But I never win ANYTHING!

When I first decided to blog, I kinda hoped my mom, my husband, and a couple of my best friends would (pretend to) read it, that they would tell me how witty, and smart, and charming, and pretty I am, and they would at least wait until my back was turned before they rolled their eyes at my inability to shut the hell up. It hasn't quite turned out that way. It seems some of you actually ARE reading it and even better, it's resonating with many of you. 

But I don't think, in a million years, I ever expected anyone to think I'm "inspiring". So when I saw that my new virtual friend and fellow blogger Shannon nominated me for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award, I was shocked, then completely humbled. Shannon's husband Seth is a childhood friend, and I started following her blog (www.sweetoliana.blogspot.com) at Seth's recommendation. Shannon and Seth's daughter, Oliana, was born blind and is autistic. She writes a very frank, honest blog about the challenges they have raising Oli as well as their 3 other children. SHE'S inspiring. She's someone I look at and think, "What an incredible human being!" Me? I'm just some lady who can't seem to get her shit together. No way am I in the same league. Shannon was also one of the first people I reached out to when I was wondering if I should make the leap into the blogosphere. She was so helpful and patient and caring and INSPIRING.  The fact that Shannon thinks I'M inspiring blows my freaking mind. 

But being the attention whore I am, I'll take the nomination with a heartfelt thank you then get on with the business of officially accepting the nomination for Very Inspiring Blogger.

The rules for the award are as follows:

• Link back to the person who nominated you. See above, and seriously, check her out. She's awesome, and I'm not just saying that because she nominated me. She's honest, funny, and insightful. And she kinda freaks me out sometimes because I feel like she's IN MY HEAD!!
• Post award image on your site. I have, and will wear it with pride!

• List 7 random facts about yourself. The only tough part is narrowing it to 7. I'm one quirky bitch.
1. My favorite movie of all time is The Sound of Music. I have watched that movie so many times that when I was a kid, I could recite every single line. Seriously - how can you not think of Maria singing "I Have Confidence" while jaunting down the cobblestone streets with her suitcases, and smile!? I was probably 4 when I first  had romantic feelings for Christopher Plummer. To this day, even though he's gray and a million years old, I think of him as Captain von Trapp. What's not hot about an authority figure in uniform blowing a whistle!? Whew! Getting a little worked up over here...Pardon me...
2. I eat burgers and all circular sandwiches around the edges in a counter-clockwise motion. Always have. I'm convinced this is a sign of genius. But it just makes sense - when you eat around a circular sandwich, there's always a corner to bite off. And you're totally going to try that now, aren't you?
3. When setting thermostats, I will only set them to even numbers, or multiples of 25. Yes, seriously. Ask my husband. I go ape-shit crazy when he tries to set the thermostat to 73.
4. My favorite word is "fuck". (If my mom IS reading, I just lost her.) There is no better word in the English language, in my estimation. It communicates so much and it can be used as a noun, as a verb, as an adjective, or as an exclamation. I don't use it for shock value. I use it because I really, really like saying it. I try to be sensitive to those who don't feel similarly, and I don't go around schoolyards shouting it at little kids, but I use it, and don't feel like apologizing for it.
5. My least favorite word is "panty". Gross. I need a shower for just thinking of that word.
6. When I get really, really nervous, I speak with a Southern accent, and not on purpose. My first college boyfriend thought I was from the South for almost 4 weeks after we met. I also slip into it when I go back to Oklahoma to visit family there, but I can't do it on command to save my life.
7. I have a Performer's Contract with NBC. True story. Matt and I were on Season 2 of The Marriage Ref. I'm a football lover and Matt couldn't care less about it. On Sundays during football season all I want is my beer, my wings, and my Broncos, but Matt wants to, like, hang out and stuff. Anywho, they flew us to NYC, I won the argument, and we didn't win the grand prize but our consolation prize - a weeklong all-expenses paid trip to St. Lucia - didn't exactly suck. Inside scoop - Nick Cannon is super cool and called Matt his "brotha"; Caroline Rhea hated me. Whatevs, Aunt Hilda; Jim Breuer actually seems like he's an intelligent guy; Tom Pappas thinks I'm "adorable"; and Jerry Seinfeld is very nice (but really serious) and very short.
• Nominate 15 other blogs and inform them. Waaaah! I'm the new kid at school, and I don't know anyone or any blogs well enough to be able to give you 15 personal recommendations. But here are blogs that I personally love reading, and that have inspired me in some form or fashion:
• One Fit Widow: http://onefitwidow.com/blog/ I've met Michelle, who lost her husband and was left to parent her two children without the love of her life. She lost 80 pounds while learning to live with her loss, and hopes to help others find renewal of life through exercise.
• Diary of a Mad Woman: http://seriouslythisreallyhappened.blogspot.com/ Her blog is aptly named. I won't spoil it any further than that, but the fact that she has maintained such an incredible sense of humor is, well, inspiring.
• Portrait of an Adoption: http://www.chicagonow.com/portrait-of-an-adoption Near and dear to my heart, as an adoptee.
• Moms Who Drink and Swear: http://www.chicagonow.com/moms-who-drink-and-swear/ Near and dear to my heart, as a mom who drinks and swears.
• Imperfect Mommy: http://imperfectmommy.com/ Because I already feel like shit about my parenting skills most days. I like knowing others feel the same way.

God, that feels pathetic, that I could only come up with that many. I know there are more, and there are a ton of Facebook pages that I would consider inspiring, but not associated with blogs. I'll keep updating this list as I come across other blogs.

I'm under no false pretenses about the award. I know it's not going to make me rich and famous, I know I don't get to take home some phallic-shaped Waterford crystal trophy, and that really, this is a way to promote and support our fellow bloggers. But I look at this as someone wanting to promote and support little ol' me (Thank you, Shannon!), and for that, it truly is an honor just to be nominated.