Last but not Least: Tribute to Indian Bloggers and Other Bloggers

"Whoa, I'm not done yet!" (Photo by Roberto Kaplan)

This is going to sound crazy, silly perhaps even, but I did not realize that today is the last day of the month for the Ultra Blog Challenge! No way! Weird! How can that be? Why did I think I had Wednesday as well? Time just snuck up on me. That's what happens when you write late at night I suppose! ;)

I had at least one if not two more posts I wanted to write for this month. In fact, one is in draft form entitled, Indian summer. Gosh, maybe I should retract the coffee/tea blog post, a prompt from WriteTribe but I already posted! Oh dear, what a dilemma! :(

Ok, I have an idea. In that case, I am posting two as I understand we can...right? ;) Well, now that it's the end of the month, who cares (anyway)?! ;)

A quote I wanted to share with all you, before you leave, from the beloved late actor, Robin Williams is the following: "No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

I think us writers know that, that "the pen is mightier than the sword" in changing lives, the world even. Isn't that what we want? I know I certainly do!

So I say: Write. Keep writing. Keep on writing. As you do, your life will change, and those of others around you.

My plan for October? Take it easy or rather easier, like posting when Spirit strikes me as I have been dealing with health challenges and pain for almost three weeks. Getting organized by catching up I hope on housework (like dishes) and papers.

I hope to 'see' a lot of you again soon, especially the regulars I follow and who follow me...love you all! And yeah, that includes all you Indie bloggers! ;) <3 ... I already feel sad to say goodbye, even temporarily to ALL of you, all around the world, as I feel a part of this blogging, this blogospheric community and tribe...it is a small world after all! ;) (heart shape as blogspot doesn't like my heart symbol unfortunately)

Tasty Teas Tuesday (in lieu of Coffee Day)

Photo of a coffee I had

Well! Since I missed International Coffee Day yesterday as I blogged about my recent award, I'll write about tea instead! Besides, it is my favourite drink!

Though I LUUUUVVVVVVV (that's "love") the smell of coffee just as much if not even more than the taste, I rarely drink it for various reasons: I seem to get acid reflux if I drink it, i.e., the "regular" coffee anyway (maybe not with espresso), and also it interferes with homeopathic remedies that I take. However, I occasionally treat myself to an espresso coffee, sometimes a tall, dark Americano ;) - couldn't resist that but true! - or a latte.

However, I would say my favourite drink would be tea. I find it amusing that I had actually been wanting to write about this and here is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Tea is calming, nurturing, grounding, and soothing for my soul and spirit. I sometimes remind one of my work colleagues that if I am ever upset in any way, then tell me to drink some tea. Better yet, serve it to me! ;) Tea just seems to have a way of settling me down. In terms of a feeling, I equate it in my imagination as being cocooned in a cozily-wrapped, warm blanket on a cool day...oh, while sipping hot tea of course! ;)

According to, my opinion, one of the supremacists of teas is David's Tea comparable to haute couture in the fashion world (http://www.davidstea.com/). Think of it like a royalty tea shop as there are eight types of tea with many flavours in each category. And here I thought that there were only white, green, herbal, and black teas. According to this shop, there are white, green, oolong, black, pu'erh (never heard of that one before!), mate, rooibus (I thought this was a type of herbal tea), and herbal teas.

Though unfortunately I dislike the taste of green tea - I will have it as part of an Asian meal, mainly Japanese though, I understand that it has a lot of major health benefits, including that of the heart.

Thus, I am "killing two birds with one stone" (an expression I do not like, but metaphorically means dealing with two things at the same time by blogging about Coffee Day as well as World Heart Day, well, both indirectly. ;)

People who drink green tea on a regular basis, may be less prone to developing heart disease as well as cancer. It can "improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases. This includes cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides." (http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/)

One of my favourite teas is Earl Grey tea - organic please as certain (non-organic) brands, even some of the most popular do not do it for me. In fact, they often leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. Cream of Earl Grey is delicious too!

Even more pleasant and tasty is a tea known as 'London Fog, a drink so called because it is - think London, England here folks - made of Earl Grey tea and steamed milk that creates a foamy 'fog.' Ok, that's my interpretation! Check out the real McCoy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_fog) Delish! (short for delicious).

London Fog tea can also be known as 'London Fog Tea Latte' or 'Vanilla Tea Misto' or an 'Earl Grey Tea Latte.' Stash brand of tea has a wonderful double bergamot early grey tea bag, but there are others such as Mighty Leaf which make for some great-smelling and tasting tea.

Their 'Vanilla Bean Latte' is fabulous and you can make your own version of the drink using this tea. David's Tea also has 'Bombai Chai Tea' as well - a note for you Indian bloggers - though I haven't had this one for awhile.

And speaking of which, I also love chai tea; see picture near bottom of this post. I know there are many variations; however, as long as it's steamy, but not too spicy, I am on good terms with it.

