For lack of a better title...

I have been an absentee blogger lately, I realise. It's hard for me to work out what I want to say, sometimes- and the fact that anyone might actually want to read what I have to say is another thing that baffles me.

So for my two (2!!) followers, I just want you to know that while my last post was all very very true, it was also all a little bit tongue in cheek, with the goal of being amusing. I am in no way as conceited as my last post might have led you to believe.

I'm tossing up exactly how much of my life I want to (or even should) reveal at this point. There are a few things that I guess aren't going to be too damaging, so I might do what I've seen around the blogosphere lately and post 25 random facts- so here goes:

25 Random Things About Me

1. I have an unusual first name. My entire childhood was spent in a state of correcting people about pronunciation or explaining the ethnic origins of my name. As a child, I hated it. As an adult, I've embraced my name and think it totally "suits" me.

2. I love stationery. Officeworks is like Disneyland to me. I often buy items I don't even need just because I get so excited about the idea of shopping the aisles. Sometimes I wish I lived there, surrounded by planners and 3 ring binders.

3. Potatoes are my favourite food. Mashed potatoes, specifically, and would be in heaven if a calorie-free version was genetically engineered.

4. I try to eat as natural and unprocessed as possible, but I would gladly make an exception for the above-mentioned dream potatoes.

5. My little sister is my hero. She is the most determined, hard-working and motivated person I know.

6. I have a million decorating and home-organization books, yet I don't own my own home- I live with my Dad for goodness sake.

7. Shopping is my therapy. I spend too much money on things I don't need- but hey, it's better than seeing a shrink, right?

8. I have severe polycystic ovarian syndrome. Because of this I gained 25 kilograms in one year, which I have since lost, painstakingly, over the course of over 2 and a half years.

9. I am not known to be overly emotional, yet I cry whenever I watch any Johnson's advertisements involving babies.

10. The two most memorable moments of my life were becoming a big sister for the first time, and then being told that my second sister was stillborn. I remember both of these moments with absolute clarity, which is odd, given that I was 3 and 6 at those times. I still can't discuss my sister's death with my father, though Mum and I visit her grave on her birthday every year.

11. In the last twelve hours, literally, I have become terrified of aging. I saw a wrinkle next to my eye when I smiled last night, and I'm now certain that I need eye cream, or botox, or both.

12. I have not had a real "boyfriend" for almost 10 months. I have had 2 serious relationships in my life and both lasted for less than 6 months- but I'm not a serial dater. the gloss just seems to wear off too soon.

13. I'm pretty worried that I am never going to meet a man, get married and have babies. I logically know it's insane because I'm only 24 (but 25 is looming), but it still preys on my mind.

14. I have a HUGE family. My immediate family is tiny but we make enough noise to fill a house ten times over, but my extended family is enormous, loud, happy and all together crazy, and I love it.

15. I have smoked 3 packs of cigarettes in my life. I don't know or understand why, especially considering my grandfather died of cancer and my baby cousin narrowly survived leukemia.

16. I'm really pedantic about spelling and grammar. Ever since I was young, I have had a weird talent of knowing how words are spelled, even if I have never heard or seen them before. I see words, in their entirety, in my head.(Ironically, I had to edit this one for a spelling mistake! Ain't that always the way)

17. I take a book everywhere. You never know when your car might break down, or where you might get stuck waiting, so it pays to be prepared with a good read.

18. I have the best friends in the world. One I've known my whole life, two I have been friends with since my first day or Kindergarten and one I have known since my first day in High School. We all still live near each other and hang out whenever time permits- although since we are all dispersing at a fast rate, it might not be happening as often in future.

19. I can’t wait till the day I buy my first house. Years of getting ready with the above mentioned decorating books and magazines have built the level of excitement up. Now i just need to decide on a "style". And maybe stop spending and save a deposit :) 

20. I tend to not wear lipstick during the day. I don't know why, I just feel odd. My mother constantly harangues me about my "bare" lips looking washy and corpse-like.

21. When I was little I fell over and broke my toe at my first ballet concert. It was literally on my first step onstage, and like a little trooper, I danced the whole concert with a broken big toe.

22. I’ve never really been into the clubbing scene. Maybe I haven't been anywhere I like yet, but there are so many more places I would rather be on a weekend.

23. I love sad books, but hate sad movies. I'd rather watch a horror flick with some girl getting her guts sprayed everywhere. I'll read True Crime but I hate horror/thriller novels. I just find them too scary. Weird, right?

24. I am a big fan of sending letters in the regular mail. I like sending old-timey "Thank you" letters for gifts because I think it means a lot to people to know that you went to the effort of buying a card, writing in it, stamping the envelope and journeying to the post office/post box to post it. It's fair payment for a considerate gift, in my eyes.

25. I read constantly. I have a huge collection of books, and occasionally in a rare decluttering moment will take a heap to a second-hand bookshop, where I will be paid for them (in an amount that is far far less than what they cost) and will use that money to buy more books.

I'm pretty sure that I am weird- but you know what- that's totally okay with me.