Versatile Blogger Award

A lovely young woman and fabulous seamstress, Sarah Jane, at Romantic-History nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award.  I'm humbled, to say the least.  I'm not really sure what this award is all about (and I have a sneaking suspicion that it is sort of the blogger version of the Forwards we get in emails...hmm).  But, I am honored, none the less. 

Now, I think I am supposed to tell you 7 things about myself that you don't already know about me, and then pass this award on to someone else.  I'm not sure what to tell you that you don't already know about me, but, here goes nothing....

1.  My eye colors change... and yes, I said "colors" plural... my left eye is half brown, and half blue, and my right eye is all blue.  But, the blue part of my eyes changes sometimes to green and sometimes to gray...depending on the weather or what I am wearing (I think this has to do with the colors reflected into my eyes...maybe?)  I know, weird...huh...?  My uncle and my great aunt on the maternal side of my family also have eyes like mine.  In 8th grade, we were learning about genetic mutations and my teacher told me that I was a mutant. Ha!  Not the sort of thing that an 8th grade girl wants to hear!  I've also seen dogs and cats with eyes like this....  enough said....

2.  I am a lover of beautiful things.  Aesthetics play a huge role in my life.  If I'm not surrounded by beautiful things, or if things are out of place, I either have to move it around, or fix it, or else I get very stressed out.  Maybe it's the artist in me....maybe I'm just a little obsessive compulsive.  For example of how crazy I am ...look at the picture above.  It's beautiful, is it not?  Well, I would agree...but the one thing that is bothering me like an itch that can't be reached is the little heater on the floor....I would give anything to reach into that picture and pluck it out....

3.  My favorite era in art history is the Arts and Crafts Movement, also known as Art Nouveau, which occurred around 1880-1914.  It's sinuous styles and nod to nature, grace, and beauty draws me in. 

If I could fill the interior of my house with Art Nouveau furniture, I would.  And the paintings, drawings and etchings of the time are beyond beautiful.  They are asymmetrically balanced, achieving that elusive aesthetic perfection.

Summer: by Alphonse Mucha

4.  I've always thought I was born in the wrong time period.  I'm not a modern girl.  I really hate everything to do with the modern culture.  I despise technology; computers, phones, etc...including blogging... I really fear more people reading this blog because that means more pressure to keep it exciting!  I don't like cars; driving, although I do it, terrifies me.  Malls and other modern shopping stores exhaust me. 

Pressure to "keep up with the Jones", and to be thin in order to be considered beautiful, horrifies me.  People give me odd looks when I tell them that I would rather sit and read a good book, then watch the latest episode of "The Office" or "The Bachelor". 

Winter: Alphonse Mucha

5.  I'm an introvert that secretly wishes she was an extrovert.  I am very socially awkward, and would be happy to cloister myself away from society in an old house in the woods or on the beach. 

 But, most of the time, I'm wishing that I could converse with the best of them.  I've always wanted to try my hand at acting.  The theatre excites me.  Maybe some day I will let the hidden extrovert in me come out, and audition for a play.

6. I'm a Christian, but I struggle with the idea of 'Institutions'.  I think the cathedrals of old are beautiful and inspire communion with God.  But the idea of Church as a building or institution(even though I do go to one) kind of bothers me.  I think that THE Church is a body of believers, and even though I think it is beneficial to come together and worship, I believe that the real idea behind Christianity...what Christ intended...was for that body of believers to live as one community; helping each other; lifting one another up; encouraging and taking care of the poor; loving our enemies through acts of kindness and selflessness.  This...to me...is what the Church is all about.

7.  Politics...hmm...everyone always seems to mention something about their political views in these things.  I really don't like politics, and typically I don't discuss them, because I think that they are so far off from what life is intended to be about.  But, I guess I will say a few things about my political views.  First, I don't think that we should force political parties upon Believers and Non-Believers.  Politics should be completely separate from our beliefs.  I think that there can be Conservative Democrats as there can also be Liberal Republicans.  I've known some amazing Christians who are Democrats, and some of the slimiest non-Christ-like people who are Republicans...and vice-a-versa.  I think that Politics today are the same as they always have been...greedy, power hungry people have been fighting over control of countries for centuries...that won't change, because people are always going to be greedy and power hungry as long as there is sin in the world.  There's nothing I can do about any of this, so, I try not to pay attention to it and let the ugly-ness of it  get in the way of making my life one of beauty and love.

So...those are my 7 things.  And now, I'm going to pass this on to two people who I think have AMAZINGLY pure and beautiful blogs.

Laura, at Janus-at-the-Door.

and

Diane, at Tomato-Soup-Cake.