Liebster award!

Marc at Fat or Fit? Changing the Status Quo has nominated me for the Liebster Award.  I’ve never heard of the Liebster Award, but it is very flattering to be nominated for one!  I feel like I should have had a speech prepared!

The Rules- Once you're nominated, write 11 facts about yourself.
- Then, take a look at the 11 questions the person who nominated you asked and answer them.
- Get your thinking cap on and come up with 11 questions of your own for your nominees to answer
- Then choose the 5 bloggers you want to nominate (they must have less than 200 followers) & let them know they've been nominated (there are no tag backs - you can't nominate the person who nominated you).
- Complete this post and then link it to the person who nominated you (in the comments of their blog).

11 Facts about Myself:

1. I have always lived fairly close to an ocean.  When I was growing up, my father worked for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), so we lived in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, and Washington State.
2. When I was a kid I wanted to grow up to be a dog.  At my girl scouts’ “Come As You Wish You Were” day, I wore a black leotard with dog ears and a dog tail.  Dogs rule.
3. I did school and community theater, and once played the girl in the melodrama who has ringlets and is tied to a buzz saw by the dastardly villain.
4. I have friends who had a trading cards shop, and spent time there teaching children how to PLAY Pokémon.  Yes, it really is a game.   (I’ve been known to play other collectible card games also.)
5. I once sold Longaberger baskets, and still own way too many of them.
6. I love to read.  My house is stacked with books, and there are more in my storage unit.  I especially enjoy science fiction/fantasy and anything magical.
7. I have played Farmville.  I admit it. Correction: I was previously obsessed with Farmville--I’ve kind of given it up lately in favor of reading blogs and blogging about weight loss and health.
8. I have been vegetarian and/or vegan on and off during my life, right now for about 10 years straight.
9. I teach at community college.  It’s my favorite job ever.  Once I taught a class with students from age 16 (a Running Start student) up to age 73 (taking the class with her daughter)!  It was a human growth & development class, which made it all the more interesting!
10. I’m a licensed mental health counselor, and a child mental health specialist.  Imagine the poor social worker that had to interview me for surgery!  (Actually I behaved myself quite well.)
11. I love dogs. And cats. And animals in general, including snails (see the name of my blog!).

11 Questions from Marc for me to answer:

1. What do I absolutely love in life?  Being with my partner.  We’ve been together nearly 10 years, and have the same sense of humor.  We still laugh about jokes we started years ago.
2. If there were no tomorrow, what would you do today?  Stay at home. Call my family.  Snuggle with my partner and our dog and cat.  
3. What would I stand for if I knew no one would judge me?  This is a hard one.  I don’t usually care if people will judge me for my beliefs.  If I had more money and time, I would volunteer and donate to causes I believe in, like saving the environment and reducing bullying in schools, especially for GLBTQ youth.
4. If my life had absolutely no limits and I could have it all and do whatever I wanted, what would I choose to have and what would I choose to do?  End all factory farming and using animals for food, and have the entire world be vegetarian.
5. What would I do if I had one billion dollars?  Buy a beautiful house in the woods near the ocean and the mountains that runs on solar power. Buy an electric or hybrid car.  Travel, but always come home again.  Sponsor animal rescue facilities, and domestic violence shelters, and programs for runaways.
6. Who do I admire most in the world?  People who have gone through hard times and still have a positive attitude.  People who give of themselves to others.  People who make use of their talents and training for good instead of evil.
7. Are you putting any parts of your life on hold? Why?  Traveling and sightseeing.  It is difficult to travel with my weight--I don’t fit places and am not comfortable walking for long distances.  This is one of my goals as I lose.
8. What traits in others do you admire the most?   Honesty. Empathy. Patience. Creativity.
9. If you could be your favorite animal, what animal would you be and why?  Hmmm…a dog!  (See above.)  A smart, furry, cuddly one.  Dogs live in the present, love deeply, and are loyal to their families.
10. What is your favorite pastime?  Using technology: Computer. iPad. Smart Phone. Second Life. Blogs. Facebook. Etc.
11. Who are your mentors in life? (formal or informal)    I don’t have a specific mentor.  I believe we can learn something from everyone we come across in this world, if we are only open to it.

My 11 Questions:

1. What careers did you consider before the one you are in currently?
2. What were you most afraid of as a child?  What are you most afraid of now?
3. What type of music do you enjoy?
4. What is different about your life today that you never would have predicted 10 years ago?
5. Do you watch any sports on TV?  Which ones?
6. What was your most favorite vacation?
7. Star Wars or Star Trek? 
8. What is the last movie you saw in a theater?
9. Do you wear a watch?  If you don’t, why not?
10. What do you look forward to about the holidays?  What do you dread about the holidays?
11. If you were the leader of your country (i.e. president, prime minister, etc.), what are the first changes you would make in the country’s policies?

My 5 Nominees Are:

1. Tamzin at http://moveasidefatty.blogspot.com/
2. Vanessa at http://athenabandedwarrior.blogspot.com/
3. tz at http://metabolicallyefficient.blogspot.com/
4. Laura Belle at http://beerdogsandhealth.blogspot.com/
5. adorkbl at http://adorkbl.blogspot.com/