The Liebster Award

My friend Eve nominated me for this Liebster Award. I put off doing it because it was complicated. Here we go.

The Fun Rules:

• The nominee must link back to the blogger who nominated them.
• The nominee must state 11 facts about themselves, and then answer the 11 questions provided for them by the person who nominated them.
• The nominee must then nominate bloggers with less than 200 followers, who they think deserve the recognition, and pose 11 new questions for them to answer.

11 facts about me (what kind of facts are these supposed to be? Stuff that no one would guess? Just stuff? I don’t know):

1. Pumpkin ice cream was my favorite kind of ice cream for most of my life…until Kline’s started doing lemon gingersnap ice cream. It was like finding a new religion.
2. When I was 12, I made a friend on the internet. A man. He was…40? Older, anyway. We wrote back and forth for years. I met him when I was 21 (with my mom). He was actually a very nice man. This is a story about how there are plenty of nice people on the internet.
3. I don’t travel on or for Thanksgiving (superstition).
4. I have sort of an obsession with the various World’s Fairs. I wish we had something like that now, but it would probably not be as impressive to people, since you can just use the internet to find out about people far away.
5. It only took us two and a half years to get a bathroom door that closes and latches. Last week. We are the slowest home renovators ever.
6. I love how much my son loves Sesame Street.
7. I’m allergic to potatoes. The only potato things I miss are things that are pretty bad for me, like curly fries.
8. My favorite phrase to say is, “Thanks. I made it.”
9. My fantasies are so nerdy that I don’t usually share them…like being interviewed on Fresh Air or ending up on a flight next to Cory Doctorow.
10. I believe that public schools are a great idea, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to send my kids to them.
11. I am not a Trekkie, but am surrounded by them.

Questions from Eve:

1. If you could change your name for a day–what would you change it to and why? I’ve never really felt a connection with my name, and I’m not sure why. I think I need something shorter. There’s a little girl at my church named Elsje (EL-shuh), and I kind of love that. 
2. If you were Oprah Winfrey–what awesome gift would you bestow on everyone you know? Can Oprah forgive student debt? It’s such a weird kind of debt, it follows you to the grave.
3. If you could live anywhere for 3 months–all expenses paid–where would you live? Holland. There are lots of places I would love to spend some serious time, but most of them are relatively inexpensive, once you get there.
   
4. What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done? Married my high school sweetheart.
5. What song would describe your life this past year? “Wake Me Up When September Ends” (Green Day)
   
6. What is your greatest strength? I keep my promises. Too much, probably.
7. What three values best define you? Honesty, tenacity, love
8. What was the last movie you saw and what did you think of it? Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox. Two thumbs way up!
9. Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Viola, from Twelfth Night. She’s resourceful, funny, and smart. I will probably have a different answer next time you ask.
10. What living person inspires you today? So many people…Right now, I’m thinking about Ina May Gaskin, who taught herself to deliver babies so that the women in her community could have peaceful births.
11. If you as your adult self could go back in time and have a conversation with your 11 year old self–what would you tell her? Surrender, Dorothy!

And the nominees for the Liebster Awards Are:

Mama’s Minutia

Ask Mandi Jo

Juggling Blindfolded

Unbarbaric Yawp

Here are the 11 arbitrary questions you get to answer:

1. What talent do you have that most people don’t know about?
2. What do you hope your life looks like ten years from now?
3. If you could take just one food as a base for every dinner you will eat for the next year, what would it be?
4. Tell me a memory that your grandparent shared with you.
5. What is one major societal change you hope to see in your lifetime?
6. What is the best invention of the last 100 years?
7. What would you have a hard time giving up for a whole week?
8. If someone gave you $200 and said that you were not allowed to put it toward basic household expenses but had to get a special treat just for yourself, what would you pick?
9. What is your favorite season, and why?
10. Which Muppet would you be, and why?
11. If you were invited to do a TED talk, what would you talk about?

Those not specifically nominated can answer any or all of these questions in the comments.