Inspirationally Speaking…

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was awarded the Very Inspiring Blogger Award by fellow blogger, Jueseppi “J.B.” Baker, at The Obamacrat.Com.  Before I could even compose a gracious or humble acceptance, I learned that Dr. Sherry E. Showalter at Dr. Sherry E. Showalter Keepin It Real, had also awarded me with the same award. Yay Me! I mean “thank you!” 🙂  I also find both Jueseppi and Dr. Sherry inspirational, though for different reasons.

Jueseppi’s unbridled passion alone is inspirational. At The Obamacrat.com, he writes about more than the obvious President Obama and the First Family, but also about a variety of subjects including politics, race, causes, and Black history. To keep us culturally in the know, he also occasionally lends a book or movie review, as well as a recipe…or two. The man has to eat, doesn’t he? He minces no words when sharing his truth, and covers these topics thoroughly with research and supporting documentation. In his words:  “Disagree Intelligently, Use Facts & Truth”.  He is definitely worth a look-see!

Although I am very new to Dr. Sherry’s blog, her light has already shone brightly in my creative corner. “A long time advocate for patients and families coping with loss, dying and bereavement, she is also a keynote speaker and psychotherapist.” You can meet Dr. Sherry on any of her many YouTube videos, and on her blog. Her zest for life is authentic, and her compassion for living, Life, restoration, and life-long learning is palpable and infectious.

I’m honored to be in such fine company, and as such I graciously accept the Very Inspiring Blogger Award from Jueseppi Baker and Dr. Sherry E. Showalter.

Part of accepting this award requires that I share seven things about myself. Here are some things that you may or may not find interesting:

1. I have a fraternal twin sister.
2. As a teenager, I would dance in front of my bedroom mirror, behind closed doors.  Now, I dance when and where I want, and need no one to start a party. Got beats? I’m in!
3. It is sometimes difficult for me to focus on just one of my many talents.
4. I blame this problem on self-diagnosed, adult-onset ADD.
5. I profess myself to be a feminist, yet I love and thoroughly enjoy the chivalry, respect, admiration, and care from a wonderful man. (After fifteen years, I haven’t grown tired of this yet.) No one tells me “When and Where I Enter“; I’m an independent thinker and smart enough to formulate my impression on the subject.
6. Some of my biggest pet peeves are grammar abuse, misspelled words, and inappropriate word choice. Spotting them while trying to focus on content is too much of a challenge for me. (See #4)
7. I am by no means a loner, but I feel very uncomfortable in large crowds.

The second part of accepting this honor is to award seven equally deserving, inspirational bloggers. I’ve introduced you to the first two already.  The remaining five are:

1. Danielle Moss Lee, Ed. D. – Dr. Danielle Moss Lee is the President & CEO of The Harlem Educational Activities Fund, or HEAF, which is a “comprehensive, non-profit supplemental education and youth development organization that helps motivated students develop the intellectual curiosity, academic ability, social values, and personal resiliency they need to ensure success in school, career, and life.” Danielle is also a fellow alumna, and friend. Her tireless and pioneering work in educational leadership should serve as inspiration to all of us. You can read more on HEAF’s blog here.
2. Sparks in Shadow – hosted by Kathleen Harris. She goes by the name Ré, but I affectionately refer to her as LadySparks because I think that she has powers unknown, that are worthy of respect, just by what she chooses to share.  In her words: “I’ve never met a contradiction without wanting to give it some study. I used to think I was average. I’m not so sure about that anymore.” Far from average, Ré is an empathetic soul with remarkable creative gifts.
3. Monica A. Coleman’s A Beautiful Mind – hosted by scholar, writer, and activist Dr. Monica A. Coleman. Dr. Coleman is brilliant and emphatic about the role of faith in addressing critical social issues including mental and sexual health, as well as domestic and sexual violence.  Her personal “musings” are wellsprings of hope eternal and empowerment for women affected by these issues.
4. The Empowerment Place – hosted by friend and blogger, Valerie Burwell. This blog is “A Place of Empowerment, Spirituality, Encouragement and Joy!” Though new to blogging, Valerie is no novice to inspiration. Valerie has been hosting her Blog Talk Radio Show of the same name, for almost a year, and walked her talk long before we met over six years ago!
5. The Satsumabug Blog – I found this blog very early in my blogging experience, which only began less than a year and a half ago.  At this blog, Lisa insists on community, and writes about her creative life, which she says is, “sometimes hard to separate from everything else in my life.  I often write about specific art topics like watercolor painting and the challenges of writing a memoir, but I also write about larger life questions, like finding happiness and learning to love my body, that aren’t exclusive to artists.”  Check out her blog to find out why I think she’s so inspiring.

Musical Inspiration: Shine! Nobody puts it down like “Lutha”…Luther Vandross, that is!

Some inspirational posts for newer readers:

– “A Tapestry of Women”
– “Loosing and Finding Love…Unconditional“