100 Things You May Not Know About Me — Personal Facts & Fun Secrets

Organize entries into tight areas: assign each detail a date, a precise location, and a verifier – someone who can confirm the event later. Keep descriptions short and numerical where possible; list items largely by impact and include a single line that explains why the detail helped talents grow or tendencies tend toward certain choices.

Record verification details plainly: include scanned tickets, a diploma code, or a project title; write them down next to each entry. Examples to model after: yoga practice began in 2012 with twice-weekly sessions logged, first solo trip to Paris in 2015 changed morning routines, and a move from home country to a new city in 2009 shifted professional focus toward a storytelling career.

Collect emotional markers with dates: a white scar on the left knee from 2003, a deep conversation that triggered a creative phase in 2017, and a small incident that always returns in memory. When searching for clarity, reflect on immediate thought and the situation, thank specific mentors by name, and include one line that explains how each detail influenced later choices.

Keep the selection practical and vivid so a reader sees a wonderful, verifiable portrait rather than a vague list; treat each entry as a miniature story the storyteller can cite, and prioritize items that bring scars, triumphs and routine habits into clear focus.

Origins & Family Background

Record elder relatives for 15–20 minutes each to capture exact country names, key surnames, migration phase dates and notes about youth departures; label each audio file with date, location and informant initials.

Start compiling a timeline spreadsheet with columns: name, birth year, place, source type, minutes of testimony, and follow-up action. Search online forums and old comments for handles (examples: lowdogg) and blogger profiles where a relative’s career or personality clues might appear; another useful field is “mentioned somewhere” to log towns or employers found in letters or obituaries.

Do a candid, honest DNA-to-records comparison: accept unexpected matches, mark likely false positives, and note where a rebel ancestor or a quiet craftsperson changed household dynamics. Increase awareness of confirmation bias by tracking which claims change after adding one more primary source; a good approach is to annotate the background column with confidence scores (0–100).

Set a clear research goal (example: verify three generations in one country within six months). If one wants regular updates, subscribe to two surname alerts and one local archive feed. Create a single master file so everything one knows is searchable, add a “next 15 minutes” task list for quick wins, and assign one follow-up per week to keep momentum steady.

Exact hometown and one local habit visitors should try

Exact hometown: Whitstable, Kent, UK (51.3610°N, 1.0200°E). Try this: order a fresh oyster at the harbour stall and eat it standing outside on the pebbles at dusk – best with a squeeze of lemon and a pint at The Old Neptune.

• From London: flight into Gatwick or Heathrow, then train to Whitstable (change at London Victoria or St Pancras); trains connect in about 75 minutes.
• Start at the harbour market for shellfish; the honest vendors mark the best catch and weight on small notes.
• Local rhythm: early morning fishermen set pots, afternoon markets run until night, and sometimes a pop-up with live music and films appears near the middle pier.
• Practical guide: bring a lightweight waterproof jacket, reading lamp for late trains, small cash for stalls, and a reusable container if want smoked fish to take home as a gift.
• Part of town: the whole seafront is walkable; somewhere between the shipyard and High Street are artisan shops run by local entrepreneurs and youth collectives.
• Personal detail: my nephew lives nearby, calling this place home after a semester abroad; these facts explain why I come back again for the tide, the light, the oysters.
• Notes for planners: arrive early for the freshest shells, honest prices, and the amazing low tide exposed beds where locals harvest – sometimes that means rearranging a flight or train leg.
• Extra tips: carry a small towel, wear shoes that can get wet, try something simple first (single oyster), then expand to a whole platter if it hits right.
• Why it sticks: the town has movies on the seafront in summer, a few cafés where writers live and do early reading, and a relaxed way to connect with locals who will gladly guide curious visitors to a hidden smokehouse.
• Final note: everything fits into a day trip or a weekend; for anyone coming from abroad, Whitstable offers an honest, compact seaside break that feels like a local gift.

Languages I grew up with and how I switched between them

Do 20-minute shadowing sessions daily: 10 minutes in the home language, 10 minutes in the school language, record yourself and note one specific lexical gap in a short log.

I grew up speaking two main codes: the language at home with my father until elementary school and the school language introduced at an early age in year 1. Earlier family routines meant mornings were for the home tongue and afternoons for the school tongue; past visits back to relatives reinforced vocabulary in both registers.

Switch according to interlocutor and situation: private family time stays in the home language, working meetings switch to the school tongue, and if someone addresses me in the other language I switch back immediately. Use fixed cues–doorbell, meal, or a calendar point–to mark transitions so code-switching becomes automatic rather than reactive.

Practical guide: flag unknown words as they appear in posts or conversations, create micro-tasks (5–10 minutes) for each flagged item, then practice with spaced recall. Listen to short podcasts at night or during commute, transcribe five lines, and compare versions a week later. I was really surprised how much passive vocabulary returned after two months of this routine.

