The Consider Yourself Meme

Well. it's been a hell of a week. I finished school for the year, work has been really busy and my niece nearly died. Thankfully she's back being stable again, but that put a big dent in the week.

Now school is over it's time to start proper blogging again. I'll still do the Sunday memes, but I need to start writing properly again. And exercising more.

Anyway,questions from Sunday Stealing, as per normal.


1) Of the various cultures, ethnicities or nationalities you belong to, which most strongly do you consider yourself?

I'm fifth generation white Australian - and though I don't feel like I'm Australian, I know I am. The next question will answer the rest of this.

2) Is there a culture you cannot claim heritage from but which you feel quite close to?

In my heart, I'm British. Always have been, always will be.

3) What's one language you wish you knew fluently?

I really wish my French was better. I'd love to speak Spanish too.

4) If you could move anywhere in the world and be guaranteed a job, etc., where would you go?

London.

5) If you had a time machine, and could witness any one event without altering or disturbing it, what would you want to see?

I'd love to see Gough Whitlam on the steps of Parliamment House utter his famous words about "God Save the Queen".

6) Have problems sleeping?

Generally, no.


7) Are you free with your feelings?

Not really - with some close and trusted friends.

8) What is the one outfit/piece of clothing/accessory you own that makes you feel incredibly good whenever you wear it? Why?

My navy blue trench coat.

 9) What do you do to make yourself feel better when you're in a funk?

Got for a walk or go to a movie.

10) Has anyone ever surprised you in a way that let you know you were special? How?

I get told I'm loved regularly bu somebody I deeply care about. When that started that was surprising. It still is a bit.. That is enough for the time being.

11) When you are having a "good day," how do you spread the happiness to others?

Smile. Say nice things. Bounce around.

12) What is one thing that puts you in a bad mood, no matter how good you were previously feeling?

Tony Abbott. Andrew Bolt. Peter Dutton.

13) Would you rather live in a world with or without technology such as computers, cars, airplanes, bombs?

I could do with a world without bombs. I rather like the rest of those things.


14) If you had to live without either heating in your house or air conditioning, which one would you keep?

I can survive without heating. As I live in Australia, I need air conditioning. Really need air conditioning.

15) If you had to own five dogs, what kind would you get?

I'd have one Bernese Mountaing Dog, one Golden Retriever, one Corgi, one spoodle arrangement and I'd love a Newfoundland. But I'd also need a farm in a cooler climate. Love big dogs.

The Would You Rather Meme

I would rather be writing this on my new laptop - but it's still in the store being updated. Joy.

I would rather be writing this free from my last tute paper for the year - but I'm doing five questions then writing a paragraph. I'm nearly there.

I would rather be in a world where there was no leukaemia and my niece was happily sitting her year ten exams rather than lying in an intensive care bed in Brisbane. Please send up a good word to whoever you pray to. She's a fighter, but this is getting beyond a joke.

Questions from Sunday Stealing, as per usual.


Would you rather be stuck on an island alone or with someone who talks incessantly?

I'd rather be on the island alone. I'm an introvert. A chatty person and I could come to blows.

Would you rather be too hot or too cold? 

Too cold any day. Being Australian, being hot is normal - and horrible.

Would you rather have a cook or a maid? 

I'd rather a maid. I like cooking

Would you rather be the youngest or the oldest sibling? 

I only know what it's like to be the oldest sibling. That's fine but you don't get away with as much.

Would you rather get rich through hard work or through winning the lottery? 

The hard work way is far more rewarding.

Would you rather have a 10-hour dinner with a headstrong politician from an opposing party, or attend a 10-hour concert for a music group you detest? 

I'd go the politician. I rather like an argument sometimes... though maybe not with Tony Abbott - that might get very ugly.

Would you rather be an Olympic gold medalist or a Nobel Peace Prize winner? 

Nobel Peace Prize winner - oh to do something worthy of that.

Would you rather have a desk job or an outdoor job?

As much as I love the outdoors, I'm best at a desk.

Would you rather live at the top of a tall NYC apartment building or at the top of a mountain? 

I'd love to live in New York for a while. That appeals.

Would you rather have Rambo or The Terminator on your side? 

Terminator. I'm sure he's marshmallow in the middle.

Would you rather be proposed to in private or in front of family and friends? 

In private. You have the right of refusal then.

Would you rather have to sew all your clothes or grow your own food? 

Sew my own clothes. Killing animals does not do it for me, though I'd be okay with an orchard and a veggie patch.

 Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first? 

Bad news first - get it over with.

Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else? 

