NochNoch.com

10 days or so ago, I was nominated for the 7 links challenge by my dear blogsophere friend, Justin Mazza. Somehow, my wordpress wasn’t set up properly and I didn’t get a pingback. Or perhaps I did and I just didn’t notice. Sick to my bones with the migraine and flu for the last 2 weeks, it wasn’t until I went through my bookmarked sites and got to Justin’s, that I noticed my name on the post.

I WAS NOMINATED for something!!!

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had never been nominated for anything as far as my memory stretched, although I did find out recently that another great cyberspace friend Vlad Rapoport nominated me for something else. I am grateful even though I didn’t win anything.

It has been some 18 months since I started venting out my life’s lamentations – and revelations – on a blog, but perhaps only the last 6 months or do did I open it up to more people via social media and establishing some friendships over cyberspace. It has taken me a huge step to start writing again and confront my issues and illnesses, and took even more courage to open up and admit to my friends and family that, “yes, I’m sick, I need help and support.”

I am no techie. What I learnt about blogging was through my research on the Internet. I still don’t know how to increase my traffic with SEOs and never even heard of SEMs (still haven’t researched this). Only 60 days ago did I start my social media pages for my blog. I’m thrilled simply to have someone read my blurbs.

There are many things to learn still, but I can say to some degree of satisfaction, that my writing has improved over time, and that the writing’s main aim, which was a different form of therapy recommended by my doctors, has helped me elucidate a lot of suppressed thoughts and emotions, and supported me in my quest for improved self-awareness to be true to myself. Some way to go, but I’m happy of my progress.

So, to be nominated for something is a real boost of confidence as I search for my soul.

I wasn’t aware of the 7 links challenge prior to Justin’s post, and if I may plagiarize from his article:

The main goal of the 7 links challenge is to unite bloggers from the blogosphere and create a bank with great posts that may have not seen the light in quite some time while making it fun and viral at the same time…

Justin was nominated by Praveen Rajarao at Daily Morning Coffee, and has now passed a torch to me.

I duly follow suite and looked through some of my old posts. Some awful writing and typos made me cringe. Yet others, I nodded my head, and made a mental note to re-read my own writing to myself, for some habits and mentality still need revival.

But for now, my responses to the 7 links challenge according to the categories:

1. My most beautiful post : Auguries of Innocence on rediscovering what passion means for me, and what it is, a life changing moment
2. My most popular post : Still Looking for Reasons to Stay Alive tells me that lots of people out there are looking for meaning in their lives, and also a silent scream for help. Hopefully my blog has given them solace and encouragement to hang on if they landed here some how.
3. My most controversial post : Irony of Religion was one of the earlier posts but to this day, readers write to me to debate religion, spirituality and the likes. Some (including Christian friends) berate me for drifting off from my faith to explore other areas. I let the debate and my own soul-searching continue its course.
4. My most helpful post : I could not make up my mind so in the end, I must dare to announce a tie between Partner in this Whole Ordeal which has gotten avid response from friends/family of those depressed for giving them also some encouragement to deal with us who struggle, and 10 Things NOT to Say to a Depressed Person, which I believe, speaks for itself.
5. My post whose success surprised me : how my childish creativity with stuffed toys helped me with my depression on Bearapy
6. My post which didn’t get the attention it deserved : The Moment of Now, I thought the idea of calligraphy and self awareness weaved in together was pretty cool, no?
7. My post I’m most proud of : a literal new beginning for my blog with the new design, and a figurative new beginning for my writing and more strength for recovery on A New Page.

With a torch passed to me, I must now pass on the goodwill. And for this, I nominate the following 6 bloggers, who have also come to be my friend over emails and comment discussions. In no particular order:

1. Irving the Vizier at Han of Harmony
2. Vlad Rapoport at Simpler Life Today
3. Stephanie Rexroth at Demystifying My Depression
4. Mark Kenski at Forging Soul
5. Annie Andre at Practical Adventure-ology
6. Benny Hsu at Get Busy Living Blog

That’s it for now. I’m excited to be part of something that goes viral – it’s like eating bubble gum flavoured ice cream for the very first time!

Thanks again to Justin for the opportunity!

(Apologies, no Chinese translation yet…)<