Liebster Award #3!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful July thus far! Summer here has been full… but in the best sense, so on the whole quite enjoyable.

On the blogging front, I received the Liebster Award again a few weeks ago! (Thank you, Hamlette!) So here are my answers for all your enjoyment and—of course—edification. ;)

1. Do you have a favorite mug or teacup? ~ Yes, indeed! It makes me happy every morning—and I’m sure it’ll be a big surprise:

2. Are you an adventurous eater? (Do you try “strange” foods?) ~ Hmmm. Generally I’ll try something as long as I know what’s in it. But then, on the other hand, sometimes I won’t (if I—accordingly—know what’s in it). I did once try a tiny bite of raw, healthy ground beef.

3. What fandoms are you into? ~ First and foremost, almost anything Zorro related. :) In further general terms: Disney, period dramas, classic films and any other spectacular stories truly told.

4. What famous author/book do you really not care for? ~ Don Quixote! Honestly, it’s dreadful. (I did get halfway through the massive tome and then stuck fast where he’s turning cartwheels for “penance” in… well, never mind. Let’s just say he didn’t have much going in the way of clothing.) Cervantes’ mockery makes me angry, but for a long time I didn’t completely understand why until I read some background on Spenser’s Faerie Queene. Writing at the same time as Cervantes (and a couple centuries after the heyday of armored knights) Spenser’s work is a stunning epic in defense of Christianity, including nobility, sacrifice, and honor (along with a lot of other truths well worth dying for). I now find it fascinating to compare the two—Spenser and Cervantes—but I still haven’t gotten around to forcing myself through the second half of DQ. (Side note, there IS an excellent 90’s Zorro episode on the Quixote theme, though, and—while it’s dealing with an old man’s dreams—it ends resoundingly in favor of a true fighting hero. ;))

5. What obscure author/book are you nuts about? ~ One (I think) little known story I love is Chaim Potok’s The Chosen. It’s one of the three books that have actually made me cry. And don’t worry, it does end happily!

6. What’s the oldest movie you’ve ever watched? ~ The Mark of Zorro (1920). The silent film with Douglas Fairbanks, it’s both frightfully fun and funny. (I did warn you about my Zorro thing up above, didn’t I?) Incidentally, though having the same name, it’s also different from The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power listed here on my author blog. 

7. What did you have for breakfast today? ~ A mango-gelatin smoothie.

8. When did you first see your favorite movie? ~ I feel like I’ve been linking to Shadow on the Mesa here every five posts or so… but it does truly seem inevitable. I first saw it last Thanksgiving and I’ve now seen it five or six times.

9. Do you prefer fantasy or sci-fi? ~ I don’t think I’ve ever actually read any sci-fi… so fantasy.

10. What did you expect your blog to be like when you started it? ~ A place to share about my stories and surrounding interests and/or further delightful happenings—I was pretty open to seeing where it would end up going. 

11. Has it changed? If so, how? ~ The story sharing part has hopped a little, but in the main it’s stayed pretty constant. One major development I’ve noticed is I’ve gotten more comfortable writing what I actually think—both on and off the blog. Learning to be comfortable opening up and honestly sharing my opinions. I’m still growing, so thanks goes to all you wonderful readers and friends who have (and still are) helping me along! It’s also helped me even in some smaller details like faster typing and editing. I still cringe when I discover a typo (and am known on occasion to cut-and-paste and delete and repost my reply comments if I’ve made an egregious error), but it’s helping me learn to get words out and achieve the fine balance between crippling perfectionism and excellent, well-executed work. :)

And now for 11 facts about myself (in no particular order)!

1. I love clear turquoise water.

2. I have a splendid story board up behind my computer with all my character “castings” for On David’s Shoulders and also my important writing calendar.

3. I’d like to learn Spanish someday.

4. I can recognize quite a few different butterflies. 

5. I milk cows.

6. I’m crazy about Egyptian archaeology and history.

7. One of my favorite musicals is the ‘03 Music Man with Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth.

8. I love studying dinosaurs.

9. I’m hoping to use the Leisl’s Dance Dress pattern here, when making my bridesmaid’s dress for a friend’s upcoming wedding.

10. I’m 5’4” tall.

11. I don’t like flies and gnats, etc., but otherwise bugs, spiders and creepy crawlies really don’t bother me.

I hope you all enjoyed and thanks so much again for the tag, Hamlette!

Tell me! Do we have any of those last “11 Facts” in common?