Asha Treacy

It's been a while since I've been here, been busy busy and too tired..Hopefully I'll get better going forward :) 2009 is flying by, already in May, but along the way there are a few special birthdays of family and friends....I have 18, 16 and 40's coming up. So the first on my list is my daughter's 18th..oh my days, can't believe where the time has gone :-/ As a birthday present and an opportunity to get outta here, we booked a city break and jetted off to Rome for a few days..woohoo! I do love travelling..

This was meant to be a few days relaxing around the city, seeing the Vatican, Colessuem, etc but nooo not us, we decide to cram it all in and totally knackered ourselves out..Again! We just can't help ourselves..

Rome is a beautiful city, all you who told me so was not kidding..yeah and a bit expensive and shit lots of walking too, my poor little footsies! lol. We enjoyed some sunshine on the Spanish steps and spent Iyesha's birthday in the Colosseo and Palatino Foro Romano, it was amazing! We touched on Pisa before we went, so we got talking to some very helpful tour guides who advised us to jump on the train to both Pompei and Pisa. Three hour journey this way and two and half hour that way. This meant lots of sleepy time on the train and taking silly pictures of us conked out!!
We had a speedy walk through Pompeii and the ruins from the volcano that buried this town for 1700 hundred years: rediscovered again 1748. I thought the postcards looked interesting..but only realised how they emphasis 'male bits' in this town when I got home. We missed all this that due to lack of time...that would have been funny! lol
Then on to Pisa to see the tower AKA Tonve Pendente Di Pisa. A wonder of the world?.. apparently so or is it the Colosseo? still another wonder ticked off my list. I was ever so excited, like a kid with candy. About the walking thing, I thought I was going to die walking up those slanting steps, but once at the top, the views were lovely.
Our last day was Vatican City. The Pope didn't come out to say hello though! We had a wonder in St Peter's Basilica and the Tombs. We sat down for the 12 noon mass, because we are soo religious..hmm..the choir was good though. We took some pics and were outta there. After a wander through St Angelo's Castle in the pouring rain (proper rain frizz hair!) we settled in a fab Irish pub called the Scholars Inn, for some grub, wine, guinness, baileys and football.  

People were friendly and of course the food was yum yum too, I tend not to eat alot of red meat so treated myself. I found the Italians medium/rare a bit more rare, so sent it back a few times, bet they thought I was a right snobby brit!! lol  Oh and I lived on Chianti..just a little bit ;-)
We had fun...especially the birthday girl..

Next destination in July is Sofia, Bulgaria. We went for a very beachy, scenic place as was very inland last year in Eqypt. Not sure what there is to do out there yet, so may have to chill, although for me that means jet-skiing everyday...whoop whoop!!

Do you have any plans for travelling... what draws you to the destinations you choose? Sun (obviously), history, one of the wonders, beachy, scenery? My favourite is history and seeing different cultures...what's yours? Do share... :-))

I got tagged by Vicky Stringer (@rosevibe), Jo Jordon (@jobucks) and Jed Baxter (@jedb). They shared 25 things about themselves and tagged 25 peeps that they would like to know more about, they then tag a further 25 more and it goes on and on and on...
I've actually really enjoyed reading these, 1) it helps to get to know each other better and 2) networking at it's best..
So if you're game, have a go, I'd like to know a bit more about you. I know some of you don't write blogs however you can post a note on Facebook, it's easy just click on your profile and go to notes under tabs, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish. And/or cross-post it on your Blog or somewhere similar that your friends can find.

So did you know..

