Liebster Award from Chocoviv

Chocoviv nominated me for my second Liebster Award! If you haven’t yet met Chocoviv, I encourage you to check out her lifestyle blog. She is a fabulous mommy blogger who posts on a variety of topics with a sunny, can-do attitude. Whether it’s notes and photos from her travels, reviews of books and shows, beauty product and green living advice, or updates on her bearded dragon, you’re sure to find something fun. Thank you, Chocoviv!

Rules:

•     Thank the person that nominated you and put a link to their blog
•     Answer the questions given to you
•     Nominate 2-6 bloggers and notify them of their nomination
•     Create 11 new questions, or use the same ones below

Questions from Chocoviv:

1. How would you describe your blogging journey in three words?

Dream, research, enjoy.

2. What do you love most about blogging?

It’s hard to name just one thing! I love the process of coming up with ideas for posts and researching them. It encourages me to explore the worlds of imagination and fact as I search for the balance between them. It’s also fun to engage with readers in comments after I publish. I never know what new perspectives or information I’ll discover! And then there’s reading other people’s blogs, learning more from them or just connecting. I suppose it’s the cycle that I enjoy the most!

3. How long does it take you to compose a blog post?

From idea to publishing, a full-length article usually takes between 2 weeks to a little over a month. Award posts I can often finish in a couple days to a week if I’m focused enough. I’d honestly like to take more time on some posts because then I could do more in-depth research, but first I’ll have to get ahead of schedule enough to have extra time!

4. Imagine visiting your 7-10 year old self, what would be his/her advice/message to your current self?

Be more dramatic! Or possibly hang out with a unicorn.

I was 7 when I first decided I want to be a storyteller, which back then meant reciting my tales onto a tape recorder. The first story I recorded was a creation legend about a giant, which ended with my little voice solemnly describing all the animals named by the giant giving him a funeral.

That age range was also when I discovered The Last Unicorn and created an imaginary unicorn friend for myself. She didn’t say much, just provided a healing presence when I was sick. I still remember the day that I let her go.

5. What is one thing that you learned during this time of quarantine?

I learned that it is possible to be stuck at home with seemingly the whole day available to me and still be more sleep-deprived than when I was working. I always thought that if I had more time at home, it would automatically translate into getting more of my to-do list done. Not so much. I’m going to be very careful about wishing for more time off in the future!

6. Coffee or tea?

Tea, and only herbal tea. I have a mild caffeine allergy that gives me a headache if I consume too much. I don’t see the point in drinking coffee without the caffeine, so I just skip it.

7. What are three things you are grateful for today?

My health, my family, and rain-cleared air. I had to deal with some hazardously smoky air for several days recently, and I spent most of the time just wishing for rain to put the fires out and settle the particles.

8. When you are feeling down, what do you do to cheer yourself up?

Some of my favorite strategies include snuggling with a cat, reading an optimistic novel, watching a lighthearted show, or listening to my favorite songs. Watching the rain is great mood-booster, but that’s not something I can do whenever I feel down.

9. What’s one habit you want to break and why?

Bad posture. A lot of my favorite activities involve sitting, so I often end up slouching or just not sitting in the best position. I know it will catch up to me someday, but it’s so hard to remember to stack my bones right when my mind is off in another world.

10. What is your dream destination?

That varies from day to day. One place I’d really like to go someday is Ireland. I’m part Irish, so it would be interesting to see places connected to my heritage.

11. What language would you like to learn?

All of them! I’m currently working on Japanese and ASL, though I’ve also got Irish Gaelic on my list. I’d especially like to learn some of the languages that are considered endangered. I hate seeing languages and their encoded way of looking at the world fade away!

My questions:

1. What’s a song that you enjoy having in your head?
2. What spices do you like?
3. Do you ever eat while you read? If so, what are some great reading side dishes?
4. What do you like to have with you while you read?
5. What is your take on writing notes in the margins of books?
6. If you were offered a cruise/tour through several book worlds, which ones are on your must-see list?
7. Have you ever judged a book by its cover and later found out it was awesome?
8. What are some stereotypes about reading/readers that you find annoying?
9. Which location sounds most relaxing: a deep forest, a well-tended garden, a quiet library, or a sunny beach?
10. What brightens your day when everything else has gone wrong?
11. Who would you like beside you while watching a sunset/sunrise?

My Nominees:

Geeky Mythology

Nicole’s Book Thoughts

Bookish Refreshments

Lotus Laura

The Midnight Book Blog