10 Things You Don't Know About Me

(But probably weren’t going to ask anyway)

To start with, I’m kinda boring. Or I think so anyway.

My husband also sometimes reminds me of that too (mainly because I like to read and he doesn’t, so he thinks that’s boring).

Also because I’m an introvert and a homebody and I don’t really do much besides work (in an office job), and spend time with my husband and dog.

But without further ado, let’s get to things you didn’t ask me about but I’ll tell you anyway, shall we?

1. I have 3 tattoos and want about 30 more!

I have so many ideas I don’t know what to get next…(related: point #2)

I have a little meditation/yoga symbol (I’m a yoga/meditation teacher - more about that in a bit)

A barn owl (a memorial tattoo for my mom)

And a dragon which was the first tattoo that I got at 25, because I’ve always loved dragons and fantasy books.

I’m thinking my next tattoo will be a quote. But what quote is the question. The one I keep going back to is from my fave poem Desiderata, and it’s a fragment of a part of it: You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. I’d like the italicized part as a tattoo.

2. I’m a Libra so I’m crazy indecisive.

I mean, I don’t even really believe in astrology, but one of the traits of a Libra is indecisiveness so at least they got that right! I’ve gotten better over the years but I always end up ordering something in a cafe or restaurant and then after ordering, see something else I would have preferred to get instead!

3. I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was in my early 20s.

22 or 23? Something like that. I remember I started drinking those flavoured instant Nescafe coffee packets when I lived in Scotland. The ones that already have the milk and sweetener added. GROSS. I don’t know how I drank that swill back then. I also don’t understand how on earth I survived University having never drunk coffee!

4. I don’t drink alcohol.

Because I have alcoholism in my family (it’s what my mom died of back in 2015). So…tying back to the above point, I drink only water, coffee, tea (black, green and herbal) and sometimes juice. Boring, hey?

5. I don’t have a big sweet tooth.

I much prefer savoury! Give me potato chips (regular, please! See? boring) or some cheese and crackers any day (they’re my go-to snack). I can definitely say no to donuts, but muffins, they’re on my good list.

6. The first vacation I ever took abroad was to San Francisco with my boyfriend (now husband) in my early 20s!

And I’m not counting the cross border trips from Vancouver, BC (where I live) to Washington state when I was a little kid to Bellingham or Birch Bay…because I barely remember them and it wasn’t very far.

But San Fran? It was awesome! I’ve since travelled to lots of other places (a few other US states — mostly the whole west coast but also Florida and North Carolina), Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Lapland, the UK (England, Scotland (lived there for 5 years) and Ireland — not Wales!).

I’m 45 now so that first trip was quite a while ago, but I still remember it.

7. I was born premature — at only 1lb 14oz!

I’m in the record books in the hospital I was born (Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada). I was supposed to be born on January 12th, 1980 according to a plaque one of my grandparents got made up, but I was born quite a few months early on September 24th, 1979! And miraculously, besides a little bit of scarring of my lungs and some small round scars on my stomach from electrodes while 3 months in an incubator, and narrow heels, I’m “normal” (or so they say).

8. I almost became a lifeguard when I was a teen.

I went through all the lifesaving and first aid swimming courses….all the way up to the final one. Did I mention I was obsessed with Baywatch at the time? But for some reason, I chickened out and didn’t do the last course!

Possibly because of my shyness and introversion. I am a proud introvert. (I love nothing more than getting up early to enjoy that magical time of the day before the world wakes up). But being able to save lives is a big responsibility and I think it was just too much for me!

Instead, years later, I’ve become a yoga teacher. Okay, so maybe it’s not saving lives, but it does help others. I became a yoga and meditation teacher after doing daily yoga since January 1st 2016, to help me cope after my mom died.

After about a year of daily practice I decided to become a yoga teacher which I teach part time at my day-job to other colleagues. I’m currently at day 3,197 of daily yoga, in case you were curious (which you weren’t).

9. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was in high school.

But, one small thing…it required MATH. And I’m awful at Math! Me and numbers just don’t work. I’ve never understood it. I had tutors for Math in elementary school and I still never got it. I hate Math (so I’m glad my husband was a banker because at least one of us is good with numbers and finances!). So I gave up on wanting to be a marine biologist and searched the University course catalogue for something that didn’t require Math — and came across Criminology. And that’s how I have a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and work in the field.

But I’m also a lifelong learner. Besides my degree in Criminology, I also have a Certificate in Forensic Medicine and Science, and various diplomas/certificates in Positive Psychology, Human Behaviour, Neuroscience, Stress Management and Mental Health Studies and certificates in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, MBSR, Metacognitive Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

10. I served popcorn to Gillian Anderson.

When I was a teenager, my very first day working at a movie theatre (that I didn’t actually get paid for for the few months I worked there, but that’s a whole other story!), I served popcorn (and pop/soda) to Gillian Anderson (of X-Files fame) and I was a HUGE X-Files fan at the time! Like obsessed. So that was really cool. I recognized her even though she was going incognito with a hat and sunglasses. I also cleaned a theatre after a movie with actress Cloris Leachman (I didn’t know who that was at the time either!).

So that’s it!

10 things you didn’t know about me - but probably wouldn’t have asked anyway.

And don’t forget to live with a dose of wonder!

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