Liebster Award, Take 5, I Think

Posted: March 3, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging, Entertainment | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

liebster2

Kris at Seeking a Life Full of Laughter received a Liebster Award this week, and she nominated me as one of her recipients!

The current rules of the Liebster Award are as follows:

  • Thank your nominator.
  • Share the award on your blog.
  • Answer 10 questions asked to you.
  • Ask 10 questions to 10 new nominees (who have less than 300 followers).
  • Notify them via social media.
  1. How did you get into blogging? I have just the post for that: A Time Warp Tuesday post about Blog Beginnings. It’s an entire post (with a link to another), so it’s not a quick, succinct little answer to the first question here, but I do recommend you go read it–It’s one of my early posts here that I still see myself in when  I read it. TLDR: people were mean so I took my words and made my own blog.
  2. What 3 words would you use to describe your personality? Oh, the dreaded “three words!” Okay. Deep breath. Here goes. Joyful. Present. Amused. I cannot think of any other point in my life when I would have chosen those three words: even, any of those three words. I’m doing well lately.
  3. What is the nicest thing that you have done for a stranger? I do nice things for people. I’m not sure what the absolute nicest would be. I’ve bought homeless people meals. That’s pretty nice. I’ve given rides; I’ve given hugs; I’ve listened. Who’s to say which is the nicest? It’s all in the eye of the beholder.
  4. What was one of the hardest lessons you had to learn so far? Life’s not fair.
  5. What is one thing you hope to achieve in 2016? Let’s publish some writing for pay!
  6. If you could have any two people (living or deceased) over for drinks, who would it be and why? That’s easy: my grandfathers. My husband never met them; my mother’s father died before I’d even met Ian, and my father’s father lived far away. They had a lot in common with each other:they were both rocket scientists (which tickles me pink), I was their first granddaughter, they were both alcoholics (hence having them over for drinks). And I miss them. I miss them a lot.
  7. What is your favorite comfort food? This is bad. I know it’s bad. Please don’t lecture me on how disgusting it is. I just can’t help myself. My favorite comfort food is Wendy’s chili.
  8. What is your motto in life? It always gets better eventually. Sometimes it will get worse first, but it will get better.
  9. Name 5 places that you want to go. Kenya, England, Singapore, Mongolia, Australia.
  10. What is the legacy you want to leave behind for others after you die? My words. I want people to read what I’ve written and be happy and nice to each other.

There.

You know, I briefly considered letting the award die, but then that just seemed cruel and unusual. So now I’m stuck coming up with questions.

But I wasn’t going to nominate anyone, so I’ll just leave Kris’s questions up for any takers!

I know, that’s cheating. #sorrynotsorry

  1. How did you get into blogging?
  2. What 3 words would you use to describe your personality?
  3. What is the nicest thing that you have done for a stranger?
  4. What was one of the hardest lessons you had to learn so far?
  5. What is one thing you hope to achieve in 2016?
  6. If you could have any two people (living or deceased) over for drinks, who would it be and why?
  7. What is your favorite comfort food?
  8. What is your motto in life?
  9. Name 5 places that you want to go.
  10. What is the legacy you want to leave behind for others after you die?

Answer one; answer them all!
Answer them here; answer them there!
Answer the questions anywhere!

I Stole the Questions!

Posted: August 30, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging, Entertainment | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Have you seen Willow? Because it’s essential if you’re going to know the proper tone and inflection with which to read the title.

I haven’t answered questions in what feels like forever, so I’m stealing Cheryl’s assigned list from her double Liebster noms today. Don’t forget to congratulate her and read her answers. Love ya, Cheryl!

  1. Favorite go to rainy day outfit? I generally wear the same thing if I’d wear if it weren’t raining, so probably a dress and sandals.
  2. Beach, Snowy Mountains, or Forests? Forests. Gotta get my hike in!
  3. What is your go to red lip? I don’t wear lipstick very often, maybe once or twice a year. But if I’m going red, I like Max Factor’s Red Passion.
  4. Your signature accessory? It would have to be my wedding ring. Does that even count? I don’t wear much jewelry either. Hard to break the old habit from my pizza days, when anything else was forbidden.
  5. If you had to pick one hobby for the rest of your life to do whenever you are bored, what would it be? Oh, I’d write, of course!
  6. Clutch or Purse? Purse. I hate to carry things. Not that I’ve been much of a purse person since high school, until last Christmas. Thanks Ian!
  7. Favorite nail color to wear for a beach day? Funny story, I did my and Abby’s nails before we went to the sprinkler park last week and the water took off all of hers and half of mine. Color Show Vintage Leather collection is not beach friendly! But I like something dark and bold for the beach, maybe a navy. I like attention on my manis.
  8. What is your favorite palette? Oh no, I make my own. I’m a mix and match kind of girl.
  9. What colors have you dyed your hair? Most of them. Light, ash, golden, and dark blonde. Light brown. Light, dark, and bright red. Black. Pink!
  10. Handwritten notes or electronic messages? I do love hand writing notes, but I utilize electronic messages more often.
  11. Liquid, cream or powder foundation? and why? Liquid. Out of habit. It’s what I’m used to.
  12. Which is your favorite animal? I love donkeys.
  13. Of whom are you scared the most? Right now, the judge we’ll have next week. Overall, probably myself.
  14. One thing you cannot live without? The sky.
  15. Who all are there in your family? There’s me, my husband, and my stepdaughter. And two cats and two turtles.
  16. Your favorite blogger? I don’t think I can answer that one. I mean, I don’t want to hurt any feelings, and it’s such a hard choice anyway. I read so many different types of blogs, I just couldn’t choose. Call it a cop-out if you must.
  17. Favorite cosmetic brand? Maybelline. I love Color Show nail polish!
  18. Current time in your country and also name the country? It’s 9:38 pm in the central time zone of the United States.
  19. Are you adventurous? More than I was most recently and less than I was long ago. But not a happy medium, yet.
  20. Favorite pastime? Writing! Or maybe nail art. Tough one.
  21. When did you join WordPress? August 2011.
  22. Lake or river? River. Small river. Okay, creek. Running water that isn’t too wide or fierce.

It’s Awards Season

Posted: January 18, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging, Entertainment | Tags: , , | 5 Comments

liebsterblogawardAnd the lovely Cheryl of Fat and Fabulous Me has chosen yours truly as a recipient of the Liebster Award. Most of you are familiar with this award, right? Here are the rules, per Cheryl’s post:

  1. Shout out to the blogger who gave you the award.
  2. Nominate 5 others bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.
  3. Answer 10 questions that are given to you by who nominated you.
  4. Give 10 questions to the bloggers who you are nominating.

And here are my answers to Cheryl’s questions!

  1. Earrings, bracelets or necklaces? Well, the one piece of jewelry that I always wear is my nose stud, which I rarely change from my standard white CZ. But out of those choices, right now I’ll go with earrings. I do favor bracelets over necklaces now, though.
  2. What is your favourite song currently? My all-time favorite is Van Halen’s Panama, but I’ve really been feeling Soundgarden’s Burden in My Hand lately.
  3. How many languages can you speak? Just English. I can ask you what time it is in Vietnamese, but unless it’s 9 o’clock, I won’t understand the answer. I took two years of high school French and a semester of college Spanish, but that’s long gone from my brain.
  4. Who is your role model? People you never hear about. People who listen to everyone else telling them ‘oh, you’re so smart, you could do so much, blah, blah, blah’ and don’t care, because they’re doing what makes them happy. Or Julia Child. I like her.
  5. Where do go or what do you do when you are feeling down? I stay in bed. I read. Or I migrate to the couch if no one’s home and watch stupid movies on Netflix. Lots of gory indie movies.
  6. Movies or dramas? Movies. It’s hard to keep up the good work over a long period of time.
  7. Which era would you want to live in if you had a choice? Oh, I’m a hippie, through and through. No bras and peace and love and raw food and stuff. And awesome music. Give me the 70s. Although now’s pretty good, too. Interwebs and stuff.
  8. Did you ever imagine yourself in a wacky hairstyle? Do share 🙂 Yes! I think the only wacky hairstyle that I’ve wanted and haven’t been brave enough to try is a mohawk. I shaved my head with I was 20, and I dyed my hair pink when I was 22 (awesome decision!). And then, of course, I chopped it all off a few months ago for spiky goodness.
  9. Would you be adventurous enough to be a solo traveller? Definitely! I used to drive cross country by myself to visit mIRC buddies. And to Canada. Granted, once I got where I was going, I wasn’t solo, but half the fun is the trip there, like 3500 miles to Yellowknife.
  10. Are you a left or right brainer? I’m a lefty, so right-brained, right? I’d say 70/30 right/left. My arty/moody side definitely beats out the fact that I can plus and times real good, and I have a badass sense of direction. I’ve never been lost. Which side is that? I’ll stick with 70/30. Although, isn’t my use of ratio an indicator of left-braininess? Or is my use of the word ‘braininess’ an indication of rightness? I could go on for days. No, wait, I’ve got it. I sew, but I don’t measure. I eyeball it. That’s right-brained, for sure.And it drives my mom and my sister crazy.

Now the part I always hate. Singling other people out. That must be a remnant of the dread I used to feel in school. Please don’t call on me. I know that answer is wrong and my answer is right, but please don’t make me stand up in front of all these people and point it out. Oh, why do we have to read aloud? Eek!! That dread. Okay, I pick:

  1. Tigger from Lifes Little Reflections.
  2. SRB from veggie sausages.
  3. ozifrog from maybe baby, J-man, & the adventures of hub-in-boots.
  4. SM from Unexplained Rantings.
  5. Rice Cakes & Redemption.

And their questions:

  1. What is the best meal ever, and does it have to be a specific person preparing it?
  2. Why do you blog?
  3. What was your favorite toy or game as a child?
  4. Do you use the snooze button or hit the ground running?
  5. Is a gift card (not requested) an acceptable gift? Defend your answer.
  6. If you could change your name with no hassle, would you? To what?
  7. Do you lock your door only at night or when home alone as well? If you have to lock your door at all.
  8. Would you like to live on a farm for a year? What kind of farm?
  9. What’s your favorite word?
  10. Do you think work uniforms are necessary, or are people capable of doing their job just as well in any presentable outfit of clothing? ‘Presentable’ in this case meaning no rips or tears, reasonably well fitted, and clean.

Any and all others are of course welcome to answer! I’d love to read even more answers to these questions.

Whew!

Posted: May 2, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging, Food, Giveaways, Sewing, Stress | Tags: , , , | 15 Comments

I feel a little like something’s missing with the A to Z Challenge being over. But I have so many things to catch you guys up on now!

  • Ian downloaded a random number generator app, and Rainbow Catcher was the winner of my April bag giveaway! I’ve already got it cut out, and I’ll e pinning after I post this. Do tell me you like sequins–I have a perfect match for your bag. Just one row, no overkill, I promise!
  • What shall I give away next? I’m open to suggestions!
  • We had pop-up pizza pie for dinner last night. No pics, but it turned out just like Lynn’s did. So yummy! I used some Italian seasoned ground turkey (gotta love clearance meats, y’all!), and we are definitely going to have it again.
  • I learned tonight that I have apparently missed Facebook. I downloaded the app last week for NIAW and spammed my friends with links, then deleted it again Sunday, because who needs it, right? But then one of Ian’s coworkers invited a bunch of people to karaoke tonight, and this one girl had to spoil a perfectly fine comment thread by being a grammar nazi. Yes, spelling is important, but jeez, let it go if it’s a perfectly readable word. I can’t stand that. And when I pointed that out without namecalling, she decided I was being a bitch. I just couldn’t let it go, because if you want to be a grammar nazi, proofread your own comments. So I admit it, I stooped to a high school level on Facebook. Shame on me!
  • Seriously, WTF Warner, yanking titles from Netflix. So annoying.
  • It’s birthday month here! Mine on the 12th, Abby’s on the 19th, and Ian’s on the 23rd. Along with my brother’s, my cousin’s, Cheryl’s, and my parents’ anniversary. Let us make it through!
  • And Maggie nominated me for a Liebster Award! I’ll get to that post tomorrow. Thank you Maggie!
  • Oh! One more thing. Abby has a new friend. The catch? She’s in sixth grade. She’s come over almost every day this week. She’s a nice enough girl, a little shy, but what can I say about that? There just aren’t any other girls her age in our neighborhood. Also, we have a pool. When Ian talked to her mom she sounded happy about it, so while it seems a little odd, at least she and Abby have fun. So, whatevs.
  • That may be all, or I may have forgotten one of the things I meant to say when I started. I’m sure I’ll remember in the middle of the night. I’ll leave you with a picture of Abby sporting her Bubble Guppies shirt, Grandma Inez-made shorts, and new dinosaur bag

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    Q&A

    Posted: October 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging | Tags: , | 8 Comments

    Thank you to Bree at Thought Provoking Moments and alie at patience is not my virtue for nominating me for a Liebster Blog Award! 

    I do like how the rules seem to have changed a bit since I was given this award last year. There are questions now!

    I freaking love this because, well, I’m insecure. I would happily type out every single thought that goes through my head on any given day were it not for the fear that you would all think I’m absolutely nuts. It’s okay if you think that anyway. I understand. So! I love answering questions, because there’s that tiny indication that at least one person would like to hear my answers. 