Since I haven't drank regular milk in years, I usually prefer almond milk or the like with my teas. And though I used to drink tea with sugar in it, I no longer do so, except for chai which prefers a bit of sweetener. In that case, I may use some honey or raw cane sugar or stevia or the like.

In terms of herbal teas, I would say my favourites are Organic India's Tulsi Sweet Rose which I'm drinking during the writing of this post as well as Stash's Licorice tea. The latter appeals to me 'cause, after all, I'm Dutch! Dutch stores are often filled with tons of licorice from sweet to salty, even double salted: Yum! ;)

Licorice tea is good for digestion while the sweet rose tea, according to my naturopath, is good for self-love. Who knew!? ;)

And in the summer, I prefer iced teas with a wedge of lemon or not.

By the way, does anyone know of a tasty darjeeling tea? I drank a really great brand in my 20's; however, haven't come across one that I like yet, albeit I drink it rarely now.

After you read this post and hopefully comment below, go ahead and make yourself a wonderful cup of steamy tea in whichever form you like. You deserve it! Don't you?

Which types of tea do you prefer and why? Does it change your essence as you are smelling it, tasting it, hmmm? Hmmmm.... ;)

...STAY TUNED...I HAVE A BRIEF TRIBUTE TO ALL YOU ULTRA BLOGGERS ... a bit later this morning, my time (for good reason) ;)

Another Award?! WOW! Woohoo!

I have been awarded yet another award by Usha Menon - my first Liebster Award - thank you Usha! ;) Check out her website for fun and entertaining clips including haiku at eccentricgrandmum (in case this link doesn't work: http://eccentricgrandmum.blogspot.ca/

I wanted to know more about this particular award as it wasn't self-explanatory to me. I discovered this website, http://wordingwell.com/the-liebster-award-the-official-rules-my-first-blog-award-and-a-few-personal-secrets-revealed/ in the process.

The Liebster Award - isn't it pretty? - was created to recognize and/or discover new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere.

According to Lorraine Reguly's reearch of this award, this award exists only on the internet, and is given to bloggers by other bloggers. It has German origins – the word “liebster” has several definitions: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome, sweetheart. and apparently boyfriend(!).

It follows similar principles as a chain letter, in the sense that it should be passed forward to a certain number of people. It can be misconstrued, depending upon your personal views, as either something wonderful (who doesn’t like awards?) or as an annoyance (a chain letter that involves work).

The choice lies within each of us to ACCEPT it, and continue PAYING IT FORWARD or to refuse to accept it, thereby STOPPING or INTERRUPTING the chain. However, if you stop the chain, you are only hurting yourself (keep reading for benefits you will have)!

Personal views play an important part in our choice to participate. Some people have refused to accept it and have made attempts to “break the chain”. There have been many people who have been nominated, yet refused to accept it, and now their blogs have been abandoned.

Variations have been made over time to the 'rules'. Marketing plays a role in accepting this award, as other bloggers are promoted. (This is not a bad thing, however, since people should help others!)

Other awards are a part of the whole meme. These include "One Lovely Blog Award," the "Sunshine Blog Award" (which by the way I was awarded last week by Usha as well), and the "Versatile Writer Award."

1. Post 11 facts about myself'
2. Answer the 11 questions given by you.
3. Tell them that they have been tagged by you.
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11 Facts of Myself
1. Born in Europe and moved to Canada with my family when I was six.
2. Born a premature twin, am a surviving twin.
3. Have two older sisters and two younger brothers.
4. Work for a nonprofit agency full-time.
5. Am an ideas person, sometimes creating inventions in my life.
6. Have an eye for detail, good for editing at my day job and other things...
7. Am great at memorizing faces, voices, and numbers.
8. Especially love trees, mountains, and water from my European heritage.
9. Live in North Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada - north of Vancouver.
10.Used to have a cat as my 'baby.' Pets are family members too! ;)
11.See and collect heart-shaped objects. ;)

11 Questions for My Nominees:
1. Where were you born?
2. What city/town, country do you live in now?
3. What languages do you speak?
4. What is your favourite food?
5. Do you like to cook? If so, what is your specialty, i.e., favourite dish?
6. Do you prefer tea or coffee? If so, what kind?
7. What are your top three to five activities you like/love to do?
8. Do you sing or play an instrument? If so, what kind of music?
9. Have you ever performed in a school play or on stage?
10.When did you start writing?
11.What do you love to write about: favourite topic(s)?

