Blue Monday/Aw...Monday and Love is...

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My friend Myra nominated me to participate in this fun exercise so I will answer her questions here and hope you will learn a new thing or two about me. I really do love these and want to thank my Arizona friend for sharing with me and saying some really great things about me and my blog at her post . 

I have really been off my game lately. I felt so excited and enjoyed doing my 31 days of heritage blogging, having been inspired by my cousin Mike who writes a blog so that he may share stories of our youth and our wonderful neighborhood where we grew up. It is a journey that the young generation will be able to pass on to their own phamilies. 

My phamily went on vacation, we were celebrating Jeremy turning the big 3-0 and Nick heading back to his college days. We knew Jeremy had bought a ring for Brittany and he planned to propose to her while they enjoyed a few days in San Diego and I think all the excitement and emotions started to churn! I knew the vacation would come to an end and I would have to accept Nick leaving for Kansas and his training for the Cross Country season. I still have not found a job and I knew I would have to really settle down and get busy finding suitable work. I was overwhelmed and found myself mopping around and not having one bit of energy to get anything done. 

My mind was running away from me and I had to stop this merry go round I was on and get back to business. When I saw Myra's post I was happy to oblige and honored that she would include me here. What I love about Myra is the fact that, like me, she is a rebel, the one to step outside the box. Shake things up. Do things in her own special way. Someone recently asked me what song I was, here it is:

John Mellencamp – Authority Song Lyrics

They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smile in your face
They think, they're so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think, it's a total disgrace

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

So I call up my preacher
I say: "Gimme strength for Round 5"
He said: "You don't need no strength, you need to grow up, son"
I said: "Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun"

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins
Oh no
Oh no
I fight authority, authority always wins

I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins
I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I've come out grinnin'
I fight authority, authority always wins

Songwriters: Mellencamp, John

If you go to youtube.com you can listen to this song. It really does define me.

Now on to the questions from from my good buddy in Arizona.

Here are my 11 questions for y'all!   (Thanks, in part, to the publishers of "The Conversation Piece" series.)

1.  If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be? I love those old school names, Vivian, Olivia, Ella. Anyone would be fine with me although my mom nearly named me Frances after her baby sister that passed away,

2.  Everyone's heard of "The Apprentice."  If you could apprentice under anyone in the world for one year, who would that be? Warren Buffett because he is one financial sound dude.

3.  What is one vacation destination that many people think is just fab, but which you have no desire to visit (or re-visit)? Mexico too much crime and Americans are so uninformed they think the five stars resorts are truly safe when they aren't really.

4.  Considering all the big-screen movies you've ever seen, which one do you believe has had the greatest emotional impact on you? To Kill A Mockingbird, both the movie and the book.

5.  If you were to rank the four seasons - as you know them - in order of your favorite to your least favorite, how would the seasons be ranked? Spring, Autumn, Summer and Winter.

6.  What song has the power to bring you to tears faster than any other? Amazing Grace

7.  If you could have any view in the world visible from your bed, what would it be? Pikes Peak, the same view that was visible from my folks living room when I was growing up.

8.  If you had to name a smell that always makes you nostalgic, what would it be? White Shoulders, my mom loved it and Bay Rum, a favorite of my dad's.

9.  If you had to pick the TV personality you were most in love with as a kid, who would it be? Lucille Ball, she was such a fantastic  comic and she was a very strong and independent woman.

10.  If were were to have 3 new baby daughters, what would you name them? Vivian, Olivia and Ella.

11.  In terms of the actual time (e.g., 5:00PM) what is generally your favorite time of the day? 7:00 A.M. I like to sip my coffee or tea and think about the sun that I watched rising up.

I am very honored to have been nominated by Myra to do this. I am going to list a few of my favorite blogs here too. If these folks want to participate, they can share their thoughts and we can all learn some new things about our wonderful blogging friends.

 Theresa. This lady is a lover of her wonderful phamily and there is nothing more fun than visiting her and seeing how she kids and grands and siblings all shine.  Theresa is a special lady because she will pray for you in a minute and say all the right things when you are having a difficult day. I started blogging because of folks like her. I know there are bloggers with expensive, fancy homes, and there are bloggers who socialize with specific groups of people, sort of like high school, but there are bloggers who are just down to earth wonderful people and they are the ones I enjoy the most.

