Forty Questions

I have been remiss. Nikki-Ann over at Notes of Life tagged me to do a meme some time ago but I haven't got round to doing it until now. It's a basic Q&A meme, which turned out to be quite amusing to do despite one or two of the questions being a little strange. We start off with smelly cheese and travel through guns, fizzy pop, sheets, pirates, Christmas songs, items of clothing, drink and end on funerals. How about that for a mixed bag?

1. Do you like blue cheese?
Only if it's not bright blue all over.

2. Have you ever done something you regretted?
Far too many. I am human!

3. Do you own a gun?
I'm British so this is a weird question. I'm not a gangsta rappa!

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite?
Don't have this in the UK but I liked Cherryade as a kid. I like Lilt now and diet coke or tonic are my mixers of choice.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Anything medical gives me the heebie jeebies. After all, you're not there on the whole because everything is fine.

6. What do you think of hot dogs?
I think they should lie in the shade!

7. Favorite Christmas movie?
Die Hard or Scrooged.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Water or juice.

9. Can you do push ups?
Kinda.

10. Favorite hobby?
Photography and Western Martial Arts.

11. Do you have A.D.D.?
No. But I think far too many people are diagnosed with it these days.

12. What’s one trait you hate about yourself?
I find it hard to ask for help.

13. Middle name?
Yes.

14. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
I don't know what to write; I'm tired; I'm hungry!

15. Name 3 drinks you regularly have?
Water, Coffee and Wine (not all together).

16. Current hate right now?
Poor manners. Always poor manners.

17. Favorite place to be?
In my head.

18. How did you bring in the New Year?
I was at home watching a film and having a nice glass of sparkling wine.

19. A place you would like to go?
Too many to mention!

20. Name three people who will complete this:
I don't like to tag but if anyone reading wants to do this then please feel free and let me know in the comments.

21. Do you have slippers?
Yes. Furry and warm.

22. What shirt are you wearing?
I'm not. I'm wearing a plain black long sleeved T-shirt.

23. Do you like sleeping on satin?
No.

24. Can you whistle?
Nope, much to my chagrin. I tried so hard as a child. I had loads of people try and teach me but I. Just. Can't. Do. It.

25. Would you be a pirate?
Definitely! A kind of Robin Hood type.

26. What songs do you sing in the shower?
Whatever is in my head at the time.

27. Favorite girl’s name(s)?
My own.

28. What’s in your pocket right now?
Nothing.

29. Last thing that made you laugh?
Can't remember, I laugh a lot.

30. Favourite bed sheets as a child?
This is a really odd question to me. I didn't have any favourites, I just had cotton sheets.

31. Worst injury ever?
I broke both bones in my lower leg as a toddler.

32. Do you like where you live?
It's okay.

33. How many TVs do you have in your house?
Two.

34. Who is your loudest friend?
You want a decibel reading?

35. How many dogs do you have?
A small stuffed fluffy one but no real ones.

36. Does someone have a crush on you?
Doubt it but how would I know?

37. What is your favorite book?
Lord of the Rings or Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

38. What is your favorite candy?
We don't call it candy in the UK but it has to be chocolate, the really good stuff.

39. Favorite Sports Team?
Don't have one. I would rather participate than watch others do things.

40. What song do you want played at your funeral?
Wonderful World.

Hope you enjoyed reading. Let me know if you do this one and I'll pop by :)

Sixth of Sixth

I have been tagged by Pink Dogwood over at Wandering Mind to share a picture and talk about it.

Specifically I have to locate the sixth picture in my sixth folder and talk about it. Not in a descriptive sort of way, but what it means to me, why I took this picture and why I kept it.

The way my photos are grouped at the moment meant that this one of Times Square in New York is the sixth photo in the sixth group of photos (I use iPhoto so my pics are grouped).


I had long wanted to visit New York. It is a city I had seen so much of and heard so much about without ever setting foot in it. It is in so many TV programmes and films that you can't help but feel you know the place. I had to see for myself though. I wanted to look out of my hotel room at night and see if the city did sleep and if it really is like it is in the movies.

