Tag: Q & A

20 Valentine’s Day Questions Tag

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Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and once again, I seem to find the best Q&As on Deandra’s blog. In case you aren’t familiar with her, Deandra has a lifestyle blog called The Black Princess Diaries (TBPD). This time, blogger Deandra has posted a 20 Valentine’s Day Questions Tag that is sure brighten your day. If you have a moment, I highly recommend taking the time to check out Deandra’s blog for some unique and interesting content.

Today, I’m excited to share my 20 Valentine’s Questions Answers with you. Whether or not you’re into Valentine’s Day, I think these tags are fun for everyone. They were fun for me to answer! Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Have you ever been deeply in love? Yes, and I am still in love 10 years later ❤️

2. Kisses or Hugs? Both, but if I had to choose then I would say hugs 🤗

3. Candy or Flowers? Flowers are a special gift that I don’t get to enjoy very often. While I can buy candy any time, flowers make the occasion even more special 💐

4. Baking or Cooking? Baking because I love sweets! Me too, Deandra. I love sweets too.

5. Do you remember your first kiss? Yes, and it was slobbery and gross.

6. Would you date someone who’s well known for cheating? Although there is an old saying that goes “once a cheater, always a cheater,” it ultimately depends on what kind of relationship you are looking for. For me, no I wouldn’t give them a chance to be in my life. Plus, hookup culture is not as exciting as it sounds.

7. What’s the most important part of a relationship? Communication, trust, and affection are the 3 essential components that can lead to a successful relationship. Without any one of these three aspects, it can be difficult to maintain the bond. I’m a living example of this as I’ve been married for 6 years now. Mark Manson explains the 3 components more clearly in the following article:

♡ Related article: https://markmanson.net/3-core-components-of-a-healthy-relationship

8. Red or Pink? Pink! I’m not really a fan of red.

9. Milk, White or Dark Chocolate? White chocolate!

10. Do you believe in love at first sight? It really depends on the context and situation. Can someone fall in love with someone they’ve never seen before just through texting? Yes, it’s certainly possible.

11. Favorite Chick Flick or Romantic Movie? I’m not a huge movie fan, but the one that comes to mind immediately is “50 First Dates.” I think I must have watched it over fifty times.

12. Stay In or Go Out? Although I prefer staying in and relaxing at home, I also like to go outside for occasional walks. Strolling outdoors makes me feel refreshed and joyful.

13. Favorite color of Roses? I’m a fan of not only pink & white roses, but also yellow/orange and multicolored ones. Specifically those interesting options at Costco – you know which ones I mean?

14. Do you leave love notes? I don’t often display my affections through traditional gestures, but I love to send cute text messages, edit images (see image below), and send cards via snail mail 💌 During a particularly difficult time of my battle with depression, my loving husband surprised me with notes that did wonders for my wellbeing. Such thoughtfulness really makes a difference.

15. Do you decorate for Valentine’s Day? Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to put gel-clings on the windows this year as the cat attempted to eat them. Nonetheless, we had some fun while it lasted! Dollarama has the best Valentines Day decorations.

16.  Do you believe it’s possible to fall in love on the internet? Sure, many individuals have experienced this as well, including myself. I used to opt for LDR dating before giving IRL dating a shot. In my opinion, it is like ‘dating with training wheels’ – some similarities with the real thing but it’s not exactly the same.

17. Are you currently in a relationship? I am married, so I’m only interested in platonic relationships.

18. Do you think people who have dated can stay friends? That’s a difficult decision to make. In general, I believe it’s best to move on. Even though I try to consider all possible scenarios and exceptions, it’s not always easy due to the emotional stability needed. It’s understandable that you both broke up in the first place if the emotional stability is not there.

19. What do you notice first about another person? Most importantly, are they friendly?

20. Do you consider yourself romantic? My husband and I don’t believe in over-the-top displays of affection during special occasions like Hallmark Holidays. It is all about how we interpret love and romance. Instead of splurging on costly presents, I’m content with the little acts of love that naturally come with our marriage. Others might find our relationship to be a bit uneventful but I am genuinely happy being married in my thirties, and this is what matters most to me.

MY NOMINEES:

You are all welcome to participate in this tag if you would like! If you do decide to participate, I ask that you credit the person who gave you the idea in the first place, whether it is Deandre or myself, or another blogger. Do you agree with my answers? Did any of my answers surprise you? I look forward to reading your replies in the comments section below ↓

Thank you for stopping by!

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The Remarkable Blogger Tag! ⭐✨💫

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♡ Featured Images: Simply Selena Blog + Elsie LMC Blog

Cheers, from Canada! 🍁 I am feeling a bit better this week compared to last week. They say time heals all wounds and there is some level of truth to this. It is going to take me some time before I can trust people as much as I used to before, but that doesn’t mean I can’t practice self-compassion. My mental health is fragile and it needs a lot of work, but that doesn’t mean I am helpless. I had initially planned to complete this last week but I was feeling sorry for myself and needed some time to wallow. That’s not very cheerful of me, eh? 🍁 It is hard to believe that we are already well into the middle of July, and yet I still haven’t written up a post on my goals for July 2022 despite having good intentions. While I might be procrastinating on my July goals, I have something more exciting for you today!

I was recently nominated by the lovely Elsie LMC who runs a blog called https://elsielmc.wordpress.com. If you aren’t following her blog already, then you really need to check out her blog. I hope she still sees this post because I know she mentioned needing a break from blogging. Also, a special mention goes out to Simply Selena for creating this tag in the first place. I wouldn’t have known this had it not been for Elsie LMC! See how everything comes full circle? 😅

Normally, I turn down tags mainly because I can’t keep up with them. However, since I have completed the 🌞 Sunshine Blogger Award 🌞 Series (all good things come to an end), I was sad to finish it and actually missed completing these awards. They’re fun to do, and it can be a great way to establish connections with like-minded bloggers! Let’s get started, shall we?

THE REMARKABLE BLOGGER TAG RULES

The Remarkable Blogger Tag has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

RULES FOR AWARD:

  • Add the featured image(s). I used both.
  • Tag your post with #the-remarkable-blogger tag.
  • Pingback to original post ↩
  • Give credit to the creator.
  • Share something unique about you.
  • Answer the remaining 9 questions the person who nominated you has asked.
  • Nominate 10+ other bloggers and ask them 9 questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts 👈 optional
  • ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕟!

SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT ME:

It is difficult to put down just one unique thing about me, so I am linking you to a blog post that might answer this question better than I possibly could in a few sentences. Why share one unique thing when I can share 10 things that you might not know about me? Check out the blog post below ↓

♡ Related Article: 10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. If you could live in any type of home, anywhere in the world, where would you go and what house would you choose? If I could live anywhere in the world then I’d want to live in a mansion. One can never have enough space and I think it would be fun if my home was set in some kind of tropical location. As long as it’s somewhere that’s warm and has beautiful beaches, then it sounds perfect! 🌴🌞

Image source: https://www.architectureartdesigns.com/

2. What is your biggest pet peeve? Those people who crack their knuckles every now and then. I can’t stand it! My husband does it sometimes and I want to slap him.

3. What would you tell ‘the you’ that started your blog if you could go back to that day? I would tell past me that blogging was a great decision and not to listen to anyone who says otherwise. I have no regrets.

