A Brief History
Born in Shoreham-by-sea during the Summer of 1982, the youngest child of three. Our family lived in Worthing until we moved to Crawley in 1985. It was in Crawley that we stayed, moving several times around the area.
School began for me in 1987 where I attended first and middle school until 1994, then onto Hazelwick secondary school. I enjoyed school a lot, although didn't apply myself as much as I should have done. If only I had the knowledge then that I have now! Still, I was blessed to be taught by some fantastic teachers, many of whom I used to curse at the time but realise now the good work they were trying to do and of course they must have seen more potential in me than I realised.
My parents split when I was 9 and although at the time my world as I had known it had ended it was that single event that has shaped me, my future and has made me who I am today. Everything happens for a reason.
Blissfully unaware of the world (although I thought I knew everything!) I spent the mid-late nineties being a bit of a shit of a teenager, working at various part-time jobs in shops and hotels and generally just growing up quicker than I should have!
The most influential year of my life at that point was 1999, I had begun working full time in a restaurant, was out drinking a lot with friends, flunking college fast and moving from the family home in with my mum and her boyfriend (my sister went to live with my dad). I moved out in 2000 for the first time and spent 6 months living with friends from the restaurant and then 6 months lodging with an Indian family. It was a miserable time, I was broke, too thin and could only afford a 6 pack of cup-a-soup and some bread rolls each week. It was time to move home!
After 2001 my life took a new direction, I started my first "proper" job within IT and began to grow up. I passed my drivers test in the beginning of 2002 and I'll never forget that freedom of just being able to get in your car and just drive! Other people also became very important to me, not just those close to me but those I don't know. I am a current blood donor and give each time the invite plops onto the doormat, even though I hate it! Also I am a registered donor on the bone marrow register, to me that is the most amazing thing I could do with my life, save another. It's all about learning not to be selfish, just because I'm not directly affected, doesn't mean I shouldn't try and help.
I bought my first house in January 2008, this follows living in the USA for 19 months during 2005, 2006 and 2007. Those 19 months have taught me so much about who I am, about other people and taught me some of the biggest lessons in life.
Now I'm working a 9-5, trying to keep up with my writing, hopefully one day I'll get published, and generally just taking everything a day at a time. The most important people to me are my family and friends and I'm thankful everyday for all that I have.