One of the first places I visited after checking into my hotel was Times Square. It was early evening in November and I couldn't wait to explore despite being tired and hungry. So off I went in search of food and I found it along with bright lights and flashing adverts and people and yellow cabs and noise and bustle and music. I couldn't believe I was actually there. I took a few pics and then found coffee and food before heading back to my hotel where I also took in Grand Central Station and a fine view of the Empire State Building. I was actually in New York. Wow.

I would love it if some of my blog friends could do this fun little meme. It can be a nice quick one to do! I therefore break my 'no tagging' rule and tag:

Melody of 'Biglittlesister'
Diane of 'Forks of the Moment'
Randall of 'Musings from the Hinterland'
Kenju of 'Imagine...'
Rashbre of 'Rasbre Central'
and Nikki-Ann of 'Notes of Life'

Don't feel you have to though. If anyone else wants to do this then I'd love to see what you post!

'D' meme

Todays post is bought to you by the letter 'D'. I always quite liked word games and word play, and while this isn't strictly either it is a meme based on words, based on an assigned letter. I happened across it on one of my regular jaunts to 'Imagine' where the delightful Kenju had just been assigned the task of completing this meme using the letter 'M'. It's deliciously simple too. If you would like to play along simply ask me for a letter and then list as many or few words starting with that letter that mean something to you and say why.

Kenju gave me 'D' which perplexed me at first. A lot of words beginning with 'D' have negative connotations. Flicking through my dictionary it was all 'dis' this and 'dis' that. I was at first a little dismayed and disillusioned (see what I mean?) but only for a split second as I love a challenge. Heck, if it was easy there would be no fun. This is what I came up with:

December ~ This is a month I always love. I always had wonderful Christmas's as a child and the joy and warmth of them has always stayed with me. I love giving gifts, and of course receiving them. I love the whole anticipation of the advent period. People are perhaps a little nicer to each other and I just wish this goodwill could last all year (yes, I can be so naive). Is it really that hard to say please and thank you and to hold a door for someone the rest of the year too?

Degree ~ I have one! In fact I have two as I got my Masters Degree too. My first degree was a BSc in Psychology and I swore at the time that that was it for me and exams, then five years ago I started studying part-time for my MBA. I passed it last year and because of all the crap going on in my life it is only just coming home to me now that I did it. I guess I needed space in my head to notice my achievement (if that makes any sense). I actually attend my graduation ceremony this May. Why shouldn't I have a bit of pomp and ceremony?

Demonstrative ~ Something I'm not unless I know you well. I know I'm European but we don't all go round kissing each others cheeks. I'm British don'tcha know thankyouverymuch. I have also never been one for grand gestures either. It's the little things in life that count to me. Letting someone know they are appreciated, saying thank you, sending a cheer up text when you know someone is down, a genuine offer of help, a compliment, a phone call or email, a card on someone's birthday or just taking the time to listen to someone. These are all things I appreciate and which I try to bestow on those I love. I can do the grand gestures too, the big presents etc. but for me at least, it's the little things that say 'I care'.

Doctor ~ I've seen a lot of these over the last 3 years. First I had Fibroids which I needed surgery for (twice) and lately I have had thyroid surgery. Add into the mix three chest infections this last year (one bout I got a secondary infection and it lasted 6 weeks!) then I should have frequent flyer miles. Needless to say, I'm hoping my future will involve far less doctors than of late, though first I have to find out what Hector (the thyroid lump) was and if I need more treatment.

Diet ~ Something I was constantly on from my mid teens all the way through my twenties. Dieting formed an unhealthy relationship with food and since then I have come to understand that it's more important to eat properly and to exercise.

Divorce ~ A very messy time of my life which left me hurt and bewildered. I still don't know how you can be with someone for 14 years and not know how awful they can be. Divorce is far more than the break-up of a marriage and the division of assets. It's about loss. The loss of things you previously believed in, the loss of your stability and security and the loss of friends. It's also about a new beginning though.

Doll ~ I Hated them! I was (apparently, as I do not recall) bought a beautiful doll for Christmas when I was about 2 years old by an aunt. To this aunts horror, I unwrapped the gift, opened the box and grasping the doll by the leg, flung it over my shoulder and proceeded to play with the box it came in until it fell apart. I never caught the Barbie bug and much preferred my Lego, or to draw, paint and read. I loved my Teddy though.

