How precious are Your thoughts to me, O LORD ... how vast is the sum of them!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Sunflower Award



This is a get-to-know-you blog tag-up that the talented Deborah O’Carroll of The Road of a Writer tagged me in. It looked like fun, so here goes!

Rules
1. Share 11 facts about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions set by your nomination blogger.
3. Nominate 11 bloggers.
4. Set questions for the nominated bloggers.

Facts about Me
1. I am Dutch, German, Swedish, and English (there may be some Scottish/Irish, too).
2. I love history—as you can probably tell because the first fact I thought of was about my family heritage.
3. I make endless lists of books—which lately I’ve discovered isn’t too unusual. There are bookaholics out there who are even crazier than I am.
4. I’m a martial artist.
5. I wish was more imaginative. (Helps with the fiction-writing, you know.)
6. I’ve enrolled in a copy editing course.
7. My favorite books tend to be thick British classics.
8. I’m having trouble thinking of four more facts. Now we’re down to three.
9. I’ve played piano for 12 years but only off and on so I’m not advanced. It’s good for me, so I won’t give it up if I can help it. I’m blessed to have a young, very motivated piano student who unconsciously encourages me to keep up the practice.
10. I really like playing sports and am sorry that I haven’t found any outlets beyond high school.
11. I’m studying 2 Samuel right now.

11 Questions for Nominees
1. What’s the last sentence you wrote in a story?
The sisters managed to stay silent through the rest of the trip, except for a comment now and then about their surroundings … even those came as grudgingly as an ill-tempered apology. (Uh-oh … Amy and Lisa were arguing again.)
2. What was the last movie you watched?
Ella Enchanted
3. Do you have a favorite quote?
Do Bible verses count? “‘For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the LORD, ‘I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the LORD. “For I shall forgive their transgressions, and remember their sins no more.’” I like lots of literary quotes, but I never can memorize them, so I don’t have a favorite at the moment.
4. Favorite food?
Fruits and vegetables … I could go on and on about the delectableness of strawberries, plums, and Jonagold apples, or the perfection of baked Buttercup squash (I don’t mean Butternut, though that’s tasty, too!), colorful salads, and roasted, properly seasoned asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower, or the universality of onions, both raw and sautéed ….
5. Have you ever seen a shooting star?
Yes! I love them. However, I never deem it worthwhile to miss out on sleep to watch a meteor shower. : )
6. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have three books, which would you bring?
Oh, this question is always so difficult! I’ve asked myself this before, and I go back and forth on it. I think we'd all agree the Bible is the easy choice. I think I would also pick Christy, because that seems like a good antidote to living on a desert island, with its description of lush mountains and its community of personable characters. I’d need another long one for my third choice … something by Elizabeth Gaskell should do the trick, because it would keep me busy for days. Her masterful use of language and descriptions of character would helpfully distract me. I think I’ll go with Wives and Daughters.
7. In real life, which appeals to you more: futuristic, modern, or old-fashioned?
Old-fashioned. I find it hard to like futuristic and modern things.
8. In fiction, which appeals to you more: futuristic, modern, or old-fashioned? (Other worlds count.)
Again, old-fashioned, unless the modern has tie-ins with the classic world.
9. What’s the strangest thing hanging on your wall in your room?
Hmm … I think that would be the little woven birdcage my grandma made. Light blue with a white bird inside sitting on a ring-shaped perch, it’s very, very sweet.
10. What’s your favorite bird?
I’m going to make this complicated, because that’s more fun. : ) I like parakeets for their personality, peacocks for their gorgeousness, cardinals for their song and brightness, and swans for their poetry and grace.
11. Robin Hood or King Arthur?
Oh, now that’s a hard one! I’ll go with King Arthur, but it’s difficult to explain why. I think it’s because the mystery of his existence has always captivated me.

Nominate 11 Bloggers
I’m going to skip out on this one, because I can’t seem to come up with 11 bloggers … however, if you have a blog and want to do this, I would absolutely love it! Let me know if you do it! (If you’ve already been nominated, how about answering just my questions in addition to the first ones you were asked?)

11 Questions for the Nominated Bloggers
 
1. What’s your favorite color and why?
2. What’s your favorite historical time period and why?
3. If you had the choice between being able to read every book you’ve ever wanted to read and going back to any one historical time you wish for as long as you wished, which would you pick?
4. What are three activities that you do just because you love to?
5. What are your favorite things about each season (assuming you can find something!)
6. What is your favorite genre of movie?
7. What’s your favorite smell?
8. What was your favorite toy or game as a child?
9. Do you like classical music?
10. What’s your favorite instrument to listen to?
11. Who’s your favorite Bible character?

If you like, you could even answer as many questions as you wish in the comments!

8 comments:

  1. Awesome! I love these award posts! I didn't know you had posted this until I'd already nominated you on my blog CherriesandTrees. Here's the link: http://cherriesandtrees.blogspot.com/2014/04/liebster-award.html. I'll have to answer your questions as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so funny how we did it at the same time! I'll be answering your questions, too!