1. I'm the youngest of three, older brother and sister (sis is only 11 months older than me)
2. I favourite colour is black, I wear it alot. It's a no nonsense colour and it goes with everything.
3. I hate washing and blow drying my hair..I find it such a chore.
4. I spell words so badly that spell check does not even recognise them.
5. I had both my kids by the age of 23.
6. I spent the first few years of my marriage subjected to racial abuse and trouble. I'm married to an Irish man and live in a fairly Asian orientated community..did not bear well years ago but I refused to move, I was there first, so tough!
7. I'm a sucker for junk food, give me a dirty burger or a doner kebab any day.
8. I'm fairly strict on my kids in terms of manners, respect, appreciating what they have and pulling their weight around the house.
9. My birth stone is pearl..eeeww nasty, I like topaz.
10. I love to meet people, get a feel for different cultures and diversity.
11. I'm excited by anything new and different.
12. I love ocean and sunset views..they calm me.
13. I love to cook, more so because I 'want' to not because I 'have' to.
14. If I'm not out of this country at least twice a year, I'm likely to cry like a little baby!
15. I have a love for red wine. At the mo my favourite is Ogio Primitivo and Chianti
16. It's likely I will get a tattoo sometime this year.
17. I love music and open to all genres..love it all.
18. I broke every rule my parents expected me to follow in terms of tradition and culture, mainly because I wanted to make my own choices and be responsible for them too.
19. As a child I wanted to study fashion or be a dancer..
20. I love babies and little people, I go completely ga ga
21. I'm not into Bollywood movies, chocolate and soaps.
22. I never had dolls and toys as a child. I ran around on high walls, played hide and seek and knock down ginger.
23. I'm agnostic..
24. I can't wear artificial jewellery for long periods of time, my skin goes all itchy and scabby.
25. I prefer savoury to sweet.

And I've tagged..

@ zoe9
@ hrbartender
@ vitualewit
@ jones_rob
@ employerbrander
@ marty0518
@ jedhallem
@ annwhitbrock
@ digitales
@ Headwytch
@ joannejacobs
@ lhuga
@ AnnEvanston
@ biju chudasama
@ rgunhold
@ HR_Minion

Krunal Patel
Lyn Newman
Simon Stone
Melania Tampubolon
Sunita Birdi
Nick Barber
Cate Tollemache
Sandra Yancey
Sandy Khan

And that's me, although when I put some thought into this I had loads more..!! Comments are welcome as always and I look forward to reading 25 things about you... :-)) Also make sure you tag me back when you do your's...so get to it ;-)

2009 has only just begun but having said that, it's nearing the end of Jan already.. :-/ However a year has gone on for my braces, can't believe I've had them in one year already!! I've been making a big deal out of them all year, lots of adapting and cos I can, so there :p So I went for the monthly check up with my Orthodontist the other day and Sheila tells me that the work here is done and would like to remove them on my next visit. I have to admit, although they always predicted a year, I was some what surprised, maybe because the last time I was there she talked about Easter time. So a date has been made to remove my braces for the 11 Feb. That's great, but for some reason I was a little..oh..erm..ok?? Have I got attached to these things then? Who knows, may be a bit!!

Any how have a look at this pic, taken recently by a friend of mine. I thought it was a good one to see the work done so far and a clear view of the braces too, plus I'm zit free for a change!! I may brave a couple of before and after pictures once they are out, but I had become very paranoid of smiling out loud, so will see...

AND remember it takes less muscles to smile then to frown, so keep smiling..I love to :-))  

The other day I was getting on with my stuff and found myself thinking about the year we're about to leave behind: all the goings on, what I've been up and the rest..I guess we do that around this time, right? So I thought I'd pop it all on here, after all this is 'my' web log so thought I'd share it too.. :p. For those of you who take time to read my blog and comment (thanks and big kisses) you already know most of what I've been up to, however from the top of my head, I've summed up my 12 months..

