How to tell you’re not dead

Tags

Andre Agassi, blogging challenge, funny, humor, Pete Sampras, Raphael Nadal, Roger Federer, sports, tennis, Zero to Hero challenge, zerotohero

Zero to Hero just got very interesting. Yesterday’s assignment was to leave a few comments on blogs we haven’t commented on before, and to remember where we left the comments. Supposedly it would all make sense the next day when the new assignment is revealed.

And it just did. Today’s assignment (#12, by the way, if you’re keeping tabs) is to write a post elaborating on one of those comments. Well, color me lucky, ’cause I happened to leave this comment on this blog:

Life vs. death is only the most important subject in the world, yes? Unless, of course, you’re a sports fan. Then winning vs. losing is more important than life vs. death. That’s exactly why I never root for a team or an athlete, anymore.

Seems to me that every time I do that, I always end up in disappointment. No amount of praying or holding my pee pee can reverse any jinx. The team or athlete I hate always wins.

For instance, my favorite tennis player is Pete Sampras. The best there ever is. Plus I’m deeply connected with Pete. Hubby’s former colleague’s wife used to hit balls with Pete before he became a pro. I was devoted to him from the moment I found out about that. No amount of hair shaggy-ing by Andre Agassi could dissuade me. Turned out Andre was wearing a wig, by the way. But that’s another story best told by his fans. See how easily I get distracted?

As Pete’s fan, I was elated when he broke Roy Emerson’s record for the most Grand Slam wins with 14. Surely, he’d become a tennis God with that kind of record. No one was going to be able to touch that, I thought. Imagine my irritation when Roger Federer started inching closer. But the more hatred I felt for Federer, the more wins he collected. Until he finally topped Pete’s record with his 17. I just died.

I have developed a strategy to work around it somewhat. Here goes, try to follow. I’m no longer fixated on Federer. Instead, I concentrate my energy by championing Raphael Nadal. He has now collected 13 Grand Slam wins. 4 more and he’ll catch Ferderer, 5 more and he’ll erase Federer’s top spot. Doesn’t matter that Pete moves to third place. Federer won’t be on top.

Besides, have you ever watched Rafa play or just watched him, period, playing or not? Now, tell me that’s not a beautiful face! Incidentally, check him out and cheer him on at the Australian Open, currently taking place. I think I’m back to being alive now.

Oh yeah, that was what I wanted to talk about, being alive vs. dead. Specifically, I have a question to ask you. When a person dies, does he or she know that he or she is dead? Anybody been dead before? Otherwise, please refrain from answering the question. You simply have no credibility.

As for me, I know for sure I’m not dead. I woke up this morning and looked sideways and I didn’t see Rafa. But I had paella (Rafa is from Spain, as is paella.) Recipe will follow one of these days.

Anyone out there has another foolproof way of telling they’re not dead?

Groundhog Day, in August

Tags

animal, fauna, funny, groundhog, humor, nature, poem, post ideas, postaday, whistle pig, writing prompts

The snap peas were decimated.
The lettuce, mowed down.
The red cabbages, gorged to stubs.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was the lone Brandywine tomato,
In that stage between green and red.
Gone, all of it.

Devastation is a repeating theme in the garden this year.
Mr. Rabbit was highly suspected.
He was seen in the vicinity of Stella d’ Oro.
But in the front yard, outside the fence.
He looked rather benign and sluggish.
Didn’t even flinch,
Even as I came within a few feet.
So I let him be.
He couldn’t have done all that damage, he’s so languid.

I was right, it turned out.
It was this fellow all along.

Mr. Groundhog, who has many aliases.
He goes by Mr. Woodchuck sometimes,
Also Mr. Whistle-pig.
Can’t blame him really.
With such a reputation,
He’d rather remain unidentified,
And have Mr. Rabbit take the blame.
Sneaky!

Link: Daily Prompt: A Little Sneaky

Spreading the love around

Tags

awards, funny, humor, links, Versatile Blogger Award, Wordpress Family Award

Or pay it forward. However you want to categorize it, I’m deeply grateful to Amy and Jessica for nominating me for the WordPress Family Award and the Versatile Blogger Award, respectively.

Go check out their blogs right now, because there’s nobody that can motivate you to get your lazy derrière off the couch the way Amy can. She is always on the go. And then, there’s Jessica. What else is there to say about her? She cooks dishes like Spanish Paella and Chinese Char Siu Pork. And you really need to check out her Malteser Cake!

Thank you girls, for the recognition and acknowledgement. Don’t we secretly want these awards? I did. Who doesn’t want free publicity?

And now, I’m spreading my WordPress Family love to the following blogger friends, people I follow and read regularly because they inform and inspire me. Please check them out. The list is in alphabetical order.

1. Anna’s Cuisine
2. Bentodays
3. Bread and Tortillas
4. Garden to Wok
5. In the Stewingpot
6. Jay Bee’s World
7. Love & Magnolia Gardens
8. Polianthus
9. Talking Experience
10. Wildness

The rules for accepting the WordPress Family Award can be found here.

And for the Versatile Blogger Award, I nominate the following bloggers, also a group of people whose work I find inspiring. Do visit their sites. You might find something to like there. Again, in alphabetical order.

1. Anna Shortcakes
2. Annie’s Kitchen Garden
3. A Taste of Morning
4. Busy Day
5. Farm Fresh Feast
6. Gardeninacity
7. High Desert Garden
8. Ice Cream Magazine
9. In Her Chucks
10. Ladybluerose
11. Mitts and Measures
12. Superduque
13. The Chicken Chick
14. The Local Kitchener
15. The Saffron Chronicles

The rules for this award are:
1. Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and a link back.
3. Share 7 random interesting things about yourself.
4. Nominate up to 15 bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award
5. Provide a link to their blogs in your post, and notify them on their blogs.
6. Copy and paste the award somewhere on your blog.

I guess now I have to share 7 random facts about myself:
1. I once had a pet rooster.
2. When I was a baby, my aunt (who didn’t have any daughter) kept asking my mom (who had 2 daughters by then) to let her adopt me.
3. Consequently I was very confused who my real mother was, since my aunt kept stealing me and insisting I called her mom.
4. Speaking of being a baby, I must have been a pretty greedy one. In most of the photos taken of me and my older sister, I always held two things (toys, candies, drinks, etc.) while my sister had none. I must have grabbed hers. Was it even a wonder? I didn’t think she was my sister.
5. I’ve lived in 3 different countries and 8 different cities.
6. I used to be obsessed with anything Jane Austen. At times still am, but now I’m able to control myself.
7. My husband snores. Does that qualify as a random fact about myself?

Now, some of you may very well have received these awards before. I don’t know what the rules are in that case. Accept all over again? I would. Hey, if actors can win the same awards multiple times, why can’t bloggers? I’d say it’s more opportunity to spread more love around. Is this my way of trying to get more awards in the future? Of course not! 😉

But, if you think copying and pasting is too much for you, you don’t have to do anything. Just know that I’m thinking of you and that I appreciate your work.