The Hard Questions Meme

As I'm finishing up one role and starting a new one next week, I have a bit of time on my hands.

So these hard questions come from the Sunday Stealing Meme guru - and gave me something more to think about and errant commas and fixing dodgy spelling over the course of the day.

1. What is a quote that you love?

I'm going to give you three - all have very special meanings for me:

"Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." Josephine Hart, Damage. I live my life by this quote. It is unfortunately and terribly true.

"The lunatic, the lover and the poet are of imagination all compact." Midsummer Night's Dream. Act 5 scene 1. This has always eaten away at my imagination.

"I do not find The Hanged Man. Fear death by water." T.S.Eliot. The Wasteland. TS Eliot is indirectly responsible for getting me into tarot. I ponder this poem regularly - it's one of my absolute favorites, and the section with Madame Sosostris in the section "The Burial of the Dead" always says something different to me. Knowing the full meaning of the Hanged Man card some twenty years on I love the playfulness of the whole episode. I also love what Eliot has inadvertently done in making the tarot references.

2. Do you think of pure hate as something humanity created?

No. I think pure hate is the absolute opposite of pure love - and we need diachotomy. They're the flipside of the same thing. Hatred is never pretty. In its most intense form, it is very disturbing - but like everything in the universe it is there as some part of a grand design. I'm just glad that I don't have to witness it first hand very often.

3. When was the last time you wanted to scream?

Yesterday. I was in one of my rare work "zones" trying to get some stuff finished by the end of the day. There is a person around here who I refer to as 'Nails on the Blackboard" for a number of reasons. After four interruptions in ten minutes, this person was the unlucky fifth. I was screaming on the inside. I snapped at this person - something I rarely do I apologised for being such a cow about half an hour later. There was no reason to speak to this person like that - no matter how annoying they can be.

4. Do you ever at times see the world in black and white?

Only sometimes. I'm normally one big shade of grey and see the world in such a way. I see the world in black and white when it comes to injustice - and anything to do with animal cruelty - do what they do to the animal back to them. Simple. Hard line, but simple.

5. Have you ever thought that cell phones are too obtrusive?

Definitely - though I know that I let my mobile get in the way far too often. Leaving my mobile phone at home is akin to losing my right arm. However, I try to be considerate when using it to talk to people in public - especially on public transport. My pet hate is sitting in meetings where people are constantly checking their phones. However, they are great when you want to show photos, they give you games to play when you're waiting for planes and buses and thank goodness for mobile internet. Just turn them off or leave them be when you want REAL people time. End of story.

6. In your life, where do you thank the rainbow will end?

This is a bit of a funny question. See, as somebody who studies the Kabbalah, I think the rainbow ends at Tipharet - when you find your heart and soul. However, if you look at a rainbow, you know that the ends of a rainbow shift . I used to have a window seat on the 41st floor of one of the skyscrapers here in Melbourne. One day we saw a circular rainbow - it was incredible.

Then again, I think the rainbow will end when I win lotto...

7. What is something that you never want to do again?

Yes. I never, ever, ever want to fall in love with somebody who isn't emotionally available, ever, ever, ever again. Hurts far too much.

I'm not sure that I want to fly Tiger Airways again either. They are appalling.

8.When was the first time you realised the world was small?

Walking down Baker Street in London in 1992. I ran into an old university friend. I didn't know she was in London. we were both on the other side of the world. She didn't know I was there either. And we literally bumped into each other. This scene has been repeated in various airports, cities and restaurants across the globe over the years. The introduction of social networking has made the world even smaller. I've made contact with people I never thought I would ever see again over the last few years. The world really isn't that big a place when it all comes down to it.

9. How you spend your time contemplating life’s mysteries?

I do this all the time - though the best way to do this is either sitting in a hot pool of water underneath the stars, or down the pub with a bottle of decent red. If navel gazing was a profession I would be a very rich woman.

10. Ever discuss your political beliefs with people?

Yes, but probably to my detriment. Though normally I will discuss politics at any time of the day or night it's not with fervour and normally with people who I know can cope with my slightly loopy lefty agenda. I love political discussion - but I also like having these types of chats with people who I know will respect my opinion while arguing the point. My friend Kitt and I talk about this stuff when running - we have similar, yet differing opinions - she's just to the right, I'm just to the left - and that is okay. I try to keep my political thoughts to myself until I know somebody - though I'm perceived as a raging lefty by proxy. Thing is, I'm not that extreme.

11. Do you care about the environment?

I do, though probably not enough. I make a point not to litter. I recycle household refuse. I drive a small car. I walk when I can and use public transport often. I try to keep it to three minute showers, I try not to get things with too much packaging and take my own bags to the supermarket. I have a keep cup for my morning work coffee. I turn off the lights and the power outlets when not using electrical items. I use organic hair and skin care. Little things. I know I could do so much more - eat and source local produce, not buy as many books.... and on a grander scale I know there is so much more than I do. Mining grates on me. The fact that our government has the audacity to push the environmentally friendly agenda (Like why don't they have a fleet of Priuses getting the pollies around?) There is so much more we all could do. End of story.

