Terri

101 things about me

I was born in Portsmouth 03/11/72
I have a sister, Helen, 4 years my senior
My dad is Austrian, real name Horst but known to all loved ones as Alf.
His German father died before he was born. We think he was a Red Cross doctor during the war and his plane got shot down.
My dad’s mum is Yugoslavian/Slovenian. She doesn’t give anything away about Alf’s father.
She brought him over to Scarborough to escape the war when he was 3 by marrying an English guy who then adopted my father and gave him the surname Pickup, my maiden name.
My father had a very cruel child hood, which has made him a very strong, caring person that I love dearly today.
He left so-called family life as soon as he could, and joined the Navy at 15.
My mum, Hermione, one of four, is English, with a bit of Irish thrown in for good measure.
She practically raised my sister and I while my dad was away a lot.
She raised us very well. I now value everything I work for and appreciate everything I get.
Raised as a Roman Catholic.
HAD to go to Catechism and Sunday Church until I was confirmed.
Lived on Hayling Island for first 12 years.
But spent two and a half years in Gibraltar from 4 years old.
I have such very happy memories of Gibraltar and its people.
Regard this 12 year period as a free and good grounding place for my future well-being.
Ambition was to be an interpreter.
First period at 9, brought on my hormonal medication given wrongly to me while battling seriously with Glandular Fever.
Moved to Portsmouth at 12 due to drastic family make or break time.
Parents bought a fish and chip shop, which continued to win awards for Best Fish and Chips in the South for several years.
Take away restaurants like Mac Donald’s popped up everywhere in the same main road and the shop has seen a steady decline of trade since.
But they still persevere!
As a family, we worked our buts off to get the business off the ground.
Working for your family business is the toughest job you could ever do.
Came to Portsmouth, had to change my ‘Posh’ accent. Fell into the dialect like duck to water.
Met my first true love at 14. A Bengali guy, Soyf…which was a shock to even myself, as being raised on Haying, I had never seen an Asian guy before.
However, saying that, from the age of 6 my dear old best friend Jane is half Philippine yet I never thought of her as being ‘different’ –in the colour sense.
Parents took an instant dislike to him which looking back just made me more determined to be with him.
Besides he was 17 and had a car!
Learnt that as a white person going out with an Asian you have to be prepared for a lot of verbal abuse.
Also be prepared for the racism card to be firmly placed on the other foot. I was white trash as far as his parents were concerned.
Made him wait til I was 15 to lose my virginity and to do that had to drink half a bottle of whiskey.
Not exactly the best experience, to put it mildly.
Went to Mayfield School and got 9 GCSE’s. English Language, which I am so crap at - C, English Literature, which I loved - A, French - A, Spanish - B – god knows how! Art - A, Applied Science - B, Maths - B, Domestics - D!!!! Geography B
Left School and went to SouthDowns College, which was an unusual choice seeing how all my very close friends went to the local 6th Form.
Planned to study Art, Spanish and French but was too much for me language wise, so I switched from Spanish to communication design.
Loved that year at college.
Took up smoking with parents consent i.e. they gave me their fags!
Got complicated as boyfriend very anti smoking and so had to hide it with constant brushing of teeth – no fillings as of yet!
This year I met my best friend Paddy. We had such fun.
Girlfriend was to come to college the following year. She hated me as she saw me as a threat.
Took this as my cue to leave A levels. Crap excuse…..really!
Took a few months off, worked at Chippy full time.
Lesson to be learned here….respect waitress service. It’s a bloody hard job for shit money. Trying to remain courteous even when dealing with abusive customers is no easy task and they don’t get a fraction of the respect received in Europe.
Nor do they get the tips either…fucking tight Brits!
18th birthday. Shitiest birthday of my life. Needless to say my boyfriend kicked me out of the car and I spent the evening crying my eyes out on Paddy’s shoulder. Complicated, long story.
Indecisive time of my life…..was told - either go and get a job or go back to education.
