Five Things. The perfect dress, a book about a book store and glasses.

Hallo meine Lieben,

hope you are all having a wonderful Saturday! How was your Thanksgiving? Hope you had a fantastic time with your loved ones.

Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well.

1. This dress.

Vaute Couture

I love everything about this dress. Seriously. I feel like I need to own this and that does not happen very often. The color is fantastic. The cut, the little heart, everything. Well, it might be a bit short but other than that...I am so in love. I rarely fall in love like that with a dress...The clothes by Vaute Couture are all so wonderful. The dress is made of vegan satin (100% recycled fibers). It is perfect. Period. 

2. This granola bar.

Foodloose

I recently discovered this granola bar in a whole foods store and thought it sounded pretty delicious. Not very surprisingly, it also tastes delicious. It is made with peanuts, cashews, raisins, mango, pineapple, coconut and curry. Foodloose also sell bars like "Sahara Dragon" (dragonfruit, ginger, peanuts, almonds, physalis) or nut mixes like "are you veda?" (mango, macadamia nut ,coconut, ginger, pineapple, papaya). 

3. Baking.

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I really enjoy baking right now. Today I made vegan "Blätterteigtaschen" (pockets made of puffed pastry (don't know if that's the right word for it.)) filled with marzipan, chocolate, walnuts and raisins or apple sauce, almonds and chocolate. Both types covered with chocolate also. Lots of chocolate. Happy Katrin. 

4. This book. 

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Saw this book in the book store last week and resisted buying it because I already have so many books to read. Can't believe I did that. But it sounds so fascinating that I put it on my list immediately. Here is what it's about:

"The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything—instead, they “check out” large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele’s behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends. But when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore’s secrets extend far beyond its walls."

I think I want to live in this bookstore. 

5. These glasses.

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I think I made a final decision. I want to get these glasses. I hope I won't change my mind again because I am thinking about this forever. 

Have a happy weekend!

Random Thursday. Fave things to do when home alone...

Hallo meine Lieben,

I hope you are all doing great and having a wonderful time! Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! 

Taking a bath.

That's definitely a thing that relaxes me the most when I am alone. I don't know but it feels like you are in another world or dimension or whatever. A pretty nice feeling. I always read in the bath tub.  A Lush bath bomb makes the experience even more enjoyable. 

Reading, reading, reading.

I have to say that I always read, no matter if there is one person around or a hundred. So it is not really special that I read when I am alone. But I had to mention reading, just because it is so important. And I don't need to feel guilty about doing nothing else when I am home alone. 

Singing.

I am a terrible singer so I usually avoid singing when people are around. But I do enjoy singing and dancing around the house when nobody can see or hear me. I am not even ashamed but I think nobody deserves to hear me sing.

Watching crime shows. 

David does not like to watch my favorite crime shows at all (Criminal Minds, Bones, Mentalist, Castle) so I usually watch them when he is not around or busy doing something else. I will never understand why he does not enjoy these shows because they are fantastic, but okay....

Eating weird things.

David and I pretty much love to eat completely opposite things. I am vegan, he eats meat. I hate onions, he loves them. I love broccoli, he hates it. He likes American breakfast, I prefer it German (Brötchen!!). There are also some things we both love to eat together, so don't worry. But when I am alone I just eat weird things only I enjoy. Like oatmeal 3 times a day. Or lots of Sauerkraut. Or gummi bears for breakfast.


What do you do when you are home alone? 
Happy Thursday!

Ten On Tuesday. True words, corgis and Christmas pickles.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Tuesday! You can link up with Alyssa here.

1. One reason why I don't consume eggs. 

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2. I haven't watched a single episode of Criminal Minds in 6 days and I am starting to feel really bad about it. I need to find some time to catch up. I am usually pretty busy until 11 pm and then I fall asleep when I start to watch a show.

3. I could not agree more. 

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4. I really wish I could un-see some of the things I have seen in my life.

5. I am searching for a DVD box of a show which I loved to watch as a kid but the prices are so weird and I don't understand why. I mean, 135 dollars for 3 DVD's is a bit much. There is also one offer for 2200 dollars. Seems to be a rare DVD box. 

6. Also true.

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7. I think a corgi would be a perfect addition to the cat and bunny household. I mean, look at this picture.  So adorable. I really want to adopt a dog at some point in my life. And add another cat to the pack. 

