Liebster Award Part 2

So a few months ago, Orla tagged me for a Liebster Award and then last month I got two more tags. One from Fluffy Owl’s Adventures and one from A Book Lover’s Blog, so thank you ladies. I’ve just so busy that I’m only getting around to doing this now but I’ve been really looking forward to it!

First off you’re supposed to do 11 random facts about yourself. I needed to make sure that I didn’t repeat any from the last time I did this!

1. I used to be able to put my foot behind my head but I haven’t tried it in a while.

2. Even though I’ve known how to knit since I was seven, I never really graduated from anything better than a scarf. But thanks to the knitting group I’m going to, I’m slowly trying new things!

3. I have quite a morbid side to me. Nothing creepy but I love books, documentaries, podcasts and TV shows that deal with death. These include Ask a Mortician series on YouTube, CSI and Stiff: The Curious Life of Cadavers and ‘The Death Suite’ series of podcasts on Stuff You Should Know.

4. I once got up on stage in Trabolgen (Pontins) when I was younger and sang Hit Me Baby (One More Time) by Britney Spears.

5. I once got a bronze medal for Under 12s Clare Community Games in draughts. Ya, I was a cool kid. I still have the medal!

6. Celebrities that I’ve met include Michelle Smith, Sienna Miller, Stephan Daldry, Suggs from Madness, some of the original Billy Elliot actors in West End musical, Dana, Marty Whelan, various Irish comedians and seeing Sonia O Sullivan run for a Cork flight at a London airport.

7. My friend and I used to have an email address set up purely for sending out tree related facts to people. I recently told some people about it and was told that it should be revived!

8. Except for my current phone, which is a hand me down iPhone, the only phones I’ve used are Nokias. Actually I still use one as I have one phone for my English number and one for my Irish number.

9. I’ve owned 3 cars. A Toyota Corolla, a Seat Ibiza and a Volkswagen Polo. I miss having a car, it’s been almost year since I’ve driven! I was on my boyfriend’s insurance but he has this ‘thing’ where he hates anyone driving his car.

10. My family has had themes when it’s come to naming our cats. We once got a cat that was already called Woody when we got him. So the next cat we got we called Jessie, who recently died so one of the cats my parents adopted after that has been called Dolly (after one of Bonnie’s toys. I think Bonnie, Molly or Trixie might have been better names). We’ve also had cats named after Taoiseachs (Irish Prime Ministers). First one was a girl called Bertie, who we named after Bertie Ahern but only because we were fans of Bull Island (a political satire show) at the time (we later found out that Bertie was not a she, but a he, which meant the name was slightly naffer). When my parents adopted Dolly, they also adopted an older tom cat which my brother named Enda, after our current Taoiseach Enda Kenny. My boyfriend thinks my family are bonkers for the names we give our cats!

11. When we were younger we used to have an Amiga computer. I still miss playing some of those games, such as Zool, Switchblade, Rick Dangerous and James Pond! (I did get James Pond for the DS though).

 

Now to answer the questions that came with the tags. First up are Fluffy Owl’s!

1. If you could be an animal for the day, what would you be and why, and is this the same as your favourite animal more generally?

Hmm, I’m not sure. I think some kind of bird, just to know what it’s like to fly. As for favourite animals, I don’t really have any, unless you count cats!

2. Favourite colour? Is this constant, or does it change depending on mood, time, etc?

Red is my favourite, though I’m loving aqua, orange and raspberry shades at the moment. I’ve loved red since I was a child though, it’ll always be a favourite.

3. Just to let you know, I'm coming round for dinner tomorrow.  What are we going to eat and drink?

Well first I’d see if you were vegetarian or not! I’d probably make this Spinach and Gnocchi Bake (with bacon if you’re so inclined) or if you wanted some lighter this Wagamama Yaki Soba. As for drinks, I have a stash of Captain Morgan’s you can help me get through! I’m sure we can whip up some cocktails.

4. I'm actually coming to stay for the whole weekend.  What we are going to do?

If the weather is nice, bring you to local water park to feed the ducks! Or a day visiting museums. When my brother first visited me in Manchester, we went to hockey game and then saw a TV show being recorded in Media City UK. There’s plenty to do! And you can bring me out for dinner for changing your mind and staying for whole weekend!

5. Now that exam results are out, what would you like to tell your 16 or 18 year old self?

You don’t need everything set in stone, things constantly change and you’ll find your way eventually, there’s no pressure on how long it takes, as long as you’re happy in what you’re doing. And if you’re not, change something!

