Liebster Award

I am beyond grateful to have received the Liebster Award by SarahBell at Sarah Being SarahBell. Liebster is a German word which means dearest . This award is for new bloggers who have less than 200 followers and helps give them recognition and support. It's also a greaty way to let someone know how much you love their blog!

Thank you SarahBell

When you receive the award, you post 11 random things about yourself, answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you, nominate 11 blogs of your own, and post 11 questions for them to respond to.

11 Random Facts about Me:

1. If I don't have a bottle of water and a piece of gum on me at all times I will go into a mental breakdown. Seriously, one time I had to sit through a test with no water, it was a disaster. I've got some anxiety issues; they're good fun.

2. I love literary and finger tattoos. That doesn't mean I have them. No, I just think they are awesome. If you've been affected by a book or line enough to make it a permanent part of you, you are my kind 

of peoples. 

3. I fictionalize almost every conversation I have in real life. It must be the writer in me, but immediately after I'm through talking to someone, I either imagine how that could have gone better, or turn it into some epic piece of fiction (well, epic to me). 

4. I can't see a man cry, or even get choked up for that matter, without crying, too. I think it's the whole  idea that men are supposed to be these tough men that aren't moved by anything, so when they do cry, my body obviously thinks it's serious enough that I need to cry to. 

5. Speaking of crying, I cry whenever I laugh. It doesn't matter if it's just a chuckle or a belly roll laugh, I will cry. Apparently this is because some nerve is too connected to my cheeks or something and when ever I laugh, it triggers the tears. I also cry while yawning or making any kind of face really. It's pathetic, but i've learned to deal. 

6. I name all the wild animals around my house. There's Petey the Possum, JarJar the Raccoon (because he had a peanut-butter jug stuck on his head), Hazel the really fat Squirrel…I could go on. I'm not scary crazy, I swear. 

7. I hate all forms of alcohol. I have this phobia about throwing up, so really anything that can have that effect, I steer clear of. I've only been drunk once, and that experience was enough for me. 

8. I quit smoking 5 months ago. I smoked for 10 years and I'm only 25. It was hard core, but I did it. 

9. I can only read books in one sitting. I hate having to stop in the middle of a book so I usually dedicate whole days to reading. And once I am reading, GOOD LUCK getting my attention. 

10. I don't care what my future looks like as long as I am being creative. Nothing scares me more than the thought of one day sitting in a cubicle to make a living. Ideally I want to be a damn good writer but really any form of artistic expression will make me happy. 

11. My pets are my family. I'm struggling with the health issues of Mia right now. I really hate that I might lose her soon and how much this is costing me, but whether I only have her another week or another 4 years, whatever time I get will be precious to me. 

11 Questions from SarahBell: 

1. What is your one big regret in your life you wish you could change?

This is a hard one. I don't think I really regret anything. As cliché as this is going to sound, I really did learn something from every experience. If I had to pick, I wish I would have spent more time with my great grandpa before he died. It was my first experience with death, and I didn't know how final that truly was until after. 

2. Who was your favorite teacher, and how did they affect you?

Mr. Smith, my creative writing teacher. He was the most supportive, inspiring and truly caring teacher I have ever had. He still influences me today and reminds me to keep striving towards my goals. 

3. How did you meet your significant other? (cute story time) 

I was driving down the road with my friends on labor day weekend of 2003 and we saw him and a bunch of his friends in his friend's garage and decided to stop. The rest is history (I do not recommend this form of meeting. I was only lucky chick. It could have ended vastly differently.)

4. What do you do for a living and are you happy with it?

Currently, I'm a student/writer. Happy with the writing part, sick of the student part. I'm ready to do the career thing. Two more semesters…Two more. 

5. If you could be granted one wish, what would it be?

Honestly, that this heart problem with Mia is just a short lived side affect from surgery and not something that will kill her. 

6. What is something on your bucket list you are itching to cross off?

Get a novel published. It doesn't have to be successful. I just want to see my real tangible cover and pages novel in a bookstore.

7. What made you start a blog?

I was a huge fan of blog reading. I originally wanted this to be a fiction writing blog, but then I chickened out on sharing that with the world. Now, it's  an outlet to express what I'm feeling from day to day and a way to meet people. One of these days, I'll grow a pair and share some fiction. 

8. What is the one thing you wish you could do?

My current mind frame is probably not best for some of these questions right now, but I wish I could heal all ailments. Not just for my baby, but for everyone. Life is best lived healthy! 

9. What is a quote that inspires you?

I really love this Steve Jobs quote: "Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown you own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." I am a very self-conscious person, and I have to remind myself that it's better to accept myself than be ashamed of what other people might think of me. Pretending for the sake of others is wasting my time as the quote says. Love is within and works its way out. Holy corny, i've hit the mother load! 

10. If you could witness any event, past, present, or future, what would it be?

I'd want to be a fly on the wall for the meetings of the Algonquin Round Table.  I think it'd be hilarious. 

11. If you could stay a certain age forever, what would it be?

I definitely don't want to live forever, but if I could stay looking and feeling 20 until I hit maybe 85 years on earth and then bite it, that'd be cool. ;)

My nominees: 

Nikki at Chibi-Chic

Annie at Explanniefyfed

Asha at The Dansha Diaries

Ali at Our Happily Ever After

Whitney at Writing on a Whim

Summer-Claire at Summer Dreams

Shannon at A Kindle in Hong Kong

(So that's only seven and a lot of you I hardly comment on. Mainly because I don't have the time to read and comment on blogs, but I still read them!)

My questions: 

1. What book changed your life and how?

2. If you could visit any place in any time, real or fiction, where and why? 

3. What inspires you?

4. What was your best date?

5. What was your worst date? (I never got to date; I will live vicariously through all of you). 

6. How did you find your passion? 

7. What is one item you could never part with? 

8. What's your best recipe? (I may steal some and try them. :))

9. What is your oddest habit?

10. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

11. What is your worst pet peeve?