Liebster Awards!

The Liebster Award is awarded to bloggers, by other bloggers with the intention of connecting the community and bringing new visitors to blogs with fewer followers OR to a blog you love!

I was so honored to be nominated by my dear friend Maria, over at A Hip Story, and while it has taken me days, and multiple sporadic efforts to finish this, I really was honored to participate!  I love love love, answering questions, and this is such a great way to spread awareness about some awesome bloggers!

These are the questions that Maria gave me:

1.     Why did you start blogging?

I have been writing about my life for as long as I can remember.  When I was younger I had multiple diaries (usually with cats on them), the kind that had the tiny lock and key, and I would write faithfully every night.  Over the years those evolved into LiveJournal, Geocitiies, Angelfire, and whatever platform I could get my hands on.  My life has been a series of adventures and often the only way I felt I could process it was to write. Even when I wasn’t writing, I would narrate my life in my head like a character in a novel, so it only made sense to put it on paper.  

Now that my career has evolved, I realize I have developed a sort of following and people might actually be listening.  My journey has become that of a generation, and while that sounds like a big obligation, I am fortunate to be in a unique position to be transparent about a lot of things that don’t get talked about.  Most of all I hope to represent that healthcare, and chronic illness does not HAVE to be your life.  Life happens, and you do what you need to do to along the way

2. What's your favorite vacation spot?

There are so many places I still have yet to go, but I think I have 2.  Vegas, and Cape Cod!  Both remind me of times when I was able to put everything away, unplug and just breathe, and live life!  Cape Cod represents summer happiness with my family, and Vegas was the common meeting ground for Owen and I when we were long distance.  

There is nothing like the surge of energy that hits when you land on the strip and the possibilities of adventure open up, with no obligation to anyone! The other great thing about Vegas, is the accessibility.  I always say its like Disney for grown ups.  I think Vegas was the first place that Owen and I really got comfortable travelling independently.  We are able to go anywhere and do anything without needing to worry about transportation or involving other people.  It’s just liberating… and you can do it all with a drink in your hand. Bonus points!!!

3. If you could have dinner with any one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Dr. Jen Arnold and Bill Klein of the Little Couple.  I have been obsessed with many “reality” shows in my life, but these 2 are the real deal.  They are hilarious, determined, hard working, and they remind me SO MUCH of Owen and I.  I actually have been in touch with Jen as I know people who work at the same hospital as she does.  I hope some day we can all meet because I think they are incredible and I have so much respect for the way they live their lives, and how they portray all of the issues they deal with on a daily basis.  I also would like to find out how to achieve a level of success where I can have a custom fitted home and Lexus… without going to med school….

4.     Who or what inspires you?

TRAVEL.  Seriously.  I think, and brainstorm, and ask myself, what makes me feel alive, what makes me happy, and want to move mountains, and it is that feeling of being above the clouds, headed to a destination where adventures will unfold.  When I think about what I want in life, and what success means to me, it is having the ability to take at least one trip annually; with NO work obligation to just experience new places and build awareness about accessibility in recreational activities.  Maybe some day there will be a fully wheelchair accessible luxury spa line. Who knows.  When I travel, I feel like I can do or be anything.

 

5.     If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?

Emma Stone!  A few years ago, I probably would have said LiLo, but she clearly has other things going on right now.  Emma is smart, funny, super talented, and looks killer as a blonde or red head!

6.     What is your favorite childhood memory?

Oh gosh!  I have so many, and the funny thing is, as much trauma and rough times as I went through medically as a child, it is not what stands out to me when I think back on my childhood.  That being said, I have a couple.  The first one, of course, was when my sister was born.  Duh.  From the time I was old enough to know that people could be added to the world, I was requesting a sister (or a brother… but really- who was I kidding).  When I was 8 years old, my parents answered my request, and Maisy joined our family.  I remember I was supposed to spend the day with my nana, we were going to go see Snow White, and I was getting my hair done.  When nana woke me up to tell me my mom had had the baby, my only concern was if our plans were still on!  The day went on as planned, and then AFTER I got my hair done, we went to visit my new sister. Priorities.  Now that baby sister is going to be 21 years old and is my other half.  Even though we are 8 years apart, I believe we are a special kind of twins that just complete each other.

