30 in 30 days... and 30 things about me

My mate Scribbles some weeks ago wrote down a whole lot of things she thought about. Well, as I am pushing 30, and as that milestone inspires me to reflect on the fun and games of the last 10 years, here are 30 things I can say about myself. Most of you who read these and know me will already know these, but you never know... and we'll get back to the Canadiana later - after all, 30 in 30 days only happens once!

I have real trouble convincing people how shy I am, and secretly I wish that more people believed me.

At 30, the longest I have ever had a job is 2 yrs and 7 months… (and its this one).

If ever I settled down, I couldn’t mix it with life as a bean counter.

Secretly, I think I will be stressed, no matter what job I have – I have come to accept that I will ‘take it home with me’.

This probably stopped me doing something I would love to be able to do, which is counselling.

The friends I will count as my best at 30 were, for the most part, not in my life when I was 20.

I have had some big life changing moments, but I still take what I have for granted too much.

I cant take compliments.

Im not all that observant. I never noticed the arrow on the fedex logo, I have no idea how many sets of lights there are from the highway to my house, and I couldn’t tell you what the person I was just talking to was wearing.

My head is full of trivia. For example, I can tell you what Birmingham City’s record attendance is, and the line of latitude Peterborough sits on.

On the other hand, I cant remember what I had for lunch yesterday, or how much it cost.

I’m learning that sport isn’t the be all and end all, that, when you are away from it, you can live without football, and that sometimes a long lie in bed is more fun than driving 2 hours to watch the game.

On the other hand, the individual moments that define sports matches, especially dramatic ones (Man Uniteds 2-1 win over Bayern, Wilkinsons last minute drop goal against the Aussies,) will probably remain amongst the most intense moments of joy I experience.

Having met with about 5 Irish university graduates, I know I will never think like them, or be accepted as one of them. I think and see like an English person, and I am proud of that.

I’ll never be able to bake bread like my nan, boil bacon like my mum or make pancakes like my dad.

I grew up eating and loving these as my favourite foods, completely unaware that they were Irish things.

Some people I make laugh all the time (Ampsy), some people I never make laugh, and I really have no idea if there is a difference in the way I treat those people.

At least twice I lost a friend because the relationship went from superficial to serious.

I wonder if there is one person in the world I am comfortable being in a room silent with.

I was a joker through my first job, and only really began to act ‘grown up’ when I became a teacher. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, and I don’t remember when, it stopped being an act, and I don’t joke around as much as I used to.

I lost my competitive streak many years ago. For some reason, now it feels great to let the other person win.

I always let my friends get their own way.

On the other hand, by doing that, I get something too – the pleasure of knowing they are happy.


My life has been fantastic. I’ve had chances that people from my background just didn’t always get. And I personally didn’t have to struggle and fight for those chances. I owe it all to other people, and very good fortune.

I like giving freely of my time to anything and anyone, but i dislike being forced to do anything.

I find it difficult accepting the generosity of others, and should remember this when people are reluctant to accept mine..

I know I am going to feel empty when I leave Canada, I’m pretty sure I know the reasons why, but I could not possibly explain them rationally.

The only positive I take from this is I know that, when I left the UK, I was really looking forward to being back.

I wasn’t at home for my 18th, 21st or 30th birthdays.

I have no urge to do anything more before my birthday, nor do I think I will feel any different after it.

I wouldn’t change any of the past 30 years experiences, good or bad.