Do you guys know Dr Leanne Winter? She’s Raising Boys and getting the old brainbox going on the big, the small, the unusual and the everyday. I’ve not got boys but I’ve met them and I sure hope my girls get to meet the ones whose parents she has influenced as they get older.

I haven’t met her. She came on to my blog one day and has been incredibly positive about my ramblings and just last week nominated me for A Liebster’s Award.

What is a Liebster award?

“A Liebster award is given to support and recognise up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers (on their blog) or likers (on their Facebook page). The word “Liebster” apparently has German origins and is reported to mean sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.”

(So OBVIOUSLY she thought of me. Stop chortling you in the back rows)

“By following some basic rules (answer 11 questions set by your nominee, write 11 additional facts about yourself, write 11 new questions of your own and pass the award onto 11 other bloggers to answer) it enables readers to get to know new bloggers and connect with a wider audience.”

Guess what people.

So without further ado, here is my (insert drum roll)

What was the best gift you ever received?

The correct answer I think for this would be the love of a good man and two beautiful children. Phew. But seriously, the best gift ever was an absolute legend ‘mixed CD’ my then boyfriend made me for my birthday. It was my first ever ‘mixed tape’ from a lover and I adored all of it – mixed downloads are never going to be quite the same. I am assuming he is working on the mother of all mixed tapes for my 40th next year right dear?? Actually, I don’t know if he reads my blog – perhaps might try printing this off and highlighting.

Dogs or cats?
“They” say dogs have owners, cats have staff. It’s a true statement so why would you ever prefer something so clearly lacking in ambition and drive? It’s cats all the way for me. Plus, they don’t drool on you, lick or slobber on you, eat poop/vomit/unidentifiable remains in parks or fart hideously. In many ways they are even preferable to small children.

Which famous person do you admire and why?

There are all the greats obviously – Nelson, Mother Theresa, the guy who invented the Hills Hoist. But mainstream famous person…Hmmm? I really enjoy the positivity and relentless enthusiasm for life demonstrated by the likes of Ellen de Generes, George Takei and Hugh Jackman. The three of them are constantly proving you don’t always have to be an arsehole to be successful.

What did you have for dinner last night?

So pleased to be answering this today and not yesterday – I had a Lebanese Fatoush salad with chickpeas, feta and chicken. Delicious. And no I didn’t make it (Hello – it’s me!), I was out to dinner at the divine Three Weeds in Rozelle.

What is your favourite way to spend your ‘me’ time?

Now that I’m a bona fide athlete of two weeks duration I should say running but it would be a lie. My favourite ‘me’ time is the hammock, sunshine, chardonnay and a pile of reading material.

If you could invite either Kate Middleton or Johnny Depp to dinner, who would you choose?

This is a no brainer, I’m sure Kate’s lovely but it would have to be Johnny Depp. But not for me, for my husband… you see – once upon a time he misunderstood the rules of ‘Celebrity Free Pass’ and chose Johnny Depp. I have never ever ever ever let him forget it. Or anybody else. It would be the least I could do to make up for something that I STILL get a laugh out of to this day.

What was the last book you read?

Me and Rory Macbeath by Richard Beasley. Do yourself the favour. It’s beautifully written, with vividly nuanced characters in 1970s suburban Adelaide and I’m telling you nothing more because I hate it when people tell you too much about books. Just read it. Brilliant.

What advice would you like to give your 16 year old self?

Girl, stop believing anybody has any more clue than you. You know yourself better than anybody and you’re inherently a good person and the things you are passionate about won’t change – you’ll just get better at articulating them. The world isn’t black and white so you may need to settle down about that a little, but that voice pooping over your self esteem and your self confidence should shut the fuck up. Go crazy, be awesome and seriously girl, that ain’t fat. Trust me.

If you could go anywhere/do anything where would you prefer to be right now?
I would be packing the family up and we’d be heading to Peru. I’m worried that Machu Pichu might slide off the top of that mountain before we get there.

Finish this sentence “I love blogging because…”

I get to arrange 26 letters into all sorts of combinations which generally ramble on in no particular direction until my point is made or I hear my sister’s voice in my head saying ‘Shut up Al – that’s enough’. Words. Love ’em.

What thing do you wish someone would hurry up and invent?

Computers that completely immune to having water or wine or milk or drool or ice-cream smeared all over them. Not that I would ever do this. I just think it would be nice. Honest.

Okay – now I have to tell you 11 random facts that people don’t generally know about me. This is hard because I keep nothing about myself private (much to most people’s chagrin).

