The Hodge Podge meme

Well, I am a little bit sad. My happy place is being pulled down. They installed a temporary Globe Theatre in Melbourne and it has been wonderful to pop along to see very good Shakespeare for less than the price of a movie ticket. It's been a blast. Considering popping over to Auckland to visit theirs. it's been wonderful.We were there for the last performance in the theatre. A superlative Henry V.

We have a long weekend coming up.  You never know.

Questions,  as usual, are from Bev at Sunday Stealing.


1. January was National Mentoring Month. Have you ever had a mentor? Been a mentor? How would you rate the experience?

I've had a lot of mentors - mostly unofficial, but they are great for giving you perspective. Looking for a writing mentor as I write this now. I also do a lot of mentoring and coaching of my team members in both an official and unofficial capacity. I get a lot out of it. The old pay-it-forward scenario. It's so lovely to see people blossom.

2. What current trend makes no sense to you?

Those high waisted short-shorts girls are wearing. You need to be a supermodel to get away with them. Most women are not supermodels.



3. I saw a cartoon on Facebook highlighting a few 'weird' things that make you happy as an adult. The list included-writing with a nice pen, having plans cancelled, freshly cleaned sheets, eating the corner brownie, cleaning the dryer lint screen, and sipping coffee in that brief time before anyone else wakes up. Of the 'weird' things listed which one makes you happiest? What is one more 'weird' thing you'd add to the list?

Clean sheets, long baths, popping pimples, freshly mopped floors,  smelling dogs paws first thing in the morning. That last one is really strange.

4. What's the last good thing you ate?

Last night's Japanese dinner was lovely. Great ocean trout.

5. Describe life in your 20's in one sentence.

How much fun was getting lost only to begin to find myself.

6. It's that time of year again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, or genera uselessness) in 2018. This year's top vote getters are -- unpack, dish (as in dish out the latest rumor), pre-owned, onboarding/offboarding, nothingburger, let that sink in, let me ask you this, impactful, Cofefe, drill down, fake news, hot water heater (hot water doesn't need to be heated), and gig economy

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?

"I've been on a knowledge / learning journey..." Overused and just blah. Moist, unless describing cake, should also be banned.

7. What's something you need to get rid of in the new year?

Excess weight and a bit more clutter in my flat - we're getting there.

8. Where do you feel stuck?

I want to be a Shakespearean actress- or just involved more in something Shakespearean - and I have no idea how to do that. I also want to travel more.

9. January is National Soup Month. When did you last have a bowl of soup? Was it made from scratch or from a can? Your favorite canned soup? Your favorite soup to make from scratch on a cold winter's day?

I'm not big on soup. At all. It's not really in my repetoire of things to cook, though I don't make a bad roast pumpkin soup or veggie soup. Just not for me. I do, occasionally, like a good bowl of Campbell's tomato soup or lamb and veggies soup, but this is only in the dead of winter. Give me roast veggies any day.

Besides, it's the height of Summer over here... maybe chilled cucumber soup as an amuse bouche would go down well.

10. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in 2018.

Bali in August for my birthday.