4. Is there one song out there that you think everybody should listen to? I can’t name one song to listen to but would recommend you check out the different sub-genres of music such as ‘LoFi’ or however you spell it. Something like ‘Chillstep’ might also be good to listen to. Youtube has you covered, and if you have no idea where to start, you can check out the link below! 🎧

5. If there were no limits in life for a day, what would you do first and last? I am always drained of energy 24/7 but I don’t think there are any changes up I would make if time didn’t matter. I am more alert at night than during the day, so if time didn’t matter, I would do my most productive work at 0200 in the morning and finish my projects before noon. I know this is a symptom of depression. But I used to be a night-time person by default and still am if I didn’t have other responsibilities.

6. Have you set yourself any challenges for the year? Honestly, I just wanted to be happier this year. After doing an assessment, I realized my problem was my social anxiety and not getting out anymore. I just wanted to chat with that local blogger friend of mine (now an ex-friend), but it’s not gonna happen anymore. I had also tried to meet up with another blogger before she left Alberta, but I never did get a chance to say goodbye in person. I feel like my social anxiety is the reason why I’ve found it difficult to make new friends lately. 😓

7. How many blog posts have you written so far? I am not good at math, so I’ll need a second to look it up. I am only counting blog posts that I have written this year, not including articles that I have written separately for Medium. I have written 21 blog posts for this blog since January 2022, not counting this blog post. Lemme break it all down for you since the start of the year:

8. Does your blog have a niche or no? I consider myself to be a lifestyle and mental health blogger, but I don’t limit myself just to that. I like to write about a variety of topics. I don’t just write for the sake of writing. I write with the intent of connecting with my readers and providing them information that they can use in their own lives.

9. Do you have any advice for helping a blogger get out of a writing rut? I can answer this question. I have a notebook that I use all the time to keep track of my thoughts and never find myself without inspiration. If I get an interesting idea, I will draft it and give it a shot. Sometimes, though, I don’t feel like writing at all, but then again, anyone could go through periods of feeling unmotivated sometimes.

MY NOMINEES ⭐✨💫

https://primevalpixie.com

https://stevescountry.com

https://zerospace05.wordpress.com

https://jesusluvsall.org

https://invisiblyme.com

https://popsiclesociety.com

https://thebighairdiaries.com

https://fightmsdaily.com

https://puddlesidemusings.wordpress.com

https://justabucketlistdream.com

QUESTIONS FOR THE NOMINEES:

1. What is the most valuable thing you learned from blogging?
2. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
3. What was the last thing that made you laugh?
4. What kind of food could you eat every day without getting tired of it?
5. What food(s) do you dislike?
6. What fictional character(s) would you want to be friends with if you could?
7. Do you plan on going to the zoo this summer?
8. Do you listen to music while you draft blog posts?
9. What’s the last app you used on your phone?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate, I am curious to know what your answers are!

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5 Things I No Longer Buy

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っ(◔_◔)っQuestion: What are some items that you no longer buy?

A few months ago, I stumbled upon this blog post which made me reflect on my own life and spending habits. My intention was to answer her question in a timely manner, but we all know how long it takes me to post a blog post response. Bee is a 30-year old blogger who runs a popular blog called Mind. Beauty. Simplicity. She writes blog posts about intentional living, self-growth, lifestyle, and anything in between. I recommend checking out her blog and following her if you haven’t done so already.

These days, I am on a similar journey as Bee. When it comes to living intentionally, I am still far from perfect but I have learned to be more mindful about my spending and to avoid buying things that aren’t going to add value to my life. Keep reading if you are interested in learning what I added to my list! 🙌

•✽ 5 THINGS I NO LONGER BUY ✽•

1. Bath & Body Works I have nothing against Bath & Body Works. In fact, it is a great store and I still like their products. I am wiser now that I am older, but when I was a teenager, my life revolved around this store. I was in love with their products and the shopping addiction got pretty bad whenever there was a sale, which was pretty much every week 😆 I would buy all sorts of things: lotions, shower gels, candles, fragrance mists —you name it. When I couldn’t go through the products fast enough, I would make lists of the products that I wouldn’t have to replenish. The lotions and body mists lasted so long to the point where they would expire and end up smelling horrible. Once I realized that I was wasting money, I stopped shopping at Bath and Body Works.

2. Subscription Boxes These days, subscription box services are catering to everyone’s tastes. You can pretty much guarantee that the subscription box model isn’t just limited to food and books – there are monthly boxes for everything from candles to clothes. Want new socks and underwear but don’t want to think about it? There’s a box for that. And as tempting as these subscription boxes are, it is important to note that these services usually charge an upfront fee as well as recurring fees each month. I cannot justify paying a high price for items that I might not even like or use! 🤦‍♀️

Note: I want to make a clear distinction between subscription boxes and subscription services. We have access to Netflix and at one point, we paid for a Spotify account. We are thinking about renewing the Spotify subscription since my husband regularly uses that platform. We also have a Costco membership and I finally upgraded to a Premium WordPress Plan last year. When I was in nursing school, I subscribed to www.nursng.com after failing a clinical rotation in Spring 2019. At one point, I also subscribed to www.coursehero.com and even uploaded my own summary notes to share with other students. Subscription services are valuable tools when used for their intended purpose.

3. Bottled Water When you stop and think about it, it is pretty insane to pay for water when you can get it for free out of your tap. Sure, bottled water isn’t bad for you; there are worse things that you could be drinking such as soda or beer. If you are not active enough to need a drink with extra electrolytes and if drinking from a reusable bottle helps reduce your plastic consumption, then why would you bother spending money on something that is so easily accessible? The water you get from your faucet is much more affordable and safer for you. Also, by using a reusable water bottle like this one, you’ll be saving money as well as doing your part for Mother Earth. 🌎

4. Starbucks Did you really think that I was only going to throw shade at Bath & Body Works? I also like the fancy coffee drinks from Starbucks, especially their Frappuccinos. The vanilla whipped cream is absolutely divine! ❤ Plus, if you are anything like me, I do not go to Starbucks just to order a basic cup of coffee. I usually go to Starbucks to spend money on these fancy, empty-calorie Frappuccinos which typically cost around $5.50 -7.50 CAD. I prefer to save these treats only for special occasions rather than treat myself every time I go to the mall or local Starbucks coffee shop. ☕💕

If you are a coffee drinker like my husband, getting a good cup of coffee doesn’t require waiting in line. It just requires learning how to make a good cup of coffee at home. Next time you are shopping, skip the Starbucks line and make coffee at home. If Starbucks coffee is your thing (for the record, MCDs coffee is my thing), you can buy the coffee beans and make it at home for a fraction of the price. Even Costco sells Starbucks coffee beans. There is really no excuse to buy takeaway coffee anymore.

5. Alcohol This is an easy one to add to the list because I was never really a fan of alcohol. I don’t understand the hype around it, I don’t like how it makes me feel, and I don’t crave alcohol like some people do. Sugar on the other hand is a different story, which you can read about here. Personally, I think that there is too much sugar in alcohol, which is not limited to Vex, Smirnoff, and those cocktails with cute little umbrellas! I am tired of harping on the fact that alcohol isn’t good for your health and overall wellbeing. When you think about it, what kind of benefit does consuming alcohol bring? None that I can think of…. so yeah, I seldom drink alcohol 🙄 I would suggest cutting out alcohol from your budget if you are looking to save some money. It is an easy way to pocket extra cash without feeling like you are missing out on anything. There are other ways that you can socialize with people: going for walks, playing board games, or setting up a game night at home. Remember, you don’t have to stop socializing altogether.

