Catching Up On Some Awards

Hey, readers!

One of the things I love about blogging on WordPress is the camaraderie between us bloggers and the recognitions we pass along.  This community continually recognizes and praises each other for their time and effort they put into their blog(s) and its content with awards that are passed along, as many of you have received I’m sure.  Many of my fellow bloggers have given me such awards over the last few months that because of video games, television, extra curricular activities, and (of all things) movies, I have not yet responded to.  To make up for it, I am going to answer all of the questions from the award nominations.  They are grouped by award. Unfortunately with waiting so long, there are many similar questions asked by different people. That’s on me for waiting so long to do a write up for these. There is a lot to get through so let’s get started, shall we?

Liebster Award

First award is a Liebster Award from Tom of Plain, Simple Tom Reviews:

Favourite Disney Villain? Scar. He’s one of the few villains who actually gets (and keeps!) what he is trying to get.
If you could put one film in a space capsule to be sent off to an alien planet, which would it be and why? My first thought is Alien, but that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.  I would have to choose Toy Story.  A story about friendship can be understood in any language by any culture.
Name a film that too few people have seen, but deserves to be watched. This is a little tough one because I don’t feel like I have watched many films that aren’t widely known.  However, I would say The Cannonball Run.  It is an early 80s road trip comedy that has several of the biggest stars from that time, including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, and many, many more.
Will there ever be a truly great videogame-to-film adaptation? Has there been one already? I think eventually someone will figure it out. Mad Max was enjoyable and Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed (although I wasn’t a huge fan of the latter) did well to capture elements from their sources that are easily recognizable by their fan base.
Which film deserves to be wiped off the face of the earth? Rage. I want that garbage out of here.
Who was your first, or biggest, film/tv crush? I’ve been into Modern Family since season one and have had a crush on Sarah Highland since then. Maybe not my first or biggest but probably my longest.
Which film character’s job would you most want? Not any one character but I would want to be a Jedi. That’s a job, right? Maintaining peace in the galaxy is a very important job.
Would you rather watch paint dry or watch grass grow? Probably watch paint dry. I imagine it wouldn’t take as long.
If it was Groundhog Day and you were able to choose a day to endlessly relive, which would it be and what song would be playing at 6:00 every morning? Definitely Saturday. Anything classic rock.
Hanks, Hardy or Hiddleston? (A big shout out to all the Toms out there!??) After some deliberation, Hiddleston.
And finally, a favourite: which 5 actors/actresses would you have at a dinner party? Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Dwayne Johnson, and Ryan Reynolds.

R. Hayward of Big Face, Small Razor also nominated me for a Liebster Award:

Talk about your favourite cinema, where is it and what does it do that’s so much better than the rest? I’m lucky that I have several theaters I can choose from for going to the theater but my favorite is my favorite for one simple reason: It shows fewer trailers than the others.
35mm or digital? Either, as long as it looks good.
Home or cinema? Both. Going to the cinema is always a blast but, being the introvert that I am, staying at home away from people is nice, too. Plus at home there is a higher chance of cuddling with my puppies and I get less weird looks for wearing lounge pants.
Name the most obscure film you’ve seen. How did you discover it and what could you say about it to get other people to watch it? Being a soccer/football player, I would say Goal II.  I watched in during one particularly long flight. It’s the second film in a trilogy about a soccer player and his rise as a superstar soccer/football player in the UEFA European Champions League. Kuno Becker, who plays the main character, does an emotional job as the character and many real life soccer/football players have cameos.
Think of your favourite director who no longer works (either dead or living) and what you’d like to see them do if they could make one more film. Most of my favorite directors are still directing so I can’t really answer this one. Sorry. 😦
Ever had an idea for a film of your own? I’ve had a few ‘What if’ ideas for existing franchises but nothing really of my own original ideas. At least none that are coming to mind.
What’s are your favourite TV shows: one that is finished, and one that is currently airing? Finished: Whose Line is it Anyway? Current: Modern Family and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (can’t really choose between those two)
What’s your favourite trope in media? Mine, for example, is where someone traces their finger on a map or in a book and then double-taps something of importance to the story. Spit takes always get me to laugh.
If you could wipe any song from history, what would it be? I don’t really have a song I loathe enough to wish is didn’t exist. Movie on the other hand…
What helps you maintain creativity? I joke about procrastinating and doing a bunch of stuff like soccer, video games and watching TV, for reasons why I don’t write as often as others but that is honestly what enables me to keep this blog going and writing (somewhat) decently.  I know people who put a ton of time and effort into their blogs *cough* Kim *cough* because it’s what they love and being busy keeps them going and they continuously turn out great content. I, however, tend to lose focus when I spend too much time concentrating on one thing. By constantly switching between activities, it weirdly helps me focus and remain creative.
Why do you write? I write to connect with others.  Although I haven’t physically met many of you, my writing as allowed me to communicate with you and grow friendships with you I otherwise would not have.

