Liebster Award Nomination #2

I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award by Osama Sajid Khan at The Thinker’s Cauldron. I am honored to be nominated and am excited to participate!

Rules

1. Acknowledge the blog who nominated you.
2. Answer the 10 questions your nominator asked.
3. Nominate 10 other bloggers.
4. Ask them 10 questions.
5. Tell 10 random facts or things about yourself.
6. Let them know you have nominated them.

The Thinker’s Cauldron‘s 10 Questions

1. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM IN LIFE?

My dream in life is to leave this world a better place than I found it, however that may manifest. It might involve doing meaningful work that inspires others, bringing up a kind and considerate child, being a good friend to those in need, advocating for a cause I believe in, or simply picking up trash along the trail every time I go hiking.

2. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

If I could change one thing about the world, I would replace greed with generosity. I would love to see a world where individuals consider the long-term implications of their actions, make decisions that support the well-being of all living things (presently and in the future), and generosity offer their gifts to the world (fully trusting that others will do the same). Too often, those in power take advantage of their position, while those who feel slighted resort to backstabbing and pettiness. I long to live in a fair, just world where everyone chooses to be kind to one another.

3. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY?

My favorite travel destination is Oak Creek Canyon, AZ, though Portland, Seattle and Denver are close behind. While I generally despise Arizona for its arid desert landscape, Oak Creek Canyon is a breath of fresh air (quite literally!) nestled snugly between Sedona and Flagstaff, away form cell service, annoying tourists, and the chaos of modern life. It holds a special place in my heart because it’s where my boyfriend and I go when we need to get away, so I have many fond memories for sunrise hikes, evenings working on jigsaw puzzles, and sitting on the patio under a canopy of trees reading.

4. IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, WHICH ERA IN HISTORY WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPERIENCE AND WHY? 

My grandparents were born in the midst of The Great Depression and their stories are filled with both realism and whimsy, so I think I’d like to have been born in the 1920s or 1930s. Across the course of their lives, they’ve experienced lack and loss alongside freedom and technological progress. Those currently in their eighties and nineties are wise, empathetic, funny and especially grateful for the the gifts in their lives. So much happened in the last century, and I would love to have experienced it firsthand.

5. WOULD YOU PREFER DYING AS SOMEONE WHO IS FAMOUS AND ADMIRED OR SOMEONE WHO IS UNKNOWN BUT LOVED?

I would much rather be loved dearly than admired from afar. When I look at elderly folks, the happiest always seem to be those holding hands with their partner, celebrating holidays with their families, and out joking over breakfast with their longtime friends. To be surrounded by loving family, friends, and colleagues is to have lived a good life.

6. WHAT BELIEF, PHILOSOPHY, PHENOMENON, OR TRADITION FASCINATES YOU THE MOST?

For years, I’ve been enamored by the holographic universe theory, which suggests that the universe is construct created, at least in part, but the human mind. I’ve read countless books, watched endless videos and had many in-depth conversations on the topic, but am still grappling with the complexity and gravity of the theory. How incredible and disconcerting is it that everything beyond your periphery, per widely-accepted physics, literally does not exist?

7. WHICH FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION WORLD WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF?

This is a tricky question, as most of the fantasy and science fiction world I’ve encountered in books and shows are not necessarily safe nor pleasant. Womp, womp. However, I am huge fan of Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) and think I would most enjoy interacting with its characters and working to outsmart the Cylons.

8. WHEN OR HOW DO YOU THINK A PERSON ACHIEVES MATURITY?

I believe that the path toward maturity begins when a person learns to look inward, question who they are, and define what it is they stand for. In my view, achieving maturity involves self-acceptance, self-love, and standing up for one’s beliefs. Some may begin their journey at a very young age following a poignant event, and others may reach the end without ever having taken the first step towards maturity. As is true with most things in life, there exist a spectrum or layers of achievement–the journey and the destination will be slightly (or vastly) different for each of us.

9. WHICH PERSON INSPIRES YOU THE MOST?

I am most inspired by my boyfriend. While it’s not my story to tell, in short, he contracted an extremely rare and fatal illness in his early 20s, died while in a coma and later awoke with no recollection of his previous life. He lost everything–the skill he’d spend years honing (and thus his promising career), the girlfriend he no longer recognized, and the life he had planned for himself–but he never gave up, even when the doctors had given up on him. His every day is committed to pushing through chronic pain and ongoing medical challenges in order to continue learning, growing and helping others do the same.

10. MENTION ON SOCIAL NORM THAT YOU THINK SHOULDN’T EXIST.

I don’t think employees should be required to spend 40 hours per week in the office, but rather should be expected work until all tasks are completed satisfactorily. If the employee gets distracted and takes the full 40 hours to complete their assignments, okay; however, if someone hustles and knocks out their projects in half the time, they should be allowed to go home instead of sitting at their desk for the remaining time pretending to be busy. With the advance of technology, I believe we should have more free time, not less.

My 10 Liebster Award Nominees

1. Wherever My Feet Take Me
2. The Storm Lamp
3. Ancient Skies
4. My Food Farmacy
5. BeingBetter: From Pothead To Providence
6. Stuart France
7. Floating Gold
8. Bluebell For Awhile
9. Silence Killed The Dinosaurs
10. The Perks of Being Different

10 Questions for My Nominees

1. How are you, really?
2. What character from a book, movie or TV show is most similar to you?
3. What movie, picture, or video always makes you laugh no matter how often you watch it?
4. What are two things you still want to accomplish in your life?
5. What is your most controversial or unpopular opinion?
6. What unethical experiment would have the biggest positive impact on society as a whole?
7. What’s the most interesting documentary you’ve ever watched?
8. What is your favorite word? How about least favorite?
9. What’s the weirdest conversation you’ve eavesdropped on?
10. What is one underrated pleasure?

Well, that’s it for this post. Thank you for the nomination, The Thinker’s Cauldron! Thanks in advance to anyone who chooses to participate. I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys have to share!

P.S. You can check out the Q&A from my first nomination here.