The Sunshine Blogger Award

So, friends, here I am again. :) Finally. And I will tell you now that it is only due to a brilliant friend I am back again so soon. I was working on a new type of post (spoilers!), and hadn't finished, and was not intending to post anything until I got it finished, but I got tagged by the lovely Anna R. of swordsandquills for a lovely blog tag called The Sunshine Blogger Award. So, without further ado, I shall go on to the tag so that I won't write on (as I am apt to do, you'll find). ;) First question...



Not my image.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
Oh, Anna! Why did you have to ask me that?! I can never decide! Well, I'll give it a go... One of my favorites, if not my fav, is O, Holy Night (especially sung by Il Divo, but I like it sung by anyone who can actually sing, and love to sing it myself as well). And speaking non-religious Christmas songs (which are a bit below religious ones for me, so I count them separate), I love I'll Be Home For Christmas and White Christmas. I also particularly enjoy I Wonder As I Wander, getting back to religious ones. But, if I had to say one, my former choice might be the one. :)


What is one book you have read more than once?
What is this? Only mention one book?! Oh well.... (Although, I may cheat and mention more than one). Well, I have read Little Women countless times (seriously, I have lost track now). And I have read The Scarlet Pimpernel in almost equal quantity. Those are probably the two books I read the most, if you don't count short stories, like The Father Brown Mysteries.


Who is you favorite character from Lord Of The Rings (book or movie)?
*smiles sweetly and gestures for audience to sit* Alright, folks. I will teach you a very simple lesson I hope you never forget. *smiles again* Legolas. That is all you need to say, is Legolas. He's definitely, absolutely my favorite in the movies, and probably in the book (with only the competition of Faramir). Besides his amazing elven-ness, cool history, and character value alone, who could scorn this face?!

Not my image... obviously.... No one here would believe that's me. :P

What was your favorite childhood book?

Hmm.... Maybe Little Women...? Well, I've been reading since I was eight, so does that count...?

Okay, maybe not. Well, I had always liked Redwall when I was in my biggest reading phase, around seven, eight, nine, and ten. Oh, no, no, no. Just thought of exactly the book. Read it first time when I was four years old, and I've been reading it (and the rest of the series) ever since, loving every word. Little House In The Big Woods. It was probably the first single chapter book I read to myself and wasn't read to me. And it's been a love of mine for a while, even though now I like its sequels better.

If you had to choose between a dragon, a griffin, a phoenix, or a Pegasus for a pet, which would you choose? Why?

Hmm... Well, a dragon would be pretty hard to control, naturally, even setting aside the fact that they're mostly evil, crafty, kill-you-in-your-sleep creatures, so... Anyways, moving on... A phoenix would be pretty cool, but I would feel odd having a bird made completely of fire (plus, flame-hazard-zilla there!). Hmm... I do have past experience with horses (a bit), so a Pegasus would be the logical and safe choice, but... Well, who cares about safety?! I'll just get my story characters to help me handle it, and I'll take the griffin! ;)

What is your favorite part about Christmas? Why?

That's another hard one... (Gee, Anna R., what're you trying to do to me?). I love the Midnight Mass. That, possibly, might be my favorite part. You see, I went to Midnight Mass at a basilica last year, and it was possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. Ever. It was so beautiful, it was the kind-of beauty that makes you almost want to cry, the kind-of beauty that tells you "this is as close as humankind can get to doing justice to that which we celebrate", the kind-of beauty that makes you really realize, "Hey, it is Christmas! Today, the savior of the world was born". It really made me sit down and think of everything Christmas is, not just to us now, but to everyone, and to the age where there was no Christmas, until, one bleak, starry night, a tiny child was born. This perhaps was, and is, my favorite thing about Christmas.

What is you favorite book genre?

Well, probably Classic. I like old books. However, besides my grudge for the mess that we call YA Fantasy, there are a few books I like from there, including The Goose Girl. But, I do love Historical Fiction. Especially Children's Historical Fiction. Actually, that might be my all-time favorite genre. Maybe. Probably. Yeah... :)

What is your weapon of choice? Why?

My weapon of choice? I don't really use weapons. Although, I am pretty good with a pillow, I flatter myself. And, while I cannot throw a snowball to save my life, I can dodge them well. But I guess that doesn't count. If you're talking real weapons, then, there are like only a select few I know how to use. I can load and shoot a rifle, but I don't like it very much (too heavy!). I can shoot a pistol, but I cannot load it well. Actually, shooting a pistol is kind-of fun. :) So, maybe that. Although, I have always (theoretically, as I've never touched one in my life) liked fencing swords.

Not my image.

What is one favorite Christmas memory?

