5 Random Facts + 5 Questions

The lovely Sarah at Cure for Boredom has given me a Liebster Award, for new(ish) bloggers with less than 200 followers. Thank you Sarah! (If you haven't checked out her blog, please do so. This lady is a writer by profession, and it shows)

 I am to share five things you may not know about me and then answer five questions passed on to me by Sarah:

And so, five things you may not know about me:

1. I love learning new languages. When I was 11, on summer vacation and for fun, I taught myself conversational Russian. Huge dork. Huge.

2. I have never been to any sort of Disney-related theme park. For a child of the '80s, this borders on blasphemous. What can I say, I was sorely deprived.

3. I am addicted to yoga. Completely addicted. In fact, I'm increasingly aware of the fact that for me to be happy and fit, yoga is a mandatory factor in my life.

4. I always have my toes painted.

5. I've recently been watching Ally McBeal reruns on Netflix and loving it. Its my guilty pleasure when Jay is out at his yoga class. Such an awesome, mindless way to decompress.

And now, my questions from Sarah.


1- If your kid developed a massive unibrow, when would you start plucking it?

This question made me spit out my coffee and laugh my ass off. Partly because of its originality and partly because, being part Romanian, I have struggled with my own unibrow woes. Within a few short months of my birth, I somewhat resembled Bert from Sesame Street. I started plucking in Grade 7, I believe and probably wore out a few pair of tweezers before I wrangled them into a civilized state. I then proceeded to go completely overboard, plucking them into relative obscurity, as was the fashion in the early to mid 1990s.

But I digress.

If it was really bad, I'd probably start plucking early. If it was only  moderate, then whenever said child started to notice and feel as horrified as I did with all the hair twixt the eyes.


2- What is your favourite geographic location?

I can't decide on just one. I have a few. I realize that's cheating but I don't care:
1. Hawaii - my parents lived in Hawaii when they were first married and visited many times after that. My father worked there for a few months in the late 80s and we visited him for a month in December of 1987. Despite being so long ago, I can still remember how it smelled. I can still feel the dark lava sand under my feet. I can still feel the breeze on my face from driving alongside the ocean. My childhood was peppered with Hawaiian cultural references as my father spoke the language and adopted the culture as his own.

2. Nova Scotia - I did my first degree at a university in this lovely province and from day one, I was absolutely smitten. I've been back many times to visit the amazing friends I still have there and its our dream to one day make our home in Halifax or surrounding area.

3. London, UK - my dad grew up in wartime London and while I visited many times as a child, it was our honeymoon trip in 2008 that really sealed my love for this most cosmopolitan of cities. From the amazing history housed in the art galleries and museums, to the gorgeous architecture, to the wry sense of humor and pub-loving sense of fun - this place is like a second home to me.

3- What book do you recommend most to others?

Again, another question that's so difficult to give one answer for. Lately I've been espousing the virtues of Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edguyan.

4- What's the latest life lesson you've learned?

I've honestly just now clued into how important self-care is. When I had all the time in the world (pre-kids) I took it for granted, and for the last few years I've almost totally neglected it. But over the last few weeks I've made a real effort to get more sleep, do lots of yoga, eat healthy food and drink lots of green tea (and a bit less wine) and its made a world of difference in how I feel. That, in turn, has made me a better wife and mother and continues to pay off.

5- What would you make me for dinner if I came over? (And then feel free to invite me!)

Hmmmm..I know you like healthy food. I'd probably sautee some kale with coconut oil and salt & pepper, have Jay BBQ some delicious steaks (you're pregnant, you need iron) as only he can, and make a killer salad with spinach, berries, walnuts and blue cheese topped with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner is at 6 sharp. Bring wine.