Donate ~ I'm not one to harp on about what I do for charitable causes. There are many people out there who do far more than me but I like to think I do my bit. I have long supported some charitable causes of my choice through regular donations via direct debit. They can always count on my money turning up every month which (along with other donations) helps them plan projects far more effectively. I also support Operation Christmas Child which sends shoe boxes full of small gifts to underprivileged children. I co-ordinate this for the team at work and this last Christmas we sent 28 boxes. It feels good to help.

Drama ~ Throughout my twenties I worked in the theatre business doing Stage Management and Lighting (and some Sound). It was without a shadow of a doubt the best of times and the worse of times. I started by doing voluntary work with a Youth Music Theatre group and ended up getting my Equity card. My first show was 'Maggie May' by Lionel Bart and my first professional show was 'Singing in the Rain'. Since then I have toured and worked such wonderful shows as 'Fame', 'Les Mis', 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Buddy', 'Evita', many operas and ballets and so many more. It opened me up to many things I would never have otherwise seen, both on stage and off!

And finally:

Discombobulate ~ A state I sometimes find myself in and a favourite word of mine.

I am now Done! If you would like to have a go simply tell me in the comments and I will assign you a letter (or you could pick a letter yourself but blogging is all about the interaction for me). Easy peasy lemon squeazy right?

Health update: I will be back at work on Monday but have arranged to do shorter days building up to full days with some working from home. The wound is healing nicely :) Thanks again for all the well wishes. I really have appreciated your thoughts. Thank you.

If you are here for Camera Critters, then please visit my photo blog by clicking on the photo in the side bar or *here*.

Escapism

As a child my nose was always in a book. Even before I could read properly I would look at the pictures and tell the stories from memory. I got my love of books from my parents who would read to me at bedtime. Books became some of my most treasured possessions and I have always had great difficulty parting with any to make room for more. They represent knowledge, ideas and possibilities. They are full of experiences that otherwise would never be open to me, they offer the thrill of danger from the safety of my sofa and I get to travel on a journey with people whom I get to know as the story unfolds.

When I was studying for my MBA I had trouble finding time to read for pleasure. My spare time was taken up with essays, projects and reading text books and journals as well as finding time for everyday matters. I studied for 5 years and in that time I probably only got through a few books. I am now getting back into reading for pleasure. For me this is very different to the type of reading I do for studying or work where I scan read for pertinent information. When I read a book for pleasure I like to digest every word, to catch every nuance and build a picture in my mind of the land I am visiting and the people I meet there.

It seemed apt then, when I came across this meme at the lovely Diane's at Forks of the Moment (a blog well worth visiting). Taking part is simple:

Display the badge on your blog and pass it on to five other bloggers. Tell them to open the nearest book to page 46. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences. The closest book, not the coolest, or the one you think will sound the best. THE CLOSEST!!!

The book next to my bed is currently 'The Winter King' by Bernard Cornwell. It is the first book in the Warlord Chronicles Trilogy and according to the cover it 'sheds new light on the Arthurian legend, combining myth with historical accuracy and the brutal action of the battlefield'. Cool. So here is what is on page 46:

'I have been instructed ,' she told Morgan, and when Morgan shrilly demanded by whom, Nimue just smiled. Morgan was double Nimue's size and twice her age, but when Merlin had taken Nimue to his bed the power in Ynys Wydryn passed to her and in the face of that authority the older woman was helpless. She still objected to my going.

If you want to know more then you'll just have to read the book, but it is a compelling read with a great feel to it. Isn't escapism great?

I am not going to tag anyone but if you would like to do this meme then feel free and I will come and take a look. Don't forget to display the lovely button!

Meme and you.

Smiler (From Smiler with love), has tagged me with a meme that has had my brain ticking over. You see, the meme is about blogging and asks me to: “Answer the following question: “What do you expect from your blog?” Try to be as specific as possible. Avoid warm-fuzzy answers unless that really is your thing.”

