Monday 24 July 2017

Mystery Blogger Award


A couple of weeks ago, Toni at Wandering and Wondering nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award and I want to thank her very much for the honour! And may I just say that, if you're not a regular reader of Toni's blog yet, well, you should be! There's no mystery about that!

This award comes with a list of rules as long as your arm, but I already told Toni that I'm going to break them all! Yes, that's me, the little rebel. I'm cutting right to the chase -- answering the specific questions posed by Toni.

1. What author would you want to write your biography?
I would exhume, resuscitate and dust off the late John Mortimer, the English writer most famous for creating the Rumpole of the Bailey mysteries. To tackle my story, I need an entertaining writer with an insightful perspective on life and a good sense of humour. A critic once accused Mortimer of being a lightweight author because of his habit of "covering pain with jokes." This criticism mystified Mortimer because, as he said, covering pain with jokes is the only possible attitude to life. I agree wholeheartedly.


2. If your life was a movie, what would the theme song be?

I would choose one of my favourite women's spirituality chants called "Powerful Woman." I taught this chant to many women over the years in my Women's Drumming and Goddess Chanting Circle and it never failed to be a group favourite. My life benefitted tremendously from reclaiming my power in any number of areas, so this song has always resonated with me.



3. Destiny or Free Will?
Free will all the way, baby. While our life circumstances can both benefit us and limit us in various ways, in the end it is up to us to make the most of Life with what we are given.

4. Have you ever read a book that truly changed your life?
Oh yes, several. But the one which had the greatest impact on me was Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women by Sylvia Brinton Perera, which I read almost 3 decades ago. This slim volume is a Jungian analysis of the ancient Sumerian myth of the descent, death and rebirth of the Goddess Inanna. I happened to read it a few short years after the most harrowing period of my life and was stunned to see my life experience symbolically mirrored in the ancient myth with a truth and an understanding that I had found nowhere else. Before reading this book, it had never occurred to me that my ordeal had a spiritual significance. That breakthrough moment of realization hit me like a ton of bricks, let me tell you! And it marked the true beginning of my devotion to the Divine Feminine In Her Many Guises.


5. Who/What has had the greatest impact on your life?
Well, for better or for worse, I'd have to say my parents, I guess. Their influence has shaped my life in almost every way. There's no underestimating the impact of our childhoods and families of origin, is there?


6. Funny/weird question: If you could bring any fictional character to life, who would you choose?
Well, at the moment, I am absolutely OBSESSED with the subtextually-queer coded narrative of Captain America and the Winter Soldier as being the greatest star-crossed tragic lovers since Romeo and Juliet, Heathcliff and Cathy, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, COMBINED. So either one of those two angst-filled boys would be fine with me.


And now, I'm going to throw this award open to anyone who would like to claim it and answer the same set of excellent questions devised by Toni!

WHO will take up the challenge?

32 comments:

DEZMOND said...

I fully agree with Mortimer myself, sounds like a great writer!
I haven't watched Captain America movies, is he really gay? My Chris Evans? Say it is so! I always fancied he has been waiting for me.....

Marie Smith said...

Such interesting responses, Debra. It is amazing how books can inform and change our lives!

baili said...

Wonderful answers as expected dear Debra!

How stupid of me to forget to following this rule .
Now I have to do this in my next post
.Thank you for beautiful post and reminding me that i am a mess

Mark said...

Those are some very interesting questions. I think I might have to tackle them myself at some point. Covering pain with jokes is truly the only way to live. It's what got me where I am at least.

Onevikinggirl said...

I am on a Joe Orton bender right now, reading John Lahr's biography Prick up you ears - and my my, that is some pain covered in farce! So, that, with Stephen Frears as producer, and REO Speedwagon doing the sound tack, me played by Gena Davis would be my free choice, and .. and.. wait, what was the question?
I'd better not take this on.

Susan said...

John Mortimer is brilliant absolutely brilliant! Very interesting set of questions and your answers have opened up a whole new pathway of learning for me.

Miss Val's Creations said...

I am curious about John Mortimer's writings. I will have to add him to my list. Insightful and funny are right up my alley when is comes to reading. Descent to the Goddess sound intriguing as well. I really admire those who create, write, etc things that can have such a powerful effect on strangers' lives.

Mistress Maddie said...

Those were excellent questions, and loved you answers. I think I would have to choose the same author as you. With my life someone better have a sense of humor to write it.

Adam said...

