Sarah | On The Way To The Barre

Gratitude and Mystery Blogger Award

Gratitude and Mystery Blogger Award

Last week I met a friend for lunch. Best friends at three and four years old, we were separated when her family moved to Australia when she was eight, and most of our lives we’ve lived oceans apart. We hadn’t seen each other in 23 years. She drove south an hour, and I took the train north an hour and we met in the middle. Catching up was a treasured and welcome gift.

This weekend in a cafe I chanced to overhear a conversation – someone going through a similar situation to mine, and this stranger and I shared a sudden deep intimacy that carried me through another day.

Last night I met a dear, wonderful friend I haven’t seen in ages for a rare night out to catch up. She inspired me, telling me about her aerial hoop training and upcoming competition. Very impressive. On the train platform, a random comment of mine to a stranger turned into a lovely conversation with a fellow actor who told me about her upcoming production. I am so grateful for all of the support from friends, family, and even strangers.

Speaking of gratitude, I was recently thrilled to receive 100 WordPress followers! Thank you for reading my blog, liking my posts, and for every comment and follow. I’m immensely grateful for this lovely blogging community who have encouraged me so much. Thank you for welcoming me, and for being here. I am grateful to each one of you.

Several weeks ago, I was honored to have been nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award! I’m embarrassed it’s taken me this long to post about it. I was nominated by a fellow dance blogger, Lifelong Dance Student. She writes about her pursuits of dance, and inspires me to take tap lessons again. Thank you so much for nominating me, I am so very grateful!

The Mystery Blogger Award was created by Okoto Enigma with the idea of highlighting unknown blogs: https://www.okotoenigmasblog.com/my-greatest-creation-yet/

Here are the rules:

  1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
  2. List the rules
  3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog
  4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
  5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
  6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
  7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
  8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
  9. Share a link to your best post(s)

Three things about myself:

  1. I laugh a lot and I love making others laugh. If you take my ballet class, you will surely have experienced a terrible joke or too. Someone once said you learn more if you are laughing at the same time. I think they may be right so I do what I can.
  2. My humor is quite dry with a subtle flavor of grapefruit and cherries.
  3. I am not a vegetarian but I avoid gluten and dairy. Please do not give me cheese. Cheesiness on the other hand, is okay – in small doses.

Your Questions Answered:

Q1. What made you start blogging?

I teach a one hour ballet class and couldn’t impart all I had to say and still have time for dance. I did not want to be one of those teachers who talk all the time while dancers are standing around getting cold. Also I noticed a pattern in my dancers – that a lot of success in ballet is mindset – more than physical ability.  I wanted to talk about the psychological aspects of ballet which are just as important as the physical. The more I write about these things, I realize that they apply not just to dancers but to all artists, maybe to everyone.

Q2. What would you most like to achieve in 2018?

I’d love to acheive world peace through dance. If somehow through dance people could feel accepted and welcomed and I could bring communities together across the globe – like how the Olympics brought everyone together – but with fewer spectators and more participants. If I could get the whole world dancing joyfully together – how cool would that be? Maybe I’d even win the Nobel Peace Prize, and then I might feel somewhat accomplished this year.

Q3. What is your favourite song, like ever?

The word ‘favorite’ is agonizing. If I pick a favorite of all time, what about times something else was my favorite? Will picking one song make the other songs feel bad? I change so quickly, I might have a favorite song in one moment but the next moment I get sick of that song and prefer a different song. In my world it is okay to have lots and lots of favorites. So in this moment, the song that is speaking to me is Fur Elise. My mother always played it on the piano for us at bedtime. Today, that is my favorite.

Q4. What is your favourite dance step or move?

Oh god, favorites are tricky, but I love waltzes, and anything with a turn. Generally my favorite thing to do in ballet class is petit allegro. I love figuring out the fast jumps and I feel great when I nail it. Plus I love beats.

Q5 Which animal would be your Harry Potter Patronus?

When I was growing up I had an orange and white cat who followed me around the house and even the neighborhood. When his white fur got dirty from digging in the garden, he’d patiently let me give him a bath in the bathtub. He came running when I whistled for him, and I taught him how to open the kitchen door so he could let himself out. He slept with me every night and if he had to go outside, he could wake me from a sound sleep just by silently staring at me. He’d be a great Patronus.

