Thursday April 9th, 2009

The exercise:

Hurray I got into my hotmail account. Which is good because that's where my list response to Kim is.

So today's exercise is to tell me a few things about yourself - however many things that ends up being.

Mine:

1. My full first name is Marc-Andre – I used to despise it and would never have dreamed of the day I’d share it willingly.

2. I have two older sisters – one in Boston, one in Squamish (it’s near Whistler).

3. My mother is originally from Jamaica – I’ve visited once but I was too young to appreciate it and I desperately want to go back.

4. My father’s family is French-Canadian, going back many generations – his first language is French but you’d never guess it.

5. My girlfriend of nearly four years, Katherine, teaches high school French.

6. I can’t speak French.

7. After graduating from university I spent six months backpacking through Europe.

8. After I returned from Europe and saved up some money, I went backpacking all over New Zealand for six months.

9. I don’t regret the financial sacrifice and lack of career progression resulting from #7 and #8. Not one bit.

10. I have gone skydiving in New Zealand twice – first at the cheapest place available, then again at one of the most beautiful spots in the world.

11. I hitch-hiked around the south of Ireland and met many wonderful people that way. The Irish are lovely and I dream of going back there.

12. My favourite feature is my eyes – this was true even when my self-esteem was at its lowest. And it got pretty low.

13. I’m beyond ready to move out of the city – it’s too noisy and crowded here.

14. The enjoyment and satisfaction I have derived from growing our vegetables the last few years has been a surprise for me.

15. I’ve been told I have a very calming influence on those around me.

16. I was once told by an Englishman who I met in a hostel in New Zealand that I had the driest humour of any non-Englishman he’d ever met. I was very pleased by this.

17. I once spent part of a night sleeping on my feet inside a photo booth at a train station in Germany because it was the only heated area in the whole place. I still don’t know why it was, but I’ll always be grateful.

18. I once spent the night in an ATM enclosure in Switzerland because it was heated. I don’t recall falling asleep though.

19. I got drunk for the very first time in my life in Cork, Ireland, at the age of 23. Let’s just say I made up for lost time. And yes, Guinness was involved.

20. I spent a week in Amsterdam and never smoked pot. In fact, I’ve never smoked anything.

21. Speaking of which – I think that smoking cigarettes is a disgusting habit. Please don’t do it within five miles of me. Thank you.

22. I was born on Vancouver Island, which is not in Vancouver. It’s that big honking island just off the coast of the Lower Mainland.

23. I used to think I wasn’t a very interesting person. I no longer feel that way.

24. My favourite meal growing up was my mom’s BBQ chicken.

25. My current favourite meal is my girlfriend’s carrot soup (sorry mom).

26. I don’t know how to swim; in fact I’ve almost drowned twice. My dad saved me both times - he’s a handy guy to have around.

27. When I was little I wanted to grow up to play second base for the Toronto Blue Jays.

28. Now I just want to be a writer.

29. Over the course of my life I have been mistaken for Spanish, Mexican, French, Italian, Iranian, and Mauri.

30. Canada is the only country I want to live in.