👉 Image: I went on a trip to NYC with Nick and his friends, but I don’t remember what year this was 🤷‍♀️

Choosing to live a simpler, more intentional life is a conscious decision that affects each and every choice we make. Try thinking about the things that you can live without, specifically things that no longer serve a purpose in your life. What are some items that you no longer buy? Let me know by joining the conversation below ↓ I look forward to reading your comments.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 10.0🌞

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I want to continue where I left off since uploading the 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 9.0🌞. Sure, there are several topics that I could be writing about right now, but I want to finish this before I move on to something else. You see, I tend to get hyperfocused and/or fixated on one thing which I feel inclined to finish before I am able to move on. I have always been like this and I don’t really see it as a shortcoming or problem. I checked my drafts yesterday to see if there were any more outstanding Sunshine Blogger Awards (SBAs) but it appears that I am all caught up! That being said, I really wanted to wrap up and retire the SBAs on my blog for good so the 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 10.0🌞 will be my last one in this series.

Btw, feel free to leave comments in the comment section below ↓ BUT if you say something generic like, “Congratulations” then I’m not going to reply to you. To clarify, this was an open nomination for anyone who wanted to participate, so I basically nominated myself LOL

The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Since nobody nominated me for any recent Sunshine Blogger Awards, I did some digging on WP and found an open nomination from a blogger named Beverly who runs a blog called https://becomingtheoilandwine.com. Honestly, this is the first time that I have read her blog so I don’t really know what her blog is about yet. When I have more time, I plan to catch up on her blog posts.

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD RULES🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

RULES FOR AWARD:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions 👈 optional
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts 👈 optional
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. What is one of your funniest funnest time of the summer? I’m not sure if this is a typo, and even then, this question is confusing. Funnest time of the summer? 🤔 I think the person asking this question meant to say “most fun.” I deal with high functioning depression so I cannot recall the last time I had fun during the summer. If I had to choose something, it would be enjoying refreshing bubble tea on a hot, sunny day! 😎 The husband would agree – this is his drink, not mine!

2. How do you like your ice cream? Plain or Toppings? I think D.W. can answer this question! 🍨

D.W.: Does Muffy have an ice cream machine? If she does, I’m gonna have vanilla with vanilla sprinkles and hot vanilla sauce. Does she have a petting zoo? I wanna pet a whale. I think I’ll pet the whale first, and then I’ll have the vanilla with vanilla sprinkles and vanilla sauce. But if I pet the whale first, my hands might smell fishy, so first, I’ll have the vanilla with the vanilla sprinkles and vanilla sauce, and then… Oh, wait. Whales are mammals, right? I wonder if my hands will smell mammaly.

3. What are your favorite gospel songs? I’ll recognize the songs when I hear them, but otherwise, I don’t know the names of the songs that I like. I don’t keep a playlist of gospel music.

4. Do you like ice skating or riding a bike? I used to be able to do both, but I haven’t ice skated or ridden a bike in over 15 years. I would like to go bike riding again since we live close to a 30-kilometer bike path, but we need nicer weather before I can turn that dream into a reality.

5. What is your favorite food to eat during summertime? How I dream of sunshine and summertime! I look forward to eating watermelon 🍉 and other yummy fruits that are in season during the summer months. Since it is wintertime, you’ll find me eating boring apples, bananas, and oranges. 🍎🍌🍊

6. What is your favorite book to read? I gave up buying (and reading) books in 2020 to save money and I haven’t looked back 😶 If I were to read a book, you would probably find me reading a self-help book or a recipe book from my bookshelf. One of my favorite books is, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life” by Mark Manson.  

7. What dream place would you enjoy visiting? Lately, I have been daydreaming of visiting the Maldives ever since I watched YouTubers vlog about this dreamy place! 🏝

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels

8. Do you have any pets? If so, What kind? I have a Pug named Zoë and she lives in Ontario with my parents. My dad spells her name differently: Zoey. Since I live approx. 2,200 miles away, it is rare if I get to visit my dog. I miss my dog terribly. I blinked and she is now an old lady.

In Spring 2019, my husband and I adopted a rescue cat and I named him Timon, after the Lion King. He is a free-spirited cat who is untrainable, but I love him dearly 🐈‍⬛💕 In Spring 2021, my husband decided to get a bunch of fish so we have not one but three fish aquariums. Two fish aquariums are freshwater and the third fish aquarium is saltwater. I told him that cats and fish do not mix but he wouldn’t listen to me. 🤷‍♀️

9. What does Christ mean to you? This is a tricky question for me to answer because I consider myself to be a very spiritual person and only a little religious. What does “a little religious” mean, exactly? 🤔 It means that I lean towards Christianity and share the same morals and values as a Christian, but I do not actively read the Bible and I go to church because my husband makes me is Catholic. That being said, I find that going to church gives me a sense of calm and peace of mind, in similar ways as guided meditation. In the past, I was more agnostic but have started embracing religion a lot more since I became a mother. I am open to change, but I cannot see myself ever becoming a super religious person.

10. What encourages you to keep writing? I enjoy writing for an audience. Knowing that there are readers who give me the time of day and genuinely care about what I have to say means the world to me. Unlike other forms of social media, blogging gives me a voice. Also, I prefer to share my thoughts with like-minded people instead of keeping these thoughts to myself. I am an open book by nature, so this is a great platform for me to be my true, authentic self! 💖

11. Where is your favorite place to go to for vacation? I cannot remember the last time we took a real vacation, except to visit our families in Ontario last summer. However, I hardly call this a vacation; it is more of an obligation. We took a plane there so I guess this still counts? ✈ Ontario is my home province.

This is a photo of my childhood room. As a teenager and young adult, I had this limiting belief that I would be imprisoned between these four walls for most of my adult life. At the time, I was too scared to venture out on my own. Since moving out, my room has been repainted and my parents’ house is currently being renovated. I wish I could have told my younger self what I know now: The real prison is your mind and your limiting beliefs are keeping you stuck in life.

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD NOMINEES🌞

Again, I have decided to leave it open to anyone who wants to join in on the fun and I am keeping the same questions as last time. Tag, you’re it!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What is the theme of your blog?
3. Is your blog a hobby blog or do you monetize your blog?
4. Are you a vegetarian?
5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
6. Have you ever tried online dating?
7. Do you have a Nintendo Switch? If yes, what is your favorite game? 🍎🍒🍊🍑🍐
8. Do you play Animal Crossing? If yes, what is your Island’s fruit? 
9. Do you believe in magic?
11. What is your favorite cereal?

And….GO!! I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world and I appreciate that you took the time to read this blog post! I look forward to reading your answers if you decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award.

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 9.0🌞

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Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to connect with me! I was hoping to wrap up the Sunshine Blogger Awards (SBA) for good with a 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 10.0🌞 However, to my dismay, I am only on 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 9.0🌞 which means that I still have room for a final Sunshine Blogger Award if anyone wants to nominate me LOL. You might be wondering why this blog post is so random. If you really want to know why I have the sudden desire to reply to a SBA-nomination from October 2019, it is because January has been a crappy month for me (still is) and I need some sunshine in my life. In case you missed my last post, here is a link to my similar yet different blog post titled 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 8.0🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Steve, for nominating me for the award on October 14, 2019. This date is not a typo – I left the nomination in my drafts for 2+ years, untouched. I am sure that most of you are familiar with Steve’s Country unless you have been living under a snow-covered rock. But don’t worry! Steve has you covered. He has plenty of snow-covered rocks to share with you! And let’s not forget the hot cups of coffee waiting for you when you pay him a visit. ☕

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD RULES🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

RULES FOR AWARD:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions 👈 optional
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts 👈 optional
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. What is your favorite fruit? Personally, I love them all so it’s hard for me to narrow it down to just one. I can narrow it down to my top 3 favorite fruits: peaches 🍑 mangoes 🥭 and raspberries! 😍 

2. What is your favorite meat? I think my favorite meat is smoked brisket from Big T’s BBQ!

3. Do you like to make your own juice or buy it? We used to have a Ninja juicer but it took up too much cupboard space and it was a pain to clean. Eventually, I gave my husband permission to sell the juicer and I do not regret this decision. While we had the juicer, we were able to make fresh carrot, apple, and beet juice which tasted amazing. However, the amount of work it takes to make fresh juice is not worth it in my opinion. I don’t buy juice because it is too $$$ in Canada. While we were visiting Singapore in Summer 2018, we bought freshly made juice every day! FYI sugarcane juice is simply delicious!

