Hey there the worlds! It’s been a while! :) So sorry, I’ve been sort of hibernating lately, very needed, it’s cold here and wintry and blustery and for the last 5 years I’ve simply taken on too much. So, I’ve been retreating somewhat to recoop, ya know?

I have so may things I want to write about, like the fact that I’m going to Bali soon (eeeeh!), about the weekend workshop with Gillian Riley I went on recently, blogs about social media and selfies, all the new art I’ve started and finished (best to follow me on instagram for those updates) and don’t even talk to me about Elliot’s 2nd birthday letter (man, he’s been two for about 3 months now!), but all those posts take long and require an emotional depth that I currently can’t offer. :) So instead, today -for funsies- I thought I’d share “31 facts about Tam you probably didn’t know and maybe didn’t want to know but now you can’t un-see them so thanks Tam”. It’s light, it’s fun, it’s easy and less emotionally demanding of me. :)

Here we go everyone hold on to your knickers!

1. I’m ridiculously good at mirror-writing, like, RIDICULOUSLY good, also, upside down writing I’m pretty good at. Why? No clue. Probably so that I can include it in ‘facts you didn’t know about me’ lists.

2. I no longer have a gall bladder. It was surgically removed when I was about 17 years old because I used to get gall stone attacks leaving me in excruciating pain.

3. Dylan, my first-born, was conceived through IVF. I did the whole shebang, injecting hormones, having eggs collected etc. Instead of disliking the process, I loved it because it made me feel in control & empowered.

4. My favourite food by far is cheese. All kinds; French, Dutch, old, new, goats, cows etc. Closely followed and sometimes rivaled by avocados.

5. I love sleeping but hate going to bed. I procrastinate and put off going to bed for as long as I can, but then when I’m finally asleep I’d rather not wake up for about 11 hours. This also makes me a night owl.

6. I’m a highly sensitive person and an empath. This means that I feel my emotions as well as the emotions of others (through empathy) intensely, sometimes to the extent of paralysis. When people encourage me to ‘feel my feelings’ (thanks therapist) they don’t always know what that means for me.

7. My mother was born in Indonesia as was my step-dad. I am in part Indonesian. I grew up with a lot of Indonesian food/ references and some of the language also (I can swear in Malaysian, lol). Going to Bali soon is a bit like going back to very far away roots!

8. I am a qualified hypnotherapist & nlp practitioner. I’m also a Non-Violent Communication practitioner.

9. I rarely wear matching socks. I can’t be bothered keeping the matched pairs together and I like the quirky-ness of that. Case in point:

10. I once had a 2 year relationship with a woman. I don’t, however, identify as bi-sexual nor as homo-, hetero-, trans- or pansexual for that matter. For me the emphasis of defining my relationships has never been on the sex part, so I don’t define myself that way. This confuses & sometimes frustrates people (including some gay-identified ones). I’m ok with that. 

11. I’m obviously pro gay-rights but that has little to do with my own previous same-sex relationship and all with my feeling passionate about human rights & equality. I often can’t believe that people are still wasting their time on figuring this one out. To me it’s crystal clear that all humans should have the same human rights no matter who they decide to love (as long as it’s consensual), I think all the energy debating this should be spent on actual proper problems like global warming.

12. I have 1 younger brother who I love very much.

13. I’m an introvert. As in: I recharge my batteries through being alone as opposed to extroverts who recharge by being surrounded by others. I love alone time though fear loneliness and being permanently alone. Recharging like an introvert has its difficulties with 2 young kids under 5 as they follow me everywhere I go, including the bathroom.

14. I thought raisins grew on trees until I was 19 years old. (That was a proud proud moment).

15. My middle name is Wilhelmina. Named after my paternal grandfather who died before I ever met him, his name was ‘Willem’ (William). The “willowing” name was partly derived from that name too. There was also a Dutch Queen named Wilhelmina though my mother did not name me after her.

16. The ‘Laporte’ side of my family has ‘aristocratic’ blood which means that I have a far-away family member who currently lives on/ owns a castle in Holland somewhere. Cool huh? My mum used to spend some of her holidays there as a child. I’ve never been inside though nor are we in touch we the castle owners (lol) now. :)

17. Against the odds, Elliot, my second-born, was conceived naturally. We didn’t think it would happen and when we were in the IVF clinic discussing another embryo transfer (from Dylan’s cycle), we were already pregnant with him!

18. I really dislike drinking hot drinks. I drink them sometimes if I’m cold or if I think they’re healthy (like green tea) but I much prefer to drink cold drinks.

19. I lived in Sri Lanka, Colombo for 2.5 years and worked in a school as a Drama/ Music & Art Teacher. Loved. It. One of the funnest jobs I’ve ever had.

20. I left Thailand the morning of the 2004 Tsunami and was in a plane that was literally flying over the Tsunami. For about 12 hours my family and friends were frantically trying to find out if I was affected by the Tsunami or not.

21. I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs. I strongly dislike the taste of alcohol. If you ask me to drink wine (no matter how good the quality) it’s like you’re asking me to drink petrol. On the rare occassion I do drink, I do so to get drunk as that’s sometimes quite fun. The last time I was drunk though was probably 8 years ago.

22. I have a tattoo on my back just under my neck between my shoulder blades of the ‘om’ sign. I got it when I was 26 and have never regretted it. I love it still. The om sign is the sound Buddhists/ Hindus make when they meditate ‘ooooohm’ and is said to be the sound that resonates with the vibrations of the universe (of course, I gotta have it on my back! ;))

23. I’m a huge stand-up comedy fan. Some of my favourite comedians are: Louis CK, Eddie Izzard, Bill Bailey & Dylan Moran.

24. I’m very sensitive to smell. I notice smells before other people do and I buy shampoos and face creams based on what they smell like, not on what their purpose is (lol), this because it’ll make me sick if the smell is slightly off for me and I have to smell it all day if it’s in my hair or on my face.

25. I studied psychology at Birckbeck University in London, Art at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Amsterdam & Music at Goldsmith’s Univeristy in London. I didn’t finish any of those courses. 

26. I audtioned for the second year of ‘Big Brother’ in the UK and got selected to the second ‘pre-round’ – LUCKILY I didn’t make it to the show, lol, I know that now – dodged a bullet there!

27. Before my RA really screwed up my knee joints I used to wear mostly and only high-heeled shoes, I did not even own a pair that didn’t have high or plateau heels. I even used to climb trees in them. Now, I’m ALL about the comfort and ease and wear mostly Ugg boots or other comfy shoes, I also couldn’t wear high heels anymore as it really hurts my knee joints, but I wouldn’t want to anymore, all I want is comfort & ease now, hee hee.

28. I breastfed my first-born until he was 3 years old, the 2nd one was breastfed until he turned 2.

29. Winnie the Pooh is one of my greatest role models, I strive to embody his ‘being-in-the-now-ness’.

30. My hands are badly deformed due to Rheumatoid Arthritis yet they don’t hurt and are still 95% functional and create pretty kick ass art :)

31. My mum named me Tamara after a Russian Opera Singer called Tamara Barushka

Your turn! :D If you write your own 31 facts about you, leave your name and blog address below so I can check yours out! :)