AZ of MEL

IT'S MY BUFFDAY, ITS MA BUFFDAY, YOU GONN' GET TO KNOW ME
(I hope you said that in the right tune)

Remember when those Facebook notes were all the range? They'd get all 'deep and meaningful'?

I would be on it like a car bonnet with those. I loved answering questions, whether it was a Bebo, Facebook or even Myspace craze, they were a great place to pass time and I'm a nosy bugger and love reading other peoples questions.
As I'm currently on a weird shift pattern and having a lot of days off, I was spending today like a Sunday (it's not, it's Thursday) and having a good chillax/procrastination/blog reading day. I was reading the lovely Gwennans A - Z of me and it got me craving that whole note period of ma life again.




Now back in May (whaaaaaaaaat it feels like yesterday) I did write an A-Z post, but it was slightly different in that it was questions beginning with A-Z, so I'm gonna do the 'Gwennan version'. Some of you probably won't like these types of posts, but I do, and I'm the beauty, brains, person behind Melberryy... so, whatcha gonna do eh?!

A: ABBA
I am an ABBA girl through and through. When I was growing up my Mum always used to listen to them and I guess I caught the bug. I loved Mamma Mia the film, I've seen the musical, I've got the book about the musical. I have the albums, I know the lyrics and if I ever saw them live I think I'd cry. I know a lot of people think they're cheesy and whatnot, and to be perfectly honest I probably agree - but I love a bit of cheesy music as it makes me feel all happy inside. And I love cheese.

B: Blogging
Pretty obvious one really seeing as you're all currently reading my blog right now (by all, I mean one of you). I definitely still count myself as a newbie blogger seeing as I've only been at this since February and I have been so inconsistent recently that I hate myself a little bit, but life gets busy doesn't it. I am thinking about doing Blogtober (DEFINITELY just made that up though) and trying to blog every day may get me to you know, actually blog. Well now I've written it here it has to happen doesn't it.



C: Children
My Dad was always convinced I would wind up as a teacher, and I'm pretty sure he still thinks I will at some point. I am great around kids if I say so myself. If I'm stuck in a queue or on a train kids will always get mesmerised by my face (because I'm so beautiful, duuuuur) and always seem to be giggling at it (maybe not) which is always fun. I'm very patient with kids and just want to look after all the children in the world and make sure they're always happy. So my aim is to go into Childrens TV and hopefully attempt to do this.

D: Dislocated hip
When I was born 23 years ago today I was a right pain to my Mum and came out all funny, soz Mum. I was born with a dislocated hip, which basically means that the ball from my hip didn't fit properly in the hole. When I was younger I had to wear a plastic nappy type thing which basically hold my hip joints together so it didn't pop out. I was never allowed to do the splits or anything like that as it had a risk of effecting my joints again, and I still can't do them. I used to get really bad shooting pains through my hip sometimes at night and used to cry on the bathroom floor cause there was literally nothing I could do about it. I still do get some twinges in the hip but I kind of learn to deal with it.

E: Electrics
Bit of a cheat one I think but YOLO. I've always been very interested in technology, my brain just seems to get how computers work and I learn technology very quickly. Maybe this is true for most people that are my age and have been brought up around technology developing. But I love learning new tech and new programs, yeah, I'm a geek. So I guess because of this my career is absolutely no surprise.  Also I'm a bit scared of electricity, I won't sleep with plugs on, I don't like when plugs are switched on and have nothing in them (which is an issue at my place because some of the switches are broken so they won't switch off, ffs) and don't like fire.

F: Friends
What a double entendre. Of course, I couldn't live without me good old pals, made a fair few dotted around here, there and in fact everywhere over my time. Shout out to y'all. Also the best, most quotable show in the history of ever, Friends. I go through phases of just constantly watching it, I can always think of a quote and it has genuinely made me actual friends. Hello my babies.

G: Goals
So cringe but I'm a really goal orientated person. I love making huge goals which will challenge me throughout the year, whether it be to get out of England or get into a job. They help keep me focused on what I want to achieve each year. I also like to set little goals for each day to just generally get me through - although they are often goals such as 'don't eat biscuits at work' which is doomed from the off really.

