Liebster Award

A talented and lovely writer from New Zealand has honored me with a nomination for this award. I’m grateful, Errant, even though I’m still working at this whole blog thing. Thank you. 🙂

She a poet, essayist, dancer, screenwriter and original thinker. Her site is Errant Satiety.

According to the rules, I will answer her questions, nominate some blogs I follow (see below) and admire, relate some random facts about myself, and pass this along to them to make their own responses as I have. The purpose of this award is to help you discover new blogs, and so I’m happy to accept for that reason. There are some amazing people out there. 

 

Q&A

What quote is your favorite or gives you inspiration at the moment?

I think it’s this one, this week.

“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

 

What poem has stayed with you for a long time and remains a favourite?

“I Am the Grass,” Carl Sandburg

Do you have any tattoos, if not would you consider getting one?

No and no. I just don’t see the point…. 🙂

Do you have a particular genre of music that you listen to or is there a surprising favourite artist?

I don’t have a favorite, but do have some I don’t listen to. But at various times I like Cuban, South African, 60s and 70s rock, some blues, some jazz, and some classical. I’m a Beatles fan since forever, and own almost everything by Crosby, Stills and Nash (and reluctantly) some things when Neil Young joined them. I don’t know if it’s surprising or not, but in my top ten artists, at least half are women like Joni Mitchell, Nora Jones, Allison Krauss and Eva Cassidy. I have a real basic lustful thing for smart, strong, bold women with good voices. When I listen to Eva Cassidy sing “Fields of Gold,” I lose it and think things that would probably get me arrested.

Is there a film that surprised you with drawing you in even though it was in a ‘genre’ that you wouldn’t normal watch?

Another topic where it’s hard to narrow it down. See, I watch a LOT of movies. I’ve had a Netflix membership for more than six years and at last count have rented or streamed nearly 6,000 movies from them. I don’t have a favorite genre, unless you count the Swedish versions of the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy. So much better than the Daniel Craig Hollywood version. Do yourself a favor and watch the originals.  The actor Michael Nyqvist is the image I have in mind for the main character in my book. 

Is there anything in your life that you have really had to fight hard to achieve?

Being a good man. Still trying.

What is the most blatant lie you have ever told?

“No, dear, those jeans don’t make your butt look fat.” Kidding. (That’s never been a problem.)  Seriously, though. I don’t believe I’ve ever told a lie. And there you have it.

What talent or skill would you like to develop more?

 Ballroom dancing or learning to play the guitar. Maybe both.

If you could live at any time history, when would it be?

Are you kidding? Right now. Like….Internet. Duh.

Of course, since I have mastered time travel, I can take my pick, so it’s really a moot point.

Do you have a phobia or something you are afraid of?

No phobias I’m aware of (or admit to myself.) The fear that is driving me most now as I approach retirement is the one that asks “what have you done with your life that’s worthwhile?”  I don’t have a good answer for that yet.

Do you have a favourite word?

 No.

I mean, that’s the word: “no”. I use it whenever I don’t have a good answer. I kind of like the word ‘duck’, though. It just sounds funny. Funnier than ‘chicken’.

 

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Here are my nominees and the rules for those that choose to pay it forward (No obligation, guys!):

My Nominees:

• Still Light
• AnnTogether
•  Carrying the Gun
• Niki Daniels Interview
• Slilngshot Fiction
• Nobody’s Reading Me
• Haddyism
• Live Simply, Travel Lightly….
• Athene Noelle
• Must Be This Tall to Ride

Random facts about me: 

• I work in stained glass and wood as a hobby.
• I lived in Karachi, Pakistan for two years while in high school.
• According to some dicy research I uncovered on Ancestry.com, one of my ancestors was Lady Godiva. Another was Rollo the Viking, founder of Normandy and ancestor of William the Conqueror. (Still waiting for the call letting me know I can move into my castle.) Of course, the latter, especially, might be a complete fantasy, given how often files got soaked with sea water and blood, and ruined in those open Viking boats.
• I live in a Victorian home that we’ve completely restored, and did most of the work ourselves. It’s for sale.
• I have seven toes on my left foot (that’s a lie; I was just wondering if you were still reading.)

The rules: 

1. Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. Display the award on your blog–by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”.
3. Answer 11 questions about yourself which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate 5 – 11 blogs you feel deserve this award, who have less than 1000 followers.
6. Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7. List these rules on your post. Once you have written published it, you then have to:
8. Inform people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster Award and provide a link for them to your post so they can learn about it (they might not have heard of it!)

 

Questions for these bloggers to answer:

1. What was the title of the first thing you remember writing? Age?
2. Have you ever had a dream about walking into work without any pants on?
3. Have you ever actually walked into work without pants (or dress, etc.) on? Details!
4. What’s the biggest challenge you have to writing regularly, and how do you overcome it?
5. What do you read for fun?
6. If you could be anyone in history, who would you choose and why?