Liebster Award

Well! My good buddy, PackerFan4Life nominated me for the Liebster Award, a sort of GTKY-super special-blogger-chain-letter award and not only am I excited to get it, I am excited to pass it on and read everyone else's responses. I think it's nice to be able to get to know our fellow bloggers a little more, since we are so familiar with what goes on with one another's utes, ovaries and husband's sperm. So here we go!

The Rules:

1) Post 11 random facts about myself.

2) Answer 11 questions the awarding blogger has asked.

3) Nominate 11 blogs with less than 200 followers, add their links to this post and let them know they have been nominated.

4) Create 11 questions the nominated bloggers have to answer.

5) Post The Rules!

11 Random Facts About Myself

1) I love disaster movies. Twister, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, etc. I have an obsession. It stems from storm chasing with my dad when I was little. We would drive around the Detroit metro area chasing every possible tornado spotted and it was crazy fun. Most little kids would have been terrified but I am intrigued with the power of nature and love the adrenalin rush that comes when a big storm passes through.

2) DH was supposed to be a one night stand. I had to just moved from Ohio back to California three days before I met him and since I had just gotten out of a long term relationship, I just wanted to have fun. No such luck on my part, after our first night "hanging out" we were inseparable and became engaged six months later.

3) I am a fantasy novel junkie. Vampires, middle earth, the supernatural, I love it all. My favorite is when an author mixes it up and throws some vampires, werewolves, witches and magicians all in the same series. I'm often embarrassed to tell people because most people would think that since I am a former English teacher, I would prefer Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy to Charlaine Harris or Ilona Andrews but that is not the case! I think it's mostly because I read to escape so I want something entertaining.

4) I will not eat any creature that has lived in water. I find the idea of eating a creature that has spent its entire life living in (and sometimes eating) its own feces (and probably ours too) repulsive. I watch the shrimp in my fish tank and cringe at the idea of one of those little poop eaters coming near my mouth.

5) I am a recovering alcoholic and am proud to say I have six years sober. I went to a major party school for college and carried on partying long after. Six years ago I woke up to realize that I didn't like the person I had become and decided enough was enough. I quit drinking on my own and have not touched a drop since. 

6) I am a huge proponent of medical marijuana. I do not choose to partake myself but we have a dog with epilepsy and tried every possible medication to stop her from having seizures. Nothing worked, she was having two and three seizures a day, and we were to the point of discussing putting her down. Since our vet recommended trying edible treats (without THC) twice a day, she hasn't has been seizure free. If she misses a dose, she has one. I probably wouldn't believe it if I weren't a witness to it!

7) DH and I are considering moving to Montana and lately the possibility is what gets me through tough moments. I love California but it might be time for us to say goodbye to The Golden State. BUT I will forever be a Niners (oooooh Packer, I know you are cringing, lol) and Giants fan no matter where we live!

8) My all time favorite TV show is Grey's Anatomy.

9) I went to an all girls Catholic high school and LOVED it! If we have the option (assuming we have children some day) I will absolutely fight my husband to the death (ok, not really, I'd just withhold BJs for a while) if he objects to sending our children to same-sex high schools.

10) When I read things people write, or listen to them speak, I often find myself reciting relevant movie quotes in my mind. i.e. someone wrote "As you wish" on FB the other day and I went off for five minutes, quoting The Princess Bride, in my head! 

11) I make up songs about my animals and sing to them. My chocolate lab, Dakota, gets SUPER excited when I make up songs about her and prances around, wagging her tail like crazy.

The Question and Answer Section

1) Why do you blog?

I blog to get all the thoughts out of my head! I also blog to share with everyone research I have done and (I hope) to help others feel less alone about their struggle with IF.

2) What is your favorite way to relieve stress?

Honestly? Sex. I have found that if I am freaking out about something, a good roll in the hay will relieve tension and leave me feeling a lot more loved. Maybe it's just the connection with my DH or the physical activity involved, I don't know, but it works!

3) If you could choose one thing that you wish you could be better at, what would it be?

Exercising! I get a good workout taking care of all the animals on our ranch but I have a hard time getting motivated to do anything extra even though I know it would be better for me if I did.

4) What is your favorite thing about your life right now?

That I am married to such an amazing man. Despite everything that is happening in our lives, he is always right there with a hug or a supportive comment or just there to tell me I am beautiful. I don't know what I would do without him.

5) If you could quit your job for a year and do anything, what would you do?

TRAVEL! I would go back to Hawaii and Grand Cayman and even travel to Russia!

6) What is your favorite food?

Buttered popcorn with lots of real butter and salt. And a diet pepsi to wash it down. I would eat it for lunch and dinner every day if I didn't think it would eventually kill me.

7) What is the one thing that you really want to do, but you've been putting off?

Write a book. I have hundreds of ideas and many, many short stories that I could easily turn into a novel but I've never set aside the time to do it. Wait, maybe I should take back my answer to number 5!

8) What is your next travel destination (either for real if you have a trip planned, or a dream destination if you don't)?

We don't have a trip planned but I would love to go to Russia or Africa. DH and I have discussed it often and I hope some day we will get to go.

9) Do you have any pets, if so what pets do you have? Bonus points for pictures.

Oh yeah. I have 21 animals. Five dogs, six cats, three chickens (we used to have six but a fox into the hen house), five pygmy goats and two horses.

10) What technology could you not live without?

My iPhone! I do everything on it and use it at least fifty times a day.

11) What is your favorite book?

Right now I would have to say, Jodi Picoult's Lone Wolf. It was incredibly thought provoking.

Questions for the Nominees!

1) What is your favorite movie?

2) What is your best memory?

3) What is your greatest accomplishment?

4) Who do you admire?

5) What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

6) What is the first thing you notice about someone when you first meet them?

7) Would you rather watch sports or play sports?

8) If money was no object, what would you do all day?

9) What is your greatest strength?

10) Do you prefer summer or winter?

11) If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?

And the nominees are:

I'm thieving this idea from Chickin! Packer and I have a lot of the same blog friends so rather than nominate the same blogs she did, I have fewer than 11! 

1) http://theseaofttc.blogspot.com/

2) http://in-due-time.com/

3) http://infertilegirlinafertileworld.wordpress.com/

4) http://birdsbeesandmeds.blogspot.com/

5) http://whereivebeenandwhereimgoing.blogspot.com/