H: Harry Potter
Like what feels like everybody in the same age bracket as me - I love a good old bit of Hazza P. Like super love it. I passed my driving test the week before the last every movie came out and one of my first treks was driving everybody to the cinema so we could all watch it at midnight. I had the special 3D glasses - although my Dad thought he would pop the lenses out and use them to dress up as Harry Potter. Since moving back to London I've reread the majority of the books because, well, commutes are boring aren't they?

I: Isle of Wight
I couldn't really not put this as I could I? That doesn't sound right. But Isle of Wight is, and always will be my home. I was born there, grew up there and apart from my time at Uni and in Greece I have always lived there. Before I went to Uni I couldn't wait to get away from it because, well, it's not the most exciting place for a teenager to grow up, but now I can't wait to go back. That little diamond on the bottom of the map is where my eyes are always drawn, and you should all definitely visit.



J: Jack
Awh my wee brother literally is the best thing ever. He's eight in two weeks and without a doubt the thing I've missed most whilst being away from home. I remember when he was born I was so annoyed that I had another stinky brother as I also have a now 19 year old brother, Danny. But now whenever I go back home to Jack I spend the time taking selfies on snapchat with dog filters, playing gymnastics or being forced to let him plait/pull out my hair.

K: Knowledge
Props to my old pa Greyham for this one because I was bamboozled... clearly don't have enough bloody knowledge. I love to learn. I'm a geek. I like to read to learn, read for pleasure, notice things that people don't notice. I notice patterns a lot, I like to know what the time is and I love learning some weird and unnecessary facts - did you know elephants can't jump? I also like learning languages, it's one of my trackers on my BuJo, and I learnt Japanese at A Level. 私はさんはばかでづ。

L: Lapland
Apart from the Isle of Wight, Lapland, especially Finnish Lapland is my place. I feel like it's always on my mind how much I want to go back there, it is beyond magical. Even for adults. The snow sparkles, there's the stillness that comes with snow and it's c o l d. I love the cold. But despite the fact that we didn't really feel above minus for about 4 weeks, there was only one time I felt cold out there, when I got stuck in a snowdrift because I discovered I can't ski. I would advise anyone to go to Lapland, and I am so happy that my Mum took Jack on a surprise trip there and thought I would love to go there.

M: Middle Name
I don't have a middle name. I knowwwww. Shock, horror, it's like a cliffhanger from EastEnders. I always used to joke that my parents forgot to give me one as my middle brother has one too. I remember when I was like 12ish I used to pretend that my middle name was Jay because I really wanted one - the beginning of this year one of my aunties was shocked when she discovered it wasn't actually my name!!

N: Never seen Lion King
Okay, before you get your knickers in a twist, I've seen it NOW. I hadn't watched it until August last year and everyone kept going on and on about how I had to watch it. My Dad didn't like it so I guess I just never saw it. But I watched it last year and whilst it was great to know what the context behind all of the songs were... I thought it was a bit overrated. Please don't hate me. I think it's because watching it as a 21 isn't quite the same. But really, I haven't watched much, if I had a pound for every time someone said you have to watch that I would never have to work again.



O: Onomataepeia 
(omg I spelt that right first time?) I always attempt arguing whilst wondering when will worcester sauce wail wonderfully.

P: Pringles
Haha. I write this as I'm halfway through a tube of Pringles (Ready Salted of course) so they were right in the forefront of my mind. I go through phases of being a bit addicted to different foods, often savoury more than sweet and during a couple of weeks I will eat excessive amounts of these foods. These often coincide with food that's on offer, ie Pringles are £1.20 at Iceland at the moment so a) get on it and b) they're my go to snack.

Q: Queen (sorry Gwennan!)
I apologise to Gwennan here because she used the same one, but she cheated and I didn't... GAWD GWENNAN. I love the band Queen. I wrote a post about it (LINK) because I actually got to see them in June. I knew I had to get to the Isle of Wight Festival because they were there (though obviously Adam Lambert) and in ended up working at 8am every morning whilst there to get in. It was a thousand percent worth it because every song of there's actually meant something to me (cringe). And of course I love Our Royal Highness Queenie because she's fabulous.

