Tuesday 12 July 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: My picks for 'General Facts About Me'.


I'm glad to see a topic that takes a bit of a break from books. Facts about me is probably going to turn out to be a lot harder than I think but I think I'm going to enjoy thinking of them nonetheless.

1) I grew up in Kent, England.

Living in London, not everyone will know that I wasn't actually born here. Instead, I grew up in a medium-sized town called Ashford which only really boasts an 'International' train student and Designer Outlet. I remember living in two houses while being there, but the second was definitely my favourite. Places like Canterbury also played a huge part in my life and though the Secondary vs. Grammar school system isn't really found in England anymore, I did attend an all-girls Grammar School and for the most part, loved it.

2) I've been with Mat for 6 and a half years.

I've mentioned my partner in crime Mat a lot on this blog, but I haven't really talked much about how long we've been together. We met while we were both at school (he went to the all-boys grammar nearby) and we've ended up staying together ever since we started dating. A lot of people are surprised by the huge amount of time we've been together, especially as I'm only in my early twenties! It's been a wonderful ride from beginning to end though!

3) I'm scared of spiders, drowning and...hole-like patterns?

Arachnophobia is common enough when it comes to things that people are afraid of, so I don't think I need to explain myself there. Drowning is probably a more rational thing to be scared of, but what it means is that I can't swim because I'm too scared to learn. I hate watching drowning scenes in films or on TV and can't easily read them in books either. As for hole-like patterns, it's not officially a phobia but Trypophobia is a real thing and I defy most people not to look it up and instantly feel sick or uncomfortable.

4) I am very anxious.

Since a very young age I've been a worrier. More so than most people around me, and it has affected my life on so many levels that I get very angry when people try to tell me that anxiety is just a 'state of mind'. I have half-hour panic attacks before calling people, I can't easily talk to people in retail situations despite working in retail myself, I lay awake at night thinking about stupid or embarrassing situations from six years ago and feel horrible butterflies in my stomach. It knocks my confidence and self-worth. I'm glad I have such supportive friends and family around me to help me cope.

5) I adore the Theatre.

Before I really got into writing and set up this book blog, I really wanted to be an actress. I lived for singing and performance and could never quite get over the magic of the stage. I even studied it at University for three years and came out with a First! My favourite thing to do now is watch musicals or dramas on stage and I often frequent the West-End theatres that are now just minutes from my house.

6) My first car was a Fiat Punto.

I actually shared this car with Mat (we'd swap it between houses) in order to bring down the insurance cost. Despite the fact that it had it's issues (every first car does) Mat and I loved this car to bits. We named her Phoebe after the crazy, loveable 'Friends' character and I have to say that she definitely lived up to that name. At times she was my best friend, but she definitely had the odd tantrum that made us fall out (i.e. engine cutting out for NO REASON for a little while, power steering doing the same every so often, etc.). Phoebe was the best first car ever and I was so sad when we had to sell her upon moving to London.

7) Despite loving animals, I've never had many pets.

My family are all pretty big animal lovers, and find dogs and cats adorable. The problem is, my Dad is quite severely allergic to them, resulting in a childhood filled only with small rodents as pets. My sister and I had Guinea Pigs to begin with, named Amy and Emma. We really loved them and I have never felt more proud than when I became 'old enough' for my Dad to teach me to look after them. Did you know that Guinea Pigs purr? Well they do and it's awesome! Later on, my parents caved and we got Gerbils: Princess and Jasmine (the Disney pun was not intended. I loved the gerbils too, though sadly they were considerably more inclined to bite and a little less fun to look after. I still look forward to, at some point, being able to get a cat or dog of my own.

8) I have a very varied music taste.

There are songs in just about every genre that I end up enjoying immensely. I'd say folk and indie are my favourite genre, though I'm inclined to a bit of rock/metal from time to time too. It really depends what I'm in the mood for, and I have to say that most of the time it's lyricless film compositions. Seriously, I get so hooked on the accompanying scores for various films/TV shows/games and I could listen to them all day. When people ask me who my favourite artists are I can normally answer them, but in my head I think about my favourite composers too (a question no one ever asks).

9) I'm extremely interested in Fairy Tales, folklore, myths and legends.

This is often reflected in my fictional reading tastes as I love retellings, but these originals are probably my favourite stories of all time. Fairy Tales used to feed my imagination to no end when I was a child, and the same can be said when I learnt about Ancient History and their various Gods and Myths. So fascinating! History has always been a topic I enjoy and while the more recent historic events are interesting, I always love to learn about the great civilisations of the past.

10) My dream holiday destination is Japan.

I have never been to Japan, but through the influence of various media outlets, I have absolutely fallen for this country. The views there look stunning, the festivals so fun, and it's the home to Pokemon, Studio Ghibli and other such favourites of mine. I love the cultural aspect too and hope that someday I'll be able to take a long period of time out to visit it! Please?

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