The Liebster Award...Onward and Upward

German suffix Lieb means “Beloved or Favorite”… When people find favor in what you do, and it speaks to them, that’s a very rewarding compliment.

I'm back from the ups and downs of the holiday season and I think I just fully recovered. The holiday season surprisingly changed my life forever but it is something so personal I am still toying with the idea of blogging about it. People will always have opinions but I know I must make my decisions based on what I need and know is right for me.

My dearest blog Sis Lovebabz gave me this award and it is a wonderful surprise! I am tasked with the idea of giving this to more bloggers but sadly a few of them seem to not be blogging anymore.

The only constant in life is CHANGE...onward and upward my friends.

Until Next Time,
Peace & Blessings...

The Versatile Blogger Award

I love gifts and I love (good) surprises! The fantabulous Mrs. Mary Mack at embellish.meant gave me the Versatile Blogger Award. Her blog is full of great stories and tales of being recently married, traveling and being a new mommy. Not to mention the great photos of FUD. (You have to visit the blog to find out who that is, LOL :)

Since this has been sitting in my 'draft' box I also received another one from Monique at Random Musings which is really funny because she is one of my recipients below. (Guess you're exempt Ms. Mo) She is documenting life as a relatively new mom balancing career, family, dating and conquering the world. Go Mo!

As a recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award I must provide 7 random facts about myself. Let's see:

1. I can perform in front of hundreds of people but have a hard time telling someone I like or love them.
2. I have a wicked sixth sense. I often contact my family/friends only to hear "How did you know?"
3. I am Ms. Fix-It. I will research, watch the demonstrations and fix everything myself. If a repairman is called, it means I don't have access to the equipment to fix it myself!
4. I am very modest and have a hard time accepting compliments at times. Especially if it is about me being really good at something.
5. I am terrified of being operated on or being put to sleep. If you can't do when I'm awake it will not be done!
6. I have no idea of what I want to be when I grow up.
7. If I could make a living out of dancing I would happily do it.


Now I must pass this award to 15 bloggers. Of course I will break the rules and give this honor to the following:

Monique - Random Musings of My Mind
Kyle - 12th Planet
MrsTDJ - Just Another Day with Mrs. TDJ
MsKnowitAll - The Words I Type


Now the Rules (you know there are always rules!)...

For this award you are to thank and link back to the one who gave you the award, share 7 facts about yourself, and then nominate 15 others who you think are versatile.



Until Next Time,
Peace & Blessings...

Beautiful Blogger Award

Fell blogger Don at Minus the Bars bestowed this wonderful honor on The Storm. Actually his daughter picked the 25 blogs to give the honor to and I am highly honored and pleasantly surprised to be among them.

I started this blog after reading a friend's blog a few years ago. My life was at its lowest level. My marriage was spiraling into a point of no return, my manager was riding my case like a bad husband and my finances were in the toilet.

I started Thoughts from The Quiet Storm as my online journal. A place to vent, rant, rave and get it off my chest. A tiny bit of hope that everything would get better and I would one day read my old blog entries and think "I have grown so much" or "Whew! Glad that's over!"

I did not start this to become a writer or get a following to be published. Most times I think my writing is mediocre at best but this has become my safe haven, my vessel to put it out and let it go. To know there are other people who are going through it with me and they made it out just fine.

My place to also laugh and rejoice. My small space to chronicle my mediocre life in a mediocre society that values things, money and titles. My place...received a Beautiful Blogger Award.

Every blog award has rules. This one is no different:

1) Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.
2) Copy the award and paste it to your blog.
3) Pass this award on to 15 fantastic bloggers you have discovered.
4) Contact your nominations and let them know they've won.


I don't do chain letters (even if they are awards) but I read a lot of blogs. My favorites are all listed in my small bog roll on the right and each of them can gladly accept their award. Each of these blogs (some have already received this award) are open, honest and blatant with their lives.

Check them out. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.



Until Next Time,
Peace & Blessings...

Honest Scrap Award

My blog sistergirl Ms.KnowItAll bestowed this honor upon me. I LOVE gifts and surprises so I am honored to fulfill my obligation.


Here are the rules...


1) Brag about it...
Brag? Who, me? *Breakin' it down to the Jacksons - Can you feel it? Can you feel it? CAN YOU FEEL IT!*


(2) Choose seven blogs I find brilliant and link to them, and..
Hmmm....I think the people who would participate have already been tagged. Besides if you follow The Storm or read it regularly you know I don't do chain letters. Good or bad.


(3) List 10 honest things about myself...

- I like finding out people's stories. Why they think the way they do. What life events brought them to this place in this time.

- I have never dated outside my race. I'm not opposed to it, just never happened. I'm sure this will change soon...

- Having a mundane desk job where I do the same thing every day is about as fun for me as having a molar pulled.

- I was the kid who got teased growing up, because of this I do not believe in picking on people, even if it is in good fun.

- I love non-mainstream music. Jazz, local artists and great live bands.

- The best date I ever had involved a man turning his bar into a homemade movie theater for just the two of us.

- The second best date I ever had was a long impromtu walk in the park with great conversation.

- I get bored with my job around year 3, my current job is starting to bore me...it's year 4!

- I've never had a birthday party as an adult. That will change this year, I'm throwing myself a birthday bash. I have MUCH to celebrate!

- The only 'girlie' obessession I have is shoes. I LOVE cute shoes. Bring on the stilettos, sneakers and flats!


Peace & Blessings...

Fabulous, Really? COOL!!!

Ms.Knowitall has awarded me the "Your Blog is So Fabulous" award. Thank you so much to my beloved blog sister.





I LOVE gifts, especially unexpected ones :)

Go me, go me, go, go, go me! (Doing my best cabbage patch dance, LOL!)
Yay me!!!!

