Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Getting to know me - 1

Looking for a note card this weekend, I opened a wooden box I made in school when I was 13 years old, and found a book I thought I had gotten rid off. It's a small book I got when I studied in Canada for a year. It's called "Getting to know you" and in it one finds 365 questions or activities that will "enhance relationships".

There's a special history connected to this book and seeing it brought up a lot of different feelings in me. And I remembered things I had (almost) forgotten. Conversations in a sauna. Laughter. Whispers. Friendships. Basically there was a group of us meeting up answering questions from this book. The answers sometimes led to discussions that kept us occupied for a long time. Sometimes the round of answering was quick and we moved on. There's only one person from this group that I still stay in touch with. (Hej Mona!)

Finding the book, and looking through it, I came up with the idea of using it in my blog.

I know this blog is a mess when it comes to structure and content. I mix knitting and sewing updates with personal reflections and stories about my cats. This probably bugs some people who would prefer this blog to be either "totally craft" or "totally personal". But I don't really care. I like the mix here. My thoughts and experiences are just as much part of me as my crafty side is, and I don't feel like separating them.

To make matters worse/better (guess it all depends on who you are) I thought I'd bring some more personal aspects to this blog. Once a week I will post a random question from the book and give you all my answer. I haven't picked a specific day of the week for this to happen. Partly because I'm not organized enough for that and partly becasue I want to keep you at the edge of your seat in anticipation... :)

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This week's question is number 31:

What do you think is your worst habbit? What do others think your worst habbit is?

My worst habbit is probably that I procrastinate. All the time. I always end up doing things at the last minute. And people usually have to ask me more than once for me to do things for them. Or for myself.

When I was in school I was the one studying for tests the day before. Writing my first paper in Canada, I had to pull an all-nighter as I had started the process way too late and hadn't taken into account how much longer it would take me to do it in English as oppose to in Swedish. I file my taxes at the last minute even though I have a month do them. I buy a new tube of toothpaste when the old one is all used up as I can't be bothered/don't remember to do it in advance. I'm almost in panic mode to prepare for meetings and presentations I've known of for weeks, and sometimes even months. I buy gifts a couple of days before Christmas (one year I bought all of them on Christmas Eve). Just to give you some examples...


I'm sure this bad habbit frustrates others as well (ask my mother and boyfriend and they will probably give you more examples of my procrastination skills) but I think there's another habbit that more people react to. I have great difficulties keeping my legs still while sitting or standing. The shaking starts not long after I sit down or stand up and it's something I don't think about. Until someone asks me to stop the shaking... Or asks me if I'm restless or bored...

I've had this shaking going on as long as I can remember. And for years it has driven my family nuts at the dinner table where everything would shake in sync with my legs. And I wouldn't notice... I've had people ask me to stop when I've been on busses and my legs have started to shake so badly that the person in front of me could feel it through the seat. Or people in a cinema who would get annoyed as I got their row to shake. I was once asked, while standing on a train, if I didn't know that there were toilets on the train...

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Wanna play along with me? Please do!!! Either tell me your answer in a comment or make a post in your own blog. (If you do the latter, please let me know so I don't miss your answer!

9 comments:

florencemary said...

hi Anna! Well, would you believe I'm sitting here reading your post, with my legs jigging about as usual and the computer table wobbling in front of me!

I have so many bad habits, I wouldn't know which one to pick. Probably impatience, I think (although I'm infinitely patient with small children).

Your blog is not a 'mess' at all, and I think it's good that it's a mix of stuff (and you don't care that it is!).

Anonymous said...

I totally forgot about your shaky legs...it used to drive me nuts as well...lol!

One of my bad habits is wanting to stay home all the time...I get so comfortable that I forget that there's a world out there!

-Shell

Linda said...

I like your blog as it is too!
My worst habit is putting things off and then worrying about not having done them! Its so silly!
I think that others would think my worst habit is being stubborn.

Mona said...

Å just det ja! Den boken hade jag glömt... *ler* Ja, det blev långa och många diskussioner i bastun. Faktiskt roliga stunder. Jag har nog inte chattat sedan den tiden faktiskt.

En ovana. Vad svårt. Jag har massor, men vet inte vilken som är den värsta. Den som jag själv retat mig mest på är kontrollbehovet, men det är något jag i stora delar jobbat bort på senare år. Det enda jag kommer på just nu är mitt ismissbruk. Isvatten, med stooora bitar som jag krossar mellan tänderna. Flera gånger varje dag. I alla fall lite irriterande för sambon när jag är hemma... ;-) Som nu. *spraaaak*

Anonymous said...

My entire blog is practically dedicated to the issue of procrastination, or at least the issue of putting off the things that are most important to me. I love the personal/craft mix, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of these questions popping up!

Geek Knitter said...

First things first, I love your blog just the way it is!

Now lemme see... worst habit... just one?

It's probably my need to analyze everything to death. I'm always turning conversations with my husband into debates when all he really wants is to talk about how he sees the world. Drives the poor guy straight up a wall!

Lia said...

Hej Anna!

I agree with everyone here--your blog is just fine the way it is. Don't change a thing! (Says the woman whose blog is much like yours :teehee: )

I have bouncy legs, too. At lunch the other day, everyone at the table (a wobbly one) kept yelling at me to stop shaking the table--our bevvies were about to tip over. I was unconsciously bouncing my leg up and down. I'd stop for awhile, then it would go again. I don't even know I'm doing it until someone asks me to stop. I'm a fidgeter in general though, so if it's not my legs, it's my hands.

My worst habit? Gah, how do I narrow that down? Gimme time; I'll devote a blog post to it!

:kram:

Anonymous said...

Min värsta vana är att jag är tidsoptimist. Jag tror verkligen att jag ska hinna med allt på ingen tid alls... Och jag blir aldrig bättre på det där. Det roliga i det sammanhanget är att jag inte är sen att tala om för andra när de tänker göra för mkt på för kort tid, men om jag säger det till mig själv? Nej varför det? =) För övrigt så finns det nya bilder nu i min blogg jessicassmyckenochfat.blogspot.com ;-) Hälsn. Jessica.

Gudinnan said...

Tja, skulle du fråga min käre make så är det nog min förmåga eller oförmåga) att inte skruva åt lock på burkar ordentligt så när han sedan tar dem så får han locket i handen och resten ramlar ut. Själv tycker jag inte att det är något problem utan det är han som är hårdhänt med burkarna.... :-)