6 Nominations and a Big Thank You !

Firstly, I thank everyone wholeheartedly for making this online world seem like home- with all the appreciation and wonderful comments. Believe it or not, the feedback I get from all of you brightens my mood up and I have realised I’ve become more productive because of this.

I was in a time I didn’t understand what gave me happiness. All my life, it had been writing- in my diary, in any book. I would just write my heart out, and it would bring me so much joy. But gradually, I started getting a lot of negative criticism and lost in every essay competition I participated in. It made me doubt myself in all possible ways. I stopped blogging and tried to find something else that gave me happiness.

Alas, I came back here, when the quarantine started and I have not left since. All of you have given me immense joy and now, I rarely feel any negativity or self-doubt. I am very grateful to be part of this community. I thank you all once again, for showing me that there are always reasons to be happy. All I need to do, is see them.

Now, coming to the awards. I was nominated by 5 people, for 4 awards. As I am not able to cope up with the online classes and tests being conducted, I have decided, with the permission of all five of them to compile the awards into one post. ( answering as many questions as I can, of each nomination)

The Rules for all of the awards are as follows:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide the link to their blog.
• Answer questions given to you.
• Nominate other bloggers and write them new questions.
• List the rules and display the award logo in your blog post.

The awards are in the order of the date/time of nomination:

LIEBSTER AWARD:

Thank you Rishabh and Simran for nominating me for this award! Rishabh is a gem of a person who would go above and beyond to appreciate your work. I haven’t seen anyone more humble than him in the virtual world. Simran is a wonderful writer who was so sweet to nominate me as a birthday gift 🙂 Please do check them both out !

1. Where would you visit after the COVID-19 Pandemic is gone? ( Rishabh)
   I wanted to visit someplace in the African Continent this year. I don’t think that would be possible for a few years, now. So, I would definitely visit the beach and have a stroll along the shore.
   
2. Have you learned or discovered in this lockdown? (Rishabh)
   I certainly have discovered that I am capable of completing household chores neatly !
   
3. If you are given the power to become invisible what would you do now?(Rishabh)
   I would probably relive the good ol’ days and ring everybody’s doorbell. Only this time, I won’t have to run away ! I’ll be right there and they won’t know.😂 Just kidding !
   I think I would spook any corrupt politician to do the right things for his/her country.
   
4. Give two good and two bad habits of yours. (Simran)
   Good habits-
   1. I never litter. I pick up the trash strangers throw on the road, right in front of them and make them feel embarrassed for dirtying their own planet.
   2. I keep promises
   
   Bad habits( that I’m trying to change)-
   1. I judge people right when I see them. Although this has reduced drastically over time, it’s still there.
   2.I rarely achieve the targets I’ve set.
   
5. Would you travel or rather read a book at home?(Simran)
   Although both of these are my favourite things to do, I would prefer travelling to anything. I have traveled all over the world and with each trip, my love and curiosity of discovering and understanding new cultures multiplies manifold.
   
6. Which is your favourite book?(Simran)
   Being a huge potterhead, the first book series that came to my mind when I read this question, was the Harry Potter series. I also love classics like The Secret Garden, Little Women and Nicholas Nickleby and comics like Asterix, Tinkle and Amar Chitra Kata.
   When I was younger, Malory Towers and Junie B Jones were among my favourites.

Nominations :

• Kinge
• Shweta Suresh
• WildHeart
• Darell
• Didis Art Design

SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD:

I have been nominated for this award by my amazing blogging friend, Faustina– thank you ! 🙂 In my first award post, I’ve mentioned that you’ll definitely learn to love yourself more after you’ve visited her wonderful blog ! Her writing hits a true note in the heart. If you’ve never visited her site, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? I’m kidding. Go visit her blog now, if you haven’t before 🙂

1. What post on your blog are you the proudest of? (Faustina and Princess)
   I can’t say any of my blogs stand out to me, but The Diary of a Baby, which I wrote when I was 15, was the first blog that I was proud of. You wouldn’t know the other posts before that, I was so embarrassed that I deleted them all.
   
2. Who is the most inspirational or influential person in your life?
   My Akka (my school’s bus conductor). She has definitely inspired me the most, in my life.
   
3. Do you have a funny habit?
   I don’t know if this qualifies as a habit, but I talk to my toys (which are all almost as old as I am) and can’t sleep without them beside me. Yes, I’m sure I’m 18
   
4. What is the best gift you’ve ever received?
   My wonderful family.
   
5. Which is more important for you in a song – its lyrics or melody?
   Definitely the melody. If the lyrics were amazing and the tune horrible, it would be better off as a poem.

Nominations:

• Ruthie Playle
• Ankita Benedicta Minz
• Abhin Thulasidas
• RPR
• Arshia

IDEAL INSPIRATION BLOGGER AWARD:

I am grateful to Princess of The Mindful Modus for considering me for this award ❤ . Princess fills her posts with entertaining gifs, making it easier to read. If you need amazing self-care tips, you definitely need Princess.