4. Do you like to bake? Sometimes. I like eating it more than I like making it.

5. Do you like to cook? No. Cooking creates a huge mess so I prefer simple meals. Less mess, less stress! My husband enjoys cooking so he is the chef in our house.

6. Would you rather eat at home or a restaurant every day? If I had unlimited, disposable income and I did not care about my weight, then I would eat at a restaurant every day. It is fun to eat out, so why not? But is it the right thing to do? Probably not.

7. Do you like to travel? Traveling can be fun, but traveling can also be exhausting and pricey $$$. And given the pandemic that we are [still] dealing with, we travel a lot less than we used to B.C. (before COVID-19) 😷 I have never stayed at a resort or have been on a cruise, so maybe one day I will be able to check these things off of my bucket list. In the meantime, I would like to visit Hawaii or visit Singapore again with my family.

Singapore, Summer 2018

8. Do you enjoy walks in nature? Yes, I enjoy walks in nature. I find walks in nature very healing and therapeutic. There is something very special about reconnecting with Mother Earth. I recently discovered a concept called grounding, which I like to do during the summer months when it is warmer outside.

9. Do you enjoy camping? I haven’t been camping in years! The last time I went camping, I think I was 11 years old. It was a lot of fun, and I would not turn down an invitation to go camping. You bring the camping gear and I’ll bring the food, which will probably be takeout. As we have already established, I don’t really enjoy cooking.

10. Would you prefer to live by the sea or in the mountains? We currently live in the foothills of a mountain which sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? I cannot get a good view of the mountains from where I live though. Due to the pandemic, we cannot visit the mountains in Banff National Park which is 1.5 hours away.

11. Would you prefer to live in an apartment/flat, or in a house? I have lived in an apartment/flat and I have lived in a house. I currently live in a townhouse and it is 1000% better than living in an apartment. A townhouse is quiet whereas an apartment is loud and noisy. We bought our townhouse in May 2021 and it feels nice to finally own a house. There was a time when I had to put up with an insufferable human who lived in the apartment dwelling above me. Re: What is “normal,” anyway?

Rebecca enjoying the first snowfall on our new balcony!

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD NOMINEES🌞

Usually, other bloggers ask me to nominate them for a Sunshine Blogger Award, so I decided to leave it open to anyone who wants to complete it! Please answer the following questions below ↓

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What is the theme of your blog?
3. Is your blog a hobby blog or do you monetize your blog?
4. Are you a vegetarian?
5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
6. Have you ever tried online dating?
7. Do you have a Nintendo Switch? If yes, what is your favorite game?
8. Do you play Animal Crossing? If yes, what is your Island’s fruit? 🍎🍒🍊🍑🍐
9. Do you believe in magic?
11. What is your favorite cereal?

And….GO!! I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world and I appreciate that you took the time to read this blog post! I look forward to reading your answers if you decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. 

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20 Fall Questions Tag

65 Comments

The other day, I was scrolling through WP when I stumbled upon Deandra’s 20 Fall Questions Tag on her blog called The Black Princess Diaries (TBPD). Even though I wasn’t asked to do this tag, I wanted to participate because it seemed like something I would enjoy doing! If you have a moment, I recommend checking out Deandra’s blog.

Today, I am excited to share my 20 Fall Questions Answers with you now that we are well into autumn. Let’s get started, shall we?

1. What is your favorite fall drink? My favourite fall drink is hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick!

2. What’s one thing you love about fall? I like that it is not winter season yet. I am not a fan of cold temperatures and snow. I like that I can still spend time outdoors with my daughter and go for my daily walks.

3. What’s one thing you don’t like about fall? I am not a fan of any month ending in -ber aka. The “burr” months: September, October, November, December. These months mean that the end of the year is approaching, the days are getting shorter, and temperatures are dropping.

4. Are you a pumpkin spice fan? Yes, I even have pumpkin spice in my pantry! A few days ago, I tried the pumpkin spice Timbits (donut holes) from Tim Hortons, which were nothing special to be honest. Timbits look like this:

5. What’s your favorite fall scented candle? This is tricky because I stopped buying candles. My favorite candle is Eucalyptus Spearmint from Bath & Body Works but that’s more of a winter scent. If I had to choose a candle scent for fall, it would probably be a basic vanilla scented candle. I am not a big fan of artificially scented candles unless they smell really nice!

6. Where do you buy your fall candles? I used to purchase candles from Bath & Body Works. Now, I am hesitant to burn candles because they aren’t safe around little kids.

7. What’s your go-to fall beauty product? Since I don’t typically wear makeup, my favorite fall beauty product is an Apple Pie bubble bath/skin cleanser by Korres. This is my favorite skin-care brand! ♥

8. Your favorite fall accessory? Mittens, perhaps? We’re gonna need them soon. I live in Canada so when it gets cold, it gets really cold.

9. What’s your typical fall outfit look like? I am not the right person to ask for fashion advice. I lack fashion sense and I am tactile sensitive, which limits my options. My feet are really small so most shoes don’t fit me. Also, did I forget to mention that I have a minimalist closet? My husband owns more clothes than I do 🤷‍♀️ I live in hoodies, long-sleeve shirts, jeans, sweat pants, or leggings, and sneakers.

10. Apple pie or pumpkin pie? Pumpkin pie for me. Apple pie for my husband. We can never agree on pie! Costco apple pie is actually pretty good so we usually compromise with Costco Apple Pie.

11. What’s your favorite Halloween/scary movie? I don’t really watch movies so I don’t know ⁉

12. Do you have a fall tradition? Apple picking when I was a kid. Sadly, there are no apple orchards around here. Pumpkin patches are the next best thing.

13. What’s your favorite fall food? Does Halloween candy count? I love the variety of miniature chocolate bars and candy that stores sell this time of year.

14. What are your plans for Halloween? I don’t want the pandemic to ruin trick-or-treating this year. I plan to take my daughter trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Last year, it wasn’t cancelled (surprisingly) so we took her trick-or-treating last minute, and she loved it! 🎃

15. Do you plan on dressing up for Halloween? Nope!

16. What’s one thing you’re grateful for? I am grateful for my husband. Without him, I wouldn’t have my 2nd undergraduate degree, my cat, our kids, and our townhouse. Without him, I wouldn’t be living in this province. My life is better because of him ♥️

17. Halloween or Thanksgiving? I only care about Halloween because #candy and my daughter likes it. My adult self prefers Thanksgiving because #pumpkin-pie.

18. Favorite Thanksgiving food(s)? My mom’s turkey stuffing is amazing and I have her recipe. Sometimes, I make stuffing even when it’s not Thanksgiving. One thing you should know about this stuffing is that we don’t use it to stuff a turkey. My mom and I do not like stuffed birds and soggy stuffing, so we serve our stuffing as a side dish instead. Another favourite of mine is homemade orange-cranberry sauce! 😋

19. Have you ever participated in Friendsgiving? Um, what did you call it? The title “Friendsgiving” sounds so cringe to me. Let’s call it what it is: it is a get-together dinner for adult friends. And no, I haven’t participated in “Friendsgiving” because quite frankly, I don’t have a circle of friends to celebrate it with. The majority of my friends are online.