    My Q&A from Bree:

    • If there were one word you could choose out of the dictionary,  which one would you choose to best describe yourself? Mellifluous.
    • What’s your biggest pet peeve? ‘Should of.’ It’s have. Should have. My top twenty are probably all style, grammar, and spelling issues.
    • Throughout your journeys, what would you say is the most important lesson you’ve learned thus far? Try a coathanger before you call a plumber. Plumbers are expensive. Really though, the most important thing is to listen to myself more than to anyone else. There is no way I’d be where I am today if I’d listened to most of the advice I’ve gotten. And I happen to like where I am today.
    • What’s your favorite childhood memory? I think I’ll have to expose myself as a nerd here and say the time I was the only person in our region to qualify for the state MathCounts competition when I was in seventh grade. 
    • What’s your biggest regret? That I didn’t go. Ha! Um, all the time I spent trying to be someone else to impress people I didn’t really care about in the first place. 
    • If there were anything about your life experiences you could change, what would they be and why? I would have tried harder to talk to Ian sooner after it happened. 
    • Tell us something quirky about you. I’ll ask Ian, I think I’m completely normal. Okay, he said ‘DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY.’ I quote movies all the time. In the actors’ voices, with their intonation. Or maybe he just meant I’m quirky because I love the Lethal Weapon movies so much. I’m getting too old for this shit.
    • What’s your favorite dish/meal? Olive Garden salad. Om nom nom!!
    • Who or what’s been your biggest influence throughout life? Probably my mother. I’ve done quite a bit because she said not to. Drop out of college, leave the country without telling anyone, run with scissors, the usual teen rebellion stuff.
    • Do you have a bucket list? If so, what’s the most ridiculous thing to do on it? I do not. But I would love to take Ian to some of my favorite places that I’ve been, like the glacial rocks in Yellowknife and the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. I know we’ll take a trip one day to find my maternal grandparents’ final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery, but I’m not so sure about my paternal grandparents in Lithuania.
    • What do you do for a living? Mainly my housewifely duties, but I’m also a private contractor for Gannett, which takes about two hours a week. I’ve recently gotten back into mTurking, where I’ve made nearly seventeen whole dollars this quarter! I’ll have to share my recently accepted article on London nightclubs with you sometime. I think I got paid for writing spam. 

    Now! I’m supposed to come up with 11 questions. 

    • What is your favorite room in your home and why?
    • What is your favorite word?
    • Do you ever wish you could just drop everything and start over somewhere new? If so, where would you go?
    • Do you prefer printing or cursive?
    • What’s your favorite holiday? 
    • Is art just for decoration or does it all have meaning?
    • What’s the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning?
    • When was the best day of your life? 
    • What’s your favorite comfort food?
    • Toilet paper: over or under? Do you ‘fix’ it when you’re a houseguest?
    • What is one silly thing that you can’t do without?

    There are rules that I must nominate others, but I laugh in the face of rules! As I am just not that comfortable with asking too much of people, I will make a mild suggestion that some of you out there answer these questions. I wouldn’t want to be too demanding. Do please answer, though.

    I Got Another Liebster Award and I’m Taking Full Advantage!

    Posted: December 3, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Blogging | Tags: , , | 7 Comments

    Thank you to Emily at a blanket 2 keep for my second Liebster Blog Award! Emily is also having her very first giveaway at this very moment! Go check it out! It’s cool, I’ll wait until you get back to finish up here.

    In the meantime, for those of you who may have missed my other Liebster post, the deets*:
    20111126-114022.jpg The Liebster Blog Award is meant to spotlight blogs with fewer than 200 followers and provide them with a few more avid readers.

    Here are the rules:

    1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
    2. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
    3. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
    4. Hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers!

    This round of picks includes:

    1. Sarah at Running On Words, who is my oldest and dearest blogging buddy.

    2. Tigger at Life’s Little Reflections, who always has some sage advice.

    3. Gee at Geebaby, an awesome person who has the cutest lil gravatar!

    4. Amanda at My life in a nutshell, whom I was introduced to during November’s ICLW!

    5. Teri at Diary of a Mad Hatter, who probably deserves one of those chocolate bouquets for all the grief I give her as my editor at Off the Deep End.

    Happy reading! And if you didn’t go already, don’t forget to stop by Emily’s giveaway to leave her your thoughts on hope, faith, and believing.

    *Yes, sweetie, I really used the term ‘deets.’ Please continue to put out. Thanks babe!