I was recently given the awards above, by two bloggers whom I admire. Why? Well they are nice, and authentic, and interesting, but for this purpose because they are working at what they love. The first award was from Delia Lloyd, at Real Delia. Delia writes for a living, at The New York Times and the Huffington Post, among others. Need I say more? My favorite posts are Wednesday Tips For Adulthood, while her Friday Reading links have provided me with some of my more edifying online experiences.
The second was from Belle de Ville at Beverly Hills Branche. Belle, in her life beyond blogging, runs Beladora. If you aren’t familiar with Beladora, or Beladora II, they constitute a very nicely put-together estate jewelry business. And her posts occasionally show the pieces when they come out to play. Can you imagine if “inventory” meant this?
I pass these awards on to two more bloggers, also working at what they love. I wish us all such good fortune.
1. Vive la Goos. Rachel Elizabeth graduated from Cornell and now works in San Francisco, in some kind of fashion role, for the Gap. She’s a beautiful girl with a sense of humor. She owns bunnies, the Goos, that hop wild in her apartment, but she’s preppy and, I infer, conservative. Thank goodness for unpredictable people.
2. Art by Karenna. A painter and an art consultant, she recently commented that she would never retire. This is my favorite of her works.
These awards, it goes without saying, come with questions to answer. The first 10 are from Belle’s award, the last from Delia. Rachel Elizabeth and Karenna, feel free to interpret – loosely.
1. Why do you blog?
Because I would have died unhappy otherwise. Had I never tried to write, I mean.
2. What are your best memories?
Memory leaves us as we age. The best therefore are those that stick around and allow us full value for the days we have lived.
3. If you had to change your name, what would it be?
What kind of a question is this? If I had to change my name I would be living in a society where I had more important things to worry about than my name. Probably the question of nomenclature would evolve into a cause requiring symbolic resistance, and I’d want to be called Liberty and Justice For All.
4. Name five things you couldn’t live without?
Air, water, gravity, edible plants, a blanket, other people. That’s six. And demonstrably true, vs. any hyperbolic statements about cashmere I might make.
5. Four best books that you have read?
What kind of question is this? How can any reasonable person pick 4 books as the best they have read? I must have read at least 10,000 books in my lifetime. They are one of my greatest pleasures. I can pick 1, because 1 is so clearly arbitrary. Disgrace, by J.M. Coetzee.
6. Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself?
Everything about myself is interesting to me. No, I don’t find that embarrassing. It’s a fact of most human consciousness. So you are really asking me, what about myself do I think you would find interesting? I’ll get back to you on that one. Tomorrow, and the day after that, and probably next Saturday.
7. What do you love best about yourself?
My profound tolerance for fools and gentle, earnest, non-sarcastic tone of voice.
8. What is the best movie ever made?
Who wrote this list? Young lady, we need to have a talk. If you ask people to make absolute statements when they can’t possibly have the information on which to base said statements, you are inviting false and pretentious discussion. The world does not need more useless talk.
That said, Groundhog Day. Because the New York Times and various Harvard professors said so. Since we are in the realm of specious reasoning and all.
9. If you had a Freaky Friday experience who would you change places with and why?
The man I love.
10. What is the best part about being a woman?
Biology, and all its implications.
11. If you had the chance to go back and change one thing in your life, would you, and what would it be?
I was invited to a wedding in Rajastan by the train paymaster. I wish I had gone, those many years ago, instead of keeping to my trip schedule.
But I don’t think I’d change the big choices, even those I understand differently, in hindsight. Given ignorance I did the best I could. Those big choices brought both the happy and the sad. Whatever you don’t choose is lost. Read this post, on A Practical Wedding. The same thought, more fully explored. With a book recommendation to boot. Maybe I will go ask if it’s one of the Top 4 Books Ever Written. Just to stir things up a little more.
30 Responses
I love your answers, and wish I could share your profound tolerance of fools. Hmmm…now that I think about it, I really don't. I tolerated one for 12 years and that was quite enough, thank you very much.
I did get two swell kids out of the deal, though.
I so admire people are doing what they love and are passionate about, AND make a living at it, too. I'm also quite envious of them.:)
Dear Liberty And Justice For All,
I love it!
Miss W xx
Your answers to the questions seem to flow effortlessly…
such a gift.
Such beautiful bling at Beladora…there's a job I could fall in love with!
Dear Ms LPC, Don't you love the way we can cross from one fabulous blog to another through their preferences like stepping stones across a creek? I loved reading the links and had a good laugh with the Swiss Minister (particularly as I have been responsible for a good deal of bureaucratise in my day which I thought was hilarious but no one else did – otherwise it would have been changed as it went up the chain of command). Isn't it interesting that people want quite black and white answers and therefore frame their questions accordingly? I am with you – I can't pick my favourite book or movie or food or experience. It depends…
Thanks for the shout out, LPC and for your kind words about my blog. I *do* love what I do, as do you. And Disgrace? One of my all time faves…have read it 3 times and need to read some more…have a great day!
