That’s Ms.Versatility To You

My friend, Gabrielle Bryden, poet, blogger and emu-photographer extraordinaire has kindly bestowed on me the Versatile Blogger award.

It makes me happy when someone refers to me as versatile because versatility suggests to me a level of spontaneity, open-mindedness and generosity of spirit that we should all aim for. I’m not saying that I am all those things but it is nice to be considered versatile every once in a while.

Versatility is also a good survival skill because at its very essence it suggests adaptability and isn’t that what we all want?

I get knocked down, but I get up again

You’re never gonna keep me down 

Anyhoo, enough about the positive atttributes of versatility, you don’t just get this award for nothing you know.

The ‘rules’ of the award are to share seven facts about yourself.

I thought about the facts about myself over the weekend because I wanted to come up with something you didn’t already know about me. It was hard because as you know I am of a rather garrulous disposition (yes, garrulous does mean verbal diarrhoea…) but I did manage to come up with something.

And here they are:

1. I love animals very much and wanted to be a vet when I was in High School. I worked part time on the weekends at an animal shelter and got involved in a few wildlife rescue groups. I did lots of work experience with established veterinary surgeons and even assisted on a few operations (thank God I don’t get squeamish at the sight of blood and guts.) I loved every minute of it but had to give it up due to the ferocious nature of my asthma and eczema. I have quite a serious allergy to cats (even though I love them) and ended up being really sick and miserable all the time. Not becoming a vet was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and I still regret it, but my allergies were just so debilitating. When people tell me they have no allergies to anything I am completely envious of them. Alternatively, when I see people who are wheezing or scratching I feel a great deal of kinship with them.

2. I would wear black every day if I could (and I usually do.) I started wearing black when I became a Goth when I was 17 and haven’t looked back since. I intersperse the black with other colours these days but there was a time when it was black on black on black. Sometimes I used to freak my more cheery-colour-wearing friends out.

3. I am not a vegetarian but I just cannot bring myself to eat pork. It’s not because I have a particular love for pigs over other animals (although who doesn’t love a piglet?) more that pork to me just smells very, well, er piggy. I just can’t get past the smell and unfortunately have offended some of my friends when I have been invited over to dinner and been unable to partake of their delicious and succulent pork roasts.

4. I love blackmoor goldfish and lost three of my beloved little guys – Belli, George and Fatty Boom Boom – a few years back. When I eventually get a house of my own and know I don’t have to move ever again I am going to get a large Fatty, George and Belli tribute fishtank full of blackmoors. I can’t wait.

* Image via Modern Pet Centre

5. When I am feeling really stressed or depressed I carry my grandmother’s antique rosary beads in my pocket. I don’t consider myself to be particularly devout when it comes to religion but they do afford me some kind of comfort. They were handed down to my grandmother from her grandmother so they are quite old and frail. I am afraid that one day they will just crumble away. I keep them in a velvet lined box when they’re not in my pocket.

6. I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of facing my creative spirit when I was younger (and had stood up for myself a little more) because I would probably have studied film-making instead of the education degree I ended up doing. But my conservative Scottish accountant father thought making films was rather namby pamby and for people who were drop outs…..

7. I often get very discouraged at the state of the world – not just the environment but things like the uneven distribution of wealth, the sickening power of corporations and the rise in illnesses like depression. So many people seem so alone. It upsets me a lot. But you know what has helped me deal with this? The people I have met through the internet. The incredible writers, poets, photographers, artists and just downright fantastic people out there on the web. That means YOU. Yes, you. Thank you for alllowing my hopefulness to flourish.

I’m supposed to tag seven people but please if you don’t want to do this there is absolutely no obligation.

I would like to tag Stafford, Roshan, Tex, Mags, Josie, Deborah and Susannah who are some of the most versatile bloggers I know.

(But please, only do this if you really want to.)

And as we all know, versatility rocks!