Sunshine Blogger Award

Once in a while, some really kind person sends an award nomination my way and I get the time to work on it. I am really sorry if I there are others who have sent me award nominations and I have not done a post on them. I really appreciate you guys and these nominations really make my day. I never thought I would find such a friendly audience. I am not talking about numbers, I am talking about kind and supportive you guys are. So thank you, for making this blog a great blessing.

We have one great blogger to thank for this post. Alan over at Fuel For The Race writes some amazing stuff. He’s one gem of a person and I can’t thank him enough for the kind words he said about me. Do go over and show him some love.

About the award:

This award is given to creative, positive and cheerful bloggers by other bloggers as a token of appreciation and admiration.

Here are the rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to him/her.

• Answer the 11 questions provided by the blogger who nominated you.

• Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.

• Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their blog posts.

• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post.

Here are the questions that Alan asked me and my answers to them:

Who encouraged you to launch a blog?

The truth is that nobody did. I was genuinely interested in the concept of being able to connect with people I probably might never meet through my writing. Blogging was also a great way of recording my thoughts. I wanted WordPress to be like a hard drive for my creativity. That being said, my family has always supported my writing. Their encouragement has been a great reason why I have been able to keep going. A lot of credit goes to my parents who have sponsored me since my birth. Whenever I’ve needed something to further my talents, they’ve always been very generous.

Who was your first blogger-friend & what drew you to that writer?

This is a very hard question because there were many. I can’t think of one single person specifically. But the ones who were there were so supportive. From giving me suggestions to praying for me, a lot of my blogging friends have become friends in life. I’m very thankful for that. To answer the question what drew me to them, I would have to say it was the sincerity in their writing.

What country, or state are you writing from?

I am currently writing from Hyderabad in India. I study here. But Kerala is my home state.

Has your writing evolved over time & why?

I’d like to think so. Coming to college, meeting new people, the change in the kind of books I read, has influenced the way I write.

Be honest with me on this one.  How often do you consider the unseen spiritual aspect beyond the tangible?  If “never” is the answer, let me know.  It’s okay.  No tricks.

Haha. That’s a good question. I am genuinely interested in the topic. Being a Christian also has made me ponder on such things a lot.

Do you have a pet?

I don’t. But the campus I live in has a lot of tame dogs and cats which is definitely a treat.

When you wake up in the morning, what is your first thought?

Being a college student, my first thought is usually whether or not I have overslept. That usually leads to me frantically jumping out of bed, or a very slow, calm sigh. After that I like to put on some music and get ready for class.

Do you eat breakfast?  If so, what does it consist of?

I usually have a very light breakfast. I have it from the hostel where I live and it usually is some South Indian food. When I’m back home, my mom makes me a very bitter, extremely nutritious smoothie every morning, which gets me going.

If you’re still friends with a childhood pal, tell me what has kept you together?

I never had many friends as a kid. Also since I’m still a teenager, it’s not like childhood was a long time ago. The friends from school I still have contact with are some very kind guys who decided to hang out with a weird kid and make his schooldays a lot more interesting.

What keeps you returning to the same blogger?

Connection. Once I feel like I’ve connected well with someone, no matter the quality of the content they put out, I still like to show up to say hi.

Does your own family read your posts?

Yeah. It’s a great joy.

I’ve decided not to nominate anyone this time. I’ve not been able to read a lot of blog posts and I don’t think I have a good enough idea to do justice to it. That being said, I’m still going to put up 11 questions. You are all welcome to any question you like. It could be a great way to connect, which is what this blog is all about.

My 11 questions:

1. If you could be a teacher, what would you teach?
2. A simple thing about nature that fascinates you.
3. Your favourite spot on the earth?
4. If you could have a cartoon character as your best friend, who would it be?
5. An underrated artist.
6. Something interesting you can do.
7. What do you think is most important in a relationship?
8. What nickname would you give yourself?
9. If you could give water another colour, what would it be?
10. The best blogging tip you ever got.
11. What would you name your autobiography?

I know. These questions are kinda weird. I just wanted you guys to forget about your worries and just be a kid for a few seconds. It helps. I hope some of you answer these. I would love to read them.

