Apparently I'm a #VIB

My writer buddy Megan gave me the honor of the VIB. Purty no? My duties as VIB are as follows:

• Display the award on le blog.
• Link back to the person who nominated me.
• State 7 things about moi.
• Nominate 15 other bloggers for said award. (No pressure to pass the torch or fulfill the reqs. Just enjoy the praise!)
• Notify said bloggers of the award and such.

These blog awards are a nice virtual fist bump that someone out there finds what you write and post to the interwebz inspiring. Yay! All for spreading the love.

Seven Things About Me:

1. I am currently transitioning to natural hair after having it chemically altered for more than half my life. What a change! Lots of work and brush up and info to catch up on, but I'm glad there's a lot available via the web.
2. I am a complete 'fan girl' when I meet authors. I seize up and start gushing, my shoulders become earrings and I can't stop smiling. I think my voice even raises an octave or so.
3. On the flip side when it comes to film/media celebs I just halt and stare like a weirdo. Cannot. Move. Weird.
4. I'm an only child. There's a lot of stereotypes about only children. We're spoiled. We need attention, blah, blah, blah. Admittedly I was spoiled in a 'working class' way but I think that just made me appreciate things more now.
5. My goal as a writer when I was a pre-adolescent/adolescent was to be the Black, female Stephen King. Not that that still isn't a cool goal but I just cannot hack the horror. Life is scary enough, right?
6. I am an old lady and I just turned 32 last month! College students moved into my building, right above me, and they are loud! Not rowdy but just loud in terms of speaking. I like quiet and go to bed at like 10pm during the week. Talking to my friends my age they concur so I don't feel so bad. But damn, 10pm?
7. I'm reading the Holy Bible. Reading it as text not so much as a religious reference per se. Besides I think it's about time I did to see what everyone's been talking about. It's like Avatar but HOLY. My grandma will be proud.

I won't be nominated 15 blogs because unfortunately I don't keep up as many as I'd like. But, I did want to post shout outs to writers I admire that I met via #nycmidnight. Super cool peeps if I do say so myself.

So I nominate Yvette and Kristen (no pressure ladies)! Both their blogs have a cool honesty I appreciate whether it be about writing or just life (or sports) in general. We've cheered each other on during NYCMidnight short story challenges which were a kick in the arse lemme tell you.

Thanks again, Megan, for the nomination!

Tagged! "I Dig Your Blog"

So, my fellow writer and all-around cool person, Lazidaisical tagged me in one of her recent blog posts. I was given the:

That's right! She digs...my blog. I sense a trend coming...

Once one receives such a precious award you are to provide 3 random details about yourself and pass on to at least five other people. Who's blog. You dig.

Three facts that are at least somewhat interesting are hard, but here goes:

1) My mother and I have similar laughs. Very high and infectious I've been told. Seriously, at my last job 99% of the people wrote on my 'good luck' card that my laugh would be one of the main things they missed about me. I bet it can solve world problems too.

2) Though I am a native New Yorker I did live in Newark, NJ for a couple of years. It really wasn't that bad. I'm sure I'd have liked it even more if Corey Booker was mayor at the time.

3) I get REALLY gushy in front of authors I like. More so than any other celebrity on Earth. Not celebrity chefs or actors or models or singers or politicians or someone who's won the Nobel Peace Prize. But authors who's prose I enjoyed thoroughly make me giggly and smiley like a schoolgirl and I cannot get my words together.  (This happened both times I met Tom Perotta and I tend to wonder how I could've been more cool in front of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.)

And who do I dub to tag next? (Folks I really do dig your blogs so here's props to you! Don't feel you have to tag anyone. You may revel in the glory of being dug.)

1) WriterGirl - A fellow writer, Megan and I are Twitter buds. She details her aspirations and goals in writing in which I'm sure many emerging writers can relate. I appreciate that she's honest and the brevity and punch of her posts.

2) Lori M. Lee - I follow Lori on Twitter and she's an aspiring YA writer. I like the topics she picks to talk about and her lovely illustrations! She's also part of the current Write Campaign.

3) Nightclicker - Yes, another writer! Melissa and I met during the NYCMidnight challenge, virtually that is, and she is dedicated. We both deal with the challenge of working and writing and really trying to maintain that fire when sometimes you are just blocked.

4) Tori Scott - Tori is a lovely writer and person. And I have enjoyed reading her prose thoroughly. She writes and also does vlogs steadily on her blog about her challenges with writing as well as providing contests to win books and some cool interviews with agents and writers in the YA field. She's such a joy to converse with on Twitter and an avid reader.

5) Racquel Writes - Racquel is one of the most supportive writers I have met via Twitter and she is always cheering others on and providing inspirational messages. We also share the same surname. :-) She's an editor (for Black Fox Lit) and a writer and just got her grad school degree! (*High five* on that!) I urge you to visit her newly designed & classy website, listen to her songs of the day, and check out her updates on story submissions and contests!

6) Handle the Heat - Tessa's blog on baking and cooking are about her main interest and what she's learning as a culinary student. She takes fab pictures, makes good food, and is such a lovely personality on the social media scope that I just had to let her know I dig her blog.

I'd also have nominated my buddy Lazidaisical but I don't know if this is allowed. Plus she already did the leg work. But I dig her blog, and many others!

Thanks again to Lazidaisical for thinking of me! And I look forward to seeing who gets awarded next. :-)