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I have been honored to receive the Kreative Blogger Award from Mike Maynard of Mike’s 10163 Blog and A Zillion Ideas. What is especially meaningful about this award is that Mike is one of the most creative bloggers I know. He writes with expertise about many topics, including photography, politics, psychology, living frugally, cooking and Farmville on two blogs every day. His posts never cease to enlighten, instruct and entertain. Thank you, Mike!
As part of accepting this award, I must fulfill the requirements, including:
- nominating six other bloggers that are outstanding and deserving of the award,
- sharing ten things people don’t know about me.
Nominees
In selecting my nominees, I wanted to choose bloggers whom I had never previously nominated for an award before. You can check out Happy Birthday to The Wonder of Tech (The Seven Links Challenge), Tech-Knowledgy: What Is a Blog? (The Versatile Blogger Award) and You Are My Sunshine! (The Sunshine Award) to find out the amazing bloggers whom I have nominated previously.
I chose the following bloggers for the Kreative Blogger Award because they have used the blogging platform creatively. They don’t follow pre-conceived notions of what a blog should be, they have taken their blogs and made them their own. These blogs delight and surprise me when I stop by because I never know what I will find, but I will always be engaged.
JackB
JackB is not only extremely creative, he’s prolific too. If there were a Stephen King award for creating the most quality content, JackB would beat out Stephen King. JackB is something of a marvel in the blogging community. He often finds time to publish multiple quality posts a day at The JackB. Discovering his blog is like finding a treasure. He writes about a variety of topics, from family life to business to politics to blogging,and he even writes fiction occasionally, but no matter what the topic, he writes quality. Fair warning: his titles often are evidence of his kreative license!
Geoff Talbot
Geoff Talbot’s Seven Sentences blog is just what the title says. Each post is seven sentences long, that’s all. But his blog packs more impact into seven sentences than many writers put in seven chapters. Geoff crafts each sentence with such care that no words are wasted. I had the honor of writing a guest post for Geoff, Dreams Give Birth to Creativity, and found it much more challenging to create a blog in seven sentences than to write one with no such limit.
Bill Dorman
Bill Dorman, writing at billdorman.me, pretends that his blog is all about him. But what is hidden beneath the surface of his posts are lessons about life, relationships, business and personal development. Visit his blog is like learning from your favorite teacher at school. Bill’s writing is insightful, intelligent, friendly, funny and real, much like the man himself.
Adrienne Smith
Adrienne Smith writes about a variety of topics at adriennesmith.net, including tech, self-improvement, business, and blogging tips. She uses videos and guest authors, as well as her own writing to keep her blog both interesting and informative. Last night Adrienne showed her creativity again by holding her first webinar to help new bloggers get started blogging. Adrienne’s warm personality and caring spirit have earned her the title of Engagement Superstar (beating out Kim Kardashian!). In Adrienne’s guest post here at The Wonder of Tech, How To Subscribe And Read RSS Feeds, Adrienne creatively used her video skills to help explain how RSS feeds work.
John Magnet Bell
I am breaking my own rule for John Magnet Bell and his inspirational blog, Start Your Novel. I stated above that I would only give the Kreative Blogger Award to bloggers I had not nominated previously. In September I gave John the Versatile Blogger Award, but I would rather break my rule than to neglect to nominate John for this award that seems tailor-made for him. Not only is his blog creative, he helps you be creative by giving you a jump-start for your novel. His twice-weekly blog gives you a writing prompt, 50 words or less, for you to begin your novel. He also has articles providing advice on writing fiction. This blog is a must-read for anyone interested in creative writing.
Praveen Rajarao
Praveen Rajarao covers a variety of topics on his blog, Daily Morning Coffee. Praveen writes about tech, travel, blogging, bloggers, parenting, shopping, business and helpful hints about life. Whatever the topic, Praveen’s posts are always helpful and teach you something you didn’t know when you arrived. Praveen’s guest post at The Wonder of Tech, How to Shop Online with Added Security, explains how to stay safe when shopping online.
Samantha Bangayan
Samantha’s blog, What Little Things, offers a variety of topics, including what life as an ex-pat living in Peru. Each post addresses societal issues and makes you think about your own life. Her background of being a Fillipina-born Chinese-Canadian living in Peru gives her a unique perspective and perhaps provides the creative inspiration for her posts. You never know what you will find when you arrive at What Little Things, but you always know that Samantha’s posts will keep you thinking long after you leave her site.
10 Things People Don’t Know About Me
After blogging for a year and a half, I figure you probably know more about me than you care to, but I will try to come up with some obscure facts about myself to fulfill this requirements of the Kreative Blogger Award.
