Getting To Know You

I have been tagged by Nova, the creator of My Namastè 365 Online to take part in a fun challenge – the GETTING TO KNOW YOU challenge – as you can see from Nova’s post below:

https://mynamaste365online.blog/2019/01/27/getting-to-know-you-challenge/

Oh…and since I have been working on this post, Kristian has also nominated me:

https://talesfromthemindofkristian.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/getting-to-know-you-some-questions-from-laura/

The GETTING TO KNOW YOU challenged is the creation of Laura Venturini as you can see from her post below:

https://lavent69.blog/2019/01/27/the-getting-to-know-you-challenge/

Rules:

1. Copy and paste the rules and the questions
2. Tag at least two people to take the challenge.
3. Use the “Getting to Know You” pic and pingback to this post.

Questions:

Name a moment in your life when you felt you were most courageous.

Courageous? I have had to do things I found very difficult. There have been some moments in my life that called for extraordinary courage, but I find it hard to write about some of them…I think I would need to write an entire post to explain what happened.

I think being with people who were dying, watching them take their last breaths was hard, especially the very first time. I realized though, that I needed to be courageous. We were always told that hearing is the last sense that remains. I have found the words, the most wonderful words when needed. I don’t know how it happens, but it always seemed that the perfect words to say to make sure the person felt safe and treasured right to the end came into my head.

One day I was working as a steward at an event with around 15,000 people in attendance. We were informed that due to a package that had been identified in the area I was working in, the were going to evacuate the entire venue. I had to stand at my post as we had been trained and direct those who were sat in my section. My stomach was in nervous knots because you don’t know what is going to happen. Of course after the crowds were safely evacuated then we too were directed to depart immediately. Specially trained Showsec staff consulted with the police, the bomb disposal unit. I should write about that day…it was all quite a saga. I will say this…those 15,000 people who departed within eight minutes were wonderfully co-operative.

I think it was courageous in many ways to start a relationship with Goldfinch who was a total stranger to me. Every other relationship I had before was with someone I had known for some time. But I trusted Goldfinch. I am so glad I had the courage to trust him, because he has been wonderful for me and he has left me with something very special to remember him by.

If you had to choose only one breakfast cereal for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Such a hard question. I love variety – so only one cereal would be difficult. There is a cereal that I really love. I only buy it occasionally…it is too expensive to buy regularly.

It is called Scrumshus Granola (the Premium Granola – an everyday luxury made with honey and pure maple syrup) and it is yummy!

When have you felt the most scared?

There have been a number of occasions I felt very scared.

Of course what comes straight into my mind is the realization that I was in danger that night in the park. I am going to copy and paste an excerpt from another post I published last year, because I don’t want to relive that memory right now:

When I arrived in the park there were joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists.  A man sat next to me on the bench.  A complete stranger.  It was him.  I was not afraid at first, I was too caught up in my despair.  But I do remember what happened when I stood up with the sudden awareness that now it was dark and there were no joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists anywhere I looked.  I had decided I should not be there.  I said it out loud.  I actually said, “I should go home.” 

Then I was on my feet, trying to walk quickly. It was so dark and I could not make out tree roots and bushes. It felt as if I was floating. The strength of his hands on my shoulders pulling me to the ground. I have never felt so utterly powerless.

I try not to think about him. I do not think about him. What he did was terrible. But he did not get under my skin, into my head, he did not oppress my heart. It was awful, but it was momentary and it has not haunted me like Jack has. Despite what he did that night, the damage was already done. Caramel was already crushed long before that night.

Now I am going to take you forward several hours.  A security guard had found me…he had found me left in bushes with obvious injuries.  He had called an ambulance.

Yes, I felt fear in my gut like never before.

If you could sing like any musical artist, who would you choose?

I would love to sing like one of those amazing opera singers. They are all amazing to me…but I am going to chose Elīna Garanča a mezzo-soprano. This beautiful beautiful piece is “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour” (the Barcarolle) from Offenbach’s “The Tales Of Hoffman”:

Aren’t they wonderful?!!!

Do you collect anything?

I don’t think I do now, unless you count fancy cleaning products.

I used to collect pictures to make collages with. I had a huge box with pictures of animals and sunsets and flowers that I used to use to decorate notebooks and make letter writing materials with. It was too expensive to keep buying pretty stationery so I started making my own with coloured paper and my picture collection.

If you could live inside a TV show or movie, what would it be?

I don’t watch much television. But I do quite like the BBC show “Death In Paradise”. My sister has the DVD collection of every series since it began. I watched the series last year and the new series has started again recently on BBC One every Thursday at 9pm.

It is a detective show set in the Caribbean. But it isn’t like one of those scary, violent gory shows. It is very easy to watch and seems to follow a similar formula each episode. There is usually a death at the start and for the rest of the episode you find out all about the connections three or four suspects had with the victim whilst the detective and his team try to deduce who could have committed the crime, how and why?

I would like to be in the show…sunbathing in the background, swimming in the sea, and having nothing to do with the crime-scene. Do you think you can make a living from being an extra on a show like that?

Have you ever had a reoccurring dream? If so, what was it?

I don’t often dream because I sleep very heavily. But I have found myself dreaming about my ex-neighour Jack. The dreams are different, but in every dream I find myself frightened, embarrassed, humiliated and distraught over Jack’s behaviour towards me. I wrote about one of my dreams recently:

• I Dreamed A Dream

When I was very young child, I used to dream about a bright blue lion that chased us and we were all hiding with our neighbour’s children from the blue lion.  One by one the lion caught them.  The only way I escaped is by walking upside on the ceiling and then climbing out onto the roof.

But I have not had that dream since childhood.

What is my start sign?

I don’t understand this question, but I have always quite liked Orion.

I often see it when I come back to the little nest late at night.

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Well thank you Nova, I enjoyed answering the GETTING TO KNOW YOU questions!!!

So now it is my turn to tag some other bloggers for the GETTING TO KNOW YOU challenge:

 Lexiboyce – My Alternate Universe

 wonderingbelles – Wondering Belle’s Blog

 Neha Kulkarni – Talk Exchange..!

 yaasotaa

 kristianw84 – Life Lessons From Around the Dinner Table

 Cadie Mclendon – Cadie’s Corner