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Friday, April 14, 2006

Six Things About Me

While i may intuitively sigh when i get tagged, i find comfort in knowing that my blog friends will learn something more about me they wouldn't necessarily know already. So, thanks to Sunshine Scribe for allowing me to search into me a bit to share with all of you.

So, this tag (why do i always associate tags with chain mail games?) looks at sharing 6 things (weird, unique, unknown) about me that people may not know - a blog version of the Johari Window if you will. Here are mine, in no particular order:

1) Let me start by telling you a bit more about my name, Vania. Since i include my name in blog notes, and i don't have the honour to speak verbally with most of you, i thought this would be a good thing to mention. I spell it vania, all lowercase, but that's another story. Think bell hooks, and maybe i don't need to go further. So, it means 'gracious gift of god' but as i'm not religious, i just say gracious gift! My parents definitely thought that when i was born, but now i'm not too sure...And, it's not pronounced as it's spelt - i only answer to: vaugh-nya or think of lasagne and then vania. Say it with me: vania lasagne. If you live in Toronto, i also say it sounds like Vaughan Road. Oh, and my middle name is Vanessa, which means butterfly. I've seen in baby name books that vania is also another version of Vanessa, so am i vanessa vanessa?

2) I LOVE extreme sports - skateboarding, dirt bikes, BMX, surfing, the whole lot. The boys and girls are pretty cute too. I am too scared to even stand on a skateboard but it is my life dream to learn how to surf one day. Honestly, i live for this stuff - and love watching competitions on TV, or even in 'real life.'

3) If i wasn't a social worker, there are 3 jobs i would love to have: a) owner of a Bed and Breakfast/retreat centre where i have a vegan cafe, room for yoga and dance, and i get to decorate it all, and play host with all my vintage aprons; b) a spy - not for the government or anything, but for women's rights - i would be like Sydney Bristow (Alias, come on people) but better - not a pawn for the big guys. I grew up watching 007 movies with my dad and male relatives, maybe that's why. Yes, i am a feminist, no, i don't like violence, but wow i love all those gadgets; and c) a singer. I have been told numerous times that i'm tone deaf and a down-right awful singer but i love the idea of singing on stage and having my audience captivated by my every word. When i go to concerts (and dance shows, even whenever there's someone dancing on TV), i cry - because i'm so into it, and because i can relate to what they're feeling on stage.

4) I didn't own a pair of jeans until i was in grade 7. I've always been a 'girly girl. I still prefer dresses and skirts to pants, but at least now i'm dressing myself - my mom admires my outfits but doesn't pick them out for me anymore!

5) My had my first boyfriend in grade one. We dated all through to the end of grade three. We never even kissed, though he always only chased after me during kissing tag games (well, maybe we kissed a couple of times!). We dated again in grade 5, then he moved, and we tried to date again in grade 11. It didn't work out, so i'm sure J is happy!

6) After much consideration, i have decided to share with you my beloved family tree of pets. As a vegan, i love animals so much and they have always played a big role in my life. So, i had a pet dog, Bela for 16 years. I still miss her and think of her each day. I had a pet turtle, Trigger, who walked out of my yard and life one day, never to return. I also had pet fish, 3 birds, 2 ducks, a raccoon we rescued and took care of before returning Silver to the 'wild,' and now i have a cat, Shuma, and we babysit his brother, Lewis from time to time (like this weekend). There is no animal i am afraid of, but my favourite is the dolphin.

Alright folks, enough about me. The other 'rule' for this tag is that i need to tag 6 people myself, and let them know i did. So, they are as follows:
Trina
Michelle
Jen
Krissy
Laural
Tanya
ps, once you're done, write me a note to let me know!

7 Comments:

Blogger Sandra said...

Thanks for doing the silly tag and for sharing this. I had NO idea you were into extreme sports. Cool.

I loved reading your list. WIshing you a fabulous long weekend full of crafts and chocolate.

10:23 AM  
Blogger me said...

Out of curiousity, is your cat vegan?

1:15 AM  
Blogger vania said...

nope, i wouldn't make the decision for him, and my partner isn't vegan either.

8:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's hilarious that you kept a boyfriend the first couple of years of primary school.. that's a long time for such a young age ;)

Everytime I think your name in my head now, it's in a Transylvanian vampire accent.. lol.. My name is Vaaania.. & I vaant to suck your blood!

5:44 PM  
Blogger jen said...

wait, is your name "vaughnia" like michael vaughn, or is it "vaaahnia" like lasagna and "say ahh"? i always thought it was vaahnia, like lasagna.

we have so much in common that i never knew! it is also my greatest dream in life to learn to surf. when i say "i love surfing", i don't mean it like other people say "i love chocolate" -- i mean it like "i love surfing so much that the worst day surfing to me is better than the best day doing any other possible activity". i love surfing so much that i am going to get a surfing-related tattoo in the next couple of months. i love surfing so much that one of the greatest moments i had in 2005 was the one and only time i ever caught a wave on my own.

i also like watching extreme sports of almost any kind (have you ever seen wakeboarding? crazy stuff!), although often i can't watch other people surfing because i love surfing so much that it breaks my heart to see others do it when it isn't something that i can do very often, not living near the ocean. i don't know if i've mentioned online that i started skateboarding largely to comfort myself for not being able to surf. i like skateboarding, but it doesn't fill my heart with joy the way surfing does. plus, like you, i'm much more afraid of skateboarding than i am of surfing.

if you ever want to take a trip to the coast (any coast) to learn to surf, i'll come with you. i'm always looking for people who will surf with me.

6:28 PM  
Blogger jen said...

ps i finished my 6 things...

4:00 PM  
Blogger mishka said...

vania - I read this when you posted it and I just realised I didn't comment. It's nice to know a little more about you. I think the extreme sports seemed the most unlikely thing, based on your blog personae. Me, I get too annoyed by the announcers before I can get into watching a sport

It's also a wee relief to know the correct pronunciation of your name. Whenever I read your blog, I would says "vann-ya" in my head and it didn't sit right with me.

Finally, thank you for your comments on my "things." I'm glad to know that you understand the struggle, and that you are in such a good place with your relationship. As am I now.

3:13 PM  

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