20. Have you already taken fall photos? I used to, but I stopped taking photos a while ago. I am not sure why I stopped. Instead, I will entertain you with some photos of my in-laws’ dog playing in a pile of leaves.

MY NOMINEES:

You are all welcome to participate in this tag if you would like! If you do decide to participate, I ask that you credit the person who gave you the idea in the first place, whether it is Deandre or myself, or another blogger. Do you agree with my answers? Did any of my answers surprise you? I look forward to reading your replies in the comments section below ↓

Thank you for stopping by!

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 8.0🌞

78 Comments

On September 17, 2019, Stiina Marie nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. This would have been my 8th award and I was planning to complete it when I had the opportunity to do so. It usually takes me several months to complete these awards. Also, I am very picky about the types of awards I complete, mainly because these awards are so mainstream and repetitive these days. Seriously, everyone and their moms get these awards. People have even started naming awards after themselves, which is a bit self-conceited if you ask me #unpopular-opinion

Sadly, it looks like I am a little too late to the party. Instead of being greeted by a working link, I was greeted by this oh-so familiar message from WordPress, which felt a punch in the proverbial gut. If you are a blogger, you probably know what I am talking about:

Stiina Marie, I hope that you return to WP one day. It seems like the blogging community loses fellow bloggers on a regular basis, which is a real shame. Well, this concludes the Sunshine Blogger Award 8.0!

Thanks for stopping by! ❤

Just kidding. It would mean a lot to me if you grabbed a coffee and took a moment to read this blog post! ☕💕

screen-shot-2018-03-23-at-8-2116615623 (1)The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Michelle, for nominating me for the award on December 11, 2019. Michelle blogs about her personal life and offers practical advice that is not only relatable, but also covers topics like mental health and well-being. I highly recommend that you check out Michelle’s blog if these topics interest you. 

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Questions I was asked:

1. What is your favourite thing about blogging? Engaging with my readers, responding to comments, and following interesting bloggers! I get more enjoyment from interacting with people than I get from writing blog posts and humble-bragging about myself.

2. What do you like about winter? Nothing, unless you count Christmas. That being said Christmas typically lasts 2+ months which is WAY too long.

3. What do you hate about winter? I do not like the snow, slush, ice, snow, melted ice, slush, and more snow. Scraping off icy snow from my car each morning and praying that my car will start is the most anxiety-provoking thing ever. We can talk about winter after you try living in Canada 🍁

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Photo taken on a cloudy, cold day in Banff, Alberta BC (Before COVID-19)

4. Do you celebrate Christmas? Absolutely. I didn’t go home for Christmas 2017 and I didn’t decorate my house. My husband was out of town so I ended up watching TV re-runs on Christmas day, which was really depressing.

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A non-traditional Christmas tree | Christmas 2019

5. Have you ever written a blog post and later decided not to publish it? Can you describe the post and why you decided not to publish it? I currently have 34 unpublished posts and 98% of them are blank drafts. They’re mostly just titles for potential blog posts. If I recall, I wrote a rough draft about my Steeped Tea addiction, but never ended up writing the final copy. It wasn’t really an addiction since I was able to easily quit the following month. I love Steeped Tea but it’s not worth the price of $2.30 per drink. I’m a broke, frugal student and this habit was burning a hole through my wallet. I will happily accept gift cards though! 💌

6. Which country would you like to visit and why? I previously answered this question in 🌞The Sunshine Blogger Award🌞 and to cut to the chase, I would love to visit Japan!

7. How do you overcome a struggle? Good question. When faced with adversity, most people would probably give up and quit. Most people like to play victim and use the “poor me” get-out-of jail card, which is a pet peeve of mine. You see, I don’t have victim mentality. I refuse to quit, and I learned to embrace challenges. Even at my lowest, when I was suicidal and diagnosed with major depression, I kept fighting. Did I mention that I live medication-free? It IS possible to function even if you have a mental illness. I just refuse to accept that my life is hopeless and that depression rules my life. In most cases, depression is situational.

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The Pug Life is hard too 🐾

8. Can you share one positive thing about yourself? I have a good heart ❤ People have told me that my advice can be harsh and abrasive, but I have good intentions. A good friend is someone who is truthful and honest, even if the truth stings. I believe that it is better to have a friend like that than someone who always agrees with you. And if I am wrong, please tell me and we can have a mature conversation about it over coffee sometime.

9. What is one thing you want to do that you haven’t done yet? I really want to graduate from nursing school! 👩‍🎓 I was supposed to graduate a year ago and I am ready to move on with my life.

10. What is your favorite song at the moment? I don’t have a favourite song. My favourite music genre is Chillstep. Also, Lo-Fi hip hop music is starting to grow on me but I don’t know if I would classify it as a favourite genre.

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I think I have 500+ subscribers now? I haven’t logged into this account in ages.

11. What is your favorite movie? I don’t have a favourite movie 🤷‍♀️

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD NOMINEES🌞

I have received several requests from bloggers asking me to nominate them for a Sunshine Blogger Award, so I decided to leave it open to anyone who wants to complete it! Please answer the following questions below ↓

Questions for You:

1. What year did you start blogging?
2. What is the theme of your blog?
3. What topics do you write about most often?
4. Do you write short stories? Do you write poetry?
5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
6. Have you ever gone to a meetup, such as the meetups from meetup.com?
7. Have you ever sold something on Facebook marketplace? What did you sell?
8. Have you ever bought something from Facebook marketplace? What did you buy?
9. Is it better to be rich, boring person or a poor, adventurous person?
10. Can you share one positive thing about yourself?
11. What is one thing you want to do that you haven’t done yet?

And….GO!! I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world and I appreciate that you took the time to read this blog post! I look forward to reading your answers if you decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. 

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 7.0🌞

40 Comments

Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to connect with me! I’m currently out of creative ideas so one of the best ways to kick-start my writing is to work on these Sunshine Blogger Awards. There always seem to be an abundance of them in my drafts because I am slow getting around to completing them. In case you missed my last post, here is a link to my similar yet different blog post titled 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 6.0🌞

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The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Geneva, for nominating me for the award on August 14, 2019. Geneva runs a parenting blog called cerratomom.com, where she writes about “all things relating to baby, mom, and parenting” from personal experiences.

If these topics interest you, I highly suggest that you check out Geneva’s blog. My first impression of Geneva is that she cares about her readers. She goes out of her way to give encouragement and support to those who seek it. That being said, from a parenting perspective, she has a lot of advice and wisdom focused around dealing with anxiety and depression. 

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Questions I was asked:

1. What is your favorite kind of weather? Sunny with a chance of rain 🌦️

2. Would you rather read or write? Both! I need to read in order to improve my writing and communication skills.

3. When it comes to food, do you prefer salty or sweet? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was born with a rattle in one hand and a lollipop in the other. This girl has a terrible sweet tooth and still struggles with a sugar addiction to this day. 🍭🍭

4. Have you ever been to Disneyland? Nope.

5. What made you want to start a blog? Mostly boredom and the need to vent about things that were bothering me. Even though my blog is available for anyone to read, I feel like I am not annoying people with my venting and ranting, unlike other social media platforms which feel a bit too pushy and invasive. I appreciate each and every one of you who read my content and leave comments. The fact that you actually want to read my blog means so much to me! ❤

6. Which country would you love to visit? I previously answered this question in 🌞The Sunshine Blogger Award🌞 and to cut to the chase, I would love to visit Japan. I was fortunate to visit Asia in summer 2018 where I spent two weeks in Singapore.