Usha's 11 questions to the recipients of this award, including me:
1. Where were you born? A: The Netherlands also known as Holland for short.
2. Do you like to read? A: No, I don't like to read. I actually LOVE to read and wish I had more time! ;)
3. Which is your favorite book? A: ONLY one?! The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, written by Mark Haddon, a brilliant rollercoaster ride of emotions etc.
4. Do you believe in superstitions? A: No, I am not superstitious.
5. Do you like to have Burgers and Pizzas? A: Yes, if organic and I LOVE pizza!
6. Given a choice, which country you will like to visit? A: ONLY one?! Alaska to experience the pristine wilderness and see the Northern Lights
7. Which season of the year do you like and why? A: I LOVE spring for so many reasons: milder temperatures, longer days, flowers, trees blossoming...
8. Which newspaper do you read? A: I browse through several at work, though I prefer my local community newspaper for news and events.
9. What is the first thing you like to read in the newspaper (i) Politics (ii) movies (iii) Gossip (iv) Fashion A: None of the above! I like to read - I follow - one comic strip and read my horoscope for the day just for fun.
10. How many languages do you know? Name them. A: English fluently, a few words in Dutch, and a bit of Spanish and French.
11. Do you believe in reincarnation? A: Yes, I never did before until I had certain incidents that made me a believer.

The Official Rules Of The Liebster Award

If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND you choose to accept it, write a blog post about Liebster award in which you:

1. thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on yours.
2. display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a 'widget' or a 'gadget.' (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)
3. answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. nominate 5 to 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)
6. create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7. list these rules in your post (You can copy and paste from here.) Once you have written and published it, you then have to:
8. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (as they might not have ever heard of it).
**************************************************************************************
Though I would love to nominate both Vinodini Iyer and Shailaja Vishwanath, I know you two have already received the award and, no offense, I would like to nominate a few people who may not have received it thus far.

I would like to nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

1. Judy Yaron
2. Asiya Fathima
3. Nisha Sanjeev
4. Candess M Campbell
5. Penny McDaniel

Ok, now your turn. Have fun! ;)

Soulful Sunday: Fave Posts - Mine and Yours

Photo I took of smarties (candies): see the heart-shaped one? ;)

It seems that the top favourite post of 'mine' was....drum roll please...

"No, I do NOT Speak Indian!" by my guest blogger and friend, Vinodini Iyer! Woohoo! It's no wonder as her writing is brilliant. With replies from both myself and Vinodini to the people who commented, it added up to a lot of comments. And it seemed a bit heated. It made for an interesting post, just with the responses themselves! ;) So thank you Vinodini Iyer for provoking controversial discussion.

Here is a video entitled, "I M Indian" - thanks to Corinne Rodriges - that perfectly illustrates the point Vinodini was attempting to make in her guest post, though I do suggest you read that as well.

Post by Manisha Chaubal-Menon.

I have met quite a number of other brilliant Indian writers through my blogging challenges. They amaze me with their language and some of the words they use. Their writing is so captivating! I find quite a number of them who have twisted storylines. Please understand that this is a compliment. You all surprise me with your superb writing...yes, that includes some of you male bloggers too: Anmol Rawat, Shashank Tiwari or Shanx, etc. (I don't have your names memorized yet, though actually I have with a number of Indian bloggers which rather amazes me. Must be my chanting in Sanskrit! ;))

The second most favourite post was World Gratitude Day: Part 2 (#MicroblogMonday) inspired by the writing of another blogger, Nabanita Dhar - thanks again dear! The post featured remarks that were uplifting, positive, joyful, and well happy, just like the song! I highly recommend listening to the video at http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/09/world-gratitude-day-part-2.html. ;)

Though the In Honour of National Tree Day post didn't receive as many replies, it did however bring forth rather unusual and intriguing ones. For that in and of itself is worth a read! (http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/09/in-honour-of-national-tree-day.html)

My own writing favourites were World Gratitude Day: Part 2 because I love that song: Read the post! (http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/09/world-gratitude-day-part-2.html) ;) Also, though I loved receiving two awards that I wrote about last Friday, it was fun to figure out what I wanted to write about in terms of 17 points about myself.

And some of my favourite posts that I read this past week:

Shailaja Vishwanath wrote a brilliant piece that I just love as sometimes it can be a challenge to always be happy. It reminded me of a poem I "should" have written when upset about an incident that I experienced this past week. The phrase, "Plastic Voices, Plastic Faces" came to mind and I knew intuitively that that was the title of a poem (the one I should have written)! Maybe I will, later. ;) See http://shailajav.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/unreasonable-amwriting/.

I loved Nabanita Dhar's theory on gratitude which inspired my post early in the week (see above). Check our her blog at http://nabanita-blacknwhite.blogspot.in/2014/09/a-theory-and-some-gratitude.html#.VB-37ldGiQE.

Judy Yaron's posts usually make me laugh. These two are guaranteed to do the same for you: http://www.cutthecrapsolutions.com/#!Actually-I-wanted-to-write-about-SEX-/clxq/B71C3993-506C-40C7-949C-3DE4BAD7127B as well as http://www.cutthecrapsolutions.com/#!I-used-to-be-a-maleperson/clxq/D50DE852-4FDC-4505-8DDD-C1933E83AEF8.

What post would you most favour of mine this past week (other than Vinodini's which we know you all love)? And why? (The feedback is good for me to learn to improve my writing and/or blog!) ;)