One Year, Awards, and A Bit About Me

by Belinda Munoz on September 6, 2010

one year old

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Guess what?  As of last Friday, this blog is one year old!  Time flies when you’re having a blast!

In one short year, this space has seen love, kindness, beauty, truth, compassion and generosity.  All this goodness and who is responsible?  You.  By reading, commenting, e-mailing and sharing your ideas and support, you have proven what I have suspected all along:  that there is an abundance of good in the world.

It’s amazing, really.  Whether I’m asking tough questions, talking about gender, race or socio-economic issues or reaching out on behalf of The Congo, Haiti or Pakistan, you always respond.  And this goes to show something I often wonder about:  people care about other people.

And so, I thank you.  For confirming that we don’t need to know each other in real life in order to connect on a real and meaningful level.

My first ever post is an attempt to explain the name of this blog.  If you’ve ever wondered how I came up with this name, you can read it here.  If you happen to click over, come back and tell me what you think.

BLOGGER AWARDS

Sometime ago, I was thrilled to receive a couple of blogger awards.  YAY!

Jenny at Arriving at Your Own Door gave me a You’re Going Places, Baby award.  Jenny posts gorgeous pictures of nature and writes about compassion and finding peace in troubling times.  Her warm and artistic soul are evident in her writing and photographs.  I encourage you to click over.  Thank you, Jenny!

going-places-award

Then a few days later, Justine at Here Where I Have Landed gave me a Beautiful Blogger award.  Justine is a beautiful blogger indeed.  She writes poignant and humorous tales about her feisty and adorable daughter and her experiences with merging east and west.  Her writing has made me teary a few times.  Click on over for a dose of beauty.  Thank you, Justine!

beautiful-blogger-award_thumb

So now, I get to pass on these two awards to some unsuspecting bloggers.  FUN!

A BIT ABOUT ME

But before I do, I’m supposed to share seven things about me that you don’t already know.  Here goes:

  1. I have trouble following a recipe.  I substitute and omit ingredients and somewhere along the way, I’ll probably throw in a new ingredient just because it feels right.  The dish often turns our great.  How’s that for encouragement to follow those instincts?
  2. I dislike driving.  I carpool whenever I can which is good for the environment so this is one instance where selfishness is a win-win.
  3. I always prefer the scenic route over the fastest route.  This causes a bit of a conflict at times (see #2).
  4. I avoid mystery and thriller films.  I have little time to spend in movie theaters these days so when I do have the opportunity, you’ll find me most likely watching a comedy or some type of feel-good film.
  5. I read in the bathroom.  Too much information?  Sorry, too late.  Now, I know I can’t be the only one who does this so, ‘fess up!
  6. I’m kind of particular when I order a dish in a restaurant.  Not like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally but you get the picture.  I’m big on getting things on the side.  I don’t lose my mind when I don’t get what I want.  However, I do speak up which often results in an attempt by the establishment to get it right, getting the dish comped or the chef sending over a dessert.  It happened just last night.  Businesses want to make customers happy; we just need to communicate clearly and be respectful if/when something goes wrong.
  7. I’m trusting.  Just yesterday, a complete stranger offered to help my son across a round bridge (a joy for tourists and locals alike!) and I didn’t think twice about handing my son over to him.  My son had just scraped his knee and was slightly on unsure footing.  The man looked kind.  Husband was watching though momentarily trapped by a throng of tourists.  It all worked out.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO

The You’re Going Places, Baby award goes to Tessa Munson Wood with Mama’s Reflections!  I recently met Tessa and instantly connected to her blog.  The first time I clicked, I noticed the links on her left margin.  She endorses a number of organizations that I also support.  She’s a co-op founder, a photographer, a mama and an activist (mamavist) who has a strong connection to Africa.  Her post comparing humanity to Aspen trees is profound and stunning.  Her reflections are deep, her writing is thoughtful and her dreams are big.  Tessa will surely go places.

The Beautiful Blogger award goes to Katie Tallo with Momentum Gathering!  My memory of meeting Katie is a bit fuzzy.  What’s far from fuzzy are her lyrical posts about the soul and joyful living.  Whether she’s writing about Living Life with Wild Abandon or encouraging you to launch a mutiny against your unhealthy self, you will feel Katie’s unmistakably luminous spirit through her beautiful words.  Katie is a writer, director, runner, mother, vegetarian-to-vegan and many other things.  Katie adds much beauty to the blogosphere.

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  1. What were you up to a year ago?
  2. Has it gone by fast for you as well?

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Image by smcgee

{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Tessa September 6, 2010 at 6:15 am

Thank you! I’m honored. I love your blog and am so happy to have connected!

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2 Katie September 6, 2010 at 6:25 am

Wow Belinda. This post just managed to do three incredible things simultaneously — introduce me to two amazing new blogging voices in Jenny and Justine, let me know just a little more about you so that I love you even more (I’m also too trusting and very particular about what goes on the side at restaurants) and make my day by giving me a lovely and heart felt award. I feel blessed on so many levels this beautiful Monday morning. Thank you so much Belinda for your kindness, love and support.