The Oddest Coincidence in My Life
When I was a teenager, I attended a 4th of July pool party about three miles from my house. Helium balloons decorated the party and my friend and I thought it would be fun to attach a note to some of the balloons and release them. We added our phone numbers and a message to the balloons and let them float away into the sky.
The next morning when I awoke, one of the balloons was resting in the branches of a tree outside my bedroom window. My friend never believed that it truly happened, but it really did.
I First Explored Europe as a Solo Backpacker
After college a friend and I planned to backpack through Europe but she was offered a job that started two weeks into our trip. She asked them to postpone her start date but they refused. I was left to decide whether I wanted to cut my trip short and return with her to the US or stay in Europe and continue to travel solo. While I wouldn’t have planned the journey that way, traveling alone enabled me to meet people from all over the world who were kind to befriend a solo traveler.
Writing Fiction is My First Love
Although I’m having a fabulous time writing this tech blog, my first creative writing was fiction. I used to write short stories as a teenager and continued to write fiction until I started writing this blog.
My Forehand was Clocked at 80 mph
I play racquetball and have always wondered how fast I hit the ball. For those of you who have never played racquetball, the game is very fast with an intensely bouncy ball. Here is what racquetball looks like (though this isn’t me playing):
Two weeks ago someone brought a radar gun into our racquetball club and measured the speed of my shots. My forehand peaked at 80 mph (that’s 128.74752 km/hour for those of you well-versed in the metric system).
I Am Left-Handed
Being left-handed gives me an advantage in many sports (such as racquetball).
The Most Important Non-Coincidence in My Life
My husband and I attended law school together. He was a year ahead of me, but we were there, in the same building, for two years and never met. We met in New York, 344 miles and seven years later, showing that timing is everything.
I Am Disqualified from Winning the Nobel Prize
Our family is rumored to be distantly related to Alfred Nobel, though this fact has never been, well actually proven by genealogy. But I figure that has to be the only reason why I haven’t won the Nobel Prize yet. Note: Should I someday win the Nobel Prize and this statement turns out to be untrue, I will edit this article to remove this statement.
The Beach is Restorative and Relaxing
The constant motion of the waves reassures me that whatever problems I may have, they will be gone at some point in my life. I wrote this post at the beach on the 4th of July.
I Break the Rules
Not too often, but I always break the rules with blogging awards. For example, I gave seven people the Kreative Blogger Award when I was only supposed to give it to six. Also, I was supposed to write ten things you didn’t know about me and I’m only writing nine.
Congratulations to the Kreative Bloggers!
Congratulations to the Kreative Blogger Award winners and thanks again to Mike Maynard!
Have you visited the blogs of the Kreative Blogger award winners? Are you impressed with their creativity? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Carolyn, you put me in excellent company. To say I’m flattered would be an understatement.
Jack, Bill and Adriene I already know; Seven Sentences sounds like a fun place to hang out, and I’m curious about Praveen and Samantha’s blogs. Must get over there soon.
The oddest coincidence in your life — just imagine — what if the universe split off in two at that moment, and in some parallel reality the balloon didn’t end up stuck in a tree outside your house but made its way to… I don’t know… Port Moody? Juarez? (Hey, high winds, anything is possible.) What then?
Hi John, Yes, I broke my rule for you, but it had to be done. Thank you for providing the inspiration for others to be creative by sharing your creativity. Seven Sentences is a blog you will enjoy. Both you and Geoff take writing to a new level.
Oh, yes, I’ve been reading about his experiences in Hollywood. Grabbed me right from the first sentence.
I’ve noticed that he sometimes deviates a little from his seven-sentence rule, and that’s good. Flexibility is a virtue.
Oh, we could tell you were left-handed all right………:).
I’ve made a list………yay………of course now, I have to make a list. At least it will give me a post opportunity, huh?
I got your e-mail………I will work on it………
Happy Friday.
Hi Bill, I don’t hide my left-handedness very well, do I?
Yes, I know your blogging trophy shelf is quite full by now. But your creativity is brilliant as you try to fool us that your blog is all about you when we know better.
When you write your list of things we don’t know about you, be sure to include how you beat out Joey Chestnut in the foie gras eating competition. (*)
Congratulations Carolyn!
Wow, the nominees were just stellar, I read just about everyone of them!
Who the heck is Bill Dorman? What a funny last name… “Get the door, man!”
He must be an invisible blogger – hehe!
You’re a treasure yourself miss, I appreciate the work you do keeping us non-techy peeps in the ‘know’.
Wow, you’ve got a mean forehand too! Hopefully you never hit anybody in the head.
It’s been a pleasure getting to know you a bit and I look forward to more of Carolyn Nicander Mohr.
P.S. Let me know where to vote if you get on that list : )
Hi Mark, I’m so glad you enjoy the blogs I listed. They are truly great blogs, as is your amazing blog!
