You Love Me...You Really, Really Love Me!! ~ Shannon's Book Bag

I am the proud recipient of the blogger-to-blogger Liebster Award! Who better to give blogger awards than another blogger, who understands what I do and why I do it?! Thank you kindly to Madeline at Reincarnated as a Writer for acknowledging me! Madeline found me via the A to Z Challenge.

The Liebster Award is a blog 'award' that is passed around from one blogger to another, with some rules...

The rest of the rules are:
I have to give 11 random facts about me
I have to answer the 11 questions the presenter of the award has asked
I have to nominate 11 new bloggers to receive the award, they must have fewer than 200 followers
I have to ask my nominees 11 new questions of my own

11 facts about me:

1. I am a beginning photographer... All A to Z Challenge advice should be taken with a grain of salt!
2. I am starting a new photography blog, visit at PhotoLAgraphy
3. I have too many hobbies, none of which produce income...yet!
4. I love building websites, though I have no training, and am always looking for new projects to test my skills. Check out my work at Purely Vocals.
5. I work at a University, in a science department. This makes absolutely no sense as I am NOT a science person!
6. At work, I have gotten the opportunity to utilize my creative skills (writing, photography and social media). It has been wonderful!
7. I must own somewhere around 50 sweater sets (tank and cardigan), easy and layered. They have become my 'style'.
8. I much prefer summer!
9. I do not have biological children (though I have two step-daughters)...I do not regret this decision at all!
10. The show I am producing at The Footlight Club is starting rehearsals and is looking to be awesome. The cast and crew are amazing and talented and very nice people to boot. I am excited to see it!
11. I am also excited to pull back from my theater work to focus on photography and Purely Vocals.

Madeline asks:

1. How much do you like your steak cooked? (If you don't eat steak, what is your favourite equivalent?) "Medium-rare", except that its usually undercooked, so truthfully Medium-well"
2. Tea, coffee or something else? Something else...My blood runs Diet Dr. Pepper!
3. How much was your first pay-packet for, and what was the job? Uh...what is a pay-packet? Do you mean pay-check? I don't recall, probably a couple hundred dollars. I was working at a Mexican-American restaurant called El Torito's.
4. Favourite film, and why? Life As A House, very touching
5. How long does it take you to read an average length novel? As a book blogger, you would think not much...but honestly, I am a slow reader so a few days at least, depending on how busy I am with "out-of-book" commitments.
6. Was your school co-educational or single sex, and do you think that was the better option? Co-Ed, public school, boys and girls...definitely good!
7. Which emotion do you feel the most easily/most often? Do you enjoy it? Lonely, sometimes yes, sometimes no. I like my private, quiet time...but don't always enjoy being alone.
8. Has anything out-of-the-ordinary wonderful ever happened to you? Can you tell us about it? Many things. Life is a blessing often! I have sung for the Red Sox at Fenway Park and been paid to travel to Ireland to sing as well. I was picked in college to sing with Mariah Carey (unfortunately, the concert was changed, but it was nice to be asked). After 42 years, I married the most annoying, frustrating man...who is absolutely and totally perfect for me. I am blessed to share my life with the most amazing kitty-soul in the world (even my "non-cat" friends have agreed). I could go on and on.
9. Left or right handed? Right. I can twirl a baton with my left...that's about it.
10. What's your favourite kind of holiday? One with lots of family and friends stopping by, but low expectations (think Thanksgiving, not Christmas)
11) Do you have a pet, what is it, or if not, why not? I do, many fish (20+) and my diva-kitty, who is my world. I cannot imagine life without pets. They have always been there and, I expect, always will. Unfortunately, hubby is allergic to dogs...or I'd have 20 of those too!

The 11 bloggers I am nominating to take over the Liebster award:
Now, my questions which my nominees must answer:

1. What is your blog about and why should readers come visit?
2. Where can readers find your blog?
3. Why/how did you get into blogging?
4. What do you do when you are not blogging?
5. What is the last book you read and did you like it?
6. Are you involved in the arts (visual art, music, theater, writing, etc.) and in what way?
7. Do you have any other special talents (touching the tip of your nose with your tongue or juggling fire batons, for example)?
8. If you could achieve only one major goal during the rest of your life, what would it be?
9.What is your biggest pet-peeve?
10. How much wood would a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
11. Honestly, who let the dogs out?

Thank you to my nominator (again), to my 11 nominees, to my awesome followers who keep coming back, and to all the readers who stopped by for the A to Z Challenge!