I found this in
this post on The Strawberry Post. Of course, I had to play along. If you'd like to play along too, feel free to do so. Just let me know, so I can come check out your answers. For now though, here are mine:
73 Questions About Me
1. What’s your usual Starbucks order?
I haven't been to Starbucks in a very long time. Last time I went it was new here, and there weren't many options. I do remember though that I had a lovely hot chocolate and some delicious carrot cake. I'd have to pick something else now though, since those aren't vegan friendly. I know they have some Vegan options though, since I saw some people talking about it on a UK vegan group on Facebook. If nothing else, I know they have tea, and do almond milk, so I could have that. No idea when I'll go again though, since it's not really somewhere I go much, so it doesn't matter.
2. What does your workstation look like?
We have an office/computer room. It's not a big one, but it's big enough for the two of us.
I've got a little desk near a window that looks out over the ocean. On it is my computer, a couple of coasters for my drinks (one each for hot and cold drinks) and the camera. When I was still using a laptop, my red brailler was on it too, but that's somewhere else right now because of space. I also had a talking clock in the shape of an apple, but it broke, and I haven't gotten around to replacing it yet. I usually have the phones - my mobile phone, and the chordless home phone - on the desk beside me when I'm sat at it as well.
It's not a fancy desk, but there's a little drawer and a small two shelf cupboard in the desk, where I keep computer related stuff, such as spare cables, headphones, backup disks, etc. Also, under the desk is a basket, where Logan usually sleeps when I'm on the computer (if he's not curled up under my swivel chair).
Nearby is a single basic shelving unit with holiday decorations, the proofs of all my books, paperwork, and Harry Potter figurines and stuff on it. Plus a fan for warmer days, a bed for Lilie, more shelves with stuff of Kelly's on them, and Kelly's fan, swivel chair and computer desk.
3. Favourite food?
Depending on my mood, toast or chips (fries).
4. Favourite author?
There are too many to choose, and it changes depending on my mood, what I read recently, and so on.
5. What do you think of open relationships?
If everyone involved is happy to do that, that's up to them, and I'm fine with them doing it, as long as everyone involved knows it's what's happening, and is fine with it too. That kind of thing isn't for me though. Never has been, and never will be. I'm the exclusive relationships only type.
6. What is your favourite video game?
I'm currently addicted to a quiz game on my phone called, "Quizoid" - does that count?
7. Guilty pleasure treat?
Depending on my mood, doughnuts, fudge, or chocolate. This has not changed with me switching to a vegan diet. The only changes are that I no longer have to suffer stomach ache for enjoying a chocolate bar or some fudge, and in the case of the doughnuts it's easier to make my own than go buy some.
8. Favourite movie?
I have several favourites, but if I have to pick just one, it's Practical Magic. Though there are several others I adore too, like I said, such as the Harry Potter movies, The Craft, Frozen, Moana, etc.
9. Favourite book?
I've got loads of them! But, if I have to pick just one, it's "A Little Princess" by Frances Hogeson Burnett. But I have loads of favourites, as I said, which can change with my mood, and depending on what I recently read sometimes too, so could give you a long list, which will have likely changed a bit between when I'm writing this and when it goes live. I also always feel bad for those I don't pick, so tend to struggle to limit my choices.
10. Twitter or Instagram?
Twitter. It's the only one of the two I have. As someone who has to rely on text, it's also a bit easier for me to work with, though even with Twitter I experience the frustration of posts that aren't accessable because they're images only.
11. Desktop or laptop?
I use a desktop at the moment, but really wish I had a laptop instead. I used to have one, but I stepped on it one too many times, and it died. I want a new one.
12. Best advice you’ve ever received?
About what? The thing is, I've been given a lot of advice, some good and some bad, about a lot of things.
The best advice I ever got about relationships is that, "If nobody in a relationship ever argues, someone is lying," which is comforting in those times between disagreements and making up. It was something someone told me soon after I started blogging, when I'd been married a few years, which they'd been told the day they got married.
The best advice I ever got about writing is that, "The first draft is always rubbish," and you should always "Write first, edit later," which are both good things to remember when I read through the first drafts of my story, and spot all kinds of typos, and worse issues, I wish didn't exist, and wonder if my writing is really any good.
13. What project are you working on right now?
I'm finishing up the final stages of a middle grade pirate themed adventure story I've been working on, slowly writing poems to put together another collection, finishing the painting on an ornamental alicorn, working on blog posts for the near future, answering some questions for an upcoming author interview, and still working on some training with Logan the Cavapoo. Um... I think that's everything.
14. Favorite color?
Purple. Closely followed by blue and red.
