Hello, friends 🙋🏼!

Addiction is a heavy topic and sometimes we forget to celebrate the women we were before/after the addiction. In an effort to get more personable, I'm going to tell you some things that have nothing to do with addiction and make me, me!

I’ve always pictured myself being a writer in a super-white home office overlooking the streets of Manhattan. As I have gotten older, the appeal of working remotely and travelling anywhere there isn’t snow in December only fuels my passion; because I was born in CANADA and have a tropical-like aversion to the cold. 

When I'm not pretending to be a writer (am I a writer now?) I like to live out my imaginary fantasies of being Carrie Bradshaw (a writer with nice shoes!) or Audrey Hepburn (a New Yorker in chic sunglasses). I alternate between the two depending on my location, but I try to pretend I'm in NYC all the time. My family and I moved from New York to Canada in August 2015 (because we had to) and it was a tough adjustment. More for my husband than for me, he kept asking why there was so many cows! Since then, we moved back to the Big Apple, except that I actually live in New Jersey (don’t tell my soul).

If you're one of those very attentive readers then you'll be taking note that- no, I don't have my own office. In fact, I don't even have my own room [2019 update, no dedicated office, but I do have my own house now!).

Times are tough, my friends, but the Joy of the Lord is my strength [2019 update, times are not as tough but my one year old is dumping packs of playing cards on the floor as I am editing this, sooooooooo…… different kinds of struggles!].

15 Answers to Totally Random Questions 🙃

(yeah, I interviewed myself)

1. The best advice I've ever received is: "Always wear nice underwear."

My mother’s friend’s husband said it. And I know that sounds weird, but it’s not if you knew him. It’s a great line! I’d like to be known for “great lines”. When I'm not working on my dream of becoming the kind of writer someone pays for, I'm often watching Velvet (it's in Spanish and it has subtitles and YOU. WILL. LOVE. IT.)... with my Mom (it hurts my parent's feelings when I crack jokes about living with them) but let's just say, these are blessed times. With my parents. 

I love you Mom and Dad. 

[2019 Update, I no longer live with Mom and Dad and we are still on season one of Velvet- don’t tell me what happens!)

2. My most favourite quote of all time is: “Use what talent you possess; the wood would be silent if no bird sang except those that sang best” -Henry Van Dyke.

I'm an old soul. My husband has often made remarks about me being an old lady (not cool. Old ladies are the best). I was raised to use my manners, do my hair and know when to wear a dress. However, that's not really the norm nowadays, so I'm semi-conducting myself as if I'm living somewhere between the forties to the eighties (because I'm a bit of a prude).

There are still things I enjoy about modern society like, not wearing pantyhose (but I wear them anyway, my legs get cold!), my laptop that has the potential to take me to sandy beaches, good dental hygiene (yes, this is a serious thing), and sweatpants when I’m sick in bed. 

When I was little, I wanted to be Pippi Longstocking. Why? I don't know. Maybe because she was the only ginger other than Anne of Green Gables on television and clearly, way more fun than Anne. Also, she had a pet monkey. And treasure. And she tied sponges to her feet and mopped the floor like a skating rink. Who wouldn't want to be Pippi Longstocking?!?! 

If you haven’t heard of her, it was a Canadian-German-Swedish television show that aired in the late nineties. It actually explains a lot about who I became, come to think of it. Should I ever made the big leagues with my writing, I will be sure to credit Astrid Lindgren and Sveriges Television for making a lasting impression on my life. Also, for airing their show in Canada. Who knows who I might have become without it!

So far, all I've done is talk about people I want to be and not who I am. Although, those people we look up to do say something about us! 

Wait... what do mine say? Tell me in the comments below if you know 😝.

3. I have a button phobia.

Yes it's a thing. It's called Koumpounophobia. It's more of a general disgust than it is a fear but as such, I really prefer my husband in a t-shirt and jeans than in a dress shirt (have I mentioned he's Dominican? This is an issue!). Also, Steve Jobs has it and it's why he created the iPhone in the first place! Which tells me that obviously, Koumpounophobia can change the world and should be seen as a strength and not a weakness.

