I have mixed feelings about displaying the award images on the page of my blog. However, I really am pleased and honored to be noticed.

I have come catching up to do.

My young friend Amanda at wannabephotographer87 nominated me for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. Amanda invites us to “come take a stroll in a world through [her] viewfinder, which I have done since she first picked up her Canon (Frank). I’ve watched her grow as both a photographer and a writer.

The rules are as follows;

1.The Nominee of the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award shall display the logo on his/her blog.
2.The Nominee shall nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of 7 days, all at once or little by little.
3.The Nominee shall name his/her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post or on posts during 7 days.

Here are a few of my  Nominees. You should check out their informative, creative, and entertaining blogs.

Mike’s Look at Life

Inga Photography

Tim May 

Comments from Cathy

An Asian Experience / Jumble 

Scrapydo’s Everything Crafty 

Flamidwyfe’s Blog

Francine in Retirement

More to come later …. it’s way past bedtime!

Good night,

~Mona

AND TIME PASSES

August 15, 2012

I’ve been remiss. I’ve been nominated for several awards, and have added them to my “to do” list.

I am humbled to think that someone would deem my work, my musings, my photography worthy of any sort of award or nomination. I think I have thanked those who nominated me. I hope so.

One of these days, I will do something about this ……. in the meantime

Thank you.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~from Melody Beattie

I wrote the following quite a while ago.

When I started blogging a few months ago, I thought it was a safe place to practice writing and post a few pictures, because who would see them anyway. Imagine my surprise when someone noticed, and then imagine how amazed I was when more people started “liking” my pictures, because, even though I am absolutely in love with taking pictures and just feel all warm and gooshie inside when someone says something good about them, I know that I am an amateur and very much a novice photographer. But I have fun with it.

I appreciate the acknowledgment and validation from the blogging community for these pats on the back in the form of blogging awards. Validation. That’s exactly what it is…validation that what I do is worth something.

I am touched that someone might find my images and words inspiring. I thank Muhammad Syanizam for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. When I spent some time reading his blog, I was surprised at the depth of knowledge and the wisdom in one so young. This young man from Singapore is bright, talented, and full of soul. Check out his blog at Nizamhappieboyz.

Now you get  Seven (OK eight) MORE Things About Me That You Didn’t Know Before:

1. I love parties…any kind…small and intimate or large and loud…but I cherish my quiet time alone.
2. While I’d live in jeans if I could, I do enjoy being a girlie-girl, getting dressed up, going to a NICE restaurant,  and being treated like I’m someone special.
3. I enjoy listening to the Beatles, Adele, Leonard Cohen, Alison Krauss, Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Coleman Hawkins, Sarah Brightman, and Etta James.
4. I am from a large family…I’m the oldest of 10 and I have somewhere around 75 cousins (and no steps or halfs).
5. I miss the oceans of South Florida, the magnolias of Georgia, the rolling hills of Kentucky, and the green trees of Indiana.
6. I miss my family and hate it that I live 2000 miles away and do not get enough time with them.
7. I miss my younger son who moved to Chicago last year; I miss him terribly.
8. I am thankful that my older son, my daughter-in-law, and my granddaughter live only 20 miles away. Those who’ve followed my blog have seen plenty of pictures of her as she is my favorite model.

I think that I should nominate seven bloggers, but I have visited so many blogs that have inspired me to take better pictures or take a different look at my life. I am pleased to pass on this Very Inspiring Award to the following bloggers:

Dan Miller’s Days in Focus

Life Revelation by stephenedwards425

imsorrygodsaythatagain: Teaching China in English 

Francine in Retirement (fgassette)

The Invisible Shadow by ntexas99

Lily

David Kanigan

Googsy’s Photography

Shutterbug Sage’s Year of Pics

Antiquity and Adventures

And finally:

Mehmudah at Ummanall’s Musings.

