The Blog Question Challenge

I know how much I love a good challenge, and I know too that there are a few of you out there who, like me, love to answer blogging questions. So when I saw this challenge online I knew I had to do it.

So, welcome to The Blog Question Challenge.

And, the questions are:

Why did you make a blog in the first place?
Why did you choose your platform? (Blogger/Wordpress/Bear Blog/Pika)
Have you blogged on other platforms before?
Do you write your posts directly in the editor or in another software?
When do you feel most inspired to write?
Do you publish immediately after writing or do you let it simmer a bit as a draft?
What’s your favourite post on your blog?
Any future plans for your blog? Maybe a redesign, changing the tag system, etc.?

Feel free to copy the questions and answer them on your own blog. And then, when you’ve answered them, how about asking three fellow bloggers to accept the challenge?

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AMA #3

Today I thought to answer another of the #AMA questions floating around.

“What’s the best music-related experience of your life so far?”

Narrowing my answer down to just one person or act is impossible given the sheer number of concerts I’ve been to over the course of a long life (so far). I could say the best was meeting, inadvertently, the Rolling Stones when I was about 7-8 years old, and getting my photo taken with them. Though it’s true I didn’t, at that age, get to go to their concert or see them live on stage. Though decades later, I did get to see them from afar on the Plains of Abraham here, in Quebec City.

Fast forward to my teenage years at high school, and as a bunch of pimply teens, my co-conspirators and I where just at the right age, at the right time, to be around just as a number of emerging and rising stars where still doing small venues in cities across the north of England. And so, I was lucky enough to go see, Elton John (1976), David Bowie (1973), and Kate Bush (1978) all doing concerts at the Liverpool Empire theatre back in the day.

Not only that, we got front row seats thanks to Janet Griffiths’ father who knew someone who worked in the box office. So that our little group of four were there, right up close and personal with our musical heroes of the day!

I mean, come on, how do you choose between those three stars? Each was amazing in their musical performance, and sent shivers down my spine. David Bowie doing his Ziggy Stardust tour, Elton John playing songs from his Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy album, and Kate Bush ending her concert with Wuthering Heights.

I, of course, went on to see so many more great concerts, I remember an outstanding performance, in Germany, by Emerson, Lake and Palmer during the late 70s and another with the Moody Blues. So many great bands, so many great singers, so many great performances.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

10 Pointless Facts About Me

David from over at Forking Mad has challenged us to share 10 Pointless Facts and, as everyone seems to be on a challenge kick these last few months, me included, I thought, why not.

Do you floss your teeth?

Yes, religiously every night before bed. Doesn’t everyone?

Tea, coffee, or water?

Tea with a side order of water.

Footwear preference?

Flip flops. Except in winter then it’s boots baby, boots all the way.

Favourite dessert?

Lemon merengue pie.

The first thing you do when you wake up?

Honey, I’m old. I pee, doesn’t everyone?

Age you’d like to stick to?

Maybe somewhere in my late 20s.

How many hats do you own?

Way to many, and I mean dozens.

Describe the last photo you took

The snow and a squirrel outside my window.

Worst TV show?

The one I watched last night … Lioness.

As a child, what was your aspiration for adulthood?

To be either a marine biologist or an astronaut. I did eventually study earth science at university level, but as of now, have yet to make it into space. Maybe I’ll have them poot me into space when I’m dead?

And now, it’s your turn. Join me in answering 10 pointless questions, or maybe, make your own up.

Top Five/Bottom Five: Fruit

I thought to follow in Elisabeth’s footsteps today and share my, Top Five/Bottom Five: Fruit edition. I mean who doesn’t have a top five favourite fruit, and then, those they dislike with a vengeance? I know I do. So what are my favs and least liked fruit? I thought you’d never ask.

TOP FIVE

Strawberries — these little red succulent fruits will win each and every time. But only when they’re in season. And have you tried them in the wild (home grown?) They’re delicious on a whole other level.
Bananas — I adore a good, firm banana at every breakfast. Yes, I eat one every day, for the magnesium. They are the perfect food all wrapped in a portable skin.
Green Apples — here again, they have to be fresh, crisp, and in season, not ones that have been stored from the previous season in cold storage.
Black Cherries — give me them fresh off the tree glistening in morning dew. I can eat these suckers by the bagful.
Apricots — yes, these little cousins to the peach are favoured by me, again, for their taste. People always forget to show them any respect. But they’re a delicious little fruit.

Bonus fruits: Plums, another forgotten fruit. Deep purple/red fresh plums are delicious and make great pies and jam too. Pears too, they need a bit more love.

BOTTOM FIVE

Blackberries/raspberries — just. too. many. seeds!
Cantaloupe — overpriced, they taste weird and I’m not a fan of the texture either.
Pineapple — just why?
Grapefruit — I mean, really?
Papaya — like cantaloupe, they just taste weird to me.

Bonus fruits: Guava, peaches, starfruit, dragonfruit, kiwi, durian … lychees!

I will eat just about any apple going, but I’m fussy about my soft fruit. I really don’t understand gooseberries, or fruit so full of seeds or that taste bitter. I mean, why, just why do you want to eat them?

And you, what are your favourite and least favourite fruits?

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

AMA #2

Another question I got asked for Annie’s #AMA (Ask Me Anything) challenge was from Annie (yes, another Annie), she wanted to know:

What is a habit that’s either very long-standing or has had a big impact in your life (or both)?

and

What’s your favourite time of day, and why?

First up, let’s start with the easier question, my favourite time of day has got to be mornings, early mornings. Especially as I have a habit of waking up somewhere around 5am for a pee. Which in and of itself you’d think would be annoying but … I’ve learnt to turn around what was once an annoyance to a positive. I now take the time to open the curtains and peak outside, and spend a couple of minutes marvelling at the world beyond. Sometimes I give up any thought of going back to bed and, instead, brew a cup of green tea, sit on the couch with a blanket, and either read or just stare out into the dark pondering life’s mysteries.

It’s funny what pops into your head when you stop thinking about anything specific.