January
Looked ahead of the year and wondered what was in store
I had my top brace put in..trendy white ones too
February
My best friend kept me very busy this month, organising hen night and having bridesmaid duties
Realised what happens to trendy white braces when you eat curry!!
I also was planning my big trip to India
March
I went India and for the first time I met all my family. I soo loved the village life..
Trendy white braces attached to my bottom teeth, plus some moulds put on the top..
Eating became a nightmare and I had a deli belly..result.. lost 10lbs in weight!! That was not good :(
April           
Eating got better but stayed away from curries and Mexican food.
Checked out Liverpool FC stadium and the Beatles Tour in Liverpool   
I wrote my first ever blog!! A big bridge of shyness crossed there for me...seriously..
May           
Finally found a belly dance school, I'd been looking for a year or so. I do a bit mileage to Surrey but really enjoy learning  this dance..Eva Green is a good teacher.
June   
Changes being made to my job..going from HR Advisor to a Resourcing and Recruitment something :-/ 
June is a lovely summers month, but for me it goes as quickly as it comes!!
July        
I turned another year older and had a short break to Budapest. Interesting place, lots of yellow trams and graffiti..
August        
Had our summer hols in Egypt. Fabulous place, hot and lots of history. We had a ball.
September          
Happy Anniversary! He does well putting up with me lol..
October           
It's normally Diwali this month, so we celebrated the festival of light. It was odd, we were out doing fireworks in a bit of snow..
November 
Errrm..hmm...quiet one really
December 
Quad biking, lots of turkey and wine..HIC..HIC and looked back and thought where the hell did all that go soo quickly. I also brought myself a iphone...technology at my fingers tips all the time..I warn you I could get annoying lol

And of course...

It's bye bye George Bush (Phew!)
Obama makes history
Woolworths go bust
Still waiting for the release of Tekkan 6 (Now they're just taking the piss)
Economic downturn..it's pants out there
Hugh Jackman was voted sexiest man alive for 08, followed by Daniel Craig......hmm 2 HOT hotties!!
An 'unelected' PM is sitting in no 10
Liverpool are at the top of the league (for now)
Knife and gun crime is off the roof
Steven Gerrard gets arrested...WTF!!
And religion and politics continues to destroy innocent lives!

Don't mean to put a dampen on things but it's reality I'm afraid.
Anyway that's my year summed up in a nut shell. The high lights for me were definately my trip to India and meeting my family and seeing two wonders of the world: The Taj and the Pyramids.  I'd love to see more of those..

So what's been the highlight of your 2008? Any interesting experiences? Do share before we put this year to bed...AND of course hope you all have a safe and peaceful 2009, all the best xx

A little while back, my new HR Director set up a team building day to help us understand and appreciate different personalities within our team. The model we used was the
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Isabel Briggs Myers wrote 'Introduction Type' to help enhance individuals to understand themselves and others who differ from them. Her mother Katherine Briggs read Carl Jung’s book, Psychological Types and together they formulated MBTI.

Now I'm not a big fan of all these personality tests and I've come across a few in other team building days and at university, but I do find it interesting when you do them after a while to see how and if things have changed. I've never done the MBTI before so took my 3 part 81 questionnaire with a ball point pen in a quiet place and got to it and here's what my answers told me...

The MBTI is broken into four parts, the first being:

Extraversion scored 26 v introversion scored 4. This means I am attuned to external environment, sociable, expressive, and like to communicate by talking rather than drawn to own inner world, prefer to communicate by writing, private and contained. I thought I was shy...lol ;-)

Sensing scored 14 v intuition scored 10. This means I am factual, observant, remember details and trust experience rather than imaginative, verbally creative, remembering details when they relate to a pattern and trust inspiration. This one was the only one out of the four that I scored the closest so parts I agree and others I wasn't too sure.

Thinking scored 24 v feeling scored 2. This means I am analytical, likes to problem solve with logic, can be tough minded and fair-want everyone treated equally rather than guided by personal values, compassionate, tender-hearted and fair-want everyone treated as an individual. I am a thinker and reflector and I don't like to fuss about with trivial stuff so yes I agreed with this one.

Judging scored 21 v perceiving scored 6. This means I am organised, systematic, methodical and like to have things decided rather than spontaneous, casual, open-ended and like things loose and open to change. Well I'm not an organised junkie for nothing you know!

So that makes me an ESTJ and I guess I was happy with most of that. However it was interesting to see what others around me scored at too, some were very similar and others were miles apart. I can't speak for anyone else but it gave me a good indication of all the different personalities and how I adapt myself around them and vise versa. It was a good afternoon and when you do work in a team, big or small these days are beneficial and useful as there is always room for improvement even if you do have good teamwork. Well I think so anyway..

Do share what you may have done on team building days or if not have you taken part in any personality tests, where did you come out and what did you think? I'd love to hear your take on this :-)