Memes and Awards and Friends, Oh My!

I got tagged for the six word autobiography thing recently. (Thanks, Cindy... really!)

The idea is to write six words that sum up your life. You have no idea how... I don't want to say I hate this sort of thing, because that's not entirely true. I just have a lot of trouble taking it seriously.

The first thing that came to mind was:

I really hate stuff like this.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm manic-depressive (with Situational Anxiety). Mostly what that means is that I have severe reactions to ordinary things. A little worrying can get out of hand and become an obsession. While that might seem like a complete aside, it's not. When I start into a downslope, one of the ways I can tell is that I count rhythm of my words on my fingers. I get obsessed with hitting the 5 beat at the end of a sentence (syllables, usually). Which makes the way I talk come out a little oddly as I start editing when I get near the end of what I want to say to add more syllables in. After I got tagged for this little meme, I spent all day thinking in sentences of six words.

Pithy quotations cannot summarize a life.

I really did spent most of the day thinking about it. I had lots of think-time yesterday. I got a bee in my bonnet about the porch, so I went out there and started cleaning. I moved all the lawn furniture out onto the grass (and Darcy's plastic outdoor toys and let her play on her slide) and then swept out four years worth of leaves and dust from the corners. (My across-the-street neighbor came out to watch me. He didn't wave, but sat out on his balcony for the entire time I was out there. It was mildly creepy.) I windexed the porch doors, and cleaned off the lighting fixture and washed off some of the worst dirt stains on the siding. Our old neighbors, Jess and Duane, spilled a beer or three down our siding on a few occasions, so there are some weird stains. I polished off all of Darcy's toys and reorganized how things sat there. And while I was out there, I washed all the exterior windows.

These are all mindless sort of tasks, so I had lots of time to think about this entry.

You have got to be kidding.

I understand the theory of the meme, which is to try to boil down all the crap in your life into a few meaningful words. I'm just slightly dubious about the value of doing so... I mean, reduction sauce is a wonderful, flavorful thing to do to a chicken dish. But it's a criminal thing to do to coffee.

Sarcasm is a lost art form.

On the other hand, I'm still a relatively new member to the diet-blogging community, and I'd hate to get thrown out just because I can't get my inner snark under control. So... seriously. Deep breath. Attempt to focus.... what do I think sums up my life?

With focus, anything can be achieved.

I'm good at goals. I really am. Once I decide I want something badly enough, I usually get it. And by something, I don't mean a physical thing. I mean, something for myself. A change of self. I quit smoking ten years ago. By deciding that that's what I wanted to do. I put the cigarette down, and I haven't picked one up since. I've quit on bad boyfriends, reshaped my relationship with my father, written a novel, and made my peace with an old trauma on the same determination.

My problem is... getting focused in the first place.

~***~***~***~***~

So, secondly...

I got awarded a "Nice Matters" blog award from V at The Diet Book. I was really pleased and flattered by the things she said about me. I'm constantly gobsmacked when people say that I'm "inspiring." I always thought I was one of those people your mother warned you about.

(I'm still trying to get over my own personal demon about the word nice. I use it to describe one of my ex-boyfriends. Grant was... nice. Sweet, even. But he was also... not the guy for me. I continued to date him for about 2 years after I figured that out because he was so NICE that I didn't want to hurt him.)

That being said, I'd like to give this award out to a few other people....

Beth, at Tea and Thee, who was one of the first people who started commenting on my blog and who gives wonderful money-saving advice as well having diet woes and stories from the trenches, and two absolutely adorable kids!

Looking Great at Weight Watching, who is another stay-at-home mom, and helped me make up my mind to do Core just by being a great influence. She also shared with me the wonderful recipe for baked oatmeal, which has become a Core staple around here!

And Carolyn at Quest, who is funny and smart and goes to the gym which is something I've not been brave enough to try yet. You go, girlfriend!

Also, Cindy at Go Workout Mom, who I love reading. Her Goal Call Mondays have been a major motivating factor in my life for the last six weeks or so (Alas, I have not yet WON a prize... but I will!) She writes a kick-butt e-mail thread, too, which I highly recommend signing up for, if you haven't already. I must admit, I'm still puzzling over her name. It is "Go Workout Mom" like a cheer "Go Speedracer!" or is it an imperative "Go Workout Mom!" like "Go Make your Bed!" In either case, it's good advice!

Obviously, there are lots of other people who I'd love to give this to, but I think 90% of them have one already! Nice matters, and everyone knows it! (and them!)