Shrinky tagged me. Bummer! Since I've never been able to resist an ambidextrous, double-jointed, VERY flexible blonde (her words, not mine), it looks like I'll have to play along.
The Rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you (that's me!).
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about you in your blog post.
4. Tag six people in your post.
5. Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.
1. I am not much of a swimmer, ability moderate-to-weak, and I try to avoid swimming in the sea if I can possibly help it. Not an earth-shattering disclosure until I explain that I've nearly drowned twice. Once in a lake, at the tender age of eleven, whilst misbehaving (showing off!) on a picnic with other kids my age. The other occassion was in the sea, off 'Twin Sisters' islands 10 minutes by boat out of Singapore harbour. The first time I was rescued by the bus driver, who just happened to wake up from a doze in the parked bus, only to realise some snotty kid was having a bit of trouble staying afloat. On the second occasion, a lovely bevy of Aussie Sheila's, each endowed with magnificent buoyancy aids, jumped in and hauled me to safety whilst all the men stood on the boat, clasping chilled cans of Tiger beer close to their 'bronzy-bronzy' chests, looking on with interest. Go figure!
2. My mother 'schooled' me, pre-kindergarten, to count from 1 to 100. I memorised my 'numbers' after many beatings, sobbing and snot dripping from my nose, but I was number-perfect by the time I shuffled my short pants to the school. Only to be relegated, by the nice-smelling teacher, to the B-stream on day one. Which earned another thrashing when I got home! Why? Because the teacher asked those who knew their 'numerals' to raise their hands. I didn't, because I'd never heard the word before in my life!
3. Same kindergarten, another embarrasing episode. Class was asked to talk about a parent. I told them the story of how my Dad lost his hair. Exactly the same way my Dad told it to me. His story rambled on a bit, but the gist of it was that during one of the night 'sleep-out' sessions during a particularly hot summer (everybody 'slept out' - it was an accepted practise) a cow wandered into the compound and chewed off his hair. After suffering the hoots of derision from the re-telling of that story I don't think I ever believed anything my father said to me after that!
4. I am averse to killing any living creature. Not even bugs, flies and spiders! Unless they make the mistake of ganging up on me - and then it's 'watch out'! The reason? Another youthful experience. My uncle Richard, who doted on me because they were a childless couple, lent me his BB air rifle to "go learn manly things." My friend and I came back, proud hunters, and showed off my bag of two sparrows to uncle Richard, and bragged about how I had killed them with single clean shots to the head. "Are you going to eat them?", he asked. He didn't need to amplify on his comment, because even at that young age, ten or eleven, the lesson sank home!
5. I was a keen sportsman at school. Held (probably still hold) the school record for high jump with a clearance of 6ft 1-3/4ins using the 'Scissors' technique. The 'Straddle' and the 'Fosbury Flop' hadn't been discovered at that time and lifting one's vertical body over a 6ft bar, leading leg over first swiftly followed by the trailing leg, was really quite an achievement.
6. A result of the disclosure in #5 is that I didn't achieve much at school academically. And even the few low-grade passes I did manage to squeeze out of the 'Cambridge Overseas Certificate' examination weren't recognised in the UK when I tried to submit them as proof of my educational qualifications. There is a corollary to this sad state of affairs; I've NEVER failed an examination as an adult. So there!
The Next Victims:
1. Jenera
3. CrazyCath
4. Cecilia
5. Jeni
6. Lee
Over to you ...
29 comments:
My first thought when I saw you had tagged me was "You swine Terry!" and "I love you too - gee thanks". But I am glad you did secretly. Just don't tell anyone. OK?
Love your venture back into childhood - quite an eye opener to us young 'uns! Mind I always thought that cows chewing hair off was how baldness occurred. Shucks - another ideal shattered.
I'll post mine soon.
Hey! Your photo just "walked" to me as I scrolled past it. Cool!
I kind of followed your lead too -back to early childhood -and some of the things that tended to make me somewhat of an oddball at times back then too!
So my post - "Odd, Strange and Curious" -is done and up for all the world to see!
Cheers!
Ah, what s sweet little lad you were! (So glad you didn't drown.) The things our parents do to us is only slightly less alarming than the nuggets they pass on to us guised as wisdom. A wonderful post Terry, made me smile.
Re: comments moderation. I'm bewildered as to what has happened there, I wonder how many other folk believe I've been deleting them? Darn!
Cath,
Gotcha!
It was easier to recollect and mention childhood things, as opposed to current idiosyncrasies, which may turn out to be embarrasing disclosures!
The pic 'walking out' to meet you is the thumbnail enlargement script I'm experimenting with. Unfortunately it isn't a 'freebie', but I shall explain in more detail in a follow-up post.
Jeni,
Had a read - even caught up on the unread posts. You've been busy since I last trawled by, but it was an enjoyable stay.
Yup, childhood memories are probably the safest to recount!
Shrinky,
You started this (yeah, I know it was Deb that targetted you), but now that you picked on me, I am spreading the misery around.
Tried to post another comment on your blog and I think I've worked out why the other's didn't show up. I'll wait and see if you get the chance to 'comment moderate' on this last one before I disclose my findings ...
