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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

February 2015 Blog Awards

I'd like to thank Ashley of Precious Moments for the Awesome Blog Award and Sisterhood of the World Blog Award.  Ashley shares her photography, as well as hymns, Bible verses, and words of encouragement at her blog.  She asked several interesting questions, which I will address in this post.

1. What is your favorite place to shop?
C.W.U. Thrift in Iowa Falls, IA
Does the thrift store above look like paradise to you?  Only accessible from an alley/back road and located in the basement of a couple more prominent businesses, C.W.U. Thrift is a treasure-trove! 

Except for specially marked items, all tops and bottoms are 50 cents.  Greeting cards (which I collect) are two for a quarter, and shoes, coats, clocks, lamps, kitchen gadgets, and nearly everything else imaginable, are similarly priced.  Some items are barely (or never) used and many are very good quality.  The store is run by volunteers from the Church Women's Union, and all proceeds (around $100,000 per year) are donated to good causes within the community.  

While I believe chores like grocery shopping should be done as efficiently as possible, I consider thrift shopping a relaxing pastime--and a lot of fun!  I never know what I might find!

2. What's your favorite thing to eat?
Dessert of basically any type: chocolate, peanut butter, cheesecake, pie, cake, cookies, brownies, ice cream, etc. (You get the idea.)  I also love my grandma's chili, my mother's mashed potatoes and gravy and turkey, Mrs. D.'s chicken soup, my sisters' concoctions (well, most of them), and the list goes on and on.  Midwesterners know how to cook a good, hearty meal!

3. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia
Since I assume that in answering this question I don't have to concern myself with expenses, we'll have to make it a world tour!  There are many places still on my list to visit in Iowa and throughout the U.S., but I won't waste this once in a life-time opportunity on places that I will probably visit in the next few years anyway.

Let's start our journey with Thailand, where my mother was born.  We'll visit the beautiful white sand beaches in the south, stop by to see my cousins in Bangkok, and then head up to Lamphun, a province in Northern Thailand where my grandfather worked farming rice with oxen, and which, it is said, his ancestors once ruled.  

After enjoying our fill of sunshine in the land of smiles, we can visit the United Kingdom.  Scotland, Ireland, and England are places from which many of my progenitors hailed, so we can visit cemeteries and see the beautiful land where they walked.  If by any chance we get tired of visiting cemeteries, I'm told London has its attractions.  Hopefully it will be foggy just like in all the old movies, and we'll stumble upon the answer to a long-unsolved mystery.  

Next, we'll journey to Germany and see Colditz Castle where the most ingenious re-captured escapees and troublemaking U.S. POWs were held during World War 2.  We'll tour other castles, cathedrals, museums, and palaces, and surprise my cousins there (one of my cousins married a German and lives there--my not-as-numerous Dutch, German, and/or Austrian ancestors are way back: so chances are I won't find any of them).

Finally, we'll head to Venice, Italy, to find out if it's really as fascinating a city as it's famed to be.  We'll try some authentic Italian food--pizza, lasagna, and fettucini!

If we're not too exhausted after that, we can visit Spain and perhaps Peru, so I can practice my Spanish!

Throughout the entire world tour, we'll stop at cafes enroute to meet-up with fellow bloggers and chess players, and chat with the locals.  Now I just need to find travelling companions...
Care to join me?  

 4. Do you like writing letters or emailing best?  It's not in how I write, but in what I write and to whom I'm writing.

 5. Do you have a favorite game? If so, what is it?  Overall: Chess.  Outdoors: Volleyball.
Late summer evenings playing volleyball are great fun, even if I do end up putting the net away in the *dark!*
6. What's your favorite activity to do with your family?  My favorite activities with family are giving concerts, going to chess tournaments, hiking, biking, and playing volleyball. 

 7. Are you musical? If so, what instrument(s) do you play? The guitar & piano, and a little harmonica & accordion.

8. What was the last thing you memorized? F#minor chord on the guitar. 

 9. What's your favorite book of the Bible and why? 
Third Timothy--below are a few quotes from there and Second Colossians:
  "Roll with the punches."
"What goes around comes around."
"The devil is the father of flies"
"Cleanliness is next to godliness."
"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"Do unto others before they do unto you."
"Hard work never hurt anyone."
"God helps those who help themselves."*

*  Just checking to see if you're on your toes.  If you can't find the above books and "verses" in your Bible, I'll choose the gospel of John, from which I was first taught to read, and the books of Psalms and Proverbs.  My answer is due to my recent research in "non-Biblical Bible verses," and I believe real Bible verses surpass them all.

