Twenty Five Facts

A list is flying around cyberspace where you present 25 facts about yourself. The rules are that…..wait, rules? Forget the rules! Rules are for wimps. So whilst adopting my rebel face here are my 25 Things.

1. At 19 yrs I got left behind by a slack tour company in Bruges. However they were efficient enough to take my passport & tickets with them. I managed to get home to my doorstep in Surrey with only £8 and an empty bottle of peach beer to my name. Some of the £8 was used on the ferry to buy a celebratory bottle of Grolsch. Happy Days!

2. At 11 yrs the pedalo upon which I was pedalling began to sink, rapidly…it’s not the greatest life metaphor for a child but I made it to shore – which taught me alot more.

3. Whilst at school I was voted Form Captain in my first year and went on to the dizzy heights of Head Girl, Librarian, Prefect and Netball Team. Yep, you all would have hated me. I was a kindly student though and only wielded my power for good.

4. When I was about 8 yrs I broke my arm and had it in plaster.

5. When I was about 11 yrs I broke my leg and had it in plaster. Wait, it doesn’t end there….

6. When I was 34 yrs I completely wrecked all the ligaments and tendons in my ankle. I spent several years housebound and stuck on the sofa too weak for standing, walking or crutches. Cue number 7….

7. I used to be a loud noisy, probably annoying person then after spending almost 2 years thinking I wouldn’t walk again I became somebody else. This new person is much more relaxed, bookish and less inclined to be noisy and/or sociable. Some good friends got this and some never did – them’s the breaks. (No injuries pun intended.) A worrying cyber addiction has also morphed out of this time.

8. When I say much more bookish I mean I spend most of my life with my head in a book and absolutely adore it. I usually have 3 or 4 books on the go at once and get rather crabby if I don’t have something decent to read. Mr Chat Noir has learnt this and often arrives home with a tome of some kind – good man. I thought myself fairly well read until going through the BBC 100 Book list (see other note). Now I have many books to consume. *Mutters darkly about what does the BBC know anyway*.

9. I used to play the guitar fairly well as a child – Spanish acoustic mainly. Now my guitar sits lonely in the loft and sometimes calls to me in a sad voice to pick it up again.

10. Although a feminist, especially when it comes to music and literature, I was a kept woman due to ill health for the last few years and rather enjoyed it. Despite the confused looks it brought from people. Yes I’m a feminist. Yes I was a housewife, but not a desperate one

11. Used to act professionally when I was very young & innocent. Now I do it for fun and a boost of culture related leisure time (unless in a farce then its just for giggles)

12. I’m an insomniac – a real one. Hence the love of books for the midnight hour. However if I do sleep I usually have vivid, often disturbing, dreams that I always remember. Sometimes for days afterwards. These dreams are always in glorious technicolor and seem far too loud.

13. I am listening to Kim Carnes sing about ‘Bette Davies’ Eyes’ as I type…..well I was but now I’m listening to my Darcey Bussell pilates dvd. I am hoping that osmosis really will work in this instance.

14. I am obsessed with movie stars from the 30s/40s . However not as much as I am with Tudor History and especially Henry VIII’s unfortunate wives. Those ill-starred ladies would be my Mastermind topic of choice.

15. I believe I have seen several ghosts – most of them whilst living in York with its gothic often terrifying history. Possibly an angel too – but the jury is still out on that one.

16. Despite my hippy tendencies I am a God-loving Christian. However I do not rule out the possibility of past lives as I seem inordinately obsessed with Paris and suspect I may have lived there in a past life. Or perhaps a future one if I can convince Mr Chat Noir…jolie s’il vous plait?

17. I’ve been a vegetarian most of my life and full-time since I was 14 yrs old. I’m told I ran into the abattoir section of a local farm as a child – so not a surprising lifestyle change then all bloody carcasses considered.

18. I often feel I was born in the wrong era – but there are too many good ones to choose from instead. Ancient Egypt to MGM’s golden era. With a dash of Tudor and Woodstock for good measure. Actually, what I really need is a Tardis…..hmm could the Dishy Tennant Timelord be inside it too please? Perhaps Sawyer from Lost too…..erm where was I…..ahem.

19. I am determined to churn out a novel before I draw my old age pension. Determined!  Actually let us add get it published and hit the Booker list too. Why not eh? Blimey Percy the Pig just flew past my window

20. I have had several stalkers and it was not good. At all. Silent phone calls, being followed, letters and lies to people who knew me, death threats, police involvement. Zut alor! Unfortunately this was all before the new legislation was formed. So, future stalkers BEWARE!! I know my law and I’m not afraid to wield its mighty legal strength. Cue *bad ass scowl* on face.

21. I take perverse pleasure in singing karaoke. Love it. Nay, addicted. Bring it on. Jazzy classics or rock chick shouting preferably.

22. In my 20s whilst acting professionally I got a rave review in The Stage. I reread it several times convinced they couldn’t mean me and it simply must be a typo. During this very young, extremely skinny and naive phase (ahhh youth) I was auditioned for the role of Juliet in Baz Luhrman’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’. Boo to Claire Danes I say. A big sour grapes boo. An audition for the Spice Girls was also penciled in but I awoke that day with raging wild chicken pox that had teeth. Rendering me nauseous and pepperoni pizza of face. It was attractive. I stayed home.

23. I am smitten by kittens. Also domestic cats, big cats, ickle cats, fickle cats, fat cats, stray cats, wild cats. I love them all and cannot learn or see enough of them. Left to my own devices I would adopt enough to populate Surrey. I have often been accused of being a werecat. I don’t know how true this is but I do often have memory loss when the full moon rises. Probably a coincidence.

24. I used to be an Assistant Editor for a film magazine plus write their articles and film reviews. However I got disillusioned with all the schmoozing it required. It seemed pointless. Small talk bores me. Anyway, enough about me. So, how was your day?

25. Whilst I don’t speak many languages I have an uncanny knack of understanding them whilst tipsy. Honestly, it’s weird but true. I find sangria especially loosens the translation synapses of the brain.

26. I don’t like rules – hence fact number 26 *blows raspberry at rules and runs away*