A Liebster double!

It has taken me way too long to get around to doing this post, but I've finally made it!

Last month I was lucky enough to be nominated twice for the Liebster Award, by both Click's Clan and Lara Lacombe. I would like to express huge thanks to both of you for this award and urge you all to visit these gals to see what they're up to.

The award is to help spread the word of blogs that have fewer than 200 followers, to get their name out to new quarters of the blogosphere and get more people interested.

The rules for the award are simple:

1. Thank the people that nominated you. Check!
2. Post 11 random/interesting facts about yourself that may not be commonly known.
3. Answer the questions set by the blogger that nominated you.
4. Choose 11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers and link them in your post.
5. Come up with 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
6. Go to their blog and tell them you have nominated them.

So, my random fun facts:

1. My husband and I have been together for 11 years now, although we only got married last year. I was 19 when we got together, and I can't quite believe where the time has gone.
   
2. My favourite Disney film is Aladdin, which I've recently introduced to my daughter. I scared myself a little when I realised I know it line-for-line all the way through.
   
3. As you are reading this I am at a robotics conference in Brussels for three days.
   
4. I graduated with my first degree from the Open University when I was 29, and I'm now in the second year of my second degree.
   
5. When we were at college a friend and I took an Out of Order sign off the girls toilets and put it on the public toilet. The next day DynoRod had to come out and we went into a panic about getting caught. (We never were!)
   
6. When I was little I wandered off in the supermarket out of my parents sight. After a frantic search they found me in the toy department holding a pink umbrella.
   
7. My husband looks like Michael Owen.
   
8. Apart from all you lovely folks that follow my blog, only two people in my life actually know that I'm a writer.
   
9. I made Alexander Siddig (Dr Julain Bashir from Star Trek Deep Space Nine) laugh once at a convention. I'm quite well endowed shall we say, and was wearing a t-shirt with 'What a lovely pear' on it, with a picture of a pear beneath. It took him ages to get it and was all sheepish when he realised 1, he'd been staring so long and 2, I had noticed!
   
10. One of my proudest moments is giving birth to my daughter without using any pain relief whatsoever. I was in labour for over two days, and she was totally worth it.
    
11. The first thing I said when they handed her to me was 'My precious!' Now I can't watch the Lord of the Rings without thinking about it and laughing!

As I have two nominations, that means two sets of questions to answer. I contemplated doing a selection from each, but once I got going I was answering them all, so here are my answers:



1. How old were you when you first started using the internet?

I don't recall using the internet properly until I had my own computer, which would have been when I was about 19. That seems really old considering it's used do much in schools now!

2. What’s your favourite memory from school?

Probably leaving! There were some pretty awful people in my year at school and I wasn't sorry to see the back of most of them. I take great pleasure in declining their Facebook friend requests. You didn't like me then, why are you bothered now?

3. You can invite five people, living or dead, to a fantasy dinner party. Who do you invite?

Patrick Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi (love him!), Gene Roddenberry, Sheldon Cooper (does he count?), Wil Wheaton (just so he can battle with Sheldon!)

4. If you weren’t doing your current job, what job would you be doing?

Probably running a pub somewhere.

5. What is your favourite photo or picture? (If you can’t share it, describe it).

This is my daughter on the day she was born when we'd just got her home for the first time. I can't quite believe she's now four and a half.

6. What is your favourite room in your house?

My bedroom, when it's clean and tidy.

7. Why do you blog?

I like to have a platform where I can share my writing experiences, such as they are at the moment, with others that have similar interests. I can also share my writing with people who will take it seriously, rather than those that may think I'm just playing.

8. Who was your first crush on?

Michael Knight, but I'm not sure if it was more KITT than him.

9. Do you still have your first teddy/stuffed toy?

I have two, given to me for my very first Christmas. My sister stole one from me, put a dress on it and called it Betty, but I finally got it back when she moved out.

 

10. Where in the world would you like to visit?

Australia, I want to see what all the fuss is about.

11. What is the worst book you’ve ever read?

Fifty Shades of Grey. I read them all to see what all the fuss was about but found them truly awful. The only good thing to come out of it is that I can have a valid opinion on how rubbish it was.

12.What's your favorite writing/reading snack?

I don't eat so much but can drink endless cups of tea.

13. Where have you always wanted to visit?

See above.

14. What's your favorite accent?

Scottish, but not too strong, I have to understand what's being said!

15. What movie do you always watch when you find it on TV?

Back to the Future!

16. What's your favorite hobby?

Reading – especially when I get to sit and do it for a nice length of time.

17. Say you can quit your day job and do whatever you want.  What would you do?

I think I would concentrate on writing, but also work in a primary school as a teaching assistant too.

18. What made you want to start writing?

I have a very active imagination and I have to get things out of my head to make room for the next thing. I have lots of notes for story ideas, I just need to sit down and turn them into something.

19. What is your favorite genre?

Science fiction and fantasy

20. Where is your writing/reading nook?

We don't have a very big house so I don't have a proper space all to myself. In the evening I get my pillows all plumped nicely, put the lamp on and read or write in bed. It's where I finally relax.

21. What book do you wish you had written?

That's a toughy, there are so many. Probably the Harry Potter books, they were so clever and J K Rowling will never have to work again.

22. Early bird, night owl, or something in between?

Early bird, but preferably when I'm getting up to do my own thing rather than having to go to work.


I'm being very lazy with my selection of blogs to nominate as time is currently running out, so if you follow me and like this post consider yourself nominated! Feel free to take the badge and display it on your blog.

You must answer these questions though:

1. Do you share your birthday with anybody famous?
2. If you had the chance to go into space and could only take one other person, who would it be?
3. What are your favourite crisps?
4. Tea or coffee?
5. Who are your inspirations?
6. What do you believe in?
7. Are you happy?
8. Are you doing what you thought you would be when you were younger?
9. Any plans for this weekend?
10. Are you sporty or geeky?
11. Team Sheldon or Team Leonard?


Have fun everybody!

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NB This post was finished in a big mad rush at the end so if there are any errors then, well that's why. Thanks for listening!