Getting to know you

Getting to know you is a regular feature over here and this week I'm joining in:


1 - Why did you start blogging?

I started getting into reading blogs a couple of years ago, then at the beginning of the year thought I would start one too. I like blogging, it makes me feel connected to others, even if I don't post often.


2 - Who's the one blog friend that you would want to meet most in "real life"?

Probably Jenny from The Bloggess. That girl makes me laugh out loud, but I wouldn't call her a blog friend as I'm sure she doesn't know I exist.


3 - Why are you always concerned with losing that "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you that you look just fine the way you are?

Why am I concerned with losing it? Probably because I've been brainwashed by the media to think I'm overweight when I'm not. I have alot to say about this, but I'll spare you.


4 - What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about you?

Umm, I don't really care if guys understand me or not anymore because I'm married to a guy that understands me better than anyone in the world.
I'm trying to think of when I was single....I can't even remember. It would have probably been more like "What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about themselves?", which would have been: 'if you're an asshole, it's not polite to pretend to be nice and then inflict yourself on others'.

5 - Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes?

I have four. Three on my back that I got when I was 18/19. None of them I particularly like anymore. And I have one on my left wrist that says "Loved".


6 - What was the best year of your life and why?

Hmm. I really enjoyed being 14/15. Things were so easy, school was easy and fun, I'd just got my first part time job on the checkouts at Foodtown and I was so proud. I got paid $5.60 an hour before tax but I felt rich and independant. And I was doing soul searching stuff that some teenagers do: reading alot of Yeats, painting and journalling and listening to Joni Mitchell. That was a good time, from memory.
I hope that I have better times ahead though, it would be pretty sad to peak at 15.

7 - Name three things you would do if you were a man for one day.

Get drunk, piss on a wall, have sex (hopefully Adam would let me have a free pass for the day otherwise I'd have to have boy sex with him and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't consent to that ), eat horrific amounts of food, maybe get in a fist fight.


8 - What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows?

A Rusty Nail. Double shot of whiskey and a single shot of drambuie over ice. It's usually an old man's drink but I love it.


That's it!

Pip Lincolne taught me to crochet!

That's right people! After months of failed attempts and temper tantrums over something as simple as wool, I have completed my first crochet granny square with thanks to Pip from Meet Me at Mikes.
I am incredibly grateful.



Not perfect, but hopefully the first of many. For those of you struggling to grasp crochet I would encourage you to watch Pip's how-to videos. Huzzah!

I'm Sick

I'm sick, and haven't been around for a while. I have this auto-immune disease that I thought I was well rid of, that has come back with a vengeance. My hands and feet are swollen and sore, my bones ache, I'm exhausted for no reason. I've been worrying that maybe my toenails may pop right off.

Last week I had a bit of a cry because I thought something was seriously wrong, like kidney or liver failure. The doctor said it was unlikely, but possible and ran some tests. I hate this so much. I don't like being sick, and even more I hate obsessing about what awful things could be happening to my body.

I love the internet but one thing it is not good at is reassuring you that you are going to be ok when you enter your symptoms in diagnose-me.com or whatever ("your symptoms indicate you have.......Ebola"). It just fuels my anxiety. I need to just stop it.

I'm such a drama queen most of the time anyway that when I am sick I feel very sorry for myself and pull the whole dying swan routine. This morning, walking to the bathroom , my feet were hurting and I thought to myself "I'm just like The Little Mermaid!" and had a little sob. Seriously how much more self-pitying can you get than that!

Speaking of The Little Mermaid, look at these stunning illustrations by Sulamith Wulfing:

All images from this tribute site.

Interestingly enough, my all time favourite, Stevie Nicks, found inspiration in these paintings and then created the cover art for this album. Funny how you see something and it resonates with you and then realise that it's connected to another thing that really resonates with you.

Anyway this was meant to be a post about MY sickness and now it's ended up being about art and Stevie Nicks. Go figure. Anyway I'm going to the post office now to do some chores and try and cheer myself up.