15. Did you get good grades in school?
Yes. My grades and schoolwork weren't anything to do with why I only have one GCSE. But that's something I don't want to go in to full details on. Short version: I loved schoolwork, but ended up being homeschooled, and only bothered to do my English GCSE. I also did other courses, but didn't bother with my other GCSEs. My grades were good though. I was good enough at maths, for example, that I used to do my older brother's homework.
The only subjects I didn't do well at were geography, R.E. (religious education) and P.E. (physical education). But I did just fine with everything else. I struggled with geography because I just don't get on well with maps, failed in R.E. because my teacher wanted us all to share her views and I didn't, and health issues and disability made P.E. difficult (despite the schools' best efforts at getting me involved with sports in some way).
16. Dream job?
An author who works with animals or young children. Since I spend my days mostly doing the author thing in between playing with the furkids - and doing chores, but we won't talk about that - I'm basically doing my dream job now. Although, I often wish I could get someone else to do the chores, so I could have a bit more time for the author and pet related stuff.
17. Play any sports?
Not at all now - unless fetch with the dogs counts - and only sort of in the past.
When I was still in primary school (elementary school) the school tried to have me playing rounders (it's kind of like baseball, for those not in the UK) but that didn't work too well for them. They also put me on the school netball team, but that was just to make up numbers, and they mostly just gave me a ball and sent me off to a clear area to play with it, since it was easier and safer. After an eventful race, where I was cheered despite coming last, for my sheer determination to complete it, I didn't even do sports day during most of my schooling, because everyone decided it was easier and safer for me to sit it out. That was fine by me, since they'd usually tell me to read or something while everyone was training for sports day, which I was happy to do.
I did do some horse riding and judo though., and actually loved doing those, plus got fully involved in them. The horse riding and judo weren't anything to do with school. I was just horse crazy, so wanted to do horse riding, and tried judo when I went to a VICTA (Visually Impaired Children Taking Action) session, and loved it, so wanted to do more.
But these days I don't do anything other than watch sports, and that I don't do much, even though I technically follow the Toronto Raptors basketball team, and Liverpool football (soccer) team.
18. Do you have a degree?
No. I've got an English GCSE, a FIT (Foundation in Information Technology) certificate, and a certificate that says I completed a Welsh language course I went on just to help my Mam with it (I already spoke Welsh). But no degrees.
19. Nationality?
British. Born and raised in Wales to English parents, now living in England with a Canadian husband. If you go back further, there's some Irish in there, and also some Scottish and French. Maybe some others too, from other parts of Europe, but I'm not sure beyond that. My Dad would know, since he's done a lot of family history research.
20. What is your favourite kind of blog post?
It depends what I've gone to the blog looking for. The thing is, I like a variety of blog posts. I love reading people's answers to things like this. I love getting glimpses in to the lives of the friends I follow via their general blog posts about their day to day life. I also love informative posts, recipe shares, etc. The main thing to me is that the posts need to be accessable to me, and written clearly enough for me to understand what's being said. Perhaps it would be easier to tell you what would make me unlikely to enjoy a blog post?
- Infographics. I'm sure they're great... If you can see them. However, since I can't, it's really irritating when I see an interesting post title, click on it, and find I can't enjoy the post, because it's just a bunch of pictures without any descriptions.
- Posts full of curse words. The odd one being slipped in when you're upset and angry about something... OK. Otherwise, I don't think they need to appear in a final version of a post. I can ignore them if they only appear from time to time, but those posts where it seems you're cursing every other word... No thanks!
- An apparent lack of knowledge of how to string words together. I'm not asking you to be an expert in grammar, be perfect at spelling, etc. But if you're going to post in a particular language, please make sure you at least have a basic grasp of it, and are able to string words together in a way that makes it possible for people to understand what you're saying.
Other than those things, I enjoy most types of posts, though I do have posts I enjoy more than others, of course. Even my favourite blogs do posts I enjoy more some days than others... It's how it always goes.
21. What do you like to collect?
Books, DVDs, Harry Potter stuff, cuddly toys, gems and crystals, ideas for stories and poems, and happy memories.
22. Describe yourself in three words?
Creative, stubbourn, inquisitive.
23. If you were a rapper what would your stage name be?
Um... I have no idea. I'm not even going to attempt to come up with one.
24. Who was the last person you DM?
My friend, Barb, to make sure she saw an article about her favourite actor being in an upcoming movie. That was a few weeks ago... I don't use messenger much. I texted my Mam a day or so ago though.
25. What’s on top of your wish list right now?
Apart from the obvious things like world peace, which aren't under my control, but I still wish for them, on top of my wishlist right now is a new laptop. There are more important things to buy first, but it's what I wish I could have.
26. Sorting house?
Ravenclaw, according to the old Warner Bros Harry Potter website, and Pottermore. That's just fine by me, since it's the one I'd like to be in anyhow. Not that I have anything against the other houses.
