The Sunshine Award

It's time to pull the curtain aside and reveal a little more about the woman behind the blog. I'm sure all of you picture me as an omniscient, glamorous, jet-setting, housewife of mystery... or not. Ahem... If you've been reading my blog, you probably know a little about me. I have a family, I'm from Texas, and I'm living in Malaysia. I love to travel.

Thanks to Brittany Ruth over at The Rococo Roamer, you'll learn a little more about me. Brittany tagged me for The Sunshine Award for bloggers who "positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere."

The Rules

Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.

Share 11 random facts about yourself.

Answer 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.

List bloggers.

Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate and let them know they have been nominated. 

11 Random Facts

1. Because of my mother-in-law, Christmas doesn't seem right if the vinegary smell of German Red Cabbage cooking on the stove does not permeate the air.
2. In high school, I was an extra in the movie A Tiger's Tale starring C. Thomas Howell, Ann Margaret, and Kelli Preston. You can clearly see me for about 3 seconds.
3. No, I cannot speak Chinese, even if I look like I should.
4. I like my chocolate with a cocoa content of about 65% and have a ridiculous assortment in my fridge at any point in time.
5. One of my favorite quotes: "For me, parenting is like dieting. Every day, I wake up filled with resolve and good intentions, perfection in view, and every day, I somehow stray from the path. The difference is with dieting, I usually make it to lunch..." by Marion Winik in The Lunchbox Chronicles.
6. I've always been a bookworm. My first memory of reading was when I figured out that "r" + "ice" is "rice". Is it a coincidence that my mom served rice at every meal and that I attended Rice University years later?
7. I rode a bicycle-built-for-two for the first time last week.
8. I've been married for almost half my life.
9. My list of what I want to be when I grow up is longer than when I was a child.
10. My sister passed away after a 19-month battle with brain cancer. She was 17, and I was 19. I still miss her but am grateful for the few months she was in remission.
11. The lessons I most want to pass on to my children are "Be kind," "Be thankful," and "Remain hopeful."
     

11 Questions Asked of Me

1. What is the first concert you ever attended?
I vaguely recall going to an Air Supply concert at Six Flags Astroworld because it was free, and I was already there that day. Then, there was that Tony Orlando and Dawn dinner show in Las Vegas when I was a kid. I remember the Wedge Salad more than the performance.

My first "real" concert where I actively wanted to go was ZZ Top's Eliminator Tour at the Houston Astrodome with Joan Jett as the opening act. My friend lived next door to Frank Beard (the drummer and the only one in the trio who does NOT have a beard), and he had offered her parents free tickets.  I remember wearing a headband around my forehead and leg warmers. We stopped by his room at the old Shamrock Hotel to pick up the tickets for floor seats, and my hearing has never been the same since.

 2. Do you have a pet?  What is it? No pets. Three crazy kids is all I can handle. Before we became parents, I gave hubby a Tamagotchi virtual pet and told him that we could discuss having kids if he managed to keep it alive.  

 3. Name a mini goal of yours and a long term goal that you have or will be working on.

Mini goal: Learn how to bake bread with a good, crisp crust like the kind you get at a French boulangerie.

Long term goal: Keeping my marriage as happy as it is now and has been over the last 2 decades. I want to be that cute, little, old Asian lady next to the tall, white-haired, elderly man, holding hands on the park bench. Our first dance at our wedding was The Beatles' "When I'm Sixty-Four." We're still headed in that direction.

 4. Coolest place you've ever traveled to?

Last week's trip to Tibet. TIBET!!

 5. If you had no limits, what would be your dream job?

Baker and cake decorator. I enjoy it but take so stinking long to make a cake that I'd have to charge hundreds of dollars to make it worth my time. In Texas, I baked cookies for the Mobile Loaves and Fishes organization which feeds homeless people so that I could use my powers for good instead of evil.

 6. What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend?

• Not a zombie. I like my brains just where they are.
• Does not judge me for my love of cupcakes and all things sugar-related.
• Likes my family. We are a package deal.

7. What are you obsessed with right now?
As always, chocolate.

 8. If you could learn to play a new instrument, speak a new language, or instantly fix one of your flaws, what would you choose?

To quote Jerry Seinfeld: "I never get enough sleep. I stay up late at night, cause I’m Night Guy. Night Guy wants to stay up late. ‘What about getting up after five hours sleep?’, oh that’s Morning Guy’s problem. That’s not my problem, I’m Night Guy. I stay up as late as I want. So you get up in the morning, you’re exhausted, groggy… oooh I hate that Night Guy! See, Night Guy always screws Morning Guy. There’s nothing Morning Guy can do."

I'd instantly make Night Michele give a hoot about Morning Michele.

 9. What is something you regret that you wish you could change, or do you live your life with no regrets?

I wished I didn't study so hard in high school and had more fun.

 10. What is a new hobby you've been wanting to try out?

Stand up Paddleboard. I tried it in Hawaii and loved it. We thought about getting one for Penang since we live on the beach but did not think that it would fit in the elevator.

 11. What is something readers don't know about you?

I once played basketball while riding a donkey.

 

11 Questions for my Nominees

1. What are you obsessed with right now?
2. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
3. Have you ever been camping? Did you like it? Does that count as 2 questions? Three?
4. What souvenir did you buy on your last trip?
5. What was the last sporting event that you watched?
6. What do you think of when you hear the world "Malaysia" (except for this blog)?
7. What is your dream trip destination?
8. If you were not allowed to work and had sufficient money, what would you do with yourself?
9. If you absolutely had to work but had no limits, what is your dream job?
10. What's the last new thing you tried?
11. Would you rather read a book or watch TV?

My Nominees

Here are my nominees for those who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere. Play along if you have time and the inclination.

• The Chronicles of Ellie Bellie Bear
• More Kids than Suitcases
• Rebecca, Who Always Spoke Loudly
• Wild Tales of... 
• Penang Momma