Recently I was challenged by my good friend Matt Murphy who had put up 25 things people may not have known about him on facebook. I didn’t need persuading, I thought it was an interesting thing to do so I set up digging up random memory’s and experiences from my past.
Its amazing what you remember when you think about it and what I discovered is that I have had some great experiences as well as not so great. But thats what makes me me.
So I started with the 25 list, but just found it too restrictive so I expanded it to 50. Did I have more? I did, but capped it, maybe I will do a part 2 some day 😉
So here, in no particular order in my 50 facts about me…
1. I am irritatingly optimistic, I always look at the bright side and look at “Flipping” any situation to see the benefit of what it could be.
2. My favourite film is get shorty. I saw it in San Diego in 1995, I remember it so clearly because the film is based in LA and I had just been to the airport where some of the scenes were shot, I was so excited. Well I was only 23 😉
3. I can do the rubik cube in under 1min 30s. My party trick even now. hand me a rubik cube at a party and I will sit in the corner and do it LOL…. yeah sad I know!
4.I am OCD about people leaving lights on. It really does my head in!
5. I have a degree in computing for business.
6. I try and do everything at once… all the time, guess how that turns out LOL
7. I am lucky that I found and married my soul mate, Joy. We have been together a long time and I wouldn’t change a single minute of our time together, Â Love you babes x. I also have the best son in the world (biased of course :-)) He is so cool I have to pinch myself sometimes that I am so lucky to have this dude in my life.
8. My Achilles heel is shortbread and can devour a whole tin, yes whole tin in a matter of minutes!…. mmmmm
9. I have black belts in 3 different martial arts. This started way back in 1988 with my Dan grade in Jintian-Do. Don’t ask Kenn Forrest about the date though, he will argue it was 1987…. I know I am right 😉
10. I have ran 3 miles in 15 minutes in my distant youth. I think I was Early 20’s. I remember the night clearly, I was ultra pissed off about something and it was totally adrenaline fueled.
11. If I had been a girl my name would have been Dawn, well according to my Mam anyway.
12. I Worked in California when I was 23 in IT, wanted to live there but life got in the way (because I let it) and I bought a house in the UK instead.
13. I am a Self confessed computer /gadget geek and Had my own IT biz for 12 Years
14. I once ate 2 double whoppers in one sitting, just because I could
15. I Once had 2 bar meals one after the other after my car broke down on the way to the pub and I was starving when I got there
16. I have had 1 hangover in my entire life, despite a huge amount of alcohol over the last 27 years and I have had some drunken nights for sure, too many to remember, but some great times. I consider myself blessed (Joy, my wife more than makes up for it, she just needs to smell wine and she is ill the next day)
17. On the way to said hangover I drank 12 pints of LCL lager and won a “throw the wellie” contest at a local club
18. I have been to the Maldives twice and consider it one of the most beautiful places on earth and actually cried both times I left
19. I am a qualified advanced open water diver and I have dived in the maldives, St Lucia, Barbados and the Mediterranean. Once you dive in the Maldives though, everything else becomes a poor second!
20. I have a motorbike and Love bombing round the twisty roads of Northumberland and further North. There is no better feeling. The road trips I have been a part of to the highlands of Scotland were amazing and there is no better place to go in the world…. when it isn’t raining 😉
21. I Love reading but never seem to get enough time to do so. I like a good thriller and just read all of the Jack Reacher Books. Other than that you can catch me reading/studying physiology books, nutrition books and self improvement books amongst other things.
22. I am a king of procrastination and look for perfection in everything, which I consider my worst trait (working on this)
23. I took off over a hump back bridge (dukes of hazzard style) in my dads car 6 months after passing my test and was scared to go home because the car was a little worse for wear.
24. I am an obsessive trainer and I have been known to push and push myself until something breaks and it usually did, I “think” I am getting wiser to that now
25. I have been caught by the police and had a radio smashed in my face, only for them to realise they had the wrong guy and let me go…. did I get an apology? I’ll let you decide that
26. I was great at drawing when I was young (still am I guess, but just don’t make time for it) and at aged 7 had my drawing of a golden eagle portrayed in a local gallery
27. I once met Robson Green on a plane to London and talked about Newcastle untied when Bobby Robson had just became their manager. A really down to earth guy. Joy also thought he was lovely back then and got her photo taken with him in Heathrow 🙂
28. I once jumped on the stage at the end of a blues brothers tribute act and danced with them. Well it was rude not to, they were excellent 🙂
29. I have seen the legend Freddy Mercury & queen live on stage at st James Park in 1986. The best concert I have ever been to, skived off school at 14 to go and see it and the ticket was a bargain price of £13.20!
30. I played in goal for my school team
31. I am driven to succeed and will never give up on something I want to do, even if I get knocked down every day trying
32. I have ran the great north run 5 times. That was enough, it is a great experience and I think everyone should do it once.
33. On my honeymoon in St Lucia a Category 4 Hurricane paid us a visit, that was an interesting experience.
34. I had planned to take Joy to New York on Sept 10th 2001 for our wedding anniversary on the 12th, postponed the trip due to work commitments only for the twin towers to go down the next day. I still get a bit shell shocked when I think about what might have been.
35. Planned to Go to the maldives over Christmas in 2004, only for Joy to become pregnant with our beautiful boy… the Tsunami Hit on 26th Dec 2004… another near miss
36. I was an avid fan of Asterix the Gaul books when I was younger and would continually got them out from the local library and read them over and over for a few years in my teens.
37. I am sincerely grateful for Joy and Sam putting up with me, love you guys xx and my friends and family who have offered counsel when I have needed it. You know who you are x
38. Joy and I were told we would never have kids naturally and endured the heartbreak of 2 failed IVF attempts. This was harrowing and feel for anybody who has had to go through it.
39. I am passionate about health and in particular nutrition and human movement
40. I write nutrition articles for the UK’s largest martial arts magazine – martial arts illustrated
41. I nearly drowned twice in one day on a holiday in Spain when I was 12. I was still in the sea the next day!
42. I did karate demonstrations when I was 17, my party trick being breaking a 1 inch wooden board 8 feet in the air with a kick.
43. Our son was conceived naturally despite what the doctors said and i know this is solely down to my study of nutrition and seeking out help from experts in this topic and is why I am so passionate on the subject
44. When I worked in San Diego in 1995 I got lost on my first day driving and a 5 minute drive to work took 2 hours!
45. My earliest memory of my life was being a few months old & looking up at my dad as he mistakingly put the safety pin of my nappy into my bits whilst putting it back on… True story!
46. I am a best selling author
47. Despite my martial arts background I am a peace lover. As Daniel La Russo from the karate kid said “I train, so I don’t have to fight”. Violence is below my game. But make no mistake, I will destroy anyone who tries to hurt my family.
48. I am passionate about giving and I want to help you.
49. I could not grow a beard to save my life, sad I know, it used to upset me, but i eventually got over myself
50. I know the entire script of Star Wars, Episode 4 a New Hope (The Original)
So there you have it, 50 shades of Deano. I hope you enjoyed the read. Why not try it for yourself. List 25 things that has happened to you in your life time that have simply got swallowed up in time. See what surfaces. Reflection of your life and your experiences is a great exercise, it challenges you to dig deep into who you are.
Are you brave enough?
to your strength and health
Deano
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