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Luckily, Canada carries Japanese goodies. Image: Ramune soda fizzy candy, pretty origami paper, and a Miku Hatsune key chain.

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Featured here is my Miku Hatsune mug ◡‿◡✿

7. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? I wish I could teleport into fictional worlds, such as books or movies. Admit it! At one point, you probably wished you lived in a fictional world too. Day to day life is often too boring and repetitive for me, and and many people rely on escapism for a breath of fresh air. Being able to physically teleport into fictional worlds would be like escapism on steroids, and a step up from virtual reality. 😅

Escapism – the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

8. Who is your favorite fictional character? I recently had this discussion with Ilona from https://ciccophoto.com, and I told her that my favorite fictional character is Miku Hatsune, a voice bank from the Japanese synthesizing software known as VOCALOID. Even though the software has expanded over the years to include dozens of characters and their corresponding voice banks, Miku will always be my favourite! 

➡ If you’re curious to know what she sounds like, here is a peaceful/sad songs playlist with hundreds of songs to keep you entertained for hours. You’re welcome. ◡‿◡✿

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9. What is your favourite show to watch? I prefer watching documentaries related to health and wellness. The majority of the documentaries that I watch happen to be British, which I usually stream on YouTube. I do not watch a lot of TV so I couldn’t tell you what the latest TV shows are on Netflix. Any TV shows that I watch on a regular basis are shows that Nick introduced me to, such as Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon.

10. What are you afraid of? I have Globophobia, which is the fear of balloons, especially the anticipation that they will pop. Surprisingly, this fear is not as unusual as you might think. A psychology professor who taught at my previous university has a fear of balloons, as well as my mom’s friend. According to Wikipedia, here is the definition of balloon phobia:

Balloon phobia or globophobia is a fear of balloons. The source of fear may be the sound of balloons popping. Generally, globophobics will refuse to touch, feel, or go near a balloon for fear it will pop.

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The phobia has control over you, which is anxiety-provoking at social events. Image sourced from https://pixabay.com

11. What is something you want people to know about you? I don’t have my life together, despite what people think. People assume that I have an easy life and that I get everything I want, but life is not all sunshine and rainbows. As someone who has always struggled with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, I’m slowly coming to terms with my demons.

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD NOMINEES🌞

https://saltedcaramel670.wordpress.com/

https://midnightwander.wordpress.com/

https://theblackprincessdiaries.com/

https://middleme.net/

https://hunidasblog.com/

https://untipsyteacher.com/

https://kathleens-blog.com/

https://seaofwordsx.wordpress.com/

https://journeythroughlife591163021.wordpress.com/

https://mentalhealthathome.org/

https://mochalatteandconversation.wordpress.com/

QUESTIONS FOR THE NOMINEES:

1. What year did you start blogging?
2. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
3. What time of day do you blog most often?
4. Are you a morning lark or a night owl?
5. What is the first thing you do after waking up?
6. Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Why or why not?
7. What is your favorite social media platform and why?
8. Do you drive a car?
9. What does luxury mean to you?
10. Who is your role model?
11. What is your job/career/profession?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am curious to know what your answers are! BTW, I am reusing the same questions I asked last time because I haven’t previously nominated these bloggers.

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 6.0🌞

73 Comments

Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to connect with me! I hope you are all doing well, especially since flu season is back and students are in the midst of stressful midterms yet again. In case you missed my last post, here is a link to my last blog post titled 31-Day Motivational Journal Review.

screen-shot-2018-03-23-at-8-2116615623 (1)The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Tatterhood, for nominating me on August 12, 2019 for the award. Your blog gives me daily inspiration and reminds of reading a diary. I like the personal touch that you have added to your daily musings. If you haven’t heard of Tatterhood yet, please go give her blog some love! ❤

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Questions I was asked:

1. Have you ever been hypnotized (stage hypnosis)? No, I have not been hypnotized on stage or through self-directed hypnotic therapy. I’ve always been a little skeptical of hypnotism and feel like it wouldn’t work on me. I know that in order for hypnosis to work, one has to keep an open mind and I am already closed minded. 😂

2. Do you believe in aliens? Sure, why not? It is likely that aliens probably exist, considering how HUGE outer space is. There is probably intelligent life on a distant planet in a distant universe somewhere far, far away.

3. What would your Circus Act be? Well, I cannot juggle and my balance is horrible so that eliminates a lot of options. I took a quiz because I couldn’t answer this question, and my result is a sideshow performer!

You are a rarity indeed! A little off the beaten path, your pride is in your individuality. No bed of nails or floor of broken glass can scare you. You take it all with a smile. Some may call you a “freak”, but you should consider that a compliment. Remember, uniqueness is what gets you noticed!

4. If you were invisible for a day, what would be the first thing you would do? The first thing I would do is take advantage of free travel, find someone that I dislike, and follow this person home. Then I would haunt their house for the day and follow them around town just for fun. Specifically, this needs to be someone I don’t like because I would figure out their social media passwords, hoping that they still use Facebook and whatnot, and I would hack into their Facebook account to permanently change their passwords and emails. Facebook wouldn’t suspect anything since I would be doing this in real time and location. It would be fun to read their private messages, mess up their relationships, and maybe add a few status updates of my own. Karma’s a bitch! At the end of the day, maybe I will ghost slap them on my way out the door. Too bad the ghosting life is short-lived. 🤷‍♀️

5. Hogwarts House? I am not a Harry Potter fangirl, so I will let another quiz determine my fate. My results from the quiz indicate that I am 30% Ravenclaw, 27% Gryffindor, 26% Hufflepuff, and 17% Slytherin!

You believe above all in the importance of wisdom, which is why you undoubtedly belong in Ravenclaw, but your sense of adventure means you may also have an affinity for Gryffindor house. You are a thrill-seeker – you love to travel and there’s nothing more exciting to you than new experiences – and believe that adventure is essential in the pursuit of knowledge. You are brave, but would never intentionally put yourself in danger, placing you firmly in Ravenclaw.

Your slight compatibility with Hufflepuff house suggests a deep love and appreciation for those close to you, which you may keep hidden for fear of being hurt.

 6. A smell you hate? Gasoline.

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Corner Gas… well, what’s left of it. We were lucky to get these photos before it got torn down. 😥

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The fictional Dog River grain elevator lives on. My camera has a mind of its own since the ground is actually really flat.

7. A flower you love? Sunflowers 🌻

8. Who is the strongest Avenger? I know nothing about the Avengers except that it involves Superheroes. Based on this knowledge or lack thereof, I will conclude that the strongest Avenger is the Incredible Hulk.

9. Star Wars or Star Trek? Ugh, I do not like either of them. However, Star Trek is much worse in my opinion since it’s SO outdated. I choose Star Wars but please don’t make me watch a Star Wars movie with you.

10. Ever been on Stage? Does the stage in the school gym at my elementary school count? I played my violin in a school talent show back in Grade 6.

