Liebster Blog Awards - With a Little Twist

I was kindly nominated for one of these awards by Danielle who writes the blog, Gourmande Travels.  I was delighted to be nominated again having been previously nominated by Bookjunkie.  I also kind of feel though like I shouldn't be taking part as I've already done it before.  On top of this I am meant to nominate eleven other blogs and because, as usual, I'm behind on blogging most of those I follow religiously have already been nominated by others. 



However this time it is a little different from before.  This time you have to post eleven random facts about yourself and then answer eleven questions posed by the person who nominated you.  So I thought it would still be fun to give you some facts and answer the questions posed to me even if I couldn't nominate anyone else.  However if anyone reading this writes a blog and hasn't been nominated or just wants to share their random facts and responses with me please feel free to do so in the comments.


So here are the official rules: 

  • When you receive the award, post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
  • Pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions.  Sorry I failed on this point!
  • You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated you!
  • Make sure the blogs you chose have 200 or LESS followers 

Eleven random facts about me
  1. I am a campanologist (at least when I'm in the UK).  For those who don't know what that is, it means I ring church bells.  My Grandfather did and my Dad too and when I was about eleven I decided it might be fun to try as well.  When I was younger I would go to weekly practices, ring for services, take part in competitions and ring for weddings.  My Dad still does it and if I time a trip back to the UK right and there is a wedding I'll always get roped in to help out.
  2. I was in my early 20s before I took my first flight on an aeroplane, which given how many Asia to Europe and vice versa flights (and other flights) I do now seems mad.  My first flight was to Rome with one of my best friends on our first girly holiday on our own and I loved the experience.  Actually other than my husband she is probably the person I've flown most with (we took a lot of holidays) and I've still never taken a flight with my parents.
  3. I'm a bit of a London tube geek on the quiet (though it's not so secret now).  Anyone who follows me on Twitter may have rumbled me as I will share random tube trivia at times.  I'm most fascinated with the disused stations on the network, many of which were bricked up when taken out of use and were left exactly as they were, for example, they still have the posters/adverts on the walls from that time period.  I think it's this history and the stories that those walls could tell if they could speak that interests me.  My friend brought me a book specifically about all the disused stations and their history which frankly I thought was a fabulous present.  Even better when I lived in London one of my possible routes home took me past a bricked up station.  I'd read that if you peered out the window of the carriage you could detect a subtle change in the brick work which I can confirm is true and many a journey you'd find me glued to the window waiting for my bricked up station to go whizzing past!
  4. I worked in a Chinese takeaway whilst I was studying for my A-Levels.  This was an amazing job and I thoroughly enjoyed the two or so years I worked there.  I got paid weekly cash in hand which at that time was perfect as my expenses only consisted of new clothes, CDs and nights out.  I also got free food (of my choice) each night.  Whilst it's very different to Chinese food here it gave me the opportunity to try things I would probably have shied away from.  I also benefited if they cooked too much of something or made an error in the orders.  They were very generous to me too, my boss liked to bet on horses and if he had a good win would often share some of the winnings with me!  They also took an extended holiday to Hong Kong whilst I worked for them, as that's where their family came from, and brought back a souvenir for me, which I still treasure.  Hong Kong seemed so far away and exotic to me then and somewhere I was never likely to visit.  Little could I have imagined then that I'd be living in Singapore someday and have had the chance to visit that far off, exotic place myself.
  5. I (sort of) made the news in our local newspaper when I was a few days old.  My Dad owned a butchers shop at the time and of course everyone knew he was about to become a father and wanted to know what my parents had had etc.  As my Dad owned his shop and had a huge glass window he came up with the idea of announcing my birth on the window for everyone passing to see.  So plastered on the window were the words, 'Nude Flash!  It's a girl, 6lb 14oz'.  Of course this attracted the local press and apparently the next day my Dad was woken up very early by a reporter asking if he could do a piece and take a photo.  In one of my parents photo albums is, of course, a copy of the article that appeared in the paper alongside a photo of my very young looking Dad, thumbs aloft by the window as well as the original photo.  I didn't actually feature myself as my Mum had had to have a Cesarean and both her and I were still in hospital, but even now random people I meet back home will tell me that they remember seeing the sign in the window when I was born.
  6. I briefly steered a cross channel ferry.  In the days when children could do things like go into the cockpit of a plane etc. my Dad managed to get me and him up on to the bridge of a cross channel ferry to France and the ship's Captain let me have a go.  To be fair it was probably on some kind of auto control and it was only minutes but as a young child that was pretty exciting!
  7. I used to ride horses when I was younger and part of me would love to do it again.
  8. I have never had my hair cut in Singapore.  I've lived here over two years but always hold out until my next trip back to the UK where I can go to my trusted hairdresser.  I guess that's the beauty of having long hair!  The only downside is new people asking me for tips on good places to go to get their hair cut and having to admit that I have absolutely no idea.
  9. I have never used our condo swimming pool.  I'm not a massive swimmer or fan of messing around in pools, yes even in this heat.  I'm happy to sit by the pool with a drink and a good book, at most dangling my feet in, but that's it.  I can't even remember the last time I went in a swimming pool but I think it may have been when I went to Gibraltar for a friend's wedding and I was perhaps 24 or 25 then.  I don't even own anything to wear in a pool so even if the urge came over me I'd have to first go and buy something suitable.  I've thought many times I should at least buy some swimwear but I suspect it would never get used even if I did.  Pool/beach holidays of more than a long weekend are not for me though having the opportunity to read is appreciated.  For me it has to be broken up with some sight seeing to keep me entertained too.
  10. I'm left-handed, something that regularly seems to fascinate people.  So much so that whilst I'm writing they'll suddenly announce 'ooh you are left-handed'.  I know it's not as common as being right-handed but it still amuses me that people find it so weird they feel compelled to comment.  Do any other lefties get that??
  11. I'm fascinated by the paranormal and completely believe in ghosts.  I've always been interested and I think it stems from the fact that my Dad's shop which my parents live over is haunted by two ghosts.  I fully accept that many don't believe or have doubts and want proof but for me they definitely do exist.
The eleven questions I received to answer

