This weekend, the Half-Eaten Mind was nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by Ireland-based photographer Inese of inesemjphotography. If you ever wanted to see Ireland’s outstanding natural scenery and fascinating culture, not to mention lots of sweet family and portrait photography, then you definitely need to visit her blog and see these awesome pictures for yourself.
Inese’s award is the first I have received since April this year, and will probably be the last for this year, so this is a special one. Thanks a lot Inese for your support and for picking me as a nominee.
Inese was nominated for this award on the 5th December 2015 by fellow HEM Community member Patrick Jones of the Linden Chronicles. Jones is an American indie author who has recently published two novels.
As part of the rules for the One Lovely Blog Award, I must lay my heart bare and reveal seven things about myself. So here goes:
I am really tall. 6 foot 5 inches tall. That’s the first thing everyone notices lol.
I am addicted to Indian sweets and chocolate.
I want to travel the world.
I am currently obsessed with two YouTube channels: HowTo Basic and Gifs with Sound. Be warned, the HowTo Basic guy is just plain strange.
I hate heights. Not keen on spiders either.
I love GIFs. I have a collection of them dating from 2006 and also run a blog dedicated to this most viral of image formats.
I enjoy playing Call of Duty.
And here are the blogs I am nominating – a tiny fraction of the bloggers I like.
Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to her/his blog.
List 7 interesting facts about yourself.
Nominate up to 15 other bloggers
List the rules and display the award.
As always, it is not incumbent on nominees to accept, but of course highly appreciated if you do. Congratulations to all the lucky bloggers and look forward to spreading the love.
Ladies and gentleman, yours truly the Half-Eaten Mind has come into another great blogging award this Easter/April. On the 31st March 2015, keen young photographer and college student, Alex Smithson, who runs the Mother Nature blog out from nearby Croydon, has kindly nominated us for the Liebster Award.
Alex was himself nominated by Chey from the blog Socially Awkward Chey, and it is his second blog awardnomination for 2015. The first one was awarded by little old me 😀 !!!. Like other awards in the blogging community, the Liebster, whose name is derived from the German word ‘liebe‘ (love) is an award designed to promote connections and love between bloggers and strengthen our special community.
As part of Alex’s nomination, he has fielded ten questions to all nominees, which I’m now going to answer, once I can find my thinking cap which seems to have found itself lodged behind one of those god-awful ugly black leather sofas downstairs.
(c) A. Smithson/Mother Nature
Without further ado, here are the questions….
Alex’s Liebster Questions
1. What made you want to take up this hobby?
I took up news-writing as a hobby for this blog, as I am a big fan of news, views and current affairs. From my childhood days when I used to sit with the parents in the living room and watch Moira Stewart and John Sissons (I think his name was) presenting the Six O’Clock News, I had a fascination with the world around me. Add to that a well enhanced vocabulary and a degree in journalism, and I knew my ideal destiny was in the media. It is because of this dream I set up this blog, so I could practice being a reporter and use this as a step-up into that highly competitive career path.
2. Who inspired you to set up your blog/website and why?
The original idea for a blog came from a university classmate named Kshitij, but who was usually called Mike. We kept in contact after I graduated, and while discussing our future plans, he suggested I set up a blog to showcase my talents. This was way back in 2007, and due to certain difficulties back then, I couldn’t get the blog ball rolling. It wasn’t until 2012, when I was in a relationship with a girl in India whom I was planning to marry, that I started the blog formally. I was very happy to be in a relationship at last, and was buoyed up by my new confidence. I told her I wanted to start a blog while talking with her on Skype. In fact the name of the blog comes from an expression she used to use every time we talked, and that was that she was disturbing me by “eating my mind”. Sadly the blog outlived the relationship, but blogging is still my passion.
3. What do you love the most about life?
I love my family because they bring so much happiness, I love God, I love seeing beautiful things (and people), and discovering new experiences. I cherish the diversity and opportunities that life can bring and that there are many good and decent people in this world that help negate the more dark and painful experiences that everyone has to go through. I adore my friends and supporters, both inside and outside the blogging world.
4. If there is one thing you could do in life, what would it be?
I suppose now in this point in time, it would be to get married, settle down and have a family. That is my number one priority now in life.
5. What is your blog/website about?
My blog is an news site covering news stories and features for London, the U.K. and the world. Think of it being like an online newspaper but with less political bias and no pressure from advertisers *laughs*. I also write personal articles, often relating to stuff concerning the blog but not always. I also feature contributions from readers and clients and sometimes use the blog to show off my photography and graphic design skills.