11. Do you have a pet? – Insert Photo & show your love ❤

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Cozy mornings with my therapy cat ❤

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Rebecca and Timon the Cat 💕

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Nominees🌞

https://puddlesidemusings.wordpress.com

https://sippingcupsofinspiration.wordpress.com

https://acupofwonderland.com

https://noloveforfatties.com

https://priyankaspen.com

https://ciccophoto.com

https://justhannahhere.blog

https://chocoviv.home.blog

https://giannaandgemini.wordpress.com

https://inhisserviceandlovingit.wordpress.com

https://crystalbyers.com

Questions for the nominees:

1. What year did you start blogging?
2. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
3. What time of day do you blog most often?
4. Are you a morning lark or a night owl?
5. What is the first thing you do after waking up?
6. Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Why or why not?
7. What is your favorite social media platform and why?
8. Do you drive a car?
9. What does luxury mean to you?
10. Who is your role model?
11. What is your job/career/profession?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am curious to know what your answers are!

great-vibes.regular (1)

 

🌞The Sunshine Blogger Award 5.0🌞

61 Comments

Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your day to connect with me! I hope you are all doing well. In case you missed my last post, here is a link to my last blog post titled 3.2.1 Quote Me! – love. 

screen-shot-2018-03-23-at-8-2116615623 (1)The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Steve, from Steve’s Country, for nominating me or the award. Your blog really does make me smile “as wide as a country sunrise.”   

I highly recommend that you follow Steve if you haven’t done so already. His collection of beautiful flora and fauna photography, as well as vivid imagery he creates through poetry and personal experiences is sure to take you on an adventure while you sip your morning coffee. We also live in the same country which is pretty cool! Oh Canada! 🇨🇦

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Questions I was asked:

1. What is your favourite fruit? Personally, I love them all so it’s hard for me to narrow it down to just one. I can narrow it down to my top 3 favourite fruits: peaches 🍑 mangoes 🥭 and raspberries! 😍

2. What one place in the world would you like to visit, outside your own country? The cherry blossom festival in Japan!

3. Do you like pets? As a matter of fact, I like cats and dogs. At one point, I wanted to be a veterinarian but I feel like this is every girl’s dream. I co-oped at a veterinary clinic and got to adopt a pug from a litter of pug puppies after witnessing a disturbing euthanasia that left me in tears. I named my pug after the pug that was euthanized in memory of that dog. My pug is now 9 years old and she lives with my parents in Ontario. Recently, my husband and I adopted a cat from a local animal shelter to help me deal with my depression. I love this cat so much and he puts up with a lot of toddler shenanigans….

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Zoë is a 9 year old fawn pug who lives with my parents. She enjoys spending time at my dad’s boat on weekends.

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My boy, Timon, chilling in his cat tree.

4. Do you like beetles? I don’t mind The Beatles as in the band, but I am terrified of creepy crawlies. I get itchy just thinking about beetles.

5. Do you enjoy flower gardening? Honestly, I’ve never tried to tend to a garden. Considering how terrible I am at keeping house plants alive, I rather not chance it. A few potted plants is all I need to be happy.

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I wouldn’t mind having potted plants like these! Courtney S. is the owner of this photo (we were neighbors a very long time ago) but I don’t have a link to give her credit.

6. Do you enjoy yard work? My mom complains about the weeds, so I probably wouldn’t enjoy yard work. I didn’t mind mowing the lawn as a kid because my dad paid me to mow it. Now that I’m an adult, I would prefer to own a property that requires little to no yard maintenance.

7. Do you like winter? If yes, you obviously don’t live around here. By winter I mean at least 5 months with snow on the ground and temps getting as cold as -30°C. NOPE! 👎 I dislike climates that are too hot or too cold. Canada is way too cold for me and our winters/cold temperatures typically last 8+ months of the year with approx. 2 months of scorching hot summers. When it’s -30°C outside and I’m with you, I literally cannot feel my face. Seriously, who thought that living in Canada was a good idea?

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Summer vs. winter in Canada. Don’t let the pretty snow fool you.

8. Do you enjoy traveling? Yes and no. Travelling is a bit stressful and I usually don’t find it relaxing. I haven’t done a lot of travelling so my views might change once I start exploring more countries. This summer, we will be flying across the country to visit our families and honestly, even these “mini vacations” are mentally draining and physically exhausting.

9. Do you enjoy moving? My husband and I move around A LOT. Honestly, I don’t know what home is anymore. Within the last 5 years, we have moved house a handful of times. We will be moving again in a couple of years, hopefully to our forever home. My husband wants to leave Canada for several reasons but I am not thrilled about moving to a foreign country.

10. Do you prefer sunrise or sunset? Notice the word prefer, means pick only one. I prefer sunset because most evenings, I get to watch the sun set. Usually I am still asleep when the sun rises.

11. How many hours of sleep do you prefer to have? Ideally, 8-9 hours of sleep. I can easily sleep 13+ hours on any given day, so I have to force myself to wake up at a reasonable hour. I don’t know why I’m always tired but it’s probably a result of food allergies or intolerance.

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Nominees🌞

https://thelawofattractionandmylife.com

https://gcerrato.home.blog

https://huguetteantoun.com

https://easydiet.blog

https://mynamaste365online.blog

http://jennylouise.blog/category/healthy-mind

https://vihani.home.blog

https://ashokwahi.wordpress.com

https://sensiblyfrugalliving.home.blog

https://discoveringyourhappiness.com

https://miscellaneousmichelleca.wordpress.com

Questions for the nominees:

1. What country do you live in?
2. What year did you publish your first blog post?
3. What is your favorite blog post you’ve written and why?
4. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
5. What book has influenced you greatly?
6. What is the meaning of life?
7. If you could eliminate one thing from your daily routine, what would it be and why?
8. What is the scariest thing you have ever done for fun?
9. Are you a listener or a talker?
10. Would you rather have more time or more money?
11. What song best describes your life right now?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am curious to know what your answers are!

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🌞The Sunshine Blogger Award 4.0🌞

39 Comments

Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your day to connect with me! I hope you are all doing well. In case you missed my last post, you can read about my opinion about buying and selling locally here. 

screen-shot-2018-03-23-at-8-2116615623 (1)The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Snigdha Deka, from The Soul Searcher, for nominating me back. Although it takes me a while to complete these awards, I still like to finish the ones that are awarded to me personally. 

I highly recommend that you follow The Soul Searcher if you haven’t done so already. She is very optimistic and aspires to accomplish amazing things in her life. For instance, she is currently working on obtaining her Ph.D. in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences while balancing life with leisurely hobbies to include poetry, reading, cooking, and baking to name a few! You go, girl! 💁

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts. ← I don’t leave comments on their blog posts anymore because it’s spammy. Instead, I tag them in this post so that they will receive a notification about the nomination. 
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Questions I was asked:

1. What motivated you to start blogging and still inspires you to blog? I wanted to get away from Facebook and needed a safe place to vent to the world while making sense of my life through writing. A blog seemed like the most logical outlet for my needs. Also, I had previously used WordPress for a project at university, so I already knew how to use this platform when I started blogging. [copied answer from Sunshine Blogger Award 2.0]

2. Which is your favourite book and why? I like self-help books but I don’t really have a preference. The one book that I would recommend to anyone who wants to better themselves is, “You Are a Badass: How to Start Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero. However, there are many books just like this one on the market.

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Look familiar? I used the same image for Sunshine Blogger Award 2.0 

3. Which is that one song currently stuck in your head? The Peppa Pig Theme Song. Peppa Pig is my daughter’s favourite show so it’s usually playing on TV at my house.

4. Three things you would love to do on a rainy day? Yesterday was a rainy day. I started working on the Sunshine Blogger Award 4.0 rough draft because I had time. Later that day, my husband came home and we decided to make strawberry shortcake! Since he wanted to use the desktop computer, I was unable to complete the rough draft, hence why I am working on finishing the questions today. We still needed exercise and usually, we go for a walk outside. However, it was still raining, so we spent time at the mall yesterday evening. 

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Delicious homemade strawberry shortcake in all of its glory.

