I have just received the Good Life award from Akasa Wolfsong and I have been asked to answer the following ten questions. Of course I accept the award humbly. So here are my answers.

1. Who is your favorite poet?
My favorite poet is Rita Joe,she lived and wrote and operated her craft shop on the Eskasoni reserve in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She is the author of four books of poetry, an autobiography and an important anthology of Mi'kmaw writing. Rita Joes most recent poetry and her rare, long-out-of-print first book called Poems of Rita Joe, offer evidence of her continuing journey to understand and to share the unique combination of native spirituality and Christianity that was Rita Joes daily life. Through her eyes, and in her days, the horrors and joy of human life are remembered, lived out and shared. She was a survivor of her own gentle war, a reporter from the front lines.On March 20, 2007, the Great Spirit welcomed a wonderful person home to the Land of Souls. Her poems are small, tough monuments, left in our care.

Poems

by Rita Joe

Our home is this country
Across the windswept hills
With snow on fields.
The cold air.

I like to think of our native life,
Curious, free;
And look at the stars
Sending icy messages.
My eyes see the cold face of the moon
Cast his net over the bay.

It seems
We are like the moon --
Born,
Grow slowly,
Then fade away, to reappear again
In a never-ending cycle.

Our lives go on
Until we are old and wise.
Then end.
We are no more,
Except we leave
A heritage that never dies.

2. What has been your most
embarrassing moment?
This is tough to share but in hopes you will have a good laugh today I will divulge it .When I was young and went to get birth control for the first time,I was asked by the Doc what kind of birth control I was interested in . Instead of saying,"oral." I said,"I want to take verbal medication!) Bless her heart, she remained very composed and as a slight grin crossed her lips she said no problem ,I can help you with that.I realised my error the minute I said it but was to embarrassed to say more.

3. What is the one thing your
Grandmother/'s impressed upon
you that you really took to heart
and still live by to this day?
That is an easy answer and a short one as well. Accept,care for and love all living things.

4. Helium Balloon Ride, Ocean
Parasailing, Deep Sea Fishing or
Experiencing the Wilds of Africa -
which one would you choose to
show your adventurous side and
why?
I would take the balloon ride without a doubt. I have done much flying in small planes in past years here in the state of Maine and always loved the feeling of being high above the earth. It was always a very spiritual experience for me . I think the only thing better would be to be aloft in something that has very little sound.

5. If you could choose a charity
to give to what would it be?
Well now,I do give to a few charities anyway...M.A.D.D,children' s hospital,and my local animal shelter.

6. If you could choose a living
person of today to spend the
whole day with who would it be
and why?
That would be Miss Akasa Wolfsong,my earth angel,my sister of long ago.So that I could give her a big warm hug.

7. What is your favorite meal?
Lobster, hands down.I live in Maine and was brought up on the Maine Coast;so,yes,Maine Lobster.

8. What is your favorite holiday
of the year?
Happy Holidays! I don't really have a favorite. If people are happy then I am happy.

9. Tell one thing about yourself
that others do not know.
I was shocked almost to death in the bathtub when I was 10 and had a near death experience.

10. What did you want to be
when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a Doctor or a lawyer. I am interested in both.Due to my journey in life as I was coming up;that never came to be a reality.

My recipients to receive The Good
Life Award Are...
Gee I only know one person here and that is Akasa Wolfsong.
Here are my ten questions...
1. If you were cooking a very special meal for someone, what would you cook?
2. What is the craziest thing you ever did?
3. While out in nature,what is the most awesome and compelling thing you have ever witnessed?
4. What person,place or thing makes you feel most alive and uplifted?
5. What are your hopes for the future of our planet and our people?
6. If you went out for the evening and could do anything,what would it be?
7. If you were to volunteer your services what would you do ?
8. If you could see anyone in concert who would you see.
9.Do you collect anything,if so ,what?
10.If there was just one thing you wanted others to know about you what would it be?