The Sunshine Blogger Award

Welcome to my first #TYM'ieThoughts post and what better way to start this category of self-expression than with a little bit of sunshine?

Last night, I received the surprise of my life as the image above blinded me from my cellphone screen. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Having launched this blog only two days ago, I've been nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award and The Liebster Award (read more about that one on my next blog post). I'm so honoured and overwhelmed, I don't know what to say but a big thank you! This really means a lot to me and has inspired me to keep going no matter how difficult it might get. Writing to bring a little sunshine to people's lives is one of the best callings there are.

I am incredibly thankful to Diamond for nominating me for this award. She writes her amazing blog to inspire and help others through her story. Check out her beautiful blog here: @PositiveNancy

What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers who are inspiring, positive, and creative. These bloggers bring sunshine into the blogging community!

Here are The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog!
Answer the 11 questions they asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write 11 new questions for them.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post/blog.

Q and A

Here are my answers to what Diamond asked me:

1. What inspired you to start your blog?

Truth is, my lecturers have been telling me for two years to start a blog. Some of them directly, and others simply saying so to the class. They'd say it is the best way for writers to become known. While yeah, that's true and great, it's not exactly what made me finally do it. What inspired me to write a blog is the same thing that inspires me to write: to hopefully one day help change someone's life for the better. To put a smile on someone's face. To let out the swelling bubble of creativity wanting to burst inside of me. To show anything is possible with a little bit of imagination.

2. How did you come up with your blog name?

TYM's Tidings came about as a result of choosing my pen name, Trinity Yana Matthews. That name is very special to me because of the meaning I attach to it: Blessed messenger of God. After deciding to use those initials (because I like how it spells out the shorthand for time), I searched for something starting with the same letter and found 'Tidings'

3. Now that you've started your blog are you glad that you did or do you regret it?

I am very glad. I know I am still very new at it and I'm bound to make some mistakes, but I will learn and the benefits so far have encouraged me much. I've met so many great bloggers already and their kindness has surprised and delighted me.

4. Is this something you can see yourself doing long-term?

Yes, definitely. I will be realistic though and say that busy times are ahead of me and I may not be able to post as often as I'd like to. Regardless, I plan to stick to my schedule as best as I can and make time to do what I enjoy.

5. What are some of your goals for your blog?

My goal is to post a new blog once every two weeks. There may be exceptions depending on what life brings. Also, I was planning to begin the #TYM'ieThoughts category and a #BookReviews category. As you've seen, the start of the first mentioned has come with an unexpected sunshine blast. #TYM'ieThoughts will be fill of my opinions and events in my personal life. Later on, I plan to start doing book reviews where I can recommend great novels and tell why I'd enjoyed them. My goal is to help local South African authors with some reviews but I'm not limited to only their works.

6. What's one thing you want to accomplish on your bucket list?

There is honestly so much I want to do. So I'll just tell you something fun that I always think of every time I step into an airport. One day, I want to stand at the flight terminals, pick a country at random, buy a two-way ticket and just go. No planning whatsoever.

7. What's one place you would like to visit?

England. I'm a big England fan. I've actually already been to London and loved every second. Now, I want to visit the countryside and maybe go to a Doctor Who convention.

8. Is there anything you would change about the blogging community?

No. I'm just starting to get to know the blogging community and so far it has been great. I'm all for constructive criticism, but I'm so new that I don't have anything to say. There is nothing I would change.

9. What's something you can't live without?

My laptop, or more specifically my writing folder on my laptop where I keep my works and ideas. Last year, my laptop was stolen and with it all my writing. It felt like a part of me died. I salvaged as much as I could and retrieved my main projects from people I've shared with, but I lost a lot. Now, I back up religiously. Never want to go through that again.

10. What's one of your greatest accomplishments?

Coming first in my class for first year in my Bachelor of Arts course. I work hard to do the best I can and seeing that work pay off feels good. Right now, I'm in my third year and planning to give it my all.

11. What's something random about you?

I'm addicted to popcorn.

I nominate: