I want to express my deepest gratitude to Tom von Kapherr of Cats at the Bar for this nomination! I must confess, when I found out about the nomination, my initial reaction came in the form of a gigantic question mark in a thought bubble floating over my head. I did a little research, and I’m still pretty hazy about the details of the award and whether or not it really is a thing (honestly, it feels very much like a meme), but it definitely seems worth accepting the nomination. If nothing else, I am tickled to death and extremely humbled by the idea that this blog has inspired something like this in the first place.
It appears that the conditions for accepting this nomination include answering these ten questions about myself, and then nominating ten other blogs and giving their authors ten new questions to answer in turn. Honestly, I have no idea what happens next in the process after this post, but it does give me an excuse to talk a little about myself outside of the context of baseball. Onward to the questions!
1) Would you or have you ever gone skydiving?
Yes! A friend and I did a tandem jump a few years ago (we each paired up with a professional, of course). Much to my surprise, the free fall did not feel like falling at all, but rather, it felt like floating. I suppose that’s normal when you’re thousands of feet in the air reaching speeds of approximately 130 miles per hour.
2) Have you ever eaten an insect?
Not intentionally. Some say that people eat copious amounts of spiders over the course of their lifetimes, while others say this is merely a perpetuated urban legend. I almost ate a honey bee once, after it flew into my mouth on the playground when I was in the first grade. Fortunately, I managed to spit it out without getting stung, but the bitterness stayed in my mouth the rest of the day.
3) What is the most exotic pet you’ve ever owned?
I actually never had a “real” pet until this past August, when I adopted the most adorable (and feisty) kitten in the world and named her Minerva. I have also owned some fish, including a string of bettas over the last decade, each of whom I have given the coolest name I could think of at the time of their adoption (my current betta is Alexander the Great). Outside of that, my brother and I used to chase after, and sometimes catch, lizards during our childhood, but I don’t think that really counts.
4) Fish or Chicken?
Tough choice. I would have to say chicken. Unless I can count shrimp, crab, and lobster as “fish,” but that would be cheating.
5) If you could, would you rather be able to fly or breathe under water?
Definitely fly. Breathing under water certainly has its advantages, but living in Kansas, the opportunity to use it rarely presents itself. Flying, on the other hand, could come in handy virtually anywhere.
6) You find a wallet in a cab, what do you do with it?
If the wallet has ID in it, I would get in contact with the owner myself and arrange for its return. If I can find an address, even better, because then I could just mail it without the embarrassment of exaggerated gratitude. If the wallet has no identification, however, I would turn it in to the driver and hope that he/she is honest enough to pass it on to Lost & Found.
7) How do you feel about being nominated for this award?
I had not read ahead on the questions when I said earlier that I was “tickled to death and extremely humbled” by this nomination, but now that it comes up, I can’t think of a better way to say it. When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I never imagined that it would grow to the extent that it has. I thoroughly enjoy keeping up with it, and I’ve learned a lot in the process as well. I find it a tad overwhelming that others find as much enjoyment in it as I do.
8) Who do admire most in the world, living or dead?
My dad. He is easily the most disciplined and responsible human being I have ever met, and he goes out of his way to help people when they need it. I pretty much spend my life trying to emulate him.
9) Do you separate your laundry?
Growing up, my mom always meticulously separated our laundry, and she taught me to do the same. When I got to college, however, I realized that it was much easier, not to mention cheaper, to throw everything into a single load. These days, I only separate the laundry if something needs bleached or if I otherwise worry about colors bleeding.
10) In which month were you conceived?
Well, my birthday is in September, so I assume sometime in December? Not really a topic I ever brought up with the folks…
Now for my nominations! I don’t follow many blogs, and some that I do follow exist outside the WordPress sphere. Nevertheless, there are plenty of good ones out there, and I actually feel bad having to choose. Nominees, feel free to accept or ignore nominations as you feel. My nominations, in no particular order, are… *drum roll*
1. Broken Bats Baseball
2. Tabula Candida
3. The Baseball Sociologist
4. The Thesis Whisperer
5. Coco Crisp’s Afro
6. Biblioklept
7. She’s Caught in a Rundown
8. The On Deck Circle
9. Photo of the Day, Etc.
10. Stephen Liddell
Nominees, your questions are:
1. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
2. Where do you usually do your blogging? (i.e. at work? at home? during your teacher’s lectures?)
3. How do you go about picking topics for your blog posts?
4. Are you addicted to caffeine?
5. Are you a morning person? A night owl?
6. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
7. What is/was your favorite subject in school?
8. Do you have any pets?
9. What is the best sporting event/concert/other performance you have ever been to?
10. Have you ever gotten stitches?
