Mr W’s Blogging Great Thing

…if it wasn’t for that pesky Liz O’Neill…

So, having thought I’d escaped or been ignored, I’ve been invited to the Five Things Meme. Actually, having just had an unintentional absence from the ’sphere for a while (I may blog about it later), it’s a good way of getting back into the swing of things, so without further ado:

1 – I’m a ‘Friends Reunited’ cliche! My other half/wife/mother of my son got in touch with me through FR. We originally went out with each other 20 or so years ago. Talk about regrets (Mind you, I did have to do some growing up so it’s all worked out fine!)

2 – I never meant to become a teacher, and certainly not an English teacher. I originally went to Stirling University to study English and Music with a view to trying to work as a full-time musician (but with a music degree so I could fall back on music teaching if necessary). Courtesy of Maggie Thatcher, the music department of Stirling was shut down and so I ended up finishing my degree in English and Education… the rest was inevitable… especially as teaching is really the family firm. My mum was a teacher, my sister’s a teacher, my mum’s parents were teachers, my great grandfather was a Rector… etc. Don’t know why I tried to fight it!

3 – I was a professional alcoholic for almost ten years. By that, I mean I got paid to drink by Oddbins. I can’t believe they ever employed me as when I went for my interview I thought I knew it all… I could name Leibfraumilch, Lambrusco and Mateus Rose… I soon learned! During my time with Oddbins, I studied and passed my Ordinary and Higher Certificates in Wine & Spirits, and had finished the first (wet) half of my Diploma when teaching called. I still spend far too much on wine, especially at the higher end of the market!

4 – I’m a pretty good guitarist, though I would have to be honest and say I’m a real Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none… I started playing classical guitar, and then got more and more into electric. The net result is that I can bluff my way through a variety of styles ranging from heavy metal to Villa-Lobos… I’ve recently been playing in a Big Band doing everything from Ellington and Basie to Puente and Weather Report…

5 – My real passion outside family/work/music/wine is the Great War. I’ve taken several trips to visit the Battlefields on the Western Front and if I had the choice (or indeed, the ability) I’d throw it all in and move to Albert or Ieper and spend my time visiting the battlefields and giving tours… as it is, I’ve become really easy to buy presents for. I got some really good books about the Somme at Christmas…

So, there you go. 5 things about me, and now I get to tag a few of you… not that there are many left (I’ve been feeling like the kid no-one picks at games…)

Step up to the plate: Drew, Sean, Terry, Annabel, and JoKay…