I'd love to be my own boss for a change. One day.

Would you rather have nosy neighbors or noisy neighbors? 

Noisy neighbours. The have to shut up at some stage - and there's always the police...

Would you rather be on a survival reality show or dating game show? 

Umm, neither. Both have their own sets of humiliations. Fun to watch, but not interested.

Would you rather be too busy or be bored? 

Keep me busy. I'm destructive when bored.

 Would you rather watch the big game at home or live at the stadium? 

On the telly. I'm not fond of crowds.

Would you rather spend the day with your favorite athlete or you favorite movie star?

Movie star. I've put my Christmas order in for Clive Owen already.

 Would you rather live where it is constantly winter or where it is constantly summer?

I prefer the cold, so give me Winter. I was very happy living in England. Loved the weather over there.


(Oh, and I've finished the tute paper. I'm free of study til March., YAY.)

The Cookie Meme

Writing this from my mother's computer in Myponga. Came over to Adelaide for my 30th high school reunion - which is scary in itself. Despite the procrastinating to go, I was glad I went in the end. Worked out that things are not as bad as they seem. Some have done very well. Some haven't. Some have aged well. Some haven't. High school was not the best part of my life - and as one of the unpopular, dorky, dweeby kids, it seems that life has really not done me too bad. Mind you, I think it would have been a touch easier to go to if I could have had a few drinks.

Anyway, today's meh meme comes, as always, from Sunday Stealing.


Are any of your friendships on a fine line? 

Not sure what this means, but all are well. Some probably need a bit of nursing, others might be let go. The way things are, really.

 Have you ever witnessed a birth? 

Only of animals, but that's pretty special. The dog once had puppies on the end of my bed when  I was a kid.

Where’s your favorite place to be when you feel depressed? 

Home, in bed, away from everybody.

Are you currently looking forward to tomorrow? 

Back to work tomorrow, going to get slammed at work for the next few days, but it will be good to be busy. And I'm seeing my trainer tomorrow night, that's always good.

When was the last time you held someone’s hand? 

I honestly can't remember.

 Have you ever faked sick? 

Yes, but very rarely, last time was about three years ago. They're called mental health days. Sometimes you just can't go into work.

Are you currently wearing jeans? 

No.

 Have you gone to a coffee shop within the past week? 

I was in the coffee shop opposite work on Friday for my nearly daily cappuccino. I I try not to go to coffee chains.

Would you like to be able to read thoughts? 

 I have enough thoughts in my head without having to hear other people's thank you.

Do certain swear words just roll off your tongue? 

Fuck, yeah.

Are you often the last one to understand a joke? 

Sometimes. Only sometimes.

Can experience be gained just by reading?

Hmm. Interesting one that one - mostly no, but there are times when things are enhanced by reading.

 Does playing the guitar make a person more attractive? 

Only if played well.  Very well.

 Have you ever slept in a tent, indoors or out? 

Yes. Not my favourite thing to do, but I do reckon I'd managed to go glamping one day. Normal camping has no appeal.



What does your hair look like at the moment? 

Very long and very red.

Are you mad right now? 

No. I'm quite happy actually.

Who did you spend your summer with last year? 

Me. I worked through summer. That's what I do. Work so that I can use somebody else's air conditioning.

Did you eat a cookie today?

No, but I did have a rather nice vanilla slice (snot block) at the Myponga Bakery.

The Big Bad Meme

Well, I'm completing paper mode. My masters papers are due tomorrow then that's subjects four and five out of the way. One has been submitted. The other is a mongrel dog with fleas that needs taming. Actually, looking at it, it's not as bad as I thought it was, but what I'm doing is completing a question, then working through a paragraph of the mongrel. It's nearly there.

Making life even more interesting, the block of flats in which I live has had no hot water since Thursday. Capital works to the gas lines have stuffed up something completely and the whole block has no hot water. It's not fun. I'm over showering at the gym (which is nearby and is open 6 am to 10 pm) and having bucket baths. Hopefully this will all be fixed tomorrow.


Is there anyone else in the room with you atm? What are they doing? 

No. Other than the telly, I'm alone.

Do you show your teeth when you smile, or do you prefer smiling with your lips closed? 

I think I smile showing my teeth - but I don't have a toothy or gummy smile.

Would you rather be told the truth, even if it isn’t what you want to hear? 

Unfortunately, yes. Pull off the bandaid. Get it over and done with.

What is something that you plan to buy, as soon as you’ve saved up the money for it? 

A new laptop - this one is slowly grinding to a halt. I've saved the money, just need to find the time to sort it out - the weekend after next is looking promising.