My Nominees:

I put them in alphabetical order so as not to play favorites.

Five questions for those accepting my nomination:

  1. What prompted you to start blogging?
  2. What inspires you – how do you come up with posts?
  3. Do you have authors you love or books you recommend?
  4. What music do you like – what artists do you recommend?
  5. Tell me a joke?

32 comments

  3. Many thanks indeed for your nomination, Sarah. Here are the answers to the questions you asked the nominees.
    I am also sorry to hear about you going through a difficult time, and hope that things get better for you soon.

    1) I retired from work in 2012, and a friend suggested that I start a blog, to keep my mind active. I had no idea at the time that blogging would become such a huge part of my life.
    2) I have written a lot of posts about having a dog, and what we get up to on our walks. I have also written about my past work as an EMT, my life in general, and all three marriages. As well as posting photos, I also write fictional short stories, which are my personal passion. Film reviews and music nostalgia also take up a big part of my blog.
    3) I am always passionate about Charles Dickens. few writers manage to convey personality and character in the way he did. I would also recommend Mikhail Sholokhov, a Russia writer. His major works, ‘And Quiet Flows The Don’, and ‘The Don Flows Home To The Sea’, are huge in scope, and won the author the Nobel prize.
    4) My musical tastes are too varied to be specific. But I would always recommend Amy Winehouse, The Style Council, Billie Holiday, Adele, Paul Weller, Julie London, Dusty Springfield, Elvis Costello, and Van Morrison.
    5) Ouch! Jokes are not my thing, as I never remember them properly. I like silly ones though. “What’s brown and sticky?” (A stick) Things like that…

    Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. Congrats on a 100 followers. Thanks for ypu beautiful nomination.

    Life situation dont stay with us forever, they do eventually pass. I hope all will be normal soon

    I will respond to the questions they seem fun.

    1) i started to blog when some of my random sharing on facebook was liked by family. I was not working and my mum was not well, it was something to do.
    2. My want to improve myself.
    3. No real favourite author. I like self help books or books that a story that inspires mr motivates me to becone better, like the alchemist.
    4).. i like bollywood music, motown
    5) ooh i am a bit out of jokes..

    Thanks for you kind nomination.

    Regards bella

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  9. Sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time, hope that things get easier for you soon. I love that despite the challenges you are facing, you are keeping your eyes and heart wide-open and embracing the beauty around you – speaks volumes about the type of person you are! Congratulations on being nominated, very well-deserved indeed!

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      • Aww, it truly warmed my heart to hear that I have been in your thoughts. Thank you, Sarah. Like you, things have been a bit messy, and I am doing what I can to keep my head above water. Keeping the faith, though. Forgive me, even though I may be absent from the blog-world at times, I am supporting you and wishing you happiness and feel blessed to know that our paths have crossed! Big hug and lots of love to you! xo

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      • Lots of love to you as well. I have fantasies of a blog party where we all — all the bloggers here — get to meet and eat and talk! Thank you for your support and hope our actual paths get to actually cross one day in real life. I hope things improve or that at least some peace can be found in the sea or in the sky. All my best, Sarah

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      • Oh, wouldn’t that be an amazing party?? Some incredible souls exist in this blogging world, and if we had a chance to get together…well, that would be incredible! New York City is my favourite place in the world ​so I will be there again one day soon. And when I am, I will certainly let you know!! Hope that you find some beauty that warms your heart this weekend. xo

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  10. Sarah, I am sorry for coming to this post late. I have been away for a few days. I know that this is an incredibly painful time for you and I am glad to hear that the universe is giving you even small moments of support and respite from the grief. I admire your courage and your beauty and the way you see life around you. You know that I am here for you if you need an ear, and I am sending so much love and healing your way.

    I am trying to keep my blog awards free, but I am incredibly grateful that you included me in your list of blogs. You are, as ever, kind and so very generous. It was great to learn a bit more about you through your answers and the questions you chose to ask. Thank you! My heart is with you.

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  11. How wonderful about reconnecting with your childhood friend, Sarah! I once went through a cashier at a drugstore (this was a few years ago) and she looked so familiar.. She had been my childhood friend and we immediately had a great conversation – so many memories were brought back! Congrats on the awards and new followers too ❤

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