Also check out Rising Star, the creator of the Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award.

1. Do you have a favorite skincare product? What is it?
   I have never been one to care for my skin and honestly don’t know the name of any skincare product.
   
2. Do you have a favourite fragrance? What is it ?
   Does the smell of petroleum count as a fragrance? I can’t take strong perfume scents. It suffocates me, for some reason. Whenever I’m in the elevator with a strongly perfumed person, I try with my all not to smack them.
   
3. Are you an early-bird type of person, a night-owl, or somewhere in between?
   I used to be an early-bird person. But the quarantine has completely changed my sleep schedule. I am now a night-owl.
   
4. Do you have a favorite movie character? Who is it and from what movie?
   I have so many favourites. The first that came to my mind when I read this question was Po from Kung Fu Panda.

Nominations:

• Brothers Campfire
• Gabrielle
• Jo Alix
• Anurag
• Rekha Sahay
• timetravelballoon

KENNEDY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE:

A huge thanks to parneetsachdev, who created this award with an amazing objective: Through its writing, presentation and objectives, fosters human values; promoting intellectual, emotional and moral growth of peers. Although he mostly writes about what’s in our minds, his writing is out of the world!!

I am honored to be nominated for this award by one of the most wonderful people in the blogosphere- Arshnoor! Do check out her beautifully penned posts !

1. What lessons did you learn from this Corona pandemic?
   You can check out The Diary of the Corona Virus , where I’ve explained elaborately what I think the virus wants us to learn from this situation, in the Virus’ point of view 🙂
   
2. What values drive you?
   Accountability, honesty and patience are some values that drive me.
   
3. Which is your favourite movie?
   Even if you went back in time and asked the three year old me this question, the answer would’ve been the same- Finding Nemo. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t watch the movie with my parents every night in bed, till my sister was born.
   
4.  Whom have you ever loved from your heart?
   Everybody! I have absolutely no hatred towards anyone. There is always something beautiful about each person to be loved.
   
5. Your dreams in life?
   I want to stay happy till the end of time and bring happiness to everyone around me.
   Besides that dream, I also want to visit every country in the world. ( I love to travel!) I have been to 4 continents so far. I first want to check off all the 7 continents, and then get to checking every country off.

Nominations:

• Tanaka
• Roser
• Terre Pruitt
• Amartya
• Parul Joshi

*The rules of this award mention that the same 5 questions are to be answered by every nominee.

WANNA KNOW YOU BETTER!

Delve into the creator of this award-  Riya’s Blog. You’ll definitely get lost in her world of thoughts!

Many,many thanks Bhavya for nominating me! Her blog is named Bhavya’s Creative Corner and rightly so. Go experience her creativity !

1. If you had the power to transfigure into an animal/bird/insect as per your will what would you’ve chosen? Why?
   Humming bird. It’d be cool to have coloured feathers all over my body and fly backwards.
   
2.  How do you prefer the curtains, drawn or pulled apart?
   It depends on a lot of things. I live on the 18th floor. I’d prefer to have the curtains closed when the sunlight blinds me and the other times, I’d love to have the curtains pulled apart to enjoy the amazing view of the city.
   
3. If I offer you Watermelon or a Chocolate ice-cream during summer what will you choose? Why?
   Chocolate ice-cream, any day. One, I’d rather drink water than dirty my hands and eat a water-soaked-ball-like-fruit. Two, I do not have the patience to take out the seeds.
   
4. In your home what’s your favourite inanimate object and tell me the reason behind that?
   My bed. There’s nothing I love more than a good nap.
   
5. How do you feel about God? 
   I’m a pantheist. I equate God with the forces and laws of the universe. I love to learn about every religions’ beliefs. I read religious texts to understand what others believe and practise. I have read parts of the Bible and Quran and watched many,many Biblical documentaries. Born into a Hindu family, I know all the Hindu mythology by heart. I take inspiration from every religion.

Nominations:

• BhumiBokde.
• bereavedandbeingasingleparent
• Nabeela
• Bharath Upendra
• Sheree

QUESTIONS:

(except for Kennedy Award of Excellence)

1. Would you prefer writing to speaking?
2. Which was your favourite phase in life?
3. If not for “Earth”, what do you think our planet should be called?
4. What natural phenomenon fascinates you the most?
5. If you were given the opportunity to live in a different time period, which time period would you choose ?
6. If you could make all schools stop teaching one subject, which would it be?
7. Which word do you think, although sounds easy, is tricky to spell?
8. Do you think life without social media will be better than life with it?
9. Describe time in a sentence.
10. Would the barter system be efficient in our time?
11. Which do you think is the greatest invention?

( According to the rules of each award:
Liebster Award, Sunshine Blogger Award, Wanna Know You Better nominees: Answer all 11 questions
Ideal Inspiration Award nominees: Answer any 5 of the 11 )

I understand that many of the bloggers I have nominated have decided to have an award-free site. Just take this as a token of appreciation of your work from me ! 🙂