Thursday 9 April 2009

The 10 Things Thing

Following in the footsteps of Viewtiful_Justin, I have decided to do a "Ten Things" list.



1 – I have an irrational fear of soapsuds.
I think this dates from the time when, as a kid, I watched a film in which several boxes of washing power got thrown into a swimming pool. The result was a whole garden fully of fluffy white suds. I don't know why I find them so disturbing and I'm OK if they're in small numbers like in a washing-up bowl. No idea why. N.B. This does not mean I don't bathe!

2 – I used to tell people my middle name was Sarah
My usual joke is that "my family was too poor to afford middle names". When I was a kid, I really wanted one, so I used to pretend I had. Not sure why Sarah though as it's not a name I'd be that keen to have now. My little sister got a middle name though, what's that about, Mum?

3 – I love spiders and snakes.
That's it, I just do.

4 – My eyesight is about a tenth as good as normal and it only works in black and white.
Well; it's just enough of a disability to get me a free bus pass, but otherwise, it's a bit rubbish, really. It also means I can't stand bright light so I'm the doofus wearing shades on a rainy day. At least I have my ears.

5 – I Once Busked in the City Centre of my hometown
I love music and along with the not-being-able-to-resist-singing-along, I also like to write and play my own stuff. I learned more about music by trying to create it that I ever did in Mr Thorne's lessons at school. I tried my hand at busking many years ago and it was quite exciting and scary but only earned me £4 (6$?) for a couple of hours' work so I was never going to make a living at it.

6 – I tried abseiling down an 11-storey building to cure myself of my fear of heights.
Did it work?
Absolutely not.

7 – My house contains more than 3,000 books.
I cannot conceive of a life without books. Open one up and you can be anywhere, doing anything and you can stop and start anytime, the words will be waiting for you. I don't think these e-books will ever replace the weight, the feel, the smell of a book. I like second-hand books too, sometimes they have inscriptions in the front and it makes you wonder what the people were like that thought of this book as a suitable gift for that person.

8 – My most coveted superpower would be a healing touch.
Not bothered about flying or x-ray vision, but to be able to ease pain and suffering, that would be soooo cool. If I can't have that one, then teleportation please so I can stay in bed later in the mornings and still not be late for work (see item 9).

9 - I'm a night person
Seriously, I am lousy at getting out of bed in the morning. If they would just shift the workday back a few hours so I can get up about 11:00, that would be great. I've tried going to bed earlier at night, but all that happens then is I lie awake until the usual sleep time, so I've gained nothing.

10 - I got married at 17
That's quite young here in the UK, although maybe not so much in some of the states of the US. I wasn't pregnant, he was my first boyfriend, he was 12 years my senior and we're still together after 30 years.

So there you have it, 10 useless facts about yours truly.

13 comments:

  1. Love the list. I might try one myself. Hmmm - something to think about.

    I'm a night person too - or at least I was. Now that I'm older I tend to get up earlier - what's up with that?

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  2. We definitely share two things - we "look at the world differently from other people" (see my blog about my drivers license test) and a love of books... as you say "the weight, the feel, the smell of a book"... absolutely like nothing else, and yes, the words are always there waiting for you.

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  3. @Bug - I've found as I've gotten older that I need more sleep and still find it hard to get up earlier.

    @Human - I'm heading over to your driver's licence blog.

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  4. I just had to follow you too.. not in a stalky way, just in a "that's someone who writes interesting thingies" sort of way... cheers!

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  5. Great list! Thanks for the shout-out!

    I don't have quite the number of books you have, but if I had more money and more shelves to store them, I'd be right behind you on that one. Love them!

    And...

    17 is VERY YOUNG to get married, EVEN in the U.S.

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  6. I busked in a nearby town for nearly three whole minutes. Me and my brother went together and swiftly realised that we knew practically no songs between us (other than our own). After two minutes we were joined by a chap trying to sell us God, so we gave up and went home.

    Superpower would be to be able to understand and speak any language. Oh - and to find MisPers

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  7. Still laughing over the "irrational fear of soapsuds." Sounds very Calvin and Hobbes. Something to try tonight after dinner:>)

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  8. @Viewtiful - My pleasure to give you a shout-out. There were several other things in your list that chimed with me: abhorrence of rudeness, the food texture thing (mine's anything squishy like custard or blancmange).

    @Pixies - Busking is quite scary. I have to admit I had the other half lurking nearby as bodyguard just in case (how devoted is THAT?)

    @Distracted - glad I gave you a laugh. I should point out that I'm not afraid of washing - just the suds :-)

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  9. Oh, and Watercats - thanks, hope to keep on providing interest where possible. Loved your music BTW.

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  10. You sound really cool. Glad to meet you!

    p.s. I'm going to save this as a character study. Maybe a literary form of teleportation will happen.

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  11. Thanks Michael. Loving the idea of literary teleportation so long as it doesn't run out like "The Fly" LOL.

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  12. i know that movie! (with the soap suds) it's the thrill of it all with doris day! my mom and i used to watch doris day movies together when i was a little girl. it's hilarious that the suds scare you! (i'm sorry for finding your childhood trauma hilarious.)

    and in response to your comment on my blog - i think that's so sweet that you might try our little ritual with your husband. i can't wait til i can say that we've made it 30 years! :)

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  13. Thanks Jasmine! I awlways wondered what that movie was! I hope you and Levi are still happily together in 30.

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