The Liebster Bloggers Award

Patti and I are thrilled to be nominated for the Liebster Blog Award. This isn’t so much an award as it is recognition by our peers for the work we have done on this blog. The bigger advantage to our readers is that it helps us introduce to you other blogs we have discovered, both in and out of our subject area. We’re excited to be part of this and are honored.

We received word of our nomination when a referring site started appearing on our stats page showing us where our readers come from. In this case, we began seeing clicks from a site called the Serial Nomad. We would later come to learn that this site is authored by none other than Muk Muk from last year’s PCT thru-hiker fame. Since completing the PCT, Muk Muk has continued her travels around the world and her blogs are well worth the read. In fact, Muk Muk’s PCT blog last year was arguably one of the best blogs on the subject of PCT thru-hiking.

The nomination carries certain requirements. Muk Muk, who herself was nominated and answered her own list of questions, poses 11 questions that we are to answer. Additionally, we need to create a list of our own questions for the next round of nominations, people we ourselves will nominate.

So, without a lot more ado, here are our answers to Muk Muk’s provocative questions about things, life and us.

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
   Lynn – Well, I started out wanting to be an apple. But then I dreamed of being some kind of weird blend of Superman meets Batman. Later, I wanted to be a businessman with my first million earned before turning 34. Now, I just want to hike. Patti – I wanted to be President or an astronaut, anything but a traditional female job. Now I’m a nurse and a mother. I always wanted to be a mom.
2. What’s your most memorable dream?
   Lynn – I once dreamed of finding an opening in a row of bushes that lead into a beautifully lush, green valley. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had found the Garden of Eden. The air was cool and the air moist and I could almost feel the dew in the grass on my feet. Then, I suddenly woke to find the wind blowing rain into my open window and onto the foot of my bed. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. Patti – My grandma, who has passed away years earlier, came into my dream, touched my hand and told me everything would be OK. I was pregnant with our first child and was worried.
3. Do you believe in fate and/or destiny?
   Lynn – Not at all. Patti – I believe we come here with a plan but sometimes things happen not according to plan. Because we have free will, anything can change. Is that fate or destiny, I don’t believe so.
4. What makes you really happy?
   Lynn – Sometimes it happens when I’m home, or it might show up while driving around town and I’m just letting my mind go. It’s hard to put my finger on and harder still to describe. But I think it’s that contentment you feel when you realize you’ve pulled it together, that you like who you are and what you have created in your life, that you have meaning and find purpose, and, best of all, you have others to share it with. Patti -I feel happiest when I am with my family and all is good. I also feel happiest on the trail, to be honest.
5. What’s the kindest thing another human being has ever done for you.
   Lynn – She trusted me. Patti – The Glow Stick Hike done by some of the Class of 2013 PCT thru-hikers, and especially the two hikers who put it together.
6. What’s the kindest thing you’ve done in return?
   Lynn – I have struggled with this question. But to be faithful to the intent of the question, I’ll answer that I once took part in contributing money from a business group I belonged to and was additionally able to get matching funds from a local bank. The money went to a group of homeless that was on the street during the holiday season caused by the housing bust. Patti – I don’t know. I try to be kind all the time and taking credit for doing kindness seems self-serving.
7. Where does fear prevent you from traveling to?
   Lynn – I believe any fears I once had about traveling have been driven clear of me. However, I was once terrified of New York City. Patti – Heights. I will never go sky diving or hot air ballooning.
8. 
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
   Lynn – I wish I could read minds. Patti– ESP
9. Who would you most wish to sit next to on a 14-hour flight?
   Lynn – I suppose if I had a one-time opportunity to sit with a person of note it would likely be either Abraham Lincoln or John Lennon, whichever one willing to spend that time with me. Patti – Lynn
10. How do you make the world a better place?
    Lynn – I strive for honesty, integrity and transparency in my life. I treat others respectfully. And while it helps the world only occasionally, I have a keen sense of justice and fairness.  Patti – My carbon footprint is tiny. We recycle and compost everything. I’m vegetarian. I treat my patients as I would my dearest relatives.
11. Other than love, complete the sentence: All we need is….?
    Lynn – Sincerity and respect. If we each just showed these to each other, imagine how far we could go. Patti – In college, I use to say all I needed was a buck in my pocket because the local bar had nickel draws. Now you’d probably need a twenty. It has been a long time since I’ve been to a bar. Being older now, I would say good health and a good attitude. I would like to add that besides needing love, you need to love yourself as well.

We read a lot of different blogs. There are many good reads out there and it’s impossible to keep up with them all. But the following sites are very good and are well worth a visit. We nominate the following for the Liebster Blog Award:

angelynshapiro.com/blog

elenacaravela.wordpress.com

sarafry.wordpress.com

joshmeierphoto.wordpress.com

askirtinthedirt.com/pacific-crest-trail/journals

We have nine questions for the new nominees.

1. Name one thing people would be surprised to learn about you.
2. If given the power, what one historical event would you change that would change history?
3. What is your most frequently uttered white lie?
4. What’s more important: Good quality, good price, good service or schedule?
5. OK, which is it? Jeanie or Bewitched? Ginger or Mary Ann?
6. What might you regret not doing?
7. What is the title of your life movie?
8. What did you learn yesterday?
9. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

Hopefully our nominees will have fun with these questions.  We will leave each blogger to discover the nomination themselves, just as we were challenged to. Cheers and thanks for following along.