R: Raynauds Syndrome
Another weird thing that I suffer from, although it has really improved recently. Raynauds is basically when your blood vessels go into a weird spasm and don't let the blood flow properly to your extremities. Basically I have rubbish circulation. In fact the majority of my body isn't wired up right. This meant that my hands used to get super cold, super easy. Like when I went to dancing I used to have to wear gloves. When we did hockey my hands used to go orange because they were so cold. There isn't really anything I can do about it but just sort of deal with it. It's not a serious issue but it's pretty weird sometimes.

S: Scatty Mel
I am so scatty. Like you honestly wouldn't believe it. Flashback to Second Year of Uni one of my most insane (but by no means the first) of my scatty happenings. I'm at Tooting, South London in Wilko, aka the shop of dreams, trying to find a bin for my Uni room to do my hand washing in because the washing machines were a rip off. I'm picking up all these bins, find one, and go to pay, and then get the shuttle bus back to halls. ARGHHHH. I get there and I don't have my room key. I don't have my phone. I don't have my travel wallet with my Oyster, boat card and everything I use to get around London. By the time I realised this Wilkos had shut, so the next day (Valentines Day) I called up using a friends phone to found out they had it ALL. I declared my love for the man and tottled off down to pick it up. Only last Friday I got my iPhone 5s back after two weeks because it fell down a train seat when I fell asleep coming home from work. Things always find their way back to me...

T: Travelling
When we left A Levels there were loads of people who took a gap year and went round exploring the world with nothing more than a backpack. At the time, this really didn't appeal to me. I wanted to go round travelling with someone - I didn't want to do it alone and if I did I wanted to work. Fast forward to finishing Uni and I just wanted to get out of England as soon as possible. Since doing my year of holiday repping I just want to get out and do MORE, whilst it was really hard work, honestly, I'd go back and do it in a flash. Especially Lapland, but I've already rambled on about that. But now I've caught the travelling bug, and need someone to go on £24 return flights to Pisa with me.



U: Unusually loud clicking noise
Haahahaha this one is a bit of a joke. I couldn't think of anything beginning with U and this is the best way I could use it. See I have a talent (a wonderful thing, cause everyone listens, when I start to singggggg) and it is that I can click my tongue super duper loud. Like click your tongue. NOW. DO IT. I can do it louder. Actually I've met two people who have been able to do it as loud as me, one I can't remember who it was and the other is my eight year old cousin. Seeing is believing.

V: Vodka
I am not just meaning the drink here, although I am always partial to a good old voddy and cranberry. Side note - when I was younger I used to drink it straight, and then when I got a bit less of a badass, I mixed it with water. But I was actually meaning my good old faithful Ford KA here. I've had for over 5 years now and she has really lasted me well. She is nearing a bit of an old age now and seeing as I live in the big old smoke now she's currently staying at me mams house waiting for me to return to her. When she probably won't work anymore.

W: Winter
I totally prefer winter to summer. This Indian summer we're having right now. No thanks. Where is Autumn?! It should be teas on the way to work and scarves but alas, I'm still working in a kitchen in 30 degree heats, commuting on the Tube which is like taking a tunnel through the sun and constantly wanting to live in a fridge. Come on Weather Wizard.

X: X Rays
I used to have X Rays quite a lot when I was younger, because of my hip. And then I broke my arm falling off the monkey bars and found out I broke my arm. Fun story: My Mum thought I had just bruised it, put a cold compress on it over night and when we woke up in the morning it had swollen so much so she took me to A&E. Recently I had a few when they've been trying to find out what is going on with me. I kind of like them - I find it fascinating seeing in your body without any gammy body stuff getting in the way

Y: You
Cheat. Cheat. Cheat. Thought I'd use this to say a big fat thank you to you all for reading this. I do super appreciate every page view I get (even though I've recently taken a big hit after discovering Blogger makes up views) and I really want to try and make more time for my blog. I really want to make it a more solid part of my life and learn to work around full time work. For you guys. Cause you're fab. Every single one of you.

Z: Zac Efron
OH THIS MAN. How anyone can't think he is the bees knees is clearly wrong. Sorry. Anyway I went to see Graham Norton with Eloise a couple years back and he looked at me and I cried. Oh la la.


So that's it! I know it was pretty sketchy at times, but what better time to get to know me than my day of birth eh?