a pinch of whimsy.: Liebster Award Nomination (:

Thanks to Kellie Lambert for the nomination :D

Well shut the front door! Hooray for awards! What is a Liebster Award, you (and I) ask? I did some a-googlin' and here you have it:

Liebster is a German word meaning dearest, and the award is given to up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers who deserve some recognition and support to keep on blogging.

The rules:

Each person awarded must post 11 facts about themselves.
Answer the 11 questions the nominator has set for them.
Choose five bloggers to nominate.
Create 11 more questions for the bloggers they will nominate.
Let the lucky bloggers know.

So. Without further ado:
11 facts about me:

1. I have a weird human trick: I can lick my elbow. Except right now, I probably can't reach across my enormo belly to manage it.

2. I have mild synesthesia. This basically means that I can "see" different sounds and words. I don't have the kind where I see it, like, in front of my face, but I get a very solid, yet abstract, visualization of images or colors that match with certain, completely unrelated sounds or words. (For example, other synesthetes like myself, identify each number as having an inherent color etc.) I thought everyone had it until I read an article about it in TIME magazine several years ago and realized that I am, in fact, a giant weirdo.

3. I have never had head lice. I never gave this much thought until it came up in a conversation I had with my sister-in-law a few months ago, and apparently, as a veteran of America's public schools, this is quite a feat.

4. My left foot is an entire half-size smaller than my right foot.

5. I LOVE DOING VOICE IMPRESSIONS!!!! I am a total dork and think that I am actually good at impersonating people. This is probably way off-base, and I am probably awful, but I have to say, I have a few people down prettttttttty well. Granted, a majority of these "people" are Kristen Wigg characters from SNL. (the Turrrget lady, that weird receptionist who says "Thomassss" a lot, Aunt Sue...etc.) but there are a few other gems that I think I can do pretty well. If you are good, maybe you can see one sometime.

6. I wear the perfume Clinique Happy Heart. I have worn it ever since I got my first bottle as a gift for my 16th birthday. I don't love it, but EVERY. SINGLE. SIGNIFICANT-OTHER. I have ever had has been absolutely crazy about it, and feeling absolutely irresistible is more irresistible to me than wearing something that pleases my own olfactory senses. Call me shallow. (:

7. I have to spell-check evvvvvery single time I write the word "guarantee". Every time.

8. My husband and I started off as BFFLs (pron: biffles). (yes, I know that makes it sounds like he was my gay best friend). He was first to tell me he had feelings for me, but I was first to bring up marriage. So either account of one of us totally jumping the other is at once completely true and an ABSOLUTE LIE!

9. I found an interview I had with someone from when I was in high school asking who my best friends were. I said my mom and dad. Can't tell if that makes me a commmppllleeeettteee loser or a fabulous, wholesome, young woman. (Who's to say those aren't synonymous anyway...?) Take it as you will.

10. I will put my baby girl in tu-tus and frills but NO GIANT FLOWER HEADBANDS! That is where I draw the LINE!

11. I've always wanted to write, whether it's stories, songs, essays, screenplays, whatever (I feel like I'm pretty good at writing) but I am 100% horrible at coming up with original material. For anything. I can't come up with a plot/storyline/whatever to save my life. I'm awesome at editing these kinds of things for other people but original material from me is simply out of the question. I guess this means I'm doomed to ghostwriting and story editing. Which I guess might be fun to try one day....

/end novel/

NOW to ANSWER the 11 QUESTIONS from Kellie, who so kindly nominated me (:

1. What are your pet peeves?

--bad manners, bad breath, stubbing my toes.

2. What is your best memory?

--either spending my early childhood years in the NYC area in a fabulous refurbished Victorian-era mansion or lazy summer days with my siblings in our house in Sugar Land, TX

3. What is your favorite moment of the day?

--anytime where I wasn't eating before, but then start eating.

4. Which of your possessions is your favorite?

*--le sigh* my phone probably. #techreliant #soembarassing

5. What TV show could you watch for hours on end?

--more like what shows do I already watch for hours on end??? (and there are many) the one I finished most recently is "Freaks and Geeks". It melts my heart and tickles my bones.

6. What advice would you give to someone before getting married/going to college/having a baby (choose one or all)

--before going to college: do. not. rush. enjoy every moment, and don't stress/focus too much on when you'll graduate. this is your only time in life where you get to focus 100% on YOU. so do it and don't let anything get in your way. I feel like I rushed in and out of college a little too quickly without taking the time to let it all seep in. don't make that mistake.

7. What is your favorite holiday tradition (any holiday)

--seeing a movie on Thanksgiving (and Christmas!), Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

8. What is your greatest weakness/strength?

--being opinionated: my strong opinions/convictions are both my strength and my downfall.

9. What candy bar always tempts you in the grocery store aisle?

--anything that says "Reese's" on the wrapper. (fastBreak, PB cups, ReeseSticks, you name it)

10. What zoo animal is most like you (in personality, looks, whatever)

--I've been told I look like a penguin. I'll just let that one sink in....

11. Are you sick of answering questions yet? (just kidding...scratch this one.)

--psh let's be real. EVERYONE loves talking about themselves. everyone.

NOW. Who do I nominate??? Hrmdeedrm....

1. Shannon Wasden, at Philo File

2. Amelia (Mimi) Martinez, at Bedelia

3. Tarah O'Donahue, at the heart of life

4. Kimi Piper. at The Crazy Kimi

5. Lindsay Dickerson, at Dear Lindsay

The 11 Questions I Shall Ask YOU are as follows:

1. Who is the one celebrity, where if your significant other confessed their undying love for her (or him?), you'd be like "....oh yeah I totally get that."?

2. Three words to describe your High School self:

3. Three words to describe yourself now:

4. If you could eat any ONE thing (no genres, it has to be a single dish) for the rest of your life, nutrition/weight gain aside, what would it be?

5. What's your favorite thing about yourself?

6. If you could have any super-talent (not super-power, just like, a super crazy talent that makes you better at that one thing than anyone else), what would it be?

7. Do you color your hair?

8. If you could be a contestant on any reality-show, which would it be?

9. What's the last song you listened to?

10. What did you study in college/post-high school education?

11. Who's your favorite Muppet?

/end Liebster bit/

Now how's THAT for a blog post?! It's been like 3 weeks and I just felt like life was too boring to blog about for the past few days, so huzzah for fake(?) awards that inspire me to keep going! Here's a peek at life for the past few weeks: