Award | But I Smile Anyway...

Encouraging Thunder…. it’s a hat trick +1,no +1 more too! So that makes it 5 times!

22 Jun 2015 24 Comments

by Ritu in Awards Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging

Awarded 22/6/15

Wow! Thank you so much to Miss Cassiopeia for considering me for this prestigious award!

Oh, and absolutely not forgetting…My Blog Sister Erika! I realised I had filed away an email, to do as soon as I could, and it was This wonderful woman, with the same award for me!!!!!!!!

The Encouraging Thunder Award is an award for people who have mastered their purpose, it is also a powerful protection to other bloggers and other social media users.

What you can do with Encouraging Thunder award?

Post it on your blog or social media account
Grant others with the award

What you can’t do with Encouraging Thunder award?

Abuse or misuse the logo
Claim that it’s your own handmade logo

What you should do after receiving Encouraging Thunder award:

Enjoy the award
At least gives thanks via comments and likes and or mentioning the person who give the award.
Mention your purpose in blogging or joining the social media

I have used my first response to this award, as my purpose hasn’t changed !

My Purpose In Blogging
What is my purpose in blogging?
Well, I love words, for a start. Reading them, writing them, and learning about them. It was an ambition for me to write a book … Any book. I started a novel, I’ve written some poetry based children’s stories… But it hasn’t gone any further, and in my life, there was not much place for my literary dreams to go anywhere.
Then I discovered blogging, quite by accident!
A friend started a blog to air some issues in her past, and clear her mind, and in order for me to comment, it tempted me to sign in, or sign up…. And so I did!
All of a sudden this blog was born. What I wanted it for I had no idea!
Slowly, I wrote different things, from my life, to creative, to opinions, humour, and not forgetting Sonu Singh!
The encouragement I received over the last 6 months, from the blogs above, and so many others, made my pen (read fingers!) flow, and so But I Smile Any way was born.
My blog has allowed me to reminisce, make you laugh, think, go ‘Awww!’ and given me the opportunity to meet and build relationships with fellow blog-pals around the world!
I thank you all for giving me the inspiration to continue to write, and maybe that lifelong dream of mine, to be published… Might even come true too!

And I’d like to pass it on to…

The Book Blogger
A Momma’s View
KelsBelz Photography
Blog Of A Mad Black Woman

Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart to my two wonderful nominators, I am touched! 🙂

As always please don’t feel obliged to accept, but if you do, I’d love to read your response!

CBA On A Friday! (Though It’s Saturday now!)

20 Jun 2015 16 Comments

by Ritu in Awards Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Creative Blogger Award, grateful

Friday marks the end of my placement week, and I’ve come home to another award nomination from my wonderful blog-pal Erika Kind! She has nominated me for The Creative Blogger Award this time!
Woe! Thank you so much Erika, I always appreciate being thought of for these awards, and from an amazing blogger like you, well, it’s even more special!

Here are the Rules:

* Display the Creative Blogger Award logo on your blog
* Nominate blogs and notify all nominees via their social media/blogs
* Thank and post the link of the blog that nominated you (very important)
* Share 5 random facts about yourself to your readers
* Pass these rules on to them

Five facts about me…

I am just slightly obsessed with Magnum ice creams… in fact I’m eating one now!!!
I have a thing about hats… nearly every year I buy one or two summer hats, and in the winter, various woolly hats, but I never wear them! They are sat above my wardrobe, looking at me, waiting for me to decide when would be a good time to wear them!
I love board games!!!! Scrabble, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuits… love a family board game night!!!
I am a hoarder… I cannot throw things away! I have pile and piles of stuff.. that is ‘too useful’ to get rid of! but then you know what, I know I should bin it, and that I probably will never need it, but its Sod’s Law…. when I DO get round to making myself separate myself from my beloved junk… I end up needing that very thing, within a week!
I am terrible at investing in fitness gear… only to see it collecting dust, or becoming a clothes horse within a few weeks!! I have various machines and things, and they are all great! But not great when I don’t actually use them!

And my nominees are….

1951 Club
10 Years A Single Mom
A Momma’s View
Ankit Mishra
Emotional Luggage

As always, please don’t feel obliged to accept, but if you d,. please let me know, I love to read your new facts!

Sisterhood!

09 Jun 2015 41 Comments

by Ritu in Awards Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, grateful, Sisterhood

Oh goodness me! It’s happened again!

Thank you to Sweetness Bear Blog, and the lovely Hannah Rose, for including me in her nominations for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!

There are four rules:
1) Say “Thank You” to the person who nominated you & link their blog to your post.

2) Answer the 10 questions given to you. I was given 7

3) Pass the award on to other bloggers and let them know they have been nominated.

4) Include the Award Badge in your post

So the Thank you has been done, but I thank you again Hannah!!
You didn’t set any questions!, so I’ll answer the ones you were set!
The badge is up there!
Now for my answers!

1.Is there any kind of a doctor you don’t mind going to?
I’d rather not see any doctor’s to be honest, unless they are my friend, and I am seeing them socially!

2.If you were to recommend a good book for one of your parents to read what would it be?
For my mum, anything by Indu Sundaresan, as she would enjoy the historical stories set in Mughal India.

3.What are your honest thoughts on A Song of Ice and Fire, aka Game of Thrones?
I haven’t had the time or inclination to watch it!

4.What game is your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate!

