A TO Z OF ME

I have a notebook that I carry around with me everywhere in which I note things down – ideas, quotes, things to do, blog posts to write, you know the sort of thing. One thing that has been sat in there waiting for a little while is this idea of an “A to Z of Me” blog post. I haven’t written a proper bloggy blog post for a while – it’s all been adventures and reviews (and there are more of both of those to come) – so I thought I would jump on this bandwagon and share a few stories and photos that you might find interesting.

Me. On a hike. Up a hill. Enjoying the view. Taking a photo. 

So sit back, relax, grab a cuppa, and check out my A to Z of Me…

A to Z of Me

A. Art is one thing I adore but rarely have time for. I’ve always been a bit creative, I just don’t have enough hours to do all the arty things I enjoy at the moment. Actually, scrap that, I don’t make enough time for art. I like to draw, paint, play music, take photos, and (of course) write.

B. I first wrote a proper bucket list when I was 25 and felt like I needed to set myself a few goals to prove to myself that I was making the most of my life. My list is a little different to most of this kind, as this one is ever-expanding; I find myself adding more to it than I manage to tick off, and it’s not just about the big-ticket items. I need to give the version here on my blog a bit of an overhaul because a lot has changed since I last updated it, but you can read it here if you fancy. I’m always open to suggestions, too, so feel free to let me know if there is something you think I really must add.

At the coast – Durdle Door, Dorset. 

C. I love being by the coast. My grandad used to make a trip to the coast every day to “check the sea was still there” and something about that stuck with me. There is something so special about the sea; powerful yet calming at the same time. I would while away many an hour at the coast if I could. If anyone can tell me if the sea is still there at Budleigh Salterton that would be great, thanks.

D. I don’t know how my love affair with Dr Martens started; maybe it was the fact that I lived in Wollaston for a while, but I just love them. The style, the simplicity, the ruggedness, the fact that it is almost impossible to wear a pair out. I don’t have hundreds of pairs or anything (I’d like to, but apparently we don’t have the space), but I do love the ones I do have and generally live in them at this time of year. Especially my patent black 1460s. I’ve currently got my eyes on these patent pumps… and these shiny grey 1460s (oooo they’re on sale!), oh, and these classic burgundy Chelsea boots.

E. My eyes are pretty special to me. I have two of them, but one of them doesn’t work so well. I was born with a condition that means I see little through my left eye, and my brain prefers not to bother using it much. It doesn’t affect my day to day, I can still drive, and do any activity I fancy, but when I get tired my left eye wanders all over the place and makes it hard to concentrate on things close-up, especially in low light. If you meet me it’s always best to trust my right eye over my left!

F. Where would we be without our family and friends? Well I know I wouldn’t be anywhere near the person I am today, that’s for sure. I am grateful to be loved.

The GetOutside Champions, January 2018.

G. I have been an Ordnance Survey GetOutside Champion for two years now and am very proud to have been chosen. For some reason the team at OS felt I might be able to inspire the “normal person” to spend a little bit more time outdoors, I just hope I’m doing the title justice. There’s a blog about it all here.

H. Ah holidays. Let’s face it, they’re why I go to work! My favourite type of holiday is one that combines a bit of travel – I love a road trip – with some great views and good food. Please?

I. I am introvert, through and through. I am high-functioning, in that I can socialise and deal with group situations, I can even present to large audiences, but I find it all utterly exhausting and will almost always be the one hiding behind the pillar in the corner at events, and the first to make my excuses and leave. If I do head to bed early, don’t be offended, I just need to recharge ready for the next thing. There’s probably a whole series of blog posts on this topic if you’re interested.

J. Jingle bells, jingle bells… I love Christmas, I love the atmosphere, the films, giving gifts, receiving gifts, the decorations, and especially the music. Being a Christian the time of year is obviously very special anyway, but give me carols and songs and film scores and I am one very happy lady. What’s your favourite Christmas carol?! Too early?