Sunshine Blogger Award

Now onto the Sunshine Blogger Awards. Firstly is Kelechi of Confessions of a Geek Mind:

What’s your favourite 80s film? I’ll go with one of entries for last year’s Ultimate 80s Blogathon and say Airplane!
Who’s your favourite film director? Steven Spielberg
If you could invite up to four celebrities for dinner, who would it be? Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Steven Spielberg, Alan Menkin
Who’s your favourite actor to play Batman out of:

  • Adam West
  • Michael Keaton
  • Kevin Conroy (Animated Series)
  • Val Kilmer
  • George Clooney
  • Christian Bale
  • Ben Affleck

Sonic the Hedgehog or Mario? Tough one. I grew up with both of them but I’d probably say Mario. Sonic hasn’t been doing well the last couple years.
If there was a prop/item from a movie you wish you could own, what would it be? A lightsaber.
What was the last film you watched you fell asleep through? I don’t usually fall asleep during movies unless I am using them as background noise to fall asleep to. And if that’s the case, it is usually a movie I have seen a lot. That being said, I did doze off a little while watching Wild Wild West for the recent Ultimate 90s Blogathon.
If you could guest star in any TV series, what would it be? Modern Family or Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
What’s your favourite hobby besides blogging? I have a few: Playing soccer, rock climbing, and playing video games (I’m really into Overwatch right now).
Dream holiday destination? Italy
If you could change one thing about the Oscars, what would it be? That there was no “Best Picture” category. Instead, have more genres have their own “Best of” category.

Next award is from Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts:

If you could somehow transport yourself into a movie and be a character, who would you be? Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars Saga.
A good book and a good movie are lovingly waiting for you at the same time. Do you read or watch a movie? Watch a movie.
Do you find yourself quoting movies (or books) or singing lines of songs to colleagues (or friends) when an opportune moment presents itself in a conversation or situation? All the time!
Night owl or Early bird? I’m a programmer, ergo night owl.
Which movie from your childhood will you always have a soft spot for even if it isn’t as great as you remember it? Space Jam
What languages do you speak? English (obviously) and some Russian.
What is your perfect holiday destination? Visiting several Italian cities, including Rome, Venice, and Florence.
Have you ever met anyone famous? Yes, Ernie Hudson.
Vampires or werewolves? Vampires
What is your guilty pleasure (book, movie or series)? My guilty pleasure movies are the early Anne Hathaway stuff, like The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada.
If you could transport yourself back in time to live in another era/age, which would it be? I wold love to see Renaissance Europe. Diseases notwithstanding, the growth in the arts and sciences would be something great to witness firsthand.

Next is an award from Renate of Popcorn and Film:

If you could live in any country, which one would it be? I’ve heard good things about Sweden. 😉
Which movie are you most looking forward to watching at the cinema this year? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2Spider-Man: HomecomingRough NightThe Circle, and Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi to name a few.
If you could discuss one movie with a producer or actor, who would it be and which movie would you discuss? Joss Whedon about The Avengers.
In which Hogwarts house do you belong? Hufflepuff
Which is your favorite TV-Show atm? Modern Family and Brooklyn Nine-Nine
If you could write a book about yourself, what would the title be? Drew: The Boy Who Still Has No Idea What He’s Doing
If you could go back to the past and change something in your life, what would it be? (but be warned that changing history can be very dangerous) I don’t know if it would change much but there was a good friend I had in high school that I hesitated to ask out. I would go back and ask her out sooner just to see where that could have gone.
Would you rather go to HogwartsXavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters or Starfleet Academy? Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
Best thing that will happen in 2017? Luke Skywalker will speak again!
The best food from your country that you would recommend everyone to try? An authentic barbecued slab of ribs.
Which movie should everyone watch right now and why? Million Dollar Baby because it tells a great story, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank gave career-best performances (in my opinion) and few movies have left an impact on me the way this one has.