Easy option…. Education. Well so I thought.
Decided to do part time Btec in Business and Finance on a two-day release option while carrying on working in family business over 2 years.
Learnt a lot….mainly that at 18 years old I was just as smart as some of the Managerial wankers from IBM and City Council! -and far harder working.
Still not sure why I was doing this course as I am a creative person at heart.
Art is my passion.
Realised that properly more on the last project, when we had to write a plan of where we thought we would be in 5 years time.
That’s how I got my portfolio together and got into Pre-degree Foundation art course.
What a great year. I met such good friends on my wavelength and my age!
End of that year in the week of Private Views I met Mark who it turned out was the technician for Foundation and I’d never even seen him!
After the P.V, Mark, Paddy and I went back to his house. Slipped Paddy a tenner and he buggered off.
Spent the whole night talking. There was a connection and even though I was still with Soyf and even if this wasn’t going to go anywhere I knew I had to end the six and a half relationship.
Did that very coldly that weekend.
Never seen a guy cry and beg so much, yet I had no feelings by then.
Looking back, for the last couple of years I was just a quick lay between his piles of study as an accountant.
Cruel, but true thing to say.
Kind of moved in with Mark and his great flat mate, Alan.
Started getting threatening calls from people with dodgy accents.
Got broken into…..nothing was taken.
Had serious suspicions but couldn’t prove anything.
Moved back home to parents with Mark. He paid rent but also started paying off serious debts.
Was meant to be temporary.
Ended up being 3 years through my Ba Hons 3D Design degree. 2.1
Slowly became ill in that time. Sleeping for hours, putting on weight for no reason, not being able to do anything physical – even walk, skin became sallow and I just looked a real knackered old minger.
That’s when Mark proposed to me!!!
Had vowed never to marry in life.
When I first met Mark he said he would only ever ask once.
Couldn’t take the risk so I said yes!
Finished college and bought a run down house in Southsea at the highest price we could afford - £48,500.
Got married on July 4, 1998(my way of remaining independent despite giving into marriage!) Registry Office.
Evening do in Portsmouth Football Club – excellent night.
Had photos taken on the pitch and in the trophy room. Met a couple of players who Mark was in awe of and I didn’t know who the bloody hell they were!
That year was a wierd year for Mark and I...we actually questioned why we'd married as we weren't getting along.
Soon grew out of that.
Having left college, I was trying to make it as an artist.
Would get part time work here and there over the years especially as a glass and ceramics technician at the University.
Learnt so much on the job.....best way to learn new skills.
Also learnt that I really, really hate ceramics/pottery!
Learnt that I loved glass in all it's forms.
In 1999, Mark, Oz (a good ex student)and myself set up a business as designer/makers. Natural Born Design.
Did this on the basis of getting a £5,000 commission from an Iranian W/Banker in London.
Felt we should go a bit legal!
Got ourselves a knackered old workshop and started to get work coming through, mainly public sector.
Mark continued as a wood and metal technician, I still had my part time job in the Art shops at uni and Oz was working on our business full time for a very, very basic wage.
We did some great work looking back. check out the following web site to see some of the stuff we 'd done. www.vividspace.co.uk. If you go to 'fixtures' there is a picture of a curved oak bridge with circular lights along the edges. Click on that image and that will enlarge it but also allow you to see more work that we have done if you click to the link.
Lesson learnt....you never get to really design what you want...and are always compromised by the crap decisions of your client which is exceedingly annoying!
After two and a half years we closed the business down. We had run out of money to pay the rent thanks to the shitty franchise 'Sante Fe' at Blue Water not paying us in time....
Another lesson learnt....the bigger the company the harder it is to get paid!
The positive outcome though is that we gained a glass kiln which I use in my dining room, lots of devault tools - and they are the best -and most importantly we gained great skills.
Some of the jobs we did: Sculptures inside/outside Wisley garden centre. Forrestry Commission seating and signage, IBM signage.