Well, warm-fuzzy is not usually my thing, but I'm afraid this might err on the side of warm and perhaps some slight fuzziness. I am currently approaching my 200th post on this blog and the truth is I really couldn't say why I blog or what I expect from it, or actually to be precise I don't have a single clear reason. There have been times when I have thought about stopping blogging; times when 'real life' has been too hectic or stressful and blogging has been another thing on a list of things demanding my attention. Yet, I have carried on and so it evidently is something I value. If I value something then I must either want something from the experience or it is serving some purpose and it therefore follows that I have expectations, even if they are not explicit, even to me. Seeing as Smiler asked so nicely, I dug around in the recesses of my mind and came up with the following:

1. Somewhere to express myself: When I started to blog, it was when my marriage was breaking up and yet that was something I did not blog about. Even to this day, I do not blog much about deeply personal things on the whole. I think it's because I live my 'real life' all the time and my blog is somewhere where this can largely be left behind. I can use it as a filter to share the less mundane parts of my life. The parts like my days out, my photography, things I find funny and interesting, general thoughts. I can leave work and all my other trials and tribulations the other side of the screen and use my posts to filter out something I hope others enjoy sharing with me.

2. To connect with others: Having said I don't post about personal things, sometimes real life can be all consuming and it does leak onto my blog from time to time and I have been more comfortable doing this knowing I have some blog friends out there who visit me regularly and are supportive. They offer kind words and comfort without ever having met me. I find this amazing and very much life affirming.

3. To be a safe place to be creative: I have found my blog to increasingly be a great place to post the photographs I take. I'm no photographer, but I love taking pictures and sharing what I see through the lens through my photos. If someone likes my pictures it gives me a great boost. Photography is important to me, it is a creative part of my life that is an antidote to my work and to my studying. I expect my blog to be somewhere I can share it.

4. To interact and network: Finally, I blog because I have come to enjoy the interaction with fellow bloggers and other visitors to my blog. I like reading the comments, value the feedback, and I like returning the visits. As time has gone on I love the fact that I have blog friends from far away countries that I would never otherwise have got the chance to 'meet'. So, the networking aspect of blogging is something I truly appreciate about my blog.


On this note, while visiting over at 'Musings from the Hinterland' I found out that apparently it is 'National Blog De-lurking Week', (yes, I know I am a little late but there is plenty of week left), which is a time for Klingons to de-cloak, rabbits to jump out of hats, mirages to become real and for whoever is lurking in the shadow of my blog to say hello. I guess what I am really saying is "Is anyone out there"? If you are a lurker here then it would be great if you would leave a comment and say hi. In return I would like to thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my rambling thoughts, and that goes equally to my non-lurking blog friends :) You are always welcome.

If anyone wants to do the meme then I would love to read your answers to the question. I'm not tagging anyone so juts let me know in the comments and I will come over and take a look!

Interview with a Bob-Kat

I'm still at a loss for words. Well, actually I'm not as such. there is far too much going on in my head that I am trying to make sense of. I suspect that there is little sense to be made of it all, but that doesn't stop my mind chasing it's imaginary tail, trying to figure it all out. It's been an upsetting and unsettling time for me. This weekend has been awful.

Rather than dwell on these things here I thought I would answer these interview questions I found over at Panthergirls, who is a fellow baked bean hater. There should be a club. Apparently these ten questions are posed to guests on James Lipton's "Inside the Actor's Studio" show. You can check out Panthergirls answers *here*. Here are mine:

What is your favourite word?
That would have to be ‘discombobulate’. Which is how I have been feeling lately among other things.

What is your least favourite word?
It’s not one I would like to put on this blog, I dislike it that much. Otherwise, I don’t much like ‘mucus’. It sounds too much like the stuff it describes. The stuff is pretty awful too.

What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]?
Integrity. Which sadly seems to be becoming a scarce commodity in society. I like it in art, entertainment, politics and society. If I sense integrity in something I instantly warm to it.

What turns you off?
Stupid people who cannot have an adult discussion and resort to foul language. There is no reasoning with them and they seem to think that just because someone has a different point of view, they can verbally abuse them.

What sound or noise do you love?
Besides music, I suppose the noise I love is the dawn chorus. It reminds me of my early morning paper round when I was a kid. I used to love watching the world wake up as the sun came up.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Screaming children. The sort that occurs in supermarkets or other public spaces and rips your nerves apart as it’s so loud and shrill.

What is your favourite curse word?
‘Bloody’. Though I don't swear much.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Writer or artist. I would love something where I could create something that other people would enjoy and that I could step back with pride and say “I did that”.

What profession would you not like to do?
Cleaner. I hate cleaning so I really wouldn’t do anyone else’s. Ironically, I do like things to be clean though. Isn’t life cruel?!