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8. I am planning on baking Christmas cookies next weekend. They contain coconut, marmalade and chocolate and my Mom and Grandma used to make them so they remind me of my childhood. 

9. RIP, all you beautiful, innocent turkeys. I am so sad and sorry.

10. A question for my German friends: Have you ever heard about a "Weihnachtsgurke" (Christmas pickle)? It seems like Americans think that is a German tradition but I have never heard about it. So maybe it is only common in another part of Germany.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Confessions.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I haven't confessed anything in a while so I guess it's time. I hope you are all having a fantastic weekend! Enjoy your Sunday!

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1. I don't know if it is because of the weather but I feel like eating sweets all the time. I usually eat pretty healthy but right now I am craving vegan gummi bears, chocolate, cookies, marshmallows, marzipan and chocolate syrup all the time.

2. I fell in love with a pair of shoes. Okay, 3 pairs of shoes. 

3. My book wishlist is so ridiculously long that I completely lost track. There are just so many books in this world that I want to read and it makes me sad not to have enough time for it. 

4. I really need a new camera. Taking pictures with your phone sucks. 

5. I usually fall asleep watching shows when I start later than 11 pm. Which means that I have to start the shows over and over again. 

6. My hands are so dry that I feel like using my hand cream every hour. That's one thing I really hate about fall/winter. 

7. I am haunted by some terrible pictures I have seen recently.

Do you have anything to confess?

Have a fantastic Sunday!

Five Things. Girls who read, hair colors and book love.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Friday! I hope you will all have a fantastic weekend!
Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well! You get to see a cute pink armadillo (which reminds me of Friends. Need to keep watching that show.).

1. This book.

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I loved "The 100-year-old man who climbed out the window and disappeared" so I definitely have to check out Jonas Jonasson's new book too!

2. This video.

The video is called "Girls who read" and as a girl who reads I think this is pretty awesome. I already watched it a couple of times and it does not get old. David shared this with me a couple of days ago. I think he likes girls who read too.

3. These audio books.

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I am currently listening to all the Harry Potter audio books again. Seriously, I can't get enough of Harry Potter. Always makes me feel sop comfy and good. Plus I just love Stephen Fry's voice. 

4. This hair color. 

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I would not dye my hair like this anymore but I wish I would have had this hair color when I was 14. I would have totally tried it. It is vegan, PPD free, ammonia-free and peroxide-free. I tried all kinds of hair colors and it was a lot of fun to experiment with it. 

5. This makes you think.

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I highly recommend the book " Why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows" by Melanie Joy.

Have a happy weekend! Thanks for reading!

Random Thursday. Things I like about cold weather...

Hallo meine Lieben,

welcome to another week of Random Thursday! I hope you are all having a great time. Can't wait to read your posts! Thanks in advance for reading and linking up!

Wearing boots and scarves.

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I have a little weakness for boots and scarves and probably own more than I need. And I am also a fan of wearing scarves all year round...which is very German I guess. But I don't do it without a reason: I always get cold, even in summer. Plus scarves just always look good. I am still knitting on my first scarf which I started months ago. I am not sure if I will ever finish it but I won't give up that easily. 

Spending time snuggled up on the couch with a book, a blanket, a hot water bottle and a cup of tea. 

As you can see: Lumpi likes it comfy too. He is a very cuddly cat so he loves spending time on (or under) blankets and pillows. Cold days are perfect for not leaving the couch at all. You just need to have enough food, tea and books around you. And the cold weather is the perfect excuse for a lazy day at home. 

Catching up on TV shows.

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When it is too cold to go outside you basically have no choice. You can either watch a show or movie, read a book or do something creative. This reminds me that I also need to start a puzzle. Another perfect thing to do on cold days. 

But yeah, I have a lot of shows to catch up with. 8 seasons of Criminal Minds for example. 

Baking and cooking and being crafty.

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I am totally in baking mood currently. Yesterday I tried to make a cherry-nut-banana cake which was a bit of a fail but I am sure next time will be better. I also need to make my Grandma's Christmas cookies and start painting again. 

Have a fantastic day and come back next week for another awesome topic!

Ten On Tuesday. Fan talk, book love and crazy bunny lady jewelry.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Tuesday! I hope you are all doing great! You can link up with Alyssa here.

1. Robbie Williams recorded a new Swing album which is very exciting. I can't believe I have not heard about this before. I need to listen to it as soon as possible. I love "Swing when you're winning" so much. It's an album which never gets old. And let's be honest, Robbie Williams never gets old either. I am usually more into indie/alternative/punkrock kind of music but I can always listen to RW. 

