Everything you (n)ever wanted to know about me: in response to Marisa Constantinides’ tag challenge

Yesterday, Marisa tagged me and threw down a gauntlet http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2013/12/16/in-response-to-doug-peterson/#.Uq8PMPRdXmc.

I do like gauntlets…

My task is to

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4. List 11 bloggers.
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

So, here goes.

Eleven random facts

1 I was all set to (try and ) become a theatre director before I took a year out to teach abroad. My first degree was in English and Drama.

2 I’m currently training to teach T’ai Chi. This is mainly for my own self-development, but, hey, who knows what the future holds?

3 In common with Marisa, I am also a fanatic buyer of shoes (ask my husband who can’t understand why I need more than two pairs).

4 I hate going underwater, or even getting my face wet. As a result, I look ridiculous when swimming and end up with a stiff neck. Would rather sit in the jacuzzi anyway.

5 I was once interviewed in Polish, for Polish TV, about a new Young Learners’ teacher training course we were running. I never saw the film, for which I am very grateful as my Polish is extremely rudimentary and the interview probably went something like this, ‘Yes, is very hard children to teach. yes, very difficult. Yes, we help..er…’

6 I used to live in Portugal and Brazil and my Portuguese is a lot better than my Polish (not that that’s saying much)

7 I am great at Trivial Pursuit- think it’s reading and writing all those coursebooks!

8 I love going to Polish restaurants and eating barscz, pierogie ruskie, golabki etc. Luckily for me, they’re getting easier to find in the UK.

9 When I was 19 I went inter-railing with friends all round Europe. We were going to go to the Netherlands as our last stop, but in the end were just too tired/dirty/impoverished. We agreed to go back there soon. I never have.

10 I used to play the clarinet at school, and now my daughter does (and she practises about as much as I did, which is to say not much at all)

11 Probably the most beautiful place I have ever been is Chapada dos Veadeiros in Brazil. Google it. It’s stunning.

Eleven questions asked by Marisa

1 How long does it usually take you to draft and finalise a blog post?

Anything between half a day and a day, though I might have been thinking about it for a while. This is why I haven’t done too many lately, as I’ve been super busy.

2 Which ICT tools do you actually use with your classes?

I am not a technophobe, but I’m also pretty limited in what I can use. Plus I only teach sporadically at the moment. I’m not even sure what Marisa means by ‘ICT tools’ ! I use the IWB of course, and some other stuff like Vocaroo and Textivate…but not a lot is the honest answer.

3 What is your absolute dream job?

I’m lucky enough to be able to say that I have it. I love writing materials and having the flexibility to manage my own time. I also do a bit of teaching, which I enjoy- and, best of all, because it’s cover teaching mostly, I HAVE NO PAPERWORK..

4 Which classroom activity do you absolutely enjoy using with your students? One is all I need.

That’s hard, because there are lots of favourites. I’ll say dictogloss and dictation because there are so many variations and such a sense of achievement.

5 How many of your current friendships were started through a social network?

Can’t put a figure on it, but a surprising amount considering how sceptical I used to be about that kind of thing.

6 Which household chore do you hate the most and which do you love the best?

I hate them all- unless you count cooking which I do enjoy.

7 Name your 10 desert island discs.

Oh! Impossible. Or at least likely to take me days of agonising.. Many will come under the heading of 80s/90s indie though, that’s all I’ll say.

8 Do you wish you had studied something other than what you did study? Do say what, if the answer is yes.

No regrets. But I did also study to become a Rogerian counsellor, and, while I don’t want to give up the day job, I am definitely fascinated by psychology and people in general.

9 Describe the naughtiest thing you have ever done – within reason, of course

Hmm. Within reason. I did once sneak onto the set of Coronation Street when IATEFL was held nearby in Manchester. Got told off by a security guard. Wild child.

10 What artistic aspirations or skills do you have?

That would be the drama degree again. Certainly not any good at painting or drawing, though my cake decorating skills aren’t too bad.

11 Which TV series or film do you keep watching again and again?

I have watched the entire five seasons of Six Feet Under twice, and can feel another go through coming on…

11 Bloggers tagged in this post

I’ve chosen 11 bloggers whose blogs I particularly admire (and who Marisa didn’t bagsie first!). Of course, there are undoubtedly others that I will kick myself for not including. Of course the bloggers may or may not take up the challenge, but I’d recommend clicking on their names and taking a look at their blogs anyway.

@shetlandesol

@cgoodey

@josetteLB

@michaelegriffin

@avafruin

@kevchanwow

@sophiakhan4

@sandymillin

@leoselivan

@nicolaprentis

@yearinthelifeof

My 11 questions for them

1 Why did you start blogging and how has differed from your expectations?

2 What’s your earliest childhood memory?

3 Tell us about someone you admire, and say why.

4 What was the last book you read and what did you think of it?

5 Do you prefer walking or running? Why?

6 What was your first paid job?

7 What five famous people would you invite to a dinner party, and why?

8 What’s the first website you check/go on each day? Why?

9 What can you remember about the first class you ever taught?

10 Flowers or chocolates?

11 How do you feel about reality TV shows?