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
'Don't panic'.

Hopefully my head will sort itself out soon and normal service will be resumed. Afterall, I still have some Vienna photos to sahre with you.

Looking back

A strange feeling came over me last week as I opened an email from 'B' at 'Burnt Offerings'. Why? you might ask, and I shall tell. I have 'bumped' into 'B' several times at Michele's Meet 'n' Greet and it's been nice to say hi. My curiosity was therefore piqued when 'B' sent me an email. On reading I was at once flattered, horrified and surprised. The first because 'B' wanted to know more about me, horrified as this doesn't look like an easy meme to do and surprised as I couldn't think why someone might want to know more. So you could say I felt a bit 'flatter-horri-prised'. Or something.

Anyway, after my initial feelings I am sticking with being flattered that someone wants to learn more and just hope that they aren't disappointed! My main problem with compiling this is that the meme asks you to look through old posts to illustrate certain aspects of your life and I have far from covered many things in my blog. There is far more to me than appears in these virtual pages. As I suspect is true for all of you. Anyway, here goes:

Link One: Family - I don't write much about my family. There are several reasons for this. When I first started this blog it was as a sort of outlet. I am still not sure for what though. My marriage was breaking down and I was having health problems (due to fibroids which left me anaemic and often in excruciating pain and required anti-hormone therapy (a whole bunch of laughs) and surgery, twice). I didn't write about this though as I think I wanted somewhere where these things weren't. I know it sounds odd. So I never really meant to share personal stuff, just bits and bobs from my life and then photographs from day trips and holidays and other stuff. However, as I started to make some blog friends I opened up more.

I thought I would link back to the post where my family were affected by the recent flooding in the UK and my mother was in hospital again due to her recent problems with her back and legs which can be viewed here. Mum is till having problems but she has now seen the specialist who has recommended various treatments. We are awaiting them to be given the go ahead. Fingers crossed as it sounds like this might truly help her if she isn't turned down.

Link Two: Friends - This one is especially difficult as I do not write about my friends. However, I have made several blog friends. You know who you are :) I have even started to exchange emails with a couple and it is always a thrill to find an email from them. So the post I will link back to is my last birthday where I had a virtual party and my blog friends bought me virtual presents (some of which I must still post about as they were all wonderful!). You can relive the party experience here.

Link Three: Yourself - I went back to a post I did last year for this one. I chose this one as it says a lot about me. I had just been for a weekend away in Plymouth, which is the city where I went to university and also lived for a few years afterwards. I loved living there. The post also says something about my sense of humour and my outlook on life. Lastly the place featured in the post was always one of my favourite places to visit when I lived down there. You can read about it here.

Link Four: Something I Love - I borrowed his name for my blog and he has been my constant companion for 16 years. I adopted him while I still lived in Plymouth and at first he wasn't sure he wanted to live with me. He had been stray and I suspect he had been mistreated too. After several hours he made up his mind and he came to sit with me. We looked at each other and an understanding passed between us. Ever since then he has followed me around like a puppy and is the best cat ever! You can read about one way he 'helps' me here and the photo is a nice one of him.

Link Five: Anything at All - I love to travel. I have a very long list of places I want to go and I suspect that I will never have time to see them all. Last year I went to somewhere I have wanted to visit for a looooong time. It is probably the most recognisable place on earth due to it being in so many films. I has been a scene of great tragedy, and is a huge melting pot of cultures. It is New York. I must go back sometime but you can view a post I wrote about it here. Have a look as I was really pleased with the photos!

So there you have it. It was quite a challenge putting this together but it was also enjoyable to look through past posts. Kind of like looking through an old diary or photo album. I am supposed to tag five people with this meme but I generally don't do tags. So if you fancy doing it, go ahead and then let me know and I will pop on over for a look.

Update: I was absolutely thrilled and flattered to find that Michele had made me her site of the day. It made me smile which is not a bad way to start the day! She also said some terribly nice things about me so thank you for the compliment. If you have been sent here by Michele then thank you for taking the time to visit. Do please feel free to look around my blog. You'll find various things including random thoughts, things that are going on in my life and photographs I have taken on days out and on trips. If you haven't been sent here by Michele then let me return her compliment. Go and see Michele. She is talented and witty and her site is a wonderful place to meet other Bloggers. You'll find her link at the top of this post or in my side bar. Thanks!