      Delete
  2. Hey, Kelsey! Just discovered your blog from Rachel's "Liebster Award" post.

    Quick question: Is the copy editing course you've enrolled in online or is it at one of your local universities? It sounds interesting!

    It's funny you mention wanting to "be more imaginative". The same thought was running through my head yesterday before writing. It seems that so many authors are able to pull the most creative ideas out of nowhere, where as my plot lines and thoughts are usually pretty predictable and filled with cliches. *Sigh* Well, practice makes progress. :)

    Looking forward to reading some of your future posts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carla! So pleased to "meet" you!
      The copy editing course is online from ed2go.com. It's really good! It opens up a lot of information and directs you to resources even beyond the course.
      Yes, practice makes progress with writing! I write things that are very true to life (or at least I try to :) ), and while some readers like that, other readers (including sometimes myself!) find it too mundane. I'm amazed at the creative, who-would-have-thought-of-it plots that some writers come up with! Ah, well, there is a place for every writing style, as long as it says something important!
      So glad you dropped in!! You have a neat blog, too.

      Delete
  3. Wow . . . I already knew (or suspected) many of these things, like the long lists of books and the fact you'd take a Mrs. Gaskell book to your desert island. Others, however, were delightfully new. :) There's a hint you like RAW onions, which I feel queasy just thinking about, and it also seems you're a King Arthur person. (My mom kind of is too.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it! These questionnaires are interesting, aren't they? I love finding out new things about people I know. : )
      Are you more of a Robin Hood person? Or neither? I would like to know whether Arthur was real or not ... I think someone was, who gave rise to the legends. Maybe he wasn't named Arthur, but still, those stories had to come from somewhere!

      Delete
  4. Love your answers and facts, Kelsey! :)

    Ah yes, endless lists of books are so fun. <3
    Nooo, not the Ella Enchanted movie! *wails dramatically* (Heheh, I wasn't a fan of the changes from the book. :P)
    Haha, I ALMOST put "three books, besides the Bible" as my question; probably should have. :D
    Yay old-fashioned things!
    Ooh, good answer on the birds!
    And King Arthur. :)

    Your questions are such interesting ones, I just have to answer them here! :)

    1. What’s your favorite color and why? - Dark green. It makes me think of forests and Celtic things.

    2. What’s your favorite historical time period and why? - Hmm. Medieval, or possibly 1700s. I love swords and castles and the general for the one, but muskets, pistols, tri-cornered hats, watches, coats, carriages, etc. are so awesome... So I guess 1700s.

    3. If you had the choice between being able to read every book you’ve ever wanted to read and going back to any one historical time you wish for as long as you wished, which would you pick? - Every book. Hands down. I love the idea of a few time periods, but I don't think I'd want to actually live there. But there are so many amazing books... I'm probably in the minority here. :P (Now, if it was visiting any BOOK world... Now that would be a hard answer!)

    4. What are three activities that you do just because you love to? - Reorganize all the books in my room. Go for a walk with my sister and talk about writing. Look at inspirational pictures on friends' pinterest boards.

    5. What are your favorite things about each season (assuming you can find something!) - Winter: bare trees and grey skies. Spring: Flowers and greenness after such a long bare grey time. (I know, it contradicts the winter one...) Summer: I'm not sure I can think of one... it's so hot. Swimming maybe. Fall: the cooling weather and the stirring in the air of adventure and change.

    6. What is your favorite genre of movie? - Action adventure.

    7. What’s your favorite smell? - What an interesting question! I'm not sure. Maybe mint. Or roses. Or the smell of a forest. I've never thought about that before! :D

    8. What was your favorite toy or game as a child? - Hmm. Probably my imagination...

    9. Do you like classical music? - Yes! I enjoy it sometimes, though a little goes a long way and I somehow can't seem to pay attention to it for very long. It's nice background music though.

    10. What’s your favorite instrument to listen to? - So hard! Um... Uilleann pipes or cello I guess. They're both so beautiful. <3

    11. Who’s your favorite Bible character? - Besides Jesus? ;) Maybe Jonathan, or David, or my name-sake Deborah. :)

    Sorry this is so long, but wow, those were such cool questions! Now I want to hear you answer them, Kelsey, haha! :D

    Very fun post! ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, oh, oh, thanks for answering my questions! I'll get to them in a moment. But first ...
      "Ella Enchanted" was very different from the book. It was funny as a story in itself, but almost completely unlike the book!
      Haha, I almost qualified "besides the Bible," and thought you might have meant that, too, but I needed one book to be any easy choice. : ) My third option might have been ... maybe ... Pilgrim's Progress. Or one of Jane Austen's novels. It's hard!
      Your answers were great! "Dark green" really fits you. Your favorite toy or game as a child -- imagination -- is such a sweet answer! That's where it all stems from, after all.
      Hey, maybe I should answer these questions ... I do need a post for Friday. : )

      Delete