Real Neat Blog Award

Thanks Becky. Let’s have lunch 🙂

I am flattered you would consider me for this award. As I understand, you don’t even ride a bike. I’d like to change that 🙂

The Real Neat Blog Award is an interesting idea and, I am excited to participate. It recognizes our efforts as bloggers but, more importantly, introduces other blogs we are likely to enjoy and share. The rules to participate are simple.

1. Put the award logo on your blog.
2. Answer the 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
3. Thank the person/people who nominated you.
4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.
5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog).

Let me get started. I have a few questions to answer, a few to ask and, a few bloggers to nominate.

Here are my answers to Becky’s questions:

1. Do you think I’m a better scientist than I am a writer?

I can’t comment on your science. I was always good at science at school but nowhere near your level. What I can say, is that you are a talented writer. I anxiously await each and every one of your posts. In fewer than 500 words, you can raise the hair on the back of my neck, bring tears to my eyes and, give me goose bumps from head-to-toe.

2. Are you already friends with Trish?

I do not know Trish. I would like to meet her. However, I have begun to follow her blog. I admire her for having raised her children as a single mother. That is not easy.

3. What’s the temperature where you are right now?

As I write this, it is 12 degrees Celcius.

4. Where are you going to spend your summer and why?

I plan to spend June, July and August at my cottage in rural Ontario cycling, swimming, reading a lot (there is no TV and limited internet), gardening and, renovating.

5. What do you think about bees going extinct?

A world without bees would struggle to sustain the world’s growing population. They are major pollinators responsible for 70% of the worlds crops. And, without bees, many plants would be lost, perhaps forever and this, in turn, would limit food sources for all plant eating animals. We need bees.

6. If you could ask yourself a question what would it be? That’s easy. I would ask myself what I wanted to be when I grow up. 

7. Your all-time favorite blog is? Why?

I thought this would be difficult to answer. There are so many excellent blogs that I enjoy. But, when I ask who can bring me to tears, raise the hairs on the back of my neck and give me goose bumps from head-to-toe almost with every post, I can only answer with RESTART URGENTLY NEEDED … 🙂

Now, here are My Questions. I have put a lot of thought into them because it is only fitting that a Real Neat Blog recipient be able to answer skill testing questions.

1. How many states are there in Canada?
2. If you could invite any 3 people to dinner, who would you invite?
3. If you were an actor, who would you be?
4. If you could take a month long holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and, who would you most like to go with?
5. What is the capital of Vancouver?
6. If there was one thing you could change about the way you look, what would that be?
7. What is the most imminent problem facing mankind today? And, what would you do to fix it?

Now, for the hard part. There are so many blogs I enjoy following for so many different reasons. I post about cycling but I am interested in many other things. Don’t be offended if you are not included this time. I have chosen the following blogs because I anxiously await their next post.

I nominate the following 6 blogs for the Real Neat Blog Award:

1. Serendipities of Life – Frank Burns is a retired school teacher who takes extended, solo cycling trips throughout the world. Last year, he cycled from London to Istanbul. He is currently cycling Japan from tip-to-tip.
2. Bike Like Crazy – Bri is a young woman in her early twenties who likes to bike, living a simple, calm, weird, car-free life in Northern New York. She is more. Bri decided to cycle 10 miles to work (and back) throughout one of the worst winters in history. Her story is remarkable and, over the months I have been following her blog, she has developed a compelling and engaging style.
3. Fit Recovery – Jim is a recovering alcoholic and a “newbie” cyclist who posts about how to go fast on a bike, the challenges he faces staying sober and, bike maintenance.
4. RachelSqirrel – Rachel is a young Australian mother living in Scotland. She is a “Happiness Engineer”, a job I would love to have. Her posts are eclectic, imaginative, insightful and, personal. She hates cars and rides a beautiful bike 🙂
5. Chasing Mailboxes – home of Coffeeneuring and the Errandonnee. MG is a long distance cyclist and runner living in Washington DC and, like me, she has a lot of bikes 🙂
6. RESTART URGENTLY NEEDED – Becky has already been nominated but I don’t care. Her blog is the most compelling I follow. She describes herself as “scientist, war survivor, farmer, author, wife, human”. A multi-talented young woman that crafts a story like no one else. Her stories are personal, real, riveting, skilfully recounted and, moving. Her stories are the stuff of award winning novels 🙂