challenge alice About
You are actually reading this blog at your own risk, as risks in life go it’s not the biggest one admittedly…
Nobody forced you to come here, but I am happy you have!
If you’ve landed here chances are you’ll want to know about the challenges themselves so check them out and you might also want to know about my journey so please have a nose there too.
This little part of the site is designed as a bit more of a personal bio.
Origin
My accent is a bit chameleonic (as with a lot of military children) because we moved around the world as a family growing up on British overseas territories including Ascension Island (its volcanic -oo!), Scotland, Germany and various English cities. Although this doesn’t explain why I adopt a fake Australian accent when faced with an Aussie having never been there. I used to be too embarrassed to confess to this flaw which got me into a few pickles with some wild story telling, I have now sought to come clean.
My biological co-founders are a Scotsman and an English lady they are pretty nice really, I also have two wee brothers, Rob and Angus and a legendary wrinkled aunt.
Interests
Islophile (someone who loves islands, not sexually you understand), charities, the musical teachings of Robson and Jerome and challenges yo!
Influences
Anneka Rice – what a legend, the reason I named my blog Challenge Alice and therefore started all these shenanigans…
Cherie Blair – don’t scrunch your nose up, she came from a really tough background, worked hard and made it to Queens Counsel she does loads of great things for human rights too.
Miranda Hart – fellow tall awkward lady trying to be funny and in her case succeeding rather well.
Daniel Craig – less of an influence, more a laminated picture in wallet (well-thumbed).
challenge alice 
I have been following your blog over the past few days looking at the highs and the lows. I once tried to set a whole host of challenges over the course of the year some were successful, some were futile and some were down right stupid.
I wished to test myself and test the social laws of society. Some challenges were practical: learning to ride a motorbike, or juice fasting for 30 days. Others were more on the silly side get a 100 people to sign up to a religion with the god being made up of spaghetti. Or seeing how many full conversations I could have with every house on my street.
Some results were successful some contained an overwhelming amount of vulgarity.
I admire ones desire to try something different but I do have to ask:
“Would you be pleased if you completed this challenge? Would you hope others did the same?”
I only ask because, speaking from a personal level, one’s ability to survive below the poverty line is a achievable but at what cost?
Don’t get me wrong I think what you are doing is a good thing but I feel your results could have serious gravity on a larger scale. I’ve not read your entire blog… yet! But as a witness to the lives of people below the breadline and seeing the sacrifices they have made with health, relationships and ultimately their life itself it could be a problematic thing. With the world now in a bigger realised state of struggle than ever before. I think your challenge could be empowering to people that struggle daily.
A bartering system is fantastic it was the way of the ancients and has been lost in modern society apart from those that travel. And surviving on supermarket basics is doable but no way to live, survive yes but you can’t emotionally live like that.
I don’t know how your first challenge has truly been for you but please remember thousands are on that challenge daily and they don’t live below the poverty line they survive below it.
I hope I haven’t offended you in writing this, I just think in times of today nobody should live anywhere near the poverty line. Your challenge is good and I have enthusiastically been following it but I’ve been more interested by the message you will have from doing it.
Best wishes and good luck in 2015.
The Man in the Long Black Coat
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Alice Biggar, how do you do ? My name is Lori Biggar-Hartley from new york state,usa . for giggles i google my aunt’s name Alice Biggar and found you. Alice would be close to 100yrs but she pasted around 2007. I watched your video on how to eat on little money. That is so much like her. lol I just wanted to say hello nice to meet you. lori
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