Sunday, August 17, 2008

Fun Monday-Question


This week's Fun Monday hostess with the mostess is lisaschaos and she's given us the following assignment:
What is one thing you would like to ask your readers? Come up with a question to pose to your visitors and throw it out there on Monday. As we’re all visiting each other’s Fun Monday posts we should answer the various questions we come across.
OR Show&Tell me about a bird, I’m easily made happy.

Well, since I didn't have a camera handy when those three hummingbirds were flitting all around the walnut tree by our deck yesterday, I'll have to settle for a question for you, dear readers. And since I can't get to bed at a decent time these days because of the Olympics, and because Michael Phelps and Dana Torres and Nastia Luekin have me leaping off the sofa every night with fists a pumpin' my question for you is a nod to the Olympics and awards. Tell me briefly the one award you've won in your lifetime that means the most to you. Is it that participation medal you got during the 4th grade spelling bee, the team trophy you won while playing football your senior year or a grand prize ribbon for your grape jelly at the county fair? What recognition, big or small, made you feel like a world class champion?

Now, it wouldn't be fair to ask you that question without answering it. The prize that means the most to me is a small trophy I won last year during my first 5k race. I felt very out of place that day, like I didn't belong with all of those other runners. My goal that day was just to finish, and even though I was proud that I did, I was frustrated at how slow I was compared to everyone else, especially some folks in their sixties and seventies. I didn't stay for the awards ceremony because I had to get home and give Papa T. some medicine. I was shocked when a fellow church member (and runner) called me later to tell me that I had won third place in my age category, and she had picked up my trophy for me. There were only nine folks in my age category that day, so I knew it was all kind of relative. However, that little trophy made me feel ten feet tall, and it motivated me to keep trying and to work harder to be better the next time. Last month, I had my best race time ever (still pretty slow)and won second place in my age category on a day when the field was much heavier. I was pleased with that win, and that trophy was bigger than the one I won last year, but it still doesn't mean quite as much as that first one. Now, hop on over to Lisa's and see what everybody else wants to know today, too.

23 comments:

Molly said...

Congratulations on your award in running the 5K. One of the awards that I treasure is oddly for last place. Years ago, I took the place of a pregnant lady on a bowling team. At the end of the season, at the awards banquet, I was presented with what might be termed the Booby Prize. The prize was a very small trophy with my name on a small plaque. The only thing on the plaque was my name, Molly, not Worst Bowler, or Lowest Score Ever, but Molly. I appreciated being recognized, and the trophy brings me memories of some very good times. Furthermore, I did become a better bowler as the season progressed.

Big Momma said...

Keep up the great work with your running. I hope that you inspire me to get off my butt!!!

I won a research award when I was in grad school. I actually got to present my work to a huge group of scientists. It was a highlight for me!!!

Great question!

Big Momma said...

Keep up the great work with your running. I hope that you inspire me to get off my butt!!!

I won a research award when I was in grad school. I actually got to present my work to a huge group of scientists. It was a highlight for me!!!

Great question!

Xavier Macia said...

One of the advantages of aging for us all, less competition! Hmmm on the award....I have won some, but I can't think of one that stands out...kinda dull of me, sorry....hmmm....maybe it was my first season at a ssailing school I won best skipper, as in fastest, it seems to have set me on a course of life long sailing, though there were other factors.

Mike Golch said...

Just poped it to wish you a good day. Hugs and Blessings.Mike G.said that!(It's my A.A.thing)

karisma said...

You know I had a bit of a mind blank then. Awards? Sure I've received a few over the years, but for some reason they did not come straight to mind. I guess they don't matter to me all that much.

At times my kids have given me awards they have made or told me they love me or that I am a cool mum. Its those type of awards I love the most.

Hootin Anni said...

Once...back in the early '70s when my first child called me "mom"...I was a champ then...and I'm still called by that championship name.

My FM question is posted now, drop by to answer it too, okay?

Beckie said...

You have helped me realize that I have never won any sort of recognition award. Hmmmm.

I guess it would have to be when my kids say 'Thanks, Mom.'

Jill said...

I graduated summa cum laude from college. What was even better was that I knew half of the people who were dignitaries on stage because I was so active on campus (and it was a big campus, about 12,000 students so about 4,000 graduates) and all the ones that knew me stood up and congratulated me and shook my hand as I walked across the stage. that was awesome!