6. Are you the kind of person who loves to go for opportunities whilst they’re still available?
There is this one saying that I sometimes quote. It goes: “when opportunity knocks, open the damn door!“. Sometimes you have to seize the moment, because it may never come round again. So, yes, generally I will take the opportunity if the time and situation is right. You never know what could happen, and if it doesn’t work out then that’s a learning experience for you.
7. If there was something you wanted to do other than what you currently do now, what would it be?
I would love to travel the world. Career-wise, it would be to work as a journalist. I’m currently doing a data entry/admin job.
8. What is your most favourite quote of all time?
“Rise above it all” – I can’t remember who created the quote, but it’s sort of a good metaphor for my life.
9. Do you like writing or reading books?
I like both, although reading books expends less effort and you’re less at risk of succumbing to that dreaded ‘writer’s cramp’. I haven’t read a book in a while though. Writing is definitely a passion of mine too.
10. Did you like being nominated for the Liebster Award? If so, has it made your blog/website become stronger?
I thought it was a nice gesture from Alex. Although I have received the exact badge before, this gives me an opportunity to work up those creative skills and create my own interpretation, which you find below. Being a Liebster nominee will hopefully gain me some new followers and put a smile on my face as my own nominees receive a nice little pingback-flavoured surprise.
In no particular order, here are the 10 nominees I have chosen to receive the Liebster Award:
Here are my own ten questions for the above nominees:
1. What inspired you to first start blogging?
2. What has been your best blogging moment of 2015 so far?
3. What ambitions for your blog do you have for the rest of 2015?
4. What is the one thing that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face?
5. What three things are you most passionate about?
6. What three things do you love most in life?
7. Which blogger has made the biggest impression on you this year?
8. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
9. Do you have any blogging routines, rituals or quirks. If you do, what are they?
10. If I was a first-time visitor to your blog and you were giving me a virtual guided tour, what would be the first thing you’d show me?
The Badges
As befitting the nature and meaning of the Liebster Award, I’m offering you two badges to choose from, the original and also a special Half-Eaten Mind edition, created by myself.
Via Diana/Part Time Monster(c) V. Shah via piZap
As always, you are free to accept or decline the nomination as you wish and you can accept this award at any time, no pressures or worries.
Many, many thanks to my good friend Alex for considering me, especially given the intensity of his college coursework. I’m pleased and honoured that he has taken time out of a busy schedule to make this kind gesture. Also, a big congratulations to the ten Half-Eaten Mind nominees who all richly deserve this lovely Liebster.
You can see Alex’s original Liebster article here.
In both my family and on this blog, I value creativity. Creativity is that very thing that makes the world a more beautiful place, from the goofy cartoon characters on your breakfast cereal box to the interiors of the tombs and pyramids of ancient Egypt. Since from thousands of years before humans were inventors, they were artists.
Creativity is that joyous segment of the human spirit because it is so diverse and democratic. Regardless of your means or talents, you can let the ‘creative juices’ flow as they say. Being creative is a skills that nearly anyone can tap into. You just need to discover it and let it sing. For me, being a journalist and a blogger is about telling a story, and it is my creativity that helps mould and flavour that story, especially when it is a personal article. Whether it is a witty play on words (like the title of this article) or creating a graphic image for the blog, the Half-Eaten Mind has been a perfect vehicle for my creativity.
In recognition of that creativity, a very good and supportive blogging friend, Sally from “Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life“, has kindly awarded me the Creative Blogger Award for services to creative blogging. If you are not familiar with the work of Sally, then believe me, you are missing out. She is a blogger and author who lives in the mountains of Spain. She has worked in administration, hospitality and dentistry nursing and has led a very eclectic life, moving between various countries in her youth. Her creative career has also been diverse, with short stories and poems a specialty since her childhood, as well as writing newspaper columns in both the UK and in her current hometown near Madrid, Spain. She has also penned books and being recently involved in TV and online video work as well as blogging on Smorgasbord.
(c) MAKE ME UP MARIE via S. Cronin.(c) S. Cronin
Just like the Scandinavian dish the blog is named for, Sally writes a bit about everything. Her blog runs the gamut from short stories and humorous scribblings to factual information on medical issues from brain health to the endocrine system. There is a lot of interesting stuff there and you are highly recommended to pay a visit.
If you happen to not accept awards or do not have the time, please instead accept this virtual bottle of that all-time awesome and indigenous Mauritian soft drink Eski and some nice snacks too. It’s not quite the Smorgasbord 2015 Rioja that Sally is offering but at least you can boast you ate some food from paradise!!
(c) melane_wong via Pinsta.me
Here are the guidelines for this award.
