Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Liebster Award - Getting to Know Me...

I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Jen over at Thirty-Three and Counting and I will admit that even though I really enjoy blogging, I am pretty clueless about most blogging related things. I'm kind of stumbling around in the dark most of the time banging into dressers or knicking my shins on coffee tables when it comes to my time in the blog world. Most of the time I just feel like a total sham because I couldn't even tell you what SEO is or why I should care and I don't have posts titled "7 Reasons to ____ fill in the blank with whatever". But like I said above - I really enjoy it so I just keep stumblin' along. And every once in awhile, I learn something new. Like how I learned what a Liebster Award is and what it means when Jen "nominated" me!!

So since I was clueless, I was glad that Jen had some Liebster Award guidelines on her post. Here's what the rundown is:

1) This is an internet only award that is given to bloggers by other bloggers

2) It is pretty much a virtual chain letter, it should be passed on to other bloggers

3) It is typically given to new bloggers with less than 1,000 followers

4) There are variations of the rules, but it pretty much comes down to doing a Q&A about yourself and your blog and then nominate others and let them know that you have nominated them.

Well, I definitely qualify for #3 up there...no question about that one! hahaha But seriously, I'm just so thankful for you guys that take the time to read my ramblings - it is never unappreciated!! So here's your chance to learn a little more about me! Let's get to it, shall we?

How did you decide on the name of your blog?
I have talked a few times on this little old space about how I choose one little word each year to represent my intentions - kind of a full-year mantra. The second year I did this in 2011 I selected the word Quality so I decided at that time to incorporate it in my blog title, thus, The Pursuit of a Quality Life was born! I did change it later to Putt-Putt Runner in my attempt to focus my "brand" (which in itself is totally laughable, BTW), but ended up going back to my original title earlier this year because in reality - whether I'm running or going to school or hanging with the family, what I'm doing is pursuing that quality life. It still holds true today so that's my blog's name and that's what it will remain!

Where does your blogging inspiration come from?
The blogging community is really astounding, in my humble opinion. Where else can you read what the average, and sometimes the not so average, people think on a regular basis? I love that through blogging I can read that I'm not the only person that struggles with finding motivation, or wants to eat all the cake all the time, or that I'm not the only person that is trying to find quality in the mundane. There is inspiration everywhere and I'm just thrilled to have a place that I can do brain dumps on a regular basis.

What is it that you love most about blogging?
I really love having a creative outlet and I love that blogging gets me outside of my comfort zone. Because even though I love sharing with people live and in person, sharing in this outlet is definitely a push for me and makes me stretch my little wings.

What is your favorite food?
Oh goodness - there are so many!! I guess if there was one thing I would never want to go too long without it is cereal. I just love it.

What is your favorite thing to drink? (alcoholic or not)
Honestly, I know it is boring, but my favorite thing is water. BUT don't let that fool you because I'm a certified Java Junkie!! Granted, I try to limit my indulgence in it because I happen to like it with a good amount of creamer and could probably drink a good portion of my daily calories if I drank as much coffee as I wanted to. So it's usually only 2 cups a day, max.

What is an item you can’t live without?
There probably isn't any one thing that I couldn't live without, but I would definitely feel adrift without a few things like my treadmill, my Garmin, my phone and/or computer, books and music.

What are eleven random facts about yourself?
1. My twins were in show business from 1 month old to 2 years old when we decided to "retire" them from "acting".

2. I'm a total klutz.

3. I've been to New York once for an amazingly spontaneous trip with my husband that was inspired by his desire to have a "New York Dog" while watching an episode of Law & Order. We spent a weekend there and did the Empire State Building, a carriage ride through Central Park, a Broadway showing of Beauty & the Beast, the Statue of Liberty, a ride through Times Square, a New York slice of pizza, and a ride on the subway. All from Friday night at 8:00 PM to Sunday morning at 11:00 AM. It was a whirlwind that I will never forget!

4. I'm a huge Stephen King fan and have been ever since I read Pet Semetary when I was 11 while visiting my Dad for the summer. Maybe a tad early to begin reading ol' Uncle Stevie, but I turned out okay, right? RIGHT????

