Liebster 2016

After about a month of procrastination serious contemplation, I am responding to the gracious challenge nomination for the Liebster 2016 award by nivs24.  Thank you, nivs24, I think!

The Award

The Liebster Award 2016 is an award that exists only on the internet and is given to bloggers by other bloggers. It is a form of recognizing, admiring and appreciating a fellow blogger’s work. (I have just copied nivs24 for this definition.)

Here are the rules, as I understand them:

Rule 1: Answer the 11 questions posed by the nominating blogger.

Rule 2: Reveal 11 random facts about the nominee.

Rule 3: Nominate 5 to 11 other blogs for the award.

Answers to nivs24’s 11 Questions

Question 1: How did you come up with a name for your blog?

The name, iballrtw, is made up of “iball” for “eyeball” (as in “to look at closely”) and “rtw” for “round the world.”  The gravatar is an eye with the world as the iris and a photo of an Hawaiian god as the pupil. We like to travel to interesting parts of the world.

Question 2: Do you change the WordPress theme of your blog?

I changed the theme a few times during Blogging 101, but it has stayed the same since the class. I am open to trying new themes.

Question 3: Describe the inspiration behind the topics you blog about.

The favorite topics are travel and architecture – anything interesting that can be photographed. In most countries we visit, the large, interesting architecture is created by and for governments and religion, so by default we end up with some education in history and belief systems.

Question 4: If you could choose one celebrity to have dinner with, who would it be and why?

Jon Stewart, because he is the kindest and most moral person I’ve seen on TV.

Question 5: Tea or coffee? Cat or dog? PC or MAC? Day or night?

Tea (but coffee if that’s all there is). Cat (but some dogs are nice). PC (a convert from Mac). Morning.

Question 6: Do you engage on other social media platforms? If yes, which one has worked for you?

Not really.

Question 7: Name a few websites (not blogs), you like to visit.

CNN, amazon.com, Etsy,…

Question 8: What is the last book you read? Did you like it?

The last book of fiction I read (finished) was probably Crimson Shore (Agent Pendergast series) by Preston and Child. I read it because I read all the others in the series, but I did not enjoy it. The last reading I did enjoy immensely was binge reading Paul Scott: Johnnie Sahib, Six Days in Marapore, The Mark of the Warrior, all four books of the Raj Quartet, and Staying On.

Question 9: What camera do you shoot with?

Canon SX40 HS

Question 10: Which is your favorite season and why?

Spring. The weather is nicer and everything is blooming.

Question 11: If you could paint anything what would you paint?

The outdoor bench? (My “artistic” painting is done with Photoshop.)

11 Random Facts About iballrtw

• I have a glass menagerie of tiny animals.
• I like Dhokra metal folk art from India.
• My favorite cats are Siamese or part Siamese.
• I like reading autobiographies.
• I like Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Mission.
• I like vanilla and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
• Jon Snow is (still) my favorite Game of Thrones character.
•  I have traveled around the world twice, once in each direction.
• Hatshepsut and Akhenaten (also known as Amenhotep IV) are my favorite Egyptian pharaohs.
• I do not use touch typing.
• My favorite vacation spot is the beach.

My Nominees Are:

Fantastic Em

This Is Another Story

Shona Travels The World

Wind Rush

The Snow Melts Somewhere

Questions for My Nominees:

1. Are you happy with the name of your blog? If you could change the name without losing any followers, what would the new name be?
2. How long have you been blogging on WordPress? Have you tried other blogging sites?
3. Have you taken any classes in blogging? If so, could you recommend any of the classes?
4. How often do you post to your blog?
5. Have you ever written a post that no one viewed?
6. What subjects are the easiest to write about?
7. If a famous (or not-so-famous) author could ghostwrite for you, who would you pick?
8. How often do you include pictures in your posts?
9. If you could have any camera, which one would you choose? Why?
10. Do you enter challenges? If so, which challenges are your favorites?
11. If Hollywood made a movie based on your blog, would the movie be an action film, a comedy, or a documentary? What famous actor would have the leading role?

Even if you chose not to play the game participate, please know that I admire your work and hope that this post will lead other readers to your blog!