Still with me? Next up is an award from Becky of Film Music Central:

Star Trek or Star Wars? Pfft, Star Wars
Favorite film score of all time? Star Wars, more specifically Return of the Jedi
Which film is going to win Best Picture at the Oscars? A little late for this but based on buzz I would have guessed La La Land.
What is your favorite TV show? Modern Family and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? African or European?
Favorite Disney film (animated OR live-action)? Not including Pixar, Aladdin.
What movie are you most looking forward to this year? As much as I want to say Star Wars: Episode VIII, I’m probably going to say Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Do you have any pets? Yes, 16! A 75-gallon (284 liter) aquarium with 14 fish and two dogs, Vicki “The Grump” and Buck “The Idiot” (but they aren’t in the aquarium).
If you could have ONE superpower, which would it be? Teleportation.
Justice League vs. Avengers vs. Suicide Squad… who comes out alive (I’m thinking of the film versions in this case) I want to say the Avengers but if the Justice League has Super-Man, then they would probably win.

My last Sunshine Blogger Award for this post comes from Allie of Often Off Topic:

If you could add an Award category to the Oscars, what would you add? Either Best Comedy Film or Best Action Film. I don’t think those genres get enough love, particularly for Best Picture, at the awards.
Who is The Last Jedi? Ben Solo
Which Director should take over from Ben Affleck for The Batman? I would love to see someone who was involved with Batman: The Animated Series to take over.
I need a break from Oscar movies. What should I watch this weekend? The Avengers. Or if you want to avoid movies, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
What’s your all time favourite book? This is cheating, as it’s actually three, but The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.
If you were a talk show host, who would be your first guest? Emma Watson and Allie Adkins 😉
What’s your least favourite movie genre? Horror
What movie are you embarrassed to admit you’ve never seen? Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I’ve seen a bunch of clips but never the whole thing.
Is Wonder Woman going to save the DC Cinematic Universe? “Save” might be a bit of a stretch but I’m hoping it will begin to steer it in the right direction.
Which actor/actress do you love enough to see them in anything and everything? Dwayne Johnson / Emma Stone
Which movie would you like to experience for the first time again? This is a great question! I’ve actually written a whole post on this very question before. I would love to watch Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back for the first time again.

Mystery Blogger Award

On to the last of the awards: the Mystery Blogger Award. This award has some other requirements, I covered them in the last Mystery Blogger Award I received. You can go here to check them out. The first Mystery Blogger Award is from Christian of AniB Productions:

What is your favorite animated show and why? (if you can, perhaps from West and East!) As an addendum: Would you like me to write a review of that show(s) if I haven’t already? My favorite Western animated show is the Avatar series (The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra) and my favorite Eastern animated show is One Piece. Sure!
If you’re a sports fan, who do you root for, and do you have any unique stories about being a fan of your team(s) of choice? For football, I root for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos. For Baseball, I root for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers. For hockey, I root for the Detroit Red Wings. And for MLS, I root for the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution. I don’t really have many stories because I don’t follow sports too closely. However, I can recall how I became a Steelers fan. In elementary school, my mom let me invite a few friends over to watch the Sunday game. The Steelers were playing and she bought be a Steelers sweatshirt.  I have been a fan ever since.
What’s your most overrated animated movie or show? I know this will make some people upset but Up.
What would be one live-action show or movie you’d highly recommend to anyone? Million Dollar Baby for something more serious, The Avengers for something more laid back.
What was your motive to start writing a blog? I originally started writing a blog to feel like the time I would spend watching movies was for something other than entertaining my time, that there was a purpose to it.