Ann This is a Kansas proud lady, born and raised in the Sunflower State. Ann is also a terrific blogger showing off her beautiful phamily and sharing many of her talents there too, I always enjoy visiting Ann because I enjoy seeing her grandkids and her faith always shining. She is very proud to be a native of the Kansas and she often posts lots of terrific historical shares. Ann is a friendly gal who is always willing to share her love of her home teams the KC Chiefs, KC Royal and the Kansas Jayhawks. I love sports too so it is nice to have that common thread with so many great bloggers.

Terra is a terrific lady. She once sent me a beautiful copy of a story that was behind a teacup I had purchased at a second hand store. I have loved this lady ever since that! It is often those simple kindnesses of blogging friends that I treasure the best. She is a gardener who knows her flowers and plants and she is also like a walking library. Terra often shares a variety of her loves with us and I always enjoy it when I go to her blog and catch up. She is another treasure with a thoughtfulness I truly admire. 

Linda is one blogger I have had the privilege of  meeting face to face. She shares her faith and her phamily and Linda loves her farm life.  She will make you smile with her stories of various farm animals. She shares delicious dishes she can whip up right out of her garden. Linda has a kind heart and you will feel like you have known her all your life if you visit her.  Although she was raised in Alaska she loves her farm life in Kansas.

Barb is the reason I started blogging November 1 2009. She told me to write about our daughter Rebekah's little dog Tinkerbell that was diagnosed with liver cancer. I am grateful to her for this and want to encourage her to get back into blogging. I know lots of folks head over to Face Book and other social media sites but many come back here to the blog world. Another wonderful blogger I know says she does not participate in  social media sites as they are cutting and cruel. I have never had an unpleasant experience here at my blog. Barb has a great phamily and she should come back and write about those beautiful grandkids and her journey caring for her folks as they are aging. Barb has been a life long friend that I met through TigerBeat magazine when we were a mere 13 years old. Ah...where has time gone?

Sally is the leader of our Blue Monday's. I am trying to get over to her place so I can put up this post. I think Sally knows how well loved she is for doing this meme weekly but it can't hurt to remind her. She is a joy to know, always on the hunt for blues. She has a nifty hubby Johnny and has been married to him for a many years. They search for blues every week and I think they are as cute as can be! Sally shares lots of good things with us and I think she deserves to be in this category too. I want to put everyone I know and love in this group but for now I will start with these gals. 

Here are the questions I want to ask these six fabulous ladies:

1.) When did you start blogging and was there a specific reason for starting?

2.) Do you ever get frustrated trying to organize your time to visit all the people you enjoy here? Any pointers on how to make this work more efficiently for others?

3.) Do you have a song that is your theme song? Does it relate to you personally or a relationship you are in?

4.) Where is the most favorite place you have ever traveled and why?

5.) Tell us one thing about yourself that we might not already know!

6.) Are you a native of the state or country you live in?

7.)  Do you have a favorite flower?

8.) If you could sit down and have a conversation with anyone past or present who would you choose?

9.) What is your favorite season and why?

10.) Do you collect anything and if so, why did you start collecting that particular item?

Would you please cut and paste these questions onto your blog and share your answers with all of us. Thank you.

I thought Sandee and the folks at Aw....Monday would enjoy Mr. Bandito. He has been our son Jeremy's number one pet since 2001. Bandit was born in North Dakota and although he is older and moves slower he still makes us smile. I am currently looking for work and babysitting this fellow and his cohorts Smokey and Stella.

Smokey loves that old blue chair.

Stella is a rescue and she has only begun to enjoy getting her photo taken. Jeremy adopted her 8 years ago this October.

This is Jeremy and Brittany. He proposed last week while they were visiting San Diego. Brittany's mom Bobbie told her, "I told you Prince Charming was out there". We love Brittany and her daughter Addy. It is exciting to know they will be part of our phamily too.

Brittany and Jeremy saw Olaf while cruising the streets of the Las Vegas strip. I am surprised he did not melt! It was hot there! They also wore some blue just for you!