Do you play Sudoku?

Sometimes. I have a habit of doing sudoku on plane, trying to get the easy one in the Qantas magazine done by the time we take off.

 Have you ever had a migraine? 

Unfortunately, yes. Thankfully once I put myself to bed and take drugs they go away quickly.

What was the last book you read for pleasure? 

It was The Children Act by Ian McEwan. It was for book group. Can't wait to get reading after these papers are in.

What was the last item of clothing you purchased for yourself? 

A pair of comfortable, wide legged  trousers from Target. Good for lounging about in - and writing.

Your first serious relationship, do you still talk to him/her? 

I haven't seen him on over thirty years. This is a good thing.

Who is the last person you texted? 

Cleo, my personal trainer - who's currently stuck in Bali under the ash cloud.

How close is your family? 

About 500 miles away in Adelaide.

Is there anything too serious to be joked about? 

Anything to do with violence against women, children or animals.

Do you like to understand and have good knowledge of things? 

Absolutely.

What is worse? Back pain or shoulder pain? 

Back pain. Shoulder pain is awful, but as a few weeks ago proved, back pain is worse.

Have you ever almost fallen off of something high off the ground? 

Thankfully, no.

What’s one fruit you love in drinks? 

Lemon or lime in my gin and tonics.

What is something simple that you’re afraid of? 

Going down stairs without a banister. Not fond of stairs.

Has this weekend been good? 

Not too bad. Good play last night. Paper will be in soon. All is right with the world ready for hell week. Just need hot water and all would be well.

 How much time do you take to get ready in the morning? 

About an hour. Can do it in half an hour, but I prefer to ease into the day.

 Last movie you watched in theaters and with whom?

I went to see The Dressmaker on Friday night. It was excellent. I was alone.

The Halloween Meme

I'm going to paraphrase this meme with the follow:



We generally don't do Halloween here.

The only concession I'll give is this photo.



This is Bozley. My sister's dog. The bestest dog ever. He went to heaven yesterday. I'm really sad about this, but he was nearly 13 and his legs stopped working and he did not suffer for very long, but I'll miss him when I go to Adelaide. Sleep well, bestest boy. You were a great mate. (photo from my sister)

Okay, so here we go. Questions, as per usual, come from Sunday Stealing. It makes a change from trying to write a feature article on the Freemasons.

Are you scared of bats? 

Not really. If they bite you they can give you Hendra and that will kill you, but I generally don't get close enough to the bats. They're fun to watch at night.

When you were a kid, did you go out on Mischief Night? (Mischief Night is an informal holiday on which children and teens engage in pranks and minor vandalism. While its name and date vary from place to place, it is most commonly held near the end of October to coincide with the night before Halloween)

No, because I'm Australian. We don't need a reason to make mischief.

What is your favorite trick-or-treat candy? 

No idea. We don't really have Halloween candy.

Have you ever seen a ghost? 

Yes - more I felt her. We used to have one in the house in London. She scared the downstairs neighbours countless times.

The most memorable costume you ever wore? 

Never worn a Halloween costume. I'm Australian.

Do you dress up on Halloween? 

No, I'm over 40 and Australian. We don't do Halloween.

Any cooking or baking you do for Halloween? 

No. It's just a normal day.

 Have you ever been to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disneyworld? 

No. Never been to Disneyland.

Any element of the season you don’t like? 

Well it is Beltane, a pagan festival. I'm good with that.

What is your favorite scary movie? 

I generally don't like scary movies. Beetlejuice or The Sixth Sense is about as far as I go.

 Do you cook the pumpkin seeds from your carved jack-o-lanterns? 

I'm Australian. I cook pumpkin all year round. Roasted with lamb is my favourite way to do pumpkin. Pumpkin soup is great too. See, pumpkin is a savoury thing around here.

 Are you intrigued with vampires? 

The thrill is going. They've over represented in modern literary culture.

What is your favorite written work of horror fiction? 

Bram Stoker's Dracula is pretty good. I will get around to reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels one day. Horror really isn't my thing.

What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy? 

Love Kazuo Ishiguru's Never Let Me Go and David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas - and Margaret Atwood. Oh, I do read literary speculative fiction... I hope that counts.

Who is your favorite monster? 

Mike from Monster's Inc.



What is your favorite Horror movie? 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm not into horror. Shaun of the Dead isn't too bad either. The horror films I watch have to be funny.

What horror movie gives you the most chills? 

Se7en gave me the jeebies for weeks.

What character from any horror film would you most like to play?