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3 TheKitchenWitch September 6, 2010 at 7:20 am

Happy Blogversary! I’m an “on-the-side” orderer, too. Makes my husband a little nuts, but HIS bathroom reading makes me nuts, so we are even. :)

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4 rob white September 6, 2010 at 7:41 am

Hi Belinda,
Your right, there is an energy out there that allows us all to connect on a meaningful level even though we may never meet. It proves to me that there is one universal mind we are all a part of.

A year ago I was going through proofing and waiting for my book to be printed. Congratulations on one year

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5 Nadia Ballas-Ruta ~ Happy Lotus Lifestyles September 6, 2010 at 8:39 am

Hi Belinda,

Happy Birthday for your awesome blog!!!! Here’s to another year of love, wisdom and beauty!

By the way, I could relate to a lot of what you shared about yourself. Great minds do think alike, huh? ;)

As for where I was a year ago, I was living in NJ and at a job that I hated. Now I live in sunny beautiful Florida and am running my own business. Actually, my life has come full circle. Thirteen years ago, I went out to search for meaning, happiness and inner peace. I now am back at where I started but all the wiser. Kind of cool how life works.

Time flies…that is why we need to honor it by truly living in the moment. Easier said than done but we have to give it a shot.

Lots of love and blessings to you!

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6 Nicki September 6, 2010 at 10:35 am

Happy Blogversary! I have to say I agree with a lot of the things about you. And, yes, one of them is reading in the bathroom.

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7 Lauren September 6, 2010 at 12:57 pm

Dear Belinda,

Congratulations on your year anniversary. Your blog is remarkable and uplifting – I love that you’re here!

I look forward to more sharing and can’t wait to read your future words of inspiration. You keep it real and I love that.

Big hugs,
Lauren

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8 BigLittleWolf September 6, 2010 at 2:38 pm

Happy birthday to your blog! It’s been a pleasure reading and pondering. May you enjoy many more posts! (I love those scenic routes, too. More enjoyable, and potentially filled with discovery.).

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9 Tony Single September 6, 2010 at 4:10 pm

Congrats on the awards, and congrats on being one year old! You’re quite mature and articulate for a one year old! ;)

Still getting used to my halfway point, I’m afraid. I don’t see it as a positive thing yet, but working on it. Your Halfway Point is more agreeable right now for with it I get to read and ponder, two things I’m actually good at.

Oh, and you get today’s TMI award for little known factoid #5! :P

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10 Corinne September 6, 2010 at 4:57 pm

One year! That’s fabulous :) Congratulations!
(I also steer clear of mystery/suspense/thriller type movies… too much stress for me!)

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11 Jenny September 6, 2010 at 6:52 pm

Happy One Year Belinda! I am so glad that I entered into the blogosphere and found you and so many other wonderful people with more yet to discover!
Thanks so much for the link.
One year ago, I wasn’t sure what blogging was… now I’m completely hooked and I must say that it has changed my life for the better in more ways than I can count.
Thank you for being a part of it!

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12 Justine September 7, 2010 at 7:34 am

Belinda – happy blogiversary! And the awards are well-deserved too. I enjoy learning this side of you, since you don’t often talk about yourself in your posts. It’s nice to know we have many things in common. I’m not very good at following recipes myself, I read in the bathroom (hey, you started it), and I stopped watching thrillers since the Sixth Sense. I just can’t handle scary films anymore – this from a girl who watch Poltergeist and Alien in the theaters when she was little, and couldn’t wait to watch those over and over again…

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13 The Exception September 7, 2010 at 10:39 am

Happy Birthday!!
A year ago – I was here, going through a hurricane of sorts and finding my footing and beginning a different life. It has been a year that has gone slowly at times and raced by at others – and I can see that a year has passed more though my peace of mind and state of being over anything else. I am still starting anew, but then again, I have the sense that I will be starting anew for the rest of my life!
Here’s to another great year!!

(And I am pretty particular about my food though I am not half as tailored as I once was!)

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14 Fr. Michael September 7, 2010 at 1:39 pm

Congrats on one year, Belinda! I’ve appreciated our cordial exchanges. Keep on blogging…

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15 Eva @ Eva Evolving September 7, 2010 at 1:52 pm

Wow, congratulations Belinda! I love birthdays and anniversaries as milestones to reflect on the past year. It’s amazing to realize how much has changed – and stayed the same – in 12 months.

And thanks for sharing these great tidbits about yourself – love it!

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16 Sara Healy September 7, 2010 at 3:45 pm

Belinda — As I’ve said on other sites, I love when bloggers I read get these awards. I enjoyed learning more about you and yes, we share some things…like bathroom reading. After all, it is a perfect time:~)

I loved your post explaining the title of the blog. It is very true that we all experience the halfway point at different in our lives and it does mean we have to more one way or the other. I’ve also enjoyed how your posts have helped me move FORWARD. Your style is fun and interesting.

Congratulations on the birthday blog:~)

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17 Patty - Why Not Start Now? September 7, 2010 at 9:17 pm

Happy Bloggy Birthday, Belinda! In my book you’re definitely a beautiful blogger. And, I might add, a wondrous writer as well. You deserve all the awards, and more. Plus I bet you throw a heck of a dinner party, too, wowing your guests with your inspirational cooking. Fun!

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18 Rudri September 8, 2010 at 9:31 pm

Happy Belated Blogoversary! Fabulous blog and I look forward to reading more of your posts.

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