Some more personal stuff

Louise from the wonderful world of Oz (Australia, the land of wonderfulness) has twisted my arm to get even more personal.

Please indulge me a minute and take a break form all the serious stuff I've been doing. Louise is someone I admire. She is trying to eliminate debt from her life. I aspire to be just like her (I have an awful long way to go!).

You should take a look at what she's doing by reading her story at my journey to eliminate debt.
She has challenged me to a game. I have to share 8 personal facts about myself. And then "tag" 8 others I want to do the same with. So here's the rules:

- Each player must post these rules first.
- Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
- People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
- At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
- Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So here's 8 random facts about me:

1. Each day, just before daylight breaks, I dive into the River Mersey to collect oysters for my breakfast. Quite often, I unearth a pearl or two....and then I wake up to realise it's Monday, it's raining, and the Mersey hasn't ever attracted oysters. I have a bowl of cornflakes.
2. I met my idol. Shamelessly promoted elsewhere within this blog, Drayton Bird, the greatest ever author of direct marketing books, ethics and prose on the topic, once replied to an email from me. He said "interest me". I'm not sure I did, but he was foolish enough to take a train to visit me. Despite his occasional profanity, and completely "no holds barred" autobiography, blogs and blogging can learn an awful lot from him if enough people visit his blog and encourage him to engage. Visit him at Drayton Bird.
3. I have a very unusual goal. I would love a pet. I've had several as a child. they do not judge. They always love you. Their adoration is unconditional. It works both ways. It is though a huge commitment. Every other area of your life needs to be right to take on the responsibility.
4. I am an incredible bore. I love strategy games on the PC. I like to think of it as mental exercise, but most people would call it an unsociable waste of time.
5. I love everyone. And I mean everyone. I can't find any hate for my worst enemy. Life is about perception. And we all think we are right. So why is your "perceived" enemy wrong?
6. I am overweight. Unhealthy. I love junk food and beer. Everything you shouldn't do, I do. My doctor (if I ever saw him or her - I don't know gender) would cringe. But I love particpating in competitive sports - at least before I got into business. I want to play squash again. But realise that it is not polite to have your opponent call an ambulance or use a defibrilator to revive you from a mis-spent life in business.
7. Sick-bags at the ready, I love charities to do with giving children a chance or hope. One day, I would love to chuck it all in and do that full-time. I've done a bit (not nearly enough) but I once spoke in front of 70 top professionals at a Bardnardo's event with a guy called Andy Bounds, incidentally one of the world's best presenters. I'm proud to say I was instrumental in making the event hapen. I had to work far harder as a presenter than the others on the day. But that's irrelevant. We made money for the cause, and persuaded some influential people to get directly involved themselves.
8. I support Everton Football Club. My daughter has been unashamedly brainwashed likewise. One day she will discover the deception. Everton frustrate the hell out of me. But I love them. And so now does my daughter.

People I'd like to tag are:

Debt Kid. I admire his work ethic.

Drayton Bird. If you can visit his blog, comment on it, subcsribe to it, then you may persuade the world's greatest potential blogger to teach us all some valuable lessons. If he starts, you won't stop him. And you can be responsible for starting him off.

Casey Serin. I'm sorry, this is a controversial one. "The world's most hated blogger". Perhaps I shouldn't have, But perhaps I should. It's entertaining.

Mark White. He knows lots about blogs. Perhaps more than us all combined.

Scarlett Rose. She touched my soul. Nuff said.

Cath Lawson. She has a drive I am jealous of.

Joel Maxwell. I defy you NOT to be inspired by his endeavour.

Last but by no means least, a small business blog I need to get to know more about. It's excellent

I will tag everyone accordingly in the morning!