Versatile Blogger Award

I am fully aware that yesterday I promised this post would be about puppies, and that none of the above (and most of the following) in any way refers to a small bundle of fluffy puppy cuteness… But I woke up this morning to find the wonderful, amazing, genuinely lovely human behind the blog Marushka’s Place (which you should totally check out) had nominated me for the versatile blogger award. Not going to lie, it made my day a little bit (my future flatmate from university is coming to stay with us for a couple of days and arriving tonight, which will also make my day!). Anyway, there are rules to be followed, so here are seven facts about myself:

1. I’m awesome… JOKING! I have ridiculously low self esteem, and have recently (as in, over the last two days) decided to start trying to view myself as equal to everybody else instead of far below them. Thinking of myself at all is very difficult to sustain for more than a passing moment. Self hatred seems to be my best friend, and things like being nominated for this award shut it out for a little bit… Actually, they cast it out into the stratosphere (so thanks!)
2. I’m good at defying odds, and achieving things that people tell me I can’t because of my health. Never tell me I can’t do something, because I will make it my mission to prove you wrong! (Unless it’s stupid… most of the time I don’t do stupid things)
3. ‘Trying To Get A Life’ is my fifth, and most successful blog. I first tried blogging when I was 13 or 14… I didn’t really know what I wanted to write about so a couple of blogs were born and died… During my teenaged years I was in and out of hospital, and eventually I ended up in hospital on 24/7 IV medication infusions to keep me alive for over 2 years, and blogging then was the only thing that got me through being separated from the outside world. When I left the hospital, none of my old life remained, and blogging was again a great help to me as I tried to find my feet. I hit a run of awful health (it never really improved) and depression and PTSD (funnily enough to do with hospitals) alongside it… And in an effort to avoid voluntarily running away with the grim reaper, I started this blog. (It has. So totally. Saved my butt). I also hate every post I ever write and think it’s awful (why are you reading this?!)
4. I love the outdoors. Particularly woods (luckily there’s one behind my house) and rivers – whenever life is going wrong I seem to run to the River Thames and wander along its banks through central London for hours… In the middle of the night… In the freezing cold. (I go to university in London). I’ve always loved to be outside doing things, and can’t wait to be able to walk my dog again (or walk any sort of normal distance at all, actually)
5. Sport, art, reading, writing. These are the four things my universe used to revolve around (but mainly sport). I competed in many sports at a decent level before my health slipped up, and at the age of 13 loved nothing more than to get in from school and run 3km with my dog every day. I accidentally won most races I entered in sailing (seriously I have no idea how, everyone else had to think about it and I just got in the boat to have fun). I used to belong to a swim team and train regularly throughout the week. I loved to go mountain biking through the countryside around where I live. I played football/ soccer (if you’re american) for a local girl’s team and turned down opportunities to progress with trials for bigger teams because again, it was just for fun. I didn’t know how to live without sport (I still don’t if I’m honest) it was, for a long time, my way of dealing with the bullying I experienced all the way through secondary school.
6. People used to pay me for my drawings until, at the age of 17-18, a surgery messed up the nerve in my right hand (I’m right handed) and I couldn’t even hold a pen. Then, a couple of months ago, a doctor made the mistake of telling me there was nothing that could be done to help me draw again. So… being my stubborn self, and in desperate need of something to feel ok at, I bought a load of sketching stuff, and trained my left hand to draw as well as my right used to.
7. I plan to have THE MOST AMAZING summer possible. It may, or may not, involve me getting a Labrador puppy which I hope will one day be trained and certified as a medical alert dog (more about that in the post I was actually planning for today)

Here are my nominations:

Me, Christ and Chronic Disease – another lovely human being -you HAVE to read about her service dog Riley! (So. Many. Puppy pictures!) and a very well written blog too!

Broken Down Body – life with a defective body isn’t always easy, this blog follows the ups and downs and day to day shenanigans of having chronic health issues. And I mean seriously, I often just want to hug this person.

Bailey Boat Cat – I am a dog person, but I LOVE this cat. For starters, Bailey is ADORABLE, and often the posts are the lighthearted break I need when I’m in hospital or whatever. Also, until recently, Bailey and co. lived on a boat, and sailing used to be a huge part of my life (never happier than when I was in a boat!). PLUS, this week Bailey is getting a baby sister that’s a PUPPY! I mean, it couldn’t get any better than this to be fair. I genuinely look forward to these posts.

Two Rooms Plus Utilities – This person just inspires me. Seriously. I can’t think of words to say any more. Proof that not all heroines wear capes.

Depression Comix – Never has a person made me shout “YES!” at my computer screen so many times. A series of comic strips showing day-to-day life with depression in an amazingly accurate way that even people who’ve never experienced it (do such people even exist?) can understand. So much love for these comics!

The Chronie Grace – Probably deserves an award for ‘services to ill people’. An AMAZING human who fills her posts with helpful advice and real emotional responses to life with a chronic illness. Visit this blog. Be inspired. Seriously just do it.

What Have I Done? – I laugh out loud at most of these posts. Out LOUD. Brilliantly written!

Have I Told You About The Time? – A truly inspirational mother, to a BEYOND inspirational daughter. I’m at this stage convinced this entire family is just amazing. I am blown away by their courage, resilience, and the fact that a twelve year old girl can face things that would break men many times her age, and still wear the BIGGEST, SWEETEST SMILE. I’m so glad their sister/ aunt told me this blog was a thing.

Writerlust – A fellow type 1 diabetic who has a brilliant way with words. I first stumbled across this blog a few months ago and fell in love with the writing style and the way she just ‘gets it’. A breath of fresh air in blog form!

Somnium Lucem – Poetry for the broken. I love poetry; I love real, honestly written things. The human behind this blog is excellent at ticking both of these boxes very well (does that even make sense? you get the point)

MyShadowWeighsATonne – Love reading this blog. Just. Love it.

opiaexplored – I first discovered this blog when I read a post about losing your grip on the leash of sanity… My literary brain fell in love with it, and then my chronically ill brain did too.

Sickly Stardust – Any blogger that starts even one post with “Dear clusters of stardust that have formed the awesome people reading this” is obviously awesome.

What They Don’t Tell You – Yes this is another blog about being chronically ill, but as I’m chronically ill, I love finding other human beings who not only understand what I’m going through, but put it into words in ways I couldn’t have (and in ways that even make me laugh from time to time). Often light hearted, always very well written, and a pleasure to read!

You Can Only Fight So Hard… – Dealing with a crappy situation and trying to juggle university at the same time really hit home with me as I’ve pretty much been doing this for an entire year. Reading the things this person keeps moving through gave me confidence that I might just be alright. Honest, well written… Yeah.

There was a time where my 15 most frequently read blogs (it was the only way I could pick just 15) looked very different… But I like to read blogs by people who inspire me, by people who understand… Because it makes me feel less alone and that’s the entire reason I started this blog in the first place. I think.

If you click just one of the above links, I’m sure you’ll agree that humans are awesome (or that cats are pawesome, in the case of Bailey), especially the ones that blog!