ChrisB said...

This has got to be the first ever tennis trophy I won with my partner in mixed doubles back in 1976. I'm pleased to say it was the first of many and I'm rather sad that I can no longer play tennis.

Jeanna said...

I can only think of one award I won in school, and it was something at the time, but later became kind of a yawn.
However I still remember the two large bags of M&Ms I got from our singing nun for being one of the few kids to show up for a funeral mass in grade school.

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

Ha! Even before i read your answer, i knew my answer! Mine is the medal i got for finishing the Baltimore marathon.

Now, i have been lazy for almost 3 long years. However, my hubby and i are training for a 5K as we speak!

Anonymous said...

passing my theory and driving test 10 years ago was my big achievement!!

Jan said...

I can't think of any awards, but one of the things that made me proudest, was when I was training for a long distance walk. I started so, because I'm not an athlete. I told Bob one day, Man, everyone is passing me. And the is the *award* he gave me, he said, "Yes, but they're not going nearly as far as you." That really made me proud.

Sayre said...

My award is the only one I've ever received, but it meant a lot to me because it meant that not only could I hold my own in my professional field, but I could excell! I had just taken a job as on-air promotions manager - a creative job doing original video work to promote the TV station's place in the community (it's a PBS station). This was just after 9-11 so I knew there would be a lot of REALLY good spots put up for recognition. I submitted four. One highlighting our children's programming, one for our news coverage, one for the arts and one for nature/adventure. All four of them were pretty good, but I didn't expect to win anything. Imagine my surprise when I got the call - a bronze Telly for "Thrills", the nature/adventure spot. And I was REALLY surprised because I felt that of the three, that one was the weakest.

Anonymous said...

First of all, I'm inspired enough by you that I put on my "tennis shoes" and walked to the front door, opened it, and felt the sauna-like air here in Oklahoma. Now, I back at the computer and am too lazy to take these blasted shoes off.
The award that comes to mind was for saving a little girl's life in the cafeteria one day by using the Heimlich (sp?) Maneuver on her. It wasn't really the award but the Thank You note she wrote on the back of her 5th grade school picture that year.

Kelley with Amy's Angels said...

My award was to win a scholarship in my undergrad for my participation in hall government. I'd never won any sort of "academic" award ever and I was so proud that I called everyone I knew to tell them. I still have the plaque to this day and that was over 14 years ago!

IamwhoIam said...

I would have to say my friendships - I have a few very close friends and that mean the most. Next my college degree - I work really hard for it, I am learning disabled to a degree (at the insistance of a 2nd grade teacher, my mother thought about putting me in special ed, until the schools VP inform her that my IQ was way to high and it was a learn disability and not lack of intelegents). Third my collegate varsity letter.

Faye said...

Good job hulagirl! I love hearing about the achievements of other women. My greatest award was kind of in the same category. I earned a "finisher's patch" for completing an 86 mile coast to coast walk across northern England--starting on the western coast at the Irish Sea and finishing on the east at the North Sea. I was 55 years old at the time. We walked for 6 days, averaging 15 miles per day.

Unknown said...

Congrats, mine are kinda weird maybe, but I got the lifetime reading award in school, you could only get it if you got the yearly one for all grades of 1st-8th, so not many of us got it. :) Also I graduated top of my class and got an award I can't remember the name of for my Certified Nurses Aide class. :)

janjanmom said...

Wow with the comments..."You like me, you really like me!"

I have a little trophy and on it is "Mathcounts". This was an academic competition I was in in middle school. I was so honored because I made the team even though I was not a hefty contributor. It was the beginning of me considering myself a math person-and that made me feel really smart.

Alison said...

Congratulations on your award!!!

I had to think about this....I received a few awards in college for academic achievements, but I think my favorites ones are the ones my kids have made for me for being a good mom!!

Jo Beaufoix said...

Congrats on your award and sorry I am so late.
The award that means a lot to me was an award the day I left Primary School. It was called the Wyndale cup and was awarded to one child a year, voted on by all the teachers. They basically said I was a kid who had consistently tried hard, worked hard, got on with people, was polite etc and cared for people. I was so amazed and shocked. I was a very shy 11 year old and had no idea I would be chosen.