And this post is going to end as it started, with an award from Tom of Plain, Simple Tome Reviews:

What’s your favourite movie quote? Dude, you can’t do this to me. There are too many! I often will use some of my favorite quotes for my Movie Quote of the Week so go have a look over there.
Which book does everyone need to read, right now? Technically they are graphic novels but Alan Moore’s The Watchman and Marvel’s Civil War (the original 2006 one, not the disappointing sequel from last year)
What would your last meal on Earth be? A big plate of lasagna with some cheese covered broccoli, then strawberry shortcake with whip cream for dessert.
If it was Groundhog Day, what song would play for you every morning at 6 am? I get the feeling this is one of your favorite questions. 😛 “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith.
What have I got in my pocket? That’s not fair. That’s against the rules! Ask another one.

And that’s it! Thanks for sticking around and reading all of it. I hoped you learned something new about yours truly.  Thank you to everyone who nominated me and for your patience.  I’d like to say I’ll do better next time but then I’d be lying. 😛

Until next time, cheers!

A Gift From Wolftsor: The Mystery Blogger Award

Mystery Blogger Award

I come to you today bearing an award! Wolfstor has nominated me for the Mystery Blogger Award. The rules are as follows:

  1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
  2. List the rules.
  3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
  5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
  6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
  7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
  8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
  9. Share a link to your best post(s)

Thank you Wolfstor for the nomination! This was quite a mystery to me and we have only recently been introduced to each other so I’m thankful you thought of me for this award. 🙂

The Mystery Blogger Award was created by Okoto Enigma. You can find out more information about it here.

Before I tell you three things about myself, I’ll first answer the questions Wolfstor asked:

Why are you writing? I’m writing because I like to share my enjoyment of movies with others. However, I’ve kept writing because of all of the great people I’ve met since I started writing for this blog. Talking with so many different people is an experience that drives be to continue.
What is your favorite 80s TV series? Generation One Transformers. Watching it now it’s super corny but it’s corny fun.
What is the worst movie you remember ever watching? Rage. Whatever you do, don’t. Watch. This. Movie.
What is the most beautiful thing in the city you live in? Me!
If you were given a 1000 Dollars/Euros/Random currency of your choice and needed to spend it on ‘fun things’ within 24 hours – what would be the scenario? 🙂 I don’t know if I could spend $1,000 in 24 hours! Things I would definitely do include going to the local zoo, since it is one of my favorite places to go, catch a movie or two at the theater, grab dinner at a “fancy” restaurant, and maybe look online for something to do on a future date and book it (technically that would be spending the money, so loophole!).

Three things about me… hmm…

  1. I’ve mentioned this many, many times but I am an avid gamer.  The most recent multiplayer game I have picked up is Overwatch.  I can’t get enough! The gameplay is great, the characters are diverse and interesting, and Blizzard is continuously coming out with new content. If you play on PC, too, let me know and maybe we can play together sometime!
  2. I rock climb regularly.  My buddy and I try to go a few times a month.  It was something I tried in college and did for a while but then stopped for whatever reason.  About two years ago I convinced my friend to go with me to the local rock climbing gym and we have been going regularly ever since.
  3. I once wrote a review on my phone while sitting in a deer blind.  It was a terrible day and I hardly saw any deer, so to pass the time I wrote a review for the movie I watched the night before.

My nominees are

Allie (Often Off Topic)
Carl (Listening to Film)
Catherine (Thoughts All Sorts)
Film Frenzy
Kim (By Hook or Book)
SG (Rhyme and Reason)

If you are unfamiliar with any of these blogs, I highly recommend you check them out. They all write great content that is worth reading.

For my nominees, your questions are

  1. What is your favorite place you have visited?
  2. What would you do if you had a time machine and didn’t have to worry about the ill effects of time travel?
  3. What was your favorite film released last year?
  4. Why did you start blogging?
  5. If you could live in any fictional universe, which would you choose?

I am particularly fond of this post I wrote shortly before Star Wars: The Force Awakens was in theaters discussing movies I would like to view for the first time again.  I haven’t found a good place to link to it permanently yet.  Last year, I started inviting other bloggers to collaborate on posts with me and I like the way the Ranking the Disney Renaissance Films post turned out, mostly because it deals with the Disney renaissance but also because it was my most popular post featuring a special guest from last year.