1) What is your favourite thing about the place where you live?

The ease of getting around and convenience of getting home after a night out.  It's so nice not to always have to be clock watching to make sure I don't miss the last train home, (my previous life as a commuter living out of London meant work nights out always revolved around the last train) and knowing when I got the train the ride would still take me over an hour as well as then getting from the train station to my home.

2) If you could be an animal, what would it be and why?

I've always thought I'd be a cat (provided I had a good home).  I adore cats and just imagine it being an incredibly relaxed life.

3) If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life (ie. a cuisine like Thai or Italian), what would it be?

A tough one but I think I'd have to say Italian, just because on every visit I've made to Italy I don't think I've ever had a disappointing meal and even the most basic of dishes has been amazing.  I'd possibly have to move to Italy if I was going to eat nothing else, but I think I could cope with that!

4) What is your one place you love so much you actually wouldn't want to share it with people?

I adored Prague when I visited but I guess that isn't a hugely secret place.  I also love sitting on our condo balcony on a Sunday with my husband enjoying a cup of coffee.  Again, though, there is at least one other person who knows about that place!

5) What is your favourite song and why?

I have well over 2000 and growing (nearly 3000) songs on my fruit music playing product so this is a tough one to answer.  I listen to pretty much all and every type of music as my eclectic tastes will verify.  My favourite songs do vary and there are many but I guess one consistent favourite for many years has been Vincent by Don McLean (the same guy who sang American Pie).  Vincent is about Vincent van Gogh and in my opinion is absolutely beautiful and can bring tears to my eyes.  

6) Do you have any odd fears? (e.g. mine is those statue people, the ones with the metallic painted faces)

I hate spiders but that isn't really that odd I guess.  I'm not a fan of clowns either, or deep water (see my swimming confession above) but again not that weird.  I don't think I have any really odd fears if I'm honest.

7) What is your favourite thing you own?

Two beautiful vases that I got from my Grandma's house after she had to be moved into a nursing home and her house was sold.  I'd be heartbroken if they got broken.  I think I'd also have to include all my books just for the pleasure they give me and also our kitten, George.  He has made our condo a proper home since he arrived.

8) Tell me your best joke

What's Bob Marley's favourite type of doughnut?

With jam in (you need to say it out loud and think of his song, Jammin')

9) Cats or dogs? Or something else?

Cats without a doubt but I like dogs too and actually all animals.

10) What small seemingly insignificant thing makes you happy?

Hearing bird song and Sunday mornings when neither me or my husband have to get up for work.

11) What is the one "old fashioned" thing you would like to make a come back?

It has to be manners, bad manners really really annoy me!


OK so I guess I copped out a little by not nominating anyone but I hope you'll forgive me and enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed thinking of random facts about me and answering the questions posed.

Comments

  1. Hehe all of us have written we'd like to see good manners make a come-back!

    I enjoyed your random facts :) and I listened to that Don McLean song and its beautiful.

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    Replies
    1. Haha, guess we all see to much of the total opposite at times. Glad you liked the Don McLean song too, I don't think it gets enough recognition.

      Delete
  2. Interesting, lots of things I didn't know about you!

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    Replies
    1. That's good to hear Lynne and what I hoped would be the case for anyone reading who knows me.

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