100 things (1-10)

Inspired by several people, I thought I would post 100 things about myself that are not commonly known, in an attempt to learn something about myself as well as record my quirks and oddities for posterity. 1. I am happier now than I ever have been at any point in my life to date. Not necessarily at this precise moment, but in life in general I could not be more content. My job annoys me sometimes, but by the time I get home I am over it - I don't lie awake at night fretting over things left undone, or people who have wronged or upset me. I am naturally self critical to the point of remembering stupid things I have said for years (and counting) but I find that even that side of me gives me more of a break now than in previous years. 2. I hate bananas with a passion that surprises me, and apparently have done since I was tiny. My Mum claims (or has claimed) that I used to like bananas until my grandfather, who never liked them, died at which point I started to refuse them in all contexts. Good on my tiny self I say - they represent a horrific combination of mush, slime, smell and stickiness. I cannot think of a single other fruit I do not like, which to me means that bananas are the problem, not me and my over sensitive taste buds. 3. The sound of other people eating can send me into a near-murderous rage, particularly crunchy things, squidgy things and stuff which doesn't fit completely in the person's mouth. Eating with the mouth open is already marked as a sin against all right-thinking people, but I have extended my revulsion to include a whole range of other practices, mostly those which I have to endure in the work place. 4. I prefer to sit by myself at work. This is something I did not know about myself until recently when I was moved from a desk with no immediate neighbours and only one person sitting opposite to a desk with people opposite and on both sides of me. It makes me uncomfortable to have to listen to the noises of them being there (see above) and the uncomfortable sensation I get when someone is looking past me at something on the other side of me. 5. I hate having sticky hands and cannot endure them if there is a way I could remedy the situation. When at home I will rush out to the kitchen at the most tense and exciting point of the action on TV or in the middle of a conversation to wash my hands. I also keep a plentiful supply of stolen hand wipes in my bag for situations where a sink might not be available. 6. I have an overactive gag reflex, which means I am frequently sick, often for no reason other than slightly over enthusiastic brushing of my teeth, failing to spit properly and coughing. I have no idea why I should be subject to this and cannot see any benefits. I am quite good at being sick though, from early warning signs and ability to distinguish 'feeling sick' from 'going to be sick' right through to clean-up and recovery. It's unpleasant to think about, but in some ways comforting to know. 7. I have pathetically weedy fingernails which bend and break really easily and invariably in the worst place possible (meaning below the and of my finger rather than at a glittering gala event). 8. I am intensely annoying and will annoy the Boy Wonder mercilessly, and largely based on his failure to heed the parental adage of 'If you don't react, she'll get bored and leave you alone'. I can entertain myself at his expense for ages, and secretly he loves it which is why I will never get bored of it! 9. I cry when I'm surprised, a fact which never ceases to amuse the Boy Wonder who doesn't actually surprise me deliberately, but certainly finds it entertaining when he does elicit tears of surprise through some innocuous activity such as coming in the door when I am involved in something engaging. 10. I love vinegar so much that chips are really just a vehicle for the non-brewed condiment. I can happily have a swig or two of the good stuff from the bottle, and I kind of enjoy descaling the kettle because the kitchen gets filled with vinegary steam. There are many foods whose primary role I consider to be as a sponge for a generous portion of lemon juice, and I used to buy Jif Lemons with my pocket money. More tomorrow...