And I think that covers all of the acceptance criteria. Thanks again to Wolfstor for the nomination! I enjoyed putting this together and I can’t wait to see my nominees’ answers. 🙂 Anyone is free to answer the questions in the comments below if you’d like, even if you aren’t one of my nominees.

Shameless plug time! If you are interested in participating in the Ultimate 90s Blogathon, hosted by Kim from Tranquil Dreams and myself, you can find all the information here.

Until next time, cheers!

A Gift From Kira: The Sunshine Blogger Award

Sunshine blogger award

What a way to kick of Year Four! The fantastic Kira from Film and TV 101 has nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger award. The criteria for accepting the award is pretty simple:

  • Post the award on your blog
  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • Answer the 11 questions they set you
  • Pick another 11 bloggers (and let them know they are nominated!)
  • Set them 11 questions

So, thank you Kira for the nomination! Kira writes about all sorts of films and has recently expanded onto twitter and her own youtube channel. Go check out her site when you get a chance. Her questions for me are:

What is your favorite film? The Avengers
What is your least favorite film? I don’t know how to answer this but the worst movie I have seen and reviewed is Rage.
Who is your favorite movie villain? Scar from The Lion King
Who is your favorite movie hero? Probably John McClane from the Die Hard series
What do you think should be the number one all-time greatest film (NOT your favorite) Million Dollar Baby
What is your favorite TV show? My current favorites are Modern Family and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. However Whose Line Is It Anyway? is one of my all-time favorites.
What is your least favorite TV show? I don’t really have a least favorite TV show because if I don’t like a show after a few episodes I stop watching it.
Who is your favorite TV villain? It’s always changing but the Reverse Flash from Flash season 1.
Who is your favorite TV hero? The Flash to go with my TV villain choice.
What is your favorite TV title sequence? Oh, that’s a tuffy. Almost anything from the 80s is great just because of its cheesiness.
Film or TV? I like both a lot. I seem to be one of the few who still watch shows as they air on TV. Both are good at telling great stories in their own unique way.

Looking back, the last time I did an award write-up was early last July, which means I haven’t accepted any awards at all in the past year! So to thank those who nominated me for an award during that time, I’m nominating you for this award to pass along my thanks:

Vinnie (vinnieh) (Creative Blogger Award)
Mesh (Mesh the Movie Freak) (Dragon’s Loyalty & Versatile Blogger Awards)
Evelyn (Films & Series: What about them?) (Liebster Award)
That Other Critic (That Other Critic) (Liebster Award)
Tom (Plain, Simple Tom) (Liebster Award)

I would also like to nominate those who have been special guests (or blogathon co-host) on my blog so far this year:

Ashley (Box Office Buzz)
Kim (Tranquil Dreams)
Emma (Emmakwall (explains it all))
Jenna and Allie (Flick Chicks)
Rob (Movierob)
Natasha (Life of this City Girl)

And for you, my nominees, if you don’t participate in awards, I understand. For those of you who do, here are your questions:

  • Who is your favorite actor?
  • Who is your favorite actress?
  • Do you prefer to have a physical DVD/Blu-Ray disk or a digital copy?
  • Do you prefer special editions or are you content with just having a copy of the film?
  • What is your favorite place you have traveled?
  • What is your favorite place to travel to in your town?
  • If a genie could grant you one wish, what would it be?
  • If you could have any super power, what would it be?
  • What made you decide to start blogging?
  • What are you proud of most about your blog?
  • What have you learned from being a blogger?

Thanks again to Kira for the nomination! I can’t wait to see the answers from my nominees. 🙂

Cheers!

A Gift From That Other Critic: The Liebster Award

The Liebster AwardA huge ‘Thank you’ to That Other Critic for this nomination.  I’ve only recently started following him but we have become good blogging friends.  If you don’t follow him yet, please go check out his site (after finishing this article of course).  He writes some great in-depth movie reviews that are a delight to read. The rules for the Liebster Award this time around are as follows:

  • Thank the blog who nominated you and link back to them.
  • Nominate up to 11 other bloggers to receive the coveted award.
  • Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
  • Tell your readers 11 random facts about yourself.
  • Give the nominees 11 questions to answer on their blog when they post their nomination.

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, I would just like to mention that this is the fastest turn around I have done on an award, so I hope you feel special Critic. I guess it helps that I was on vacation this week. Anyway, here are the questions posed by Critic and my answers:

  • What is a movie/series that is considered a cultural landmark that you’ve never seen?  I don’t like to admit it but I have never seen any of the Lord of the Rings films.  That may change soon, though, because a friend of mine heard, freaked out, and offered to watch the trilogy with me (the full four hour editions).
  • What is a movie that everyone loves, that you hate?  I’m going to have to go with something more recent and say Nightcrawler. I wouldn’t say I hated it, I feel Gyllenhaal should have been nominated for best actor, but I didn’t think it was as amazing as almost everyone else says it is.
  • Alternatively, what’s a movie that everyone hates, that you love?  I know they are flawed, but I really enjoy the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy and am a proud defender of them. Could they have been better? Most certainly. But they are what they are and still have their qualities.
  • What’s your favorite book of all time?  The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.
  • If you were born in a different era, which would you want to have been born in?  The late 1970s and 1980s. Many of my favorite bands are from that era and I would have loved to see many of them during their prime.
  • Who is your favorite director?  Easy, Steven Spielberg.
  • If you ever directed/wrote a film, what would it be about? What genre would it be?  I’m not sure what a film written/directed by me would be about but it would probably be either a fantasy or science-fiction movie.
  • What is your biggest pet peeve?  When people take food off my plate without asking. I’ll share my food, just ask me first!
  • What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?  Another easy one, Airplane!. I could watch that movie over and over and laugh every time.
  • What is your favorite movie in each of these genres:
  • Is there a film that was a challenge to watch the entirety of for you, that you watched anyways? If so, what is it?  I’m pretty good at watching a movie the whole way through. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve stopped a movie without finishing but I don’t remember what they were. I don’t walk out of theaters because I paid for the ticket so I’m not going to leave.

Now here are a few random facts about me:

  • I have The Mummy and The Mummy Returns on every format since their release and plan on keeping that going.
  • I try not to splurge often. However, every year I buy a ton of fireworks for the Fourth of July.
  • I collect keychains.
  • I also collect labels of the beers I drink.  It’s much less space-consuming than keeping the entire bottle.
  • I love apple juice, like borderline addicted.
  • I have a stutter.  It’s strangely and annoyingly inconsistent. I’ve learned ways around it but it is still a pain in the neck sometimes.

Here are my nominees:

Finally, my questions for my nominees:

  • Can you wiggle your ears?
  • Do you watch any web series? If so, what’s your favorite one?
  • What is the first movie you remember watching in the theaters?
  • Do you prefer 3D or 2D movies or are you indifferent?
  • Do/Did you play any sports? Which ones?
  • What is your favorite card game?
  • What is your favorite board game?
  • What is your favorite video game?
  • If you had a time machine and could go back in time without consequence of messing up the future, where and when would you visit and why?
  • Do you have a motto or mantra?
  • What is your favorite thing about blogging or being a blogger?

Thanks again to That Other Critic for the nomination and I can’t wait to see what my nominees come up with!

Cheers.

A Gift From Khalid: Dragon’s Loyalty Award

Dragons Loyalty AwardWow, another award! I don’t think I deserve all these, but hey, I’m not going to argue.  This award comes from Khalid over at The Blazing Reel.  Khalid offers many different features on his site so I highly recommend you go check it out.  The rules are as follows:

  • Display the award on your blog
  • Announce your win with a post and link the blogger who awarded you
  • Present 15 deserving bloggers with the award
  • Link your awardees in the post and let them know of their being awarded
  • Write seven interesting things about you

Khalid, you and I have only recently started following each other, but thank you for the nomination!

