Sunday 19 September 2010

Blog Gongs

A couple of weeks ago, Niamh at Words A Day was kind enough to single me out for this lovely award for my blog. Thank you Niamh for this acknowledgement!
It has taken me an age to post it here because there are a couple of conditions attached which just require a bit of thought - hence the delay. 
The  conditions are: reveal seven facts about yourself and choose favourite blogs to bestow the award on (a bit like a chain letter!). Notify the new recipients of their award. With all the swimming and writing that's been going on around here of late, I've been  distracted from this pleasant task, but today, without further ado, I'll rectify this. So...

Seven facts about AquaMarina...

1 That is not my real name (!), although my real name sounds like a part of this pseudonym.

2 I don't look like my blog photo.

3 It's exactly 33 years since I came to Manchester - to university to study German. I've never left the city so by now I guess I'd consider myself to be a Mancunian. 

4 Ten pools in the Manchester area that I've swum in: Chorlton, Levenshulme, Withington, Sale, Stretford, the MacDougall Centre at Manchester University, The Galleon, Manchester Aquatic Centre, Living Well, Birley High School (now demolished).

5 I started writing poetry out of the blue just under three years ago, shortly after my mother died. The poet Neil Rollinson came to talk to a creative writing class I was attending at Manchester University. In the Christmas holiday after his visit I wrote my first poem.

6 My first poem featured hens.

7 I'm hoping to start an MA in creative writing in Autumn 2011.

AquaMarina's Versatile Blogger Award goes to:

for Martine's colourful creativity and insightful literary reviews 
for Sophie's intrepid swims and adventures around the Devon coast and countryside
for Chris's photos and musings about swims in Australia (and elsewhere) 
for Elizabeth's action photography and ability to swim - without a wetsuit! - in unfeasibly low temperatures
for Dominic's music, poetry and jaunts into the great outdoors
for Fiona's amazing pictures and thoughts about the artistic process
for Sally's unique view of Sydney ( and her incredibly informative Swimming blog )
for his gift of the gab and caring sensitivity underneath that zany exterior...

(I could go on...many other blogs deserving of this award...some already have it)

6 comments:

  1. Hi! Still getting over the fact that thats not you in your photo!lol! Best of luck in your MA, what an amazing course to take...I really like the sound of "my first poem featured hens" - it has the gentle rhythm of a first line of a poem, doesnt it? Look forward to checking out your links

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  2. Hey, thanks for my blog gong!And your kind words.
    Cool beans!

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  3. Niamh - thank you and yes - I knew that that revelation would be a bit of a shocker! And TFE you are welcome and worthy, keep 'em in the fridge :@)

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  4. Thanks, Marina, I must get back to regularly writing the blog now. Hopefully, this coming summer, I'll complete the swim. Loved reading about swimming the Salford quays - it must've really cleaned up since I lived in the north-west.

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  5. You're right Chris it has! Until just recently I was a bit horrified at the thought of swimming there. But the transformation is first rate - it really feels like a special place to swim and a fantastic facility which breathes a new lease of life into this historical area. Worth a visit next time you're over here!

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  6. Thank you. I've finally got round to completing and posting my list of seven!

    As for not looking like your photo, I'm relieved to know that you don't have an outsize wooden head, held up with fishing line.

    I'm reminded that at school we all used to have great fun perfecting "Troy Tempest walks", trying to walk just like the puppets in those serieses - a sort of bouncing waddle.

    The idea that Aqua Marina, who couldn't speak, might have a blog is an attractive one.

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