10. What do you want to be when you grow up?  At present I help with my family's concrete business and attempt to write. My dream job is travel writing.  11. What are some of your hobbies?  Blogging, chess, photography, thrift shopping, language learning, reading, music, genealogy, and I'm thinking of taking up philately again.  
2. Do you like doing different hairdos on your hair?  No.

Thanks again, Ashley!  I'm not sure which of my wonderful blogging friends would like to be nominated, so if you would like to participate, consider yourself nominated.  My questions are below.  Feel free to answer in comments or on your own blog (I've provided a one-time link-up below if you'd like to link your answers in).
1.  If you could have an expenses-paid vacation to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
2.  What would you like to accomplish by the end of 2015?
3.  If you had a million dollars, how would you use it?
4.  What are your favorite foods?
5.  What are your favorite quotes and Bible verses?
6.  What is the best advice on life you can give in up to 3 sentences?
7.  What is your favorite place to shop?
8.  What is your dream car and your dream home?
9.  What languages can you speak?
10.  What sayings can you think of that people quote as Bible verses without realizing they're not in the Bible?

59 comments:

  1. Enjoyed learning some new things about you, Bethany. Congrats on the F#m. ♪

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  2. Bethany an inteesting post. I am going to do it at the weekend..

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  3. Your list of favorite desserts made me crave sweets LOL. And I love your list of places that you want to visit. YES you'll love Germany. It's amazing! I would love to see Venice as well. Have a great Wednesday!

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  4. i love that; 'midwesterners know how to make a good hearty meal.' so true. and wow, i loved your world tour. i think that's what id do, there's too many neat places to choose just one!

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  5. gosh, the cheesecake looks great! and that thrift store with an almost-hidden-entry is cool!

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    1. I wish I could eat a piece of that cheesecake now...

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  6. Never tried them, too old now, ha ha ha.

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  7. Bethany,
    Glad to learn about your visit to the Thrift Store.
    I find them so meaningful and helpful.
    They are a great way to recycle goods we no longer need and let someone else have them for a small price.
    In the photo of the store, I am quite attracted to the hat collection, though I know I have enough hats and just one head :)

    Have a Beautiful Day!
    Peace :)

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    1. I do enjoy looking at those hats, but haven't found any practical enough to buy. I think back in the day hats were more of a fashion statement than they are for a lot of us (or at least for me) today.

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  8. this was a fun read bethany!! you took lot's of time and answered the questions well!! i feel like i know you a little bit better!!

    and chess....i would have never guessed (wink)!!

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    1. I know...I am so secretive about my love for chess. ;) (grin)

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  9. Great post! Cheesecake good! You had me until the third line and then I realized that NONE of those quotes are in the Bible. Nice try!

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  10. Wow, this was fun to read. That dessert looked amazing!! BTW, been to Venice and it's amazing!!

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    1. Oooh! That must have been neat! Glad you had the opportunity to go there.

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  11. What a fun post! I really enjoyed reading all about you. You are an extremely talented young lady. I can completely relate to your desire to travel. I'd love to visit many places around the world and experience all the different cultures. Thrift shops are always fun; you find the most incredible deals. Congratulations on your awards. You truly deserve them.

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    1. Thank you, Martha! There is a lot that can be learned about other cultures from people and places that can't be learned quite as well from study and history books.

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  12. Hello Bethany!:) Congratulations on your awards. I have never come across a Thrift Shore here in Portugal, but I would love to look around one. I have visited all the countries you mentioned and know you would love them. Very interesting post, and it was nice to know more about you.

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    1. Sounds like you're an experienced traveller! Interesting that you've never seen a thrift store in Portugal; maybe the concept isn't as popular in other parts of the world.

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  13. Hi Bethany, that was fun learning more about you. I didn't know you played the guitar and piano. Desserts are my favorite thing to eat, too.

    Oh and congrats on your award... :)

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  14. Hello, Beth! Nice answers and it is a great way to learn more about you! I would love to travel around the world, so many places are on my bucket list.. I enjoyed your post!

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  15. I love thrift stores.

    This was a very interesting post. I enjoyed getting to know you a little better.

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  16. I would love to visit that thrift store!

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  17. Bethany, you are one interesting gal! I admire anyone's enthusiasm to see the world, though, until we get a "beam me up" machine, I do not enjoy travel very much.