Contact all of your nominees and notify them of their award. You can pick as many blogs as you like, but five is the minimum.
Give a shout-out to the blogger that nominated you and post a link to their website.
Share five random facts about yourself.
Display the Creative Blogger Award image above your post.
Pass along these rules to the nominees.
Here are the lucky nominees with an excerpt taken from their intros so you can get a flavour of their creativity and check out their blogs. All richly deserved of this fine award….!
Cred in autocunoastere, in iubire, bunatate, in eficienta muncii facuta din suflet. Mai cred in Dumnezeu, in creativitate si vocea inimii, sunt sociabila, rabdatoare, egoista, gandire unica, calma, romantica si Directa. Datorita faptului ca sunt Directa, asta deranjeaza pe foarte multa lume si…ajung sa ma inteleg doar eu pe mine. In rest sunt o persoana obisnuita ce plang…rad…sunt serioasa, independenta de situatie. Oricum Sunt Eu! “De ce ii este omului de astazi foame? De iubire si de sens” spunea Nicolae Steinhardt in Jurnalul Fericirii. Va multumesc pentru ca ati ales sa va petreceti o parte din timp pe blogul meu. Va astept in continuare cu drag… (I believe in self-awareness, in love, kindness, making the soul work efficiently. Believe in God, the creativity and the voice of the heart, being sociable, patient, selfish, thinking, calm, romantic and having direction…. Anyway I Am! “The man she is hungry today? The love and respect, “said Nicolae Steinhardt in the Journal of Happiness. Thank you for choosing to spend some time on my blog. We expect to continue the journey…)
In order to make the blog more interesting, we will include poems, meanings and origins of phrases, inspiring quotes and other interesting facts which are closely related to the designs of our jewelry pieces.
This blog is a place for anyone who wants to know more about the Word of God, developing a deeper and personal relationship with Jesus Christ or get encouragement.
I write from the spiritual fruit within me–love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. I give glory to God when I can share my ebbs and flows, and stumbling experiences by walking through with faith and trust in Him. Praise The Lord for His mercy and His grace. (smile)
This is a place, you can always come for something positive and uplifting! We’ll leave the lights on for you! There is no judging here. It’s about being able to get encouragement or a good scripture to apply to a particular challenge in life and see things from a different perspective.
Some of what I learned during a long career in the media and public relations services business is reflected in the Digital Deception series of posts and in the occasional rants about publishing, online audiences and digital marketing.
I wrote the Growing Up in the 50’s stories from the unique perspective of someone who was born just hours before the start of that decade. I am thus well positioned to describe the phobias, prejudices, politics and lifestyle of those times as seen through the eyes of a child.
Welcome to my blog! I’m SO glad you’re here! Let’s get straight to the point of this blog, shall we?—To not waste our short precious lives on earth like I see SO many people do day after day. It drives me NUTS! Why do we do that to ourselves when there’s so many things to do, see, talk about, learn, and love in this world to make ourselves better and happier as people?
When I’m 357 years old, I want to be able to say I had a great time while I was here the best that I could do for me—whatever it is that makes me laugh, smile, happy, smarter, better, etc. And I, obviously, want you to do the same for yourselves. Lovin’ life, baby! That’s how we roll.
I started ‘Loving Food, Fashion, & Life’ as a hobby one day during my yearly 6-week vacation from work (yeah, that’s right). I had always wanted to do a blog and now was my opportunity. I started at zero—as someone who didn’t know the first thing about blogging—so I did weeks of research on the subject. It was a LOT of work and VERY time-consuming, but I absolutely LOVED every minute of it!
I have been a wine lover for some time now, but I try not to take it all that seriously. I am also a Cat 3 cyclist, a husband, and a father of two great (most of the time) boys. I love to combine all my passions when I vacation, especially when I am going to my in-laws. Since they live close to Napa and Sonoma I can go there and get loaded as well as ride my bike in glorious California.
Welcome to Voices from the Margins. I’m Carol Hand, an enrolled member of the Sokaogon Ojibwe Community, one of the 6 bands of Ojibwe people located in what is now the state of Wisconsin. During my early childhood, I spent my school years in New Jersey where I was born, and my summers with relatives on the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe reservation in Wisconsin. My bi-cultural heritage has had a profound influence on my life.
Welcome! Here’s some information about my novels and works in progress. I hope you enjoy your visit.
Atonement, Tennessee is now available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook versions. It is an urban fantasy with a mystery on the side. The story pulls in characters loosely inspired by the ancient Celtic myth of Gwydion fab Don. It also features an ensemble of memorable southern personalities. I did a post sharing my thoughts about releasing the book.
