I returned from Granada to find the nicest email from Gudy Herder of Eclectic Trends, who guest blogged here about brunch in Barcelona. She nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award, a blogger’s way of saying “You’re one of my favorites! Good job!” (Liebster is German for “favorite”). Thank you, Gudy!
With the Liebster Blog Award comes 11 questions from Gudy, and the duty to pass on the award to blogs with a relatively small following. So here goes…
*where do you live?
Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
*cat or dog?
Cat! Rogue is our favorite souvenir from Singapore.
*what do you love about blogging?
I love documenting my life, sharing good things, and telling stories. I love searching for the right words to capture a mood or feeling, and knowing that those words land somewhere. Only recently did I really get into the social aspect of blogging: the fun of connecting with friends all over the world.
*what is the most embarassing situation you ever had?
I’ve had many, but the one that comes to mind is when I was running down a slope towards the cafeteria in my high school. My best friend and I were holding hands and she was running too fast for me, so I let her go.
Then I rolled—yes, rolled—down the slope and landed flat on my face in front of the whole school! The previous weekend, I had just won a school pageant so all eyes were on me. Or at least it felt like it. I wanted to disappear.
*what social media platform do you prefer and why?
Blogging is my first love, for the storytelling aspect. Then Twitter because it’s immediate and makes it easy to keep in touch with online friends. I update Facebook less frequently since becoming active on Twitter.
*who is your role model?
My mother.
The older I get—especially after I got married, and now that I’m entering motherhood—the more I realize just how much she’s done, how much she’s lost, and how amazing she is for keeping a youthful spirit and generous heart despite everything that she’s been through.
*what language would you like to learn?
Dutch. Can’t say it’s because I love the language, but it’s a necessity.
*are you good at any handcrafting?
Sort of? I make my own Christmas cards, I’ve tried knitting and sewing, and have started exploring hand lettering and calligraphy.
However, I’m not a very precise or logical kind of person, so my craft projects always end up imperfect and slightly messy. I am better with instinctive things that don’t require a lot of precision, like painting.
*how does a perfect day for you look like?
It changes, but it will always start with waking up late, enjoying lazy morning cuddles with Marlon, and not really having to go anywhere right away so I can take my time dressing up.
It will end with a bubble bath for two, crisp sheets, and miraculously no snoring from my husband!
In between, there will be lots of laughter, the company of people I love, and discovering something new.
*what is your favorite building/monument?
Top of mind: the Alhambra, since I was just there!
*what has been your longest trip so far and where did you go?
I spent the summers of 2000 and 2001 touring with the Ateneo College Glee Club. Both tours were about 3 months long and took us around Europe for concerts and international choral competitions.
We went to Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Slovenia, Ireland, the UK, Austria and Switzerland. Singing all day, traveling for free, being with my friends… it was one of the best times of my life.
Now for my own Liebster nominees:
And my 11 questions for them:
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
What’s your favorite thing to have for dessert?
Favorite time of day?
Did you ever wish you had a different name? If yes, what name did you secretly want?
Sea or mountains?
Where do you live and what do you like most about living there?
If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be?
Name 3 places at the top of your travel wish list.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
What are you reading now?
What was the last thing you made with your hands?
