Duke | Some Call Me Bob

I’m currently sat on a boring dark train ride, with only the dim lights of other people outside cosied up at home to occupy me. So naturally I decide to write a blog post!

Now many of these blog things have a array of ‘get to know the author’ posts, where you the reader can be all nosy and stuff about what makes me tick or plain ticks me off. So I thought I would whack a bit more about me on here. But only the interesting bits, I doubt you really care what my favourite type if vegetable is. (Broccolli fyi…)

1. I have a weird habbit of liking things in parallels on train tables, coffee tables, and basically an small table-like objects. This means I like it when the purse, ipod, and water bottle are all nice spaces apart on the train journey home, (as right now for example). Now some people think this is mad. I partially aggree with then.

2. There are few things in life that cheer me up as much as a good sing-song in an empty house/flat. Belting out a good old tune at the top of your voice whilst on your tod is the best feeling in the world, or at least pretty close. Top favourites include ‘Time After Time’ by Sandy Denny, and anything from ‘Wicked’ the musical – ehich incidentally I really want to go and see.

3. I have an extremely ticklish neck. This is a problem during nice relaxing massages. They massage. I tense. They massage harder. I spasm. I giggle.
Along the same lines…

4. My stomach grumbles ridiculously loudly. Recent victim of its decibles includes Dan of ‘Dancing Through The Fire’ , who can support this. My stomach doesn’t just subtly suggest I might be peckish. Oh no. Rumbles of volcanic proportions instistently plague me to let me know ‘IT’S FEEDING TIME’. when did this last affect my life? The most recent incident occured in the Centre Parcs Spa. Myself and possibly the best people ever invaded the Sherwood Forest last weekend (blog post to come) and one day us girls went to the spa for a relax and slight alcohol detox from the weekend. Naturally it got to 11 o’clock (am), a dreadfull 2+ hours since I’d eaten breakfast- imagine – how horrific – and we were steaming in a hot greek room with strangers. It was the first time we had been sat with a group of people facing each other all day. It had previously been quite quiet. And this, ladies and gentlemen, was the moment my stomach picked to go a wee bit mad. It got so bad, the lady opposite me was apologising for laughing. We left fairly swiftly.

5. I am one of those mad people who have completed Gold Duke of Edinburgh. Even madder in fact I have done all Bronze, Silver & Gold. You’d think I would have learnt. Oh no. For 2 of the awards, I did Belly Dancing as my sport, and can still do a tummy roll. This is not exactly a useful skill, but it’s a great hit at parties.

6. I’m currently a member of a championship section brass band, ‘The Hebden Bridge Brass Band’. We’re competing in the Yorkshire Areas in the first weekend of March, up against arguably the best bands in the world, as it’s in Yorkshire (and Lancashire I suppose…) where banding is at its best internationally. We’re up against the likes of Black Dyke, Grimesthorpe, and Brighouse & Rastrick. Yeah. I think we’ll just head to the pub as soon as possible!

7. My hair is naturally blonde. As I was told repeatedly it would fade to brunette as a kid I am quite proud of my golden locks. Clearly it was my mental determination that overcame my hairs’ darkening destiny, and not just handy genetics…. It annoys me enormously when people think I dye it, but I also quite like the fact having this colour naturally is unusual, if not rare :). My Welsh Gran uses my colour to prove she has natural blonde hair. She doesn’t. From that…

8. I’m half Welsh. My Dad was Wrexham born, from a long line of Welshy types. As a Welsh Vet he’s got his fair share of ‘sheep jokes’ over the years. The fact my sister & I love singing and have been in so many choirs is, according to my Dad, entirely dur to our Welsh roots. Of course Dad. This also means the 6 Nations is not only an event in my house, but the very atmosphere of the place will depend on how the last Wales game went. England vs Wales is a tricky affair, although for me and the sister we sit quite comfortably and win either way :). I personally like to go Welsh during the rugby. Firstly to tease my English pals went it doesn’t go their way, and so I can spew pathetic welsh during games. Plus, the Welsh mostly win more. We won’t talk about the last game….

9. I once spent an hour playing Star Wars at a wedding with a 3 year old. He is my cousins’ son, and awesome company on the dance floor. I had an extremely un-ladylike ‘glow’ coming off the floor after said space battle. My family assumed I was drunk. Oh no. No-one should need any alcoholic encouragement to play Star Wars. Fact.

10. I am a National Field Archery Champion on the American Flat bow (with wooden arrows).

11. I am quite terrified of my building lift. Just that lift. Other don’t bother me. My lift to my top floor flat makes darn terrifying noises. And is veeery slow to release you. A slightly tense lifting experience.