Thursday, January 14, 2010

My Seven


I was recently "tagged" by a fellow blogger Mommy to Two Boys (see her wonderful blog here) and asked to write 7 things people may not know about me and things I have not blogged about before! Never being one to refuse a challenge I am rising to the bait and putting Button and Belle's story aside for now!

So here goes!

1. I am a Londoner! I was born in Hammersmith, West London and lived there for just under 9 years. Moving to Ireland was quite traumatic for me, I remember clearly feeling like I was never going to fit in. I had a very strong English accent, and was painfully shy. It was a tough time, but something I am delighted my parents decided to do, growing up in Galway was a fabulous experience and I'm sure that I had way more freedom than I would have had in London.

2.I met Mr Taz when we were 20. We were in college together, but didn't meet until the night of our graduation (me from Social Studies and him from Business Studies). I knew from that first meeting that he was someone really special, and I was right! Another of those "meant to be" moments! He's a pretty cool guy, and an absolutely wonderful, hands-on dad!

3. When I was 20, my mother's friend entered me in the Claddagh Princess - a very early stage of the Rose of Tralee! I think I must have been the most reluctant contestant ever! It was an absolute nightmare. Thankfully I didn't win, but I did get a lovely little trophy that my mother still keeps in my old bedroom.

4. I am absolutely terrified of moths. Not quite phobic - but getting there! And following on from that, it pains me to admit - I'm scared of butterflies too! How embarrassing is that? They have a reputation for being pretty and dainty but it's all a conspiracy - they're just moths in brightly coloured jackets! All fluttery and unpredictable! Uuuurgh! My skin is crawling just thinking about them!

5. I have only one regret - and that is that I never learnt to play a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Anytime I go to an event where there is a piano in the room, I get an urge to sit down and play the theme for "The Muppet Show". I have promised myself that at some point in the future I will get lessons and someday, somewhere I fully intend to give in to my urge!

6. I'm still learning to drive. Yes, at nearly 40 years old I haven't yet passed my driving test. It's a bit of an embarrassment, really! People tend to assume that i can drive and invite me to places that I haven't a hope of getting to! I have a lovely little blue car sitting in my drive, and a couple of times a week I do a spin to Tesco, and if there was an emergency I'd be fine to get to doctors or hospital. But I hate it! I am so nervous that I even (I can't believe I'm actually telling you this!) had hypnotherapy to try and relax me! Hill starts freak me out!

7 Before I was a Mommy I worked for a building society, underwriting mortgages! This was back in the day when you could only get a mortgage you could actually afford to pay back! It sounds like a mega-boring job, but I actually really enjoyed it. I have also worked in a factory, testing printed circuit boards (now that WAS boring). But my qualification and experience is all mainly in the child-care area. I worked as a Nanny for a very wealthy Dublin family - and learnt that money is nice, but it certainly doesn't bring you happiness!

So there you go! My seven. Now can I go back to blogging about my kids? It's sooo much easier!

My good blogging friend, Jen (The King and I), has done a blog featuring her "7" too! Anyone else fancy a go? Go on - you know you want to!!!

13 comments:

  1. This is great Taz, it is lovely to get an inside view of the person behind the wonderful blog. I really enjoyed reading it. Go for the piano thing girl, it's never too late! Jen xx

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  2. this is cool. thank u 4 sharing. def go 4 piano thing. lifes 2 short

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  3. another gr8 blog, thank you for sharing, and its true what the girls said u shld def try and learn the piano....As for not driving often, at least u do for important bits, i used to drive yrs ago and now i cant, after a crash well i meant a tip, i never got back in but im always saying 1 day i will ;-) loved reading it

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  4. Ha ha, well I also at the age of forty am learning to drive so you are not alone in that and I also have had hypnotherapy to conquer my fear of it. You would never know you are a londoner as not a hint of accent there. The piano is one regret of mine too as we come from a musical family and not one of us learnt a instrument, I attempted piano lessons but failed dismally. Great blog, nice to get a insight into your life before children:)

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  5. I loved this post tazz...I made many visits to the hammersmith Odeon when i was in my 20's!! I never would have guessed you have a fear of small fluttery things....I dont like the dark XXX

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  6. Loved it! Hope other bloggers I follow get invited to do the same thing. It'll be interesting reading

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  7. Snap on the nanny job - and how money can't buy you happiness. That was one unhappy little house I worked in in Highgate.

    Taz- have you ever thought of getting an automatic?

    Almost everyone in Australia has one. Not because they can't do Hill Starts but because they have to drive long distances and it is easier in an Auto (and petrol is cheaper)

    The car will sit where it is unless it is in D for Drive xx

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  8. Yea!!! Thanks for playing along!

    I can't believe the butterfly thing, I am cracking up. And don't worry hill starts with a manual car scare the heck out of me. I roll back so badly. I drive an automatic, but my husband's car is manual and I have to like flag people around me if I am starting on a hill. I gently tapped someone in a drive thru fast food line once, but he was very understanding. And who puts a hill on a drive thru line??? Ugh!!! But how do you manage with the kids without driving? I couldn't do it.

    It is NEVER too late to learn an instrument. Do it now!

    And you are so right, money does not buy happiness. We have had some serious, serious financial times of crisis, but I never lost it and had a pity party, because I still felt so blessed. Our family is all I really need to be happy!

    And to answer your question, my husband mostly freelances right now. He plays with so many different people in so many places. That one picture was taken when he was in the Army's premiere touring band. But now he is no longer active duty Army.

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  9. that was lovely, am feeling your panic with the moths though, i'm like that with dogs! lovely insights into people this seven thing! well done x

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  10. That was a lovely post. It is always good to know a little bit more about new friends.
    X

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  11. It is great to know more about you, a bit of more personal stuff. Thank you for sharing some of you more inner secret kind of things such as the fear of moths and the driving.....not to worry, I am sure that you are not the only one. Regardless, I think that you are a fantastic woman!!!!

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  12. Great coincidence on the book! The NSLM loves it!

    I have a friend who took up the piano as her 40th birthday gift to herself (I actually gave her our piano and it had sat here unused for so long!). She now plays really well - and her husband has learnt to play too! It's never too late!

    Have another friend who I used to drive everywhere as she hated driving - her car just sat unused in her drive - but she conquered her fears in her mid-40's and now is great!

    Great post - enjoyed it!

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  13. I'm loving reading everyones 7 and amazed by all the stories. Understand the moth phobia totally. Worse than moths are daddy long legs though! xx

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