Six random things

I've been tagged by Kevin to list six random things about me. Ho hum...

1) I have a moderate hearing loss. Hearing loss is graded as mild, moderate and severe. Trust me, it doesn't seem moderate when the DVD doesn't have subtitles, or the person you are trying to communicate with is mumbling, has a beard, or is simply looking the other way when they are talking to you. I have a hearing aid. I ought to have two, but I lost one..whoops! They are so uncomfortable I take them out when I don't need them. Then I forget where I have put them, and I lose them.

2) I have joint hypermobility. That's doubled jointed in layman's terms. It ain't that fancy. It's why I keep falling over and knackering my knees. But, on the positive side I can bend my thumbs and elbows into really obnoxious angles, and it really turns some people's stomachs! Also, I can clap with my feet - like a seal. Try it...stretch your legs straight, then try to turn your feet inwards, so you can clap the soles together. Great for dinner parties!

3) Despite working in libraries since I was 16, it was not my chosen career. Oh no. It was a future treading the boards for me. I was passionate about the theatre from an early age, exceled in drama at school, was in the school plays, studied Drama for two years on a sort of pre-Drama school foundation course, where we did dance, singing, speech, etc. I even have LAMDA medals....but I knew in my heart I wasn't good enough. I thought I'd do stage management instead - ideal for a perfectionist control freak, and I was the only one on my drama course who could change a plug. But I realised I would be destined for a life in the wings, disappointed that I hadn't been focused enough for the stage, and envying the ones who made it. Girls I was at college with ended up in Nanny, Emmerdale and Cracker.

4) I have a bodhran, but I can't play it. It is decorated. I got it for my 30th birthday. It used to be on my wall so I could just look at it, which filled me with joy.

5) I learnt the words to The Lion and Albert to impress a bloke. He was impressed, but it didn't get me anywhere.

6) I discovered Botero when I was in Colombia this year. Totally my sort of artist. Despite being married to a fella with a Fine Art degree, my taste is art is very low brow, I'm afraid.

So, I now have to tag six other folk, who need to link back to me.....and reveal six random things.....so, over to you Kate, Bev, TKW and all three members of the chasing sheep household.

Knowing me, knowing you....

Pinched from ...tea stains.

1. Where is your mobile? Upstairs, next to my bed. The work mobile is switched off - hurrah
2. Where is your significant other? Work
3. Your hair colour? Basically brown, with blonde and red bits...added, not natural.
4. Your mother? On her way to visit me, apparently.
5. Your father? Ditto
6. Your favorite thing? Reading in bed
7. Your dream last night? Chainsaws...
8. Your dream/goal? Success
9. The room you're in? Living room
10. Your hobby? Mostly sleeping
11. Your fear? Loss
12. Where do you want to be in six years? Up for discussion!
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Very well
15. One of your wish-list items? Thinness
16. Where you grew up? Heston.
17. The last thing you did? Got out of bed
18. What are you wearing? pyjamas
19. Your TV? Love it..
20. Your pets? Two cats
21. Your computer? Dell laptop...tiny...fits in a (large) handbag
22. Your mood? Feed up of being poorly
23. Missing someone? Katie - out of the country so no gossip!
24. Your car? Citroen Picasso
25. Something you're not wearing? Undies! I'm in my pjs
26. Favourite shop? Urban Outfitters at the mo...it'll change
27. Your summer? France
28. Love someone? My daughter
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? This morning - at some Laura did I expect.
31. Last time you cried? Couple of weeks back

Have a go yourself......

So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu...

Goodbye to my tonsils. I go into hospital at midday tomorrow, and by tea time (that's dinner time for you soft southerners) tomorrow I will be less of woman than I was when I went in.

As I have regularly mentioned in this blog, I am an absolute martyr to my tonsils, with anywhere up to four bouts a year. Enough is enough, and they are coming out.

I am only in hospital over night, and then I am off on the sick for a minimum of two weeks. How flippin' brilliant is that? A doctor's note to say that I can switch off the laptop and mobile phone for 10 working days.

I have a stack of books, DVDs, mags, sewing and suduko puzzles, and I am going to jolly well enjoy myself. Well, once the anesthetic wears off and the pain relief drugs kick in.

