I thought it was about time for a new 'about me' page, so here it is :)
My name is: Helen Louise (I have a last name, I just choose not to share it)
My age is: 21
I live in: England
Brief life history:
I was born in 1983. My mum was 19 and a single parent. I lived with my mum and grandma at first - Grandma moved out when I was 5 and my mum met Clive when I was 12 and we moved in with him and his son Stephen. Mum and Clive got married, and Clive adopted me when I was 15, and he's now my Dad, and Stephen and Nicola (his daughter) are my brother and sister. I've never met my biological father, and I now don't particularly care to.
I was always quite eccentric and shy at school. I'm very loud when with my friends, but often quiet when with new people. I met my best friend Christina when I was 4 or 5. She was, even then, a very devoted and outspoken Christian, but we were friends because we both loved fantasy like Narnia. I wasn't always good friends with her, partly because I was friends with another girl who used to make fun of her and her beliefs. By the time I was 11, I'd debated a lot with myself over whether God exists. I eventually decided I wanted to get to know him (partly through the influence of Heidi, by Johanna Spyri), so I started to pray every night, and felt that he really is real. So Christina and I stayed friends (in fact, became much closer friends), I joined her church and the school Christian Union, and we spent secondary school sometimes being fools for Christ, and sometimes just fools! (I think if you've ever been in an enthusiastic Christian Union, you'll know what I mean).
I'm now at university, studying biochemistry. University and my sandwich year have brought me such a lot, including a love for Gilbert and Sullivan, a definite fondness for Gospel music, my first boyfriend, my first solo performance singing, my first time watching Doctor Who...
I like:
chocolate (dark!)
science fiction. I once had an obsession with Babylon 5. I'm moderately fond of Star Trek. I really like Doctor Who, and am embarrassed to say that Christopher Ecclestone is my favourite doctor. I love to read Asimov (with the exception of Foundation, which frankly bores me to tears), and mean to get around to reading some other authors. I like 'Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick. I generally like anything with time travel in it, because I'd love to visit the past or the future.
fantasy... Or perhaps that's an exaggeration. I like Harry Potter, Narnia, and Discworld. I also have read and enjoyed numerous other books, including Lord of the Rings, but I've only read it once (shock!) and so cannot converse at length in Elvish.
Gilbert and Sullivan. It's like breathing concentrated otto, an existence a la Watteau. Actually I just love the music, the comic themes, the witty script, and, did I mention, the music? I have been known to sing Modern Major General in the shower. I've written a few parodies of it, and other G&S songs, too. Most importantly, I've been a chorus member in the Gondoliers and a couple of charity concerts.
Singing in general. This year I forsook G&S singing for a Rock-Gospel choir. Being in a choir is fantastic, and it's great to sing lots of good songs about God, as well as some others, like California Dreaming and No Woman No Cry.
Guilty pleasures:
I think geeks are born rather than made. It just takes us a while to figure out that it's actually okay to have geekish tastes...
Children's books. I will never grow out of them. It's one thing to like Harry Potter, but it's another to find myself reading a Jacqueline Wilson book in a bookshop... As I have done, numerous times. I love lots of children's classics, and I once brought Heidi into school, when I was seventeen, no less, in a class where we talked about our favourite books. (My English teacher gave me a very funny look.)
Fanfiction. Mainly Harry Potter, actually. Not sure why, it's just fun and J.K. Rowling's world has such depth that there's a lot to write about.
Music:
Simon and Garfunkel. I think partly because Paul Simon's lyrics often seem to express my mood, from happy and playful (the 59th Street Bridge song) to anti-social (I am a Rock) to lonely (Homeward Bound), to writing slightly pretentious poetry (Sound of Silence). Also his African-inspired later work, like Graceland, is really beautiful. I love the music and Art Garfunkel has a lovely voice.
Rock: Queen, Bon Jovi, the Beatles, various 70s stuff. Rock is just good, especially Queen, who've produced a lot of really great stuff.
Don McLean. I bought his greatest hits so that I had a copy of American Pie. But the whole album's amazing. I love his voice and his songs are beautiful and poetic.
Gospel: undoubtedly the best music to sing.
Christian music: I like Matt Redman, Andy Flannagan, Tim Hughes, Delirious... I have a certain fondness for several Charles Wesley hymns.
Hobbies...
Writing - my big love. I would dearly love to write a novel. Haven't got there yet, but I'm working on it. I love writing short stories, and, ahem, fanfiction and song parodies. You can read some of these on my website.
Singing... Oh, I think I mentioned this already :)
The Web. But there's really no point in telling you that, you already know.
Generally creating things. I have a bag made of duct tape. I got into drawing last year and though I've not drawn much lately, I love drawing pictures. I also got caught up in some film-making last year, with a great American guy called Dan who was making a film on a budget of about £1, and with Matthew my then-boyfriend who was making (and is still making) a comedy sketch show for student television. I love creating things.
Dislikes:
I'm terrible at sport. Actually I was recently persuaded to join a volleyball team, and much to my own surprise, enjoyed myself! But I'm still not very good.
I'm also not that good at nights out, I prefer a nice capuccino and conversation to a loud pub full of people. I'll do it occasionally, but I don't go clubbing.
I don't like narrow-mindedness.
I really really hate the beauty/diet industry. I can rant about its evils for hours. Instead, you'd probably enjoy Vipe or "Why I Hate Dieting" more.
And I don't like feeling lonely.
Ambitions:
I want to get a job helping people. (Possibly a teacher?)
I'd really like to travel, particularly to Africa and South America.
It'd be nice to get married and have kids.
And, of course, I want to publish a book or two.
Some other things you might want to know, if indeed you had the patience to read this far....
If you're a Christian too, you might be wondering what kind of Christian I am. Apparently I'm an Emergent Postmodern, with Charismatic tendencies, with an Intellectual and Contemplative approach to relating with God. I'm sure that makes it much clearer for you.
Also...
I'm a feminist.
I can be quite sarcastic.
I love humour and comedy.
My moods are depressingly capricious. I can get discouraged easily but I can also be very cheerful.
I also will write far too much about things, sometimes :)
Random word for today:
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