Now, down to business...



Here are the rules:
1. You need to list 5 Addictions that you have.
2. You have to pass this Tag to five (5) or more people with fabulous Blogs.


1. Books - I love a good book. Growing up I would devour books like good food. I have read so many books that you usually have to tell me what the book is about before I can remember it. They were my "escape" from being raised as an only child and being a latch key kid when my mother relocated us to another state. My books are my treasures, if they make it into my hardback library, they will not be loaned out. Oh, and most of them are signed :) I have an obsession for the written word and have journaled most of my life. Those books are kept locked away from prying eyes. Journaling is much cheaper than therapy.

2. Music - Music is my soundtrack for life. Some songs make me smile, laugh and give me warm fuzzies with the first four bars. Good music speaks to my soul and I will not get into what a good African drummer can do ;) I can put on whatever music I am feeling at the moment and sit back with a good glass of wine and waste the day away. I love attending live performances were real bands are playing. I mean performances where there are actual musicians on stage with a singer. Lounge spots with live jazz nights are popping up all over town, I hope it continues to catch on and is not a phase.

3. Great Scenery - I am addicted to nature. I will drive an hour with my furbaby to take him on a hike for 30 minutes if the scenery is good and the weather is nice. I love extremes (mountains and beaches) and dream of owning a mountain or beach front condo. I can imagine sitting on my patio watching the sun rise or set on the mountains or listening to the waves crash along the shore.

4. Eye Candy - Great eye candy will turn my head every time. No disrespect to whomever I may be with at the time, but a great work from God deserves recognition. I do not discriminate on the basis of color and thank the Creator for the many shades, sizes and shapes of men! My weakness is a man of color with neat locks and trimmed facial hair. Whew! What was I saying???

5. Love - Love is the end all to my be all. The beginning of a relationship is like a drug. You can make that person into whoever you want them to be. I love how a relationship forms over time into something you have no control over, but is shaped by actions and emotions and the creation of memories. Love is all around me in many different forms. My family's love for me (and I have a HUGE family), my fam's love for me and my friend's love for me. I am so grateful for the people I have chosen to take this journey called life with me. I couldn't have picked a better group.

I usually buck the system and do what I want to do. I don't do chain letters, so I will not tag anyone. Besides, most of the fabulous blog authors that I read on a regular have already received this award. If they haven't, they are very deserving of it. Visit them when you have time...


LoveBabz - Her blog is all about choosing love over negativity and the struggle that pursues when you do.

Everyday Cooking - Darius' food blog just makes me want to get out my pots and pans. I hope my next man can throw down like him :)

The Words I Type - Ms. Knowitall's highs and lows of everyday life. We are sisters in this life walk journey, and her other blog has great poetry.

Allocation of Solitude - Charles tells it from a male's point of view. The first post I read of his was Representin'. He immediately made it to the blog roll.

I Got Soul - Soul on Ice's spot that is enjoyable because it seems so open and honest. I am not sure he knows that I follow his blog. Wish he posted more often.


There are great blogs out there and the blogsphere has introduced me to wonderful people. See my blog roll on the right to see "What Others are Saying," they all have great blogs and this award would not have been wasted on any of them.

WOW! I Am Uber Amazing ?!?

The wonderful and amazing Lovebabz has given me the Uber Amazing Award. Her journey to choose love in a world of chaos is always inspiring to me. She inspires many people and was given a couple of awards that she generously passed along to a very deserving group. I was given this award last week while I celebrated my birthday and Thanksgiving with a wonderful group of family and friends but I do not want Lovebabz to think her award was not appreciated.

Indeed, it is quite the opposite. I love gifts, thoughtful gifts that are out of the ordinary and I received wonderful gifts this past week.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by The Storm to wish me well on my birthday. Your wishes are greatly appreciated and cherished. This past week has made me realize that my life is quite full of love and people with good hearts. In fact, a small group of Fam had so much fun at a local restaurant and Krispy Kreme that people kept stopping by our tables saying they were "Sorry we didn't have a good time," or "You are having such a good time, I do that with my group as well." It was wonderful to see my Fam laugh as much as we did.

We stayed out so late that the spouses and sitters were calling by the time we shut down Krispy Kreme. We had to transfer there after the restaurant closed, the Fresh and Hot sign was on ;) Man, those donuts are addictive and we do not know how to say good-bye to each other once we get together. It is amazing any of us graduated from college ;)

I love each and every one of you!

I realized that my life is headed exactly were it needs to go. Each day is taking me to another level of awareness that I am not sure I would have gained if this road had been easier. Each obstacle is preparing me for the next blessing, and that is pretty Uber Amazing.

What Does Good Love Feel Like?

I have been awarded by MsKnowitall.

I am deeply honored to be on her Brilliante 5 list.

I started blogging as an outlet. An outlet for my fears, emotional abuse, and loneliness that I suffered in a not-so-easy marriage. I have met wonderful people while going through this journey. They have shared my struggles, pain and evenutally joy as we set out on a path of healing. It is amazing how someone can encourage you and give you strength when they don't know your real name, while the people who see you everyday trip you up.

Makes me think of the Anita Baker song, Good Love. Yes, I want to know what it feels like...

I wanna know what good love feels like
good love, good love
I want a love that's sure to stand the test of time
I wanna know what good love feels like
good love, good love
Morning, noon and night
Forever all my life...

It's coming. God has not brought me this far to leave me.

I give my Brilliante acknowledgement to the bloggers who help me with my journey. I don't have to list them, they know who they are. They encourage me on my difficult path when I take 2 steps forward only to find myself stumbling 3 steps back. They celebrate with me on the highs and poke me to get up from the lows.

They help me to celebrate my brillance.