Versatile Blogger Award

Jewels over at Turning 30: A Journey of Self Exploration has done me the awesome honor of giving me this blogger award:

In order to accept this award, I must do the following:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave me this award
2. Tell everyone 7 things about myself
3. Pass this award to 15 other bloggers
4. Contact the bloggers that I picked and tell them about the award

Thank and link back to the person who gave me this award.

Thanks a lot Jewels! And I really appreciate the award and the recognition! Jewels at Turning 30: A Journey of Self Exploration writes a wonderful blog covering all kinds of topics from tough family situations to dating, to pop culture and fun events to more profound reflections on life. She seems to be a very busy girl but always finds time to write amazing posts. I'm very impressed with her blog and I look forward to reading it and also to her comments on my posts. Thanks for following me Jewels!

Tell everyone 7 things about myself:

1. If I don't exercise at least 5 times a week, I get REALLY grumpy! I prefer running over the gym but in my old age, I'm realizing that my body needs a break from running so I have to switch things up and go to the gym. Even when I'm on a tough travel schedule, I try to find a way to work out - it helps me stay balanced.

2. I'm a total night owl and I HATE mornings. I try to go to bed by midnight but inevitably I find myself engaged in reading blogs or writing my own blog or getting caught up in a good book and I find myself still awake at 2 am. I don't know what it is, but I just feel so much more creative and productive at night. And the opposite is true in the mornings. It takes me a long time to get started and I'm always grumpier in the morning. My staff and colleagues have all learned quickly NOT to schedule meetings with me before 10 am. Although the above admission often means that I try to squeeze in a work out before work (which is usually fine once I actually drag myself out of bed - that's the hardest part - and as long as I don't have to talk to anyone).

3. Although I often to complain about having too much to do, I’m actually really afraid of being bored. I would rather have too much to do than too little. I get nervous when I think of free hours that I have to fill up with “something.”

4. I make a lot of lists but I rarely look at them after making them. Checking things off the list doesn’t feel as rewarding as creating the list it he first place. I think it’s the process of creating the list that helps me to structure what I need to do in my mind – this seems to make things more manageable and makes me feel better. Although I don’t usually check the list again, once it’s on the list, it’s rarely forgotten.

5.  I got glasses at age 5 and didn’t get contacts until I was 14. For some reason glasses for me equaled low self esteem. I was rather ugly and awkward as child/pre-teen. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get over that. I still won’t wear my glasses unless absolutely necessary because I suddenly feel 13 years old again and loose all my confidence. My mother said that contacts wouldn’t change my life. I think it is the only thing she has ever been wrong about. I'm now planning on getting Lasik as soon as possible.

6. I love the scents lavender and vanilla. I have lots of lavender pillows on my bed. I have worn vanilla lotion from Victoria’s Secret from high school and I don’t plan to change any time soon – the smell makes me happy. I have inspired a lot of other people to wear vanilla – I hope to makes them happy too.

7. I'm secretly (or not so secretly as the case may be) afraid that I'm going to be single for the rest of my life. I guess I don't need to explain this one as the search for Mr. Right is the underlying theme of my blog... However, I might not have previously mentioned so blatantly that I'm more than a little afraid that I will not find him...

Pass the award to 15 other bloggers:

Alright, this is not as easy as it looks. I have recently received two other blog awards: click here and here. And have therefore recently recognized 20 blogs. Making this even harder is the fact that Jewels and I read a lot of the same blogs, so I need to find 15 blogs that neither she nor I have nominated before! 

I got a bit stressed about this. So, instead of a whopping 15, I'm gonna give you 12 really good ones:

1. It's an Average Life - Tracey at It's an Average Life is one of my favorite bloggers. Her posts are definitely versatile ranging from flatulence, to nature inspired photos, to thankfulness, to rants. I suggest you get over there and check her out!

2. Beta Dad - Beta Dad has just been featured on Bloggers "Blogs of Note." Congrats Beta Dad! He also has recently blasted his fellow Daddy Blogger the super hyped up famous and Single Dad Laughing - that post and his blog in general is definitely worth a read.

3. The Anonymous Perils of a Single Southern Woman - I have just started to read SSW's blog which is very entertaining - especially her outdoor sex post. I look forward to reading more from her in the future!

4. How Very Lucky to Be a Girl - a fun dating blog by a 39 year old NYC single gal sharing the joys and perils of Internet dating.

5. Night Notes on Napkins -  I just started reading this fun blog! Jules blog is based on this theory: Once upon a time at a bar, someone said something funny, and someone else, maybe me, decided to write it on a napkin so as not to forget it based on high levels of martini consumption. And so a tradition was born.

6. Carrie Bradshaw is full of Sh*t - This is an extremely funny blog about life and dating. In her words: I am the queen of awkward situations and "did I really say/do that last night?"

7. DC Dating Divas - why does it seem like the best dating blogs are written by girls who live in DC? What is it about that city! This is a new blog that I have just discovered. Can't wait to read more!

8. Daterview - P.Y.T. at Daterview serves up a delicious dish of a dating blog. As she says: Everyone dates, not everyone writes about it.

9. The Au Pair Project - Lauren writes about her life in France as an Au Pair and the hardships of looking after the French children of a single dad. Definitely an amusing read!

10. Jimmy Choes and Tennis Shoes - This girl loves to shop and to party with her friends. She posts lots of pictures of clothes/parties/her dog - very cute! Check her out.

11. *wink**wink**wink* - Zoë Blue writes an amazing dating blog. This girl has done her fair share of traveling (I can totally relate) and had her fair share of loves. She is now exploring the single world. I have just started reading her blog and I'm loving it. Can't wait to see more posts from her.

12. My Joy Project - I have just started reading this 'joyful' blog and I think it's great!. In her words Kelly's a single mother of 3 young children on a path to Balance, Harmony and Bliss.