Five Facts About Me
1. My maternal grandmother, mother and one of my sisters were/are either chefs or very accomplished cooks. I can just about avoid burning things when I make spaghetti Bolognese.
2. I’ve written theatre reviews for two local newspapers here in Newham, east London, as well as reviews for a listings and cultural magazine in Battersea, also in London. I still have the work stashed away in my portfolio folder.
3. I am currently working on the written material for an investment platform’s website. My friend and work colleague is setting up his advisory and consulting firm that will operate between London, Paris and west Africa, principally the Ivory Coast.
4. I can play the tabla, a type of drum from India, reasonably well.
5. Just like the person who nominated me, I also have feet bigger than the average. My ones are billed at UK size 14, and my Mum used to refer them as ‘kippers’ because they were big and flat like the salted fish fillets.
Many, many thanks to Sally for nominating me and please do visit the nominees I have selected, follow them and say hello there! 🙂
It has been a very difficult week for me lately (and a bit strange too), but today I have at least a small bit of good news to share with you all. The Half-Eaten Mind has picked up its first blogging award for 2015, a special gift from the news and wildlife blogger “Dear Kitty“.
In the last few months of 2014, Kitty, who is based in the Netherlands, decided to dust off her computer graphic skills and created a new, cool and delightfully simple blogging award. She gave it life and christened it the Real Neat Blogging Award. It is the first award she has made, using computer skills that she once used before embarking on her blogging journey. The Half-Eaten Mind is one of fifteen nominees for the RNBA.
(c) Dear Kitty
Kitty blogs mainly news stories on “animals, peace and war, science, social justice, women’s issues, arts, and much more“. She is a veteran of the blogger’s game, having first put nimble fingers to clunky keyboards 10 years ago after signing up with now defunct platform ModBlog in 2005. A decade later, she is the editor behind Dear Kitty – Some Blog. It originally began as a news diary and since then, Kitty now covers stories on wildlife, global conflicts, art and many other subjects. Very importantly, she aims to report on those people and organisations that fight against greed, injustice and suffering in this world and who want to make it more better and peaceful. To ‘speak truth to power‘ is Kitty’s aim.
The RNBA has a set of rules for nominees to be aware of:
1. Put the award logo on your blog.
2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
3. Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.
4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.
5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.)
KITTY’S QUESTIONS:
1. Where do most visits to your blog come from?
The vast majority of my blog visits are from the United States, which is understandable given that the blog is in English and internet penetration is very high in American homes. The United Kingdom (my base and home country) comes in second place. Since I started my blog in April of 2012, I have received exactly 27,708 visits from the US, my highest total.
2. What is your favourite sport?
I’m not the most sporty person going, but I enjoy football and cricket (watching and playing). I also enjoy WWE wrestling, although don’t count on me stepping inside the square circle any time soon. I bruise easily.
3. What has been a special moment for you in 2014?
I can’t think of anything in particular, but some highlights were my niece turning five (and growing up really fast too), some new additions to the extended family in Mauritius, but generally 2014 was a quiet year for me.
4. What is your favourite quote?
“Rise above it all”
5. What was your favourite class when still at school?
I enjoyed English, science and drama.
6. Anything you had wished to have learned earlier?
I wish I knew how to cook properly. Nowadays it’s mostly ready-made meals and that can’t be good for you!
7. What musical instrument have you tried to play?
I’ve played the conga drum, glockenspiel, xylophone and keyboards for music classes when I was in secondary school. Outside of formal lessons, I’ve messed around with my uncle’s guitar, which I turned out to be absolutely useless at. I’ve also played the tabla, a type of drum from south Asia, and I pretty much owned the instrument with my impeccable percussionist talents, if I say so myself.
A million thanks to Kitty for her kind nomination 🙂 !!! You can see her awesome and informative blog here: https://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/
As with any award nomination from the Half-Eaten Mind, there is no compulsion to accept the said nomination if you are not interested in awards or you are busy for time. Nevertheless I feel honoured to have chosen you. Congrats and a big group hug are in order!
Today, the Half-Eaten Mind receives its fifth badge of the Versatile Blogger Award from accomplished and passionate photographer Inese, who lives in County Tipperary, Ireland. Inese runs her own blog and natural photography portfolio, “inesemjphotography” (Inese MJ Photography). Her photograph blog is a heart-warming collection of natural places, plants and animals around her home in southern Ireland, as well as street scenes in the Irish capital, Dublin (Baile Atha Cliath – Irish). She also does a side run in portraiture for babies, older children and families, and has used her camera skill to sweeten the special moments of many families. Inese is also a family history (genealogy) enthusiast and doting grandmother to two little girls, which has helped inspire her passion for creating lifetime memories of children.