Yes, I have hit people and have been hit. There’s a saying in racquetball, “If you don’t want to be hit, then don’t play racquetball.” The game is so fast that it’s impossible to avoid being hit. The important thing is to hold up when you think you’re going to hit someone.
Thanks for stopping by, Mark. Have a fabulous weekend! 🙂
Don’t make me hunt you down ‘hairy’…………:). I know where you live….
Hi Bill, did you wake up on the wrong side of bed?
You talkin’ to me, or did one of the giant mosquito’s just bite you in the butt?
Hehe!
What a great post Carolyn, and fab nominees/winners! I can see your creativity flowing in this post, and how great it is to learn some new things about you. Cheers! Kaarina
Hi Kaarina, I’m so glad you like my list of Kreative Bloggers. They really are an all-star group.
Yes, I’m going to have do have some other remarkable experiences if I have have to do such a list again. By now I’m an open book!
Have a great weekend, Kaarina! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
Great post. I did something different this week. I messed up a blog and that left me short of time. I decided for tomorrow. I would simply review everything I had published for the last 7 days and do links. So I have done my posts for tomorrow, unusual for me to get ahead! I might do a review of the week’s posts every Saturday! I like to write humour on a Sunday and so I have some time to think about it now.
It’s still raining, we’re breaking records now! 😉
Hi Mike, I’m watching Wimbledon right now, great match! Yes, you seem to have all of the rain right now. There are plenty of places in the US that could use that rain.
Sorry you’re blog post got messed up this week. I have had that happen, but never so bad that it couldn’t be fixed. How frustrating that you lost it completely.
Thanks again for honoring me with this award, Mike. I’m glad I could pay it forward to inspiring bloggers!
Hi Carolyn – This has come has a wonderful and pleasant surprise to me. This week has been great with Harleena nominating me earlier and now this. What a way to start the weekend(mine starts on Friday morning:-)).
Thanks a lot for nominating me and keeping me amongst the company of all those awesome nominees out there. It is really an honor.
It was nice to read about the things we “didnt” know about you, if there is a Nobel prize for blogging, I am sure you will get one soon!!!!!
I hope I can come up with such a list and nominate my blogger friends soon. Gotta work on that now.
Hi Praveen, Your blog, Daily Morning Coffee is a wonderful example of creativity. Your blogging series was fascinating and creatively executed. You keep the information very interesting, Praveen. You richly deserve this award, my friend!
Why thank you SO much Carolyn for including me here. I’m so touched to be among some awesome bloggers here. Thank you also for mentioning my webinar last night. I’m happy to have that one behind me and under my belt now.
I enjoyed reading more about you that you haven’t shared with us. I love that you love writing fiction. I admire you for that, I have no doubt you’re a very creative lady.
I knew you played racquetball. I tried that years ago and I guess I played either with some lousy players or I was just horrible but I got tired of being hit in the back of the head. That hurts…
I love your blurb about the noble prize. That’s too funny so now we all know the answer to why it hasn’t graced your lovely name.
Thank you again so much Carolyn for this honor. I really appreciate it and really enjoyed reading your post.
Enjoy your weekend and have fun!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Congratulations on this award and your successful webinar! I’ve actually been working on this post for a while, so I had to add the information about your webinar, but it was just further evidence of how creative you are in helping others.
Yes, sometimes I get hit quite badly in racquetball, but no permanent injuries yet. I try to be careful on the court. No point is worth hurting someone!
Congratulations Carolyn – you so well deserve this award for the awesome content you share with all of us here.
I do know most of the deserving bloggers nominated here and the others I would surely be checking out too. 🙂
Wow! I never knew you had so many hidden qualities within you! Having a passion for fiction, racquetball, and the Nobel Prize…awesome indeed! And the wonderful coincidence of having such a person around and not knowing he’s going to be your husband one day – sound so romantic. 🙂
Ah…the beach can get to the best of us and I can see it got your creative juices flowing when you sat and wrote this wonderful post. And it’s always nice to break the rules once in a while.
Thanks for sharing so much more about you with all of us – I guess it bonds and brings us much closer. 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, I know you’ve been wondering why the Nobel Committee has been ignoring me for so long. Now you can understand and sleep soundly.
Similarly, you were disqualified from this award on my blog as you were a Sunshine Award winner at The Wonder of Tech! But your amazing blog is one of my very favorites and certainly very creative. 🙂
I love recognizing amazing bloggers and introducing them to my readers, but it certainly is difficult to choose among such talented writers.
Yes, writing at the beach is very enjoyable. The sea air tends to clear the mind.
Hope you’re having a great weekend, Harleena!
Hey, congratulations on the KBA! And, N.B., even I learned a thing or two about the tech lady.
Hi Gramps, Thank you. Yes, I had to dig deep to find some secrets about me. I even created a revelation by measuring my forehand speed. Who knew the speed of my forehand? I’m watching Wimbledon now and my forehand speed doesn’t seem quite as impressive somehow… 😕
Absolutely well-deserved award. I know of half the people on your list, but I simply adore Samantha.
Hi Amberr, Thank you very much. You’re right, Samantha is a wonderful person and a dear friend. Her blog is warm and inviting, but also very perceptive and insightful. Her blog is a treasure.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for including me, I really appreciate being in such good company. It was fun learning about you. Do you still write fiction and if so, is any of it online?
Hi Jack, You’re welcome. Selecting you was incredibly easy. You are what other writers aspire to be – talented and prolific.
I am not currently writing fiction as this blog is satisfying my urge to write. In the past I have written short stories and some TV scripts. No, my fiction work does not appear online, unless you count my statement above that I have been disqualified from winning the Nobel prize. :^O
Congratulations Carolyn!
You are most deserving of this award! I love reading your posts and always look forward to them! I can definitely see why you received this award.
I think it’s a real shame you might not be eligible for the Noble just because of a possible distant family relationship. You could always nominate them for a bloggers award and try to get on the their good side. They would then know you don’t hold any bitter feelings about the whole ordeal. 🙂
Aaron
Hi Dadblunders, Great idea, or perhaps the Nobel Committee would embrace me as one of the family?
Thank you for your kind words. So glad you’re enjoying The Wonder of Tech!
Congratulations Carolyn. This is awesome news. And the people you’ve nomiated are fantastic as well. It would be really hard to vote on just one of them as they are brilliant all of them 🙂
Thank you, Jens. Fortunately, I don’t have to choose just one of these amazing bloggers, they all are winners of the Kreative Blogger Award! You were disqualified from consideration because I gave you the Sunshine Award. But as a budding novelist, you certainly qualify as a Kreative blogger! :-bd
That makes it much easier. I thought you would have to choose 🙂
You’re right, Jens. That is the definition of impossible!
Congrats on a well-deserved honor! Everything I need to know about civility, I learned in Kindergarten. Everything I need to know about tech, I learned from you!
Hi Kathy, Thank you very much. I’m glad you are learning about tech here, though I believe you know quite a bit about it on your own.
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend, Kathy! 🙂
Some very familiar faces and one or two I haven’t visited regularly!
Congratulations! You and your blog is doing really well. The Kreative award nominees have been nicely selected; each one just as deserving. Congrats to all.
And yes, great knowing tidbits about you. Solo back packing in Europe! That is still a dream for me! 🙂
Hi Hajra, Thank you very much for your kind words. Yes, this is a wonderful group of bloggers who truly are creative.
I hope you do get a chance to backpack through Europe, solo or with a friend. The experience is amazing.
Congratulations Praveen! Nice to see you getting nomination for kreative blogger. Keep up the good work.
~ Atish Ranjan
TechTricksWorld
Hi Atish, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, Praveen is a very creative blogger and very deserving of this award!
I love your nominees Carolyn – great picks! As for your 10 facts – I’m even more fascinated by those! I LOVE the story about you and your husband, and the balloon coincidence confirms my thoughts about how we connect with important people in our lives. Lovely post and congrats!
Congrats, Carolyn, on your Kreative Blogger Award, well deserved. I really appreciate all your technie advice (last week’s post on phone tariffs had me green with envy, you would know why when you see Swisscom tariffs – a indecent ripoff) but I highly enjoy your acceptance speeches, first because they reveal so much (well, as Hajra said: tidbits) about you and your writing style is so elegant and smoothly flowing.
The nominees make a wonderful party of diverse characters and style, rather impressive, some of them I am stalking and I will go back to the others I irregularly visit.
Thank you so much, Carolyn, and have a great week!
Wowee! What an honor to be part of this list, Carolyn! Thank you soo much for considering me, even though I haven’t been participating online much these past few months. It really means a lot to me to be recommended by you! Your super kind words totally made my day.
I also LOVED learning more about you! =) Those coincidences you describe had me smiling from ear to ear and wondering about whether I’ve been paying attention to all those little things that come together in life. =) I also really admire you for your solo traveling in Europe. I don’t know if I’d ever have the guts to do that. =P
Thanks for being an amazing friend, Carolyn! Warm hugs to you!
Congratulations on your award, Samantha. I know you’ve been very busy lately with that thing called Real Life, but your blog is inspirational and creative so I wanted to make sure I acknowledged your talents!
I think you’re amazingly brave to live in Peru so far from your family. I guess we all admire those who take on challenges. Best wishes for much continued success, Samantha!