I’m going to do something slightly different but I will explain in just a moment. I had trouble coming up with facts about myself I haven’t used in my other awards, so this took me time to think of some new stuff. I managed to think of a few things, so here are seven facts about myself:

  • I am a web developer. I’ve been web programming for about five years and I’ve been a programmer for about eight years. I enjoy (almost) every minute of it.
  • I can’t write English cursive.  It’s not that I don’t know how, it’s just that when I do, I switch to writing Russian cursive. In high school, I only wrote cursive in my Russian language class. So after a few words I switch languages. I still write English words, just with the Russian letter equivalent (so “p” becomes “п”, “d” becomes “д”, etc.). It’s not as bad now but I have to concentrate more on what I’m writing.
  • I don’t mind when things are messy but I don’t like it when things are dirty.
  • I recently bought a new fish tank.  I upgraded from a 20-gallon aquarium I’ve had for almost 15 years to a 75-gallon aquarium.
  • I learned how do drive a manual transmission car only just recently. I wanted to learn so when I bought my car several months ago, I bought a stick shift so I would be forced to learn and keep up with it.
  • I have come to the conclusion that no one has a cute yawn.  You may have a cute sneeze or cute laugh or cute something else, but you do not have a cute yawn. I’m sorry, you just don’t.
  • I describe myself as an extroverted introvert.  I thought I created that term but then I heard other people say it and realized I’m not that special. What I mean by “extroverted introvert” is that I am an introvert but I have some extroverted tendencies.  If someone is really interested, I can talk about it in the comments, but I’d be here for a while if I started listing all the nuances. I’ve also seen the term “outgoing introvert” to describe this type of behavior.

Now, as for that “something different” I mentioned, I’m not going to nominate anyone. Whenever I see the Dragon’s Loyalty Award passed around, I think of it as a recognition to loyal followers of that blog. So going with that thought process, instead of nominating 15 bloggers, I’m going to list 15 20 bloggers who I would consider loyal followers. These aren’t loyal followers like a cult… maybe… (PS, I made some Kool-Aid for you guys)… but I constantly see their presence on this blog. I wouldn’t have kept up with this blog for nearly two years if people weren’t reading.  This is a giant thank you to everyone listed here:

If you feel left out, I am truly sorry. My initial list was waaaaay longer and I had a very hard time narrowing it down to 15, so that’s why I have included an extra five. But really, a HUGE Thank You to those of you (both listed and not listed) who continually come back to Drew’s Movie Reviews week after week. I wouldn’t be here without you! 😀

Thanks again to Khalid for the nomination.

Cheers!

A Gift From Justine: The Versatile Blogger Award

Versatile Blogger AwardI really need to get on top of things (I seem to say that a lot…).  The wonderful Justine from Justine’s Movie Blog nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award nearly two months ago.  Here I am to finally accept it.  I guess there are some rules I have to follow:

  •  Post the award on your site
  •  Thank the person who nominated you
  •  Share 7 facts about yourself
  •  Nominate 15 blogs
  •  Link to your nominees’ site

Thank you Justine for the nomination!  If you have never been to her blog, go check it out! Or even if you have, go again.  She writes some pretty great movie reviews and keeps you up-to-date on the comings and goings of films on Netflix.  Now, a few facts about me:

  • Apparently I have never said this here on my blog before, but I am a redhead.  I also have blue eyes.  This is a rare combination since both traits are recessive genes.  That’s right, I’m a rare species!
  • The three subjects I consider myself the most knowledgeable in are the Marvel comics universe, Star Wars (both the movies and the fictional universe before Disney cleared it), and aquariums.  The first two of which I can’t really do anything with.
  • I have always had potted plants indoors, but last year I tried my hand at outdoor gardening (not landscaping, that I’ve done before).  It’s been a blast so far.  My flower beds are doing great and this year I put in a strawberry patch which is doing quite successful at the moment.
  • I’m from the US but I say “bloody” all the time (it seems to be very uncommon here).  I started saying it as a way to not curse around my younger siblings and it eventually crept into my every day rhetoric.  People who haven’t talked with me much often call me out on it.
  • I watch Wheel of Fortune on a regular basis.
  • I’m an avid gamer.  I don’t discriminate, I play on consoles, PC, and handhelds.  Anyone want to exchange 3DS and/or Wii U friend codes?
  • I agree with Justine that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the best video game of all time.  It’s my favorite video game for sure, although I did enjoy its sequel, Majora’s Mask, quite a bit and have heard some compelling arguments why it’s better than OoT.

Here are my nominations for the Awesome Versatile Blogger Award

If you don’t participate in awards, I understand. I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for being awesome! 🙂

Phew, and that finally does it. Thanks again to Justine for the nomination!

Cheers.