Um, Honey? Can I be Jubilee for a While?

Bzzz! My sister has recently taken up the new hobby of bee-keeping during this crisis. All my siblings have been rather proactive and have been an inspiration to me. So, honey and bees are the theme of my post today!

As a hardworking busy bee, you can say I’m constantly searching for all sorts of “flowers”: various blogs on WordPress to read. These awards allow me to celebrate the community garden!

For bees, the flower is the fountain of life. For flowers, the bee is the messenger of love.

Kahlil Gibran

I would like to thank Maria Cristina Gino Baroso who has kindly nominated me for the Liebster award. She’s such a warm, friendly woman from the Philippines. I love her hospitable spirit. She features remarkable stories of beautiful people of all shapes and sizes, some overcoming all sorts of adversity. I also enjoy reading her slice of life stories from delicious food to an interesting coin collection. Her questions are featured below:

Image Credit: Image by PollyDot from Pixabay

What do you do first when you wake up every morning?

The morning light trickles in through the blinds. I snap off the nightlight by my window and throw my arms up to do a nice yoga stretch. My back loves it after I had slept like a curled shrimp.

What do you do last before you sleep at night?

Last night, I dozed off to an episode, “The Power of Miracles“, of Morgan Freeman’s TV Series, “The Story of God“. My feelings before going to bed are one of awe and inspiration. The night before I finished the first season of the Arthurian fantasy drama, “Cursed“. Exciting adventures with the fae have been full of suspense and intrigue!

Image Credit: Wallpapercave

Who’s the first person you greet, “Good Morning” when you wake up? What do you like best, coffee or tea, and why?

I greet my roommates once they wake up and start making some tea. Lately, it’s been earl grey or mint. Sometimes, I like a raspberry zinger or citrus tea with honey. Whatever the mood calls for! I love the various herbs, fruit, or leaves in tea that I don’t necessarily get with coffee. I also associate tea with relaxation whereas coffee gets me pumped up for the day. Though there benefits to both, I’m not much a coffee drinker. Though, I love the smell of it!

What do you usually offer your guests when they come visit you?

What I offer guests who stop by is dependent on who it is. Some of my guests are very picky. A few examples are pho, blueberry waffles, banana bread, Dr.Pepper, water/tea, mixed nuts, ginger/sesame candy, Danish cookies, strawberry shortcake.

How would you treat someone who has just disrespect you publicly?

I confront those who publicly disrespect me. I will not let them get away with belittling me and others. I take a moment to collect myself because otherwise my emotions get the better of me. Afterward, I calmly speak my mind and say what I need to say in front of their face. Typically, I cry once I get home to release the tension.

Did you receive a love letter or a friend’s letter? What’s your favorite line from it?

I love getting letters, cards, creative notes whenever, wherever. I’ve kept cards that my classmates have given me when I was 10 years old. Sometimes, I revisit them when I need a reminder. They represent a time and a place, but they always pick me up!

😉 Infatuation letter – My god, though… do you know you are the only girl I’ve ever met who has used the phrase, “but I digress”?

❤ Love letter – But I feel like… I don’t know. I just feel very happy and lighthearted. I have no idea what is coming… yet I’m excited for it anyway. Thank you, Sa. And yes, believe me when I say, I love you.

😀 Letter from a Friend – I got to tell you, Sa, that Birthday Card you sent to me, is a keeper (it goes right into my vault). Thank you. You can’t imagine how it lifted my spirits.

Do you believe that first love never dies?

I believe first love never dies or rather, it’s the memories that don’t die. I will never forget my first love. Random things trigger my memories as they fade in and out. They make me laugh and cry. When I reminisce sometimes, my chest tightens, and it feels like my heart hurts. Other times, my heart is fluttering and beats fast. I’ve grown so much from that experience. We both did, and I cannot go back even though it lingers in my life.

What is your personal mantra and why?

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Having a heart of gratitude for all blessings and the abundance that is unfolding in my life helps me keep things in perspective.

If you’ll be the president for a month, what would you do to end this COVID-19 pandemic?

Coronavirus: 5 things New Zealand got right
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the country no longer has any coronavirus cases. It has also seen very few COVID-related deaths. What has been the key to New Zealand’s success?

DW Made for Minds article

If I were president, I would take a leaf from New Zealand Prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

1) Swift and tough lock down – Decisive actions
2) Consistent, effective communication of rules
3) Ramp up testing capacity and mask production
4) Willingness to learn from science

I’m not sure the American people will respond like the New Zealanders though. Press conferences directly to the public helped achieve public buy-in in other countries

If you’ll be a superhero, who would you be and why?

Image Credit: Pinterest fanart

I got to learn more about Jubilee from X-men this past year. She. Is. Awesome. Wow! Not only is she bubbly and not to mention powerful, this spunky, optimistic character has overcame quite a bit of trauma. Even when she lost her powers, she tenaciously strives to remain a superhero by other means. Fans have shared more of her powers in greater detail. 10 skills that many people may not know about her:

1. Pyrotechnic Energy Blasts – Sometimes, it’ll be nice to see fireworks!
2. Absorb Energy – Always a must have when you working various projects!
3. Explosively Charge Objects – Detonate…maybe I’ll keep this one under wraps. 😉
4. Wondra – Super strength and the ability to fly 100 mph to avoid traffic
5. Force Fields – Resistant to physical injury and protection from earthquakes is nice.
6. Ghost Mode – Pass through substances without getting hurt. HM!
7. Gymnastics – Olympic-level gymnast. Just plain cool!
8. Evade Telepathic Detection – Hide from mental probes.
9. Vampire powers – Need I say more? Accelerated healing power is a nice plus
10. Turn Into Vapor (Mist Mimicry) – I always thought about flying with a cloud

Nominees

It’s hard to find people who haven’t received an award already! You’re not obligated to respond, but I was grateful to have encountered your posts this week.

• Rishika @ cartWdesigns – Her original artwork is a lot of fun to browse!
• Revivedwriter @ revivedwriter.wordpress.com – Brief Whimsical/thoughtful Poems
• Shreya Singh @ Savouring Simplicity – Thoughtful, inspirational articles
• Singhpiyush6089@ The Perceptions Square – Such beautiful photo poetry
• InspireChief @ Lessons Learnt – Shares motivational tips influenced by his first hand experience of owning a business and the army.
• Efrona Mor @ 52 Secrets – Thoughtful posts on love, food, and history
• Anisha @ CrazyNerds – I enjoy her motivational & delightfully random poetry/fiction
• Mae @ From the Pen of Mae Clair -Mystery and Suspense, Flavored with Folklore

Questions

1. Favorite comfort food?
2. First book that made you cry?
3. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
4. Best money you ever spent as a writer?
5. Favorite under-appreciated novel?
6. Bloggers you enjoy reading?
7. Your spirit animal?
8. What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

Thanks for following along. If you want to check out my other Liebster entries to learn more about me, check it out here! Until next time! 🙂 ❤

Image Credit: Just Bee and Me