Madhu’s The Urge to Wander 

and

MDPhotographers

From Madhu comes the Versatile Blogger Award. Madhu’s inspiring images convey her passion for travel. Not only are her photographs incredible, but her writing about her travels is informative and witty. You owe it to yourself to visit her blog: The Urge to Wander  

7 Things About Me That You Didn’t Know Before:

1. I have gone by three different names in my life. I was called MONA when I was a child, RAMIE in my teens and 20s, and RAMONA during the next 3 decades.
2. I am older than most of my students’ grandparents (61) but, because of the accident of genetics, I look 10 or more years younger — at least from a distance. (This isn’t bragging; it’s purely genetic.)
3. My sons tell me I’m a perfectionist. I disagree, countering that if I’m a perfectionist, my condo would be clean, the papers organized, lessons planned, dog trained (you get the point).
4. I am a horrible procrastinator. “Experts” say this is related to being a perfectionist.
5. I start jobs and projects and don’t finish because they aren’t turning out the way I think they should. This isn’t possibly related to being a perfectionist.
6. I have a horrible time saying NO. It’s so bad that I even jump in and volunteer before I’m asked.
7. I taught writing strategies to teachers in China last summer and will do the same this summer.

Now I have the pleasure of sharing these versatile bloggers with you.

Russel Ray

Zhong Guo

Destiny 2011

rumpydog

Shards of China

Ana’s Lense

Dianne

nizamhappieboyz

I do not see myself as creative and am amazed by this nomination from Mehmudah, who describes herself as a writer, a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a student, a blogger, a dreamer, a cricket nut, a photography enthusiast, and a courageous Muslim woman. Check out her powerfully engaging blog Ummanall’s Musings.

7 More Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I have failed at dog training. My rescued dog has now trained me.
2. I cannot sing or dance but pretend I can when no one is around.
3. My heart sings when I granddaughter calls out my name and smiles at me.
4. I worry that my father’s Alzheimer’s will take him away before I have a chance to go home again.
5. I have fantasies of being a great photographer as I travel the world snapping powerful shots that move people to think and take action. Because I’m already 61 and have little experience I doubt that this will happen. But I can dream, can’t I?
6. I rejoice when my students get turned on to learning and are so involved that they don’t notice when class is about to end.
7. This is my 100th post! WooHoo!

And now I have the privilege of nominating seven bloggers. Check out these blogs by people who truly are creative:

Dragoneystory by Andy

Beautiful Pictures in Photobach

Images by Regina

Marita’s Indigo Spider

scrapydo

Jessie Hagood

RUBICORNO

THANK YOU for this honor! I am humbled.

I love this award because I’ve been following their blog for quite some time and am always impressed by the photography and writing. In their words, MDPhotographers “are just 2 Guys that love photography and try to capture beautiful scenes, objects and moments whenever there is an opportunity to do so.” Stop by and share their captivating moments.

The award has some guidelines to be followed.

1.  Include the logo in a post on your blog.

2.  Answer 10 questions about yourself.

3. Nominate 10-12 marvelous bloggers.

4. Let your nominees knows about their award by linking them to the Sunshine Award in their comments sections.

5. Share the love and link the person who nominated you!

10 questions for the Sunshine Award

1. Favorite Color: YELLOW, but I rarely wear it because it does funky things with my skin & make me look sick.
2. Favorite Animal: TIGER because I was born in the Year of the Tiger; tigers are strong and fierce protectors.
3. Favorite Number: TWO because I was born on the 2nd.
4. Favorite Drink: COFFEE,DARK BEER , or a very good PINOT NOIR
5. Facebook or Twitter: FACEBOOK (I can’t figure out how to tweet.)
6. Your Passion: FAMILY, PHOTOGRAPHY, TRAVELING, and TEACHING
7. Favorite Pattern: SPIRAL because it’s the perfect pattern in nature.
8. Giving or Receiving Gifts: GIVING
9. Favorite Day: SATURDAY
10. Favorite Flower: YELLOW ROSE

The following marvelous bloggers have brought sunshine to my life:

Lilly

Ni hao Shanghai!

Inga

Sarah Smiles

Mike

The Daily Cap

Ruth 

H2O by Joanna

wannabephotographer

Arley