Dear Diary,

Here I am embarking on my 30 days writing challenge. Why? Why not?

Where did I get ideas for topics? I found millions and millions of lists (I am not the first person to do such a challenge). I picked 4 lists and will be choosing a topic at random from all 4 of them (I will put up the lists on my WRITING CHALLENGE page).

Some of the topics are too left or right out of centre, some of them are way too personal.

Anyhow, let’s start.

Here is DAY 1

List 20 random facts about yourself

1. I love walnuts. I love them even more if I can clean the skin off

I guess it goes back to growing up in Moldova and being able to eat loads and loads of ‘young’ walnuts. Walnuts without skin are much softer and sweeter nuts. Trust me on this one

2. I am ambidextrous. It used to drive my teachers crazy

I was born left-handed. However, it was a big no no back home. I was re-trained. To pay back to all the pain and suffering caused by those horrible and narrow-minded people, I can do everything with both hands (except writing). So, it did drive my teachers crazy, especially poor PE teacher. He could never mark me properly)))

3. I played pirates and musketeers when I was a kid. I always was Milady

I never wanted to be a Princess. Full stop

4. Once I ate a whole kilo of lemons

My grandad brought home a bag of lemons. There were no apples or oranges in the house that day. I ate lemons, one after another. I was sick. I never ate lemons again

5. I used to correct grammar and spelling in my boyfriend’s letters and mark them in red pen

I did. Every time I would get a letter from the poor boy, I would go through it with my red pen and mark it at the end. Mind you, the boy never got a good mark…

6. Once I decided I wanted to be a cake decorator

We went to buy a cake once. It was a new shop. They had lots of banners and posters on the walls. The cakes were amazing. I said to my dad that I will be a cake decorator. He was not impressed.

7. Once I got stuck high up in the tree and had to stay there until my grandad came home from work

I loved climbing trees. I could climb very high. I had long plaited hair. On that day, my plait got stuck on the branch. I could not get down. I just sat there waiting for someone, anyone to help me. Grandad came home and started looking for me. It took him a very long time to find me. I was more scared of him than of being in the tree. I still climbed trees after that.

8. I love a good dill pickled cucumber after a chocolate

I absolutely love chocolate. But sometimes it is too sweet too much. So, a good pickled cucumber balances my taste buds

9. Once I ate 7 big blocks of chocolate one after another. My parents were waiting for reaction…

My mum worked as Pharmacist. People were bringing her chocolates. Living in Saint-Petersburg, the chocolates were of the best qualities. One day she brought home a whole bag of big blocks of chocolate. I ate them all (7 or 8). My parents were flabbergasted, shocked. They watched me and waited for me to break out in hives or worse. Nothing happened, absolutely nothing

10. I have addiction to stationery

I am self-confessed stationery addict. I love my addiction. I cherish it. I feed it every chance I got. Only today, instead of buying 1 golden Sharpie, I bought 2. Just in case.

I have notebooks, journals, pads, pens, pencils, markers and highlighters. And don’t you dare touch my precious…

11. I have to fall in love with a character in TV series. Otherwise, I am not interested

I have to find a love interest for myself among the characters on screen. Otherwise, I get bored very quickly. I have to be able to imagine my own story with one of the male leads. I just have to.

12. My grandad threatened to send me work at textile factory if I do badly at school. As it turned out I did work at textile factory for work experience at school. Also, I had a stint at clothing factory in Australia

He did. And I did. I know from personal experience, that I will never work at textile factory…

13. I acutely felt that we are in migration standing in the middle of the night in front of the window in the hotel room in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Hotel was called, as if on purpose, ‘Rodina’ (‘Motherland’). There was no heating, not enough beds and no hot water or towels. The rooms were draughty and did not lock… We felt ‘amazing’. At this point I realised I will never go back

14. I know a person is capable of unspeakable things if put in a certain situation.

When pushed against the wall. When all other avenues of dealing with situation are exhausted. When your opponent has driven you to the brink of insanity. This is the moment you can do anything. This is the moment reflexes kick in and you are in ‘fight and flight’ mode. And can just feel the invisible threshold. One more word and it is abyss.

15. I love writing in different colours and textures

Every theme, every genre, gosh, every mood I am in has a colour, a texture. Today it was Uni-Ball Elite in Blue 0.8. Yesterday it was an automatic grey-lead pencil. Go figure.

16. Cheese sandwich and a good cup of tea means ‘HOME’

A beautiful cup with a saucer, a slice of fresh white bread with butter and cheese are all I need to feel ‘home’, to feel safe and comforted, to feel that I belong.

17. I read crime novels to rest my brain

I read a lot, like A LOT. I read various genres and several book at the same time. My brain gets tired. My heart gets worn. Then, I reach for my medicine – a crime novel and take a break.

18. I am a coffee addict since I was 10

I was anaemic when I was a child. Puberty brought very low blood pressure. My grandma found a solution – coffee. I start off with weak milky coffee and evolved to a very strong, thick brew over the years..

19. I have to live next to the sea

A river, a lake, a reservoir just won’t do. It has to be a big, huge salt water entity to make me feel home. I know, I have tried to live where there was no sea. It did not work. It was unbearable. Even if I do not see the sea every day, I have to know it is there.

20. When I retire I want to leave in a small seaside town and run a bookshop/café

Yeah, that’s the idea. Will you come a visit?