I think Oz is somewhere in the Phillipines now setting up a furniture export business to the uk.
I went back to working at the art shops on a more full time basis..and although it does just sound like a shop assistant, I can promise you it is not.
I know more about bloody art papers etc, counselling and running a business from this job than any other....
Met my best friend Ulrika in the shop.
We clicked...she sussed me out immediately.
But I sussed her too!
Became good friends through me setting her up on a date with one of my best friends John.
They played dirty tricks on me!
Needless to say that they are only platonic friends, but I'm glad it brought us together.
Took a break from art really until dearest friend Ulrika needed me to be a guinnea pig for her final year project.
She was going to curate and promote an exhibtion on behalf of mainly me, but also Marcella.
I had to come up with something....
An old school friend of mine had just died of bowel cancer at the ripe old age of 30 and the previous year my mentally handicapped cousin, Paul, had died of throat cancer, 38.
Good basis for an exhibition.
I worked my but off and loved every minute of it.Very therapeutic too!
Through that exhibition, thanks to Ulri, I now work at Artists Harbour Gallery as Marketing Manager.
Have recently started to find myself and have decided I need a break from Mark.
Am moving out for 6 months to have some independance and decide if he is what I want or not.
Will be moving in with Dale.
Am really looking forward to doing things for myself.
I have never lived on my own, doing things for me.

So that is my history....now for the bit where I say what kind of a person I am......ready?

From here on I am going to do everything randomly – just what comes to me in no order what so ever. So be prepared for a dizzying experience – I’m shit scared – I never know what I will come out with!

My most inspirational book is ‘Driving Over Lemons’ by Chris Stewart. It made me change the way I holiday…..no more package shit…booked a cortijo on line direct and then the flights with Easy Jet to Malaga.
Stayed in Orgiva in Andalucia in the most incredible farmhouse. We had our own spring fed pool straight from the mountains which was bloody freezing.
To top it all, Chris Stewart the author, pulled up in our drive and ended up having drinks with us, (Mark, John and myself). Best holiday ever…..
What I like physically about myself: eyes and feet – not many women can say that about their feet!
What I physically hate about myself is my body hair – everywhere….Ulri has suggested I start saving up money each month so eventually I can have electrolosis. This will take a bloody long time cause it isn’t cheap. However, the time I waste fucking plucking has got to be worth it. I can’t say just how much I am pained and embarrassed by it…. but it is best to be open…I hope I am not the only one out there.
The mental thing I like about myself is my ability to talk to any body at any level. People open up to me and I think I am a good listener. I am also good at giving advice if required.
My mental weakness is that I play safe because I hate failure. I wish I could be more assertive, then I would achieve my full potential….easy to say, but hard to do.
Favourite food, curry, lamb tikka jalfreizi.
Comfort home cooking…lamb chops in onion gravy with creamy mash potato.
Favourite meat…you guessed it, Lamb!
If you google my name and then click on image, I come up as a top porn star!
I have visited, Scotland for a day when I was one…cried all the way so was taken home next day on train; France, Belgium, Austria, Yugoslavia/Slovenia, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Gibraltar, Morocco, Spain, Goa, Singapore, Sydney Australia and now Sweden!!!
I hate parents who serve their kids ready-made meals full of crap. There is no need to be so lazy.
Despise with a passion, Macdonalds…read the book ‘Fast Food Nation’ and you’ll see what I mean….and it ain’t necessarily about the food although that is fucking shite!
Favourite book is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. How is it that someone can write the most romantic love story and make you feel so passionate without any form of sexual connotations involved? She is a genius.
My favourite smell is cut grass….life is starting again..
My favourite flower is the white lilie; the smell is divine.
A full moon has a really bad effect on me!
Favourite fruit is the strawberry.
I like: meeting people, cooking, listening to peoples’ problems, sunshine, travelling.
Favourite sit-coms: Everybody Loves Raymond and Scrubs…..not forgetting Little Britain!
