Dun dutta dun! My
wonderful friend, Kristen, over at A Writer's Wife nominated me
for a Liebster Blog Award, which means I basically have the best blog in the
world! Haha, okay, no. It's quite the opposite. It actually means that no one
reads my blog, and I could use a little help getting myself out there. It
provides a way for bloggers who don't have many followers to share a little
about themselves and then engage in some networking by passing it along to
others.
Truthfully, I find these
kinds of "All About Me" posts to be even more pretentious and
egocentric than blogging itself, but what the heck, they're still a lot of fun.
Who doesn't like talking about themselves?
So...
Rules
- List 11 facts about yourself.
- Answer the 11 questions asked by whoever nominated you.
- Nominate 9 bloggers with less than 300 followers and leave them a comment saying they've been nominated.
- Ask 11 new questions for your nominess.
- You cannot re-nominate the blog that nominated you.
11 Things You Never Wanted To Know About Me
1.
I LOVE to dance.
And sing. But it’s not a good look (or sound).
2.
I’ve had
social anxiety ever since I can remember, and while grad school has helped more
than anything else, I still feel sick every time I give a presentation. Yes, I
tend to be on the shy, quiet side, but I don’t like when people make comments
about it or feel the need to point it out… like they think I don’t realize I’m an
introvert. Believe me, it’s hard enough.
3.
I’m a
perfectionist to a terrible fault. But it comes in spurts. I can be incredibly
lazy one day (or for an extended period of time, say days, weeks, or months),
and then suddenly I get all crazy productive to the point where it has to be
absolutely perfect. Like I won’t stop cleaning until everything is shiny, wrinkle-free,
and in its proper place, or I will obsess about the position of a chart legend or the size of my
figures in a PowerPoint presentation, or you name it. I know slow and steady is
best, but I’ve got mad cheetah skillz when it comes to procrastination.
4.
I am a gymnast, well… a former gymnast, and
I competed Level 8 at the end of my almost 10-year career. I say “I am” because
once you experience the number of hours of blood, sweat, and tears put in every
week, you earn the right to call yourself a gymnast for life. Plus, I can still do a great handstand.
5.
I’m an
academic masochist, and I have the proof. I have three degrees (two BS degrees
and one MS degree) all in various scientific fields. And I’m currently working
on my PhD in physiology. I can now honestly say that I don’t recommend being a
student for life.
6.
I feel stupid every single day. Having all those
degrees has done nothing to bolster my confidence. In fact, working on my PhD
has probably definitely made things worse.
7.
Sometimes I
just want to drop out of school, not work, have lots of babies, and be a
stay-at-home mom. But then I remember the five months I took off when Miles was
born before I knew whether I’d find a lab to work in. As much as I LOVED the
time with Miles, I discovered that I get way too depressed staying at home.
Working is necessary for my sanity. My dream is to land a good part time job in
science (teaching or writing, perhaps?) someday so I can have the best of both
worlds.
8.
I am prone to
having road rage. It used to be a problem, but having Miles has greatly reduced
the number of episodes I have to basically zero. The best gift Miles has given
me is a lesson in patience.
9.
I have never
broken a bone (knock on wood). It’s a miracle really, with the crazy extreme
things I used to do as a child, especially with my gymnastics background. I
feel bad about it now, but my parents’ furniture basically became an extension
of the gym. And yet the only time I really got hurt was… see #10.
10. I’ve had two
concussions. Again, I’ve had zero broken bones, but apparently I tend to
concuss myself. The first happened when I was nine. My brother and I would pile
up pillows on the carpet in front of the couch and then sit at the top facing
backwards with our legs dangling down the back of the couch, which was not
against a wall. We would then put our arms, legs, and heads into our oversized
shirts and roll backwards onto the couch cushions and then onto the pillows on
the floor. My younger sister thought this looked fun, and she wanted to join in.
But when I was getting ready to roll down, my sister decided it would be funny
if she pushed me the other way off the couch. So I fell forwards off the top of
the couch, head first, landing directly on a toy car on the ground in the
process. I don’t even want to talk about the second time, but alcohol may or
may not have been involved.
11. My husband and I have the craziest dating / wedding
story of anyone I personally know. I’m surprised I haven’t posted the story
yet. Guess the few one or two of you who happen to read this will have
to keep reading my blog to find out!
Questions Asked By
Kristen at A Writer's Wife
- What is your favorite hobby and why?
My favorite hobby is
drawing / painting, or really, arts and crafts in general. Even though I’m not
that great, I find that expressing myself through art is very cathartic. It’s
like therapy for the soul, and it gives me a way to escape from (and sometimes
even helps me to resolve) whatever troubles I’m facing or quell my anxieties. Plus,
I feel super productive when I actually make a piece of art I’m not embarrassed
to display in my house!
- What is the book that spurred your love of reading? What
was it about that book that drew you in?
I would say that as a
kid, the first book that got me excited about reading was Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. I must
have been about four. Once I got to elementary school, I still enjoyed reading
the books we read in class, but I lost some of my love for reading. I was more
focused on other activities like gymnastics, and despite my mom's encouragement, I would fight reading. I think
this was largely due to the fact that it often gave me headaches. We figured
out that was due to sinus troubles, and once that was resolved, I began to
enjoy reading again. Harry Potter (of course!) was a huge turning point in my
newfound love for reading at that time.
