Ms. Pat Doyle, who introduced herself via her commiseration-outreach comment in response to my Retiree regret? (a.k.a. buyers’ remorse) post this summer, has continued to reach out to me with affirmation and encouragement ever since.

Having introduced me to the concept of the “Outer Circle,” she has become a key member of my retirement outer circle, thanks to her retirement insights and empathy shared in comments in response to my posts, as well as in inspirational posts of her own on her blog,

I share this background about the high esteem in which I hold Pat Doyle to explain why–more than receiving the award itself–I am honored by the faith Pat demonstrated in the worth and promise of this blogging retirement “enterprise” when she surprised me this weekend with word that she had nominated me for The Liebster Award.

Having been so honored, it is now my privilege and responsibility to nominate five to ten other bloggers for this distinction. In order to be eligible for The Liebster Award, which is a “new blogger” award, blogs must have fewer than two hundred followers.

(Please know that as I am on a quest, now, to find such blogs, in addition to my being vigilant–staying on the lookout, I welcome and encourage recommendations for The Liebster Award!  Please feel free to leave a comment to this post or to Tweet with a referred url for me to check out. Thanks for your help.) 

As Pat explained to me, among the benefits of The Liebster Award, which is a peer-nominated “pass-a-long” award, are these: to promote small blogs by helping to bring them added visibility, to highlight and to introduce new bloggers, and to help new bloggers network in areas of interest.

In accepting the Award, recipients commit to performing these required steps: (1) including the logo on their site, (2) nominating 5-10 other deserving bloggers, whose followers number fewer than 200, (3) informing the nominees via comment on one of their posts, (4) answering the ten questions posed by the nominator, (5) making ten questions of their own for their nominees, and (6) copying these rules into their post.

Below are the questions Pat asked me. I’ve answered in my preferred style–words, phrases, clauses, not necessarily coming together to comprise sentences. Inasmuch as I appreciate your reading this post, I appreciate your interest in learning more about me. Thank you to Pat for providing the opportunity for me to share the following information about myself.

1. Why did you start blogging?    My intro to blogging took place when I “had” to blog to fulfill requirements of a library media specialist course. Loved it! Once I was hired as an LMS, the district I worked for strongly recommended against blogging. Now, ten years later, I started blogging again–this time for keeps–as my retirement gift to myself! No one can stop me now. Privilege of retirement!

2. What blog inspires you the most?  Blog that inspires me most is one (like Pat’s) that is full of insights, makes me think, and accompanies me on retirement journey; one that nurtures and nourishes; feeds hunger to learn and and increases hunger/desire to learn more; one that raises my spirits

3. What hobbies (besides blogging) do you enjoy?   Reading!

4. What is your favorite book or movie?   Bible

5. What would your perfect day look like/be like?   Quiet day reading, writing–outdoors, without any allergy repercussions

6. If you could travel anywhere in the world (without worry of cost or safety), where and why?  Holy Land, with pilgrimage led by New & Old Testament scholar-cleric who helps us to experience firsthand sites, events, and words from Sacred Scripture

7. What do you consider to be the craziest thing on your bucket list? (craziest life goal?)  To become a skilled pianist/composer without having to take lessons (As soon as I put my fingers to a piano I don’t own yet, I will discover I am a Senior prodigy–like a musical Grandma Moses:)

8. How do you answer the question – what do you do for a living?  Since Sept. 1, no one has asked that question–yet. Twenty-one days into retirement (& proud of it!), I’m feeling new enough at it to simply say, “I’m retired” and then speak to what I did; I may feel differently (more self-conscious about not “working,” perhaps), after a couple of months to say something different.

9.  If you could have a super-power, what would it be?  To heal everyone who was hurting

10. If you could change one thing about your life right now, what would it be?  I’d live in a house with an office, a library, a dog that never needed to leave the house, and never having to worry about money, I’d joyfully spend all my time reading poetry and writing books for children that spread beauty, truth, and goodness

When I nominate fellow new bloggers, I would appreciate their sharing their thoughts on any ten of these fifteen questions: (The teacher in me, retired or not, still likes to empower; still likes to give choices:)

1. What kinds of followers do you hope to attract to your blog?
2.  How did you come up with the name for your blog site?
3.  What is the backstory for the image on your site’s header?
4. If your blog site has a quote, why did you choose it? If your blog doesn’t have a quote, but were required to have one, what quote would you choose; why?
5. What is your most heartfelt aspiration for an accomplishment or experience before you die?
6. Which comment that you have received on your blog has meant the most to you?
7.  So far, what has been the most gratifying aspect of blogging? the most challenging or frustrating?
8.  Has blogging lived up to your expectations? Fallen short? Exceeded? Why, do you think?
9. Who is the one historical person you would like to spend time with? Why?
10. If you could travel back in time, in which time period would you like to live?
11. If you could give yourself one outstanding talent or skill, what would it be? Why?
12. What was your favorite childhood book? Who read it to you?
13. What is your favorite sport to participate in or to watch? Why?
14. What is your favorite season? Why?
15. What would you most like other bloggers to know about you?

Thanks again, so much to Pat Doyle. I hope you will check out her blog. We have a lot to learn from her!