Sunshine Blogger Award

One of my newest chums on WP is KikiFikar over at Mobile Order for Karen. Her title caught my attention and I recognized a kindred spirit right away. From Seinfeld to NASA, her posts are hilarious, poignant and so relatable. Behind the wit is a kind heart and an inquisitive mind. A post from Kiki is always a day brightener 😎

✍️ Check her out (and subscribe) at Mobile Order for Karen. You’ll be glad you did.

Kiki, thanks for nominating me for this award. 😊

Guidelines

1) Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog

2) Thank the person who nominated you

3) Provide a link to your nominator’s blog

4) Answer your nominator’s questions

5) Nominate up to eleven bloggers

6) Ask your nominees eleven questions

7) Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs

Kiki’s Questions for me:

1. What is your favorite hobby?

Surfing. I picked it up later in life but I was hooked the first time I stood up. Riding the wave, wind and salt spray in my face, all my senses were suddenly heightened. Now I pause movies with ocean scenes to figure out how I’d tackle particular waves. Watched a YT of guys surfing in Lake Erie in December with “chin icicles.” Briefly considered/quickly dropped the notion of trying during the next Christmas visit to the PA in-laws. 😂

2. What was your favorite year of your life—and why? 

1986. It was the year I fast-talked Sue into walking down the aisle with me. We lived in an apartment right across A1A from the beach and at night we slept with the windows open. We could hear the dull boom of the surf and smell of night-blooming jasmine. I was new in my career and became an uncle that year.

3. Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend?

A classmate named Linda. We both worked at the Boca Raton animal shelter. I wrote about it in my post The Clinic.

4. Do you have a bucket list? What’s on it?

Wow, where to start? I’ve always had this insane wanderlust, a craving to see what’s over the hill or around the next bend. I’ve checked off several of the biggies, but still up is New Zealand, Argentina/Patagonia, an Alaskan cruise, the Holy Land, the cross-Canada train, and completing my exploration of Route 66.

Non-travel: skydiving (I’ve done parasailing), stand-up comedy, mastering finger-picking on the guitar, finishing my book, getting my pilot’s license, and becoming a grandpa.

5. Did you play a sport growing up? 

Yes, but not organized. We lived in the sticks and practice was kinda out. In my neighborhood, we played tackle football (with no padding…ooof), basketball and baseball.

6. What are you afraid of? 

Having my dreams turn to regrets (Gene Fowler)

7. What was your first concert? 

Not that this a security question or anything like that 😉 but it was Jimmy Buffett. Hard to see the stage through all the reefer smoke, lol. Best concert was the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt at the University of Florida.

8. If you could have one last conversation with someone you’ve lost, who would it be—and what would you say?

My dad. I was a late bloomer and goofy as a kid. Later in college, while he was proud that I earned a bachelor’s in engineering, I think he found my casual approach to school exasperating. He was flying the world’s most sophisticated bomber at an age when I was mastering spinning a frisbee on my fingernail.

It wasn’t until I was married and established in my career that I think I earned his respect. Then we became good friends, solving the world’s problems one Budweiser at a time in our sand chairs under the shade of the seagrape tree.

He’s already answered many of my questions, but I’d ask him what was his favorite season in his long and interesting life.

9. Why do you blog?

I’m a voracious reader and my brain is filled with stuff I’ve gleaned in my journeys through the Dewey decimal system. The natural outflow to all this is writing, but as an engineer, my opportunities for creative writing were few.

I found WordPress about the time I retired, and finally, an outlet for writing. I’m an extrovert, and the camaraderie and the amazingly kind and creative friends I’ve made are just as rewarding as the writing.

10. Who is your favorite musical artist or group?

Tough one. I think my favorite lyricist is Jackson Browne; the depth and exquisitely crafted style of his lyrics blow me away. Fav female artist is Linda Ronstadt. I read she practiced right hours a day and her soaring contralto/soprano vocals, that could fill a cathedral, give me goosebumps.

Fav group is the Beatles. They were ahead of my time, but my brother…almost five years older than me…influenced me heavily. A great book on their personalities, evolved style, and incredibly innovative studio techniques are outlined in their engineer Geoff Emerick’s book “Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles.”

11. Social media: help or hinder?

Ugh. I’m reminded of the old observation that fire is a good servant but a terrible master. Used sparingly, judiciously, I think it’s a good way to keep up with friends and family.

But I’m turned off by all the pretension, the divisiveness, fake AI content, the appalling loss of privacy as the algorithms learn me inside and out and sell my info to advertisers. I hate looking up from scrolling reels to find my bedtime was two hours ago. Someday, I fear, I will regret the uncounted hours I wasted on it.

My nominees for the Sunshine Blogger Award, in alphabetical order.

1. Beyond Sirius Sea
2. Books That Make You Think
3. Coffee with Andi
4. M Jean Pike
5. MyGenXerLife
6. Seven Sisters
7. So Many Dishes
8. Susana Cabaço
9. The Realist Juggernaut
10. Through Violet’s Lens
11. Willie Torres, Jr

My questions for them:

1. What is home for you and why?

2. What is your greatest joy?

3. Describe a moment when you had to make a tough decision.

4. What ignites your creativity?

5. You have a day with unlimited funds and a teleportation device. What would you do?

6. What bugs you?

7. Describe a memorable chance encounter.

8. What is your greatest fear?

9. Of all of your posts, do you have favorite?

10. Describe an idyllic childhood experience.

11. It’s the end of the world and you get a final meal. You’d pick: ____ .