1. What author would you want to write your biography?
Any dead one would do, would be interesting.

2. If your life was a movie, what would the theme song be? Why can't we be friends

3.Destiny or Free Will? I guess Free Will unless you believe in a universe where there are multiple versions of you in timelines with countless changes and outcomes

4. Have you ever read a book that truly changed your life?
The Dictionary

5. Who/What has had the greatest impact on your life?
My parents since they created me

6. Funny/weird question: If you could bring any fictional character to life, who would you choose?

God...not wait he's an asshole

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

I need to Google John Mortimer. I love delving into places where I have never been. Makes for an interesting journey. Free will all the way baby! :)

Beautiful song. Makes my heart happy to listen to it.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Adam -- Bravo! I enjoyed your answers, especially to #4 and #6!

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

You are indeed a very powerful woman, tremendously kindhearted and sassy too.

Have a great week, Debra.

Leanna said...

Great answers. I need to wait a while until my brain fog leaves me. I'm having trouble keeping my thoughts. But I will do this.

Blogoratti said...

Wonderful thoughts and great answers.

Janie Junebug said...

I think I need to read Descent to the Goddess.

Love,
Janie

Bill Lisleman said...

I remember how these blog awards with questions were very common in years past. I have played along with a few. Are they making come back?
Yeah I agree about free will or any will that I'm mentioned in.
Wow I couldn't narrow down a theme song. There's been many situations in my life that I wish I had a few background singers available. Right now I'm listening to "Low Rider" by War. One of the best cow bell intros out there.

Jono said...

Good answers! The more I know about you the better I like you.

Martha said...

So now I'm going to have to look into "Descent to the Goddess" because it sounds really interesting.

This was fun to read! I'll have to participate at some point.

This N That said...

Too much thinking and soul-searching for me. A little scary but a great post. love your answers

Terry said...

Good answers Debra. Mortimer is a favourite author of mine too.

The Dancing Crone said...

Well deserved award but i too loved your answers and will order descent to the Goddess today! Oh saw Dracula at the Shaw, creepy and all that repressed Victorian sexuality! Plus the Count had the greatest cape ever!

klahanie said...

Hey Debra,

How's it goin', eh?

I'm loving your responses. Free will, or Free Willie, all the way, indeed!

Penny the Jack Russell dog would write your biography. She's well into pawblishing stuff! :)

If it was the, "Misery Blogger Award", I'd of taken up the challenge.

Have a good one, eh.

Penny's human dad,

Gary :)

Anonymous said...

I'm with you, Debra, having a sense of humor comes in quite handy when dealing with pain. I also agree with the impact of our FOO.

On a totally different subject: You, my friend, are a wonderful, kind-hearted, beautiful person. What you did for Robyn is so generous and giving. I'm not surprised you did it because that's just who you are as an individual, it made my heart happy to read about it. You rock!

Hope you’re having a great summer and don’t forget you can find me at:
Elsie

Anne Johnson said...

I could take a crack at these questions ... or turn them over to a bored Goddess.

Cperz said...

Such interesting answers on your part. Half of those questions, I would be hard pressed to even come up with an answer.

yellowdoggranny said...

now I'll be busy finding and reading the book and getting that song..

Fundy Blue said...

Love the questions and your answers, but I'll pass on seizing the award! I enjoyed the song and had fun imagining hearing it in a drumming circle. You've got me curious about the book ~ I with Jackie Sue ~ have to find it.

Magic Love Crow said...

Great answers Deb!! I was so touched about your song Powerful Woman and about your book! I've went through another healing process. You know how the saying goes "the truth will set you free". Well, I finally admitted to myself, when I have been meditating, everything that has happened to me. And, how it wasn't my fault. I cried and I feel so much better. Through doing this, I feel in my past, I was attracting certain situations, because I wasn't healed and things kept happening. Now that I have released all of this, I can fly! LOL! I hope I am making sense? Big Hugs Deb!

The Captain said...

I love these awards, it's a great way of delving into the recipients mind. Great answers.

Toni said...

Absolutely awesome and well-thought-out answers.

I love the song and don't know whether to start out singing it with my drum or guitar but will definitely seek out the CD. I'll teach it to my granddaughters.

Descent to the Goddess is in my library right next to Dance of a Dissident Daughter and When God Was A Woman.

Your answers make me wish we were neighbors, or at least close enough to attend the same drumming circles!

Toni said...

p.s. I love that you didn't follow any of the rules!

RESIST!!!!

Unknown said...


Such interesting responses, Debra. It is amazing how books can inform and change our lives!

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