5.Do you read gossip blogs?
Not religiously

6.What’s the one place in the world you’d like to visit, truly if you had a chance? Even if you’ve been there already?
The Bahamas!

7.Who is your inner nerd?
I think I am generally a nerd.. so inner/outer, it’s all the same!

My Nominations
Idiot Writer
No Plain Janie
Sophie Speaks Up
Sunset Dragon
A Muslin Latina
A Life In Libraries

My questions to you…

1. What do you like best about blogging?

2. If you could visit any place in the world, where would that place be and why?

3. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

4. List 3 things that you are proud of doing / having done.

5. What was your favourite subject at school, and why did it appeal so much?

6. Is there any particular environmental issue that causes you concern?

7. What is your favourite childhood memory?

8. Who is your favourite character in a novel or film and why do you like them so much?

9. What is your greatest ambition in life?

10. What is the biggest compliment you have ever had?

As always, please don’t feel obliged to take part, but if you do, please let me know!

Dragon’s Loyalty Award

09 Jun 2015 53 Comments

by Ritu in Awards Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Dragons Loyalty, Thankful

I woe to another lovely surprise this morning!!! Amaya from Life Of an El Paso Woman nominated me for another award I haven’t heard of! Wow!! Thank you so much Amaya! I am so great full, and honoured!!!
Rules of the Dragon’s Loyalty Award

Accept award with thanks.
Give your readers 5 facts about you.
Nominate other bloggers and let them know.

My 5 Facts

I love reading, but I actually can’t read on a train or in a car, as I get headaches and sickness!
I passed my driving test on the 5th time!
I have a car boot full of reusable shopping bags, yet I always forget to take them into the shops!
I can’t wait for the Minion film to come out!
I love to eat chocolate that is cold, hard, and straight from the freezer!

My Nominations

I’m not sure what this award is usually awarded for, but I am going to award it to some of my readers who are always there, commenting and conversing with me, regularly. There are many of you, and I wish I had the time to nominate all of you, but for now I will nominate 5!

Erika Kind
Fourth Generation Farm Girl
The V-Pub
Waffle Me This
Edwina’s Episodes

As always, please don’t feel obliged to accept this award, but if you do, please let me know! ☺️

Starlight Express!

06 Jun 2015 40 Comments

by Ritu in Awards Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Starlight Blogger, Thankful

I really am truly speechless…!
This is a new award, and I have been nominated on the second round by the lovely Erika for this one!

The background of this award: It is an “…Award to honour those individuals who are considered “The light emanating from the stars“ the bloggers that brings daily light into your soul with their creativity the blogs you love to read, listen and visit!”

Wow! Seriously… Wow! Thank you Erika for even considering me! I am touched!!! Beyond touched even!

Nominations Rules:
Nominate your 6 favourite bloggers!

In your nominees I would like for you to think at the light emanating from the stars the ones that truly touch your soul with their work, the ones that are the light for you a true STARLIGHT Blogger.

Rules for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award:
Thank the giver and link their Blog to your post.
Answer the 3 questions given to you.
Please Pass the award on to 6 or more other Bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated by you, and give them 3 questions to answer.
Include the logo of the award in a post or on your Blog please never alter the logo and never change the rules.

Please don’t delete this note: the design for the STARLIGHT Bloggers Award has been created from YesterdayAfter is a Copyright image you cannot alter or change it in any way just pass it to others that deserve this award.

Who has been the starlight in your life?

At every stage of my life, the starlight has come from my family. at first, my parents, and brother, and since meeting him, my Hubby Dearest, and my children have been the lights in my life. Without them, I feel darkness, and feel thankful everyday that I have them all in my life!

What is your biggest dream and how are you working on its realization?

This is actually a really hard one, I don’t have any BIG dreams as such, I am so happy with what God has given me… but Hey, I would love to finally finish my children’s book, and my Chic (Pea Curry) Lit book, and actually do something with it! Its just a time factor. My other dream was to work with children, and that has already been realised.. Now its just to get the recognition for doing the work that I do, and hopefully doing it well!

What do you want to leave here on earth?

I hope that, if nothing else, people remember my message, which, if you red my blog regularly, will know is to stay positive, and smile! There is hardly anything in this world that can’t be made to seem at least a little bit better, with an upwards turn of your mouth! And if you think positively, find that silver lining, you will always feel happy!

My nominees!

This was actually really hard, there are certain blogs, already nominated, who I would have chosen, hands down, and many more besides these 6… but I did my best!

The Ninth Life – Inspiring posts that I never miss!
Edwina’s Episodes – a likeminded lady with a great blog, full of poems and recollections, beautifully written!
Cats At The Bar – Tom was one of my first major supporters, and I love visiting his blog.. all those gorgeous kitties!
Encouraging Life – Raymundo and me! We clicked over lego and pirates lol!
Waffle Me This – Rich and me have built up a blog friendship, and he is a staunch supporter of mine, and I enjoy his posts very much too!
The Champa Tree – such a beautifully written parenting blog, with lots of personal touches from Vaishali!

3 Questions for my Nominees

Tell me the inspiration for your writing, your blogging. Who or what moves you?
Where would you ideally like to be, to view the stars? ( I love looking out at the night sky, watching the twinkling start…!)
What would you like your biggest life achievement to be?

And as I always state, please do not feel obliged to accept the award, but if you do , let me know, I love to read your posts!