My First Blogger Award!

While reading through my blog feeds today, I learned that JB over at Perplume’s Blog had nominated little ‘ol ME for an award!  Thank you so much for thinking of me!  It’s a surprise and an honor.

I must say, though.. The first time I saw it and read it out loud, I thought it said ‘Honest Crap’ – but I’m not sure that was the initial intention of the award creator…

Anyway, the caveat of this award is that I have to come up with TEN honest bits of information about me, that I haven’t previously put into a blog post.   In reality, I’m quite the introvert – which is why I married a gregarious Cuban who could become best friends with one of the Royal Guards that stand outside of Parliament in the big fuzzy hats if given the opportunity.  So, coming up with ten facts about me is going to be quite the task.  I’ll give it a shot..

Here goes nuthin’!!!!

1.     I was in a Super Bowl halftime show in 1995 when the 49ers played the Chargers at Joe Robbie stadium.  It was fantastic!  Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, the Miami Sound Machine and Arturo Sandoval performed in the Indiana Jones themed show.  Disney was promoting some attraction that was opening at Disneyland – but we all got some cool participation gifts.  Tee shirts, shorts, mugs, tickets to Disney World, etc.  We got to see the second quarter from the tunnels!  How neat is that?

2.     My first trip to Florida was in 1988.  I lived in Massachusetts, and we were going in March.  I counted down the days until we were to go.  While I was at SeaWorld with my family, I decided that I was going to live in Florida, and I was going to be a Marine Biologist and train dolphins.  Half of that came true – I do live in Florida.  Unfortunately, not a marine biologist.

3.     When my sister was 10 and I was 12, our cousin planned a trip to Sweden.  There were at least ten of us that went.  It was where I first heard “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor – and it played constantly on their music television.  I also became a fan of “Bikini Girls With Machine Guns” by the Cramps, and someone named Tameka Takaram.  I know I spelled that wrong, but its similar to how it sounds.   Being toeheads, everyone wanted to speak to us in Swedish – but we knew not a lick.  Still don’t.

4.     I knew that I was going to marry the man that is now my husband.  We started out as friends, and he kept fighting the fact that we were pretty much meant for each other.  He had planned on being ‘a bachelor until he turned 40, just like his dad.’  He would say that he wasn’t going to date me, until he dated me.  Then it was, “I’m not going to marry you” until he proposed.  From the beginning – I knew.  He doesn’t believe me, but it’s true!

5.     I am not a fan of the Beatles.  There are a couple of songs I like that they wrote, but were covered by other bands.  ”Come Together” is the first that comes to mind.  I love it when I hear the Aerosmith version, but change the channel if it’s the Beatles.  I’m sure I’m one of a small few who feel this way, but I can’t help it.

6.     I share a birthday with Ethan Hawke – who I was IN LOVE WITH years ago.  I still think he’s a pretty good looking guy, but he was absolutely adorable in a movie called ‘Explorers‘ back in the 80’s.  River Phoenix was in there, too.  Another good looking kiddo.  My birthday is also considered “Saxophone Day.”  I haven’t done the research, so I have no idea why that is…   Sorry.

7.     I have four tattoos.  None of which are visible when dressed properly.  Well, most of the time, anyway.  The first I received was a  Scorpio symbol on my ankle.   A tribal band was later added around the entire ankle (this is the one that can be seen if I wear a skirt, rather than pants).  I have a Celtic Scorpion on my tummy, beneath my belly button (which is the only one I would remove if given the chance).  There is a dolphin riding a tribal-esque wave on my right shoulder blade.  And I am the proud owner of a tramp stamp.  I have got to defend this, however.  I got this one *way before* it was ‘the thing to do’ for 18 year old girls.    It’s a really pretty one, too – a heart with angel wings and a halo.  I cannot do it justice by writing about it, but the tattoo artist did a really great job.

8.     My sister can kick my ass.  No joke.  She is 98 pounds soaking wet.  Five foot nothing.  But she is an elastic band.  If we were to go mano a mano – I could probably knock her out.  I out weigh her by double, or close to it!  But get us onto the floor in a wrestling match and I’m done for.  Her legs come out of nowhere to kick me in the face!  DEAD SERIOUS!!!  It’s amazing, really.  Scary.  But amazing.

9.     When I was in elementary school, I stole a dollar from my best friend.  Actually, I’m not sure it was *her* dollar bill, but it was in her house.  It was on a white desk in her cellar.  I remember it clearly.  Me and my big mouth got home that evening and bragged about how I had a dollar.  My mom figured out where I got it and dragged me back to their house.  I was in tears.  She made me apologize to my friend and her mom and give back the dollar.  I could tell you that I learned my lesson – and I did.  For a while.  I was a little rebellious in my teen years, but nothing crazy.  Thank goodness!

10.     (wow.. this is tough to do!)   Okay..  My husband proposed to me at a gas station.  This was before the episode of The Office where Jim proposed to Pam halfway between their locations.  It was quite spontaneous and unexpected.  He had just gotten offered a position as a manager at a local restaurant and so we went out to celebrate.  We had stopped to get some gas and some beer to bring home (it IS Daytona after all… ), we were outside the store and he got down on one knee.  I cried.  It was a good night.

This turned out to be a lot longer than I had thought it would be..  and thank you for sticking around…

Now, I get to nominate nine other people to receive this award.  Hmm… Where to begin?  I have come across sooo many new blogs these past couple of months and they probably all deserve to be recognized.  So, I guess the nine blogs that I nominate are:

Amanda at The Talbert Report for teaching me how shopping can *actually* save me money!

Damama for being honest about whatever comes to mind.

Elizabeth at On Tap For Today because I love her dog and that she lives in Boston.

Mel (I think) from the Stirrup Queens blog.  She is brutally honest all the time – no matter what she’s going through.  That takes some cajones.

Another blog that seems to exude honesty is The Life of 2 Mums and a Daughter – I check in on them every so often and am always entertained/ provoked.

Another Bostonian of Note – Angela, the Boston Brat.  Her love of the Patriots is one to be admired.

I don’t get there as often as I should, but I enjoy reading A Muse In My Pocket.

And two that I enjoy reading at any time… Pajamas & Coffee and Ooph..   Great blogs of family life and Fuc ummm..  rubber ducks…

Tags: award, blogging, writing