Mystery Blogger Award!

As I count down to my 100th post, I’m honored that I get to include this special recognition!  The Bradscribe himself – Mr. ML Bradford – has nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award!  I’m always extremely humbled by these awards because they are passed along through the blogging community by the blogging community.  Bradscribe is a wonderfully fun, supportive, and engaging blogger who was also my very first follower!  So I’d like to send a BIG “Thank You!” to the man, the myth, the Bradscribe and encourage everyone else to follow/regularly read his work (if you don’t already).  You’ll find a fun mix of movie reviews, comic flashbacks, and some incredibly fun/funny fiction too, all written with his distinct voice.

The Mystery Blogger Award was created by Okoto Enigma and “is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts.  Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates.  They are one of the best out there and they deserve every recognition they get.  This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging and they do it with so much love and passion.”  All I can say is…wow.  Thank you good Bradford, sir!  Please know that I am very appreciative – both for this award as well as for all the support and comment section conversations.

As always, here are the rules for the award:

1)  Display the award logo on your blog.

2)  Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.

3)  Mention the creator of the award and provide a link.

4)  Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.

5)  Answer 5 questions from the nominee.

6)  Nominate 10 – 20 bloggers.

7)  Notify your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog.

8)  Ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice, including 1 weird or funny question.

9)  Share the link to your best post.

Soooo…three things about myself?  How about three things about myself…the Christmas Edition?!?!?

Yep, that sounds like a fun little trip to take together.  The Griswolds are certainly ready!  So let’s get started. / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

1)  Christmas is obviously a beautiful time to retreat from the pace of our daily lives and spend time reconnecting with and enjoying the company of family and friends.  It’s filled with memories, traditions, and opportunities for quiet reflection.  One of my absolute favorite things about Christmas (as well as one of my most powerful Christmas memories) is reading in my parents’ living room.  I sit cuddled up on my chair under a blanket with the only light in the room coming from my reading lamp and the Christmas tree.  The whole world always seems so quiet, muffled by the snow.  It’s something I’ve done for as long as I can remember and I know I’ll be doing it this year too!  Often Mom will read with me too.  Eventually she’ll put the bookmark in her book and go to bed but I’ll continue to sit there, enjoying the ambiance as much as my book, reading late into the night.

“Little full…lotta sap.” / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

2)  I also have many fun memories of hanging Christmas lights on our house.  Living in Northwestern Pennsylvania, the work was often done in a less than accommodating climate but Dad, David, and I didn’t let that stop us!  I’d work in the garage, untangling and testing the strands of lights before passing them off to David and Dad who scaled both levels of our home, running lights from the gutters and around all the doors and windows.  Were their epic snowball fights too?  Of course.  We drew our inspiration from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and – while we never caused a black out with the energy we used – we were always proud that, when you’d crest the hill on the road that leads down to my parents’ house, you could see our light display gleaming like a beacon in the night :).

This…this was always the goal. / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

3)  Lastly, I really enjoy Christmas shopping…sort of.  Here’s the thing.  Christmas shopping fills me with conflicting emotions.  On the one hand, I love the challenge of trying to find the best gift for someone.  I enjoy walking into the book store or the mall (yes, I’m a brick and mortar guy – it gives people jobs AND it allows us to interact with each other person to person!) and finding something I know the other person will love.  And I love that moment when the idea comes to life and I realize the perfect gift.  It’s fun!  On the other hand, it deeply, deeply troubles me that we’ve turned the anniversary of the birth of a man (you know, Jesus) who was completely against material consumption (and who advocated the egalitarian ideas of total giving and no ownership so intently that they were part of what brought Rome to execute him) into an orgy of consumerism.  That’s not okay!  So I love the crowds and the lines and finding things for people…but I hate how it all devalues Jesus’ idea of the Kingdom of God.

See, this is NOT what Jesus is all about (the rampant consumerism or the awkward objectification of the salesperson). / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Okay, now let’s consider the questions Mr. Bradford’s posed!

1)  Which comic book character should get his/her own movie?

This is easy – SQUIRREL GIRL.  Her unique brand of humor mixed with all she represents should be available to us in as many formats as we can get!  Yes, yes, I know they are working on a Squirrel Girl and the New Warriors TV series.  (Yay!)  I know it’s supposed to be a comedy too.  (Yay again!)  But I want to see Squirrel Girl on my TV regularly AND in a movie(s) too!  Is that too much to ask??  And, since I’m wishing, I want her to be played by (Stranger Things star) Shannon Purser.

Tell me she isn’t perfect!  I dare you.  You can’t!  Anyway, Marvel you need to make this happen AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  Please and thank you :).

2)  What is your favorite Joy Division song?

This is uncomfortable and will show I’m lacking the cool punk credentials I wish I had but I don’t listen to much Joy Division.  I’m too mainstream.  I’m sorry okay?  So my favorite Joy Division song is “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”  I KNOW.  I know that’s like saying my favorite Bon Jovi song is “Livin’ On A Prayer” or my favorite Rolling Stones song is “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction).”  It’s hackneyed and cliché and judge me if you will but I still like that song and given my (admittedly) limited knowledge of Joy Division it’s my favorite.

