Liebster Award

Recently I was nominated for a Liebster Award by another blogger, Shona, over at Shushkat.  Per her blog:  This is an award for upcoming bloggers with less than 200 followers to help raise interest in their blogs and help them connect with other bloggers too. I've actually been chosen a few times over the years for this type of thing, and have only followed up with it once, so I decided it was time to do it again. Thanks Shona!!!  This should be fun!

This is what I am supposed to do:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves
• Answer the questions that the nominator set for you, plus create 11 questions for the people that you've nominated to answer
• Nominate 11 people and link them to your post
• Go to their page and tell them
• No tag backs!

11 random facts about me: 

1. I love Ani Difranco and have probably seen her about 10 times or so in concert.
2. I have a belly ring that I got in my 20's....I wore a special maternity belly ring during my first pregnancy, but had to take it out during my c-section. The hole closed within a few days. I got it re-pierced a few years ago on my 40th birthday as a present to myself.
3. I would love to get a nose ring, but my husband would probably divorce me--he hates them!
4. My most hated chore is meal planning. I love cooking, and don't mind the grocery shopping and doing dishes---but meal planning is the absolute WORST!
5. I've been a strict vegetarian for almost 11 years.
6. My first race was a 5k back in 1998. I remember running it thinking that 3.1 miles was such a  loooooong way to run......
7. I have a tattoo on my ankle, and would love to get another one, but probably won't as I can't decide on where to put it on my body.
8. I rarely wear makeup. Sometimes I wear lipgloss, but most days that's as fancy as I go.
9. I recently discovered the Brazilian blowout for my hair, and now can't imagine life without it.
10. I love living in San Diego, but don't go to the beach as often as you'd think I would.
11. If I could go anywhere in the world that I haven't been yet, I'd go to Spain first.

Here are my questions from Shona:

1. What is your biggest goal for 2013? I have many goals, but my biggest--and scariest--is to do my first century ride. I'm signed up for 103 miles of hilly hell during the San Diego Century in June.
2. What are you proudest of in your life?  This is a hard question!  The easy answer would be completing my first half-Ironman, something that seemed impossible to do. But I think I'm proudest of my job as a mother to both my children. Especially with how I've parented my daughter, who has special medical needs. In her life, I've had to learn to advocate for her, deal with doctors, do medical interventions no parent should ever have to do (like care for a tracheostomy when she had one) and yet I am proud that I have always treated her like a typical child. I don't think of her as having special needs at all. 
3. Do you have a nickname? And how did you get it?? No nicknames here....
   
4. What is the most played song on your ipod? Without a doubt, "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. That song pumps me up whenever I need an energy boost during a run.
   
5. What 3 words best describe you?  Kind, determined, and grateful.
   
6. What is the most unusual thing you have ever eaten? Probably alligator---a long, long time ago, before I was vegetarian.
   
7. What is your favourite quote?  Ah, I have lots of favorite quotes....but I'll chose this one by Ani Difranco: "I know the biggest crime is just to throw up your hands, say this has nothing to do with me, I just want to live as comfortably as I can. You got to look outside your eyes, you got to think outside your brain, you got to walk outside your life to where the neighborhood changes."
8. If you could choose an age to stay forever, what age would that be? A hard question! I'd say 36. For no particular reason, really. I don't mind getting older by the way. I love being 42, and am looking forward to turning 43 soon.
   
9. Tell me something that you've learned in the last week. I've learned to check my DVR settings to make sure that a show I really want recorded is high on my priority list.
   
10. If you could have one superpower what would it be? The ability to play with time---go back in it and stop it.
    
11. Do you believe in ghosts? Yes, very much so.

The questions I'd like my nominees to answer:

1. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
2. What is the first thing you check when you log online in the morning?
3. Why did you start blogging?
4. It's your last night on earth. What do you order for dinner?
5. If you won $50 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
6. Name 3 places in the world you would love to visit but haven't yet.
7. What got you into running (or biking, swimming, etc)?
8. What race is on your bucket list?
9.  What is your favorite movie?
10. If you could meet any 3 famous people, living or dead, who would you choose?
11. Do you have a bad habit you want to break?

And, the 11 bloggers I'd like to nominate are:

1. Barb at quick like a bunny!
2. Becca at See Becca Try to Tri
3. Ty at Seeking Boston Marathon
4. Steena at Finding My Happy Pace
5. Jenn at Junk Miles
6. Elisabeth at ....With an S
7. Alisyn at Run in Syn
8. Monika at Monika Runs
9. S at TriMeOn
10. Carly at CarlyBananas
11. Lisa at 110 Pounds and Counting