My blog, A Thousand Miles from Kansas has been nominated for ‘The Sunshine Blogger Award’! Thank you Andi from Diary of A Gay Dad. https://andiwebb.net/ for the nomination! I always love reading his posts and watching videos of his beautiful family. I am humbled and honored that you thought to nominate me. According to my research, ‘The Sunshine Blogger Award’ is a peer-recognition award, where bloggers can nominate the bloggers who are super creative, inspire them to grow, and bring positivity to the blogging community. Again, thank you Andi for thinking of A Thousand Miles from Kansas!

The Rules of the Nomination:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 11 people and ask them new 11 questions.
4. Notify the nominees by commenting on one of their posts.
5. List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award in your post.

My answers to Andi’s questions are as follows:

1. What brings you the most happiness in life?

Spending time with my wife and two cats brings me happiness every day.

2. If you could ‘do it all again’? How would you have done ‘it’?

If I could “do it all again”, I would pursue a career in music, writing,  or be a fireman!

3. Following on to that. Who would you be now?

Well, if I did it all right, I would be a successful musician,  music producer, or writer! And if that did not work, I would be a fireman! 

4. What makes you get up in the morning?

My wife’s beautiful face and the possibilities that every new day can bring.

5. Do you like Dalmatians? And if so, why? Yes! I do like Dalmations. They just look cool! Also, they get to hang out on firetrucks! 
6. Apple’s IOS or Android? And why the preference?

Apple. I’ve had Apple products since day one and they all just integrate seamlessly. 

7. What’s your ‘Porn name’? Add your first pet’s name to your mothers maiden name!

I will skip this one!

8. Do you ever give a political opinion on your blog? I choose not to. So, why do you (or not)?

I choose not to get into politics on my blog as I try to keep things positive!

9. I have a design degree but also did year 1 of a geology degree! What 2 opposites make you happy?

I love the beach on a hot sunny day, but need those thunderstorms and torrential rain to sit under cover and reflect with all the sounds and smells that rain can bring. 

10. What started you blogging?

I was on sabbatical from teaching and I love music, I love to travel, and I love to write. Time plus the love of music, traveling, writing, and the encouragement of a friend equal the blog A Thousand Miles from Kansas!

11. Now, we have all engaged with the image of the rainbow over the lockdown period! I want to see a real myriad of colour now, so my final question is ‘what is your favourite colour?

BLUE

Now my questions (and my own answers!) for my nominees for ‘The Sunshine Blogger Award”:

1. What is the last book you read? Upstream by Dan Heath
2. What is the next book you are going to read? To Hell and Back: The Last Train from Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino

3. What are your favorite genres to read? Non-fiction and Sci-fi

4. What is the last song you played on your preferred listening device?  Vicious by Halestorm

5. Who when and where is the last live music concert you attended and where? KISS Dec 14, 2019 Morioka, Japan

6. You can only take 5 albums with you into quarantine, which ones do you choose?

• Rush – Moving Pictures
• Tom Petty – Wildflowers
• Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
• Halestorm – Vicious
• My Hillsong Music Playlist of Praise Music

7. Once travel restrictions due to COVID-19 allow travel, where is the first place you want to visit?     Hawai’i
8. Who is your favorite author? Ray Bradbury
9. What is your favorite writing instrument to use when not on a digital platform? Legal pads and Sharpies
10. Do you believe that cursive handwriting should still be taught in our schools? YES, very much so. It is a skill and art that we as humans should not lose. 
11. What is one life goal you still want/need/hope to accomplish? Travel to Iceland and Machu Picchu…extreme opposites!  

My nominations for The Sunshine Blogger Award:

1. Lisa  https://southernpatches.net/
2. Caralyn https://beautybeyondbones.com/
3. Lize Bard https://wandererhaiku.wordpress.com/
4. Keith Garret https://keithgarrettpoetry.com/
5. Jim S. https://musicenthusiast.net/
6. Craig Ford https://craigfordfineart.com/
7. Crystal Byers https://crystalbyers.com/
8. Luna https://lunatheblog.com/
9. Penumbra Haiku https://penumbrahaiku.wordpress.com/
10. Bill Bisgood https://bilbis.wordpress.com/
11.  David Guerrieri https://davidguerrieriwrites.com/

I look forward to my nominee’s response to my questions! Take care everyone and stay safe!

~Greg