Liebster Blog Award

I am a little late in posting this....

Back in the spring fellow Blogger Dani Sison nominated me for a Liebster Blog Award. Thank you Dani!
I do appreciate Dani's nomination - it brightened my day. Having written this I have just fulfilled Rule One of the award - thanking the person who nominated you.

Being me I have tried to find out about this award by searching Google. It's origin seems to be a bit of a mystery. One blogger who was also curious found out the following things:
1. The award goes from blogger to blogger - a chain award (I am okay with that since it means someone - other than family members and friends who I enundate with emails begging them to read my blog - is actually reading)
2. Once you accept your award you have to nominate 3-5 bloggers with less than 3,000 readers.
3. The award originated in Germany

Given the word Liebster is German this makes sense to me. By the way the word Liebster means: sweetest, kindest, dearest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, kind, cute, endearing, and welcomed. If my blog is actually ever considered to be even one-quarter of these things it would be fantastic.

In further research I have found more than one version of the rules for this award. Some versions are more daunting than the others. Who knows which to follow?
According to Dani the rules are:
1. Each person must post 11 facts about themselves.
2. Each person must answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated them.
3. Each person must choose 11 people and link them in their post.
4. Each person must tell the 11 people that you have tagged them.
5. No tag backs (red bunch buggy)
6. Each person must nominate blogs with less than 200 followers.

Honestly, I will follow what may be the original rules, see below.
They are easier. I hope this doesn't disqualify me.
Rule One - Thank the person who nominated you - please refer back to paragraph one of this post.
Rule Two - Link back to the person who nominated you.
Here you go Dani http://todaytomorrowforever3.blogspot.com/2012/06/liebster-blog-award.html
Thanks again for including me in your list.
Rule Three - Link to 3 - 5 Blogs that I like and admire, So, you all might also like:
1. Cry, Laugh, Heal -  http://crylaughheal.blogspot.com/
2. The Cupcake Suite - http://thecupcakesuite.blogspot.com/
3. Any Shining Thing - http://anyshinything.com/

Dani did ask me to answer 11 Questions and I do not want to be rude or ungrateful so here goes:
1. If you could get lost in any place in the world, where would it be? Hawaii
2. What is your dream destination? Australia or Bali (I cannot decide)
3. If you were stuck on an island and could only bring one thing, what would it be? My husband
4. Describe yourself in one word. Indecisive
5. Choose: clothes, books or gadgets - clothes, no I mean books, no I mean gadgets, no clothes...
6. What book have you read and you wish that you wrote it? "To Kill A Mockingbird"
7. What is your favorite past time? Sitting on the beach
8. If you could un-read any book that you read in the past, what would it be? I don't finish books I don't like.
9. How old were you when you read your first pocket book? 10 (The Red Badge of Courage and I still have the copy)
10. Would you rather stay home or go out? Stay home
11. What is your favorite food? Ice Cream


It IS so nice to be nominated,
Magda

A Wise Old Owl

Sometimes the Best Lessons are the Simplest Ones to Recite but at times the hardest to Practice.
Time to make this one Simple to Practice too.

Magda

Balance

The buzz word of the moment seems to be balance. Everyone is talking about it, looking for it, and hoping to achieve it. I spent most of the past year hoping to find it. Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a whole book, Eat, Pray, Love, about a quest to find it. (Personally I could not get past Pray) There were times I felt I found it and times I felt it was gone forever.

I have realized balance is fleeting. Think of the gymnast on the balance beam. The "beam" is only 3.9 inches wide, it is arguably the hardest event in Olympic gymnastics, the maximum time allowed for a balance beam routine is 1 minute and 30 seconds, and the event is only performed by women. Coincidence? I think not.

Balance is temporary. Balance is evolving, Balance is individual. Balance is a myth. Many claim to have "balance" but once you figure out that balance is a myth, you can stop all that stressful striving for it. This theory may sound pessimistic but it is not meant to be - it is meant to be freeing. As unpredictable as life is you may feel in "balance" for about 1 minute, 1 hour, or if you are lucky maybe even for 1 day - but then something can come along and shake your center and possibly knock you off your beam.

The trick is getting back on and finishing your routine. Every now and then you might achieve a perfect 10.....