5. What is the one food in the world that you cannot live without? Fruit! I love all kinds of fruit. If Fruitarianism was an option for me, I would totally be one. #30BAD

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Look familiar? I used the same image for Sunshine Blogger Award 2.0

6. If you could travel somewhere right now, where would it be? Right now, I would like to travel to Singapore again and spend a couple of weeks in the tropics. I am tired of the cold, rainy weather in Canada.

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Sentosa Island, Singapore | Summer 2018

7. Which do you like more – Dreams or Reality? I am a realist so I see things for how they are in the present moment. As much as I like dreams, dreams aren’t real until we make them real by turning our dreams into reality. At the end of the day, we should appreciate reality for what it is, regardless of what your reality happens to be. Here is the definition of a realist, according to Urban Dictionary:

Realists have a firm grip on reality and can see things for what they are, not what they are told they are. Realists have their own views and do not fall victim to propaganda, misconception, or titles!

1. There is the Pessimist who believes the glass is half empty!

2. There is the Optimist who believes the glass is half full!

3. Then there is the Realist who knows it is just half a fucking glass!

8. Love in one word? Unconditional ❤️

9. What do you do to make yourself feel better when you are having a bad day? Usually, I make myself a mug of chai or orange pekoe tea and watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory.

10. Which is your most embarrassing childhood memory? I feel uncomfortable sharing this story on the internet. It has to do with Aunt Flo and a lack of female sanitary products while stuck in Quebec on a school trip. Nuff said. Period. [copied answer from Sunshine Blogger Award 3.0]

11. Three ways you would want to bring more happiness and peace to this world?

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Nominees🌞

https://newblogger20.wordpress.com/

https://laviedeuveeblog.wordpress.com/

https://bournemouthgirl.com/

https://selfcaresloth.wordpress.com/

https://sassycatlady.com/

https://retrospectivelily.com/

https://caffeinatedinlosangeles.com/

https://nicolesundays.wordpress.com/

https://renardsworld.wordpress.com/

https://rapturousretreat.wordpress.com/

https://gracethoroughgoodbeauty.wordpress.com/

Questions for the nominees:

1. Why did you decide to start a blog?
2. What year did you publish your first blog post?
3. What is your favorite blog post you’ve written and why?
4. Do you own a pet? If so, what kind?
5. Do you have any routines before you write a blog post?
6. What motivates you to write? Where do you find inspiration?
7. What is your favorite social media platform and why?
8. Are you a coffee or tea drinker?
9. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
10. Are you satisfied with your blog’s progress so far?
11. What do you fear the most?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am curious to know what your answers are! BTW, I am reusing the same questions I asked last time because I haven’t previously nominated these bloggers.

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🌞The Sunshine Blogger Award 3.0🌞

56 Comments

Whoever is reading this post, thank you for taking time out of your day to connect with me! I hope you are all doing well. It’s time for yet another Sunshine Blogger Award! I had originally planned to split up the Sunshine Blogger Awards throughout the week but my laptop is unreliable right now. It keeps crashing on me every half-hour because there is something wrong with the cooling fan. 

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The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Thank you, Ilona, for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. This is the third award that I have been nominated for and I am excited to participate in the Q&A yet gain.

Ilona has a popular blog called easydiet.blog, and her blog is one of my personal favorites. She takes the time to connect with her readers and she’s a wonderful person. I feel a sense of belonging whenever I visit her blog and I also feel like I have known her for a long time, even though we haven’t met in person. If you haven’t already done so, you should go check out her blog. 🌻

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🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Rules🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

Rules for Award:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. How does the person develop a personality over time? Personally, I believe that we are born with our personalities (nature), and our personalities are shaped through childhood experiences (nurture). Many people may argue that we cannot change our personalities over time and I agree with this statement. However, I also believe that we can change our personalities through personal development and self-awareness which happens over time.

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This used to be my desktop background so I could look at it every day as a reminder to aim high.

2. Do you have a dream to chase? Yes, I have spent a few years chasing after my dream of working in the field of health care. Even though it is taking much longer than I had intended due to unforeseen circumstances, I still plan on becoming a RN eventually.

I am not in love with my stethoscope and wish I would have chosen mauve or hot pink instead of raspberry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. Are you really doing, what you would like to do in life? Not yet. I thought I would have established a career by now or have a full-time job in the health care industry. I already have a B.Sc. in biology and I have been taking university courses since 2010. These days, I am a stay at home mom (SAHM) who feels unfulfilled and stuck in life. Even worse, I am unable to accomplish my other long-term goals because of a failed semester. It’s super frustrating because I am not getting the results I want! 💢

4. Are you afraid to make mistakes? If so, why? Yes. I am afraid of making mistakes because I am afraid of making the wrong choices. Sometimes, failure to take any action whatsoever only makes the situation worse. I have one more chance to go back to school next January, but a part of me wants to ditch the dream of becoming a nurse in case it doesn’t work out.

5. Do you react to other people’s actions or do you choose your own actions? I react to other people’s actions most of the time. Rudeness and entitlement really rub me the wrong way, and I am not hesitant to block people on social media if they piss me off.

6. Is there something that you know you have to let go, but you can’t? I have to let go of the anger I have towards certain people and stop playing the victim. Having anger and bitterness towards them does not make the situation any better. The negative feelings are ultimately hurting ME, so I need to let these thoughts go, and yet I struggle to let them go.

7. What makes you the happiest in your life? Why? Being free of depression and other negative thoughts. Part of the reason why I am on a journey towards self-actualization is to figure out how to rewire my brain and stop these negative-thinking loops. Guided meditation helps me escape these negative thoughts, if only for a moment.

8. Would you like to be famous? Being famous brings additional problems and burdens mainly driven by ego and greed. I would like to be remembered for being authentic and humble. Fame is still a possibility, but I wouldn’t want to famous for the reasons that most people want to be famous.

 9. The most embarrassing moment of your life? I feel uncomfortable sharing this story on the internet. It has to do with Aunt Flo and a lack of female sanitary products while stuck in Quebec on a school trip. Nuff said. Period.

10. Do you have any superstition? I believe that I will attract good health, longevity, truth, and fidelity for every 1000 paper cranes that I fold. I don’t know how many paper cranes I have made in my lifetime, but it’s probably a few thousand. If you would like to learn more about this superstition, you can read about the 1000 Cranes Legend.

Some of the paper cranes that I folded for a school project.

11. What you don’t like about yourself? I struggle with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and I hate the way my body looks. You may or may not know this about me, but I was anorexic when I was 14 years old which was triggered by bullying, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. I especially hate my smile and can’t stand it when people bug me for selfies. I also hate my big forehead. It hurts my feelings when people make fun of the way I look.

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award Nominees🌞

https://mbodypower479768866.wordpress.com

https://gagsblog.com

https://trystwithmind.wordpress.com

https://stevescountry.com

https://whenanintrovertspeaks.home.blog

https://michellewriterblog.wordpress.com

https://changedlife365.net

https://lifesfinewhine.wordpress.com

https://hopescorner.home.blog

https://musingsandroses.wordpress.com

https://thetalesofateenagebrunette.wordpress.com

Questions for the nominees:

1. Why did you decide to start a blog?
2. What year did you publish your first blog post?
3. What is your favorite blog post you’ve written and why?
4. Do you own a pet? If so, what kind?
5. Do you have any routines before you write a blog post?
6. What motivates you to write? Where do you find inspiration?
7. What is your favorite social media platform and why?
8. Are you a coffee or tea drinker?
9. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
10. Are you satisfied with your blog’s progress so far?
11. What do you fear the most?

And….GO!! There is no pressure to respond to this nomination, as I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world. I look forward to reading your answers if you do decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am curious to know what your answers are! 

great-vibes.regular (1)