Bad habits.

I swear far too much. It's something I really need to sort out, it seems to flow so naturally now and it's so unladylike. On top of that, it'll get me into trouble one day because I'll end up saying it to the wrong person or to someone who is offended by it and I'll regret it. And my Nan is right: swearing is for people who aren't educated enough to find a better word, and I am educated but that doesn't come across when my main adjectives are "shit" and "bollocks".

Although it has been pointed out more than once that I do not come across in the way I should. Most people, after having spoken to me for the first time, don't believe that I'm intelligent because although I am academic, I have absolutely zero common sense, am clumsy and am slow to pick up on cues of sarcasm, irony etc. I also have a fairly poor general knowledge so crosswords and quizzes make me out to be a complete dunce. I suppose I've always been a bit obsessive with knowledge in that when I'm interested in something I have to know everything about it right there and then, but if it has never interested me then I won't know anything. I suppose there's nothing bad to be said about not having a head full of useless fluff, but it would be nice to be an asset on a quiz team rather than the one who makes up the numbers or who is sent to the bar mid-round.

I'm not sure how I go about rectifying that one though?

Anyway, my other issue is that I just cannot keep things tidy! No matter how hard I try, my room is always a mess, I always have piles of paperwork on my desk and piles of half-dealt-with post on the coffee table. This one I need to get sorted soon, otherwise I'll drive myself insane living in a pit on my own in the summer.

Again, I'm not sure how to sort that one out (excuse the pun), because I already really do try.

The final issue I think I need to sort out is being a bitch. We all do it, us girls, and generally girls who say they don't are liars as well as bitches. But it's not pleasant, has no real purpose and you never know who knows who and whilst it's never caught up with me yet, I fear one day it will. I think there's a lot to be said for the old adage "if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all" (thanks again, Nan) and I've decided to make a conscious effort to not be drawn into conversations like that or, worse, start or encourage them. Also, on a selfish note, I believe in karma, so being nice and positive about others will hopefully mean people see me in the same light.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

It's the 'golden rule' for a reason :)