☀️ The Sunshine Blogger Award: A Little Light, A Lot of Truth

First things first—gratitude where it’s due.

A heartfelt thank you to BeingKevin – An American Living the Brazilian Way for the nomination. Kevin’s writing is thoughtful, layered, and quietly powerful—the kind of blog you start reading “for a minute” and suddenly you’re three posts deep, nodding along like you’ve known him for years. Do yourself a favor and spend some time there:

👉 https://beingkevin.com (go ahead… I’ll wait)

☀️ The Guidelines (because we follow directions… mostly)

Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog Thank the person who nominated you ✔️ Provide a link to your nominator’s blog ✔️ Answer your nominator’s questions ✔️ Nominate up to eleven bloggers Ask your nominees eleven questions Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs

☀️ Questions & My Answers (the real stuff)

1. What is your favorite food?

A very rare cheeseburger, blue cheese crumbles, steak sauce, all sitting proudly on a freshly baked Kaiser roll. No substitutions. No apologies.

2. Favorite place to visit?

Bar Harbor, Maine. Not even close. It’s like stepping into a postcard—classic Americana meets “why don’t I live here yet?”

3. How old were you when you moved out?

Technically 18 for college. Officially 23 when I got married and the training wheels came off.

4. High school mascot?

The Golden Eagle. Strong. Majestic. Slightly aggressive.

5. Did you ever play organized sports?

I ran Track (shoutout to my New York State Games Racewalking era… yes, really) and competition Kickline. Balance and grit—my personality in a nutshell.

6. What are you afraid of?

Losing my kids before I check out.

Also: flipping a Jeep, bugs, and the possibility that this blog never makes it to TV.

7. Favorite TV shows?

This is where I lose control a bit:

Ted Lasso, vintage Saturday Night Live, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Seinfeld, Mad Men, The Sopranos, Entourage, and The Morning Show.

Movies? That’s a whole separate post—and you know I’ll write it.

8. What are you most proud of?

My kids. Ten and twelve years to bring them into this world, and they are—without exaggeration—marvelous humans.

9. Why do you blog?

To document real life as it happens. No fiction. No filters. Just the everyday moments that somehow become everything.

10. Thoughts on AI?

Let’s just say… I see its purpose. But I’m also side-eyeing it like it just sat in my seat.

11. Has social media helped or hindered society?

Hindered. Too much pressure. Too much comparison. Too much “what is even real anymore?” I’m grateful I grew up before it took over everything.

☀️ My Questions to You

1.What is your favorite hobby?

2.What was your favorite year of your life—and why?

3.Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend? 4. Do you have a bucket list? What’s on it?

5. Did you play a sport growing up?

6. What are you afraid of?

7. What was your first concert?

8. If you could have one last conversation with someone you’ve lost, who would it be—and what would you say?

9. Why do you blog?

10. Who is your favorite musical artist or group?

11. Social media: help or hinder?

☀️ My Nominations (no pressure, just love)

JustCallMeSharon | A Delicate Balance of Highly Organized Within My Creative Disarray

Where It All Began 6 – Charlierobinsonbooks

Heart of Loia

My Little Corner of the World

Squiggle Line Cafe

The Happy Traveler

(And if you’re reading this and feeling a nudge… consider yourself unofficially nominated. Yes, I make my own rules. Michael, Brian, Willie, and Edward I am having trouble with the links despite Kevin trying to help this blonde gal.)

There’s something quietly powerful about being asked questions that make you pause, reflect, and answer honestly. So Kevin—thank you for the nudge into the sunshine.

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Author: KikiFikar

Kiki Fikar is a native New Yorker who is passionate about taking the day to day life we all experience and sharing it in her tales from Suburbia. She will often be found at the gym, writing snippets each day for future story lines, listening to her two children create their lives, and building the perfect beachfront home and writing retreat in her mind.

23 thoughts on “☀️ The Sunshine Blogger Award: A Little Light, A Lot of Truth”

  3. First of all, would love to see the blog on television. Congrats on the nomination. I see my name on the list you left…thank you, but please don’t make me participate. Love you!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Congratulations, my friend! I did one of these last year, and it was fun. I see that you like some of my favorite shows: Ted Lasso and The Morning Show. I like Saturday Night Live, but only the Weekend Update. Thank you for the nomination.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I loathed Celine. I didn’t realize how toxic she was until this last season. Claire was just a casualty of the case. I will say I felt bad for Stella when she was dumped. Surprised I felt that way because I spent every season wishing her demise.

    Did you guys watch Friends and Neighbors with Jon Hamm on Apple? That’s coming back for season 2.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. 1. Being Creative in any sense of the word.
    2. 43. The year I got married (My wife was 31)
    3. Her name was Alicia. I was 18, she was 19. She broke up with me because I didn’t want rush into having sex. I didn’t care really, I think I enjoyed the concept of having a girlfriend then actually being in a relationship.
    4. The only thing on my bucket list is to visit a nudist resort..but it will probably never happen 🤣
    5. Nope I was LVP in gym.class (least valuable player)
    6. Death & Insects
    7. Bonjovi 1985 the album before they hit it big
    8. Lucas, my 22 year old nephew who died this past Feb in a car accident. I’d take time to really get to.know him maybe while playing a video game
    9. I find it rewarding to have my art/stories/comics/photos/songs appreciated worldwide
    10. No true favorites. I love so many different genres if music from the 1940’s to the early 2000’s. If I.had to.pick 1 artist in the last 20 years, I will go with Lizzo.
    11. I blog. Period.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. A little late but here are my answers:

    1. What is your favorite hobby? Reading.

    2. What was your favorite year of your life—and why? 2003… my wedding.

    3. Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend? I think her name was Ivette, and it was definitely in elementary school.

    4. Do you have a bucket list? What’s on it? I don’t have one, but I would like to spend a vacation in the Pacific, in one of those villas or bungalows over the water.

    5. Did you play a sport growing up? Basketball.

    6. What are you afraid of? Dying and not having my family with me at that moment.

    7. What was your first concert? Michael Bolton, Valentine’s Day, 1990 (I think).

    8. If you could have one last conversation with someone you’ve lost, who would it be—and what would you say? My father. I would ask, “Why did you abandon me and not take any responsibility?”

    9. Why do you blog? To fill a gap left by my military career, build a sense of community, and share what I’m learning.

    10. Who is your favorite musical artist or group? Easy… Heart.

    11. Social media: help or hinder? Hinder, big time.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. How I love these answers! Thank you for responding. We have so many similarities but I think we knew that without your responses!

    I can’t believe you said Heart. I have almost every one of their songs included on almost every playlist of mine. They are definitely a thick thread in my musical blanket!!

    Liked by 1 person

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