Sunday 22 December 2013

I've been tagged by Marisa Constantinides

This is my contribution to a chain blog in which one blogger tags you on their blog, challenges you to answer some questions and then asks you to pass the ball to eleven more bloggers!

Marisa Constantinides tagged me in this blogging meme.  I got the tag on Monday morning, at the start of what has probably been the busiest week of my year, so it has taken until now (Sunday) to get around to replying!  Apologies!!  Anyway, this is what the challenge involves:
  1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger - in this case it would be me…
  2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
  3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
  4. List 11 bloggers.
  5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.
11 random facts about myself
  1. During my gap year (many, many moons ago!), I worked as a supervisor on the pitta bread production line in the largest bakery in the Middle East!
  2. One of my hobbies is genealogy and I have discovered that an ancestor of mine was 'an aerated water bottler and small animal preserver' - this is made even more bizarre because every single one of his neighbours in the Durham village were coal miners!
  3. My favourite band is 'Beautiful South'.
  4. I met my husband whilst on holiday in Crete - he was there alone and I was there with my first husband!
  5. I love going to the cinema, but I hate horror movies.
  6. To help pay my way through university, I worked behind the bar at 'Cornerhouse', a famous arts complex in Manchester.  I started there when it first opened and was lucky enough to meet lots of stars of stage and screen.
  7. My husband and I own a 17th century watermill in France, but we can't live in it due to an ongoing legal case.
  8. I was once part of a team which won a national wine-tasting competition - the prize was a week in a French chateau drinking fine wine and eating food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef.
  9. As a child, I appeared on stage with 'Diddy' David Hamilton, and sang a song with him.
  10. I am rubbish at learning languages!
  11. I love reading, especially biographies and historical novels.
The 11 questions that Marisa asked me

My answers are in red.

1. How long does it usually take you to draft and finalise a blog post?  It depends - if I'm posting a summary of an #eltchat or a webinar I've attended, I tend to write it quite quickly.  If I'm writing something original, about teaching or travel, it tends to take longer as I like to check my facts.
2. Which ICT tools do you actually use with your classes?  I use Edmodo as my online classroom and, through that, use a lot of tools and sites such as YouTube, Voxopop, Mailvu, Audioboo, etc.
3. What is your absolute dream job?  Travel company researcher - visiting places all over the world and reporting back on hotels, restaurants, facilities, attractions, etc.
4. Which classroom activity do you absolutely enjoy using with your students? One is all I need  It's difficult to choose one, but it would probably involve using film, as this always engages students.  I often use lessons created by the fantastic Kieran Donaghy at Film English.
5. How many of your current friendships  were started through a social network?  Quite a few!
6. Which household chore do you hate the most and which one do you love the best?  I hate all household chores except cooking, which I do enjoy.  Fortunately, I have a 'house-husband' who does all the housework, so I don't have to do any!!
7. Name your 10 desert island CD’s  Wow, I love music and find it really difficult to choose only 10!  I'm assuming that Marisa means albums when she says CDs - not singles - so I can have more music!  My 10 albums would be:
  • 'Blue is the Colour' by Beautiful South
  • 'Peachtree Road' by Elton John
  • 'Songs in the Key of Life' by Stevie Wonder
  • 'Graceland' by Paul Simon
  • 'The Osmonds Greatest Hits' (not cool, but such a big part of my childhood!)
  • 'Breaking Glass' by Hazel O'Connor
  • 'Hits from the Musicals' compilation album
  • 'Painted Desert Serenade' by Joshua Kadison
  • 'Swing When You're Winning' by Robbie Williams
  • 'The Best Country Album in the World .... Ever!'
8. Do you wish you had studied something other than what you did study? Do say what, if the answer is yes.  Not really - I try not to have regrets about what happened in the past - after all, I can't change it!
9. Describe the naughtiest thing you have ever done – within reason, of course  Probably, getting together with my husband - see above!!
10. What artistic aspirations or skills do you have?  I love doing cross-stitch and enjoy creating my own designs.  I like to personalise them and give them as gifts for people.
11. Which TV series or film do you keep watching again and again?  The film we watch every Christmas without fail is 'Love Actually' - and today's the day for this year's viewing!

11 bloggers tagged in this post

Because I'm so late responding to this challenge, some of the people I would have tagged have already been tagged by others.  Still, I'll include a couple of them in my list, just in case they want to respond to my questions!
  1. Russ Pearce (@rrruss)
  2. Kristina Klug (@teacherkristina)
  3. Michelle Fulton (@mitchefl)
  4. Mike Griffin (@michaelegriffin)
  5. Alex Walsh (@AlexSWalsh)
  6. Sharon Hartle (@hartle)
  7. TJ Vargas (@HerDailyDigest)
  8. Ozge Karaoglu Ergen (@ozge)
  9. JC Vargas (@kingceejay)
  10. Vicki Hollett (@vickihollett)
  11. Jason R Levine (@FluencyMC)
My 11 questions
  1. What's your favourite Christmas song?
  2. Who would you most like to meet (dead or alive) and what question would you ask them?
  3. What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you in the classroom?
  4. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
  5. What would you like your epitaph to be?
  6. Which film is the most likely to move you to tears?
  7. What's the highest altitude you've ever been at on earth?
  8. What was the first record you ever bought?
  9. Do you still write anything by hand?  If so, what?
  10. Silver or gold?
  11. If you were offered the opportunity to travel into space, would you take it?
I hope some of you answer my questions - I look forward to reading your responses.

Thanks, Marisa - I've really enjoyed writing this!

4 comments:

  1. I have really enjoyed reading about you, too, Andrea :-) Very very much!

    Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your film tonight

    Hugs

    Marisa

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    1. Thanks, Marisa!! Merry Christmas to you, too! :-)

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  2. Haha! this is fun! I love reading the 11 facts (wowzers!) and your 11 answers specifically #9 ;-)

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    1. Thanks, Tara!! I hope you find time to respond - I'd love to read your answers to my questions!

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