Photographs mean memories. It is lovely to have a studio shot now and then, but after many years your loyal pet, your toy horse, or your favorite tree will matter as much as your sweet little face. I am not only taking your portrait; I am making memories for you.
– Inese
(c) Inese MJ Photography(c) original designer via Inese
Inese herself picked up this award from Aquileana, a friend of the HEM who writes on historic topics in English and Spanish. She was very honoured and grateful to receive this award and likewise, I am very happy and honoured that Inese has chosen to pass on this award to me. 🙂
Hot on the heels of the awesome Versatile Blogger Award picked up on Monday from Kim Gosselin, I then discovered that I have also gone and got myself a coveted Very Inspiring Blogger Award from good blogging pal Gene Gordon of the “Sourcerer” blog.
(c) original designer via G. Gordon(c) G. Gordon
Sourcerer is a blog about music, comics, photos and opinions. It is a multi-contributor outfit posting the latest happenings in the world of pop culture, humour, social commentary and geekery. If you need to learn the hard and fast facts about the state of this world, but want to get your side fill of special-edition Marvel comics and Star Trek features, let the Sourcerer work his magic on you.
In addition to Gene, the blog also showcases the works of four other bloggers, Gene’s sister Diana, who blogs under ‘Part Time Monster’ (a previous award sender of the Half-Eaten Mind), Comp Geek David, Quaint Jeremy and Marissa Bergen. An operation of family and friends, the Sourcerer is all about blogging for enjoyment, sharing the contributors’ individual and varied talents and reaching out to people with similar interests. They like to keep things loose and funny, but occasionally venture into the territory of political and social issues.
Gene himself was nominated for the VIBA by Nerd in the Brain on the 6th of July 2014 (Sunday) which he was very happy about and commented that it had come at a perfect time. All of the nominees Gene chose have been those who have inspired him in one way or another. I have inspired Gene on his Twitter journey and we have given each other a lot of support. I admire and am inspired by his writing skill, his grasp of multitudinous topics and the fact that he is an awesome guy to have known. Thanks very much!!
The Two Rules:
1) The nominee shall display the Very Inspiring Blogger Awardlogo on her/his blog, and link to the blog they got nominated from.
This award nomination was from Gene Gordon of ‘Sourcerer’. His nomination article can be foundhere.
2) The nominee shall nominate fifteen (15) bloggers she/he admires, by linking to their blogs and informing them about it.
On the 7th of July, 2014 (this past Monday) the Half-Eaten Mind has been kindly blessed with its first peer-offered blogging award since May. The Versatile Blogger Award, complete with a special trophy badge, was awarded by a good friend, Kim Gosselin, who writes on the blog “Chronic Conditions & Life Lessons“. We would like to humbly thank Kim for considering this blog to be adorned with a very fine and shining gold accolade.
(c) original designer via K. Gosselin
Kim’s blog consists of a series of articles revolving around her family, parenthood, life issues and general observations. Born in the northern American state of Michigan, home to big lakes and big cars, Kim is the eldest of five children. Deeply family-oriented, she lives her life without prejudice and celebrates the diversity of the world around her. Her hobbies are many and wide-ranging, running the gamut from films, travelling, nature,and spending time with her family and friends, to morning coffees, reading, writing, mentoring, music and the theatre.
She married in her twenties and is blessed with two sons. While her children have always brought her joy and happiness, she has also had to be a strong mother in that her boys both were diagnosed with chronic conditions, namely Type A diabetes and asthma. She has used her writing talents to produce books for other mothers in her social circle to help them better understand raising and understanding children with such impacting health issues. She is also a grandmother to a baby girl and boy. Her life experiences and writing skills, honed as a self-employed business owner/children’s author of 16 titles and 26 other published works, were brought into the online world in October 2013, when she began acquainting herself with the blogging platform WordPress, and “Chronic Conditions & Life Lessons” eventually took shape.
“To my surprise the words came spewing out. Not like the books I used to write for children years ago. Instead, a whole new voice burst forth from inside my head. I couldn’t sleep at night or wait to get up before the sun would rise. With coffee by my side, I’d hunt for letters on my keyboard in the moon of the morning. Passion hooked me once again!“
– Kim Gosselin
(c) K. Gosselin
Kim received her award from Susanne Leist at http://susanneleist.wordpress.com/. Kim described this award as “beautiful in gold, tall and true, it is a symbol of support and admiration for my work”. Unlike other versions of the Versatile Blogger award badge, which feature old-fashioned print graphics, Kim’s version from her friend Susanne depicts a golden trophy engraved with the name of the award. It is quite like the little trophies you might get for winning a class football tournament at school.
