her comment box) and book reviews from self-published authors from all parts of the world. Nica has come a long way, and not only am I happy for her, I’m proud of her, too!

Thank you, Nica, for this award! In return to this humbling recognition, I would like to bestow the same to the following people (in no particular order):

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Click this photo to view rules for this award.

Maddie Cochere, author of Susan Hunter Mysteries, gave me this award. Like J-Bo and Nicole, I knew her when her post, Stairway to Heaven, was also featured in Freshly Pressed. I thought it was clever that Ms Maddie and her husband came up with limericks with the stairway as their inspiration. I left a comment on her post, congratulated her for the feature, and the rest was history. Ms Maddie had been visiting and reading my posts since, and even leaves me well-thought comments that oftentimes overwhelm me.

Anyway, according to the rules, I am supposed to share seven things about myself, and I mostly write about my personal life, so I’ll try to tell you something that most of you (especially my new followers) may not be aware of:

  1. I drive a manual transmission (M/T) car. My parents enrolled me to a driving school when I was in college to prevent me from spending the night at a friend’s house. In other words, I must go home to our house regardless of the occasion.
  2. Carrots are my least favorite vegetable. Well, I don’t like them at all.
  3. Given a choice, I would rather have an older brother than an elder sister, but growing up, I realized that I’m okay with two younger brothers.
  4. I am oftentimes mistaken as a boy because of my name.
  5. I have only been to Australia and Singapore.
  6. The thing I look forward to the most in marriage is travelling with my family.
  7. When I say no, I mean no.

Here are the people I want to give this award to (sorry, I couldn’t come up with a list of 15):

This One Lovely Blog Award is just proof of what I consider a budding friendship between Ms Maddie and I. I once told her that if I ever bump into her when I get to the US, I will give her a warm hug. I mean it, Ms Maddie!

And for everyone else who follows my humble website [and takes time to read on my random ramblings], thank you! You are the best!

BLOG AWARD: Super Sweet

15 September 2012
Blog Awards
9 Comments

Before anything else, I’d like to say that I’m finally catching up with my backblogs! I’ve been really busy with work- and wedding-related stuff nowadays that instead of working on my posts, I’d rather catch on sleep.

Anyway, let’s get down to business. 

I would like to thank my good friend [and colleague], Nica, for bestowing me the Super Sweet Blogging Award. How sweet of you! Really, I appreciate it, but I take this more of a challenge than anything else. Why so, you may ask? Well, I am one of the few people who don’t have a strong craving for sweets. I prefer fruity, sour-tasting food for dessert. Weird? So I’ve been told.

Please bear with me as I try to answer these questions the best way I can:

Cookies or Cakes?

Cookies! The soft, chewy ones, to be more specific. I’d settle for either of these two: Chips Ahoy! Chewy or Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla. Regardless if it’s ice cream or a flavored drink, I’d choose this over chocolate.

What is your favorite sweet treat?

Definitely ice cream. As I’ve mentioned, vanilla-flavored ice cream is on top of my list. Heck, I’d even settle for McDonald’s or Jollibee’s vanilla sundae cone.

Another treat I won’t be able to resist is a strawberry-flavored ice cream with real strawberries!

When do you crave sweet things the most?

That’s the problem—I don’t crave for one as much as others do, but for the sake of argument, I’d say whenever I need a dose of happy pill to keep me going.

If you had a sweet nickname, what would it be?

I knew this is going to be a challenging one! Hmm, let me think… How about Twinkie? HAHAHA.

As practice, I nominate the following blogs for the same award [in no particular order]:

Adventures of Moonchild | Life at 25 and Beyond
Astrid Zoe | Free Your Mind
Candid Headlines | The Latest in the Life of a Twenty-something
Grace Full Mama | Learning to Embrace Life with Grace and Truth
Patty Laurel | Come Waste Your Time with Me

CONGRATULATIONS!

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