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    1. Getting a "beam me up" machine sounds like a fantastic idea, Vee! It would make travel so much easier and potentially less expensive! Now we just need to put our heads together and figure out a way to make one!

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  18. This was so much fun to read! I loved being able to learn a bit more about you through this :)

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  19. Oh Bethany! What fun you are! When I saw the picture of that cheesecake my stomach started growling! I would love to visit that thrift store with you! What kind of greeting cards do you collect? Curious minds would like to know. ;) When you get to the UK, give me a call and I'll fly right over! And I loved reading the Bible verse section! :) Actually, though on the serious side of that, I was blessed to see that you learned to read by reading the Gospel of John. My son learned to read the same way.

    Great fun post!

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    1. Oh wow! That is awesome (and very neat) that your son learned to read from the Gospel of John as well! I collect any/all beautiful greeting cards that catch my eye (my sister knows it's best to grab my arm when walking by greeting cards at the store, so I don't get distracted). My collection is always changing as I send some and get new ones.

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  20. I never realized stressed backwards is desserts... No wonder why dessert helps when people are stressed. I love playing volleyball outside too! I may be short, but I'm an okay play, even when the ball bounces directly on my head. And Venice! I want to go someday. My grandmother went to all of the places that you've mentioned; she says Venice is a must, though! And the accordion; lucky! I really want to learn how to play one but there are zero places where I live which have one.

    xoxo Morning

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    1. How neat that your grandma has travelled widely! I'm sure she has many fascinating stories to tell!

      Thankfully volleyballs aren't too hard, but I still don't particularly enjoy having them bounce on my head--and am usually too startled by the experience to give a good return (or as a matter of fact any return). I think I'd like to have you on my team.

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  21. Enjoyed reading your answers. :) I can see why you like that thrift store, and the prices are amazing! Cheesecake looks wonderful! I hope you get to travel to all your selected destinations. I'm fascinated with Venice and Scotland. :)

    Lindy

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    1. Thanks Lindy! They do sound like interesting places ;).

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  22. Congrats on the award! I enjoyed reading all those things about you.

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  23. I enjoyed your answers very much, especially when you said you would like to visit Colditz Castle. There was a British television series I used to watch called "Colditz" in the early 70s. During that time I visited Stirling Castle in Scotland and was told by the docent that many of the scenes were shot there. You can see info on the series here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colditz_%28TV_series%29

    Congrats on your award :)

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    1. Awesome that you would mention the series Colditz, Denise! I've watched 2 or 3 episodes of it on Youtube and thought it was great to see David McCallum, since I really enjoyed watching him as Illya Kuryakin in The Man From U.N.C.L.E..

      Must have been fascinating to see the castle where many of the scenes were shot!

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  24. Wonderful post, Bethany. I love thrift stores. Congratulations on your award. :)

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  25. I really enjoyed reading all your these answers. I loved your photo :) Liuba x

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  26. This is a great post, Bethany! I love thrift shopping as well. I hope you can visit all these countries you've listed one day.

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    1. Thanks Carola! Too bad we don't live closer, so we could go thrift shopping together!

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  27. Thanks for answering my questions Bethany!!! I enjoyed reading your answers. I love shopping at thrift stores too! And I love traveling. I would travel all over the world if I could. :)
    Love,
    Ashley

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    1. Thanks again for the nomination, Ashley! It was a lot of fun responding.

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  28. Fun read! I enjoyed getting to know you even better. Your world tour vacation sounds absolutely delightful - maybe I should be one of your traveling companions. ;) Also, nice job on #9. Those are some great books *cough*. :)

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    1. Yes!!! You should be one of my traveling companions...that would be a lot of fun!
      And @9 *grin.* ;)

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  29. Great answers, I would love to visit Thailand, Italy, England, Scotland and Germany they seem to be great places, love your surprise photo it is very cheerful :), great quotes, you can play 4 instruments :O you are very talented! It is nice getting to know you better... Your questions are very interesting and challenging they will certainly be fun to answer, I would love to do the tag, hoping to make time in the next few days.

    Hope you are having a blessed day.

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    1. If you do get around to it, I'll be looking forward to reading your answers! Have an awesome day as well!

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  30. Great answers to these questions, I like your style Bethany Carson!

    Thrift stores? I can spend hours in Thrift stores, you just never know what you're going to find... Great collection of non Bible verses too! Here's another one for your list, "The Lord hates a coward".

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    1. Thanks, Paul, for the non-Biblical "verse!"

      Thrift stars are fascinating, aren't they?!

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