Letter L is for Liebster, a mysterious blogging thing.
A to Z entries: My post for each letter of the alphabet will be anecdotes or musings based on an element from the previous letter’s post. Names always changed, events always real.
~ Letter K was for Kaleidsocopy, which was about collecting all sorts of things, and so now collecting badges for the…Liebster Award. ~
A note about missing posts: If you’re reading the alphabet posts in order and discover missing letters, it likely means I’m revising and incorporating them into bigger pieces for other sites. Over the years, this blog has served my writing as a developmental and exercise space.
The Liebster. Important sounding and enigmatic, and if you attach the word “award” after it, it becomes downright grandiose. Only bloggers know what it means, and that’s if they’ve been “nominated” for it.
A quick explanation for the non-blogger: The blogging community is supportive of one another and kind, and the Liebster Award is designed to encourage bloggers with less than a certain number of followers to interact and get to know each other. This is done through answering a set of questions, then coming up with a set of your own, and finally nominating a bunch of bloggers to do the same. It’s like a benevolent chain letter.
To date, I’ve received five such requests – er – nominations, and I’m starting to think it’s not in good taste to ignore them. Plus, it makes for an easy “L” post, and even GG deserves “easy” once in a while. Of course, five nominations leave me with 54 questions, instead of the normal Liebster 10 or 11. Since I suck at rules anyway, I’ve come up with a solution. I will answer ONE complete set, by the first person who ever sent me this request. And a SECOND set, which will incorporate a few questions from each of the other requests to equal 11, for a total of 22 questions between all sets.
After, I will pick a different series of questions from the collective sets to use as my questions for those “nominees” to whom I will pass this on. After all, no need for perfectly good questions go to waste.
And yes, even though I’m not answering all sets of questions, I am keeping all variations of the badge!
First Set:
1. What motivated you to start a blog?
There’s a tornado in my head, the blog lets me funnel it out.
2. What is your favorite animal?
I aspire to love all animals, even repulsive ones like rats, that’s why I don’t eat them.
3. What is your dream job?
Everything I do now (write, make films, act), but make enough of a living to never again have to consider non-dream jobs.
4. Does money buy happiness?
It can expedite quality of life. And for more selfless types, imagine the joy you’d bring to others. So yeah, money can buy happiness. But it doesn’t mean you can’t find happiness without it.
5. What is your favorite meal?
The one where I’m not desperately hungry, if I have to prepare it myself. If not, the one with loved ones on yearly occasions, by passionate cooks with unexpected flairs.
6. If you could meet one person, who would it be and why?
Myself, when I was around seven, to have a sensible heart-to-heart with the kid.
7. If you could live in any other time period, what time period would you pick?
The year 4000. I’m curious what a couple of millennia would bring in technology.
8. What is your favorite book or movie?
This is not a question to be answered by someone whose very favorite things are books and movies.
9. What is your favorite thing to write about?
I can’t answer this question without sounding like an ass. If you’ve deduced why, it’s not out of narcissism as much as it’s because that’s the topic I know most.
10. Do you consider yourself successful?
Yes and no: Successful genes. Unsuccessful by standards of my own expectations — as of yet.
11. Beer or wine?
Wine. Red. Full-bodied.
Second Set:
1. What made you choose the title for your blog?
I chose “Gunmetal Geisha” because it represents the paradox of a feminine but steely woman.
2. When do you typically work on your blog?
24/7, my head’s constantly going.
3. Is writing a career or a hobby for you?
Both.
4. What was your very first post about? Link it up!
It’s about Loveable F*ckups and why one such f*ckup should start a blog.
5. How do you define blogging success?
Engaged readers who get you and visit religiously. I’d take fifty of those over a thousand indifferent ones.
6. What do you think was the best post you ever wrote?
I have a soft spot for many of them. But some are more practical while others have a dreamy quality. I’d choose one that incorporates both those characteristics, but there isn’t one. So I’ll choose one of each.
For the practical: “Is ‘Never Give Up’ A Wise Message?”
For the dreamlike: “Opium”
7. What would you change about the world if you had the power?
I’d eradicate the atrocious things humans are capable of and willing to do to each other. Especially to children.
8. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I’ve traveled extensively through Europe a few times. Now I’m planning on one of those 18-month deals around the world.
But there’s a list of places that call me, and I’m not sure why:
Peru (the whole country)
Havana
Sedona, Arizona
Australia (all of it)
Prague
Lisbon
Buenos Aires
Coast-to-coast U.S. road trip
9. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Liars.
10. What is the best book you have read recently?
Away by Amy Bloom
11. What’s the corniest joke you know?
See joke post.
Questions for my nominees:
1. What inspired you to start your blog?
2. What do you consider the best post you ever wrote (link)?
3. What do you love most in this world?
4. What was the first blog you found and fell in love with?
5. What is your favorite item of clothing (that you personally own)?
6. Which author or artist has influenced you the most?
7. How do you define blogging success?
8. What have you learned recently that you might share?
9. What’s your favorite number and why?
10. Describe a happy memory to us.
~ Part of the A to Z Challenge ~
A post a day except Sunday for the month of April to cover topics beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
Cathartic Monkeyism returns in May.
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Gunmetal Geisha 
I must be getting old…every time I see that award I think of lobsters!
The lobster wants to know your answers…
I’m lazy so I’ll skip to #8 and my answer is that ideas travel faster than the speed of light, if they wish to…and therefore so does love.
The rest is just details!
Congratulations! jean
Thanks.
