My New Hobby - Collecting People

The other day Sharon posted a valuable tip that is useful for any type of writer, published or not. Sharon explains that she has a file where she keeps a list of everybody she knows with a note of their past or current experiences, who could one day become precious contacts for research purposes.

What an inspired idea! As a result, Caroline suggested to Sharon that she should tag five other writers to share their experiences, who could then tag other writers, and before we know it we'll all have possible contacts we can use when we need to research.

Great idea or what?!

Here's my contribution to the list (five things that aren't known to everybody):

* I have (as some of you already know) multiple sclerosis *
* I've worked as a unified grade in H M Prison Service - (one of the UK's top security men's prisons.) *
* I've been divorced TWICE *
* I could've died two weeks after having my first baby - I had a retained placenta that wasn't dealt with at the time of the birth. *
* I'm a Christian who doesn't do 'religion' *

I'm now going to ask April, Stacy, Karen, Magnolia , the three Scribes, Melissa and Gray to join the list.

Message from Sharon:

"PLEASE LEAVE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL ‘PEOPLE COLLECTION’ POSTS:

Remember that it isn’t always the sensational stuff that writers are looking for, it can just as easily be something that you take for granted like having raised twins or knowing how to grow beetroot. Mind you, if you know how to fly a helicopter or have worked as a film extra, do feel free to let the rest of us know about it :-)"

May I also add to that - if there are any doctors or midwives out there (including students), please let me know ;-)

Edited 25th October:
From Gray:
Hello Guys,

Apologies for the delay in responding - I've been ill in bed since the weekend before last (yes, I know, no excuse but...).

Here are my five things:

1) I'm a collector. Films and books are my weakness. Our home is overflowing with bookshelves and books, the tattier the better. I've watched about 3000 movies over the past decade and I still have 300 sitting here unwatched. I guess it goes without saying that I have an encyclopaedic knowledge of movies and books - usually the trashy ones.

2) I have a good understanding of what it's like to live with somebody with a disability. My father suffers from clinical depression (and has done since before I was born) and both my mother and Sue have M.S.

3) I'm no stranger to the operating theatre - I bear three scars from fairly major operations. The worst of these is from when I had something called pyloric stenosis as a baby - where the stomach muscles are so tight, it's impossible to digest food. Unfortunately the surgeon messed up and left me with a massive scar across my abdomen and the scar tissue still hurts sometimes. My most recent scar is across my neck, from an operation in 2004. I had some mystery tissue build up in a saliva gland so the doctors excised it by cutting my neck open - right next to my jugular.

4) I'm a bit of a computer geek. I love researching the 'net and I have a passion for retro-gaming - i.e. computers and consoles from the '80s and early '90s. My Spectrum is my pride and joy.

5) I haunt libraries, charity shops and car boot sales. These places are a second home for me :^P (Sorry, couldn't really think of a good one).

Cheers