After a night out in London, a friend and I climbed into the garden that featured in The Notting Hill movie. Hint for novices attempting trespass – don’t wear a dress (a) and (b), getting out is much harder than getting in.
I was first published for writing a certificate winning piece about ‘Mary’ the mother of God. (There was less opportunity for would be authors at Catholic high schools in the eighties okay!)
Given the choice I would rather be with dead people then dead animals. Dead animals are icky, dead people are just, well, dead.
I like Gilbert and Sullivan musicals. Like genuinely like. And I know a LOT of the lyrics.
I will never tell you if I hate a gift. Ever. So don’t bother keeping the receipt.
The book I hate most in the world is Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. Studying it in Year 10, 11 and 12 can do that to a book.
The movie I couldn’t even pretend to like even though the world went crazy for it was The Piano by Jane Campion. I would have chopped her stupid fingers off myself if I had met her.
Until I was in my 20s I thought Pitch’n’putt was called Pigeon Putt. Well, there are birdies and what not, I just thought it one of those daft golfer things.
I defriend racists
I shaved my head for charity in 2007 and my mother introduced me for about the next year as ‘thisismydaughteralisonwhoshavedherheadforcharity’ rather than just ‘this is Alison’.
I have never done karaoke.

Dr Leanne – this has been fun – thanks so much for nominating me. I really would love to buy you a glass of wine one day and have a face to face. And now, returning the favour and hopefully spreading a little bit of love to eleven other interesting bloggers who are deserving of more fans, my nominations for The Liebster Award go to (in no particular order). Check them out!

Slapdash Mama – http://slapdashmama.blogspot.com.au/
Memoirs of the Mind – http://www.memoirsofthemind.com
The Opinionated Manager – http://www.theopinionatedmanager.wordpress.com/
Fresh Home Cook – http://freshhomecook.com/
Danya Banya – www.danyabanya.com
Little Wolff – http://littlewolff.com/
The Very Inappropriate Blog – http://theviblog.wordpress.com/
Two little humans and me – http://www.twolittlehumansandme.com/
Take Charge Now – www.takechargenow.com.au

The Aus Geek – http://theausgeek.wordpress.com/
I’m not babysitting – http://imnotbabysitting.blogspot.com.au/

Should they accept the challenge my questions are:

1. Pets or children?
2. Which music video do you wish you’d produced?
3. Are you a planner or do you ‘wing it’?
4. What is your ideal Sunday afternoon?
5. Is the ziplock bag or the Hills Hoist the greatest invention ever?
6. What is your favourite fruit?
7. If you had to name a ‘least favourite’ word, what would it be?
8. You can only do one household chore for the rest of eternity, which one would it be?
9. Your most awesome body part?
10. Earliest memory?
11. If you could be in any sitcom, which sitcom would you choose and why?

And…. go!

10 Comments

Jodie @FreshHomeCook on July 31, 2013 at 7:31 am

Hey Alison! Congratulations on your Liebster!! I love the questions Leanne put forward & your answers are fantastic!

Thanks so much for including me in your list – I am very flattered & chuffed to be on it & in such great company. Your questions are brilliant & I'll have fun answering them!

Keep doing what you're doing here – it is fabulous!! 🙂
SlapdashMama on July 31, 2013 at 9:56 am

Yay! Thank youuuuu!
Hahahaa re: Johnny Depo celebrity pass misunderstanding! Oh dearie me that is hysterical!!!
Danya atDanyaBanya on July 31, 2013 at 11:21 am

It was so lovely to meet you IRL the other day. Thanks for the nomination! 🙂
Leanne Winter on July 31, 2013 at 9:45 pm

Hi Alison, great answers! I'm going straight to the library to get that Richard Beazley book (my ulterior motive with that question was to extend my own reading list), and still thinking about the dead people/animals thing. I love the questions you've come up with and your list of nominees. And thanks for saying such nice things about me 🙂
Rah Gard on August 1, 2013 at 4:18 am

okay your hubby needs a Free Pass 101 lesson 😉 made me laugh! Glad you keep at him about it too!
First time reader courtesy of Blog Chicks – you had me at "challenge accepted" 🙂
rah x
Alison Hallworth on August 7, 2013 at 3:01 am

Thanks very much! Looking forward to seeing your answers! Am enjoying your blog. Take care x
Alison Hallworth on August 7, 2013 at 3:01 am

Probably still funniest for me. Is that bad?
Alison Hallworth on August 7, 2013 at 3:02 am

Same! Looking forward to reading more of your blog. x
Alison Hallworth on August 7, 2013 at 3:03 am

It was really good. I should check out what other people recommended! Looking forward to seeing more of your blog.
Take care x
Alison Hallworth on August 7, 2013 at 3:03 am

Thanks Rah, really love to have a new reader! x

Ich liebe dich du (but I am not a Berliner)

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