Mystery Blogger Award Nominee

The very kind Relatable Miss B nominated me and I’m so flattered. My blog is part outlet for my thoughts, part record of my kids and work and other things as they evolve, and part sharing ideas and experiences. It started off purely therapeutic for me but it seems people read it every now and then after all. Miss B is great, her blog focuses on many of the challenges we all face in the 21st century and she’s well worth a visit or a follow: @Iam_SarahB_.

What exactly is the Mystery Blogger Award? 

It is an amazing award created by Okoto Enigma for bloggers who are talented and whose work is not only interesting but also inspiring. They are amongst the best and they deserve all the recognition and support they can get. It is also for bloggers who blog for fun and to find inspiration but are very passionate and love what they do. 

But like everything else in life there are rules :

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify). 
9. Share a link to your best post(s).

Now that we know what’s what, let’s go to the exciting part.

3 Random things about me

1. I used to be vegetarian. When I was 9 I decided to stop eating meat. My parents are saints. I can’t imagine large boy asking that in just over a year. That was it though, no meat. When I was 21 I went to live abroad (more later) for a year. Realising that veggie food wasn’t easily available like at home, I decided to have fish once a week to make sure I got enough protein. Then at 25 some weird urge had me steal a bit of chicken from my boyfriend (now “himself”, the husband). At 29 I was pregnant with large boy. I’d always said I wouldn’t impose my views on others. So when I became anaemic I started eating red meat too.It took a lot of years to gradually bring meat back again. But now I love steak and black pudding and lamb. I feel like a traitor, but couldn’t go back.
2. I can’t stand bad grammar but I’m terrible at typing on my phone. My pet hates are they’re/their/there. But between autocorrect and long nails I’m a terrible phone typer. I don’t proof read enough either. Sorry.
3. I have a PhD in Chemistry. Not so much to tell. I spent 3 years doing proper wet chemistry research and 6 months writing up. After a tricky viva voce, I passed my PhD and had my corrections plan approved the same week I started my first (and only) real job.Over 12 years later I rarely use the knowledge I gathered, but the independence, initiative and in depth research is still part of my day to day work.

Questions from Relatable Miss B

1. When do you find that you are more productive in terms of writing? In the morning or late at night? I tend to write early evening, there’s a quiet period between everyone getting home and bedtime that seems to suit me. Otherwise, if it’s something really on my mind, I find it good to write at bedtime so I’ve got it out of my head before trying to sleep.
2. As a child what did you want to do when you grow up? And what are you doing now? As a small child, I don’t remember. As a teenager I wanted to be a Dr in a mission for Medicins Sans Frontiers – I was terribly earnest. Now I’m a technical writer for a software company, our apps are used all over the world to develop all sorts of tech and pharma products. I like to think that if I write instructions or workflows that help scientists do good work, I’m making a good contribution.
3. If you could choose between the ability to be invisible and the ability to fly, which one would you pick and why? Fly, it must be very peaceful up there and beautiful seeing the world from above. I wouldn’t want to be invisible in case I saw things I’m better off not knowing.
4. What is your favorite book at the moment? The next Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – its not out yet but I can’t wait to see what happens next.
5. If you were walking alone in town and a stranger held your hand and started walking with you. What would your reaction be? Laugh/smile and keep walking or let their hand go and ask what they were doing? Let go and see what’s going on. I can’t imagine that happening and running off to the sunset, either mistaken identity or something suspicious.

My nominees

This is the really hard part. I recently wrote about the pain of being excluded: Unintended exclusion hurts too. I don’t want to be that person leaving someone out and hurting them, making them feel rejected. So I’m going to just scroll down my wordpress reader and pick the first 10 blogs on the list.

• Little Miss Shortstuff
• Moving Forward
• Rosie Culture
• Thoughts with N
• Quibbles and Scribbles
• Bill Fonda
• Mum of Three World
• Love, Geeky Girl
• Pencils and Popcans
• The Diary of a Dad

My nominees questions

1. When you get up in the morning, are you alert and ready to go or sluggish and befuddled?
2. What subject do you wish you worked harder on at school?
3. What’s the bravest thing you’ve done?
4. How long have you had your current mobile phone number?
5. What’s your favourite cartoon? (now or when you were a kid)

Posts that I am proud of on my blog

Manifesto for parents: things that are ok – one of the first things I wrote, about beind kind to each other.

Dear baby boy3 – this was hard and emotional but did me so much good to let out.

Making stuff 4: gin bottling time – something a bit more fun and tasty.