I’ve been nominated for a Liebster award! Or maybe it’s just been given to me. Not entirely sure. In any case, this is what it looks like:

It’s for new bloggers who are awesome (like me, duh). And the rules are a bit insane. Kind of like homework, actually, which is stressing me out. I must write 11 things about myself, then answer 11 questions from Kimberly at No Good Eggs, who nominated me, then pose another 11 questions of my own, and nominate a bunch of other new bloggers (who have fewer than 200 followers) to do the same.

So here goes! (Btw, I won’t be offended if you skip all of this)

11 Things About Me:

1. I’m a mycophobe (hate mushrooms).
2. I can’t stand period re-enactors, especially when they won’t break character.
3. I think Parenthood is totally overrated.
4. I have yet to come across a boy name that I like.
5. I know how to say quite a few things in sign language; hamburger is my favourite.
6. I got engaged in a hot tub, in a treehouse, near a volcano.
7. I have a cat named Weeps.
8. I used to be a lifeguard.
9. I genuinely love the taste of Marmite.
10. I can link my hands behind my back and pull them over my head without letting go.
11. I would rather scrub toilets than do the ironing.

Questions from Kimberly:

1. If you were going to be on the cover of a magazine, what magazine would it be? If we’re being realistic, probably some nerdy environmental rag like Mother Jones. If we’re in my dreams, I’ll choose to be on the cover of Vanity Fair, or maybe Vogue.
2. What would be the headline? “The Face of IVF Success”.
3. What is the best decision you almost didn’t make? If I’m being mean and honest, it was probably ending my last relationship. Let’s just be mean and honest.
4. What is the most dreamy date you have ever been on? Well, after knowing each other for 17 years, my husband and I had our first kiss in the arrivals hall of the Malaga airport in Spain, then drove through Andalucia to a beautiful finca in the hills and proceeded to fall in love. I’d say that was a pretty good first date.
5. What one quality can you just not stand in other people? Trying too hard.
6. What is your favorite room in your home? Either our psycho-colourful bedroom or my kitschy Canadian-cottage-in-the-’70s office.
7. What did you sleep with as a comfort item when you were little? This says a lot about me: Most kids sleep with a blankie; I slept with one of those cotton swaddling sheets the hospital gives you for free. And I never referred to it as a blankie but rather called it what it was — a sheet. I also insisted on folding it into a perfect rectangle every night and sleeping with it placed on top of my pillow, just so. I kind of miss it.
8. What is the best meal you have ever had? This is just too difficult. I have the best meal I’ve ever had, like, once a week at least.
9. Pick one for the rest of your life: movies or TV shows? Movies.
10. If you start a book and don’t like it, do you finish it or ditch it? Ditch it. I’ll give an author 20 pages to impress me, that’s it.
11. How did your parents choose your name? My mom had a childhood friend who died at a young age from leukemia, so I’m sort of named after her, and my middle name is the same as my aunt’s but with an “i” to make it a little more French (I was born in Montreal).

My Questions for Other Bloggers:

1. Cold pillow or hot pillow?
2. What’s the first line of the book you’re currently reading?
3. Lena Dunham — yea or nay?
4. What has infertility taught you so far?
5. Where would you choose to live, if not where you’re currently living?
6. What stupid pregnancy cliché can you not wait to experience?
7. If you could grow actual fruit in your uterus (instead of just fetuses whose sizes are compared to fruits), what would it be?
8. If you wrote a Harlequin novel, what would your pseudonym be?
9. What single item would you take from your house if it was burning down (other than pets and family, obviously), and why?
10. What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever purchased?
11. Socks in bed — yea or nay?

OK, lastly, I’m supposed to nominate the 11 other new bloggers who need to answer these questions. Problem is, I have NO idea how to find them! There are a ton of blogs I follow, but I’m pretty sure they’ve all been around the Interwebs block for a while now. Anyone have tips on tracking down newbies?