Ich bin ein Liebster!

I would like to thank Mike Shaw over at his blog My Life and Such for nominating/granting me this award.This is really nice, especially for a blog that I do not update as much as I could or should. Again, I will try and do my best to update more. Thank you Mike! [N.B. I also stole borrowed this intro from your post on the subject].

What is the Liebster Award and how do you get one? The Liebster Award was started some time ago by a German blogger who wanted to assist others in finding great but, under-subscribed to blogs. The “award” nomination is granted from one blogger to another and is considered as “awarded” when the nominated blog completes a certain set of requirements.

The current requirements have evolved over time and are as follows:

• Post the Liebster award graphic on your site. (Google to find it if needed)
• Thank the blogger who nominated the blog for a Liebster Award and link back to their blog.
• The blogger then writes 11 facts about themselves so people who discover their blog through the Liebster post will learn more about them.
• In addition to posting 11 fun facts about themselves, nominated bloggers should also answer the 11 questions from the post of the person who nominated them.
• The nominated blogger will in turn, nominate 9 other blogs with 200 or less followers (We’re guessing for our nominees) for a Liebster award by posting a comment on their blog and linking back to the Liebster post.
• The nominated blogger will create 11 questions for their nominated blogs to answer in their Liebster post.

That’s It! Essentially, The Liebster Award is a way to connect smaller blogs to one another. It promotes the discovery of new blogs and also helps to increase traffic through link exchanges. While not an “award” in the traditional sense of the word, it is a great way to build up communities and to help other small bloggers to get discovered.

11 Unique Things about me and my family:

1. My whole family swims like fishes except me, who paddles along.
2. I make telescopes for fun.
3. I brew my own beer.
4. I like photography and I have a theory that people who make telescopes also brew beer and like photography - at least all the ones I know do.
5. I am a good baker.
6. This whole blog, and some key points of my faith journey, were inspired by atheists. Thanks guys!
7. I have only sons because, as a friend put it: "men make men."
8. I will never be bored. There are so many things I wish I had time to do (blogging is one of them).
9. A priest once said a requiem mass for my mother by mistake.
10. My kids will eat almost anything (yes, even veggies).
11. My oldest son is currently living in Italy.

11 8 questions for Mike's blog (apparently Mike Shaw can't count):

1. What one thing that makes you most proud with your children (you can list one thing collectively or individually. If you do not have children, then what makes your parents proud about you?)
Well, since I can list individually I get three things, and since I can list collectively I can apply the three to all three sons. I am most proud of their intelligence, compassion, and faith.


2. What are your two most favorite books?
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle has to be the best SF book I've ever read. Just read it. The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles A. Lindbergh was a book I picked somewhat arbitrarily for a school assignment. Turned out to be a great pick. I read each of these books over a weekend once I started - I literally didn't want to stop. Cheaper by the Dozen is a very, very close third.


3. What is your favorite movie? Why? 
Silverado. Written and directed by the Kasdans, who did movies like Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The cast is awesome (Kevin Klein, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Linda Hunt, Jeff Goldblum and more), the cinematography is awesome, and, well, it's awesome. Go see it! [N.B. The Princess Bride is #2 - sorry guys]


4. What is your most favorite place you have visited?
This one's hard. I'd have to say The Grand Canyon. I've been there several times, and with my whole family, so it gets props for most memories.


5. Do you have pets? If so, what are their names and what are they?
We had fish, but they went to that great tank in the sky.


6. What is your favorite? Movie, book, stage, TV. Please explain.
Books. They have all the advantages of the other media, but you can read them almost anywhere and when ever you want, and they cost less.


7. Favorite adult beverage? If you do not drink, then what is your favorite beverage? 
Beer, duh!


8. Jock, nerd or something else in high school?
I guess nerd, although I didn't really think in those terms in high school.

Hard to pick just 9. My nominees are (in no particular order):

Sober Catholic
The Refracted Light
Reverend Know-it-all
Laudet Dominum
That The Bones You Have Crushed May Thrill
Redneck Reflections
Aussie Coffee Shop
Now is the Time
Teaching the Civil War with technology

11 Questions for my nominees:

1. Hardcover, paperback or eBook?
2. You're going on a picnic and you're going to bring ___?
3. What's your favorite prayer and why?
4. What was your worst subject in school?
5. What historical figure would you like to meet (other than Jesus)?
6. What's your favorite food?
7. You started blogging because...
8. Favorite quote?
9. How much wood would a wood chuck chuck?
10. Paper or plastic?
11. Why do you suppose there are 9 nominees and 11 questions instead of, say, 10 and 10?

Posted in: blogging,My life