Wednesday, January 8, 2014

A little about me (a blogging meme)

I have been tagged by the lovely @Juliet_Revell to complete this blogging meme.  Hopefully you get to know a little about me.

The blogging task:

Acknowledge the nominating blogger. Share 11 random facts about yourself. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you. List 11 bloggers. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated.  Don't nominate a blogger who has nominated you. 11 random facts about me:

  1.  I love op-shopping.  There is something about being able to find treasures among the "chaff" that really excites me.
  2.  I am really good at getting babies to sleep.  Just call me the baby whisperer.
  3. My favorite book genre to read is Young Adult Fiction.
  4. For some reason I am not very good at hugging.  Don't get me wrong, I'd like to be but I think I think about it too much when I'm doing it.
  5. I once won a prize in an A&P show with a cabbage I grew in my garden.  I entered as a bit of a joke and won!
  6. I first presented at a conference when I was 22.  I put on lipstick to look older as I think I was the youngest person there.
  7. When I am really upset or stressed I read a book and it instantly calms me down.
  8. I am a craft beer snob.  I go to special tastings and events and pretend to know what I am talking about.
  9. I was really terrible at maths until I became a teacher.  It is now my favorite subject to teach.
  10. I think a lot. Which drives me nuts sometimes.  It is really hard to turn off my brain.
  11. I have lots of different groups of friends and I tend not to mix them.

Answers to the Questions

1. What movie provided you with a new perspective?
A tough one to start on!  I am not really a movie person. I enjoy them but I am at least a year behind on new releases and about 10 years behind on classics which gives me a limited pool to choose from.  I am actually going to choose a movie that had a profound effect on me when I was 14yrs old.  In Social Studies we were shown the movie "Escape from Sobibor".  It's about concentration camps, pain, suffering and inequality.  It is also a movie about the human spirit.  The whole class cried.  I have never forgotten the themes of that movie.

2. What inspires you?

Other people's stories.  Beautiful interactions between people.  Children. The landscape of New Zealand.  Looking at the stars.

3. What was the toughest challenge you faced in 2013? Did you overcome it? What helped you?

Ah yeah see the previous post!  Working and studying full-time is no easy feat!  I am very thankful to lots of people that helped me along the way.

4. Name one of your proudest moments.

Completing my first degree.  First person in my extended family to go to University.  I know I made my parents really proud.

5. Is there a phrase that you currently use too often?

I'm one of those annoying people who pick up on a new phrase or idea and then seem to weave it into all areas of my life.  Currently "Ain't nobody got time for that".

6. Have you ever cried to get something you wanted?

I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't. Hehe.

7. What do you find hardest to teach your students?

To listen.  I think in this very visual, digital age, children do not get the opportunities to just listen.  Everything comes with a picture now.  Listening and building your own picture in your mind is actually an amazing thing.

8. What dish do you cook really well?

I make mince like my Mum makes.  She makes good mince! 


9. What is the most interesting place that you have travelled to? What made it so?
When I went to Samoa I didn't quite expect to find quite an untouched country.  It was so beautiful yet so fragile.  The people I met were amazing.  We basically "winged it" when we were there which meant that our adventures were quite unique.  The local chief even tried to marry me to one of his sons!  I took that trip with my Mum and it's a memory I will never forget.
Photo credit AndyMangold

 10. Who makes you smile when you think of them? Why?
When I think of small people I know I always smile.  Children are so amazing.  They have the most wonderful insight and even when they can't talk they interact with the world in unbelievable ways.

11. Who was the last person that made you laugh? Why?
I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with MS.  She's always been really funny but she uses her natural humor to help her deal with stuff.  Therefore I like to laugh with her.  We constantly send each other funny messages and memes.





11 Bloggers (tbc)

@nlouwrens, @nzwaikato, @natashaLowNZ, @courtneyCooperC, @stevevoisey,








Questions for the bloggers:


  1. Who was your first teacher and what did you think of them?
  2. When you want to escape everyone where do you go?
  3. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
  4. What is your number one tried and tested "Grandma's remedy" for illness.
  5. If you could name only 1 education book that a beginning teacher should buy what would it be?
  6. When the going gets tough who or what is your rock?
  7. If you could be a rock/pop star who would you be?
  8. Touch type or finger poke?
  9. What is one thing that you will do this year to make the world a better place?
  10. Why did you first join twitter?
  11. What is one thing you are going to read lots about this year?




1 comment:

  1. Leanne I enjoyed reading your Meme and learning a little more about you. I laughed out loud when I heard your were nearly made a toalua of a matai in Samoa. I love movies so will look up 'Escape from Sobibor'. Like you I am not a hugger and I often think of Sheldon Cooper when he hugs people. Do tag me on twitter as you blog. All the best.

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