2. I have been to three Robbie Williams gigs and all of them were fantastic. Then a couple of years ago my friend Julia and I got tickets for a Take That concert but I got a kidney infection and could not go. I was so mad. 

3. I still have a souvenir from a 2003 Robbie Williams gig on my key chain and I think it will stay there forever. 

4. I should not talk about Robbie Williams so much. 

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5.  I think I am in desperate need of this necklace. It is from a Dutch store called RabbitsFantasyWorld and I guess it is perfect for a crazy bunny lady like me. 

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6. I am currently addicted to vegan marshmallows. I can't even put into words how delicious they are. They taste like marshmallow heaven. Thank you so much, Em! You rock!
7. I went to the book store yesterday and I found 21 new books I want to read. My book wishlist is growing and growing. Well, I guess there will be some books under the non-existent Christmas tree. 

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8. Does anybody have a good recipe for cinnamon rolls? It does not matter if it is vegan or not, I can "veganize" it. 

9. I am disgusting by a person called Melissa Bachman. Never heard about that woman before but it seems like she is some kind of TV presenter. When you pose smiling and holding a gun next to a dead lion and say things like "An incredible day hunting in South Africa! Stalked inside 60-yards on this beautiful male lion...what a hunt!", then you are a terrible and disgusting human being. Hunting is not a sport. And congratulations to that stupid woman for killing an defenseless animal with a gun in a fenced area. Great achievement. It's sickening.

10. A perfect tote bag.

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Have a fantastic Tuesday!

99 questions you should ask yourself - part IV.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I am back with part IV of the 99 questions you should ask yourself. You can find the other parts here: part I, part II and part III.

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31. What are you not made for?

Swimming. I just don't do it because I am so scared of deep water and I can't get over this fear. I think I was 12 the last time I went swimming. David and I went to a pool party a couple of years ago and even that stupid pool scared me to death. I don't know where that fear comes from but it is there. 

32. What secret would you never want your partner to find out?

The good thing is that David knows all kind of embarrassing stories about me and he still loves me. I am totally clumsy for example. I break things, I stumble....not very graceful. 

33. Name 3 things you don't want people to know about you.

Well, I guess this really is a question I should only ask myself and not talk about it in public. :) Things like the fact that I love the smell of gas which is totally gross....oops!

34. Why do you think your friends like you?

I have some really close friends which I know for years and I also found some really great friends I met through blogging. I would say that my friends know that they can trust me and that I am always there for them. I just try to be a good friend. 

35. How similar is your facebook-self to your real-self?

Not very similar because I rarely interact on Facebook. I have an account but don't really use it. Only when I get a message etc. So yeah, you won't find much information about me on my Facebook account. I "liked" some animal rights related things but that is pretty much it. 

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36. What is the most annoying thing about your partner?

That he loves to eat onions with almost everything.

37.  Why do you publish things on the internet?

Because I love to interact with other bloggers and make new friends. And because it is a way to express my creativity.

38. Do you have a hobby?

Reading. It's my favorite thing to do. I also love to spend time with animals, in the nature, travel, be creative, go to flea markets, paint, watch movies and shows. And it would be nice to add a new hobby: I want to learn how to play piano and drums and how to sew. 

39. What do you search for on youporn?

Baking recipes but not very successful (by the way, I did not come up with these questions myself). 

40. Whose Facebook inbox would you love to read?

I don't know. Well, maybe the messages of some terrible factory farming people...to find out everything about their cruel secrets to use the information against those assholes. 


Stay tuned for part V! Have a fantastic week!

Five Things. Candy cane lip butter, a book shelf pillow and save the seals.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I hope you are all doing fantastic. Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well. I have spend some time on Etsy and here are some of my favorite finds. 

1.This vegan lip butter.

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A candy cane lip butter! Shut the front door! That sounds too good to be true. It is from a shop called Aqua blossom and they have so many different types of lip butters and they all sound amazing. I want them all. I have a weak spot for lip butters and lip balms. I probably own more than I need but on the other hand there are so many great ones out there and you just can't miss out. 

2.  This body butter. 

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It is from a store called PuurBody and they sell handmade vegan soap, natural deodorant and Shea butter lip balm. Sounds like my kind of thing. I will definitely check out the rest of their products but sugar cookie body butter sounds like something I would like. 

