annarella | handmade : beaded stitch markers and original hand knits, london

1. My middle name is Francesca, which I like much much more than Anna
2. Ideally, I'd like to be called Valentina, but I'd feel silly even thinking of changing it
3. I sleep on my front, occasionally on my side. With no socks on
4. I love eating sweetcorn out of the tin
5. I rarely miss an opportunity to jump on a band wagon (as the creation of this list shows)
6. I'm no good at small talk. I wish I were. I envy people who have the ability to talk and talk without saying anything. It'd be a good skill to have, I think
7. I hardly do any housework and I couldn't tell you how to operate my washing machine (that's no longer true, I CAN now put a load on), let alone where my iron is
8. Although I do very little around the house, I feel I have the right and moral duty to let those who do do housework know when things aren't done to my standards
9. I've never dyed my hair green or blue, it wouldn't suit me
10. But I have dyed it purple, several shades of pink and red
11. When I was in my third year of high school I'd bleach my hair with a little peroxide every day. In the end it'd turned into an ugly, weird orange straw-like mass, although I didn't think so at the time
12. I love short hair
13. I once was so fed up with my long hair that I cut it with Ferdie's clippers to approx 1cm, but as it had so shaping, it looked rubbish
14. I plan on going back to my boyish haircut at some point (I'll post pictures when I find them)
15. I've always wanted smaller boobs and I still do
16. I drink close to 2 litres of water a day, not because it's supposedly good for you, but because if I don't I get headaches
17. I've yet to find a tablet against headaches which works for me. So far the only remedy I have found is to sleep it off, which isn't always practical, especially if I'm in the middle of a business meeting
18. I don't like sparkling water, to me it isn't water at all
19. In fact I don't like fizzy drinks in general
20. Except for Diet Coke
21. I always have apple juice when I go to the pub. Room temperature. No ice
22. I have an obsessive compulsive personality
23. I have 15 piercings. I used to have two more which I had taken out
24. I love my own company
25. The first boy I ever kissed told me I was a crap kisser. He was an arsehole
26. Despite my best intentions, I am chronically tardy, but I hate having to wait for others
27. I once read somewhere that: people who arrive late are always more jovial than those who've been waiting for them. I think I am jovial. When I'm late
28. I used to tell people I was 19 till a little while ago and had no difficulties in passing off as a teenager
29. I still do it sometimes if I'm in the mood
30. As the years go by it's become harder and harder to get away with it
31. I don't feel my age and don't want to "grow up"
32. I've never learned to drive and have no inclination to change this
33. Actually no, maybe some day
34. I used to be much more social, but I think I've grown into a loner. I'm ok with that
35. I hardly ever drink these days, the smell of beer makes me gag
36. So does the stench of nicotine (fresh or stale)
37. I've re-discovered beer, and found that I really really like it now. Much to my waistline's annoyance
38. My favourite beer used to be is Guinness, but haven't had a glass/can in years
39. On the other hand I'd never say no to a glass of Baileys
40. I have been having recurring nightmares (fights, teeth and school) for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I've woken up and wept in despair of not being able to have a peaceful night's sleep
41. I also have recurrent nice dreams, the best of all is when I can breathe underwater like a fish
42. Unlike most people I never dream of feeling stuck, heavy, paralysed, not being able to move, etc., on the contrary I can run like the wind in my dreams
43. However I usually cannot speak in my dreams, due to my mouth being full of food or chewing-gum
44. Another recurring "weird" dream is that whenever I have to pee I have a small audience there in the bathroom watching me, or the door is wide open and all the passer-bys can have a peek
45. More than once I have dreamed the solution to a design dilemma and have applied it to a project at work
46. I used to be much more radical in my beliefs. I've learned to see some shades of grey with the years, I'm not entirely happy at having softened up
47. I am the eldest of three
48. I still have my appendix
49. I've had surgery only once when I was 11
50. I had to take my trousers off whilst they operated on my knee. I remember lying on the operating table wearing red knickers (what was I thinking?!) and a purple sweater
51. I can be talked into almost anything. And I mean anything
52. That worries me
53. I don't like milk chocolate, or white chocolate (wtf?)
54. I don't usually have choc bars, but when I do, it's always a Dark Chocolate Bounty or Dark Kit Kat
55. I think the glass is half empty
56. But I will always encourage others to see that theirs is half full
57. I've always wanted to be confident and assertive
58. Most of the time I feel I am a doormat and can't do anything about it
59. I have been a vegetarian since 1994
60. I truly enjoy eating veggies
61. One of my favourite lunches is a plate full of petit pois. No butter or spread. Just petit pois. Heaven!
62. I am very gullible and will believe most things
63. I adore the smell of expresso coffee but feel it's way too strong for me to drink
64. My favourite coffee shop drink is a "weak, skinny, decaf latte with extra foam"
65. With muffin
66. Every time I order one I get odd or bemused looks from the barista at hand, which makes me doubt whether or not they actually put decaf coffee or skimmed milk in it after all
67. I cannot taste the difference between decaf and caffeinated coffee or normal and diet coke
68. I have an excellent sense of smell
69. But an appalling hearing
70. I can't tell where a sound is coming from, to save my life
71. I've spent my life unhappy with my body image (and continue to do so)
72. I've also spent my life on a diet. Or thinking I ought to be on one
73. I am the most "petite" adult I know (I don't like the word short) and have to buy children's trousers/jeans and shoes
74. But I have no problem defining myself as a "short-arse"
75. My feet are a size 2 (35), but as most of the styles I like don't come in anything smaller than 3, I'm always wearing bigger shoes
76. When I was a kid, I was sure that I'd make friends with aliens
77. Due to the style sheet I created for this site, all my lists have "arrows" as opposed to numbers, and I can't be arsed to count how many things I've already listed
78. I've never talked about some stuff that's happened to me with anybody as part of me believes that if I don't say it out loud it hasn't really happened Talking about it recently has crushed me and improved nothing. No solace in sharing.
79. I have a sweet tooth
80. I once had a summer fling with a very sweet Spanish guy who, once back in his country, broke up with me by special delivery!
81. The fact that he felt he had to ensure the delivery of his missive in the shortest possible amount of time, and paid extra postage for that, is rather amusing
82. I once dumped a guy who threatened to top himself off if I didn't go back to him. He didn't however keep his word
83. I dislike bananas, banana smell and everything banana, with a passion. I can smell bananas a miles away and they make me sick
84. I use too many exclamation marks when writing but have tried to restrain myself in compiling this list
85. I cannot spell any word in my head, I simply cannot visualise it until I write it down. Then I'm a rather good speller
86. One of my pet peeves is the incorrect spelling of the word "stationery" spelled as "stationary"
87. I immediately lose all my confidence in somebody who perpetrates the above
88. Another common mistake I cannot stand is the meaningless use of "would of" instead of the correct "would've"
89. I can't help but notice spelling mistakes and point them out
90. I only have two three tattoos but plan to add many more one day
91. I'm such a picky eater that sometimes I annoy even myself to the point I would never invite myself over for a meal
92. I love cheesey Eighties films and watching sugary family movies on Saturday afternoons
93. I grew up watching Japanese cartoons on the telly and can still remember and sing many themes to this day
94. I used to draw all the time and wanted to earn my living as a manga artist when I was young
95. I am saddened by the realisation that I hardly ever draw anymore
96. Having Japanese characters broadcast at all hours of the day during my entire childhood and beyond marked the beginning of my fascination with their culture, traditions and customs
97. My ideal trip to Japan would be staying with a host family to witness and absorb the real Japanese lifestyle. However, I'd be happy to stay in a Westernised hotel if that were the only way I could visit Japan.
98. I am a fickle and have no hesitation in saying so
99. I have no food allergies or intolerances
100. I feel for those who can't eat gluten. I'd be dead if I couldn't have my pasta and bread
101. However rice is my favourite carb. I could eat it every day without getting bored. Or quinoa
102. I can't cook, nor do I want to learn
103. When I do make something to eat, it's usually shoving a bunch of ingredients in as few pans as possible, hence I don't call it cooking
104. I'm a cats person

updated: 13 december 2008