I’ve been watching this five things meme coursing round the blogs I read for a while now, and chromatic just tagged me to share five little-known personal facts.

1. In a perfect world I would be making a living as a folk singer. In the real world, the market for an unaccompanied singer of mostly traditional songs is somewhat limited. There are very few things in life enjoy more than singing in good company.
2. I’m secretly very shy.
3. Unless you were at that OSCON that time, you probably don’t know that I can make a icosidodecahedron out of modelling balloons. If anyone has worked out how to make a buckyball from balloons, I would be grateful for the pointer.
4. I’m a compulsive gambler: it’s been years since I had a bet and more years still since I attended a Gamblers’ Anonymous meeting. I basically threw away thousands of pounds and any chance I had of a decent degree. I can’t say I’d recommend it.
5. I am a tea snob. Not for me the Tetley’s teabag in a mug being doused with boiling water (but if must be bag tea, then Tetley’s is the one), oh no. In the afternoon it must be a pot made with loose leaf Earl Grey China Moon from Imperial Tea and Coffee of Lincoln in the morning, a pot of Superior English Breakfast from the same place. Tell ’em I sent you.

Tradition demands that I now tag 5 others to do the same thing, so I call on: Scott Laird, Jesse Vincent, Dave Cross, Andy Lester and Mary Branscombe to spill their beans.