Who is emerald125
Pull up a seat and allow me introduce myself....
I became Emerald125 in October 1996 when my husband bought me a modem and a dial up Internet connection for my 30th birthday.
I had always wanted an emerald so decided that would be the name I assumed online. The 125 was hotmail's idea ;-)
I am a travel-loving information junkie who if circumstances permitted would be eating, photographing and exploring the world full time. So far the bank balance means I have to limit the exploration to about 2 months every couple of years. In the meantime I read, cook, host a trivia night and spend way too much time here on squidoo!
Google emerald125 and you can uncover the many things I have created online in the last 14 years.
Emerald125 the cook
or how I became obsessed with food
I grew up with a mum who was a very basic cook, dinner each night was the typical Aussie meat and 3 veg. She was far from adventurous in the kitchen, her version of spaghetti bolognaise involved a can of tomato soup and some beef mince.
I am not sure exactly when I decided to experiment in the kitchen but I am pretty sure it was motivated by the desire to eat a bigger variety of food. Growing up in southern Sydney in the late 1970s meant I had friends who's parents had come here from all over the world and boy did they eat some interesting stuff. My best friend was Dutch and Lebanese and Greek foods were particularly popular in our school, how I longed for a lunch like my friends... not another Vegemite sandwich!
I took my first cooking class when I was about 19 yrs old. I remember clearly being handed an artichoke and wondering what it was, I had no idea! So began my experiments with food. These days I am a pretty good cook. I love to cook for friends and family and strange as it might seem I get a kick out of cooking Christmas lunch for 20 or having 30 people over for a BBQ. I like simple, most healthy recipes that take no time but look impressive on a plate. I love making salads and seafood dishes most but am branching out into casseroles this year after the purchase of a shiny new slow cooker.
My next planned cooking adventure is a few classes in Vietnam and Malaysia later this year. Until then I will devour the cooking magazines and share more of my favourites with you here on Squidoo
Emerald125 the Trivia addict
I have always loved reading and trying to find out why and how things happened? Even as a kid I had an inquiring mind. So someone was certainly looking out for me when I made my first visit to the job centre just after my 18th birthday. There on the board was a vacancy as a library assistant at our local TAFE (Community) College. Hmm that could be OK I thought. A few days later I began my very first full time job in a library and it was a perfect for me. Surrounded by books, spending my days answering questions and eventually getting to spend my day buying books and I got paid - how good was this. Little did I know this was the beginning of a information addiction!
20 years later I have a book case devoted entirely to trivia books and encyclopaedia, I own almost every edition of Trivial Pursuit and any other trivia board game I can get my hands on and every Wednesday night I host a trivia quiz night at our local pub.
I have just begun adding some of my trivia content to Squidoo but there is lots more to come so stay tuned.
How times change
From that 30th birthday present fast forward to today and I am working full time in an Internet marketing position and have a degree in Internet studies.
I have two beautiful emerald rings, a lovely Art-Deco style engagement ring and a beautiful band of emerald given to me by my eldest daughter just after she started working.
Oh and I have very fast wi-fi these days!
So what do you prefer, trivia, recipes or travelogues?
The funny thing is that I like all of the types of lenses I visit depending on my mood. It seems that different days I wind up focusing on different themes, Travel, pets, food (yummy), and lensographies. I sure learn a lot through my squidoo travels.
Hmmmm.... best to have them all but unable to do much :)
I love all three! I'm a trivia junkie, too, and I'd love to travel more, and who doesn't love cooking (and eating!) I'm a huge history buff, too. And I'm fascinated with all things Australian since my fiance (my guide in Hong Kong!) is an Aussie and lives in Melbourne!
I want to read so many of your lenses that I'll have to set aside a day devoted to them!
We have so much in common! I love to read, love to learn, love trivia, love to cook and love to travel! It's always been a dream of mine to work in a library...being surrounded by books every day would be like heaven! I also thought of going into travel and tourism, but haven't yet...maybe someday. I think being a travel writer would be amazing, getting to combine two of my loves. I really enjoyed reading this, it was great to get to know a bit about you! :-)
recipes and travel are also my passions. Not that I cook anything fancy. All my recipes are easy and fast, but delicious. I have a few travel lenses too. Nice to meet you!
Travel, travel and more travel, but you do get to enjoy the recipes on a more regular basis. It's the special rarity of travel that helps make it so delicious.
Travel is most interesting to me, but all three are great topics! You've made a really nice lensography.
Congratulations on being featured by the SquidTeam's Best of Standout RocketMoms
So interesting to read about your journey. We are so lucky to have you on Squidoo and I can see why it fits in with all of your talents and interests. I love the travelogues because I love to travel.
it's a tie between recipes and travel for me. I love exploring the area around where I live, and I enjoy trying new recipes. My first job was also in a library, and if my mom hadn't offered to send me away to college my second year, I would have been promoted to assistant branch librarian at 19.
This was a very interesting read! I'm amazed how Australia evolves and adapts to the times... and how this allowed you to get your current position and lived so many fantastic adventures. Something my country should absolutely adopt as we, here, don't seem to adapt our lives to anything else but things that don't move neither evolve.
Wonderful lens and insightful. Trivia and cooking
I've enjoyed reading many of your lenses, but particularly your Australian travelogues. They make me want to visit the country more than ever :) Great to learn more about you!
Hi Emerald. I've loved all your 'Down Under' travel stories ever since I 'met' you. Trivia is fun and cooking is not for me, but you transport me to magical places I'll probably never see otherwise with your travelogues! This was a nice way to get to know you better. :)
I love them all, but especially your lenses about Australia, I wish I could afford to visit there ~ Thanks for sharing your travels with me & it was fun learning more about you! :)
Nice to meet you! I enjoyed reading your story here.
Angel blessed and featured on Apprentice Angel
I loved finding out a little more about you. Trivia, cooking, travel & Australian - we have a lot in common.
Great to get to know you more. Fascinating how you came up with your online name.
recipes and travelogues for me, though trivia can be interesting as well!
Very nice to meet you! Excellent About Me Lens! *Blessed
Don't make me choose although, never-mind, I can't tell which way I'm leaning. You just have to keep doing them all.
Like you I too am an information junkie so I would say my choice is TRIVIA!!
I love watching quiz shows like Who wants to be a millionaire, Are you smarter than a 5th grader, Jeopardy etc etc. Blessing this lens because it reminds me of me.
of the three choices Recipes would probably me my fav.
Recipes! Love how you laid-out your lens!
Recipes! Love how you laid-out your lens!
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