Tools and community: keep one private playlist for repetitive listening, post targeted phrases under the handle lowdogg on language exchange boards, and invite feedback from someone fluent. Teach a niece basic phrases once a month to force simplification and consolidation; that teaching point accelerates retention for both parties.

Despite years of uneven use, actual retention correlates with how often speaking is activated; schedule a quarterly review for the past year and plan short interventions for the future to prevent drift into unknown territory. If yourself or someone else needs a quick plan, use: label → practice → repeat.

Siblings or family roles I take on and how they shape decisions

Schedule 15-minute sibling check-ins before any major move or travel decision.

• Role clarity: act as the planner when siblings are indecisive – keep a shared list of concrete items (hotel options, airport transfer times, budget for food) and update it in real minutes after calls.
• Decision metric: if one sibling is very into lacrosse or a job on the coast, weight location and commute over trendy city perks; assign a 30/70 split between personal needs and family needs when searching housing.
• Conflict handling: listen first, then propose two options within 24 minutes; in case of strong disagreement, pick the option that’s easiest to reverse (short-term lease, refundable ticket) to limit change impact.
• Working schedules: when a sibling is working nights or travels as a frequent traveler, prioritize flexibility – shared calendars that mark airport runs and late shifts reduce last-minute stress.
• Financial trade-offs: track who paid for what during trips or hotel stays and rotate who covers meals; keep receipts in a shared folder to avoid repeated debates about food and gifts.
• Personality fit: assign roles aligned with strengths – the sibling who enjoys logistics handles bookings, the one into skincare and routines picks toiletries and emergency supplies for packing lists.
• Emotional labor: if labeled the “listener,” set boundaries: limit calling time to 20 minutes during high-stress periods and offer one practical action per call (book, cancel, move reservation).
• Relocation rules: before any move, list three measurable outcomes (commute under 40 minutes, rent within X, proximity to sibling’s job) and use them to veto options quickly.
• Travel planning: create a mini blog or shared document for trip notes (what each sibling enjoyed, hotel quirks, food spots) to inform future choices and reduce repeated mistakes.
• Gift and celebration roles: rotate responsibility for event planning so one person isn’t always absorbing costs or effort; keep a small “free” fund for spontaneous gestures and emergencies.
• When searching for long-term change: test a three-month trial before permanent moves – rent a place near london or another target city and track daily commute, social life, and overall mood before deciding to live there.
• Practical examples: booked an early airport shuttle that saved 40 minutes and a missed flight once; chose a hotel near the coast because sibling working late needed quick access; accepted a last-minute traveler detour because it matched family priorities.

Concrete habits adopted: believe in short check-ins, listen with intent, keep records of decisions, and assign particular roles to avoid duplication of effort; these steps reduce crazy last-minute scrambles and shape clearer, faster family decisions.

Cultural traditions I keep and step-by-step for newcomers to join

Arrive 20 minutes before the monthly morning ceremony: start at 09:00 sharp, bring a small offering, basic skincare kit, and avoid meat for 24 hours.

Step 1 – Registration: Register online at least 7 days ahead; choose the private orientation class if local experience is under two years; members who graduated from that class act as volunteer guides.

Step 2 – Travel logistics: Use the coastal road called Marina Drive; venue sits 12 km from the coast and 30–45 minutes from the airport. Peak traffic times are 07:30–09:30 and 15:30–18:00. GPS point: 34.123N, -118.456W.

Step 3 – Arrival procedure: Check in at the greeting desk, collect a wristband and the printed guide. If having visible scars or medical patches, tell the registrar so a discreet armband can be laid out for privacy.

Step 4 – During the ritual: Sit quietly, lower cameras when elders indicate. Photography is allowed only at the final point; the biggest taboo is photographing the altar. Holding a phone in hand throughout looks weird; different groups set specific allowances, so follow the on-site guide.

Step 5 – Food and sharing: After the rite the community cooks a whole vegetarian meal; the cook says portions are shared so every guest receives an equal plate. Meat is not served inside the shrine; best time to mingle is after the meal.

Step 6 – Sound and practice: Live music accompanies offerings and the spiritual leader lays out the sequence. Watching without active participation is acceptable for the first three times; the goal is respect rather than performance.

Practical checklist: Packing: modest clothes, light sweater, notebook, water bottle, basic skincare, small cash for donation. If someone knows the route they can pick up newcomers at the airport and drive along the road. If something feels unsafe or a participant is afraid, request a private spot or ask a guide immediately.

Final note: Attend a practice class if uncertain, observe elder behavior, help set up when asked, and bring patience – those laid-out expectations reduce awkward moments and make the whole ceremony clearer to newcomers.

Career, Education & Projects

Recommendation: apply to targeted mobility and fellowship programs for study or work abroad – Erasmus+ (deadline Apr 1; shortlist ~30%; required: official transcript, two academic references, learning agreement), Fulbright research (deadline Oct 15; typical award length 9–12 months), Chevening (deadline Nov 3; interview stage 3–6 weeks after shortlisting). Book the first confirmed flight only after visa approval; expect a relatively small window for refunds if dates change.