- Why did you decide to start blogging? How do you
network your blog?
I have always wanted
to keep a journal or diary to chronicle certain thoughts or memories throughout
my life, but I’ve never been any good at keeping up with it. I thought perhaps
blogging might be the solution since I’m constantly online anyways. Plus, I can
personalize the blog any way I want, post cute pictures or inspirational
quotes, and just get my random thoughts out. In doing so, I’ve found that
blogging not only provides a forum for me to practice my writing skills, but it
is also very cathartic.
- What is your favorite childhood memory?
This is a tough one.
There were so many great times, and I’ve been very blessed and lucky. I guess
I’ll go with when my little sister was born. I was almost six years old. I
remember staying over at our neighbor’s house, and I was filled with excitement
and anticipation. I was so happy to have a sister! When we found out she had
Down syndrome, I was unfazed. I understood that she would be different, learn
things slower, and look differently. I saw her karyotype with the extra
chromosome 21 that identified her as special. It did not matter to me at all. I
loved her unconditionally, and I still do to this day.
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would
you live and why?
I think it would be
fun to live in various places, including overseas. What better way to experience
different regions or cultures? Of course, some places are more appealing than
others in terms of weather, natural beauty, or general safety, but I’ve
discovered that home really is where the heart is. Cliché as it may be, I think
that as long my family is with me, I could be happy in most places.
- Do you prefer to buy books or movies or check them out
from the library/rental store?
I’m a big advocate of
reusing, recycling, and saving money, so if I decide I want an actual copy of a
book or movie, I will try to find a used copy at Bookman’s, other local stores,
or online first before buying new. If I’m curious about a book or movie but not
sure I’ll like it, I will check it out or rent it.
- What is the most important piece of advice you’ve
learned or received that you would pass on to someone else?
Be
humble, and don’t take yourself too seriously. I love this quote:
"True
humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself
less."
-
C.S. Lewis
- What is one event in your life that you believe has
changed you (for better or worse)?
There are a few
events that have happened in the last few years that have had a significant
impact on my life. For instance, moving away from home and starting grad school
did wonders for my personal growth, especially with regards to my separation
anxiety and social anxiety issues. But I would say that the event that has
really shaped me the most was becoming a mother. Surprise, surprise. Having a
baby changes everything, right? Well, it’s true. I thought I had a decent idea
of what motherhood would be like, challenging, lots of poopy messes, lack of
sleep, the joy of your child hitting milestones, lots of cuteness and crying,
an appropriate level of fear. But then it actually happened. It’s amazing how
much of an impact a tiny human can have. From the empowering feeling you get
after giving birth, to the overwhelming level of responsibility you feel and
then actually learn to handle with (some level of) grace. From the strength and
patience you find that you never new you had, to the new perspective you have
on what’s really important in life. From the messes you no longer find cringe-worthy
to the heart-wrenching worry you feel as you watch your precious baby sleep. I
could go on and on. Having my son, Miles, has definitely changed me forever.
And for the better at that.
9. Do you collect anything? If so, what?
Not anymore. I
already have too much stuff as it is, and I’ve been trying to de-clutter as
much as possible. I’ve realized that simpler is better and less stress!
- What is your favorite holiday and why?
Probably Halloween.
It’s just so much fun! I’ve also always had this fantasy of making my kids’
costumes. Funny because I can’t sew at all.
- Who in your life has influenced who you’ve become the
most and why?
Definitely my
husband, Matt. Without a doubt. He truly brings out the best in me and inspires
me to be a better person. I have never met someone as kind, generous, and
humble as him. He would give you the clothes off his back or his last penny if
meant saving your life. He truly cares about others and takes a genuine
interest in their lives and in what’s going on in the world around us. He has
really opened my eyes to things I’ve never thought about and made me realize
that there is so much more out there than my egocentric self. I used to err on
the negative side, and he’s helped me find a more positive outlook on life. I
could not be luckier to be married to such a wonderful friend and teacher. And
he’s nerdy, smart, and sexy to boot!
Questions For My
Nominees
- If you could be any color crayon, which color would you
be and why?
- What is your favorite book, author, or reading
material?
- Are you more of a dog or a cat person?
- Other than death, what is your greatest fear?
- What is your favorite place to visit and why?
- Do you consider yourself environmentally conscious?
What are some things you do or some things you could improve on to better care for the Earth?
- Do you have any regrets or anything you wish you had
done differently?
- What is the most embarrassing or craziest thing that
has ever happened to you?
- Do you embrace change or fight it?
- What is your favorite cartoon show or character and
why?
- Who was or has been your most influential teacher /
mentor?
My Nominees
I actually don’t know any bloggers with
less than 300 followers. So, if you happen to read this and want to nominate
yourself, post your name and blog info in the comments section, and I will
gladly help promote your blog!
Sorry for such a long, drawn-out post, but thanks for reading skimming!