Random Stuff

Misti visited me to wish me belated birthday greeting and left me with a tag to list 8 random things about myself. Sounds easy right? But it is actually quite hard as I am trying to think of things I might not have shared before, I'm definitely not listing some things (too personal for public consumption or too embarrassing) and I also want them to be interesting enough that you don't nod off before you get halfway through. A tall order as am not sure what on earth you would want to know if indeed you are at all interested! Anyway here goes...

1. I have never been on a roller coaster. Come to think of it I have never been down a water slide or tube or been on a bouncy castle or in one of those pits full of the coloured balls. I have been deprived! Out of all of these I would really like to go on a bouncy castle the most. They look like loads of fun!


2. When I worked in theatre I did not like working on the pantomimes. At first they were fun, but when I worked as a technician I would have to work 2 shows a day for 6 days a week for 9 weeks and I had to watch every single show as I would either be on the lighting desk or the follow-spot. You do the maths! If you don't know what a panto is them you can find out here. Trust me, before the run was half way through I was bored to tears having heard all the gags before. I knew all the lines and missed out on the fun back stage. Funnily enough I never got bored working on musicals though.

3. I love candle light. Something about the soft glow is very relaxing.


4. You already know my favourite alcoholic tipple is Champagne (or any good sparkling wine) but my favourite spirit is vodka.

5. I do boxing training every week, not as a competitive sport but more as a form of fitness training and as a combat sport. It is a great cardio work out, wonderful for stress (hitting something after a bad day is great as a stress reliever) and learning the techniques is great for confidence.


6. I am great at growing things. Always have been. My houseplants seem to thrive and yet I don't do anything special. Guess I just have green fingers. I had a little piece of garden as a child and I grew salad vegetables and flowers. I didn't realise it at the time but I practised organic growing techniques as the onions I grew kept some of the pests at bay. I used to love pulling carrots straight from the ground and eating them. They tasted so good, not like the ones you get in the supermarket at all.

7. I have a Galileo thermometre in my lounge which was given to me as a christmas present and I love it. It is surprisingly accurate and looks great too.


8. I am going away for the weekend to a Western Martial Arts Training camp. There will be many people there from clubs all over the UK and Europe and it's a great opportunity to pick up techniques from others and train with them. It is open to the public as spectators and there will be classes for those of us who are club members. It's a camping weekend so figers crossed that this very wet weather we have been having will clear for a couple of days or else I am going to be a very soggy and boggy Bob-kat. This also means I won't be around for 4 days so won't be visiting but I'll catch up with you all on my return.

Now the rules of this game of tag are:

Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I don't do tags but if Beckie, Little Miss Muffet, Moogie, Katherine, Diyadear, Ramona, Melody and Nikki-Ann would like to participate then I would love to read their lists. This doesn't mean I wouldn't like to read yours as well if you're reading this and haven't been named; so if you would like to do it come and tell me and I will pop over :0)

Tagged 'n' interviewed

I'm still working on the Raglan post, mainly because I seem to be having trouble uploading photos, but also because I am bushed in the evenings this week with work and exam study so I am not doing it justice.

Anyhoo, I was innocently wandering through Spiffy Town the other day and I found that Biff Spiffy, who resides there had been interviewed and was looking for volunteers to interrogate, I mean interview. I did my duty and stepped up for the task and said "Go ahead Biff, make my day", so he did and came up with some interesting questions I'm glad to say. Here goes with the Q&A's:

1. What accent sounds the silliest to you, and can you imitate it?
Ooh! There are so many silly accents, especially here in the UK. I must say though, that the silliest accent ever is one that is put on by somebody that can't quite pull it off. I went to achool with a girl who thought she was all that and she had this really false posh English accent that would slip into a proper countryside accent from time to time. Affected accents sound silliest of all. Relax and be yourself I say and no, I can't do an impression of it.

2. If you had to give up one of your senses, which one would you choose?
Sometimes, when I walk around a city I would be quite happy to lose my sense of smell. I was stood next to a sweaty individual who clearly needed to be introduced to the concept of deodorant the other day, phew! On second thoughts, I'll give up my sixth sense. I think it's broken anyway!

