25 things you may not know about me

Wow I had quite a few replies following my email about the menopause last month. It seems many of you are in that place right now too! I promise to come back to you with any nuggets of information as and when I learn it :) One person thanked me for sending it and said it was quite a personal thing to share. It got me thinking about a list that I'd written a couple of months ago. I'd been challenged to make a list of 25 things people may not know about me. It was quite challenging, but now I'm going to share it with you. But before I add my list in, I want to challenge you to do the same. Make a list of 25 things people may not know about you, you don't have to share it, but you can if you want, on Facebook, send it to your friends, maybe even just write it down for a friend. If you want you can email it to me.    You will be amazed at it's power. Anyway, here's mine... 1) I was born a month early on the 22nd December 1970 and named Emma Louise Boffo. I spent my first day of life in an incubator. I'm 43 now. 2) My Italian father Luigi, who was from Naples, was tragically killed in a car accident when I was a year old. 3) My mum met my step father Ken when I was 6 and had my brother when I was 12 and sister when I was 15. 4) My Italian grandfather was a very talented glass blower who came over to the UK to work at Whitefriars Glass. The year before I was born he relocated to Malta to work as head designer for the then newly started Mdina Glass. Some of his work is quite collectible now. Just google Boffo Penguin! 5) My Italian Aunt, who also relocated to Malta, met her beau and settled there. I visit them, my cousins and their children every summer. 6) My other cousins on the Italian side of my family are half Italian half German and live in Romford, Essex...shuuut uuuuup! ;) 7) I briefly had guitar lessons at middle school using my dad's classical guitar. Unfortunately when I went to high school there were no tutors so I never continued. 8) I somehow managed to end up in the top maths group at school and took my O'level a year early. I'm actually glad I didn't quite pass as the next exam was pure and applied maths which was insanely hard. Despite being in the top group I still need a calculator to do basic sums :D 9) I went to Saturday morning music school for a few years. I played 3 different size recorders and the flute. I had private lessons and played in band and orchestra. 10) I stayed on at school into the 6th form and took A level art and graphical communication (technical drawing). I then went to art college for 4 years and did a B-TEC Diploma in General Art & Design, and a HND in Graphic Design and Advertising. 11) Fitness is my second career. After leaving college I worked in graphic design in Central London for 15 years, first at a small company in Soho for 3 years, then for Hays, the recruitment company, in their marketing department for 12 years. 12) In 2001 I went travelling for five and a half months. I went to Singapore, Malaysia, Bali, Australia and Thailand. It's easily the best thing I have ever done! 13) I didn't learn to drive until I was 22. I've only ever had 2 cars. The first an old Fiesta and the Peugeot 206 I am still driving now. 14) I have a fear of heights and hate the feeling of falling, hence I would never go on a sky high roller coaster or jump out of a plane, for no amount of money! 15) I love dance music of all kinds of genres and used to go raving in the early 1990's. Top haunts were Trax at Camden Palace, Crazy Club at the Astoria, Rage at Heaven, the Slough Centre, Raindance, Dungeons in Hackney and Clink Street London Bridge. Definitely a major contributor to my noisy crunchy knees! 16) I started ballet when I was 5 years old and then tap and modern dance up till I was 18. Another contributor to my knees! 17) My love of dance music still continues and although I don't go clubbing anymore I still go dancing when I can...street dancing. I have gained many like-minded friends over the last 5 years or so and fitness presenter friends who teach various styles of dance as a class. I try and get to as many events as I can, and have even been to fitness weeks away in Fueteventura, Turkey and Germany. The styles I love doing are hip hop, street jazz, house, lyrical jazz and ragga. 18) I love stand up comedy and have been to see Billy Connolly twice, Lee Evans 5 times, Eddie Izzard, Michael McIntyre, Peter Kay and John Bishop. I'm off to see Billy Bailey later this year. They all appeal to my daft and sarcastic sense of humour. 19) I was single for many years until the start of last year when I met Patrick, a 6 foot 5 plasterer from East London ;) 20) I adore animals, especially dogs, and would be in my element with a pile of puppies! There are 4 dogs in our family, 2 lab/labradoodles, a jack russell and now a new staffy pup. 21) I used to be a volunteer at the Dog's Trust in Harefield where I'd spend a morning cleaning kennels and walking the dogs (or they'd often walk me!). Every time I'd mentally adopt about 5 and want to bring them home. I also go and help out at a sanctuary in Malta where I take them money that I've raised throughout the year. 22) I have a serious life-threatening nut allergy and have to carry epi-pens. I had my first anaphylactic shock in 1995 at my first work black tie Christmas party after eating walnut bread and spent most of the night at Royal London A&E. I've had a few more visits to casualty since then but with milder reactions. 23) I've never been stick thin and was quite chubby as a child. I put that down to developing an early sweet tooth, something which I still struggle with today even though I know all about its negative effects. I honestly believe in its addictive properties which is why it's so hard to resist sometimes. 24) I'm a bit OCD and love having things organised and tidy...the complete opposite to my family, boyfriend and work colleague! ;) 25) I love the beauty and serenity of nature. I love not meeting anyone when I walk the dog. It's a great way to be calm (except when she's diving through puddles and rolling in something hideous) and find some head clearing space. Just me, doggy and nature :)

Emma 'no secrets' Boffo emma@emmabfitness.com 07956 315851 Join our new Facebook group for tips on getting healthy, being happy and getting yourself looking hot! If you are interested in coming for a taster week to try out our fitness sessions, please reply to this email for more information.