Impressive recycling for a ‘fuckup’ (I’ll read that one later) and a very neat way around this. Hats off to you.
You have an incredible quality and method of displaying yourself, when you want to, as though the shadows on the wall, flickering in the candlelight, compelling us to watch, saying “Look, it’s all here…” even though the shadowcasters, in all their glory, lurk behind us, over our shoulder…
Would I could turn around 🙂
As to narcissism, this one I understand completely 🙂
Lizzi, you’re scarily smart. I’ve used those two words together only once before, regarding my little niece. She has the sharpest inner eye for human psychology. She has a way of winkingly calling you out even as you call yourself out, much like your second paragraph to me. I love that. I love people who see through things beyond to other things.
In that case, I am beyond honoured, and pleased to be a part of it 🙂
As for seeing through things to other things, seeing things I think I see, or which might not quite be lurking below the surface (or over the shoulder) in people, as in life – I am (maybe? am I?) a world class second-guesser. And I write in double-bluff, so I can usually pick up when someone else is doing it.
But your writing is masterful in its ability to keep us captivated by shadows, to entice us never to look over our shoulder, rather feel as though we are reading over yours. Another reason I like it so much.
I am The Considerer, after all 😉
What? You’re doing an 18 mo world tour? Wow! I know, I’m supposed to be commenting on the Liebster but when I saw your plan, I couldn’t help but be jealous. Would you take/meet The Perfect Man along? Which direction would you travel – East or West? Would you travel alone or with friends? Will you combine the trip with some film making or acting? Will you continue to blog while you travel?
Well eventually! It’s not like I’ve scheduled in the precise dates yet… I would not travel alone — probably with Freezer; we’ve talked about it for years. I would likely shoot video for documentation reasons. Acting, shmacting!
Feel like doing what Red did and answer the 10 questions here? I would have included you, but you don’t have a blog.
This is another thing that I don’t get, but I enjoyed your answers as I enjoy all your work.
I don’t blame you for not getting it. In the past, I’ve ignored such things, and I feel half-bad for having picked “nominees.” But as it turns out, I’ve been reading answers by those who “nominated” me, and I’m truly fascinated by them.
Having fun visiting blogs on the 15th day of the #atozchallenge. Looks like you are making many new blogging friends. Congrats! If you have time or interest, I am writing about gardening and related topics this month. Come visit.
Thanks for the visit.
I don’t do the award thing GiGi, though I appreciate you thinking of me darlin’. I’ve been underground but you’ve flushed me out so I shall answer your questions right here.
1. My Queen wanted me to write and thought a blog would help.
2. I dunno about best, but my favourite story is a toss up between Wedding Day Hues and the Back In The Saddle series (I have no idea how to link these here, sorry)
3. What I prize most in this world is integrity.
4. I cull my blogroll regularly, it’s people I fall in love with, Aussa, Samara, Beth, Laura, Setsu, you.
5. (what happened to question 5?)
6. My 25 year old leather bike jacket (nope, it doesn’t fit anymore)
7. Author? Chuck Norris. Artist? Karl Marx
8. Being on my blogroll more than 3 months.
9. I recently learned that cancer cells have about 16 times the number of receptors for sugar as normal cells.
10. If I had a favourite number it might be 25 which is the age most people had me written off by.
11. My Princess recognising my voice before she’d fully exited my Queen.
You’re sweet and lovely for answering. And your responses are fascinating. Thank you. (I guess I skipped 5. I edited it since you brought it to my attention.)
I feel like I don’t much like your answer to #9, and am hoping this was part of a science fair project, REDdog…
Sorry Lizzi darlin’, I wwish! We’ve found out a bunch of stuff like this over the last 9 months since my Queens diagnosis.
Well…shit. I’m so sorry to hear that 😦
I’m sooooo slow. Just now saw this! Thanks so much, GG. :0) I think highly of your creative writing- matched only by your intelligence, which is why you’re such a great “total package”. Good writing + high IQ= perfection. :0) (Or, close to it.) Anyway, thanks so much for including me. Means a lot to me, and I wish you much success there in L.A. xo
You and I have a bunch of things in common. Thanks for the lovely thoughts; I think the same of your character and multiple talents. (And you weren’t slow at all, this has only been here since last night.)
I love this! Can’t wait to check out all the links! And truly, I love your blog name. It caught my attention right away. It really does grasp that concept, the steely femininity…Love it.
Thanks Laura, and for including me!
Congrats! I like the way you handled all the different sets of questions, and GREAT nominees! I love me some REDdog. 🙂
some of your answers were particularly interesting: #6 and #7 from the first set. I never thought of visiting the future, or myself as a youngster.
How did I miss this? Thanks. (Yes, I’m that obsessive. Now that I have time, I’m going back and catching up on everything I missed while chasing the alphabet.)
[…] I had thought was true for a very long time, actually wasn’t exactly. It was after I read the blog post on Gunmetal Geisha in which I had been tagged for this silly exercise. I was mulling over the questions, most of which […]
If you’re gonna do something, do it without shame, mister Alfageeek, since I’m certainly not going to apologize for answering these fun questions and passing them along. I do love your footnotes and the way you wove and snuck in all the answers.
Thank you, GG! Honoured to be on your nominee roll.
If you ever do travel to Australia, be sure to visit the southern Queensland coast. Home to some of the most beautiful and untouched beaches, rain forests and plenty sunshine (and me of course!).
As a book/movie junkie, I’m with you on the fave list. I can only name my current favourite.
I will definitely do that, and thanks for the suggestion!