tinnion

This post is a massive about me page.  It's like an executive summary for those that are in a bit of a hurry and need to get the low down on what this tinnion bloke is all about.

The content was inspired by Delia (@vivdora) who asked me to write about myself in response to an internet meme (25 things about me).

Here goes ...

So here’s my 25 (not too random) things about me.

25 Things

1. Background - I was born & bred in the North West of England on the border of Lancashire and Merseyside.  Some say I have a scouse accent, some don’t.

2. Nomadic life style …. Lived all over the shop : N.London (Holloway),  S.London (Surrey Quays),  West London (Ealing, West Ealing) North England (York); Surrey (Redhill, Reigate) Midlands: Staffordshire, Northhamptonshire (MK, Stoney Stratford),  South Coast   (Shoreham-by-sea). North east (Newcastle),  Berkshire (Reading),  South Wales (Cardiff) all in the last 15 years.

3. I currently live by the River and love it.   The city life is not really for me.   I was brought up by the sea and a nature reserve.  I like the countryside too. I like seeing wildlife at play and take many pictures and video clips of my surroundings.

4. I left home 20 years ago to see what I can do.  I come from a big family and have many brothers and a sister.  They all do very different things and have different personalities, even accents given some have lived away from home for many years. Going home or calling my mum to catchup on what everyone is up to is always interesting.

5. I am currently single.  A girl from county offaly, (s.ireland) broke my heart.

6. Workaholic - I have always done some work from being a paper boy, to working in a bakery when I was young (sometimes got the job of putting jam in donuts and put loads in them to the point they’d probably explode on you as you bite into them). I even used to sell video games at school and I had a group of rich kids who I would tap for the games and shared the profits with :)  Now i’m in the pre-startup phase of a software dev business, which I am really enjoying and is challenging me way more than than the big consultancy shop I used to work for.

7.  I have a well developed imposter syndrome :)  I mix with lots of super clever people even though I left school with very little.  I have a degree to make up for my day dreaming days at school and had the pleasure of telling an old school teacher at my little sisters school leaving ceremony that I was unemployed.  My mum was quick to tell my old teacher that I had just qualified and was taking the summer off before job seeking but seeing the teacher’s initial reaction was a golden moment :D   btw. I don’t think being well qualified makes you clever - it’s just a bit of paper.

8. Sport - I am far from sporty these days :) When I lived on the South Coast  I used be into dinghy sailing and mountain biking.  I did Polaris (a 2 day MTB event), and Mint sauce races so used to be very fit.  I was on SKY TV once as I came in with the race leaders in a MTB event - only the organisers and my friends knew I had been lapped :D  I  never took it seriously but it was good fun.

9. Football - I never got into following football or rugby.  My Dad was into swimming and boxing.   I support all the teams in Merseyside but if asked to pick it has to be Liverpool Football Club.   I tried to follow Reading FC and went to all the home games for over a season but I  felt like a traitor and stopped.

10.  Music - I listen mainly to electronic music these days but I like all sorts really.  I sang once in a choir with the Liverpool Philamonic Orchestra.  I am a rubbish musician (I play keyboards).  When I was working my sandwich year in Newcastle I was in a band and managed to get on the radio in my early twenties (nothing major).  I decided to finish my degree while the band toured and the bassist nearly killed himself doing a gig which the Sun picked up on.  I currently play the stylophone and various music apps on my ipod touch :-)

11. Film - I like Star wars (the 1st three) and I particularly like the Dirty Harry films, which inspired many mad moments in my youth.  I used to shoot guns in a local club and at a rifle range and owned various air pistols that would be taken off me from my parents and would get me grounded for months at a time because they didn’t allow them.

12. Food - I Like eating out .. mainly I go to the local cafe but dining out with friends and family is fun.  I love  crispy duck, roast dinner and trifle.

13. Cooking -  The most complicated thing I have ever made is Chili Con Carnie.

14.  Drink - Stella of course but Red and White wine are my 2nd favs.  I stay clear of spirits.

15. Mobile Phones - I love the mobile internet. It’s a great way to occupy yourself while on long train journeys and a way to keep in touch with people while you’re out and about. My first steps on the mobile web were in the days of WAP way back in 2000 when I had a big hand in creating a mobile e-banking site for a high street bank.  I have since worked on many other things outside of mobile but some of the work I am getting into is starting to take me back into that scene.

16. I am good at keeping secrets.

17.  I don’t wear a watch or care much for jewelry.

18.  I don’t need much.  I reckon I can get by with a bag of clothes, my work kit and a mobile.

19. I used to be addicted to Lypsl.

20. One day I would like to move back to the North West.  I regularly check the house prices and all being well I could be back there in a few years time.

21. I am hopeless at DIY to the point that I don’t try in fear of creating lots of trouble for myself :)  I have lived in two places that needed work after water leaks.

22.  I love cats and they say the way you describe your favourite pet is what you seek in a partner :D  When I am settled I will get one for sure but in the mean time I am giving serious consideration to becoming a cat cuddler at a local rescue place.

23.  I would like a boat. Just a little one.

24. Pet Hates - People who don’t wash their hands after going to the loo. Chavs. People who always moan about their work but don’t do anything to improve their situation.

25. I’ll have a coffee with no sugar and a drop of milk, please.