THE LIEBSTER (AGAIN?!)

Oh my oh my oh my. So I’ve been nominated for the Liebster again. This blows me away. Honestly, I write/blog for me – I pretty much spew words straight from my heart to the keyboard. I’m amazed every time a complete stranger likes or comments on something I’ve written. Let alone follows me … and keeps reading. It’s an honour, truly.

So a big thank you to Joel over at Chesapeake Films who just happens to belong to a Facebook blog group I joined recently. We’ve had a couple of conversations on his love of New Zealand – so I know he’s all around good! It’s always nice to read Joel’s comments on my posts too, which are heartfelt and inspiring.

The rules of the award:

• You have to link back to the person that nominated you. (That was Joel, linked up there, here it is again in case you missed it!)
• You must answer all 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.
• After completing these questions you must nominate 11 bloggers under 200 followers and give them 11 questions of your choice.
• You must not nominate the person who nominated you.
• You must let your nominees know that they have been nominated and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

Joel’s questions for me:

1. Why Blogging?

I love to write and thought about blogging for years before I actually got here. In the end, a time in my life where I really needed to take a look at where things are at, prompted me to put pen to paper (fingers to keys, whatever!), Over the last four months I have completely fallen in love with blogging!

2. Twitter or FB?

FB! I manage three accounts (my own plus two for work). I don’t even know how to use Twitter but tempted to explore it.

3. Has there ever been a book that made you cry?

So so so many books make me cry. When I read, it’s like watching a movie – the pictures are so vivid and I fall in love with the characters. I feel it all. I cried reading Charlotte’s Web and A Little Princess as a girl. Not much has changed!

4. What was the last meal you prepared from scratch?

Umm, all of them! I always try to cook using fresh, unprocessed ingredients as much as possible. Last night we had a Thai Beef Curry.

5. If you could go back in time, would you change anything?

Great question! Honestly, and this is something I’ve thought about a lot, I can say no. I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve had some pretty hellish periods in my life but they make me who I am now. Maybe sounds cliche … but true. And life just keeps getting better (working on it anyway) so I know I needed to travel the lows to really be able to experience the highs.

6. Do you believe in “the road less travelled?

Ummmm, not really. But I do appreciate Peck’s thoughts on delaying gratification, acceptance of responsibility and dedication to truth (please let honesty rule!). It would be fair to say I think of all of these in my parenting philosophy.

7. Robin Williams…go!

So sad – sad for his family. Sad to think of how desperate he must have been at the end of his life. Sad that the world has lost a fine and funny comedic voice. And SO SO SO sad that it has taken the loss of someone with such a high profile to get people REALLY talking about mental health. I could go on … and on!

8. What was your worst experience while traveling?

Nothing really comes to mind! I’ve been lucky. I did have a horrific job while backpacking in Australia – delivering new wheelie rubbish bins and then worst of all, picking up the old ones!

9. What are the top three things on your bucket list?

I don’t have a bucket list. But I REALLY want to travel to Italy and France.

10. Is it the journey or the destination?

Journey – and learning the lessons along the way.

11. What do you do to unwind/to get rid of the toxins from the day, to vent out your frustrations/to clear your head?

Books, writing, music.

My nominees:

I have done this fairly recently so I’m going to suggest you head over to my other post and check out the blogs I nominated last time – I’m not really one for giving names for the sake of giving names. These really are great and still sit at the top of my list.

Four new sites I will nominate, who I would love you to check out are:

Organised Babble

Sunny Imperfections

Flippy Zip Flop

Accidentally Reflective

Questions for my nominees:

1.  Read on screen or old school book?
2. You have a night in, what’s the best way to spend it?
3. Favourite book (sorry, two book questions already, can’t help myself!)?
4. Favourite place in the world – that you’ve been to?
5. The place you would most like to go?
6. Bungee jump or skydive (I haven’t done either but would probably skydive)?
7. What’s the best part of blogging for you?
8. Most played song over the last month?
9. Favourite smell (for me, fresh cut grass, home baking, the beach)?
10. Best holiday memory?
11. Best tip for other new bloggers?

So there you have it. Thanks again Joel. Now you all go and check out those blogs!