Wow…

2 Liebster Awards in one week. I’m not diminishing the importance of this particular award by saying that it is, as per my extensive research, basically a chain mail award. And not the cool chainmail that I was hoping for….

Well, “cool” is a matter of taste, but you get the idea. I’m not here to judge. Ok, yes I am.

After receiving the award last week from one of my loyal followers Ana, I jumped in my virtual car and headed over to my favorite library (google.com) and did a bit of intense research. 

Turns out, it’s not much more than chain mail, in where you have to answer 10 questions and pass along 10 questions to 10 other people, or you die. I’m pretty sure that’s the gist of it. Except this time, the award comes from other bloggers (who may or may not want to kill you) who have read your work and enjoy it enough, to  honor you with this award, therein giving you a chance to pass the curse  honor onto other bloggers (that you may or may not want to kill). It’s an incredibly sweet gesture, even if it’s life threatening, and I am flattered and honored to have been given it twice in one week.

Seems there are lots of different rules floating around so I will pick the ones I like the best.

So with that, thank you Raven, over at Raven King Blog for this prestigious award presented to me after reading my Gonzo piece.

The deal is:

1. Thank, mention and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Mention and link to your blog post that got you nominated.

2. Answer their 10 questions.

3. Nominate 5-10 other bloggers with less than 2000 followers.

4. Give your nominees 10 questions to answer.

5. Notify your winners by commenting on one of their posts and linking them back to your post that nominates them.

5. Proudly display your Liebster Award button on your page.

Here’s one you can steal from me.

Right, here were my 10 questions:

1. You are forced to give up all books. From now on you will read one book, for the rest of your life, what is it and why?

I suppose I would choose Game of Thrones Book 1. Perhaps after reading it 100 or so times, I’ll finally figure out who all of the characters are.

2. You can be anyone/anything, besides yourself, who/what are you?

This one will change slightly from the last time I answered this question, in my last Liebster Award questionnaire. Last time, I said whoever Johnny Depp is sleeping with. This time I will be whoever Alexander Skarsgård is sleeping with.

3. (Pick one male and one female) Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, or Nikki Grimes? Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, or James Baldwin?

Dickinson and Frost

4. How will you deal with failure?

I deal with failure on a daily basis. My line of work depends on far too many variables for an original plan to ever pan out. So basically, I deal with it the way I deal with every surprise that comes my way. Find a solution that leads to success. Oh, and alcohol of course. Alcohol helps soften the blow of failure.

5. Have you keep a New Year’s Resolution? If yes, what was it? If no, what’s one you plan on keeping? If you don’t have any resolutions, make one and keep it!

I made a bunch. Quitting smoking (check), Blogging every day (check), Starting the 5:2 diet (check), fencing 3 times a week (check), taking the band I manage to the next level (road is now paved and we are driving on it), accidentally run into Alexander Skarsgård again but this time, accidentally stalk him out in his apartment building where my friends also live while he is accidentally doing laundry. It will be so random.

6. Besides reading and writing what do you do in your free time?

Releasing my pent-up anger with sharp, heavy metal objects in a basement in Old Town. I’m a fencer. Besides that, I’d have to say sleeping is my absolute favorite activity.

7. What book(s) are you reading now? Are you reading diversely?

I have 13 books started, i believe, that I will likely never finish. Bossy Pants, John Dies at the End, The Fast Diet, 4 Jo Nesbø novels, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Fairies of New York, and Sacré Bleu. I’ll likely select 10-20 other diversely categorized books to start and never finish before the year is out.

8. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I used to write “short stories” that would end up being 300 pages of loose leaf paper written on , front and back. I would produce 4 or 5 a month. I have a highly active imagination and have always been a fan of embellishing further and putting it on paper. As my handwriting is atrocious, it’s lucky for me these computer writing interweb machines were invented, likely by some really, really smart person.

9. Have you ever experienced writer’s block? (Of course! But….) What do you do to find the influence to write, during this horrific time?

I had writer’s block from March of last year until January 2nd of this year. My blog was completely inactive. I had too much work and didn’t make any time for it. I promised myself an hour a day, minimum, for writing now. I’ve found the Daily Prompts quite helpful.

10. Are you willing to be critiqued and/or edited?

Absolutely. I encourage it. Just as long as you know, that my way is the right way and you are most likely wrong.

Right..as for the nominees, in no particular order:

Chris Musgrave

KariJeppesen

Manon’s Maze

Ben’s Bitter Blog

Branching Mama

Linking Loops

Laidig’s Broadway

Silver Leaf Journal

And your 10 questions:

1.) Have you seen Alexader Skarsgård in True Blood, and if not, why not?

2.) Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or 1 horse-sized duck? What’s your first plan of defense?

3.) The olympics are just around the corner…besides the inevitable riots that will take place, what actual olympic event are you most looking forward to?

4.) Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

5.) If you could have one food only, for the rest of your life, and it wouldn’t be bad for you or have any ill repercussions whatsoever, what would it be?

6.) What is your own personal favorite piece that you have posted that didn’t get nearly enough attention the first time around, that you would like to take this opportunity to plug?

7.) If you were a desert island, what book would you be? (Yup, you read that right…just trying to mix up a standard question and get your creative juices flowing).

8.) Have you ever played with a Ouija board? Think it worked?

9.) What’s the oddest job you’ve ever had… You know the one that you did because you were young and needed the money?

10.) What Star Wars character are you and why?

Ok..that’s it..I’m done. Congrats to me and congrats to you! No go forth and spread the fear of death in the form of an honorable award.