1. I must be the luckiest man in the world when it comes to buying lunch at work, as my office sits directly above a Sainsbury’s supermarket. I therefore do not have to walk very far to get snacked up on sandwiches, chocolates, fruits or whatever I feel like, within Sainsbury’s remit.
2. I’m normally a quiet person, but I can talk for ages and ages until my mouth gives up on me.
3. I’ve recently got the hang of cooking rice. A very useful skill if you’re half South Asian.
4. I am very fascinated by the ins and outs of journalism, especially the latest developments in it. It is the career I studied for at university and why I have this blog.
5. I am very fussy about cleanliness and personal hygiene, but will leave stuff all over my room’s floor.
6. I was recently stung by a wasp on my way to work. It somehow found itself between my vest and stomach and discharged its sting as my clothing rubbed on it while I was walking. It stung like hell, before the insect, which was probably at the end of its lifespan anyway, fell to the pavement. Talk about going out with a bang!
7. At my workplace, there are two ladies who seem to have crushes on me. Both are redheads (one is more ginger). I also had a stalker who pretty much obsessed over me for four years. I gave her short shrift.
Nominate 15 Deserving Bloggers for This Prestigious Award
Congratulations to all the lucky recipients of the Versatile Blogger Award. It is not incumbent upon you to accept, but it is my way of showing gratitude for your support and just for being cool people really.
All nominees were chosen from recent likes on my blog around 6th to 7th June.
CORRECTION:
Kim Gosselin would like to state for the record, that she sold her children’s publishing company back in 2000. Although she retained author’s copyrights, she does not receive royalty fees, etc.
Is it a bird?….is it a plane?…no, it’s a Superman-tastic The Most Influential Blogger Award from Don Charisma!!. On the 21st May 2014 (this past Wednesday), the indefatigable Don nominated the Half-Eaten Mind as part of his superhero themed giveaway for this renowned and influential award, which he has given his own special twist to.
As part of the giveaway, the Don is offering two such badges to nominees, a Superman badge for the guys and a Superwoman badge for the ladies, although of course you do not have to choose according to gender. When nominated for awards, Don Charisma likes to take the old badges and rework them in his own cool style. Since 2013, he has been nominated seven times himself.
At first he was not sure how to create a badge that would reflect the idea behind the Most Influential Blogger Award. He started by asking around for opinions on the most influential personalities in human history, but soon concluded that all the most influential people in days gone past had an Achilles heel – they were not universally accepted as influential paragons of civilisation. Don shelved the idea and instead opted for the most popular superheroes the world has ever seen leap from the pages of a comic book: Superman and Superwoman.
The Badges:
(c) Don Charisma
Don Charisma’s Superman badge.
(c) Don Charisma
His alternative Superwoman badge.
(c) original designer via Don Charisma
The original badge awarded to the Don.
The Rules:
To accept this award, the awardee must do the following:
Display the Award on your Blog.
Announce your win with a blog post and thank the Blogger who awarded you. Do not lump this award with any other award in a “basket”, “bouquet” or “collection” etc, I would rather you didn’t accept the award.
Present 10 deserving Bloggers with the Award.
Link your awardees in the post and let them know of their being awarded with a comment (or a pingback).
Include an embedded video of your current favourite song (YouTube has virtually everything, just copy and paste the link into your WordPress editor). If a video is not possible you can embed a SoundCloud track.
(rules reproduced from DonCharisma.org)
HEM Takes on The Rules:
1. All three badges up for display and nominees’ use.
2. I would like to humbly thank Don Charisma for kindly considering me for the Most Influential Blogger Award, especially as he has made the effort to produce these awe-inspiring badges. Superman was a significant part of my childhood and I enjoyed seeing the film series that were made in the 1980s and to a lesser extent, the more recent ‘Smallville’ drama series based on the character. I also thought Superwoman was the perfect role model for girls and she kicked baddie ass differently.
You can see Don Charisma’s original nomination post at the link below.
All nominees chosen largely at random from the Twitter feed entitled “HEM Bloggers List” on the official @halfeatenmindaccount. The ten lucky awardees above will each be individually notified via an ‘at’ mention on their feeds on Twitter, plus those who have enabled pingbacks will also get those notifications via the links published in this article.
The Half-Eaten Mind wishes to happily congratulate all the ten awardees and may they always be influential and successful.
