Hello, friends!
If you remember, I was nominated for the Liebster Award last year in December. I’ve been nominated again… two days in a row… so you guys have another long post filled with random information ahead of you.
First off, the rules.
1. Thank the person who nominated you, include a link to their blog, and add the Liebster Award badge to your blog and/or post.
2. Answer the eleven questions from the person who nominated you.
3. Give eleven random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 5-11 fellow bloggers.
5. Notify your nominees that you nominated them for the Liebster Award.
6. Ask your nominees eleven questions.
The first nomination was from Maya Joelle, who blogs right here. Go check her out, especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy genre. She’s got some fun book/music reviews, blog tags, info about her WIP and more! Head on over there!
Maya’s questions were…
1.) What is your favorite summertime drink?
Oh, man. Must this be so hard? We’ll go with an iced coffee.:)
2.) Have you ever met someone whose first language was not English (or was your first language not English)? What was that like?
Yes… I’ve known people who grew up in Mexico for as long as I can remember, and I work with several now! It’s been really neat… although a bit of a struggle when they can’t find the words to express what they’re trying to communicate, or when I can’t understand what they’re saying because of their accent. Thankfully, they’re so gracious with my confusion and laugh it off. A sense of humor covers a multitude of sins.:)
3.) Do you fluently speak any language other than your first? Which one? How’d you learn it?
Not really… although I can usually decipher Spanish sentences. I learned Spanish through a combination of Duo Lingo, Rosetta Stone, stories read in Spanish, and other sources. Oh, but I can say “Please listen – do you speak English?” in Hindi. Because that’s just so helpful.
4.) Have you ever made up a language, or do you want to?
If creating a howling code with brothers and cousins counts, then yes. Been there, done that.
5.) Is it snowy where you live?
FYI: Princess Anna is actually me.
6.) What song did you last listen to? Did you like it?
I’m currently listening to a song called “Hope Now” because it popped up on the station I’m listening to… I would say I like it! It’s not outstanding, in my opinion, but it’s not despicable.:)
7.) Would you rather be Lizzy Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) or Peter Parker (Spider-man)? (Ignore whether you’re the same gender for this question and just think about the situation/personality.)
*looks up a synopsis of just who Spider-Man is*
Lizzy Bennett. Books, long letters, walks, sarcasm, interesting interactions and lots of plot twists… sounds fascinating and familiar.:)
8.) Have you ever been to Michigan? If so, what did you think of it?
Not yet!
9.) Favorite non-official holiday?
Grilled Cheese Day – April 12. A few years ago, our family started a little tradition for our farm… we host a grilled cheese lunch on that day for our employees and other people who work with our farm. It is so much fun! Sadly, last year we canceled due to *unintelligible muttering and sputtering*
10.) Does your church follow the liturgical calendar?
Until I was eleven, we were members of a Lutheran church, and we did there. Now we’re at a non-denominational church that doesn’t follow the liturgical calendar.
11.) Do you like being asked about your future plans? Why or why not?
Ooh… *cringes* Not really. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 22, people seem to automatically assume that you’re in college, so answering “where are you going to school?” with “I’m not going to school, I’m working on my family’s farm while working towards a career in writing” is challenging at times. People either ask for my back-up plan (nothing like boosting a girl’s confidence!) or treat me like I’m about to win the Newbery Medal, and both of these reactions make me shrivel up inside. So, no. I don’t really like being asked that question… and yet somehow I do at the same time. It’s complicated.
Thanks for the questions, Maya! That was fun!:)
Okay, next up…
Mia Harden nominated me, as well! Thank you so, much, Mia.:) You can check out Mia’s blog right here to read some of her super fun posts. Go do it!
Mia’s questions were…
1.) What Food Do You Want to Like, But Just Can’t?
Omelets. I’ve always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them. I’m not a picky eater, but if I’m going to enjoy an omelet, it has to be absolutely perfect. Not scorched, but with zero runniness. With mushrooms and onions… lots of them. And ham is nice, too. No salsa… that pulls away from the mushrooms and onions. But sour cream on top is great, because… dairy.
2.) If You Could Go Anywhere In the World, Where Would You Go?
Europe. Mountains, history, and a different culture… need I say more?
3.) Excluding Any Instruments That You Might Play, What Is Your Favorite Instrument?
My favorite are the piano and guitar… but I play both. I think that the cello is so beautiful – and I’m such a terrible cellist, I think I can get away with saying I don’t really play it.:)
4.) What Is the Funniest Thing That Has Ever Happened to You?