Well, I guess for this, I'll set aside my definite favorite (the basilica Midnight Mass), because I already talked about it. But, other than that splendor, there was one Christmas I do remember very well. You see, me and my best friend always make our Christmas/birthday/other holiday cards by hand, and are always trying to outdo each other in quotes and notes to pout on the cards. One year, though, on her present, I made the card, and instead of it saying 'from Belle', it was listed as being from all my story people and other aliases (like Robin from Batman). I addressed it from the short list of story characters I had then, and put a note from my pirate-character inside, as well as my own note. That was very fun to see her face as she read the card. :)

How do you react to awkward silence?

Uh, really? Did I just get asked that...? Um, usually, due to being intensely distracted by thought, I unwittingly make the awkward silences (although, they mostly don't feel awkward to me). Because, I'm kind-of an introvert. I know, I know. You guys (especially those who know me personally) are probably sitting back in your seats, laughing and shaking your heads in disbelief. No way is this lady in introvert! Such are your thoughts, no? Well, I am. I talk a lot more when I can't see the person in front of me (a.k.a., online!). And also, if we share a passionate common interest, than I will make more noise than a chicken being chased into its cage (believe me, I know first-hand that this is a lot of noise). Also, if the person seems determined to keep an awkward silence and not to talk to me, than I'll sometimes break out of my dream bubble and force myself to make them talk, because sometimes I'm contrary and stubborn like that. :P

What's one character trait you value above almost all others?

Well, chivalry, I guess. If you're not counting virtues alone so much a just character traits, then probably chivalry. Chivalry is what makes a gentleman a gentleman. Chivalry is what makes a lady a lady. Chivalry makes the gentleman open the door first, do as his Lord and his partner wish before himself, and always let a lady go before him in order and lines. Chivalry makes the lady act feminine, graciously receive and thank the gentleman, and strive her best to let sweet virtue form her and her fellows, rather than coy female designs. Chivalry is the base of manners. Chivalry is the path to kindness. Chivalry is a way to show your love to someone you would otherwise not know how to show love to. Chivalry is one of the things that separates us from brute pagan cultures and places where no sanctity of fellow-being is known. Chivalry is the most beautiful way to show respect to someone. I have always valued it, and I wish our culture had not so abandoned it. Hopefully, if I have done well, it shows through in my writing, that both character and story displays it, and hopefully, I can one day learn to make a habit of it.

Well, I guess it's time to say goodbye *starts singing* Oh, time to-- *stops* Er, maybe not time just yet. :) You see, I have almost forgotten. I have to tag some people.

Alrighty, here are the rules of this tag:

Answer 11 questions from your nominator.

Tag 11 bloggers.

Ask them 11 questions.

Okay, so, uh... Almost everybody I know online has already been tagged. Well, I'll try just the same! :D

1. Rosalina Martin, to thank her for her beautiful posts which I strongly encourage reading, and her sharing of the truth. :)

2. Blue, to thank for the amazing contribution commenting on my friend's blog. Her comments made me realize how important it is to really discuss faith.

3. Cait, to thank her for those amazing Beautiful People posts, which got me started on wanting a blog. :)

4. Sky, also to thank for Beautiful People.

5. Aidyl, a.k.a., Lydia, to thank her for being one of the first commenters on my poor, half-abandoned blog. :)

6. Keturah, to thank her for being another first commenter.

7. Tracey Dyck, for her lovely bits of writing and blogging advice I do so enjoy reading.

And, unfortunately, that is like everybody I've ever even come into contact with online who has a blog. :P However, anyone who comments that has not been tagged already automatically merits a tag.

And here are the questions for these lovely people:

1. Who was your fictional childhood hero?

2. Who is your favorite band?

3. What was the most deep book you've ever read?

4. What was your least favorite book you've ever read? (and I mean if it's your least favorite due to opinion, and not morality of material)

5. Who (disregarding the classic authors, like Tolkien, Stevenson, and Dickens) is your favorite author?

6. What is your favorite movie scene of all time?

7. If you had to pick one pen name/stage name to use forever instead of real one, what would it be?

8. What do you think is the best hobby a person could have? What about your own personal favorite hobby?

9. What is your favorite kind of scenery to be in (forests, riverside, etc.)?

10. Do you enjoy poetry? If so, who, in your opinion, is the greatest poet ever?

11. Where, if you could choose anywhere in all Europe, in any time period, would you go?

Not my image.

Anyways, that's it. :) I'm glad I got tagged, and I thank Anna R. for tagging me again. ;) Thanks, ole chap! And there's a bouquet of thank-you roses for you. :) So thus I'll conclude this. However, for a bit of suspense, I have a surprise that will go along with the next writing post. But I'll leave you there in suspense. ;D Arrivederci!

So, do you think this tag looks fun? Were all my answers expected? Did I forget anyone in tagging? If I did, please join in by all means! Seriously, anyone who comments gets tagged automatically. ;)