Liebster!

First, I would like to thank Jane Thrive  who nominated me for the sweet Liebster Award.  The award is for the smaller blogs. Sometimes a niche is just what you need to feel like you're in the right place.
The Liebster Award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers. The goal is to help people find these blogs that are worthy of a bigger following. In German “Liebster” means kindest, beloved, valued, and welcome.

The current rules for accepting this award are:

1.    List 11 random facts about myself.

2.    Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated me.

3.    Nominate 11 more blogs who have less than 200 followers and let them know they’ve been nominated.

4.    Post 11 new questions for those bloggers to answer (if they wish to accept the award—it’s completely optional).

Random Facts About Me 
1. I enjoy and excel in the humanities, which is why I majored in Biochemistry and got my MS in Microbiology
2. Endless summer (Florida, Hawaii, etc.) just seems like forced cheerfulness to me
3. I went to some very fancy schools, but the most famous person I know was a kid from public school
4. Because my parents seriously raised us 3 girls as their sons, I have never questioned my rights or abilities
5. My grandmother had an arranged marriage and bound-feet; she and my grandfather loved each other, madly
6. I minored in dance
7. There wasn't much religion growing up; I became Catholic after Bo was born
8. I didn't groom my brows until my wedding day, and only then because a friend insisted and did it for me
9. I gave myself such a severe cavity that 2 baby teeth fell out and one super-tooth grew back (aka janus tooth)
10. I wanted my father's approval, so claimed his favorite color as mine; I still don't know what my favorite is
11. I'm obsessed with real estate the way some guys are obsessed with sports

My answers  to  Jane's questions…

1.  Who is your favorite character in a book or a movie?

Wittman Ah Sing from Maxine Hong Kingston's Tripmaster Monkey because both the male energy and magical nature of a Chinese-American bicultural protagonist and his thoughtfulness resonate with my own sense of self

2.  Why did you launch your blog? 

I wanted to provide updates about Bo for our given and chosen families, and as a resource for other families, or friends supporting families of children with the same rare congenital disorder as my son, or whose children require the same therapies and interventions

3.  If you could wave a magic wand and change something about your life, what would it be?

I would cure my son's disease

4.  If you could change one decision in the past, what would it be and why? 

I would have let my son keep his pacifier as long as he wanted. Since he doesn't eat for nutrition, he has developed an oral aversion, and that in turn has led his parotids backing up with saliva. If he was still chomping on his paci, his salivary glands would be stimulated enough to produce the appropriate volume of fluid, instead of requiring more OT

5.  Who do you admire and respect the most in the world?

my spouse for patience and kindness surpassing my greatest expectations, and my parents whose loyalty and admiration for each other for nearly 50 years is truly a monument to behold, and President Bill Clinton (it would take too long to explain; maybe in a subsequent blog post)

6.  What is your biggest dream?

That a cure for my son's disease is available in my lifetime

7.  If you were stuck on an island and could only bring three things with you--what would they be?

A solar-powered desalination device, one of those never-ending graphite pen things, and swiss army knife

8.  What is your ideal vacation? 

A vacation rental by the ocean with lots of friends nearby for daily cook-outs

9.  What do you want to be when you "grow up"?

Able to fully live in my present and fully communicate my love and appreciation to each and every soul whom I have the privilege to encounter.

10.  What advice would you give your teenage self?

Take advantage of anything that provides an opportunity for new experiences, except for meanness. Being mean's only result is regret.

11.  You've just been arrested for protesting, what was it for?

Trying to access medicine, medical care, or getting in a health care professional's face for subpar care

My Nominees for the Liebster Award (although apologies if you have more than 200 followers, I can't tell!)

http://beatrixnz.tumblr.com/ because even though we weren't best friends when we had the chance to be, she always had an uncannily mature stick-to-it-ness that appealed to me, even in middle school, and the most magical honey-streaked blonde hair as a perfect counterpoint to an incredible intelligence. Those lucky Kiwis.

http://under-the-sun-365.tumblr.com/ she actually was my best friend (almost 40 years ago, seriously. shut-up)

http://mimismartypants.com/ because she is hilarious and I want to be her best friend

http://caringbridgeclassic.org/pa/malisa/ because of the honesty, heroism and heartbreak of parenting and chronic illness

http://www.anurbanstory.com/ because he is so funny, I actually cry

http://caleighscorner.com/ Caleigh is about the same age as Bo, and like him, is both medically complicated and super smart; her mom's pretty cool, too (I <3 designers="" font="">

http://curbcutsandcocktails.blogspot.com/ meeting Mallory's parents saved both my life, my marriage and Bo; she is kicking a$$, and happens to be the oldest living person with the same condition as Bo

I can't go to eleven. Sorry Liebs.

My 11 Questions for the Nominees

1.  Do you identify with the fish or the school of fish, and why?
2.  Why did you launch your blog? 
3.  If you could wave a magic wand and change something about your life, what would it be?
4. Where are the Snowdens of yesteryear, and what is the best Snowden joke you've seen/heard? 
5.  Do you have to be good to do good (ie does Miles Davis' art become invalid because he was misogynistic and violent)?
6.  What do you think about the Meritocracy?
7.  If you were stuck on an island and could only bring three books--what would they be?
8.  What do you think about books on "tape"? 
9.  What kind of extrovert wants alone time, and do they really need it?
10.  What advice would you give your teenage self?
11.  You've just been arrested for protesting, what was it for?