Liebster Award: Discover New Bloggers

I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award! Thanks to Kailey at Still My Superman for the nomination 🙂

The Liebster Award is designed to introduce bloggers to other bloggers. The idea is that through nominations, new bloggers can connect, meet virtually and expand their networks. Part of the process is to share information about ourselves, and respond to the questions posed by the nominator.

The Rules:

If you’re nominated for the award you must:

• Make a post about the award, thanking the blogger who nominated you.
• State 11 interesting facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 new bloggers with 500 or less followers.
• Write 11 new questions for your nominees.

Thanks for making all this work for me, Kailey! I kid…this’ll be fun. So without further ado, here I go!

11 interesting facts about me

1. I am a lifetime Girl Scout. An active member from Kindergarten through Senior year of high school, Girl Scouts provided me many experiences, learning opportunities, and friendships. To this day, I volunteer my time whenever I can, and just this month earned the Volunteer of Excellence award!
2. I can wiggle my nose like Samantha on Bewitched. For reals. It freaks people out, yet I have no clue what sort of nasal muscles I developed to allow such strange movement.
3. Speaking of freaking people out, when I get cold (which is often), my hands turn blue. Actually blue. And THAT scares people. Pretty sure it’s just poor blood flow.
4. I play the viola, and have since the 4th grade. In fact, my orchestra concert is coming up next Sunday!
   
5. I used to have a profile, and actively participate in forums, on a Harry Potter-themed website (MuggleSpace). This is not only where I met Kailey, but also where I met my now-boyfriend! Funny how things turn out, eh?
6. I write communications about chillers, building automation systems, energy solutions, and everything in between – that’s my day job and I love it!
7. My “girly” obsession is earrings. I own hundreds of pairs (very few of them contain “real” gems), but always want more…despite having only one set of piercing.
8. I’m a new Trekkie, thanks to my boyfriend. My iPhone’s background is the Klingon symbol (while the case makes my phone look like the TARDIS). I’m almost finished watching all of The Next Generation (I ❤ Data!), and am about to embark on Deep Space Nine.
9. The only game I play on my iPhone and tablet is Words with Friends. Makes sense, considering how much I enjoy writing 🙂
10. I’ve written three novels, though none are published. All three were created during NaNoWriMo, a challenge which taught me much about myself, each year I participated.
11. I have a lot of geeky, nerdy obsessions, but Harry Potter and LOST will always prevail among them. Ok, and maybe Doctor Who. And now Star Trek…

11 questions answered

1. Which faction would you choose if you lived in the world of Tris Prior (Divergent)? Well, considering I’ve not seen Divergent, I’ll answer a similar question – which district would I live in in Panem (Hunger Games): I’d choose District 1 (making luxury items) but I bet I’d wind up in District 9, whose industry is grain…I could bake forever!
2. What is your favorite thing about blogging? I love hearing from friends and family that they actually make the recipes I post on my blog. It’s heartwarming to know that people in my life, whether I know it or not, are affected positively by what I write. Cooking really does require passion, and if I can extend that beyond my own kitchen, I’m happy. 🙂
3. What is the most random thing that you almost always have in your purse? Floss! Seriously. My dentist always gives us these tiny little floss containers, and I almost always have one (or more) in my purse.
4. What are your most used kitchen items? (besides silverware, the fridge, sink or dishwasher) My food processor! Between my sister and myself, the motor on that poor little processor takes a beating. I think we collectively use it every other day for something. My cooking life has much improved with this gadget. My most BELOVED kitchen item is of course my hot pink KitchenAid Stand Mixer.
5. What is your favorite season? Summer. Dear god I need summer!
6. What would you do if you had an unlimited budget for your wedding? I’d have my wedding on a Mediterranean cruise! All friends and family would be able to join us. That specific cruise has been a dream vacation since my first cruise back in high school. My dress would be covered in pink Swarovski crystals, too.
7. What is the best relationship advice you’ve ever received? Be with someone who makes you happy, and who you make happy. Glad I found that.
   

   The boy and me 🙂

8. What is a song that makes you happy every time you listen to it? This is a difficult question. I listen to a variety of music, and different moods require different songs to induce happiness. On an overcast day, Hotel California makes me happy. When I’m upset, AC/DC makes me happy. In the shower, salsa music makes me happy! And when I need to be productive, epic movie scores make me happy.
9. Who is your favorite Avenger? Unpopular opinion alert! I don’t like the Avengers. In fact, I don’t like any super hero movies. But I do appreciate their aesthetic appeal 😉
10. Which Disney Princess are you most like? According a Buzzfeed quiz, I’m Rapunzel: “Witty and outgoing, you have a sense of humor that always keeps people smiling. You are constantly on the look for adventure and don’t settle down easily.” While these quizzes are usually junk, I think this description is pretty accurate.
11. What is the most ridiculous and/or embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? Oh goodness. I’m sure I do something ridiculous or embarrassing every day! To think of one instance is proving difficult.

11 blogs nominated

This list is meant to contain bloggers with less than 500 followers, but I’m a fan of bending the rules when needed.

1. Old Things R New
2. A Goal In Reach
3. Organizing with a Side of Fabulous
4. HumanBeans89
5. MixedUpPainter
6. Miss Marzipan
7. Warm Toasty Muffins
8. Veggie Angie
9. Joanne Eats Well With Others
10. My Foray Into Food Storage
11. Ramble On (my sister’s blog!)

11 new questions

1. Coffee or tea?
2. Which Disney villain would be your BFF?
3. What’s your favorite dessert?
4. What one book would you want with you, if you became deserted on an island?
5. Who would play you in the movie version of your life (aside from yourself)?
6. Where/when would you go if you had ONE chance to travel through time and space?
7. What goes onto your ideal sandwich?
8. If you had a garden, what one plant, fruit or vegetable would you grow in it?
9. What new food or ingredient have you most recently tried for the first time? Liked or disliked it?
10. What’s the first thing you check on your phone or computer in the morning?
11. What’s your favorite recipe right now?

Thanks again to Kailey for nominating me! This was indeed fun to write and compile. I look forward to my nominees’ answers!