Delia Lloyd
http://www.realdelia.com
First, congratulations! More well-deserved awards . . . I always love to see you receive these because we generally get to find out more about you. And we get directed to new blogs worth reading. So I'm off to check those out. btw, I absolutely concur on the nonsense of asking for a favourite book, movie, song . . . Why choose? How choose?!
Congratulations! I've received a few of these awards, but have not complied with the now-do-this rider, and entreat all "awarders" to give them with no strings. Blogging is work; let's appreciate Lisa or whomever, without asking her to fill in a questionnaire or nominate x more blogs.
Please tell us something about the Rothschilds?
Lajfa! Love it :-)
I hate being asked to name my favorite <______>. My mind goes blank and I can't even think of a <______> that I liked!
We could be good cop, bad cop. I have little tolerance for fools and a grating, sarcastic tone of voice.
The answer to number three is just fabulous!
Oh and to Anon above, I know someone who married into The Rothschilds – I am green with envy. It's such a weighty old name.
LPC, congratulations! Thank you for the links. I especially like Karenna's paintings. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee looks really interesting.
I copied your answer about travel and sent it to my offspring to remind them about spontaneity during life and travel. Well said.
StacyfrPgh
Such interesting answers. Miss J adores Groundhog Day.
there is not a more irritating movie… in the world! LOL
and really, on the list of things you can live without… how could you possible omit the always necessary-at-the-end-of-the-day, and sometimes before, glass of red wine?
otherwise, I love all your answers!
Congratulations on the well deserved awards. I enjoyed reading your answers…I enjoyed your snarkyness even more. :)
How I hope to be a high wasp like you some day! Every answer: divine. What a tough act to follow, but we will be honored to do so!
xo
Rachel
Good for you on the awards! We so adore Belle de Ville and Viva la Goos (that is one talented young lady), we are off to visit the other writers you shared.
Your answers are amazing, "specious reasoning" is the sort of phrase I *wish* I could come up with (but never shall), you really are brilliant. :)
May the rest of your week be as glorious as this post,
tp
love the answers – lol!
So fun to learn more about you. I love reading other peoples memes. I always feel a bit silly doing them myself. But it is such a lovely way to learn things you wouldn't otherwise know. Congrats to you, awards well deserved!
xo
I love that you raged against the questions! "What kind of question is this?"
Because I'm from SA (and Cape Town) and perhaps it's all too close to the bone, but I find Disgrace too sad and too depressing to love enough to read again. I think of Disgrace as the explanation for why JM left for Australia. (It's kind of the explanation for why a lot of SAfricans leave for Australia.) And it makes my heart heavy. Which is probably what makes it a good book, huh?
Aww congrats babe!
Thanks for the info on Question 7 as I won't feel shy about making comments now.
Jan – The funniest thing is that I was trying to be sarcastic with that answer…
JMW – It's a great thing.
Miss Whistle – Thank you!
hostess – Thank you. And I love the Beladora stuff.
Linda – I agree. People do want black and white and life rarely gives that out.
Delia – Thank you.
Mater – I thoroughly appreciate that you are still willing to listen. Let's just not choose, OK?
Duchesse – Yes, I believe I was one of those who gave you an award:).
Anon – I don't really know anything about the Rothschilds. I could learn, but it's a very different world.
Patsy – OK. I give up. What does lajfa mean? Wait! WAit! I just got it! Thank you!
Tabitha – Well if you decide to write about the Rothschilds, I will certainly link to you.
Susan – I'm glad you liked Karenna's stuff. And Disgrace is pretty much soul-searing.
Stacy – Thank you very much. Travel is so great for the young.
Miss Janey – Thank you. I'm thinking it's about time for another go-round of GH…
Entertaining Mom – I figured I'd just ferment some of the edible plants:).
Lori – I was worried I was too snarky but evidently it barely registered on the meter. Ha!
TPP – Thank you. And I look forward to Rachel Elizabeth's rise to fame:).
Ash – Thanks!
Rachel – !!! Your answers were great.
La Belette – I agree. I like to read other people's memes too.
stofnsara – I imagine you have a much richer experience of the book than I do. Without the background, it's possible just to admire the man's incredible skill. I only wish the best for South Africa.
Arushi – Thanks!
Alan – Although I was kind of joking, I think maybe even when I think I'm being snarky I am just too earnest to make it stick:).
You are a funny lady!
Best,
Colleen
Enjoyed!
Congrats on the well deserved awards. I really enjoyed reading your answers…I enjoyed your sneakiness even more.
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