Over the weekend I was challenged by fellow blogger, Lynette D’arty-Cross, to take part in a circulating question and answer game.
It works a bit like a chain letter – which I always diligently followed through as a child and was frequently disappointed when the mountains of promised postcards from all over the world never materialised. (My best total ever was three: all from Cornwall). However, not being one to bear a grudge I’ll be throwing myself wholeheartedly into answering Lynette’s questions as best I can and then compose some of my own.
Here are the rules of the game:
Me and Favourite
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and eleven random facts about you.
3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create eleven new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they’ve been tagged.
So, here’s the photo. There was no stipulation that it should be current, and anyway, it illustrates one of the answers to Lynette’s questions.
For anyone still with this, here are eleven (I am intrigued to know why eleven) random facts about me.
I am left-handed; I can’t knit and I hate the feel of nylon. (That’s three).
The only word I know in German is Schildkröte. (Tortoise).
A few years ago I met Peter Osgood, my football hero from the seventies. It didn’t matter that he was old. Or shorter than me. He signed my programme. I was excited for days.
High heeled shoes are anathema to me.
I used to collect pigs but got bored with them.
My index fingers are double jointed.
I have never enjoyed a novel by Jane Austen, or the Bronte’s, for that matter. Even Colin Firth in a wet shirt doesn’t do it for me. Sorry. (Does that count as three separate items? Probably not. Oh well).
I want to ride round London in an open-topped bus pretending I’m a tourist.
My favourite chocolate is the green triangle in a box of Quality Street.
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And now to Lynette’s Eleven Questions Time….
If you had a chance to go back five years from today, and knowing what you know, what would you tell yourself?
Not to keep to the same lottery numbers – far too stressful remembering to buy the ticket. Better still, don’t buy a lottery ticket in the first place, EVER.
Who inspires you?
Absolutely everyone I meet inspires in some way.
What makes you laugh?
I can find humour everywhere and rarely go through a day without laughing. Monty Python’s fish slapping dance never fails to make me laugh out loud.
Why do you blog?
To impose self-discipline and a deadline; to meet like-minded people, share ideas and interests and become inspired.
What is your favourite animal?
The elephant. I have a large wooden one on my windowsill. Here’s one I drew earlier.
What is your favourite travel destination?
Anywhere in France. Unlike most of my fellow countrymen I genuinely like the French – even the Parisians – I have a sneaking admiration for them. How dare they display such arrogant insouciance in their own city?
Who would you like to meet (dead* or alive)?
Grayson Perry. For so many reasons, not least because we share a love of Teddy Bears. His is called Alan Measles, and mine is Favourite, looking pristine in the photo above. (He looks nothing like this now). Grayson’s art works are beautiful, interesting and thought-provoking: everything a work of art should be. For all his cross-dressing, he remains very blokey and is able to hold forth on any subject with sense, sensitivity and humour. Grayson for PM!
*I wouldn’t like to meet a dead person. That would be just weird.
What is your favourite food?
Anything cooked by someone else.
What annoys you?
Dirty plates on the draining board, not in the dishwasher.
If you could change something in your life, what would it be?
The ageing process. So much to do, so much to see, people to meet. Time’s winged chariot and all that.
What do you do to relax yourself?
Write.
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Now here’s the bit where I cheat a little. I have a list of questions below (yes, eleven of them), but I’m not tagging anyone in particular. If anyone feels so inclined to answer one or two, or even all of them, I shall be genuinely interested in the response – I don’t want to turn it into an interrogation. I hope this doesn’t mean that Lynette will strike me off her Christmas card list for altering the game. Did I mention that I’m very bossy? Make that random item number twelve, then.
Eleven Random Questions for anyone out there who wants to be in my gang:
1. If you could be someone else for the day, who would it be?
2. Is there something you’ve been putting off doing, and if so, what?
3. Name the highest place you’ve ever been to.
4. What gets you up in the morning?
5. When was the last time you were embarrassed?
6. If you bought a present for your next door neighbour, what would it be?
7. What do you consider to be the worst form of transport?
8. What was the last live music gig you went to?
9. What is your favourite film?
10. Whose advice do you regularly take?
11. How many different places have you lived in?
So, that’s me done. I shall avoid the number eleven from now on and await responses forthwith. Humour me!
charactersfromthekitchen 
As someone who hates playing by the rules I’ll only answer the ones that I feel like :>) #4–Not only does Hope get me up in the morning but it’s the primary motivator behind the more significant things i do #7–without doubt the ferry that connects Newfoundland to the rest of Canada. No it’s not the stupid ships it is, rather the miserable trip across 200 km of rough water…and the cost for doing it. #10–nobody famous as mostly those self-appointed experts are full of sh*t but–wife and many co-workers do tend to come armed with decent, informed advice.
Do I detect attitude there, Mr B? – join the gang!
But it was still fun :>)
To me totally honest, I feel so blooming awkward whenever I get award nominations. I do get them from time to time and they totally frig me up! Primarily because, while I have a decent self-image, I am also aware (and increasingly so) of the many warts I have. In short, I know I’m more-or-less okay but — buddy — far from perfect. Besides, the awards are such an imposition on the many bloggers that I truly just plain enjoy.
