Meet The Team: Hi Circusmum
Blog, website, youtube, twitter, facebook, etc:
Blog: http://circusmums.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/circusmum_
Facebook: http://facebook.com/circusmums
Youtube: http://youtube.com/circusmum01
Tell us about yourself and what makes you tick:
I’m Tinuke aka circusmum though most people just call me T. That’s ok with me as nobody seems able to pronounce my name properly so it just keeps things simple.
I’m a big lover of food, music, travelling and languages. I try to pass these loves on to my five year old and seeing as she’s more likely to ask for sushi or a trip to The Diner than a Happy Meal from McDonalds, I think I’m starting to work my magic on her.
If you had to choose anyone to play you in a movie who would it be and why:
I’d have to choose Regina King (think Enemy of The State, Miss Congeniality 2) as her figure rocks and she also has these “thinking eyes”. My figure no longer rocks, but I love her expressions and she always reminds me of myself when I watch her. I’d love to meet her in person, I just feel we’d get along.
How long have you been writing for:
I’ve always liked to write. I found a box of screen plays that I must have penned when I was about 14. I think I spent all summer working on the characters and bringing them to life. When I was maybe 9 years old, a publisher asked to print my poems in an anthology, I freaked out and started hiding my writing for years. I only started sharing my words again as an adult; short stories that I’d share with a few chosen friends.
What made you start blogging or writing:
I started blogging because of a good uni friend named Reena Rai who has a really popular fashion and lifestyle blog, Fashion Daydreams. We were at my partner’s birthday dinner and I was regaling everyone with tales of my then toddler. She said I should blog about it and it would be a good way to meet other parents. She was right, I now have a lovely community of parents to share my joys and problems with which is great!
Outside of writing what do you do:
I work full time as an online magazine editor, I thank blogging and social media for giving me the transferable skills to even allow me to consider applying for it! I enjoy exploring London, I’ve lived here the majority of my life but there are still hundreds of roads, markets, restaurants, parks, canal paths, events left to try out.
I really love to bake and cook. Most weekends I can be found in the kitchen whipping something up with my daughter. Strangely enough, neither of us particularly like eating cakes but the fun is all in the doing and seeing the finished results. Luckily my partner loves cakes so they never go to waste.
What is your favourite place in London and why:
There are so many lovely places I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one, so I’m not going to!
Clissold Park/ Stoke Newington Church Street – I love Clissold Park, my partner used to go there as a child and introduced me to it and now we take our child there too. It is such a little oasis in the middle of what can be an overwhelming city. There is a great open air lido, butterfly enclosure, picnic areas, amazing children’s playground etc. The road next to the park, Stoke Newington Church Street is filled with interesting independent shops, the only chains being the estate agents and a Wholefoods store. I can spend hours window shopping in vintage clothing shops, florists and traditional toy shops then enjoying a traditional pizza in a fifth generation Italian restaurant before returning to the park to chill on the grass.
Alexandra Palace, Wood Green – holds so many memories, from ice skating there as a child to chilling on the grass trying to cool down when I was heavily pregnant and couldn’t get comfortable. I used to drive up to the top of the hill and take in the views of London. It is a beautiful location and so easy to get to.
If you could leave any legacy what would it be:
I’d love people to Google me when I’m long dead and see that I had done something positive, not sure what that would be yet though. Maybe something to do with me being fun and willing to take chances, I choose to think with my heart and on impulse a lot of the time. I hope I can encourage more people to do the same.
What would you like the world to know about you:
I’d like to say that what you see is what you get. My attention span is too short to rely on false graces, I try to see the best in everyone and every situation and love to be surrounded with people who like seeing the silver lining too! I talk too much and like to smile, but sometimes there is nothing better than to be alone, to think, to muse, to just ‘be’ that doesn’t mean I don’t like you anymore, it just means I like me more lol!
Tell us a weird fact about yourself:
I’m petrified of needles but love tattoos. I nearly ran out of the labour ward when I needed a spinal block but wouldn’t think twice about getting new ink. I have to turn rat tale combs and radio aerials towards the wall as I have a vivid imagination and will spend the whole day worried about tripping and them impaling me…
