I would like to thank the Academy and...No, don't play me off!!

I went swimming today! 30 minutes! And this time I didn’t really take long(er) breaks in between laps. They were maybe 10-15 seconds or so, at their longest. So it was a good swim. And I had the realization that another good thing about swimming for me is the practice of wearing my swimsuit, and just putting myself out there. Doing my best to stay out of my head, where I can’t help but think about what the lifeguards or other pool staff or other swimmers are thinking about how I look in my bright red suit. Gigantic tomato? Mars? But I think each time I go it gets a little easier and I can say to myself “You know what? I’m doing this for my health. And I may not look great now, but I’m here and I have just as much right to swim as anyone else. I have just as much of a right to do ANYTHING as anyone else.” I’m not wearing it on a t-shirt yet, but I’m getting there. And of course, in reality no one cares and these are things I think and project onto others. Or if they are thinking these things, then they’re jackasses and that’s not my problem!

***

So I check my email today and I have a comment from the wonderful Katie J that she gave me an Honest Scrap award! Well THANK YOU! I am so excited.

As I have seen, the rules for this shindig are:

1. “The Honest Scrap” award must be shared!

2. The recipient has to tell 10 true things about themselves

3. The recipient has to pass along this prestigious award to 10 more bloggers.
4. Those 10 bloggers all have to be notified they have been given this award.
5. Those 10 bloggers should link back to the blog that awarded them.

So...first, the 10 things about me:

1. I live in the Washington, DC Metro area. So in addition to being a Hokies fan, I also live and die by the Redskins! (if you follow the NFL, um, you’ll see that it’s mostly dying with them…)

2. I am a Gemini in every sense of the word. The good and the bad. (According to Astrology online: http://www.astrology-online.com/gemini.htm)

3. I played the clarinet for 9 years…and was in the marching band…and actually loved high school.

4. I love airports. I love to people watch and see loved ones reunited. It’s like the beginning scene(s) of Love Actually. Plus being in an airport makes me feel like a jet-setter.

5. Even though I consider myself fairly lazy, I’m the happiest when I’m working towards something (weight loss, grad school, etc.)

6. I am almost always listening to music.

7. Traveling is my favorite. I’ve been to London (want to live there someday), Paris, Edinburgh, a few places in Germany, Cancun, and various US cities. I still want to go to: Greece, Italy, Ireland, Germany again, Australia, Canada, and in the US: Hawaii, Maine, Chicago, Boston, Austin, Seattle, and Denver.

8. I LOVE office supplies. I could spend hours in Staples.

9. I was born in San Francisco – we lived there until I was 7 and then moved across the country. I still feel very close to the Bay Area.

10. I am nothing without my best group of friends (there are about 15 of us, one big family). We have all been friends since high school, and some since junior high and elementary school. We all know each others families, we’re in each others’ weddings, plan baby showers, and are still the goofy teenagers at heart most of the time. We have our own online forum, and we even have our own phone tree and depending on schedules have our own Thanksgiving Dinner or Christmas Dinner/Party.

Now onto my 10 Recipients!

105 in 365 http://105in365.blogspot.com/
Chubby Stubby Kay http://chubbystubbykay.blogspot.com/
Token Fat Friend http://tokenfatfriend.blogspot.com/
Lindsay: Under Construction http://justlinds.blogspot.com/
Doublechinned http://doublechinned.blogspot.com/
Fat Girl Dives In http://fatgirldivesin.blogspot.com/
Ex Hot Girl http://exhotgirl.blogspot.com/
Belly B Gone http://burnbellyburn.blogspot.com/
From Fat to Fit http://fattofitanna.blogspot.com/
Fat Fitness Food http://www.fatfitnessfood.com/

Now off to tell them. And make dinner. And then blog about it. Honest Scrap-ily :-D