Wow, I’m really happy to have been nominated for a Liebster blog award by Jack Joseph’s Mom at http://jackjosephsmom.wordpress.com/author/jackjosephsmom. Writing this blog has been so therapeutic and I’ve felt happier and more stable for the past couple of weeks than at any other point for months. The icing on the cake is that other people are reading this and getting something out of it too. I have enjoyed and sympathised with her blog a lot, so I am really pleased to comply with the rules as she sees them and tell anyone who is interested a bit more about myself.
So, once you’ve been nominated, you have to post 11 things about yourself, answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you, and pass it on. Choose 11 people to award and create 11 questions for them.
11 things about me
1) I love animals and nature and rocks and the world. My dream is to do something that makes a difference to the real world around me, either through research or raising awareness… or through looking after little furry things.
2) My husband and I have been together for 10 years this May, and married for just over two years. He was my first real boyfriend and I was so lucky to find my best friend and partner when I was just 18. I adore him and spending time with him is my absolute favourite thing.
3) I live just to the west of London in a suburban town and am (hopefully) about to move into the country. But I’m a Yorkshire lass at heart.
4) I love to write – it’s the biggest part of my job, and I write poems and short stories and travel writing in my spare time. Problem is, I never seem to have any spare time to do it in!
5) I love travelling. Canada is my favourite place I’ve visited so far.
6) I’ve just managed to stop biting my nails after 28 years. YES!
7) The number 7 is my favourite number. I have no idea why I even have a favourite number!
8) I love winter. It’s by far my favourite season. I love being cold and snuggling up under quilts.
9) I eat fish but not meat. My parents gave up eating meat when I was five so I can’t remember what it tastes like, so no temptation to go back!
10) I love walking and playing tennis and doing pilates.
11) I love cooking – tonight I made bramble and damson crumble with the last of the fruit we found out walking last autumn and stashed in the freezer.
Answering Jack Joseph’s Mom’s questions
1) What gets you up in the morning?
Tea! With lots of milk. I like my job, so most days I’m not too unhappy to get up and go to work.
2) If you could go anywhere, anywhere, where would you go?
Alaska. Or the Maldives because I heard they’re going to sink! I kind of want to say ‘the moon’ though.
3) If you saw a vehicle accident – would you stop? Why or why not?
Yes. I would want to try to do something to help, although I’m afraid I’d be rubbish and do more harm than good! I would hate myself for ever if I didn’t try.
4) What is your most played song on your iPod (or whatever you listen to music on)?
Hmm, I listen to all sorts of weird music. Probably ‘Old Love’ by Eric Clapton at the moment although it could be something totally unrelated next week.
5) What is your favorite way to exercise?
Walking with my husband. Anywhere – even somewhere really boring!
6) If you could choose to be a certain age forever, what would it be and why?
My mid-twenties have been amazing. I’m pretty happy at this age – 29.
7) What would be your first purchase if you won the lottery?
A really lovely old cottagey house.
8) What celebrity do you get mistaken for?
Haha, I wish! Someone once told me I looked like Kate Winslet and I was VERY happy with that.
9) What is the hardest thing you ever had to do?
That’s an easy one. Come to terms with losing my baby. I haven’t really managed it yet.
10) What would be your most perfect meal? Not just breakfast, lunch or dinner… but what would be on the plate/table.
Assuming I’m not trying to be good, cauliflower cheese made with my Mum’s cheese sauce, and loads of mustard. Following by really good chocolate ice cream.
11) What is your most favorite memory?
Probably the night my husband asked me to marry him. It was the most perfect, romantic proposal ever.
My nominations
This is totally impossible to do because some of the people I would nominate have already been nominated by someone else! I’m going to list them anyway and not at all expect them to answer all these questions again! I haven’t have a lot of time to research other blogs that I really believe are worth reading. I know there are a lot out there, but I don’t want to make random nominations – so I’ll just nominate the ones I can truthfully say that I’ve read and absorbed. That number is growing all the time!
So here are the blogs I’ve found meaningful so far:
I know it’s just four nominations and not eleven. But it’s four really good ones!
Questions for my nominees
1) What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
2) What’s your favourite movie and why?
3) What’s your favourite out of all the places you’ve lived?
4) What was the best day of your life?
5) What achievement are you most proud of?
6) What do you hope to achieve from blogging?
7) Are you doing the job now that you hope to do all your life?
8) City or countryside?
9) What one thing would you change about the world if you could?
10) How are you spending this evening?
11) Tell me your funniest joke!