3. Play-doh or paper - which would you eat if you had to have one?
Hmmm. Now lets see. I could draw nice pictures of food on paper, but I could model play-doh into pies and ice-cream cornets and fruit and such.... which has the least calories? Think I'll go with paper and pretend I'm eating secret messages!

4. You are a fast food chef. A customer is complaining bitterly about the complete meal he just got for $4. What do you do?
a) I force him to eat it
b) I apologise amd give him his money back
c) I karate chop him
d) I resign from such a crummy job
e) I draw a smiley face with squirty cream on top so he gets service with a smile!
It could be any of the above depending on my mood!

5. Have you ever kicked a pigeon? Wanted to?
Nah, they don't bother me. Now there are some people I certainly have wanted to kick though!

BONUS QUESTION - What would be your perfect day?
Bonus answer - One that didn't involve cares, paying bills, going to work or doing chores. Instead it should be somewhere relaxing with great company, great food and drink, great music and sunshine. I don't like to map these things out too much, spontaneity is often the cherry on the top and the thing that turns 'great' into 'perfect'.

So there you have it. If you would like to be interviewed by me then take one step forward and follow the instructions below:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Simple huh? So, who 's gonna volunteer?

Duck and Weave

I've been tagged! ICL over at Slainte - It's Only Me, tagged me the other day, so obviously I don't move fast enough! I must remember to duck and weave more people, duck and weave... :0) I'm not one to shirk my duty however, so here goes.

Here are the rules:
1. Get tagged.
2. List five things that have not been revealed on your blog.
3. Tag five others.

At first glance it seems to be a nice short innocent looking tag but it has a sting. I have been sitting here trying to think of what to list, things that I would like to share but haven't already. Not so easy... but here are my five:

1) When I was a child I had a soft toy crocodile. I loved this thing which was meant to be a draft excluder but was adopted by me at two years old. I took it everywhere. At two you don't care what something is meant to be or how it looks, if you like it, then that is the way it is. I have never been one for conforming and started out the way I meant to go from an early age.

2) I have previously revealed that I used to work in showbusiness, in the theatre, (working in stage management and lighting). However, what you don't know is that my favourite show that I worked on was 'Les Miserables'. This show is wonderful and has it all. Beautiful music, fabulous set and great story. I never got tired of working on it and the performances were moving. If you looked out into the audience, half of them would be discretely employing tissues at the end of the show.

3) My batchelors degree is in Psychology. When I left school I didn't know what I wanted to do so I went to University as I enjoyed learning. A teacher gave me the advice to study something I was interested in if I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I did! In the end I liked certain aspects of the course more than others, but one thing I learnt by far was that people are individuals (apart from groupthink!), you can theorise until the cows come home but there will always be exceptions to the rules. Now I'm a manager I use this knowledge to manage staff and to mentor junior managers. My approach is to treat everyone as an individual human being, to find out what motivates them and what is going on in their lives. Seems to work wonders and is easier said than done..

4) I used to be a Girl Guide. I was a patrol leader for the whole time I was there and became Pack Leader too. It gave me the opportunity to take on responsibility at an early age and also to try out new things, such as canoeing, flower arranging, camping and making gadgets out of sticks and things, singing carols in Trafalgar Square (where we had a bomb scare) and working in the community with children and the elderly.

5) I love animals. I have nearly always had pets, ranging from gold fish to cats and dogs including a vicious hamster (really, it was evil), a huge rabbit, a tortoise with attitude called 'Rocket', tropical fish, and my latest companion, Bob the cat.

So there you have it, five things about me that I haven't revealed before on my blog. I don't pass on tags 9so I guess the non-conformist in me is breaking rule 3), so no need to duck and weave around here, but feel free to do this if you'd like to. Let me know if you do and I will come and visit.

What flavour are you?

You Are Vanilla Ice Cream

Your personality is anything but "vanilla" You're a risk taker, who's up for anything new. You go well with anyone and fit into any situation. You are most compatible with rocky road ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Not much news on my insurance saga front. Basically I haven't rung them. It's a kind of therapy i.e. if I have nothing to do with them then maybe my day will be less stressful! Still I need to ring them tomorrow to find out what is going on. Oh boy.