6. What size feet do you have?

4.5 UK. I can fit some size 4s and I wear size 5 in trainers.

7. Describe your dream house.

Lots and lots of book shelves, a nice reading nook, a big kitchen which comes witha  KitchenAid or Kenwood K Chef, with plenty of room to create stuff. A beautiful bathroom with a nice large bath.

8. To dunk biscuits in tea/coffee, or to not dunk biscuits in tea/coffee?

Dunk of course!

9. Is it wrong to drink cold drinks out of ceramic mugs?

No, I often do it.

10. Do you have a particular mug for use at a particular time of day, or is a mug a mug?

As I don’t drink hot drinks regularly at home, I don’t have a particular mug I like. But then again seeing as I collect them, I love all the mugs I have.

11. Blue ink or black ink in a pen?

As black as my soul please!

 

And now for The Welsh Librarian’s Questions!

1. What are your obsessions apart from books?

Nail polish, flamingoes and taking pictures when out for the night.

2. List your top 5 authors.

This is hard as I don’t think I have top authors! And I’m sure they’d change all the time even if I did. Let’s see, authors who I always look forward to reading include Mary Roach, Ben Aaronovitch, Danny Wallace, Dave Gorman, Jenny Colgan, J.K. Rowling, Marissa Meyer, Rainbow Rowell, Jon Ronson and Marian Keyes. Ya, I know it’s more than 5, what are you going to do about it?!

3. A book that didn't live up to the hype.

Allegiant. Not so much the hype once the book was out but more the hype before it was released. It was disappointing. Then there’s The Dinner by Herman Koch. So much hype before I read it and it’s such an interesting idea but oh boy did I just want to punch all the characters!

4. A book that exceeded the hype.

Rivers of London series. Now, I had seen the book on my aunt’s shelf and borrowed it, forgot about it and then when I noticed it again I thought it was a non-fiction book. So I was disappointed to discover it was not only a fiction book but a fantasy one. But I had heard so much good things about it so I gave it a shot. SO glad I did, I just love the series.

5. A book you would love to see as a film.

The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton! Seriously, make it some Tim Burton stuff and it’ll be amazing! Just not Johnny Depp for Moonface, but then again he could make it work.

6. Something about you that no one else knows.

I’ve already given loads of facts up above! There’s not much about me that others don’t know. I suppose the fact that I anthropomorphise the stuff I bake at work. There’s some apple and blackberry turnovers that are made and when some of the jam seeps out during baking, I always think it’s like the turnovers are sticking out their tongues.

7. Favourite holiday read.

Which holiday?! I don’t tend to reread anything based on holidays or seasons but I really like Neil Gaiman’s idea of All Hallow’s Read for Halloween. I read Meet Me Under the Mistletoe last year and it reminded me of a novel version of The Holiday and I also read I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk so I would like some more cosy Christmas books to read.

8. Bookbridgr, Netgalley or Edelweiss?

NetGalley, though I have applied to Bookbridgr and will probably check Edelweiss out after this!

9. Would you write a book? If so what would it be about?

I’ve always liked the idea of writing a book but any time I’ve tried it’s been rubbish. Maybe I’d suit a non-fiction book better?

10. Favourite book cover/jacket?

I really like the Fangirl special edition, which I showed in a post here. I’m sure there’s others that I like, I’ll put them in if I ever think of them!

11. Favourite translated novel?

I haven’t read too many books that have been translated. I did really like Perfume when I read it.

I had full intentions to write up some new questions but honestly I’m so brain dead from being sick that I don’t have the energy to think of anything. So here are the questions from my previous Liebster post (And I’ve realised that two of my facts from above answer 2 questions without me meaning for that to happen!)

1. If someone were to hand you a round-trip ticket to any one place in the world, where would you want to go?

2. If you could only use one item of make-up for the rest of your life (blusher, mascara, concealer etc.) what would you pick?

3. Who have you seen play live in concert?

4. Do you have a favourite birthday memory?

5. Do you own any pets?

6. Do you listen to any podcasts? If so, what ones?

7. Have you ever met anyone famous?

8. Worst beauty/fashion mistake you’ve ever made?

9. What’s your favourite thing to cook?

10. Any celebrity crushes?

11. Have you ever won a medal for something?

Also I’m not going to tag anyone. If you want to do this, feel free to do so and let me know, I’d love to read the answers to the questions (I’m so so nosy!).