Liebster Award

In October, I received a nomination for the Liebster Award from fellow simple life blogger Lois from Living Simply Free. Thank you, Lois!! How this award works (its origins are pretty unclear from my brief investigation, unfortunately) is that I must now answer 11 questions about myself and then pose new questions to 11 other up-and-coming bloggers who I nominate for the award.  Sounds like fun!

Here are my questions from Lois:

1. Why do you blog? I blog on Born Again Minimalist because I wanted to provide real-time updates for people going through the same things I am once they decide to downsize.  I like sharing my thoughts and ideas with the world — I cannot deny that I enjoy the attention and comments from like-minded people to move discussions forward!   I also blog for other sites through my freelance side-career (soon to be full-time career, I hope!) and I blog on those sites to pay the bills and because one of them is about green and eco-friendly topics and we all know how much I love that.
2. If you had more free time, how would you like to fill it? Growing or making things, cooking, learning to can food, raising a family (five year plan), writing more, painting more.
3. With the holidays fast approaching, what is your favorite/least favorite holiday and why? My favorite holiday is probably the combination of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  It is such a time of family togetherness, love, and renewed energy.  My least favorite holiday is probably Valentine’s Day because it’s sort of ridiculous.
4. What is one place you would like to visit? Ireland!  What are a bunch more? Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Australia, and Iceland.
5. If you could meet anyone, in any time period who would it be? Real person or fictional person?  I refuse to admit that he’s fictional, so: The Doctor.
6. I love a good laugh, it makes even the worst days better.  So what caught you off-guard and made you laugh recently? My mother imitating a street performer in Spain by trying to make high-pitched whistles and coo noises.
7. If you had to choose, would you choose more money or more time? This really depends on the definition of more time (would I have fewer commitments or a magical extra hour per day?) or more money (am I winning the lottery or am I getting a raise?)  Both have their merits.  If I were to come into a large sum of money, I would pay off all my debts and live off the interest in a savings account so that I could afford to stay home and not work when I have children.  If it’s a choice between working fewer hours at the same pay grade or working the same hours with a raise, I think I would take the time over the money.  Sorry that was so confusing.
8. What is your biggest pet peeve? Narrow-mindedness and the way it shuts down what could potentially be really life-changing and eye-opening conversations.  So many people are unwilling to see other points of view or process new evidence regarding their opinions.
9. What is your favorite low cost/no cost activity or hobby? There are a lot, but one of them is just playing cards with my mom.
10. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I haven’t figured it out yet.
11. Since those of us in the northern hemisphere are moving towards winter, what is your favorite spot inside your home to spend time in? My kitchen or bedroom.

Now for my nominees.  I am choosing blogs that I really enjoy reading (minus Living Simply Free, since she’s already done it!)

1. Born Again Green
2. Drop That Debt
3. Living Lagom
4. The Simple Year
5. Seville to Seville
6. Making Room For Life
7. Unstuffing

And I’m tweaking the rules and allowing myself to stop short of 11.  So there are seven awesome blogs you should go check out!

To each blogger tagged here, I pose these eleven questions:

1. What would you do with a million dollars?
2. When did you decide to start blogging?
3. What is your least favorite musical genre, and why?
4. Where is the most interesting place you have lived?
5. If you could travel anywhere at no expense, where would you go and how long would you stay?
6. With which fictional character do you identify the most?
7. Tell me about your favorite possession.
8. What is your favorite memory from your dating or love life?
9. What is your favorite memory of your childhood?
10. What is your dream job?
11. If you could change one decision in your life, (a) would you? and (b) what decision would it be?

The rules are thus: If you’ve been tagged, answer the questions, tag 11 bloggers, and pose 11 questions to them.  Have fun!

And another big thank you to Lois who nominated me for this blogging award 🙂 It gave me all sorts of warm fuzzies.