27. How many tattoos do you have?
Two. One on my right upper arm of a Welsh dragon, which matches the one my brother, Carl, has in the same spot, and was done at the same time as he had his done. Another on my left upper arm, which is a heart, some blue flowers, and a bone with "Kero" written on it, for my West Highland White Terrier, Castellan Keroberous (more commonly just known as Kero).
28. What are you most grateful for this year?
That I finally won the battle with the gynecologists, got my hysterectomy, and my health is improving.
29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?
The month has only just started, and nothing has really had time to happen because of when I'm writing this. The best thing that happened to me last month though was finally getting that dentist appointment I've been waiting for since April out of the way. Yes, it took from the end of April until the middle of August for them to deal with it. Ridiculous, I know. I'm sure that knowledge is enough to tell you why I count it as a good enough thing to mention.
30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?
Given the time this will be going live, about all that will have happened between me getting up and it going live is playing with the dogs and having breakfast. Those are great things though.
31. What’s the best thing ever?
That time in the evening between Lilie and Logan settling for the night, and me settling for sleep myself, when I'm curled up on the bed with the two of them, enjoying some reading time before going to sleep.
32. Favourite season?
There are things I love about them all. If I have to pick though, I choose Winter, because it's most likely not to be hot, and there's a good chance we'll get snow, which I love.
33. Favourite holiday?
I can't choose between Halloween and Christmas. On the one hand, Christmas, because I love the decorations, sweet mince pies, and the fact people make that extra effort to think about others. On the other hand, Halloween has trick-or-treaters in cute or spooky costumes, and pumpkin carving. So, both Halloween and Christmas get the top spot, and which I'd pick if you asked me to pick just one of them would depend on how I was feeling at the time. Today it's Halloween I'd pick, if you want to know.
34. What fictional character do you relate to most?
I have to pick two: Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter books. The bookaholic side of me relates to Hermione, with her love of books, and thirst for knowledge. But there are parts of me where I relate to Luna most, with her unique way of looking at the world, and inability to fully fit in.
35. Do you like surprises?
It depends on the kind of surprise. There are good and bad surprises.
36. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?
That a lot of people are actually eager to read my books. I love writing them, and had hoped people would love reading them, but it was a nice surprise to learn they really do. At least, if the reviews I've had are anything to go by.
37. Which surprise made you cry?
The keeper for a day experience I was gifted a couple of years ago. It was an amazing experience.
38. What’s the best surprise you’ve given somebody else?
I'm not sure. I've surprised people with things that made them happy, but I'm not sure any one of them is better than the others. It might be to the person in question, but you'd have to ask them.
39. Do you like muffins?
Savoury or sweet? Well, either way, it depends on the type and flavour. As a general rule though, yes to both. Especially if you're offering either a toasted muffin with something spread on it, or a blueberry muffin. No chocolate ones though, please.
40. Do you cook often?
That's a difficult one to answer. On the one hand, yes, pretty much every day. On the other hand, since Kelly prefers to do the parts of cooking involving the oven, you might say I only do the prep work, and he's the one who does the cooking. He counts it as me doing it though, so I'm going to as well, which means I cook almost every day, and bake regularly too, especially since I became vegan. The only days I don't are the odd time when we either eat out or get take-away, if I have leftovers I can just heat up, or if my dinner that night doesn't involve any actual cooking.
41. What’s your favourite dessert?
Rhubarb crumble. Luckily it's something that was easy to veganize. Even more luckily, vegan custard and ice-cream exist.
42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?
Only really chocolate cake. Sorry, but I can't eat it. Not even if you make me a vegan friendly one. I explained why in a post a couple of weeks ago. Short answer: the thought of doing so makes me feel physically sick.
43. Cake or pie?
Depends on my mood, and what flavours you're offering. I like cakes, pies, tarts, and quiches, but which I'll want will depend what flavours you're offering, and which I fancy at the time.
44. What’s your least favourite food?
Celery. I'll only eat celery or lettuce if they've got something on them, but out of those two things, it's celery I'm most reluctant to eat, since at least lettuce isn't so bad with a nice dressing on it. Celery I only tolerate, and then only when I have to.
Besides those things, though I have foods I enjoy more than others, and ways I prefer things cooked or prepared, there's not really much I won't eat in the way of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts, and seeds.
45. What’s your favourite condiment?
It used to be tomato ketchup, but I haven't had that in a while. These days it seems to be vegan mayo.
46. It’s 4 am on a random Saturday. What are you eating?
If I'm up, probably either toast, nuts, seeds, fruit (fresh or dried) or some kind of cake or biscuit.
47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?
Interacting with blind people 101. I hope a lot of people would want to take the class, and would learn from it.
