Stuff and things
Haven't seen this sort of thing in a long time, so thought I would gack it from
helygen,
crescentmuse and
ginger1978:
1. First Name: Tasha
2. Age: 34 (35 in October)
3. Location: Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK
4.Occupation: Self-employed software developer. That's what I put on forms, anyway. What we do is provide electronic development services to educational publishers. The services include: transforming PDF worksheets into Word worksheets; setting resource files in Word to work in both print and on screen; creating PowerPoints for teachers/students, from basic bullet point presentations to complex interactive vocabulary displays/tests; creating digital artwork; creating interfaces using PDF, Flash, HTML, etc.; transforming old table-based web layouts to accessible CSS-driven layouts; and various other related things. We (Chris and I are partners in the business) work from our attic and, these days, have a fairly good work-life balance.
5.Partner?: Married to Chris for almost 4 years, been together for 11 years. We met on a university trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair, while I was engaged to someone else. After the someone else and I split up, Chris and I danced around each other for about 6 months before finally admitting that we were going to be together.
6.Kids: One wonderful daughter, Rosemary Alice Goddard Clark, who will be two in August. Some day we may think about having another one.
7. Brothers/Sisters: One sister, Eva, who is 12 years younger than me. We are very close. Over the last few years she's become much more like a sister, though, as I used to feel more parental towards her. Now we talk about lots of things and she's as likely to help/comfort me as the other way round. (Also, since becoming an actual parent, I realised that I was actually never remotely anything close to being a parent to her!)
8. Pets: A collie cross, Wesley, who we adore but whose hobby is annoying the neigbours. I think he's six years old now, though maybe he's seven.
9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
1.) Trying to find the beach in The Gower where my dad wanted his ashes scattered so we can do that in August. We think it begins with a P and is probably on one of the jutting out bits. Am going to have to just pick somewhere soon, as Eva's boss needs to know when she's taking time off and my Gran is bugging me to find out when we're doing it.
2.) My oldest friend is about to become a mum.
3.) Rosemary is going to be two soon, and she won't be able to go to Thursday morning Bumps and Babes and she'll only have a few months before she starts going to play group/nursery.
4.) I'm getting a new computer and a new mini-computer, internet-browser type thing to carry around in my handbag and then I will be able to write all the novels floating around in my head. (If I type it here, will it be true?)
5.) We are trying to turn our garden into one that can be used. At the moment it has been cleared and a third of it is covered in plastic to stop the weeds growing. We are going to be planting some grass seeds in one area (which is going to be for more wild grassiness, rather than traditional lawn) soon and then possibly making another bit patio and another bit decking and then the bit under plastic a proper lawn. I would really like this done before Rosemary's birthday, so we can have a barbecue.
10) Where and for what did you go to school for?: Assume this means university - Oxford Brookes, Joint Honours in Publishing with French Language and Literature, 2:1 (almost got a first but not quite - grr). I almost got an MSc in Software Development from the OU, but had to stop when I got pregnant with Rosemary as I couldn't find the time or energy.
11) Parents?: My dad died in November. He was a very friendly man who everyone got on with and he used to attract lost souls (my sister has inherited this trait). He had an Fine Art degree, but spent most of his working life as a builder, particularly renovating old buildings. He was born in Pontypridd in 1945 and he met my mum art college (she wasn't really at art college, just took a few classes so she could meet men!). They were married for 33 years, but got divorced when my mum was hypomanic and stayed that way, though they were on very good terms. My mum has almost no qualifications, but worked at all kinds of things throughout her life, from hostess in a cocktail bar in Antwerp, to knitwear designer, to tutor to teenagers with serious problems (the latter one she did for about 12 years and was brilliant at). She hasn't officially worked since her illness (she has been well for a few years now), but looks after Rosemary three mornings a week, which is a job in itself! I had a wonderful childhood and am very grateful to my parents for teaching me all sorts of things.
12) Who are some of your closest friends?: Chris and my sister are my closest friends these days. Close local friends are Sasha and Sadie. Sasha and I were best friends for a few years at school and have become good friends again since I moved back here, but especially since I had Rosemary. Sadie and I have been friends all our lives, as our dads were best friends at art college and always lived close to each other and she was born 6 weeks after me. We're closer these days because we live near by, but she's a very busy professor, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of her while she's on maternity leave. My social life has been fairly non-existent since Rosemary was born and generally involves either family get-togethers or parent and toddler groups. There are a few mums who I think I'd get on well with, but I don't have the confidence or really know how to make friends with them and suggest seeing each other away from the parent and toddler groups. I have drifted away from a lot of my virtual friends, though I do still keep up with what people are doing on LJ and Facebook.
Also: I'm not religious. I'm third-generation vegetarian, though unfortunately (in some ways) my daughter isn't fourth-generation. I don't drive and nor does Chris (though I am considering caving in, so that I can go to visit my gran more easily and more often and take the dog on holiday with us, so will have to stop being too high and mighty about it). I have recently discovered the joys of ironing (basically means I get to watch TV for a few hours while also doing something useful and not having guilt about not doing other things). With the little spare time I have, I like to read and go out for meals with my husband. I get really annoyed/upset if I don't fit in the time to read The Guardian on a Saturday.
helygen,
crescentmuse and
ginger1978:
1. First Name: Tasha
2. Age: 34 (35 in October)
3. Location: Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK
4.Occupation: Self-employed software developer. That's what I put on forms, anyway. What we do is provide electronic development services to educational publishers. The services include: transforming PDF worksheets into Word worksheets; setting resource files in Word to work in both print and on screen; creating PowerPoints for teachers/students, from basic bullet point presentations to complex interactive vocabulary displays/tests; creating digital artwork; creating interfaces using PDF, Flash, HTML, etc.; transforming old table-based web layouts to accessible CSS-driven layouts; and various other related things. We (Chris and I are partners in the business) work from our attic and, these days, have a fairly good work-life balance.
5.Partner?: Married to Chris for almost 4 years, been together for 11 years. We met on a university trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair, while I was engaged to someone else. After the someone else and I split up, Chris and I danced around each other for about 6 months before finally admitting that we were going to be together.
6.Kids: One wonderful daughter, Rosemary Alice Goddard Clark, who will be two in August. Some day we may think about having another one.
7. Brothers/Sisters: One sister, Eva, who is 12 years younger than me. We are very close. Over the last few years she's become much more like a sister, though, as I used to feel more parental towards her. Now we talk about lots of things and she's as likely to help/comfort me as the other way round. (Also, since becoming an actual parent, I realised that I was actually never remotely anything close to being a parent to her!)
8. Pets: A collie cross, Wesley, who we adore but whose hobby is annoying the neigbours. I think he's six years old now, though maybe he's seven.
9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
1.) Trying to find the beach in The Gower where my dad wanted his ashes scattered so we can do that in August. We think it begins with a P and is probably on one of the jutting out bits. Am going to have to just pick somewhere soon, as Eva's boss needs to know when she's taking time off and my Gran is bugging me to find out when we're doing it.
2.) My oldest friend is about to become a mum.
3.) Rosemary is going to be two soon, and she won't be able to go to Thursday morning Bumps and Babes and she'll only have a few months before she starts going to play group/nursery.
4.) I'm getting a new computer and a new mini-computer, internet-browser type thing to carry around in my handbag and then I will be able to write all the novels floating around in my head. (If I type it here, will it be true?)
5.) We are trying to turn our garden into one that can be used. At the moment it has been cleared and a third of it is covered in plastic to stop the weeds growing. We are going to be planting some grass seeds in one area (which is going to be for more wild grassiness, rather than traditional lawn) soon and then possibly making another bit patio and another bit decking and then the bit under plastic a proper lawn. I would really like this done before Rosemary's birthday, so we can have a barbecue.
10) Where and for what did you go to school for?: Assume this means university - Oxford Brookes, Joint Honours in Publishing with French Language and Literature, 2:1 (almost got a first but not quite - grr). I almost got an MSc in Software Development from the OU, but had to stop when I got pregnant with Rosemary as I couldn't find the time or energy.
11) Parents?: My dad died in November. He was a very friendly man who everyone got on with and he used to attract lost souls (my sister has inherited this trait). He had an Fine Art degree, but spent most of his working life as a builder, particularly renovating old buildings. He was born in Pontypridd in 1945 and he met my mum art college (she wasn't really at art college, just took a few classes so she could meet men!). They were married for 33 years, but got divorced when my mum was hypomanic and stayed that way, though they were on very good terms. My mum has almost no qualifications, but worked at all kinds of things throughout her life, from hostess in a cocktail bar in Antwerp, to knitwear designer, to tutor to teenagers with serious problems (the latter one she did for about 12 years and was brilliant at). She hasn't officially worked since her illness (she has been well for a few years now), but looks after Rosemary three mornings a week, which is a job in itself! I had a wonderful childhood and am very grateful to my parents for teaching me all sorts of things.
12) Who are some of your closest friends?: Chris and my sister are my closest friends these days. Close local friends are Sasha and Sadie. Sasha and I were best friends for a few years at school and have become good friends again since I moved back here, but especially since I had Rosemary. Sadie and I have been friends all our lives, as our dads were best friends at art college and always lived close to each other and she was born 6 weeks after me. We're closer these days because we live near by, but she's a very busy professor, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of her while she's on maternity leave. My social life has been fairly non-existent since Rosemary was born and generally involves either family get-togethers or parent and toddler groups. There are a few mums who I think I'd get on well with, but I don't have the confidence or really know how to make friends with them and suggest seeing each other away from the parent and toddler groups. I have drifted away from a lot of my virtual friends, though I do still keep up with what people are doing on LJ and Facebook.
Also: I'm not religious. I'm third-generation vegetarian, though unfortunately (in some ways) my daughter isn't fourth-generation. I don't drive and nor does Chris (though I am considering caving in, so that I can go to visit my gran more easily and more often and take the dog on holiday with us, so will have to stop being too high and mighty about it). I have recently discovered the joys of ironing (basically means I get to watch TV for a few hours while also doing something useful and not having guilt about not doing other things). With the little spare time I have, I like to read and go out for meals with my husband. I get really annoyed/upset if I don't fit in the time to read The Guardian on a Saturday.