For academic records, request official transcripts 30 days before application cutoffs and keep one signed hard copy in hand when attending interviews. If leaving a program, secure an exit confirmation and last-semester grade report; a common failure is missing a signature – an example: a candidate found a missing stamp on Jan 10 and received correction by Feb 4, which preserved admission eligibility.

Project planning for entrepreneurs: set three quarterly KPIs (monthly revenue, active users, retention), put an MVP live within 90 days, couple deep user interviews with A/B tests, and measure churn weekly. A case called lowdogg reached product-market signals quickly: founder put $5k initial capital, launched an MVP in 45 days, found 1,200 MAU by month two and used that traction to hire a senior engineer. Expect early stages to require work hard hours and frequent pivots.

If anxious before pitches, rehearse aloud for 10 minutes daily, record the first two runs and time pauses; eating protein 60 minutes before presentation reduces shakiness. For media monitoring, set a Google alert for full name and company name and keep a lookout for any news mentions; press items might affect investor conversations. Personal note: a father who taught work hard habits during youth laid early routines; log even small wins and keep contact information at hand.

My first paid job: core tasks and transferable skills gained

Quantify outcomes immediately: record weekly hours (20–25), transactions processed per week (≈120), average sale value (£18), and customer-return rate (15%).

Role specifics: worked at a skincare pop-up in london, managed by elizabeth, hired at 17 while young and still reading books on retail. father suggested the application; someone else from the family handled transport. Shifts laid out as morning (09:00–14:00) or evening (15:00–20:00). Typical seasonality: weekend footfall doubled weekday traffic; news of local events raised sales 30% on peak days.

Core tasks with numbers: cash handling (float reconciliation under £5 variance across 80 shifts), POS transactions (avg 12 per shift), stock counts (3 full counts weekly), merchandising (reset displays twice per month), sample distribution (120 samples/day), customer follow-ups (email capture rate 22%). Hard metrics improved after three weeks of focused training: upsell rate rose from 6% to 14% and average transaction value grew by £4.

Concrete transferable outcomes: increased responsibility led to laid-out SOPs that cut onboarding time from 5 shifts to 2; reading one business book per month accelerated learning, and one book on negotiation produced a measurable +6% conversion at register. Personality shifts observed: patience under peak load, decisive action when stock ran low, and clearer prioritisation when juggling breaks and eating windows during long shifts.

Actionable recommendations for CV and interviews: list hard metrics first (hours, transactions, £ impact), name the role context (skincare pop-up, london, manager elizabeth), cite learning sources (3 books, short courses, mentors), and explain how tasks map to target areas. If someone asks about soft spots, say what was tried, what stopped working, and what could be done differently next phase.

For entrepreneurs or hiring managers assessing early experience: highlight cadence (weekly metrics), documented improvements, and readiness to scale responsibilities. Thanks to measurable evidence, these items convert entry-level work into demonstrable capability; stop worrying about job titles and focus on results that show growth and potential.

Degree or course that actually changed my approach to work

Enroll in a project-based MA in Multimedia Reporting with a portfolio requirement: a 12-month, 60-credit course that forces weekly deliverables – minimum four publishable posts and one longform piece – and tracks time-on-task. Within six months my traffic grew 320% and freelance rates rose by 35%.

Core structure and measurable tasks: the curriculum is split into four focused modules: 1) Reporting & Verification (60 hours, newsroom shifts), 2) Visual Storytelling and photography (practical shoots, portfolio review), 3) Audience Metrics & SEO (dashboard work, weekly KPI reports), 4) Project Management & Monetization (sponsorship pitches, contract templates). Each module requires daily checkpoints: 30 minutes of editing, 15 minutes of keyword research, and one outreach message to an editor or source.

Specific techniques that changed work habits: keep a shared content calendar, set a weekly publish quota, use a simple checklist for fact-checking and источник logging, and run a monthly analytics report. In the middle of intense weeks I set a lookout alarm for inbox triage and use batch editing while watching metrics rise later that week. Brooke, an instructor, taught template-based pitching; Laura ran critique sessions that made headline testing routine.

Practical outcomes and mindset shifts: the course makes planning habitual, gets deadlines higher on the priority list, and turns worry into process. I was glad I pushed through the hard weeks when parents worried I’d burned out; instead my confidence grew, personality at work tightened, and I stopped being afraid of cold outreach. A simple guide I follow: draft, edit, post, promote, measure – repeat. Somewhere between watching analytics and sharing work on social channels I stopped overthinking ideas and could look out for pattern-based opportunities in news cycles.

Actionable checklist to implement immediately: keep a public posting cadence (three to four posts weekly for a quarter), schedule two 60-minute photography sessions per month, log every source in one spreadsheet, send one pitch per workday, and run a monthly honest review with a peer or mentor. That framework turned a hobby blogger life into a sustainable freelance workflow and makes steady growth plausible rather than random.