Day 23 - 8 things you didn't know about me (although they may have been revealed in the blog!)

Found this really difficult - everyone who knows me knows almost everything about me - to quote Amy 'you're an open person. Whatever's going on, you broadcast it all on radio Nicki' which is her way of saying I talk too much! The things that aren't 'broadcast' are not for public consumption, and are NOT going on the blog... Dilemma!!!

Here goes:

• As a child I had an imaginary friend called Marley Whale. I can only guess that her name came from 'Bob Marley and The Wailers' - and I have only the foggiest memory of her presence in my life

• I have a doll who was new on the same day as me - her name is Looby Loo, and she went everywhere with me - if I was feeling a bit insecure, I'd pop her in my school bag. (no, not recently!) I still have her, she now lives in a Christmas Stocking made of felt (thanks Kez) and although she looks somewhat the worse for wear, she still gets hugged when I'm feeling rotten, and she is much loved! 

• My passport went out of date in the year 2000 and I haven't gotten round to renewing it. I love England and tend to justify my laziness with the passport by saying that I haven't been to half of the places in this country that I want to, so why so do I need to go abroad?

• I HATE airplanes. I hate flying in them (Although the idea of hang gliding or paragliding is AMAZING!) I react badly to the change in air pressure, and (joy of joys) my ears bleed. (there may be a link between the lack of passport and the fear of flying!)

• I was determined not to be a teacher. All the way through school people suggested that this was my ideal career, but I wanted to be a journalist. (given the issues I have with deadlines, this is a non-starter!) I continued to insist that I wasn't going to teach (English Lit was always the suggested subject) right the way through university, during the time I spent in Spain (went to learn the language, taught the entire village of Sant Fileu de Guixols - perfect English, and came back with a smattering of swear words in Catalan!) right up until I went Warwick to do my PGCE. I think the deciding factor for me was working with West Sussex County Youth Theatre, and realising that I could teach Drama.... and thus it all began.

• I never wanted to have children - but spend most of my time with other peoples. Or to put it another way: 'Mummy Clark has hundreds of children. They all live in the world of Drama' (Steven Sayer!)

• I'm scared of earwigs. (evil little fuckers, might crawl in your ears and eat your brain)

• I may, possibly, have left the parkrun volunteer vests on the line last night!