5. I've only been to three concerts in my life (yes, that is rather pathetic!) and they include The Monkees (not my choice, but I took my much younger sister-in-law for her 15th birthday since she LOVED them), and Depeche Mode twice.

6. I'm a huge Depeche Mode fan. Ever since I bought the Catching Up With... album while visiting my Dad for the summer during the break between 6th and 7th grade. I must have listened to that
cassette tape a bajillion times. The other cassette tape I bought that summer was Howard Jones and it got a lot of use, but nowhere near as much as Depeche!

7. I have a really odd aversion to wooden spoons or popsicle sticks. Even thinking about them now makes my mouth feel all funky and weird.

8. I've lived in Southern California my entire life including the majority of it in the same town where I am now.

9. My first job outside of a paper route or babysitting was when I was 13 and was working at a record store (under the table because I was under the working age limit). My best friend and I had just left cheerleading tryout rehearsals and stopped by a new music store - Music Stop - along the way home. The main thing I remember from that visit was that the owner, Dave, couldn't stop saying how smelly we were...I think he may have even made us leave we stunk so badly! And to think, he still offered me a job right there on the spot, stinky and all. LOL Dave, would even let me come in and open the store on the weekends all by myself. He must have either had a whole lot of faith in my abilities or he just really didn't want to wake up early on the weekends. HA! One of the biggest highlights of that job was getting an advance copy of the Oingo Boingo Dead Man's Party album. I listened to that tape so much by the time Dead Man's Party was a HUGE hit and getting all that radio airplay I was so sick of it. (BTW - Oingo Boingo was my #2 fave band and I'm totally devastated that I never got to see them at their Halloween concert before they disbanded...if they ever do a reunion show I will move heaven and earth to be there!!)

10. I very rarely remember my dreams.

11. My first "real" kiss was with a lifeguard at the high school pool where I would hang out during the summers. He was already in high school and I was in between 7th and 8th grade, so he was older and I was quite smitten, but right about the same time he finally kissed me my BFF ran by screaming something out and I laughed...while he was kissing me. He never kissed me again. :-( But that's probably okay because, I mean, Speedos...enough said.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Anywhere in the world would probably mean on the coast of Italy (even though I've never been, I can only imagine!) but I do talk about wanting to retire to Montana someday. Don't ask me why, it just seems like a nice place to live away from all the hustle and bustle that is California.

If you could meet anyone from history (alive or dead) who?
I would love to meet Kathrine Switzer, Nicole DeBoom, and Bono (because I had a dream that was really vivid about hanging out with him once and he seemed like a really cool guy...hahaha). I would also love to meet Walt Disney, Jesus, Stephen King, Dave or Martin from Depeche, Ryan Tedder,

David Beckham, Gordan Ramsey, and Coco Chanel...among others and in no particular order.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?
If there is any doubt to the answer of this question, then welcome, new blog reader!!! For everybody else that has been here for any length of time, I think it's safe to say that running is the correct response here. But hiking is a close second!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I pretty much see myself in not too different of a place than I am now as I'm pretty happy and content with my life. I will still be running and loving on my family and pursuing a quality life!




Okay, so I'm supposed to nominate some other blogs, so here goes, in no particular order as I love them all:

Luisa at Running is Democratic
Angelina at Run. Chew. Sparkle
Kris at Turning 40 and All That Jazz
Amanda at Unapologetically You (can I just add that I love, love, love the name of her blog!!)
Kim at Barking Mad About Running

I know the concept is that the people I nominate have less than 1,000 followers, but remember how I said that I'm fairly blog clueless? Well, I don't really know how to check how many followers these folks have, so if I nominated you and you have 1000+ followers, please forgive my oversight! LOL

Alright, there you have it...ya'll know way more about me than you could possibly want to know! Be sure to come back tomorrow for my SunRype giveaway!!


2 comments:

  1. Depeche Mode are great in concert! I think we saw them on their Songs of Faith and Devotion tour.

    Oh and that NYC trip...AWESOME!

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    1. Depeche Mode is seriously a band that sounds just as good or better live! I plan on seeing them every single time they come around. I saw them for the Exciter tour and the Delta Machine tour. Songs of Faith and Devotion is my #1 favorite of their albums with Violator in a close second!

      And I totally plan on going back to NYC someday in the fall so I can see the colors of the trees.

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