Note the (dare I say expert) choice of a black and white photo adding a classy yet moody edge to the whole thing.

3)  Who would play you in the movie of your life?

I actually spend a lot of time thinking about this.  I’ve posed this question to my family, friends, and students on more than one occasion.  The most popular answer (of late) has been Jared Leto.  Now, on the one hand, he’s intense.  I can imagine it would be a little…odd hanging around with him in acting mode.  On the other hand, he’s an Oscar winning method actor (with a great beard).  So I’d have an Academy Award winner bringing gravitas to what would otherwise be a goofy movie about pretzel runs and the hijinks that fill Friday night dinner at Grandma’s.  Second, I’m pretty sure – given how he likes to immerse himself in a character – he’d actually want to live my life.  So that means he could do all my lesson planning, teaching, grading, etc. for several months as he “learns me” and I’d just have to sit in the back of the room and say, “Great Job Jare…I mean Mr. Miller.”  Everyone wins!!  (Note, I did my best to capture the vacant yet lingering stare Jared was offering in his headshot.  I…I think I nailed it.)

4)  What is the worst movie ever made?

This is tricky as I usually remember what I loved more than what I hated.  However, the first film that immediately came to mind was John Landis’ 1996 comedy (?) The Stupids starring Tom Arnold and Jessica Lundy.  It was based on the children’s book about a family who can’t figure out who’s stealing their garbage…when they put it outside…on garbage day…  Listen, the story book was cute in its own way.  The movie might’ve even been funny.  All I know is it’s one of the only movies in my entire life that I’ve just stopped watching in the middle.  Life’s too short for something that difficult to watch…even at fourteen.

Astute readers will note this is NOT from The Stupids.  But, since I really didn’t like that movie I figured this would be a good chance to use another picture from a movie I DO love. / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

(…and the weird one…)

5)  If you could go back in time, when/where would you go?

TIME TRAVEL FREAKS ME OUT.  I’m serious.  I worry about creating time paradoxes and ruining/erasing the world I live in.  Also, I have diabetes so travelling back to a world without refrigeration and synthetic insulin wouldn’t go over well for me.  BUT, since I’m clearly ruining this question by over-thinking it, let’s say I’ve some sort of assurance I won’t accidentally destroy existence (like, let’s say I’m traveling back to an alternate reality past that’s exactly like our past…) and I have the diabetes supplies I’d need, then I’d want to be able to sit down and have a conversation with the great spiritual masters and prophets – Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Lao Tzu, Moses – and see them teach in their own time, unfiltered by our historical lenses.  If I have to pick one, I’d go with Jesus since my background (both my personal faith and much of my professional training) is in Christianity.  So let’s say Galilee circa 28ce.

Now, on to my nominations!  Given the nature of the award, you’ll see two types of blogs below.  First, there are the ones that I read regularly.  They’ve captured my attention and earned my love and respect and, even when I’m overloaded and busy, I try to read (binge read if necessary!) their work whenever I have the chance.  The others are newer blogs that I’ve discovered more recently, but they’ve blown me away with their content.  (As always, if you don’t want to do this don’t feel pressured but know that I love your stuff!)

Please check these blogs out if you don’t read them already.  You’ll be glad you did!  So, with that being said, I want to nominate…

1)  Aubrey at If Mermaids Wore Suspenders

2)  Bella at Inside Myself

3)  Nancy and Kathleen at Graphic Novelty 2

4)  Amy at Amy’s Library Rambles

5)  Green Onion at Green Onion Blog

6)  Fourth_Mind at 4therace

7)  targo76 at My Side of the Laundry Room

8)  Olaf Lesniak at Comic Booger

9)  Mei-Mei at Jedi By Knight

10)  Reads & Reels

-and I need to include the two blogs that got me started with blogging and always feature writing I aspire to-

11)  Kalie at Just Dread-Full

12)  Jeff at The Imperial Talker (even though I know he’ll never do the post :), c’este la vie)

Annnnnnd here are my questions!

1)  If you were a superhero in real life, would you let anyone in on your secret?  If so, who?  Why?

2)  Where would you go if you had a two week, all expense-paid vacation to anywhere in the world?

3)  Regardless of whether or not you actively enjoy doing karaoke, what is/would be your go-to karaoke jam?

4)  Who would play you in the movie of your life?  (I stole this from the Bradscribe because I dig it.)

…and the weird/fun one…

5)  If you had to have a talking animal sidekick for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Why?

Lastly, I’m supposed to link to my “best post.”  That’s kind of hard to decide isn’t it?  I’d feel bad singling one out as my best.  But here’s one I’m particularly proud of.  It was written spontaneously, driven by real feelings, pulled together a lot of themes that are very important to me, and was a weirdly short for something that conveyed so much for me so well.  Check out “Mockingbird and Chelsea Cain Deserve Better!” should you be interested.

That’s all folks!  Thanks for wandering through my weird answers to these questions and may you have a blessed, happy, and MERRY CHRISTMAS.  I love you all and I’ll talk to you soon.

…and to all a goodnight! / Photo Credit – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation