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Sunday, 31 March 2013

Getting to know each other

I have quite a few new followers and readers on my blog and I thought it is a great time to get to know each other.  So today I will share a few things of myself and hope that you will join me in sharing some interesting facts of yourself so I can get to know you.  So here goes -

  1. My favourite memory of my school days were doing Latin and the daily vocab challenges.  I have carried this with me and today as a primary school teacher I have a real passion to help kids improve their vocabulary.  I developed a programme called Glossary which the children in my class all seem to enjoy immensely.
  2. My favourite artists of all time are - Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joy Division, Leonard Cohen, Elliott Smith and New Order.  I was first introduced to Bob Dylan through a Malaysian friend who I studied with in Christchurch.  That was about 35 years ago now and I listened to him religiously and exclusively for a decade.  I was intrigued by his vocals and the way he expressed his lyrics.
  3. I have lived all my life in New Zealand.  I was born and grew up in Dunedin, spent 4 years in Christchurch where I studied to be a Catholic Priest (another story for another time) and finally relocated to the Wellington region where I now live on the Kapiti Coast.  I spent about 3 years in the US and UK.  London is still a favourite destination which I visit every couple of years.
  4. Music has always played a huge part in my life.  My mum took great pride in showing me and my sister Margaret off to the public where we won most competitions we entered.  She used to get frustrated when I couldn't quite reach the high notes she wanted me to reach.  Here is a link of a recording Mum did for me when I was 12.  I was performing a song called Bonnie Wee Thing - http://www.supload.com/listen?s=0pCYJM and here is a link to my sister Margaret and me performing Dream Seller - http://www.supload.com/listen?s=nbpaU7
  5. I started running at the age of 10 and became competitive when I was about 22.  Running has allowed me to deal with insecurities and self esteem issues and I have taken great pride in the achievements I have enjoyed over the years.  The peak of my running career was competing for New Zealand in mountain running in Europe about 6 times.
  6. I work as a primary school teacher and really enjoy teaching the 7 / 8 year old age group.  I have been teaching for the past 19 years and have a great passion for helping kids develop themselves and build confidence in their abilities.
  7. My favourite colours are black and blue.
  8. My favourite sports to follow are Rugby League where I am a loyal supporter of the New Zealand Warriors, cricket and the New Zealand Breakers basketball team.  I have followed cricket since the age of 10 where I often would be seen carrying my little transistor radio around with me so I wouldn't miss anything.
  9. My favourite food is pizza with lots of meat.
  10. My favourite movie of all time is One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest I remember watching this movie with my mum. My favourite actor is Dustin Hoffman.
So what would you like to share with me?

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15 comments:

  1. Maria31 March 2013 at 17:51

    How wonderful to still have those recordings Paul! A boy soprano too, like my DH was...we were both in our school choirs but he sang in the senior while I was in the intermediate :-) You and Margaret had beautiful voices,clear as a bell, no wonder you won all those prizes! Loved reading all those points about you too! One comment that i would like to make about me is similar to your #1 I spent a lot of time developing my students' vocab and fostering a love of language, both written and spoken. However I noticed differences as the years went on...in my second last year of teaching I found a year 6 student who did not know what an 'architect' was??? Guess it must not have come up in violent computer games!

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  2. Librarian31 March 2013 at 20:02

    Thank you for sharing such a lot of personal info about yourself, it certainly makes one feel more like if we really can get to know you through your blog!
    Not that long ago, I wrote an introduction of myself and my blog for someone's blog party. That sort of sums "me" up quite well:
    http://librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.de/2013/01/better-late-than-never.html
    Anything else you want to know about me - just ask :-)

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  3. Kay31 March 2013 at 20:32

    How wonderful to learn you are a teacher too. I taught 6-7 year olds (our 1st grade) for 19 years and loved it. It is such an age of discovery and wonder. We absolutely loved New Zealand and Kiwis. You guys are the nicest people in the world alongside Canadians.

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  4. Valerie31 March 2013 at 21:46

    Enjoyed reading this post, Paul. I know what you mean about Bob Dylan, he was a joy to listen to. I won't share anything about my life here because most of it has already been blogged. I have one regret though, and that's never having had the opportunity to visit New Zealand.

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  5. Brian Miller1 April 2013 at 00:31

    ha. really cool getting to know you a bit...interesting you were running so early...i ran earlier in life...i teach now, i also taught 14 years ago for about 3 years, came full circle...my wife was a ballerina, to win her over i have 6 ballet credits on my college transcript...the only thing i have encountered that i can not eat is a lima bean...

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  6. Ron1 April 2013 at 01:59

    Paul,

    I'm officially inviting you to next year's Bloggerpalooza. No excuses, just come.

    Ron
    Retired in Delaware

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    Replies
    1. Paul2 April 2013 at 08:39

      Hi Ron Thanks for the invite! Will need to get saving! Would love to come if I could afford it! Looked a wonderful get together!

      Delete
  7. Becky1 April 2013 at 02:49

    This is such a wonderful post and a GREAT idea. I will put something together on my blog later today since it's going to rain and we will be stuck indoors.

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    Replies
    1. Paul2 April 2013 at 08:40

      Thanks Becky! Look forward to finding out about you more on your blog!

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  8. Grammy Braxton1 April 2013 at 15:45

    Such a wonderful blog and wonderful way to give a part of yourself. Since I am a new follower I will tell you a few things about me.

    1. I have lived in the same town in Tennessee in the United States all my life (62 years).
    2. I love to read, have always loved to read and passed that love on to my children. Now I'm passing it on to my grandchildren.
    3. I have 4 grandchildren who are the joy of my life.
    4. I love baseball and road cycling, just to watch. I'm not very athletic but love the excitement of both.
    5. I am a crafter as in crocheting and counted cross stitching. I enjoy making things to give away.
    6. I have Rhematoid Arthritis which complicates my life but doesn't stop me.
    7. My favorite actress is Katherine Hepburn.
    8. My favorite actor is a toss up between Humphrey Bogart and Tom Hanks.
    9. My favorite colors are purple and red, the colors of joy and love.
    10. I love writing my blog and reading others.

    Have a wonderful week.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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    Replies
    1. Paul2 April 2013 at 08:37

      Thanks for sharing about yourself, Grammy! Interested to hear that you enjoy watching Road Cycling, one of my favourite past times. Liked Katherine Hepburn in On Golden Pond and Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump.

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    2. Paul2 April 2013 at 08:42

      I meant Sharon!

      Delete
  9. Mrs. Micawber1 April 2013 at 17:04

    Okay, I'm totally distracted by Sharon's comment that she loves to watch road cycling. Woo hoo! And to think I've known her since she started blogging, and never heard this before. Shall have to ask her who she favours for the TdF this year....

    I love Baroque music more than anything, though I have to say classic rock runs a distant second.

    I'm a voracious reader, but I tend to read a long list of favourites over and over again rather than a lot of new stuff. I know what I like in terms of reading matter, and most of it's old.

    Definitely a language person and NOT a math person! Misplaced apostrophes drive me crazy. Also silly phrases like "going forward". And using nouns as verbs.

    I ran in high school - cross country and track - but had to give it up in my 20s due to a knee injury. I got into cycling via my husband, who used to race (in a very small way) once upon a time. Now he can't ride much, but he still loves the sport, still builds bikes, and lovingly maintains my ancient Cannondale.

    The farthest I have ever ridden is 60 miles (just last year). This year I hope to do a back-to-back-75-miler charity ride in Colorado with my blogging friend Snowcatcher. (Fingers crossed.)

    I wish I were addicted to exercise, but the truth is I'd much rather sit around and eat and read and crochet and blog. Exercise is like eating vegetables - I do it because it's good for me. Luckily I usually enjoy it once I get started.

    Don't think I have a favourite actor. Some favourite movies are LOTR (extended versions of course) and Pride & Prejudice (Colin Firth version). Those are also some of my favourite books.

    I love to design crochet patterns and have just begun to be published in crochet magazines.

    My mom told me that when I was two I announced my favourite colour to be lavender. (It still is - well, any shade of violet.) She said I was the only two-year-old in her experience who knew the colour lavender. :)

    I LOVE London and have been lucky enough to visit it 3 times. I hope I can get back there again someday.

    Had enough? ;)

    So nice to know you enjoy teaching vocabulary. Words are a wonderful gift; every child could use more of them in this seemingly dumbing-down world.

    Very impressive running career!

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    Replies
    1. Paul2 April 2013 at 08:44

      Thanks for sharing about yourself! You were a runner and you cycle. Like me you also like vocabulary and London! We have quite a lot in common!

      Delete
  10. Kay G.18 April 2013 at 10:41

    Hey Paul!
    I am Georgia Girl With An English Heart, that about sums me up!
    Love,
    Kay

    ReplyDelete

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