One Sunday evening, after my mother’s reputation as one of the best chocolate chip cookie bakers in the region was well established among the kids in our youth group (they had scarfed down a box or two, leaving nary a crumb for yours truly a few weeks before this), I began the slow and painful process of trying to drag three siblings away to the car.
After telling the siblings that it was time to leave, I ran to grab the cookies. I was stopped by one of our youth leaders, who asked if she could grab a few cookies before I left. Then, as I began my pilgrimage to the car, I was attacked by a multitude of panicking friends. I’m serious – there were grabbing hands everywhere. It cracked me up, and I still grin every time I remember it. (Maybe this wasn’t the funniest thing… but it’s one of my favorite funny memories.)
(You can find the recipe for these amazing cookies here, on my other blog.:) )
5.) What Is Your Favorite Day of the Week?
Sunday! Although I love the routine of my weekday schedule, it’s such a treat to be able to refresh and refocus on Sundays. Spending time with my church family, spending extra time focusing on and drawing near to Jesus, just hanging out with my family, and (let’s admit it) Sunday afternoon naps are simply the best.
6.) What is Something Random that You Like to Do?
Strike up conversations between characters whose personalities and situations I invent as I go. One of them is usually in tears or upset about something. I’d say that’s random.
7.) Early Bird or Night Owl?
Lately I’ve been a night owl… but I function better when I’m an early bird. I just struggle to tell my brain to stop working and go to sleep.:)
8.) On a Scale of One To Ten, How Excited Were You For This Nomination?
Good question! I was nominated for this last year, and then my excitement was definitely a 10! It was the first blog award for which I’d been nominated, and I was pretty much bouncing off the walls.:) This time around I was more like, “Oh, cool, another nomination!” So maybe a 7 or 8?
9.) You Have the Opportunity to Go on an All-Expenses-Paid Trip to See Your Favorite Singer Perform, But It Happens At the Same Time As Something Else You’ve Always Wanted to Do. What is The Other Thing, And Which Would You Choose?
The other thing would be marrying someone amazing… and I think that choice is a no-brainer. Besides… concerts are usually in big cities. With crazy traffic. And tons of people. I can listen to Sidewalk Prophets anytime I want to at home, anyway.:)
10.) When Did You Decide You Wanted to Start a Blog?
I had to think about this one! I think it was in the spring or summer of 2017… and I started my first blog in October of 2017. I pretty much got hooked on blogging for life after that.:)
11.) And the Question For the Win, How Many Other Blogs Are You Following?
Ooh… I actually have no idea. Maybe… 20? Or 30?
Random Facts About Me
- I used to be an avid bacon grease collector.
- I wrote a horrible story once, and knew it was horrible. To scare me, my brother wrote up his own version on the same type of paper and pretended that my story was in his possession. His version was so much better than mine and is still in existence. Mine was ripped up by my own two hands years ago.
- My family laughed at me when I informed them that taking Geometry helped me to think more logically.
- If a game involves words, definitions, or acting, I will probably love it.
- This blog has been cracking me up, and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s chock-full of my kind of sarcastic humor. Please. Go read it.
- My favorite musical is Fiddler on the Roof.
- The first scene in an HF novel I started writing was set by a brook in my favorite park.
- I once dropped a plate, shattering it, and promptly landed on a shard. With my bare foot.
- Phone calls terrify my introverted soul. Texts or letters, please.
- If I didn’t love writing or working on the farm, I may have ended up pursuing a career in law or politics. (please refer to random fact #3 and laugh with my family.)
- I love to debate.
And I would like to nominate…
Sarah at The Sarcastic Elf
Hannah at The Striped Plaid
Rachel at Kinetic Intent
Rachel at Joyful Creations
My questions for my nominees:
- What are some of your favorite quotes/Bible verses at present?
- What has been one of the happiest days of your life so far, and why?
- What is your favorite book genre?
- What is your favorite movie, and why?
- Why do you blog?
- Do you prefer talking face-to-face or communicating through writing?
- What is your favorite outfit?
- If you could spend one full day with your best friend, what would you do together?
- What would you say is your biggest goal in life?
- Do you plan your blog posts ahead of time, or leave them ’til the last minute?
- How would you describe your personality in three words?
If you’re still here… you’re either one of my nominees or a gem. Or both.:) Thanks for sticking with me.
Have a lovely day, folks… and feel free to answer any of these questions in the comment section!
Laurel Luehmann 