Liebster Blog Award

Thank you very much to Ruby for nominating me for the Liebster Blog Award - it's pretty cool to get a nomination  (shucks) - thanks!

I must admit I've never heard of Liebster before, but so glad I have now (just google it and see the wealth and warmth of blog nominees). Apparently liebster is German for 'like' and the award consists not of an actual award but of good words -  bloggers acknowledging one another across the blogosphere as a formal way of saying 'hey, I really like your blog, good work, keep it up!' - a compliment of a kind, a way of encouraging and introducing new bloggers and blogs. 

And I'm all for sharing the blogger love! So many people writing great blog posts and not getting any acknowledgement! This award seems like a  little 'kudos' to all bloggers I suppose... 

So in that case, I'll give it a go. (Even though I prefer to be asking the questions rather than answering them! I don't like to be too personal in what I'm writing, but I suppose, everything we write reveals a little of ourselves anyway....)

*Rules for Liebster 

 Write a post about the Liebster blog award including to:

-Thank the person who nominated you and mention them in your blog (with link to theirs)

-List 11 things about yourself

-Answer the 11 questions posed by the person who nominated you

-Create 11 questions for your nominees (you can nominate whomever you choose (up to 5 people I've read in some posts, others say 11) - just make sure they have less than 200 followers) Oh but you can't nominate the person who nominated you.

-Don't forget to inform your nominees!

So here goes. Right, ahem - 11 Things About Me:

(Hmmm, just randomly, off the top of my head - )

1. I'm a writer. (But not everyone knows this, I shy away from telling most people...)

2. I don't act my age (not even close!) 

3. I believe in magic. 

4. I'm an avid reader and adore books.

5. I'm a die-hard idealist and won't cave in to settling for anything less than the best!

6. I love coffee.

7. I want to be a professional writer, more than anything else in the world. 

8. Well - apart from living in Paris! - I'm an utter Francophile

9. I'm quite lazy (and most definitely not a morning person! See point 6...)

10. My favourite thing to do in the whole wide world is to write.

11. I'm an out-and-out dreamer, by default. 

11 Questions - (from Ruby)

1. What's  the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Hmm, try and adjust to reality! The very first thing - usually go over the ideas in my head for writing that day.
2. What starsign are you?

I'm an Aries, blatantly so! - headstrong, feisty, independent and with a short temper!
3. When did you start blogging?

Last year - May 2011, I finally took the leap into cyper-space.
4. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Chocolate, without a doubt.
5. What 3 things would you bring to a desert island?

A book of poetry (to keep me calm), a notebook with pen (to keep me sane and me), and an iPod (to keep me happy and in tune ;) Then I'd be quite content (well, considering, there's an adequate food supply nearby and shelter et al...!)
6. Have you ever been in love?

Yes. I'm an ultimate Romantic and fall in love all the time, even against my better judgement.
7. What is your party trick?

I don't have one! I'm more of a wallflower than the life of the party...
8. Who is your hero?

I don't really have a hero per se... I have lots of heroes I suppose, from characters in books to strangers in real life. I really look up to and admire free-spirits - people who do their own thing regardless of society's expectations and who aren't afraid to live their life fully - people who are brave, in many different ways.
9. What actress would play you in a movie about your life?

Gosh - it'd be a pretty boring movie! I honestly don't know... It'd have to be someone quirky and not afraid to look uncoiffed most of the time!
10. Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts? 

Giving. I love giving people gifts - from mix CDs to books to all kinds of nick-nacks. Mostly because I like introducing people to things that I like! and things I think they would like too.
11. What is your motto?

Follow your bliss, chase  your dreams, believe in  beauty and magic along the way!

Thank you Ruby! ~ (http://andthenshedisappeared.blogspot.ie)

I would like to nominate (in no particular order):

*Cheryl ~  Strange Little Pearls - who writes so beautifully on every topic

*Juliette ~ It Starts at the Beginning - who regales us with her hilarious & dramatic stories

*Mary ~  Creative Thinking, Creative Doing - who gives great advice on the creative process, writing and art!

*Esther ~ Esther Rivero - who presents beautiful and poetic musings on life, love and art

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Why do you write/blog?

2. What's your favourite thing about writing/blogging?

3. What's your greatest ambition?

4. What's your greatest dream?

5. What's your all-time favourite book?

6. What's your favourite thing in the world to do?

7. Describe yourself in 3 words...? (or less!)

8. What's your ultimate creative indulgence?

9. Your motto on life?

10. What's the most important thing in your life?

11. What's your best characteristic? 

Feel free to partake guys, and to all bloggers reading - keep up the good work! 

~ Siobhán