12. What’s your motto for life?

I don't really have one. The closest I have to a motto is " Be positive. Like attracts like."

13. Is progress destroying the beauty of the world?

Another hard and interesting one. In some ways, I think yes - you look at the raping of the planet from all of the "progress" - the deforestation, smog, open cut mines, what is happening in the Pacific with the plastic soup.... the list could be infinite. Then again, there is beauty all around - no matter where you look. I'm looking out my fifth floor window from what is possibly the ugliest building in Melbourne looking over a row of trees, the leaves rustling, I've been watching a small child play with a dog as her parents look on. I know that in a few hours I can watch the sun set - and there is nothing more beautiful than that. I ran around the Botanical Gardens this morning - absolutely glorious. So no matter how much 'progress' appears to destroy the world - beauty is always there - you just have to look for it and open up to its possibilities.

14. Do you believe there is life somewhere else in the universe?

Yes. Definitely. I think it's extremely arrogant and narrow minded to think that we are the only planet in the infinity called space that has life upon it. Even if we haven't found it, it's nice to think that there is 'life' out there somewhere - no matter what that 'life' is. Just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

15. Would you like to rule a country?

Absolutely not. It's the responsibility thing. I couldn't think of anything worse - being responsible for subjects - sounds like too much like hard work. I won't even get a cat because I don't like the thought of being responsible for another life (though I would love a cat, really I would) Ruling a country would be too much like hard work.Being a part of a committee running a country I could do, but to have responsibility for that many people - no way!

16. Do you believe everything has a purpose?

Not really. Somebody might tell me one day what the purpose of zucchinis (courgettes) actually is - cos they aint food. I look at the Melbourne public transport ticketing debacle and I believe that there are some people out there who are exceptionally useless who spent a hell of a lot of money looking for a purpose. And what purposes do rabbits have? None (unless you count calling them vermin or food?) Hmm. Channel 31 - what purpose does that have? So no, not everything has a purpose.

17. Is war ever for the best?

No - but it does have the use of blowing the cobwebs away, destabilising a lot of people often allowing them to rebuild in the long run. See, wars can have a purpose - but they are never, ever for the best. That much heartache should not have to be endured. Or wasting that much money (i.e. Iraq/Afghanistan)

18. Could you kill anyone in defense of self or loved ones?

I think I could. Only in self-defense, but I'm pretty sure that I would have it in me - I think I have access to that sort of strength. I just never want to use it.

19. How do you react to people who don't believe global warming is really our fault?

I roll my eyes, get very, very, very annoyed and try to lead by example - like agreeing with our carbon tax, trying to set my behaviours around a more carbon friendly ways, disagreeing with big coal, writing to MPs about stuff, attending the odd rally - not that it gets you anywhere, but global warming sceptics do get to me. The only person I preach to is my sister - who is a global warming sceptic but chooses to moan. But that can be seen as sport.

20. Does love conquer all?

No - but it does have remarkable restorative powers allegedly.

21. Is euthanasia morally acceptable?

Yes. Quite simply yes - definitely. Not in all situations, of course, but if a person is ill, in pain, there is no chance of a recovery where they have a quality of life acceptable for their standards and they want to go - let them at it. I believe quite strongly in voluntary euthanasia under these circumstances. Saying this, I've also been around the medical profession a bit too long. The term they use is letting somebody go... pumping them full of opiates and not feeding or watering people who are about to die - it happens on a daily basis. This is a form of euthanasia. Wouldn't it be more merciful and compassionate to put these people out of their misery more quickly? After all, we wouldn't treat animals like this, letting them hang around, in pain, suffering for weeks, if not month. Witnessing a few people linger with cancer and old age is not pretty for anybody, least of all the person dying. I think it's time we looked a what is humane for humanity - and I think that is the moral argument.

22. Is world peace impossible?

No. Weren't there three days sometime in the 1920's where there wasn't a war on the planet. World peace may be impossible, but it is a lovely ideal to strive for. 100,000 Miss Universe contestants can't be wrong...

23. Is pride a good or a bad thing?

I think a little bit of pride is a good thing - but only a little bit. I'm a Leo - I have to say this. Pride doesn't have to be arrogance. It can be very self-preserving. Pride in oneself and one's work is also a good thing to have - even if it comes out in good basic personal hygiene. Too much pride is bad - but a little, in moderation, is definitely good. Knowing not to take it too far is the kicker.

24.What do you think is the purpose of your life?

Other than writing bad poetry and answering bizarre questions on blogs - I don't know. I know that one of my ultimate purposes is healing. I'm good at that. I think I'm still trying to find my life's purpose.

25. Do you believe in karma?

Yes. Little picture karma anyway. You're responsible for what you do in this life. If you're a bastard, it will come back to you. If you are good, that will come back to you too. Not sure where I stand on big picture karma - what have the starving of Africa done to the world?

Some food for thought.

Ice cream free days - 5

There goes the escape route

the trees are lopped back
dappled light floods in the drive
the possum is toast