Tickled Pink

Wow! Thank you so much to Friend of the Bear for giving me this award. I can't think of when I received another award. (It's taken me about 20 minutes how to figure out how to get the image to my blog...I'm starting to get this newfangled computer contraption.) I'm really grateful to FOTB, as she's helped me both in her own blog with her ruthless honestly, as well in comments on my own with good observations and suggestions.

I'm supposed to list 10 things about myself. Here goes:

1. I'm completely elevator phobic. I've walked as many as 12 flights of stairs to not ride an elevator. I got locked in a tiny bathroom in a restaurant at age 3 and I think that's where it came from. I can ride one if I HAVE to, but avoid if at all possible.

2. After 2 C-sections, I had a VBAC (vaginal birth after Ceasarian) with my youngest son. It was a mountaintop moment, though no more so than the births of my first 2. Just different, and took a lot more planning and work!

3. I was born with only one wisdom tooth that was removed 3 months ago. I was worried the wisdom would leave with the tooth. My kids think it did.

4. I'm in constant consternation about letting my hair go gray. This runs in roughly 4 week cycles, at the end of which I inevitably find myself sitting in a beautician's chair staring at my brown goo slathered head in the mirror.

5. Even though I look like Elaine Benes from Seinfeld when I do it, I love to dance.

6. I have bad allergies but am amazingly healthy in spite of that. I sneeze and blow my nose more than the average human.

7. I love being in my 50s. I really don't have to take much crap from life these days. Maybe I never did, but I didn't know it back then.

8. I'm the nurse for a day program for developmentally disabled adults. I never thought I'd enjoy this population much, but I love it. Our clients are wonderful and very dear. I'll be there for the duration.

9. I love to knit, and am currently on a sock kick. I'll likely post a picture of some socks I've knit in the coming days.

10. I have rosacea, a skin condition characterized by redness and breaking out of the face in the "T zone", which is dermatology jargon for nose, cheeks and middle forehead. Now if you ever see me in person you'll know I'm not just horrible at applying blush.

Now, for who to pass this award on to - I kind of agree with Friend of the Bear that I'd like to send this to folks who haven't already gotten it. Most of the amazing blogs I read have already received it, but a few haven't. And before I list them, I want to note that this weight loss and (as I think of it) get-your-sh*t-together community has so many amazing writers and thinkers and doers. I had no idea how much support, inspiration, creativity and humor was out there! So:

- To Jodie at The Overweight Life, who chronicles her journey to fitness and wellness
- Karen at Mom, Me and Alzheimer's who talks about caring at home for her mother with Alzheimer's - amazing honesty and courage
- Bethany at The Great Reduction writing about her own weight loss journey that was motivated by developing a heart condition during pregnancy
- Lyn at Escape From Obesity, who has probably received a zillion of these, but I haven't seen them. She's the first weight loss blogger I found after PastaQueen, (who no longer blogs about weight loss) and Lyn's honesty and continuing journey help me and I know countless others.
- Biz319 at Biggest Diabetic Loser - an insulin dependent diabetic who is committed to eating wonderful healthy food while maintaining good blood sugar levels.
- Lastly, Amy at The Not So Secret Life of a Not So Together Mom who talks about a whole lot of stuff related to self acceptance and being a grown up in this world!

My inner binge-er has been nipping at my heels this weekend a lot. I may have to let her talk tomorrow. Thank you again!