The other thing I remember fondly is just how much FUN I had as a kid. My mom let me have (and helped me plan) the most kick ass sleepovers ever, and my house, or the Nana’s pool was where all the celebrating happened, and people just automatically ended up.  Recently in one of my classes, we watched a video about “including,” people with disabilities, and it said, “let them have, and go to sleepovers,” and I realized what a HUGE role that played in my life.  But honestly now… I did not just have sleepovers, I had spa parties, and tea parties, and black light disco parties, and candlelight pool parties.  And thank god.  Thanks mom, for helping me be one of the cool kids in school ;) 

7.     Have you ever had a moment of divine intervention? (or fate, sheer dumb luck, whatever you want to call it)

 Basically my whole life is a series of me looking up at the sky, going "really universe?"  Songs will play at just the right time, like TV producers are going to pop out of nowhere, people come back into my life when they are supposed to, and things just work out.  I believe I have an incredible team of guardian angels making sure that everything goes according to plan, even when I'm not sure it's going to be ok.  It's fun sometimes, but I never assume. :)

8. Which person in your life makes you laugh the most?

Total Tie.  Ms. Maisy Cyr, and Mr. Owen Erquiaga.  One of the biggest reasons I fell in love with Owen was that he could make me laugh like nobody ever had.  In most of my social encounters, I am the funny one.  And sometimes it gets boring.  But Owen comes out with one-liners that are the kind of funny that I will think about days later and just randomly start laughing again.  3 Years have passed and he still has me laughing, every day.

And Maisy.  We don’t even need words, and we will just share a look and burst out laughing from something that happened 5 years ago.  People don’t understand us and we don’t need them to. We get it.

9. What's your favorite book? And because this is hard, you aren't limited to just one. Or just 5. :)

Ok, so this is super embarrassing as a creative writing major, because I should have an extensive resume of classic literature that inspires me right? Well I don’t.  First of all, my entire life, when I’ve had time to read I’ve been reading for school 2^nd of all, when I read for recreation it is just that- RECREATION. Currently I tend to alternate between professional development books and total mindless chick lit.  And I have no shame. 

A top few that do stand out to me are:

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  A somewhat honest, relatable tail of friendship and growing up.

• Hunger Games trilogy.  Just UGH.  I hadn’t read a book so quickly as I did these.  And being in policy and government… ugh, just … too close to home.  I have a thesis planned in m y head in which I compare growing up in the health care system to hunger games. Stay tuned.

• If You Have to Cry Go Outside (and other things your mother never told you) Kelly Cutrone == bad ass, power woman, hero.  Grow a spine and read it.  All you blonde public health interns, come talk to me when you’re done.

• A Place of Yes.  Bethenny Frankel is another one of my idols, and this book is the style in which I hope to write my own memoir one day. It just fits the way I think.

•  A Fault in Our Stars.  This is what every Nicholas Sparks "cancer book," is trying to be.  Grab some tissues and get ready to get real. 

10. You can have three wishes granted from a magical genie. What are they?

• A fully adapted house, somewhere warm.
• The resources to travel and see family when we want to (not unlimited money I’d be ok working, etc, but being able to do this at will)
• An awesome private driver and my beck and call.

The end. And with that, I nominate two of my favorite power women bloggers- Allison of “She’s aHoot,” and Heather from “Team Aiden.”  They remind me to keep writing no matter what is going on, and that things are always better when you can laugh about them, and maybe, just maybe, I’m not crazy.

Or if I am, I’m in amazing company!

My questions for them:

1.  Why did you start blogging?

2. What is the one biggest thing you have learned from your kids?

3. If you could recommend ONE book to all young women growing up today- what would it be?

4.  Favorite meal ever?

5. If you could be on any talk show, or reality show, what would it be?

6. Dream vacation!

7. If you were a fruit or vegetable, what would you be?

Good luck ladies!  :)

Thanks for reading.

xoxo