5 random facts about me

I'm new to this blogging thing.  Not in that I have not blogged previously, I've had (and still have) a tumblr blog for almost 2 years, but in that I never really read or looked for other people's blogs until now.  One of my recent finds was The Closet Intellectual.  I just read this post, a challenge to post 5 random facts about yourself.  So, here goes...

1.  I was born in Germany.  For any friends following this blog this is not news.  But, to any newcomers it might be a little more interesting.  I lived in Germany until I was 8 years old, at which point I moved to England with my mum.  I did not live with my brother from that age onwards, I saw him and my dad on holidays to Germany, and later the Netherlands.  I flew solo, at first with an air stewardess taking me on and off the plane, and then (once my brother, who is 2 years older, was brave enough and therefore I wanted to be too) completely solo.  You could say I grew up in Heathrow and Düsseldorf airport.

2.  I recently had all of my wisdom teeth removed, right before Christmas last year!  I'm a complete wimp, and it was my first time having a general anaesthetic.  It is the weirdest feeling.  I just remember it hurting, rather a lot, when the dude shoved the needle into my hand, followed by a cold sensation spreading up my arm.  Next thing I knew I was waking up, and trying to spit out the wads of cotton wool they had stuffed into my mouth.  I felt spaced out for a good while, until the following afternoon in fact.  Unpleasant, but now I SHOULDN'T need anything else done (touch wood).

3.  At school I was a complete mess.  I'm talking oversized blazer (UK school uniforms), awful "free on the NHS" glasses, a terrible haircut, bad skin and a tendency towards the chubby side.  I was also the girl that the boys would run up to, shout an insult or nickname at (I had a few) and then run away from, knowing full well I'd be chasing behind them.  I was a first class shin kicker.  I had a, terribly trendy, lunch bag with a shoulder strap.  I went through a phase of throwing it at them (think Xena warrior princess with a bright yellow lunch bag whirling by her side).   Ooh, and I had braces!  For three years, how did I forget that horror?  In an attempt to be cool, I had coloured elastics put on my braces.  But, due to the reason below, I only allowed myself school colours, so I had alternating white and black (my teeth looked diseased).

4.  I'm a stickler for the rules.  It took me a while before I was happy walking without the "green man" leading the way.  I'm getting better with age, I no longer insist on being at an airport the full 2 hours before my flight leaves (totally unnecessary in this day and age when you've already checked in online and are only travelling to mainland Europe).  I also follow recipes to the tee, measuring ever so carefully and getting down level with a jug to make sure it's accurate.  I was a blast during experiments at uni...

5.  I always wanted an imaginary friend when I was young, but I never quite managed to convince myself.  I'd try really hard to act as though I had one, but I always knew it was a dirty, rotten lie.  I did, however, adore my toys, especially My Little Ponies, Barbie and, best of all, Sylvanian Families.  I'd make little books for them, sandwiches from clay, bedding from jay cloths and cotton wool.  I get nostalgic just talking about my Sylvanian Families!  I'm quite peeved with my 15 year old self who, trying to be grown up, sold them all.  I should have kept a family.

So there you have it, you have a little more insight to me.  Not sure it's an entirely good thing, but c'est la vie.