Fletch, I just called in to see what misery I had caused by tagging Shrinky, only to find you naming and blaming me! It was chrisncarol who got me! Sorry. Loved your tag. Parents hey I think they have a lot to answer for. Debs
Ha my word verification is deaarme
Darn it, Debs!
I was so engrossed in what I was trying to say that I didn't take the time to go to your site first to read what you'd said.
Wish I had, then I might NOT have mentioned SNOT. Oh, well, too late now.
But isn't it slightly disconcerting how similar our observations are?
Fletch, I'm still recovering from the whole SNOT thing. I'm "gipping" for France here!
Debs x
word vefication BOGEY ('snot really) It gets worse I'm at snotmail.com too.
I loved that post - such a cute little boy there in the picture, and such a charming girl, they grew (literally) on me - the styles then! Did make me nostalgic.
Ah, Raji, the STYLES indeed.
All hand-made at home from 'sealed patterns' obtained from UK magazines.
Or by the local tailor who never seemed to need a pattern for anything. A measuring tape, scissors and the ubiquitous foot-pedalled Singer sewing machine was all he needed (they were always MALE - I never came across a FEMALE of the species)!
Heheheh! Thank yu I am so onnerd!!!!! I havent dun it yet. I'll let yu kno wen!
Thanks agen!
:@D
"... I am so onnerd!!!!! ..."
If ony we were all so easily pleased ...!!
Go for it, (esq), and I'll be intrigued to read your recollections (disclosures).
Fletch, so true - they were all male, and how we girls squirmed when they took our measurements! The females were usually moms who tailored only for their families. Your observations triggered off another set of thoughts and will be posted - may I use the picture you have used here to illustrate it?
Of course you may, Raji.
See that © note at the bottom of the page? I mean every word of it. But it was nice of you to ask.
Let me know when your post is up.
At last, I got around to it. Mine's up Terry! Hope you enjoy. While you're at it, just to make you work for having tagged me...
Could you have a look at 2 widgets I have put on the side bars. The on on the left is the animated cat. The one on the right is the reading level of my blog (Genius of course). Both need reducing to fit the side bars, but because they are widgets from another website, I cannot find how to reduce the size so it fits in. There's always something...!
When you get a chance. Much appreciated. You can access it - you know how. Cheers.
Cath,
Enjoyed the post.
Fixed the widget on the right; got beat by the black cat.
Will continue to investigate the cat, but left well-enough alone on the grounds that it doesn't look bad as it is. I think the tail is meant to go off-stage!
Hey, Terry. My post is, at long last, up. Sorry it took so long. I loved reading yours. It set the bar for some of the bits, not that mine meets your excellent standard.
Peace!
I havent fergotten this, Fletch, but, bein a spy, I hav had to refer it on to hier orthoritys befor I reveal stuff abowt meself. Ahem.
We can wait, Bob.
I'm sure you are 'bearly' able to disclose personal stuff without tripping over the 'orfishil seekrits ack'.
Think hard before you do!!
I beati's "share the love" today spotlighted you, so here I am. And,yes, meme's are highly techno!
Esp. to someone like myself who is relatively new to blogging. Sandy was right. If you need any techno help... Thanks for having me. Petra
Thanks, Petra.
If you find something that is bugging' you, drop me a line, and I promise to answer.
Can't be a fairer offer, can it?
I just LOVE the photo...... but then Im one of those saddos that love looking at peoples holiday snaps lol......
Great post..... even the bad parts of childhood can make one smile..... beatings were a part of growing up back in those days, today it would classed as abuse....
x
Thanks Mel (I spent hours reading your Blog to find an oblique reference to your real name!).
Could it be Haslar that you've been blogging about? If it is, I thought they'd shut it down, but nevertheless, I owe a couple of their top surgeons 'big time'.
Be Happy!
:) It shuts next year when the new Super hospital at Cosham should be finished being built..... Everyone loves haslar even though its not modern etc the homeliness and the care is the best in the country, and many that go private would still rather be at haslar.... it is still mainly full of military staff and quite a few of the wards are purely military personal....
You so didnt read me blob for hours lol........ :) you really need to go back to the beginning to get a proper feel of the place......
Anyways.... how do you do.. Im Melody or Mel as most call me.... besides many other not so nice names lol
Why do you owe haslar something? now Im intrigued.. lol
And fanks for popping over to twaddle, its quite a mixture depending what mood Im in lol....
x
@Mel
I'm prone to exaggeration - anything more than 5 mins seems like 'hours', but I'm sure you'll forgive me for that. Age tends to shorten the concentration span!
'Owing' Haslar is a bit personal, so I won't mention it here. I may blog it some day, though.
I'll add 'Twaddle' to my Blog-Links so that I can drop in from time to time.
Hey, much as I love the plug, isn't it time you thought about updating this site my friend??
Move your lazy arse and DO something, your loyal public awaits.. xx
Ah Carol, you have a way with words!
'Paradise' is monopolising my time, followed closely by the Portal, FHCF, CTR and Esther (none of which are of interest to you).
But it keeps me off the street corners and out of the bars ...
I promise to add a couple of 'Tips' here in the near future.
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