Liebster Blog Award!!!!

When you really want something to happen, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it.
- The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho.

I would have been crazy to think that this would actually come true. Here I was, thinking up ideas for an 'L' post and not being able to develop them, getting desperate as Saturday loomed nearer. Then I find out that the awesome Sania Heba at Embracing Dawn nominated me for a Liebster award (the first one for this blog!!!) Thank you, not just for choosing me but also for your impeccable timing!

Liebster is German for dearest/nicest, and the award is given for upcoming bloggers - those with less than 200 followers. A nominee has to post 11 random facts about themselves, answer 11 questions the tagger has set for them, then choose a few blogs to pass on the award and set 11 questions for them as well.

Here goes, 11 random facts:

1. I'm currently wondering what's up with all the elevens associated with this award.

2. My collection of books has outgrown my bookshelf.

3. Before I knew that the announcements at the railway stations were pre-recorded, my dream was to be a railway announcer. I still know the format of the announcements and recite them along with the announcer whenever I'm waiting at the railway station. It annoys my mom.

4. I don't like Nutella.

5. I feel sorry for the current generation of toddlers for missing out on Teletubbies. The cartoons these days... *sigh* Doraemon is horrible.

6. I am forever indebted to Tumblr for introducing me to Sherlock, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

7. Although I loathe Twilight, I refuse to dislike Christina Perri's A Thousand Years just because it is associated with the movie franchise. The song is beautiful.

8. The thing I'm most proud of: getting a few of my classmates into reading.

9. Desserts trump the main course. Every single time.

10. A book-to-movie adaptation that I'm looking forward to: Divergent, movie to be out in 2014. If they miss it up, I'm going to be depressed. The soon-to-be-completed trilogy is one of my favourites and it deserves more attention than it's receiving.

11. I'm absolutely hopeless when it comes to my hair. I know how to do ponytails, but I have to depend on my little sister for braiding. It's mortifying, and also gives her great blackmail material.

Answering Sania's questions:

1. What's the first word that comes to your mind when you say 'pen'?
A: Riptide, Percy Jackson's pen-cum-sword.

2. What's your worst fear?

A: That I'll die alone, I guess. Also being attacked by an army of spiders.

3. If you had one wish, what would it be?

A: I'd ask for more wishes :)

4. Think fast. Forest or waterfall?

A: Waterfall. 

5. Can you explain the concept of concepts?

A: Um... all I can say is that without abstract concepts, how would you have concrete plans?

6. How good are you at keeping a secret? (don't worry, I ain't telling you any)

A: Pretty good!

7. Who is your favourite author?

A: I'd rather kill myself than choose one person from my list of favourite authors. I love all of them equally.

8. Black or white?

A: Both. 

9. Do you believe in déjà vu?

A: Yes, definitely.

10. What's your fav letter?

A: Z, because my name starts with it.

11. Are you tired of all these questions?

A: To be honest, yes. But I enjoyed doing this.

Now, my nominees:

Malavika at Words on Wings

Julia Chiang, A Dose of Jules

Nazreen at Penguin Peeks

My questions:

1. What's your greatest pet peeve?

2. If you're told that you have only three more days of sight, what would you do?

3. Chocolate or vanilla ice-cream?

4. Do you have a favourite word? If yes, then what's it?

5. Best animated movie you've ever seen?

6. What's more irritating: not having a book to read or not having access to the internet?

7. A fear that you overcame?

8. Would you rather be a) envied, b) respected, c)trusted or d) feared?

9. A public figure who's inspired you the most?

10. If you could be a fictional character for a day, who would you choose?

11. Which song never fails to cheer you up?