Here's a clip from that album:

Getting to know you

Keely has a regular segment on her blog called "Getting to know YOU" and I figured I may as well join in this week:



1. Would you rather bungee jump or sky dive?

Neither. I'm terribly afraid of heights. Even standing on a chair is enough to make me nervous. I've always wanted to be a thrill seeker but my fear of heights has killed that dream. As a child it was very embarrassing needing to be rescued from obstacle courses and the top of the slide after trying hard to push through my fear.

2. When using a public restroom to you squat over the seat or sit?

Definitely squat. I'd rather go in the bush than in public restrooms though. Gross.

3. Favorite flower?

source

Peony

4. Pedicure or manicure?

Pedicure. But I do both myself, because it's free!

5. How many siblings do you have?

I have no biological siblings. I have an Uncle ( my mothers brother) who I was raised with, so I call him my brother. He's 11 years older than me. I always wished for brothers and sisters, and I found it lonely growing up without someone in the house who was my age. One day (hopefully) we will have a big family so our children get to experience that.

6. Do you pee in the shower? (gasp!)

No, but I'm sure it's glorious. I don't think it's fair that other people would have to stand in my wees.

7. Bikini, tankini, or one piece?

Unfortunately, none. I haven't been swimming since I was 18 because I'm too self conscious about my body. Sad, huh?

8. Where do you hate to shop at, but go there anyway?

The supermarket. I find it really claustrophobic, especially the produce section where everyone is grabbing and parking their trolleys with wild abandon. And kids driving the trolleys badly and screaming because they can't get the chocolate bar they want. I hate it. Also I'm really indecisive and can spend ages agonising over which type of pasta to get, which is ridiculous. So yeah, not my favourite!

So, there you go! You could head over to Keely's blog and do it yourself if you want!

Word of the Day - Jeepers!

Holy mackerel it's been an intense day. Work, which has been quiet for ages in now suddenly chaotic and busy. I spent most of the day trying to keep people from punching each other and dealing with families. It's busy and hard work, but really invigorating and rewarding most of the time.

This week we've watched more Woody Allen films, went out for Indian and drank a lot of wine (nothing new there). Tonight we're going to finish watching Desconstructing Harry and make some mix cds for a friend. I'm really looking forward to the weekend. We're going to spend time with some friends and sleep in.

I'm in a really buoyant mood today, so with that in mind here's another song from these guys. I was actually waitressing at the venue when this video was shot, at a great live music venue called Cabaret (now closed down). And yes, that is Bret McKenzie.

Things I'm loving right now

One of the things I love the most about blogland is that I get exposed to so many things I wouldn't otherwise see.
One artists who has really made my day:




Racheal Anilyse

via racheal anailyse

I just love these, they make me feel magical. Check out Racheals blog here. I really love the idea of illustrating a sketch book from cover to cover. I sometimes find I get visually fatigued by my reader being inundated with really amazing images, but these really grabbed me. I also really like the idea of documenting dreams in a memorable way. I've often tried to keep a dream journal but I forget most of the crucial details a few seconds after waking.

I'm always the main character in my dreams. I'm the star of the movie. I know other people who are in their dreams as spectators and are never directly involved. Most of my dreams seem to have some basis in reality before becoming outlandish and surreal. There is usually something I have to accomplish, some item I need to get or someone I am looking for, and I usually don't reach that point before I wake up. Also I seem to have several dreams each night that I manage to merge together in a way that seems to make sense at the time.

How do you dream?

In the Neighbourhood

On Friday I finished work early and took a walk around my neighbourhood with my crappy camera:


















The place I live is by a beach across the sea from Wellington. There is a ferry that goes from one pier to the other, and business people commute each day. It's the first European settlement in the Wellington region, being settled in January 1840. The first settlers arrived on the ship Aurora., but the settlement was abandoned and everyone moved over to Wellington on account of the settlement resting on a swamp, which is understandable.
New Zealand is a young country. Most of the original architecture remains, which isn't a great feat considering it's only 100 years old. I like the place that I live. It's quaint and feels like a little village. It's multicultural and creative. But my mind is still on Sydney.

Do you live where you do deliberately, or is it just something that happened because of convenience? And if you could, where else on earth would you most like to live?