Frigging awards tend to spoil that by creating this…I don’t know…artificial link.
Know what? The best thing anyone can do ‘for’ my site is to leave a comment. That tells me that (1) the person liked the post and got something from it or (2) respects me enough to let me know, though the comment, that they read it. Either way, the comment is a true gift. Why mess with that?
That said, I did enjoy what you did today. You should do it again :>)
I think I know what’s brought this on and while I applaud the reasons behind the nomination I can totally sympathise with your dilemma.
I absolutely agree that a well intended comment at the end of a post is all one needs to know that what you’ve written has been appreciated or considered. Thanks for joining in – it’s been fun to hear what others have to say to such arbitrary questions!
Interesting idea here are some answers
Starting with #2 what have you been putting off
A. Answering question 1. I have no idea who I would like to be for a day
3. Highest place I have been. I think it was alum rain in Jasper national park in Canada. But also the mountains around Val D’Isere in the French Alps
4 what gets you up in morning
A. bathroom call
5 last time embarrassed
A. answering number 4 ( but its usually number one that gets me up)
6 present for next for neighbour.
A. soundproofing for his chest of drawers and plumbing.
7 worst form of transport
A. Submarine. I can’t imagine being locked in there under a Ton of water
8 mariachi concert in Puerto Vallarta. Fabulous.
9 favorite film
A. Can’t do favorites. Too many I like but have watched Keeping Mum. Many times. Still laugh out loud.
10 whose advice do I regularly take?
A. That’s a tough one. There are those who’s advice I regularly seek… But actually take??
11 How many places have I lived?
A. Do we mean locations like towns or homes? If its places as in towns the answer is 3. If its homes it’s (hang on let me take my shoes off) 12 or 13 if you count the cabin. See I did need my toes
There you go Miss Bossy. Now I have to decide whether or not I should put all this on my blog. Can you give me done advice?
Just saw what my iPhone did to answer 3. As far as I know there is no such place as Alum Rain. I tried to type ‘a mountain in Jasper…’
Thanks for joining in, Rod – you and Maurice are definitely in my gang. As for advice – would you take it, anyway? – as I was answering my questions and thinking up random facts, a few ideas for future posts began to germinate in my tangled mind, so perhaps by putting similar on your blog the same might happen to you. Not that I’m insinuating you have a tangled mind. That would be rude. I may be bossy, but never, I hope, rude.
Loved Alum Rain, though.
Just for one day, my husband (I don’t think I could stand it longer), so I could see our life from the other side.
I need to stop dillydallying and get my handmade books on Etsy.
I was going to answer Denver, Colorado–the mile high city–but just for an hour layover. But then I thought about our trip over the Alps between Germany and Switzerland.
My husband’s medical dog, Maggie, always gets me up. She wags her tail against the side of the bed, thump, thump, thump, till we get up.
Six years ago, my soon to be son-in-law took me to a rib place, and I made quite a mess while eating.
Flowers for his grave.
Greyhound bus has to be the most horrendous means of travel in the whole world. Probably because you wouldn’t expect it to be the worst, and yet it is.
A Tim McGraw concert, You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks, and my husband’s advice (though I don’t tell him).
I’ve lived in 7 States, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Virginia, New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, and Florida, as well as Germany for 2 years.
Hi Holly! Thanks for joining in – you’re definitely in my gang – all down to Shortbread Stories! I love any film starring Tom Hanks – including Toy Story. I haven’t been on a Greyhound bus but you’ve emphasised the opinion of someone I know who thought it was the pits. I think I’ll have to do this again – it’s an odd but interesting way to get to know people.
Oh how I love a question and answer thing…..
1. Anyone of my children as I would love to know what they get up to.
2. Clearing out my clothes cupboard and throwing away old shoes.
3. Alps
4. Chris Evans
5. When I got stuck in the changing room in Marks and Spencers
6. A ticket to anywhere
7. Caravan
8. Ray Davis
9. Quite a few but up there is Last of The Mohicans, Singing in the Rain
10. Nobody now but I used to chew the fat with my Dad when needed.
11. 4
Hope I humoured you x
You definitely did and you’re in my gang by default. You were almost an answer to one of Lynette’s questions (no – not the ‘what annoys you’ one, the one about laughing. You always make me laugh. A lot).
It’s great getting to know you a little and I think it’s also great that you changed the rules! 🙂 I will be answering some of your questions in a day or two.
This post is typically Jenny, which means it’s wonderful. I love the way you see things and also the lovely light tone of your writing. You have much more patience than I do, so I could never take on a project like this, but I will respond to some of your answers.
First of all, your picture is delightful, absolutely darling. I learned knitting from a left-handed neighbor, and it was years later that I learned right-hand knitting, and then I really was confused.
This post makes me laugh, and that’s the best kind of compliment!
Marylin, you are so kind, thank you! My Nanna tried to teach me to knit several times but the wool became tangled and I got cross very quickly. She always pitied my left-handedness and thought I was very clever when I mastered something in her right-handed world!
I’m glad I made you laugh. :>)