I may blog...

Especially for you

These are for you, Kevin - to show how much fun it is to work in a public library...



1984/85...Open Day at Hounslow Library. We had moved to the other end of the High Street, into a bunch of pre-fabs, in a car park, next to the careers centre, while the old library was torn down and replaced with a new shopping centre, library and theatre. Guess what..visits and issues went down, so we held an open day to remind people where we were. This included staff dressing up as Postman Pat and Jess the Cat, walking up and down the High Street, handing out balloons and leaflets.



Next stop, Twickenham District Library, summer of 86, just before I migrate up north to do my librarianship degree. The Borough Children's Librarian actually sought me out specially to wear the Spot costume because somebody had spilled the beans that I was game for a laugh. I didn't even work in children's..heck..at that stage I ran the Twickenham Housebound Service. (Shows how seriously they took that service...I was the second most junior library assistant,age 20, and I was responsible for the book selection, and the management of the WRVS volunteers!). The highlight of the day was that access to the staffroom was via the reference library, which was quite a laugh as I came scooting through dressed as a dog. Actually, I'm not sure any of them noticed.




Then, my swansong. Summer of 88, just before my final year at Library School, I went back to Hounslow Library....still in the same pre-fabs, but this was the summer they moved back to the new library. Children's summer programme. The girl with the green hair is actually the assistant children's librarian. I'm the one in the basball cap. I think I was a punkesque clown.




And finally, this one really is for you, Kev. Back to 85 and the Open Day...what better to celebrate libraries than to have a BOOKSALE!! (And the tall lad is my brother, who by that stage was a saturday assistant in same library)

I believe in Father Christmas

OK...Mum, Dad, friends B & M...you win. I WILL start taking Laura to Church tomorrow.

"Mum..is Father Christmas always with us?"

"No, that's God."

"But, does Father Christmas watch over us?"

"No, that's God too."

"But is Father Christmas higher than God."

"No, trust me, Father Christmas is nothing to do with God."

It's just my imagination

So, we had Laura's parent/teacher meeting last week. She has two lovely teachers this year: Mrs B and Mrs L. Mrs B was actually her teacher last year too, so I'm pleased she moved up with the class. We didn't know Mrs L last year, but she is great - very approachable (but also young...I'm struggling with this "professionals in my life who are clearly younger then me" business, and it can only get worse as I age.

Laura is not as advanced as some of her classmates in reading and writing, but they have no concerns, She will apparently get there when she is ready. But, we are informed she is absolutely top of the class as far as her imagination goes. They encourage the children in storytelling, and Laura is so good she actually takes the rest of class along with her in her fantasies.

We are quite used to her vivid imagination at home, but it's nice to see something like this being acknolwedged as useful. Right now, she is downstairs driving to York. Earlier she told us all about the her secret other life as a vampire. Apparently there is a secret door in her bedroom wall. The door and the handle are painted the same colour as her wall, so that is why we haven't seen it. After we have both gone to bed she goes through the door, turns into a bat, and gets into her coffin. "OK" says I. "What's your vampire name?" says Peter. "Alice?" says Laura. "Not very likely" says I. "Vampirer" suggests P. "Rubbish" I say. " makes her sound like she is a vampire in a porn flick. And anyway, neither Dracula nor Orlok gave away their predilections in their name. No, it needs to be gothic. How about Anastasia?" Peter rolled his eyes (probably still thinking about the porn flick). Laura smiled...."Anastasia....yes".

Fame...I wanna live forever

So, my words of wit and wisdom are to be published in another professional journal. I get to be interviewed, by phone, and comment on l*br*ry M*n*gem*nt software. I need to comment on the industry in general, while getting in numerous plugs for the product I manage. This is an intimidating situation already. Usually I give the lovely marketing people a vague idea of what I would like to say, and they go away, craft a masterpiece, then it gets published with my name on it.

But that is not the worst of it. A photograph is required to accompany the article. Of me. Now, I try to avoid having my photo taken at the best of times. The photo I supply is going to have to make me look (in my opinion and in no particular order): intelligent, approachable, authoritative, honest, kind but firm, concerned, articulate, witty, supportive, attentive, friendly....but most of all, NOT FAT.

I'm thinking this one will not do....