5. The video/song I have chosen is “On a Ragga Tip” by SL2. An electronic/ragga hit influenced by Jamaican musical traditions, this party anthem made it into the UK national music charts for three weeks and stayed at Top 10 for two months in 1992. Over the years I have heard this song a few times and always loved its beat. I only recently heard it again while walking to work and the DJ had the good sense to tell everyone the artist and name at the end of the record. I ended up downloading “On a Ragga Tip” into the music library on my mobile phone and it’s become again one of my favourite tracks on there.
SOURCES/IMAGE CREDITS/VIDEO CREDIT:
“The Most Influential Blogger Award” – Don Charisma, DonCharisma.org (21 May 2014) LINK
“SL2 – On A Ragga Tip 1992 Slipmatt & Lime” – thedjslipmatt, YouTube GB (9 October 2007) LINK
This past Sunday (11 May 2014), the Half-Eaten Mind was one of a select group of nominees to receive the Howler Award from new HEM Community member CeeLee.
CeeLee, real name Christine Lee, is the brains behind the blog “Swim in the Adult Pool” a collection of personal writings, including pieces on her experiences with the condition known as ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Also referred to in media and academia as ADD, this is a collection of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. ADHD can affect both children and adults.
Swim in the Adult Pool is an album of poolside posts and comments. The blog’s posts generally follow a weekly schedule starting off with a Sunday post summarising the previous week plus a photo journal. Every Monday brings posts on CeeLee’s experiences as an adult with ADHD, especially discussing how ADHD impacts everyday life and how to manage the obstacles sufferers encounter in all aspects of living, from parenting and relationships to careers and making it big financially. Thursdays are dedicated to CeeLee’s patented Flash Fiction Time, where she writes furiously in a timespan of only five minutes based on prompts from the Today’s Author‘s Write Now idea bank. There is also a selection of the best Adult Pool articles and handy ADHD/ADD resources for people to better understand the condition.
(c) C. Lee(c) Mavadelo via C. Lee
Receiving the Howler Award makes you a special member of the WordPress Wolfpack (but with fewer Hangovers or roofies) and of course you also get the pleasure of being a part-time werewolf. Howling at full moons, hairy palms, hairy everything else, and an aversion to silver bullets are all optional for awardees.
The Howler Award was originally created by Mavadelo, a blogger who mainly writes from a personal perspective on life experiences. The award is a homage to his passion for wolves and hence describes his creation as one that ‘only a wolf can give out”. He admires wolves for being creatures that are faithful, loyal, highly social and honest. The award features a howling wolf forming out of ‘celestial’ flames while a small pack of the ancestors of today’s domesticated dogs clusters around an icy WordPress logo, symbolising the blogging platform that unites and binds the Wolfpack.
CeeLee recieved her nomination from Eric from the blog “Hunt for Truth“.
Something to keep in mind…
Wolves are faithful, loyal, social and honest. Please keep that in mind when awarding this to someone. Members of the WordPress Wolf-pack can hand out the award at their own discretion, new members can hand out the award after they have gotten it themselves or anyone may suggest a person they want to nominate to one of the Wolf-pack members.
Award Rules:
*Display the award on your blog. *Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their blog *Give 3 examples of things you would like to see changed in the world. *Nominate (when you can) at least 5 bloggers that deserve the award. *Donate the equivalent of $10 to a charity of your choice (This is optional.)
(info. courtesy of CeeLee)
(c) D. Smith/Wikimedia Commons
Thanks
I would like to give a big massive thanks to CeeLee for kindly considering me as an awardee of this rare and unique award. She has certainly warmed my heart and I take it as a great honour to be considered a member of her “squadron” of the WP Wolfpack.
1. I want to see an end to war and strife, and hostility between humans and from humans to other animals. When I look at the news and hear in one the abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria by the terrorist outfit Boko Haram, or the prevalence of bullfighting in Spain, or animal testing in British laboratories, or the civil war in Syria, or racist/fascist parties in Europe rising in ascendancy, all of this makes me greatly depressed for the condition of humanity. If I could put a stop to all of this, then perhaps the world would be a kinder place to dwell in.
2. I would make the world a more equitable place financially. There is too much of a gulf between the rich and poor. Here in the UK, on one hand , we have a million people, including working families, having to rely on handouts from charitable food banks and yet bankers are booking out cinemas to watch “The Wolf of Wall Street” (no puns intended) while chugging back champagne at exclusive City nightclubs like it is water. The rich foreign investors are snapping up expensive London properties like there is no tomorrow, while council housing waiting lists are growing longer and the eviction rate for private renters has increased by ten times in the past few years. We can’t have the rich getting richer while the poor are ground into the dust.
