Yay, I’m so excited for this! Emily from embusyliving nominated me for this “award” which is really just a fun way to connect bloggers with small followings; it’s a great way to learn more about other bloggers and for other readers to find your blog.

Rules: Thank and link the person who nominated you. ‣ Answer the 11 questions set by the person who nominated you. ‣ List 11 facts about yourself. ‣ Nominate 11 small blogs with under 200 followers on any platform who you think deserve the award. ‣ Create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer and inform them of their nomination.

Questions for me from Emily

1. Where do you currently live and what’s one thing you love most about it?

I currently live in the western outer suburbs of Philadelphia. We’re actually getting ready to move back to our home state of Virginia, but in the past three years that I’ve lived here I’ve grown fonder of this place. The thing I love most is feeling like I’m surrounded by so MUCH! I hate the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, so I love that I’m surrounded by shopping, outlets, towns, people, and cities.

2. Do you have a motto? If so, what is it?

I kind of started this mantra in 2013: “Stop the glorification of busy.” See this post for more on that.

3. Where is one of your favorite places you’ve ever traveled and why?

Oh my gosh, how can I pick?? I loved visiting New Zealand and Puerto Rico, and there’s Aruba and Key West too, but the two most significant ones that I haven’t shared about yet are Turkey (Istanbul), because of the rich culture and history, and the Dominican Republic (Santiago), because I grew leaps and bounds closer to God on the many trips I took there.

4. List three NEW places you’d visit if money was of no concern.

Yay, this is my favorite question!! Right now I’m on an Italy kick – I practically start to drool every time I think of it (thanks, Elizabeth Gilbert). If I got to go, I would want to spend time in Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples, and Pompeii. I’d probably need longer than a week! I finally mushed up an actual desire to visit France – particularly Provence. I’d definitely want to make time for Paris and Monaco or Versailles too. And thirdly, the Maldives. Duh.

5. What’s the best book you’ve read this year?

I’m still in the middle of Eat Pray Love. I actually didn’t think I would necessarily like it, due to the themes and moral choices presented in the movie, but it’s giving me the travel bug big time, and I love her writing.

6. What is the best movie you’ve watched this year?

I just saw the Avengers 2 on Friday, and it was fantastic! I have nothing bad to say about it. For a second movie, it was terrific; it didn’t feel like a middle movie at all. It was funny at just the right times, deepened the characters, and the action was captivating. I’d love to watch it again.

7. Who is a great, underrated band you think everyone should check out?

Obviously, Phish! But they already have a huge following. So, the Sound Stylistics or the New Mastersounds, which are two excellent funk bands that Whit and I listen to on a regular basis. I also fell in love with Springdale Quartet when I walked past them playing at an outdoor skating rink in Denver. They sound very Phishy.

8. What is the one thing you take time to do for yourself every day?

Yeesh, not too much… Well, I do make time to sleep a lot every day. I fear getting less than eight hours – the thought actually scares me. I have to have at least eight.

9. What is one of your guilty pleasures?

You would never guess (and I would never guess), but I love reading People magazine! I like looking at what celebrities do in their time off, checking out the new romances, and imagining wearing a ball gown to a red carpet event.

10. What is your number one “bucket list” item?

That would be visit St. John. I’m absolutely dying to get down there!!

11. What is the purpose of your blog?

I love blogging to process my thoughts and emotions, because I tend to hold them in. It’s a creative outlet for me, and words and ideas for new posts come naturally for me, so it just feels right to keep up a blog. The purpose is to share my ideas, and connect with other people, mainly my real-life friends who blog, though I love peering into other people’s lives who blog but whom I’ve never met!

