The Shaper of Dreams and other Mythic Figures

There have been a couple of mythic references in my life of late.

First up, one came over the internet. It seems I worried a few of my online support group when I said that Project Pandora was over.

Well, it is - when I set out on Project Pandora I stated that it was for the time of the 12WBT (twelve week body transformation challenge) - a project that was very successful. Now that the 12WBT is over, it's time to find a new project, with new goals, and new project name. Pandora was the perfect name for the last project. A mythical figure based in Greek Mythology who held a box that had every human condition, good and bad, within it. When she opened the box, the evils flew out into the world - the only things remaining inside were hope and opportunity. The twelve weeks have very much been a time of me facing my demons and using hope and the opportunity to get on with things. A brilliantly named project.

Working in IT, I've been thrown on some really interesting projects. Project Centaur was about a group of bankers charging like wounded bulls towards an intangible enemy - in this case, a redundant custody system. Project Aquarius was about swimming towards another new custody system at a different firm - it had a bit more purpose than Project Centaur, thank goodness. Project Titan was a Tin Can, String and Whistle initiative to flex a bit of muscle.

So what am I going to call this next round of goals? Well, I had to have a good long think. I delved into my rarely used Classics degree. Neriads, muses, Greek and Roman variations - there was lots to choose from ... what would suit this next phase of proceedings? Something decent, someting strong. Something I could aspire to over the next twelve weeks.

Project Medusa - turning men to stone with a single glance. I think not. Project Persephone? Queen of the underworld, she of the pomegranate eating clan. Hmmm, nope, would give the tendency for depression. Project Prometheus? Nope that was the last six months of last year, tied to a rock having my insides taken out. Project Bacchus.... hmmm, that could be fun, but naming a project after the god of wine, sex and debauchery - yeah, fun, but I could see myself getting very fat and unfit again.

After flicking through a few more Greek and Roman references, I got it. It was there all along.

I'm embarking on Project Morpheus. Morpheus? Wasn't he a character in "The Matrix"? He was. However, he was originally the god in charge of dreams - the shaper of dreams to be precise, and this I very much like.

It's time for me to get dreaming. To work out just what it is I want in life and other things. For the next twelve weeks I know I'll be concentrating on running the Run Melbourne 10 km in under an hour, participating in the city to surf - and hoping to do a better time than 1.40. I also want to see if I can lose another 6 kgs  - taking me down to 20 kilos lost for the year.

Yet, I still need to dream. And dream big. I don't know what that will bring - I leave it in the hands of Morpheus.

The other mythical creature I came into contact with this week was the nature strip fairy.

Who? The nature strip fairy The one that takes you unwanted items away in the middle of the night. You know the one.

See, last week I had a dilemma. I don't condone junking stuff in the street. I try to be a good citizen. However circumstances made me chance it.

My friend Kath, her husband and daughter are moving to Switzerland in the next few days. In talking to Kath over the last few weeks I knew they were ridding themselves of the contents of their house. I put in an offer for both their coffee machine and their microwave - and after a counter offer, a deal was reached.

But what to do with my old microwave Old faithful, purchased on ebay some seven years ago for the grand sum of $30 has served me well. It was still operational but getting a bit rusty inside.

Well, I asked around? Where can you get rid of an old microwave? You can't give them to the local charity shop, they don't take electrical goods. I did a quick sweep of the local streets - couldn't find any skips about the place - not that I condone using other people's skips to dump goods - it's not good karma. The overwhelming response from people I asked  was "Leave the bloody thing on the nature strip. Let the nature strip fairy take care of it."

My first question was "What if the bloody nature strip fairy doesn't want it?" What would happen if I was the person that the nature strip fairy didn't like and for the following two weeks my old microwave was sitting in the street looking all forlorn and me looking really guilty. I felt bad enough about getting rid of the old thing.

I asked about, checked with a few people if they had a shack or a cousin with a meth lab who might like it, there were no takers. It was going to have to go on the nature strip. I was going to have to chance it on "the magic portal" as a friend calls it.

So before going out to Kath's, I lugged the old machine, all 25 kilograms of it, downstairs ready to make my dash. It's really bad form to get caught putting stuff out in the street (unless it's hard rubbish night, which is three months away I believe.).

Just as I was leaving the stairwell, Mr Patel from appartment 14 came home. I waited for him to leave his car and the driveway. I moved with stealth out into the driveway. The coast was clear. Then it was to the gates. Oh why wasn't I wearing black. The "Mission Impossible" theme tune was playing in my head. Doomp, doomp, dee dee, doomp doomp... I made it to the gate, only to hear a line of traffic... I hid behind the bins, 25 kg dead weight of microwave in my arms. After 30 seconds, the cars passed.

I checked the street again. Bloody joggers. Who runs at night! Another run of cars and a couple of women on their evening walk later I managed to sneak out and deposit the offending item on the strip. It was a dry night. No rain was due for days. I had to be a good omen.

The blessing was said for the old microwave, thanking her for the bowls of porridge and ready meals she's heated up for me. I then invoked the nature strip fairy to do her business, with gratitude.

I so did not want to be the person who had the shame of an offending item left in the street for weeks. You have to work all the good mojo you can in these situations.

Seems my spells worked. The microwave was gone by morning. Whether swallowed by the magic portal, dealt with by the nature strip fairy or just picked up by some opportunistic person from the council flats down the road.

I just hope it's gone to a good home. ...