3. I would make the world a better place to people to find love, romantically or via other means. Everyone should be able to find someone right for them, regardless of preference, sexuality, race, religion or whatever. Let’s face it, some people have better luck than others. In one extreme, you have people jumping from one bed to the next, and in the other, you have the perpetual bachelor or spinster. No-one should have to die alone and unloved, abandoned by family or society.
Donations:
I am a regular donor to several charities including the British Red Cross and Arthritis Research, giving in excess of $10.00, plus also a significant amount to a struggling family member, so hopefully I have satisfied this condition of the Howler Award. Helping others makes my heart smile.
As a conclusion to this article, I thought I’d leave you with a song from a favourite Eighties Western pop band of mine, the legendary Duran Duran. It’s very much about being like a wolf and chasing the prize, which is often how life tends to be, in whatever aspect. This song is also special because it influenced the title of this very article.
SOURCES:
“ONCE BITTEN…THE HOWLER BLOG AWARD” – CeeLee (Christine Lee), Badges and Blogging Rights, Swim in the Adult Pool (10 May 2014) LINK
“BLOG POST SCHEDULE” – CeeLee (Christine Lee), Swim in the Adult Pool LINK
“The Howler Award” – Mavadelo, Mavadelo’s mindscape LINK
IMAGE CREDITS:
“ONCE BITTEN…THE HOWLER BLOG AWARD” – CeeLee (Christine Lee), Badges and Blogging Rights, Swim in the Adult Pool (10 May 2014) LINK
“File:Yellowstone-wolf-17120.jpg” – Doug Smith, Wikimedia Commons/National Park Service (2000, 9 May 2008) LINK
VIDEO CREDIT:
“Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf” – Duran Duran & emimusic, YouTube GB (26 February 2009) LINK
Our good friend Don Charisma has been exceptionally kind to this Half-Eaten Mind. While bits of my medulla oblongata have been falling off thanks to the stress of having to call like a stalkery madman at work yesterday, Don has showered us with some great awards these past few months, many of which come with badges he has created himself. I am always in awe of DC’s graphic and photography skills and he has a unique and rare talent. Probably the best thing to come out of Thailand since Red Bull and Singha beer.
Our latest DC gift is his retake on the Inner Peace Award. We were previously nominated for this award under its original badge by Ajay on June 16, 2013. The original badge features the line drawing of a dove with its bottom side changing into a olive branch. The dove prepares to launch itself from a hand drawn in similar fashion. Both doves and olive branches are, in the Western world, symbols of peace and tranquility.
Don, in inimitable fashion, has reworked the badge completely. Out with the birds and in with the sagely Yoda from the epic Stars Wars films. Blessed with the patience and ethereal mutterings of a miniature Dalai Lama, and the fighting hand-to-hand combat skills of a laser-sabre-totting Jet Li, the short wrinkly alien – who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force – is in splendid cartoonish form in DC’s new badge.
(c) Don Charisma(c) original designer via Don Charisma
The two Inner Peace Award badges side by side (well, top to bottom).
The Don was awarded the Inner Peace by Maryam Jamil, from entertainmentstarters and Foxy-O from foxyolive on October 2013 (Maryam) and March 2014 (Foxy-O). The Half-Eaten Mind was in turn awarded on the 11th April 2014. This is one of Don Charisma’s favourite awards. For him, it is a lovely idea. In a world bereft by turmoil, a bit of ‘inner peace’ is a useful and beneficial addition to our lives.
Conditions For Accepting The Award
The only “rule” for the inner peace award is that you write a short piece on why you are accepting it. I would suggest that you forward on to other bloggers who you think would like it, 3-10 up to you 🙂
Why I’m Accepting The Inner Peace Award
For me, inner peace is very much about being at peace with oneself. In my life I have been through a lot of suffering and turmoil. I have also seen those close to me get hurt in different ways. Struggling internally with these horrible events and things, I have tortured myself mentally in the past, but as of late I have tried to look deep within my heart and soul and eventually self-repaired. Inner peace is coming to terms with what you are, understanding that you are not perfect but still a special and unique specimen of humanity. Inner peace is being proud of yourself but setting that pride with humility. Things are not perfect. I have a bad temper (but thankfully that beast has been locked and caged by the inner peace I developed within) and get easily frustrated, but I have learnt to look at the world in a new light, thanks to inner peace. As a Hindu, peace is an important and intransigent element of our faith and relationship with each other and God. It is no surprise that many Hindus and non-Hindus meditate upon this sacred mantra “Aum Shanti Aum” – where Aum is the sound of the divine, and “shanti” itself means peace. For humanity. For all living beings.
