Liebster Award

I was nominated earlier this week by the very lovely Elizabeth Freeman over at Mini MD: Tarhealer in Training for a Liebster Award. Thank you so much for the nomination! Elizabeth is a third-year medical student at the University of North Carolina and has an awesome blog with tons of interesting, inspiring, and helpful posts -- be sure to check it out!

So what is a Liebster Award? Google informs me that "liebster" is a German term of endearment, along the lines of "dear" or "beloved". Apparently the Liebster Award aims to acknowledge bloggers, especially lesser known ones, and by its perpetuance helps bloggers to discover and connect with others. Fun and practical!

The rules state that you must answer ten questions posed by the blogger who nominated you, then nominate eight blogs to pose your own ten questions to. Here are my answers :)

1) What is your favourite ride at Disney (or equivalent)?
My childhood Disney memories comprise mostly of It's A Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Swiss Family Treehouse, but if I were to visit now I'd be looking forward to the roller coasters!

2) What's the best vacation you ever took?
While backpacking in China a few years ago, I visited Ping An, a tiny village perched high on a mountainside and only accessible by foot. We stayed in a family-run guest house with an incredible view of the rice terraces and surrounding mountains. At nighttime it was so quiet and peaceful, with fireflies being the only sources of light over the terraces. Definitely a memorable place to visit!

3) Do you have a hidden talent?
I wish! Well this is a lame one, but when I was a kid I discovered that I can toss candy waaay high up and catch it in my mouth (without choking...yet). So I guess I may have good mouth-eye coordination? Haha.

4) Who was your favourite teacher in grade school?
I thought my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. McKinnon, was awesome because she was so nice, organized (yes, my nerd days started early), did tons of really creative art projects with us, and always had candy on hand! And she really liked owls (seemingly that was important -- they were my favourite animal too).

5) What is the first thing you do every morning?
Hit snooze. ...And after that, start the coffee maker (priorities!) before getting into the shower.

6) If you had a job that wasn't medicine/science related, what would it be?
I'd always wanted to be a teacher! And some days I wonder what it would have been like to pursue a music degree and to see where that led (not that I have any musical talent whatsoever!).

7) Do you prefer ketchup or mustard? Coffee or tea? Vanilla or chocolate?
Tough one! Ketchup is absolutely essential for fries or grilled cheese...but dijon mustard wins otherwise. Coffee, hands down. And chocolate, always.

8) What is the best life-hack you've come across or invented?
Hmm...probably using my George Foreman grill for anything and everything. If there's any chance I can cook something on the grill, there's no way I'm taking a pan out. Just use the overturned drip tray to prop the front legs up and create a level grilling surface and you're good to fry up eggs, pancakes, French toast, and who knows what else (the experiments continue). Best $20 I've ever spent!

9) Who is your favourite band/singer?
My current favourites are always changing! I definitely enjoy Freelance Whales (with my blog title being from their song Hannah). I guess when I think about music that I'm sure I'll always love, I'll have to go with Pink Floyd as being my favourite.

10) What three things would you take with you to a deserted island?
I can't help but be boring and practical in answering this one, sorry: solar still/water purification system, knife, and matches...though I'd probably regret bringing matches instead of a tent!

Here are eight awesome blogs that I'd like to nominate:
1) Happy and Healthy
2) Paper Lovestory
3) Prairie Girl in the Big, Scary World
4) A Young Voice
5) On the Beaten Path
6) The Adventures of Jessica Lee
7) Reading With Tea
8) I can't think of an 8th, so here's a lovely Instagram account: @internyear

Here are my questions for you!
1) What is your favourite beverage?
2) What is your favourite thing about the city you live in?
3) What do you think is the one most important character trait to have?
4) What is your favourite TV show? (Guilty pleasure TV show?)
5) What is the story behind your blog name?
6) What is an awesome thing you've seen/experienced?
7) Are you an extrovert or introvert (or somewhere in between)?
8) Are you an early bird or night owl?
9) What's something on your bucket list?
10) How many times have you moved in your lifetime? Where?