11 Facts about Myself

1. My middle name is Blaine. It’s a male name, but I love it. It’s my dad’s middle name.
2. Speaking of my dad, I look up to him more than anyone on the planet. He persevered through many, many years of hard work and made it to the top. He’s the hardest working person I’ve ever met, hands down. He’s also one of the funniest, and definitely the most surprising and mysterious – you never know what he’s going to say!
3. I love playing Skeeball, but I’m no good at it. I’ve randomly had several dreams about playing! It was one of my favorite childhood pastimes to play Skeeball at Kings Dominion – my dad wouldn’t stop until he won me and my brother a stuffed animal.
4. I usually say that I hate sports, but really I only dislike organized sports. I love adventure sports, and anything that doesn’t involve a ball! Gymnastics, swimming, dance, wall climbing, high ropes, trapeze, etc. I wish there were more opportunities to compete in individual sports as an adult. Running is okay, but I wish there were more options.
5. I hope to compete in a sprint triathlon one day. My health keeps getting in the way, but one day I’ll do it!
6. When I was younger I wanted a big family. I only have one older brother (we’re practically Irish twins – he’s 13 months and 3 weeks older than me), but my mom is one of 9. Growing up, I loved being surrounded by family, and having close relationships with my cousins.
7. I never appreciated it when I was younger, but Virginia is truly an amazing state. To me, it has the best possible blend of all four seasons. It gets hot in the summer, but still snows {a tiny bit} in the winter. Maryland is a close second. I didn’t realize it was so rare to experience such a range of temperatures and weather in just one state.
8. I always thought I would have a classic profession, like being a teacher or doctor or veterinarian. I never thought I would have a desk job – I wanted to do something where I got to move around all day. I think that’s because I like change and variety so much and thought I would get bored at a desk job. However, I’ve loved working in the office! One of the things that makes it interesting is that I have plenty of travel, attending events, and working outside the office.
9. I like to challenge myself, or rather, I can’t help but challenge myself. When I was five years old and got my ears pierced, I got an infection, and my parents had to hold me down to clean my ears. I would sit on the sink vanity and my dad would say, “There’s an easy way to do this and there’s a hard way.” I have this hint inside of me of desire for the hard way, because it’s more interesting. I would have loved to have studied something creative in high school or college, like art or music, but I wouldn’t let myself because it’s fun, so it can’t be as valuable. I did manage to take a lot of electives with fun classes though.
10. I love languages and the study of words (I thought about changing colleges to major in linguistics until I couldn’t get into a linguistics class at my own school), but I am not awesome at word games (cough, I hate playing Scrabble because I always lose). I wish I was better at them, because they’re so fun if you are! See: Bananagrams, Quiddler, Boggle, and Crossword puzzles.
11. I love all creatures (okay, all mammals – most creatures). I die a little on the inside every time I drive past roadkill or someone badmouths garden “pests.”

I nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

1. Faith at The Conscientious Eater  //  2. Hailey at TheDaileyLife  //  3. Holly at FarmerTakesAWife  //
4. Elissa at Winding down with the Whiteds  //  5. Meredith at The White Pages  //  6. Lauren at Life With Truth //  7. Amanda at Love and a Prayer  //  8. Brett at What Happens at Bakertown  //  9. Nicole at Little Teich  // 
10.  Danielle at Beauty & Bourbon //  11. Becca at One Many Extras
Feel free to opt out if you don’t want to participate! No hard feelings. I’d love to hear your responses though – whether I nominated you or you’d just really like to share! Let me know if you do answer the questions – I can’t wait to read them! 🙂

11 New Questions for Those Whom I Tagged

1. Why do you have a blog? What’s the hardest thing for you about blogging?

2. Are you good at math? We’re not in elementary school, but I feel like a huge part of growing up was debating over whether or not you liked math. I do like math, by the way.

3. Have you studied a foreign language? Did you reach fluency, or near fluency? Would you like to continue to study that language, or a different one?

4. Did you ever play computer games? My favorites were Jill of the Jungle (back in the day), Mickey Mouse (waaay back in the day), the Sims, and Roller Coaster Tycoon.

5. Are there any foods that you avoid? Due to not feeling well when you eat it, or just having a strange aversion to it.

6. What was your favorite thing about summer, when you were a kid?

7. Do you have a best friend? If so, how do you keep in touch?

8. What, to you, is the most difficult part of interacting with other adults?

9. What’s your biggest vice? (Speeding, talking too loudly, not being a good listener, etc.)

10. When you were growing up, who was your favorite, non-related-to-you adult? What did you like most about him or her?

11. What’s the one area you neglect most about your home, job, or body? Do you avoid exercise, forget to wash your face, or come to work late? I’d love to know your secrets. 🙂