Friday, January 17, 2014

Awards, Kisses, and UH OH! SHARKS!

I am terrible at titles.  Had I been a world famous novelist, I would not have been one.  I'd just be an aging collector of rejection slips for things like Fun With Elizabeth Bennett and Mockingbirds Shouldn't Be Shot.

That could change, however.  After reading the last two posts on Sue Elvis Writes, I am seriously inspired.  I mean:  wouldn't you like to read a post called "Man Bites Shark?"

Of course you would.  And you should.  Which is why I am starting my "acceptance post" with a mention of the very first blog I'm going to pass the award on to.  Acceptance post for what? (I know you're asking). Welll...

Gloria at A Life Dedicated to Prayer has generously passed along the Sunshine Award to The Breadbox Letters.  As part of my acceptance, I am to divulge ten pieces of information about myself. 

In the interest of keeping up with the Elvises and thus offering a noteworthy subject, I choose that all time greatest attention grabber:  Romance! 

Yes. I've decided to share 10 ROMANTIC Things About Me.  

How's THAT for intrigue?

1.  I am a former Art major who married a mechanical engineer.  It happens.  Especially when said engineer is good hearted, quietly devout, super intelligent, lots of fun, and the love of one's life. 

2.  I had a "sock hop steady" when I was twelve, at dances held weekly in a local school.  I wouldn't dance with him to Ricky Nelson records though, no sir.  I had a big crush on Ricky, and dancing with another man to his songs would be just - wrong.  

3. You're too young to know who Ricky Nelson was (admit it). 

4.  On my first date, I panicked at hearing the doorbell, so I hid in my closet.  My skirt got caught in the door as my mother called out in a loud whisper "Nancy!  Get OUT here! I don't KNOW this boy!"  I eventually untangled my cotton skirt from the doorlock, and headed out to the guillotine afternoon date.  We walked three blocks to a neighborhood movie theatre in utter silence.  When we got back to my house, I said "thank-you-very-much-I-had-a-lovely-time.  Goodbye."  (I read Teen magazines, I knew how to behave).  I was thirteen.

5. My first kiss was in the springtime.  A boy brought me home from a date and looked shockingly handsome in the moonlight as it fell across my porch. He leaned in close to ask "can I kiss you goodnight?"  I gazed into his deep brown eyes and uttered the most romantic words I could think of: 

"I can't think of any reason why not...." 

I was older than thirteen by then, but am too embarrassed to tell you by how many months years. 

6.  I did not kiss on first dates... at least, not in my teens (okay, I made it to eighteen with that).  I read Teen magazines; they told me how to act (and kissing on first dates was Not How Nice Girls Acted).

7.  Teen magazines in "my day" were a far cry from what they are now.  Which tells you two things:  a) I grew up a long time ago, and b) I'm glad I grew up a long time ago.  

8.  Teen magazines are extremely influential.  About that, I am utterly serious.  They present life as they want you to think it should be .... complete with ads.  I shudder to think of what advice I'd be taking if I were a young girl dating now. 

9.  I had glasses, but never wore them on dates (or anywhere else).  After getting my glasses locked with a boy's during a movie (we'd both snuck on our specs when the film began, and I don't know how in the WORLD we managed to "lock frames" as he bent his head toward mine), I decided that hearing a movie was just fine with me.   

10.  Several friends have told me I should write about "my dating experiences," as they tend to be a bit... .. different ...from those of other people.  Ah ha, girls!  It has been done!  


But I gotta admit:  they look pretty lame in print.  Not like the shark attacks or dead bodies in Sue Elvis' world.  

To pick up the pace a bit, I will direct you to where you can read of sharks, and of bodies in the woods.  SO - my first nominee for The Sunshine Award is the ever entertaining

Sue Elvis Writes 

I also nominate:  

The Beautiful Gate 

Praying for Grace

These Joyful Mysteries

Reasons for Chocolate

My Desert Heart 

Contemplative Homeschool

MommyNovenas 

Campfires and Cleats

And I hope I nominated my other faves a few weeks ago, from my other blog.  O dear O dear, I hope I did!

I look forward to seeing what the rest of you do with this....



12 comments:

  1. Ah, an Art Major! No wonder your blogs are all so beautitful! And no I am not too young to remember Ricky Nelson, I loved him too! (I have an older sister who played the radio constantly so I did have an early introduction to rock 'n roll!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I majored in Art in the late '60s, when we were encouraged to "free ourselves" from the constraints of realistic, representational art and essentially "create our own worlds." (hmmm). So now I fill blogs with paintings that are more of what I liked all along....such a rebel I'VE turned out to be after all these years. :)

      I, too, had an older sister, so I was introduced to rock and roll as soon as it came along. She seemed to think I was a hopeless case, as I didn't share her enjoyment of the "rougher edged" early R and R (Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard...). So she gave me Pat Boone and Ricky Nelson records and probably breathed a sigh of relief that at least I liked SOMETHING "popular!"

      Delete
  2. No, I swear I didn't laugh once, Nancy. Nope, not a once! Not even a chuckle! Grin? Who me?

    (Now, I wonder if Father is still hearing confessions at 2:00...)

    Congratulations on the award, Nancy! And thank you as well :) "Man bites shark" caught my attention immediately too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Man Bites Shark" might inspire me for ages to come! Your post about Sticky Notes did also... I totally LOVE that.

      Thank you, Mary!

      Delete
  3. First, thank you for award!

    I was laughing so hard at your list. OH my gosh! I would not have expected what your wrote. And that line, "I can't think of any reason why not…" LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Patty. There might be a gentleman somewhere, even now, who still remembers a skinny girl whispering those words to him in the moonlight....

      Smile.

      Delete
  4. Nancy,

    I accept the award with a huge smile and many thanks. It was so kind of you to feature me in a post. I feel very honoured! I have written an acceptance post. It's all about boxes (and me). I just realised your blog is about boxes too. How appropriate!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, Sue, it IS appropriate!! I love what you wrote. Guess we could say you "thought inside the box." And then I could write "ha." But no one else would be thinking "ha," so I'll let it go.....

      Delete
  5. Thanks for the award, Nancy! I've been trying to think of ten things to write about myself and there's nothing very interesting. Am I allowed to make up some things?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I know better than that, Kathleen! I read your blog.... there are LOTS of interesting things about you! However, you could go for a boring list, just to - you know - mix things up a little. Ooooh, the possibilities! "I don't like turnips, I got a B on a Geometry test in high school and was proud (Oh wait, that one would be me)...." Sue Elvis wrote a list of things not true not for her, but for Queen Elizabeth! (http://www.sueelviswrites.com/2014/01/why-im-feeling-like-queen.html). So sure, you could make up whatever you wanted.... but as for me, I'd much rather read true things about YOU!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You're welcome, Colleen - and thank you for the beautiful work you do.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is such a great post. I know who Ricky Nelson is. ;) And #7--yes!! I shudder to think what the teen magazines are saying these days. I'm so glad I grew up when I did.

    ReplyDelete