LIEBSTER AWARD #2

Betty over at Etchings From My Soul And Spirit wondered across my blog and realising that, yes, I have very few followers, awarded me with a lovely Liebster!

I was pretty pumped when I received my first Liebster and since then I've received two Very Inspiring Blogger Awards (one, two), a Sunshine Award, and a Zompocalypse Award. They're all lovely, but they are a lot of work when you are new to the blog world. I am glad that this one only asks for a minimum of 5 nominees (the last one asked for 11).

I'm going to nominate random blogs this time around, blogs I've never visited before. They're all coming from the Blog Blitz being hosted over at Cruising Altitude 2.0 that I recently joined up to participate in. I'm making up nominee criteria as I go along here (just to make this more interesting for myself) and so have decided that they also must have written a blog post in the last week to qualify for this particular Liebster.

Without further adieu, here are my nominees:
1. Elise from Gladiator's Pen: This blog is about the battle our muse does in the arena, conquering the villainous plot ninjas to reach the last word of the last page.
2. Mark from Left and Write: Adventures in the Blogosphere!
3. Connie from A Merry Heart: A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine
4. Jessica from A word or two, about a word: Home of Jessica Peterson, author of The Key to Life.
5. Anne from Is Anyone There?: Thoughts on family and life!

Here are 5 questions for each nominee to answer:
1. If you have published a book (most of these nominees have, some more than one), describe in three words how it felt that first time? If you have not published a book, how do you think it would feel?
2. Have you taken part in Blog Blitz before or is this your first time?
3. Have you ever run a contest/blog hop from your blog?
4. What is your favorite genre to read?
5. Where is your favorite place to write?

Here are my answers to Betty's questions:

1. How do you feel about having less than 200 followers?
Of course I'd love to have more followers, but I only started blogging regularly and participating in blog hops recently. I am confident that 200 will come eventually, but first stop is 100!

2. What is the most complicated thing you have ever had to do?
I'd have to say translate Old English text; that class was brutal (I do appreciate the English language a lot more now though).

3. What is the most out of the ordinary thing that you have ever experienced?
Pretty much everything that happened to me in Botswana over the four months that I was there was out of the ordinary. The two things that really stand out: getting bitten by a young teenage boy who stole my cell phone and being close enough to a bull elephant that I could reach out and touch him.

4. What is it about people that you enjoy the most?
I am quite introverted and will openly admit that I prefer books to people. I enjoy the all too often rare moments of kindness and altruistic behaviour that shines through.

5. What is your greatest contribution to society?
To society? Yikes! I was presented the Excellence in Community Service Award in 2010 by the Board of Governors of my undergraduate university. I guess I would say my relentless commitment to helping others help themselves.

6. Do you consider yourself to be creative?
Yes, when it comes to writing and personalised gift ideas.

7. What is one of your talents?
I have a decent ability to debate pretty much anything with anyone. I can typically find an argument for and against most things.

8. What is one of your aspirations?
I aspire to change the world through education. In the next five years I hope to spend some time teaching in a refugee camp in Kenya.

9. Are you a follower or an independent thinker?
I'm an independent thinker. I'm really smart and I will admit that I have a bit of an ego when it comes to intellect. Don't get me wrong, I'll listen to other people's ideas and give them appropriate consideration, but it is seldom that I prefer someone else's idea to my own.

10. What are the advantages to having less than 200 followers?
I suppose the advantage would be that I have fewer blogs to reciprocate the blog love to. (I'd still love a lot more followers though).

11. Why would you desire to have more followers?
I have a lot to say and want someone to listen. I hope to inspire people and educate them on issues that are near and dear to my heart!