3. This pillow case.

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A book shelf pillow case seems to be the right item for a book worm like me. I'll put it on my wishlist. 

4.This button.

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I think the idea is pretty awesome. I am sure Santa would love some vegan cookies and soy milk. Who knows, maybe Santa is a vegan.

5. This shirt.

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That shirt is just incredibly cute. I love tank tops a lot so I am definitely thinking about ordering this gem. We definitely need to save the seals. 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Random Thursday. It's just how I was raised...

Hallo meine Lieben,

welcome to another round of Random Thursday. I hope you will all link up and share your thoughts with us. I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

So here we go....

Being kind to animals. 

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Growing up in a small village I was used to having animals around. Not just cats,bunnies or dogs but also cows and pigs and chicken. And I loved spending time with them. My Mom was a very compassionate person with a huge heart and we always took care of animals in need. We never really planned to get a pet. They just showed up and stayed. We took care of wounded frogs, steal away our cat Garfield from a horrible neighbor, let stray cats move in...

Being a book worm.

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Now that I think about it: my childhood was full of animals and books. I think I had more books as a child than most of my friends....because my mother was an even bigger bookworm than I am (if that is possible). Before I learned how to read my Mom always had to read for me and I knew all my books by heart and corrected my Mom when she skipped a paragraph. My Mom also introduced me to crime novels and I will never stop being thankful for this because -as you might know- crime novels are my huge book love.

Hating onions. 

(No onion picture. Don't want to see them.)

I got this one from my Dad- he hates onions even more than I do. I dislike everything about onions. The taste, the smell, the texture, the way it feels when you chew them. I just can't stand them. A world without onions would be a better world. At least for me.


Can't wait to read your stories! Thanks for reading!
Have a fantastic rest of the week!

Ten On Tuesday. Bunnies, burgers and bookfessions.

Hallo meine Lieben,

hope you are having a fantastic week! You can link up with Alyssa here.

1.  One of my bunnies can eat a carrot in under a minute. I am impressed.  Go Findus!

2. My wishlist consists to 80% of books and 20% electronics, clothes and make up products. I would love to get a new camera since my old one is broken and taken pictures with my phone all the time isn't the greatest thing to do. 

3. The English language confuses me. There are lots of expressions that I have never heard before. But I took a grammar test a couple of days ago and the result was pretty good. 

4. I am craving a burger and fries. Something like this. And no onions, please.

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5. My friend Martha and I talked about the fact that we can't resist buying animal themed items and when Martha talked about penguins and polar bears I got reminded of a song and a band that I loved so much years ago when I was a teenager. 

6. I do have a sweet tooth but right now I feel like I have nothing but I sweet tooth. I don't know if it is because of the weather but I could eat something sweet all day long. Except for breakfast. My breakfast needs to be savory. 

7. My favorite sweet snacks right now are mandarin oranges with soy yogurt and agave syrup, dark chocolate, banana smoothie, gummi bears, marzipan and semolina pudding. 

8. Never realized this.

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9. But I am not really a stress eater. I am not hungry when I am stressed or nervous. 

10. Another bookfession. 

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Happy Tuesday!

I confess....

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Sunday! I hope your weekend is wonderful and you are all having a relaxed time. 
I have some confessions to make....

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1. Yes, I do sniff books. Books smell amazing. That's another reason why I like to spend so much time in book stores. 

2. Last night I wanted to eat some of my vegan whipped cream but the can is broken and there was no whipped cream coming out of it. I got mad  because I  really wanted some whipped cream with my fruits.

3. I have some Lush bath bombs which I will never use because they look way too pretty. I put them in a bowl instead so that I am able to smell them all the time. 

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4. I am Katrin and I am a Criminal Minds addict. 

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5. I ate a whole pack of vegan sour gummi bears last night and I enjoyed every single one of it. I really have a sweet tooth. 

6. I always listen to my Harry Potter audio books in the car. 

Do you have any confessions to make? 

Happy Sunday!

Awards & questions.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Saturday! I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. 
I have to say that I always feel so honored when people actually take the time to read my blog and leave some comments. I have never expected this when I started my blog. It means so much to me and every single one of you makes me happy. Thank you so much.
Last week I got nominated for the Liebster Award by two of my friends - I am speechless. I can't thank you enough. I am overwhelmed by all the wonderful friendships I made through my blog. 
Please go and check out my friends' blogs. I got nominated by Ankita from Humming Words and Kelly from Today Was a Fairytale. Thank you so much, girls! It means so much to me!

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So now I want to answer the questions Ankita and Kelly asked me in their posts.
Here are Ankita's questions.

1.    One book/movie you could alter the ending of.  Please give reasons for your choice.

I would change the plot of any movie or book in which an animal gets hurt. I just can't stand it. I watched Bambi as a child, cried for days and never watched that movie again. And when I watch Marley & Me I have to stop at some point. I can watch the bloodiest and most brutal movies but I can't stand it when an animal is in danger in a book/movie. I have to stop watching/reading then. 

2.    Which two Indian laws would you change if given an opportunity to do so?

I really wish I would know more about Indian laws....but I would definitely change any law that isn't in favor for animals. Banning animal testing etc. 

3.    Are you a dog person or a cat lover? Which breed of dogs you like the most and why.

I love all animals and I would love to add a dog to my family someday. But I am definitely a cat lady. I love my cats endlessly. They rock. I love all kinds of dogs but I would definitely adopt a corgi. 

4.    Which actor and actress you think should permanently bid adieu to acting and why.

Meg Ryan because she only has one facial expression. She always looks the same. And Tom Cruise. I just can't stand that guy. 

5.    Name the two films you would like to direct again. Who will you cast in lead roles?

Hmm, I can't really answer this because I think that the movies I already like are perfect the way they are. And I don't want to be the director of any movies I don't like because that wouldn't be much fun. I hope that makes sense. But I would definitely give all bad ass roles to Norman Reedus. 

6.    Where do you stay the most (mentally), your past, present or future?

I try to stay in the present and not worry too much about the past or the future. I am not always successful but I am working on it. 

7.    Describe yourself in three words.

Animal-lover, bookworm, strong-willed. 

8.    How do you de-stress yourself?

A good book, a cup of tea, animals. Taking a bath, watching a movie or going for a walk are also ways to calm down. But reading is probably the best way to relax, at least for me. 

9.    How would you deal with a very rude but a close relative?

I have some really really really really really really horrible relatives (aka the "relatives from hell") and I don't talk to them anymore at all. 

10.  One zodiac sign (apart from yours) that you like and why.

Scorpio. Because that's David's zodiac sign. 

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And here are Kelly's questions.

1. What do you find it easiest to blog about?

Topics I am interested in anyway: books, traveling, animals, food, animal rights, movies, shows etc. 

2. Is there a topic that you'd like to blog about but are to scared/nervous to write about?

Not really. I don't really talk about sad experiences that much on my blog because I want it to be a happy place. But I mention those things once in a while. 

3. How has your blog changed since the day you started it?

I have met a lot of wonderful people since I started blogging. The blog itself hasn't changed that much. I mean, I changed the design and it is definitely time for a design change again. Other than that I still talk about the topics that are close to my heart. I started to participate in some link-ups and now I am a co-host of Random Thursday which is definitely a damn cool thing. 

4. How has blogging changed your life so far?

As I have said, I have met so many fabulous people and some of them became really close friends even if I have never met them in reality. Those friendships mean a lot to me and they have definitely changed my life! I have also learned a lot since a started blogging. I love to read about people's experiences, opinions, travels etc.

5. Have you been able to meet, face to face, any of the bloggers that you follow?

Unfortunately not but I hope I will have the chance someday! 

6. Is there a blogger {or few} that have helped motivate you or really touched your life in any way?

Yes, the bloggers I am friends with now have definitely touched my life! And I would really love to meet these people in person someday. You know who you are!

7. Does anyone in your real life know about your blog? If yes, what do they think? If no, what keeps you from telling them?

David knows about my blogs and I think he reads it on a regular basis but other than that my family and friends don't know about it. I can't even explain why but I like it that way. 

8. When you run into a writing block what do you do to help you out of your funk?

I just take a break and then at some point a topic comes into my mind. It's also good to get some inspiration from other blogs. 

9. What are your hopes for you blog over the next year?

That my friends will keep reading my blog and won't stop leaving comments. And that I will finally change the design of the blog and learn some more about that topic. 

10. What is the first thing you notice about another person’s blog?

Well, obviously the design. I also love to read a short description of the person. And it scares me so much when music starts to play. 

11. Do you have any advice you'd like to share with bloggers who are just starting out?

Just be yourself, write about the things that mean something to you. Visit other blogs, leave some comments, just be nice. 


Thanks again, Ankita and Kelly! It really means so much to me! You girls rock!
Have a happy weekend!