Leibster Blog Award

A while back (I'm a Master Procrastinator), Gray at Writing is Life nominated me for the Leibster Blog Award.

 Now I had to look this up, because I'm still pretty new to blogging and all the traditions etc. But apparently the Liebster Award is "for new blogs and/or those with fewer than 200 followers, and [is] meant to motivate newcomers to the blogging community". "Liebster" means something along the lines of sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome - it's German. (That link also talks a lot about what the Liebster Award is for and what you do with it.)

Basically:
The Liebster Award is to share the blogging love - you're trying to get your readers to check out newer/lesser-known (but awesome) bloggers. When 'nominated', you can display some sort of award icon if you like. Write a post which -
    a) thanks [and talking up the blog of] the person who nominated you;
    b) answers any questions they asked you (and includes new ones for the next bloggers to answer); and
    c) nominates some relatively unknown blogs you think deserve more notice. (Don't forget to comment on their blogs and tell them!)

'kay. So. Gray is... awesome! She was the force behind the beginning of the #RebelliousWriting movement. She wrote a rant about how writers have to be readers to be good at their craft. She's sweet and replies really quickly to comments on her blog. She has an amazing singing voice, too, which I was fortunate enough to hear in a Q&A vlog. (Sorry, Gray, but it's true xD) If you haven't checked out Gray's blog - or joined the #RebelliousWriting movement (which is getting its own website soon?) - then you should definitely go have a look! (And then come back, obviously...)

*flaps at you*

And Gray asked me eleven fascinating questions!

--{1. What is your biggest pet peeve?}--

(I apologise for any trauma that may have been suffered as a result of these images; however, I refuse to take any responsibility.)

--{2. What is one of your favourite things?}--

My laptop? I mean, for a long time I didn't have much access to the amazing (and also really frightening) thing called 'the internet' unless I was using it for school. I am pleased that I no longer have to keep all my secret stories stuff on a USB because #littlesisters.

--{3. Do you have a song stuck in your head? If so, which one?}--

At the time Gray tagged me, Fireflies and Vanilla Twilight.

Now, Fireflies, Vanilla Twilight, Fuzzy Blue Lights, The Saltwater Room, Dental Care (so punny!), On the Wing, and My Everything. I refuse to apologise: I have a lot of catching up to do.

(Anyway, I only know the lyrics to Fireflies [and it's ANNOYING when I have one of the others stuck in my head and I can't sing along]. I'm not obsessed. *coughs*)

--{4. What is your favourite book from this week?}--

I'd like to say Legend by Marie Lu or The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine. But I read them last week.

The only book I've actually read in the last seven days is How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell. (I preferred How to Train Your Dragon. And I haven't seen the movies.)

--{5. What is your favourite movie from this week?}--

Kung Fu Panda 2. It's also the only movie I've watched this week. (It's still really funny, though.)

But my brother borrowed my copy of The Hobbit [book], and now he's on The Lord of the Rings (even though he normally reads non-fiction), so I'm hoping I can watch the Hobbit trilogy with him! Sometime! Not sure when! Gotta love tertiary study!

 --{6. Do you have a favourite YouTuber? If so, who?}--

I'm actually not sure as to the definition of YouTuber, but I love listening to Peter Hollens, Owl City and the Piano Guys; I also love Studio C.

--{7. White, milk, or dark chocolate?}--

Milk. 

White chocolate is not chocolate. I don't care if it's with raspberries in a cheesecake. It isn't chocolate. And dark chocolate is 'adult chocolate'. At least in my experience, kids don't like it. (I am not an adult. I am a kid.)

...But of course, if someone's handing out white or dark chocolate, will I say no? Of course not. (If for no other reason, then because if I do, my siblings will have had more treats than me. I know. I am pettiness personified.)

--{8. What is your favourite word?}--

My- WHAT? of all the words in the world, I have to pick one?? Based on what??

THIS IS NOT A NICE QUESTION GRAY. 

--{9. Do you have a secret talent?}--

I can wiggle my ears. And raise either eyebrow independently of the other. These talents are actually quite useful on quests.

--{10. Who is the first person that comes to mind when you think "weird"?}--

Myself.

Is that weird?

*doesn't answer my own question*

--{11. Would you rather be super famous or rich and unknown? Why?}--

Rich and unknown. That way I could help people who needed it, without the gossip magazines questioning my motives and saying dirty things about me in general.

Also, if I was super famous, I would have to talk to hoards of people. PEOPLE. (Introvert talking here...)

ugh people
I mean they can be great but sometimes they get a bit much irl.
especially in large bunches

Now there are a heap of amazing bloggers out there, floating in the blogosphere, waiting for people to realize their amazingness...

But I'm not much of an explorer. I like my comfortable circles.

And even when I do find a new blog, I tend to follow + read + basically stalk + not comment. Which means the blogger doesn't actually know me. So having me rave about them would feel weird.

Still, here are some fairly new blogs that you should all go check out (if you haven't already) because they're pretty awesome: 

The Florid Sword: Faith started blogging around the same time I did - March this year - but she posts more consistently than me, so her blog feels more 'developed'. ;) She blogs about writing and faith in the real world and music. (and musicals. she'd love to talk to you about Hamilton.)

a surge of thunder: Andrea's first post was in February this year. She writes about writing and raves about reading, which is of course awesome, because those are VERY IMPORTANT topics.

Audrey Caylin: Audrey started blogging in October last year. She writes encouraging posts about life and posts about writing (I'm starting to see a pattern here??) And she just had a blog makeover, which looks amazing.

So, girls, I'm passing the Leibster Blog Award to you.

Here are a few blog-related questions I'd love to see you three answer! 

1. Why did you begin blogging?
2. What blogs inspired yours when you were starting out?

3. What's your blog's 'theme'? (whether topics, visuals, aesthetics, sense of humour...)

4. What fictional character would be your arch-nemesis? (HAHAHA NO I NEVER PROMISED A THEME TO THESE QUESTIONS, YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN)

And of course I'd love to see anyone else answer these questions in the comments!