blog award - thanks!

I've been nominated, very kindly, for a few blog awards lately. Between a hectic work schedule and my inability to do anything except pee on a stick, I haven't had time to respond - but hey, now I have a whole day, a sermon to write (which requires a steady stream of procrastination; it's part of the process) and nothing but time on my hands. The blood-test lady told me the nurse would call "between 3 and 5pm," which was good of her to say, so I don't start freaking out earlier, but feels like a whole lot o' hours between now and then.

So, first, thanks to Rebecca at The Road Less Traveled and Grizzly Eggs for giving me this very sweet thing:

Both of these women have been so supportive and kind in commenting over the past few weeks. Thank you!

The instructions that go along with this award are as follows:

• Thank the person that nominated you for this award.
• Copy the award and place it on your blog.
• Link the person that nominated you for this award.
• Tell us seven interesting things about yourself.
• Nominate seven bloggers.
• Post the links to the seven bloggers.

So...seven interesting things about me. Here goes.

1. I once attended a communist rally in Italy. Accidentally. It's a long story, but basically it came about because 1.) I was traveling with a high school French group and 2.) we didn't speak any Italian, so when we 3.) got really hungry and 4.) noticed a group of people with festive banners out in a field serving pizza, we assumed that 5.) this was probably some kind of community fair, until we noticed 6.) the giant poster of Lenin's head and deciphered 7.) the phrase, "workers unite." On the plus side, said Italian communists were charming people, if a bit baffled by our appearance.

2. I hate flying. Hate, hate, hate, hate it. I know it's illogical - I know it's all about my loss of control - and I've gotten much better at handling it over the years, but I do hate it. And yet, I would like to take a flying lesson. Perhaps this "interesting thing about me" should be summed up as, "I am curiously inconsistent."

3. I stood in line for four hours at an independent bookstore in St. Paul, in about 1996, to shake Hillary Clinton's hand. She was there to promote It Takes A Village (I got a signed copy. I'm pretty sure the 'signature' was stamped on there, but whatever). I spent the whole four hours trying to figure out something unique to say to her, something totally different than everyone else's boring, "nice to meet you," or, "thanks for coming." I can't remember what I came up with, but undoubtedly it was fascinating and she would have quit the line right there and then to go out for coffee with me - except that, when I actually got up there and walked up to shake her hand, the only thing I could think was, "this is the person who has sex with the President of the United States." Which was so mortifying (even just silently in my head) that I forgot my fascinating statement and said, "nice to meet you, thanks for coming." (This was the pre-Lewinsky days. Little did I know that I should have been thinking, "this is one of the few people who is probably not having sex with the President of the United States.")

4. I love to watch movies over and over again, so many times that I can recite whole sections of dialogue. This completely confuses my husband, who prefers to watch things only once.

5. I have Mondays off, which is great. You can get a lot of stuff done on Mondays when everyone else is at work. This means I am usually doing my grocery shopping with a very high percentage of Very Old People. This is fine with me. It makes me feel young.

6. Even though my job requires a lot of social time, I am an unashamed introvert. Five hours of 500 people on a Sunday morning completely wipes me out. It's great, but exhausting.

7. I have played the piano since I was 7, and it is still one of the things which provides me the best emotional release ever. My mom says she could tell what kind of mood I was in by what piece I chose to play when I got home from school. She warned my husband about this when we got our own piano this year (which was about the best. day. ever). He agrees.

Now, the fun part: I get to nominate seven other people. The only trick being, it's hard to choose only seven! But it's a start, anyway:

1.Room for More, whose blog I just started reading after she commented here a few days ago. She gets an award for posting comparative pee-stick photos for me in my quest not to lose my mind the other day. Hoping for the best as she awaits adoption.

2. Barrenland Meditations, who is a wonderful writer, and who is also in the adoption process.

3. A Little Hope, who has been very supportive for a long time, and who is now pregnant with twins. I love to read her hopeful story.

4. Mekate at I Can't Whistle, for whom I am hoping so hard I think I might give myself a nosebleed. :)

5. Tireegal at Happy-Go-Lucky, who is having a very happy-go-lucky day. For which I am delighted.

6. Ann at The Tragic Optimist, who is a librarian. Because I love librarians. And secretly wish I was one, sometimes.

7. Jem at Ambivalent Womb, because that is the best blog title ever. And who could use some support as she navigates a difficult time.

Thank you, to the seven above, and to all of you for being so supportive. Really. I mean it. (Anybody want a peanut?) (Bonus points to the person who can name that movie quote.) (See # 4 about me, just in case you forgot.)