What’s a Liebster? My First Blog Award.

It seems I’ve been nominated for a Liebster award! ”A what?!” was my first thought, and had to immediately Google “Liebster”.

For those who may not know, like me, the Liebster Award is an award given to blogs that have less than 200 followers as a way to show encouragement and appreciation to fellow bloggers, as well as to spread the word about new blogs. 

I owe my nomination to Janaline at Janaline’s World Journey, who I am happy to say is the second person I now know from South Africa! Janaline travels to parts of the world that Mrs. Padilly only hopes she can get to one day, like Moscow (part of my ancestry)! Until then, I can read about those places on her site! Thank you, Janaline!

So onto the award… It appears the Liebster is a bit of a chain letter, so in the spirit of goodwill, I will accept this award under the conditions below, and share it with 11 other bloggers.

A. You can paste the award picture into your blog

B. You must post 11 random facts about yourself.

1. I’m not a native Texan.
2. Walt Disney is my hero and mentor (read many biographies). He was a visionary who retained a childlike spirit.
3. I love most of Tim Burton’s movies. Especially “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Edward Scissorhands.”
4. Wanted to be a Disney Animator when I was a teenager. Instead, I retired from a career teaching design and animation for a local college. (Dreams really do come true, just not always the way you intended.)
5. To meet my goal of working for Disney, I took a part-time job at the Disney Store while teaching full-time at the college. (I have my pay stub from Disney for by bucket list.) I also learned retail is a lot harder than teaching!!!
6. I hate cats, but I have three (I call them dog cats).
7. I find cemeteries peaceful.
8. I believe teaching is the best job in the world.
9. Genealogy is taking over my life!
10. Own a golf cart, but don’t golf.
11. I blog for myself as a place to put my thoughts and images, and to give me an excuse to travel. “Likes” are the icing on the cake. “Comments” are the flowers.

C. You have to answer 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.

1. If you could spend one day doing what you wanted, what would it be? Painting a masterpiece.
2. If you could be famous for one thing, what would it be? Publishing a children’s book that is turned into a TV cartoon series, and then into a major motion picture. (“One thing!” My children’s book, which is also a TV cartoon series, gets turned into a major motion picture.)
3. If you could have three wishes granted, what would they be? That all sick children would immediately be cured of their disease. That the world would follow Thumper’s advice: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”  And that you grow younger as you grow wiser.
4. If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be? What’s better, Mac or PC?
5. What one thing you miss about being a kid? Getting to act like a kid without people thinking you are weird.
6. What habits are worth keeping? Habits that feed the soul, not destroy it.
7. What is your favorite day of the week?  Monday. Fresh Start.
8. What word describes you best?  Imaginative
9. What would I do if there was no way I could fail? Publish a children’s book, turn it into a TV series, then into a major motion picture.
10. Will you share and describe a happy moment in your past, recent or distant?  Spending New Year’s Eve bowling with my family.
11. If you could spend 15 minutes with any living person, who would it be and why? Tim Burton. I love his creative imagination and his handling of the outcast. But he is so different from me, I probably would not know what to say, and would just stand next to him for 15 minutes and hope that I could absorb some of his brilliant, creative mind through osmosis.

D. You have to write 11 new questions directed to your nominees.

1. If you could give yourself another first name, what would that be?
2. What word best describes you?
3. What is your favorite childhood character?
4. Why do you blog?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. If you could only choose between owning a cat or a dog, what would it be?
7. What city/place did you travel to that is furthest from your home?
8. What do you love about your state or country?
9. What was the first award you ever received?
10. Have you ever been to Texas?
11. What one artistic talent would you like to master, even if you have never done it before?

E. Pass the award on to 11 other bloggers while making sure that you notify the blogger that you nominated them. 

I’d like to pass on the Liebster to the following 11 blogs that I enjoy reading, and who I believe are young blogs that meet the 200 or less followers. But since I, myself, am one of the worst participants in chain letters, I respectfully offer my nominees a pass if you choose not to accept, as I was about to, but must admit, I found accepting the award “funner” than I thought.

Uncovering my Roots

Stuff and Things

ellenbooks Blog

KPaige

A Hundred Years Ago

Christa Kinde, Storyteller

Ilka Dickens

Digital Marketing

 365 Days for Foodies

Writing Good Books

The Barefoot Gigi