Dislike how everything revolves around money in our society at the expense of morals and values.
Officially am R.C. but am really an atheist. As long as I have good morals and believe in people, who gives a shit about religion…causes too many wars any way!
Ambition: to be liked/loved – spread a lot of happiness.
I get angry with people who drop litter.
I rage when I see mothers with babies or pregnant women puffing on fags!
George Clooney and Johnny Depp are my ideal dream men.
Named my cat Clooney even though it is a she!
Was engagement present from Mark….he is allergic to her!
Thongs over big pants.
Boxers over Y fronts. They are just the most revolting things invented!
Gone right off Ikea, thanks to friend Ulri writing her dissertation on it.
Favourite city is Barcelona, closely followed by Stockholm.
Ultimate destination, the Patagonian Railway journey to the Andes. Would be fantastic.
Ideal style of house, the one on BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Gorgeous house in fantastic grounds.
Favourite era to fall in love…18th century middle class. Courting was so romantic and sex was not an issue….conversation and yearning was the key.
Am not bothered about Royalty. Don’t feel we need them anymore except to gossip over.
Favourite colour is blue.
I hate clothes shopping. Find what I want as quickly as I want and leave.
Love food shopping…could do it all day.
Am addicted to good shell-on prawns cooked in butter, olive oil, a little chilli and lots of garlic. Could suck on the shells til they were bone dry!
My hero is Mother Teresa – a very selfless person.
Favourite drink, water.
Favourite alcoholic drink red wine, Faustino 1..but open to new recommendations!
Pub drink, bicardi and coke with ice.
I find it disrespectful and rude to be late. If you say a time then you should stick to it and if you can’t then you should have the courtesy to let the person know in time.
I am a visual learner as opposed to listening to instructions.
Dislike people who abuse their position of power…mainly politicians!
I am keggywalla – left handed.
The person I love most in this world is my Nan. My childhood weekends were spent wonderfully with her.
She taught me to knit right-handed at four years old.
I like good design.
I enjoy visiting Heritage Estate Houses in the Summer time.
I forgot…the most gorgeous man ever created was Elvis, before the 70’s!
Favourite word is ‘skidadle’ – ever since I was a kid.
I believe we have gone too far with PC. Some roles are just for men and some for women…therefore if you are a gentleman you will open the door for me!
I appreciate all my senses…not to smell, see, hear or touch would be tragic..we take this too much for granted.
Seaside over countryside, mainly because I have always lived by the sea and feel that something would be missing if I didn’t.
I love the power of music and how it can make you feel.
Would love to dance like they do in Dirty Dancing – great film.
Would love to be able to salsa and waltz – so romantic!
Inspiring song – Where is the love by Black Eyed Peas.
Value friends – good friends.
Hate housework and will avoid it if possible…got better things to do with free time.
Don’t mind ironing if I am in the mood, but need up beat music to iron too.
Love the feeling of soft misty rain on my face...cleanses the soul.
I love the wind powered turbines you see along the countryside. To me they are elegant sculptures. Along the south west coast of Spain they are everywhere. They are graceful and mesmorising.
Favourite comedian at the minute is Catherine Tate. She doesn't get enough credit in my opinion. Love her impression of an old lady 'f'ing and blinding! Hilarious.
I believe if you don't have the money to pay for something up front then you shouldn't buy it. We live in a society where you get what you want now and worry about the consequences later. We don't put any value or appreciation on what we receive any more. My attitude is, if you have earned it and saved up for something, you appreciate what you get alot more. The only exception is when you get the opportunity to pay by installments interest free!
I HATE CURRYS AND COMET. Don't ever buy goods from that chain.
I'm learning to boogie again and it feels wonderful.
Want to learn to be more independant.
Want to make alot more friends.
Want to learn Salsa - and am going to!
Favourite cd's of any era: Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, Bob Marley's Legend. Gypsy Kings greatest hits. Starsailors 1st album. Keane.