God bless! Have a blast existing!

Sunshine Blogger Award!

It’s so awesome to be part of something like this. I’d like to thank my dear friend, Stuart L. Tutt for nominating me. He shares his life, the highs and he lows, at his site over at stubaby777.wordpress.com. He loves God and it’s a great joy to be a part of his life here at WordPress.

So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Here are the rules :

• Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to him/her.

• Answer the 11 questions provided by the blogger who nominated you.

• Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.

• Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their blog posts.

• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post.

Here are Stu’s questions to his nominees along with my answers to them:

1. What brings joy to your life?

First of all, my family brings a great deal of joy into my life. A lot of great friends (including the ones here at WordPress) also are a big part of my life. But when it comes down to it, on a very personal and intimate level, I find great joy in art. Although music is what I enjoy most, I still find a great deal of joy in many other art forms. And I’m thankful to God for that every single day.

2. If money was not an issue, what would be your dream job?

That’s a great question. I really want to be that guy who goes on stage and does ted talks and inspires people. I really have this dream of being able to combine philosophy ,music and art and being able to present that to people. If I could make a living out of that, that would be awesome. I love being on stage and sharing something I care about.

3. What are two gifts the Lord has blessed you with, spiritually or physically?

I would say music and confidence. But that being said, there are a lot of other things that I am very grateful for. But those are the two that popped up in my brain first.

4. What post or posts touched you so deeply that you felt “everyone needs to read this!”?

That is a hard question because I’ve not been on WordPress for a long time. So, I’ll just mention one post I really enjoyed in my meagre exploring on my Reader. Tosin over at Alethea’s Mind wrote this beautiful post called Sitting. Watching. Doing. Nothing. You can read it here: https://aletheasmind.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/sitting-watching-doing-nothing/

5. Which blogger would you do a Blogger Spotlight on and why?

To be honest, Stu, you’d be one for sure. I think you have a lot to say, whether it be about your journey out of pornography or just about life.

6. What does love mean to you?

Now that is one hard question! But nevertheless, I’ll try to make it as short as I can. I believe love holds everything together. The Bible says that ‘God is love’. That’s such an interesting line. It’s the most powerful reason possible for something. And I believe that true love brings truth into perspective.

7. If you could choose one attribute of Jesus to follow closer than any other, which one would it be?

I would love to be as approachable as Jesus is.

8. In your eyes, what is the hardest part of being a Christian?

Learning the true meaning of humility.

9. What do you want to be most remembered for?

I want to be remembered by my face and not by name( I might make that into a log post in a few days). I want to be known as the one who stayed when everyone else left. I want to be someone who believed in people.

10. Which Bible verse holds the most meaning to you and why?

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21. This verse empowers me spiritually because I have been given freely a position that now gives me perspective. And this perspective is what helps me lead the life that God wants for me.

11. Since it’s July, how do you celebrate the 4th?

Since I’m Indian, I don’t necessarily celebrate July the fourth. But I’m really happy for my American friends and share in their joy. But this past July 4th, I woke up in the afternoon, had a great lunch, went out and made some music. 🙂

My Nominees:

Tosin over at Alethea’s Mind: aletheasmind.wordpress.com

Teen, Meet God over at https://teenmeetgod.wordpress.com/

And anyone else who want to do it for fun.

My Questions:

1. Do you know a really funny joke? If you do, share it!
2. What in your opinion, is the most underrated song, book, movie, TV series, or anything for that matter?
3. How do you enjoy nature?
4. What is your favourite instrument?
5. Hymns or contemporary music?
6. If you could tell the whole word one single word, what word would that be?
7. Do you think we should protect nature? If yes, then why?
8. The year you enjoyed most in your life.
9. One thing you’re thankful for as a human being.
10. What makes you feel loved?
11. A skill you developed on your own.

I just want to let everyone know that anyone is welcome to attempt any of these questions. Answer them in the comments. It could be a great way to connect.

Once again I thank Stu for this opportunity. Hope you guys have blast just existing on this beautiful planet!