48. Best animated film?
There are too many to choose. Frozen, Moana, Bambi, The Lion King... All great movies, but not the only ones.
49. What has a guy done or said to impress you?
I'm not sure. Kelly must have done or said something though, otherwise I wouldn't have married him. *wink*
50. Best thing to do on a first date?
Dinner - whether a meal at a cafe or something, or a picnic somewhere - and a movie. Of course, it's best to find out the kinds of foods and movies the person likes before planning the date, otherwise it will turn in to a bad date quickly.
51. Worst thing to do on a first date?
Definitely do not talk about your ex, if you have one. Leave the ex related baggage for when you're more committed to one another. Better yet, move on, and don't talk about your ex at all, unless you have a very good reason to because of something that happened in your past.
53. Best comic book character?
Batman. He's the best comicbook character, and the best superhero.
54. Name three things which can always be found in your purse
It depends which kind of purse you mean. If you mean the British version, so what Americans call a wallet, money, bank card, and loyalty cards for some places we shop at regularly. If you mean the kind the Americans call a purse, which the British call a handbag, I don't carry one, but the backpack I use instead usually has my inhalers, my Kindle, and a bottle of water in it whenever I'm going anywhere.
55. Favourite drink?
Tea, of course. Doesn't matter if it's regular tea, or a fruity or herbal tea.
56. If you could play a historical character in a movie who would it be?
Nobody. They'd make me wear a dress during filming, and modern dresses are bad enough.
57. Kittens or puppies?
This is a tough one, since I love both, and think both are just as adorable as each other. But I think Lilie and Logan would be disappointed if I didn't pick puppies, so I'm going to go with puppies.
58. Favourite sushi roll?
I don’t eat it. Never have.
59. What lipstick do you use?
I don't use any. I might sometimes use a lip balm, but that's about it, and I haven't even done that in ages.
60. What foundation do you use?
I don't use any. I'm not big on make-up related stuff. I wasn't ever all that interested in any make-up besides nail polish, and am allergic to most of it anyhow, even the supposedly hypo-allergenic stuff.
61. Blow dry or air dry?
Air dry. I don't even own a hair dryer. I used to have a purple travel one, but didn't use it much, let someone borrow it, and never got it back. That's happened with a lot of things. It's why I don't let people borrow my stuff any more. One of these days I might get around to getting a new one. Maybe. Doubt I'll use it much if I do though.
62. Who is your fashion icon?
I don't know - or care - much about fashion.
63. Favourite Disney Character?
Wait, what? I have to pick just one? Nooo! Don't make me do it! How can I choose between Elsa and Olaf from Frozen, Simba from The Lion King, Dory from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, Chip from Beauty And The Beast, Thumper from Bambi, and all my other favourites? The answer is, I can't!
64. What are you doing tomorrow?
Working on making progress with my writing project... I hope!
65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?
This is a tough one. Liar Liar, Mrs Doubtfire, and Daddy Daycare all made me laugh a lot. But how can you not laugh at anything involving Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, and Eddie Murphy?
66. Movie that made you cry?
Bolt. It gets me every time. Partially because it makes me think of Kero, but also because there's a part in it where it would be tough for anyone who loves animals not to cry. I've watched it loads of times, and never got through it without tears.
67. If you could sing a duet with anybody, who would you choose?
I suppose it depends on the kind of song. If we're talking something romantic, Ronan Keating for sure. If we're talking something where we're just singing together, "Just because," it would be either Ronan Keating again, or Dolly Parton. Or Tom Jones... I could do Cerys Matthews' part in "Baby It's Cold Outside" no problem.
68. If your life was a song what would the title be?
If I had to pick one that I know already exists, "Life Is A Rollercoaster" by Ronan Keating. If you want me to make one up, "Home Is A Hospital Bed" would fit, going by how much time I've spent in a hospital throughout most of my life. I'm hoping to change it to "Her Chance To Live Came At Last" though... It would be a much happier song.
69. What’s your favourite animal?
My absolute favourite is a lion. But I also love rats, horses, dogs, and other types of cats.
70. Favourite illustrator?
I don't really have one. Although, I used to love Quentin Blake's illustrations in my Roald Dahl books.
71. The person you want to have coffee with?
Nobody, because I don't like coffee. However, if you mean it in the, "Let's go out for coffee," sense, where it can mean any drink, I'd love to meet up with J K Rowling or Michelle Paver for a drink and a chat. J K Rowling, because Harry Potter. Michelle Paver, because she's been on some amazing trips while researching her books, and I'd love to hear about them.
72. What country would you like to visit?
Egypt, to see the pyramids. Also, France, because I want to go to Paris and see the sights there, as well as go to Disneyland.
73. Best way to decompress?
A nice long bubble bath, and then curl up with a book, a warm drink, and the dogs.
