8 Random Things

Recently I have had a new blogging experience! I’ve been tagged! The very talented Jenny has tagged me to reveal 8 random things about l’il ole me. I have given this much thought, and have finally found 8 things, although the fact it took so long worries me and makes me feel a boring, non-random old sort >:(

The Rules:

Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

So, here’s me:

1. I used to work in a betting shop – To me this isn’t random, but I know so many people haven’t even set foot in one so I guess it is! I spent 4 long, but happy, years working in Ladbrokes between the ages of 18-22. I learned how to gamble – not just your straightforward wins and each-ways, but the obscure bets too, such as Goliaths, round robins, Lucky 15s, Yankees and Canadians. I also honed many other skills during this time including cleaning ashtrays, swearing at obnoxious punters, booting smackheads out of toilets and pinning pieces of newspapers to notice boards. All good CV-building stuff

2. I have a massive scar on my tummy – I had an operation to correct a stomach blockage when I was 5 weeks old, which left me with this scar. When I was a little girl, it sat above my belly button. Now it sits along my right side ribs, which reveals the way my skin has moved and grown over the past 20 years. It doesn’t hurt, although sometimes I need to pluck it out of my ribs when I do sit-ups. I wanted to get a zip and zip pull tattoo’d along it, but changed my mind. Needless to say, I am pleased about that decision

3. I like to make lists – they make me feel organised. Even this post was written on a list before I typed it. I may have inherited my love of lists from my late Grandad as my mum inherited BOOKS of lists he made about his numerous caravan holidays, where he’d ranked them according to cost and facilities along with comments.

4. I hate to throw things away – the aforementioned list was even written on the back of an old receipt. I’m not a hoarder at all, but the idea of something sitting in landfill when it still has a useful life upsets me very much I’ve been recycling since 1988 when I was 8, when I used to go along the beach across from where I lived to collect aluminium cans for the Blue Peter appeal. I never stopped, and now work hard to convert all the non-believers I ever encounter. I guess I was one of the original green pioneers

5. I ADORE lowbrow culture – and not in an ironic way. It’s a miracle I’ve got as far as I have, it really is. I don’t like the theatre (unless it’s standup comedy), I won’t watch anything with subtitles and/or in black and white (Schindler’s List had a wee bit of colour, so it just made the grade), and won’t read thick books with small print. On the other hand, I LOVE trashy shelebritee stuff, LOVE daytime telly (especially the Silver Fox Philip Schofield), and LOVE going to the cinema to see kids’ films. I have a special weakness for the 3-hour long shelebritee specials on E! My fave was the Cher one.

6. The carb is king – it’s my fave food group of all time. No Aitkins nonsense in our household. In fact I rarely eat meat or cheese as this leaves more room for CARBS!!!! My fave of all is bread. I could wolf a loaf a day, no probs. I am drooling all over my computer at just the thought of it. My fave takeaway is chips, mmmmmmmmm.

7. I once drank so much cider and blackcurrent that I peed purple – it’s not big, it’s not clever, but it’s true. That’s the perils of all-day drinking when you’re 18 (in case you’re interested, that was 11 pints – OMG!!!!). And I still worked a double shift at Ladbrokes in mighty, mighty Fleetwood first thing the next day

8. I live for Christmas – it’s my absolute favourite time of year. I get completely giddy about it and can’t sleep in anticipation. And I don’t mean just on Christmas Eve. The festivities always start on Dec 1st in our house! Although last year my tree had shrivelled up and died by Christmas Day, so I will hold back a couple of weeks this time round. If it’s Christmas themed I have to have it – I’ve even got a Christmas crockery set! Already this year I’ve had 3 mince pies to get me in the mood

Right, I’m sure none of this was exciting in the slightest, so my humble apologies for that. Onto the tagging business. The rules say 8, but I don’t know 8 people who haven’t done this. I am not sure if Nin, Oiyi, Isa or Becca have done this, so I’m nominating them. Girls – I am so sorry to burden you with this