4. We recently lost our family dog.

He was 15. His name was Tucker and he was the BEST golden-retriever-shitzu-poodle in the world. Yep, you read that right. It still makes me want to cry. We had the doodle before it was a breed and he was amazing. Really, this is totally un-relevant, I just wanted somewhere to share his picture because HE IS SO CUTE.

Ok, one more.

I love you Doggy!

5. I am a boy-mom.

My stepson, Michael, is eight years old (almost nine! He lives in the states with his mother). My oldest, Beckett, is seven and my youngest, Denley, is one and a half. [2019 update- we now have a girl! She is one and a half, her name is Flora and she only wears flowers because I had boys and now I can buy pink!]

6. I went to college when I was seventeen.

Which is part of why I didn't complete any degrees and ended up going to school four times. First to university for a double major in english & art, second to college for interior design, third to trade school to become a hairstylist/makeup artist and then again, to trade school to complete my hairstyling license. Really, I think I should have gone into advertising. Or maybe graphic design. Or law. Or psychiatry. Or editing. Or singing. Or acting. Or maybe.... I would stay in school forever if I could. 

7. I eat too much chocolate and drink too much coffee.

Literally. I'm doing it right now. Second bag. This week. Easter comes once a year! (what's that? Give up chocolate for Lent? No way, Jose! I gave up yelling.)

 8. My hair drives me nuts. 

It's HUGE. I have a massive head of strawberry-blond curly/wavy/actually-just-frizzy Irish hair. It might look nice to you on the internet, but that’s because I spend hours taming the beast. If my hair looks bad, it makes my day terrible so I always put in the effort.

9. I wish I was covered in tattoos.

I even go as far as to plan them, start saving money and then I chicken out because my grandmother, mother and husband don't like it. I currently have 4 and for curiosities sake I'll tell you what they are! I have, "NOT FOR SALE" on my foot, which is an anti-trafficking and slavery campaign. On my back, "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti" which is, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" in Latin... it may or may not have been inspired by the Boondock Saints. There's also flowers on my back and on my ribs I have a quote from King Lear, "We two alone will sing like birds I' the cage." 

10. I fronted an acoustic emo band.

When I was in-between colleges I joined a band (because that was my obvious next step). We did okay, but we broke up when I broke up with the other lead singer. It happens. We're still friends! When you sing together, you stay together! Okay, not really. There are videos of said singing on YouTube but you will never, ever see them.

Oh, and before the emo band, I sang with rappers. Yep. I even had a song on the radio!

(Who is this person?!)

11. I was bullied my whole life for being a ginger.

It sucked, but I'm okay. Plus, my hair chilled out and went blondish as time went on, which is funny because now I WANT the red hair back. 

12. I get bored really easy.

God gave me kids to counteract my spontaneity- I'm sure of it. I get bored with television shows, books that drone on, mundane routines, meals, and even my home decor. I’m sure it’s normal to tire of things, but I want to redecorate monthly. It’s not about not being thankful or satisfied with what I have, I am! But the same scenery everyday wears on my sanity. I am going to be a terrible old lady, let’s hope I am never confined to a bed or I will pray the Good Lord takes me there and then.

11. I'm a teeny tiny bit OCD about… everything.

I can’t just buy my kids a new bed, I have to research every bed in all of America. Then I will cross-reference it on multiple websites, check for coupons, maybe even try to find it in-store so I can lay on it and be assured it’s our best option. Assuming it is, I will then make the purchase. And within six months, be utterly bored of looking at it.

^^ TRUE STORY ^^

13. There can only be one thing left to say, I've never gone streaking!

Scares the daylights out of me to be honest. All those nudies? No thanks! But, fun fact- my grandma has!

I hope that was enjoyable for you. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go now because it’s time to get my children from school and I’ve been sitting here mowing down on Polly chocolates from Ikea (don’t buy them, they’re extremely addictive).

Leah Grey

*Previously called, “Weird Things You May Not Know About Me”. Updated 20/10/2019.