K. My guilty pleasure? Kid’s films. Yes, I’m a fan of Disney, Pixar and the like. Especially the old and original ones; Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Bambi, Robin Hood (oodelally oodelally golly what a day). I know there is a whole load wrong with the storylines and stereotypes and corporate ethics etc etc, so don’t hate me, but there is something wonderful about the childlike escapism of those films… and what child gets all the references anyway?!

L. My personal mantra is Life is all about the journey, make the most of every step. What’s yours?

On my motorbike in Zion National Park.

M. I love to ride my motorbike. I have a BMW F650GS, an adventure style bike with an 800cc engine that came as lowered as it could possibly be so that I can reach the ground. I don’t ride every day, preferring road trips to quick blasts, but I do love to strap my gear to the back and head off on a tour.

N. Back in 2016 my other half an I flew our motorbikes over to North America for a bit of a road trip adventure. We spent 10 weeks travelling 10,000 miles around the west of Canada and the USA. Even with that amount of time we only scratched the surface of the travel possibilities, and we often talk about going back for more. We called the trip Zartusacan, and you can read the blog posts here and watch the videos here if you have a bit of time to spare this evening.

O. Becoming an Ordnance Survey GetOutside Champion gave me the confidence to do something with my One Hour Outside idea, which has been brewing for years but is now really starting to take off. Very much inspired by and inline with the OS campaign, One Hour Outside is my way of encouraging you (yes, you) to spend a little bit of time outside every single day. Will you take part in the November challenge? Go on…

P. In from work and not planning on going out again? On go the pyjamas. Normal clothes just aren’t comfortable enough!

Q. I’ve been told more than once that I’m a bit peculiar… I like to think of it as being quirky, it sounds much more positive!

Chocolate bunny. 

R. I miss my rabbits. I kept mini lops for many years. But it’s okay, there are two rabbits living in my local park, and they don’t seem to mind the regular visits from this crazy bunny lady.

S. My social media handle and blog name Splodz is what my sister used to call me when we were little. For some reason she turned “Zoe” into “Splodz” (via Splodge) in her kiddie speak. No clue. While it didn’t become an actual nick name in the true sense of the word, it was the first thing I thought of when I was creating my twitter account all those years ago.

T. My favourite drink for all occasions is tea. A good quality black tea, served white, no sugar. Ta.

U. I went to university in Lincoln to first study for a degree in Communications and then for a Masters in International Marketing Strategy. I did the latter part time whilst working full time, which is the hardest thing I’ve ever committed to. My day job is in corporate communications, and while that is mostly serious, I enjoy it.

V. It’s all about the views.

Walking the West Highland Way.

W. My favourite thing to do in my spare time – or even when I don’t have any time – is walking. I just love it. Left foot, right foot, repeat. I tried running, but I always come back to just enjoying walking. Yes, it takes me longer, but I also get to enjoy the views more thoroughly.

X. The hardest of all the letters. Every A to Z of Me post I’ve read puts x-ray here, and seeing as I’m already on a bandwagon, I may as well join in… my most recent x-ray was in January after I fell down the stairs and landed on my elbow, leading a nurse and two separate doctors to conclude I’d broken it. Thankfully the x-rays showed no break, just a stupid amount of internal bruising which took over a month to heal.

Y. I have a little YouTube channel and would love to see you over there sometime. I call it Splodz Blogz TV (original…) and while I have dabbled in weekly vlogging in the past, I found I just didn’t have the time or energy for that and so it’s now mainly about short vlogs recounting some of my mini adventures and bucket list ticks. Want more videos to go with my blog posts? Tell me!

Z. Zoe. That’s my name. Don’t wear it out… Actually, do, always feel that you can contact me with whatever interesting fact or randomness you wish to share. I might be an introvert in real life, but I am always happy to chat online.

Looking for the White Rabbit. Or Winnie the Pooh. But the tree was empty.

There. I hope you learned something. Maybe you knew all of that already?

I think the idea is that I tag some other bloggers to take part, but I don’t think I’ll name and shame in case people aren’t wanting to be all sharey at the moment. But if you are a blogger, I’d love to read your A to Z of Me post – feel free to comment with the link.