Anyhoo... I love ice-ceam so I was drawn to this fun bit of nonensense - a quiz that decides what flavour ice-cream you are. I was a bit disappointed when it told me I was vanilla. I like vanilla but my favourites are the rich chocolate, caramel, praline type ones. Oh, and it absolutely has to be the good stuff, not the cheap stuff with ice crystals in it. So vanilla seemed the safe and boring choice but apparently this is not so! The words actually fit me quite well, I can get along with just about anyone but obviously I like some 'flavours' better than others!

Anyway, this got me to thinking, I bet all of you are a different flavour - there is such a variety of folk out there in blog land. If you take the quiz, let me know. So which one of you is rocky road? :-)

My Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I found this fun widget on Kenju's blog. It basically asks you to choose a visual cue in the form of a picture to answer questions about subjects such as your favourite drink, your vice, what love means to you etc.

For each of the headings on the widget it gives you a description: My answers say that I am adventurous, which is true. I love to travel and explore and curiosity has gotten me into trouble as a kid. I like natural beauty. This is bang on as I love the natural tones and feel of things like wood and stone. I think it is very hard for man to improve on natures beauty. My taste is definitely cool and contemporary - you should see my home. Lots of cream and muted tones, classic, clean and modern. I do like things to have their place. M thinks I am like Monica off 'Friends', huh, but if I'm honest there is a similarity but I am no way that anal! The freedom aspect is also spot on. I chose this over the passport simply because a passport signifies exploration to me while there is nothing like an open road in a beautiful country to make you feel free is there?

As ever, it's not exactly hard science but as the answers come from me there is certainly truth in them, though I have never thought of myself as a 'junkie monkey'! What do you think? :-) If you want to have a go, it only takes a moment. Let me know if you do and I will come and take a look! :-)

Three word meme

I was visiting some of my blog friends recently. As I went from blog to blog it struck me what a diverse bunch you are - kind of like a montage of experiences. I found cartoons and laughed with Kenju, I watched adverts with CrazieQueen, went on a bike trip with Sarch, read poetry with PS, went to the Oscars with OldOldLady of the Hills (Here in the Hills), enjoyed some lovely pics courtesy of SRP, laughed again with Katherine (In a Big Way), and packed boxes with Melody and all from my sofa. How wonderful. You can find all of these interesting and entertaining folk in my links to the left.

When I went to Mar of Maremagnum, I found this great little meme: The rules are simple. Answer each question in three words. No more, no less.

01. Where is your cell phone? In my bag
02. Boyfriend/girlfriend? One new partner
03. Hair? Long and blonde
04. Your mother? Bought me up
05. Your father? Alwasy worked hard
06. Your favorite item(s)? Camera, laptop, sword
07. Your dream last night? Left me disturbed
08. Your favorite drink? Very expensive champagne
09. Your dream guy/girl? Anticipates my needs!!! ;)
10. The room you are in? Is very messy
11. Your fear? Everything will end
12. What do you want to be in 10 years? Happy, healthy , wealthy
13. Who did you hang out with last night? Friend and partner
14. What are you not? Stupid, boring, rude
15. Are you in love? I must be! ;)
16. One of your wish list items? A million pounds
17. What time is it? Approximately lunch time
18. The last thing you did? Eat my lunch
19. What are you wearing? Clothes, jewellery, shoes
20. Your favourite book? Lots of favourites
21. The last thing you ate? A tasty panini
22. Your life? Is a rollercoaster
23. Your mood? Can be changeable
24. Your friends? Are always appreciated
25. What are you thinking about right now? Writing 4000 words...
26. Your car? Red road rocket!
27. What are you doing at this moment? Supplying short answers
28. Your summer? Yet to arrive
29. Your relationship status? Starting over again
30. What is on your TV screen? TV is off.
31. When is the last time you laughed? I laugh alot
32. Last time you cried? Not telling you
33. School? Still being educated!

If you fancy doing this one then let me know and I will come and take a squizz :0)

PS. I am having serious issues with Blogger atm. I have visitied many wonderful blogs recently and taken time and care to construct meaningful and witty comments only for word verification to not work so I haven't been able to post my comment. For some reason it is insisting that I use my crystal ball to guess the letters. I have tried putting random ones in but it just isn't in a sharing mood. Sorry, I'll drop by again when Blogger is feeling more co-operative.