The Blue Day Meme

It's Sunday and I'm editing. As I've got much to write about at the moment that I wish to share but finding it hard to articulate anything - there is some big stuff going in the background, but it's not really my stuff to talk about.

I'm a bit over writing about cats. I've been doing well in the gym -  I leg pressed 120 kg in the gym yesterday (and did squats with 45 kgs on my back and generally kicked some butt). And contrary to popular belief, hoiking weights around is lady-like - and it doesn't mess with your manicure - see.

But as I'm dithering with all sorts of other subjects, and I don't feel like writing about job hunting, illness, boredom or editing, I though a quick meme might help break the monotony.  So I'm parsing two pages and answering a question. I need to get this editing job out of the way - and I feel the need to write.

Thanks to the Sunday Stealling Blogger for the questions.

1) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

Oh my, what would I say to the world - hell! That's a huge question. Probably something along the lines of stuff capitalism, stuff everything, find a way of fixing the environmental problems in the world and fix them now. We're running out of time - stop bickering and get on with it. Oh, and while you're at it - be nice to one another.

The joys of being a mix of INFJ  and INFP - stupidly idealistic.

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

There's plenty of people I'd love to meet - Kenneth Branagh, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, all the normal people who make these sorts of lists.

But the one person I'd love to meet is my grandfather's brother, Roy. He died a year before I was born, but I think he'd be fascinating.

You see, Uncle Roy was a soldier and a postmaster. In WW1 he was responsible for keeping the lines of communication open at Villers Bretonneux and Bellicourt. He received the Military Medal twice for repairing lines under heavy enemy shell fire with a total disregard for danger. He was the postmaster in Darwin when the Japanese attacked during WWII. My aunt remembers him as one of the funniest and loveliest blokes she's ever met - and if you asked him what he did in the war, he responded., "Ah, I just milked a cow in no-man's land."

I've always wanted to meet a real hero. Uncle Roy fits the bill.

Saying this, of my maternal grandparent's siblings two ended up in Gallipoli, another two on the Western Front and one lies in a graveyard in Egypt.

For more on Uncle Roy, see here.

It's something of which I'm very proud.

3) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

If I had the chance, I'd go back to Spain in a heartbeat. LOVE the place - in particular, Toledo. But on my last trip, I didn't get to go to a heap of places - I'd love to go back to Barcelona, go see Zaragoza, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Cordoba, Salamanca, Segovia... - and of course, I want to spend more time in Toledo, Seville and Granada. There's also a dream I have of returning to Spain for a few months and maybe do the Camino do Santiago de Compostella - a pilgrimage along the north coast of Spain.

Yeah, I'd go to Spain. Though I'd love to go visit Reindert in Boston too. Or go back to London for a pint with friends. Or pop over to New Zealand to see some old mates. Or head back to Thailand and go Buddha watching in between getting the bejeezus pummelled out of me by some Thai masseuse (love Thai massage).

So many places, so little time and money... and must renew my passport.

4) What do you think about most?

Sex. Next.

5) You have the opportunity to spend a romantic night with the music celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

Bryn Terfel.

Who you ask? Bryn Terfel is a Welsh Baritone/Bass. His voice sends shivers down my spine. The fact that he's the spitting image of an ex-boyfriend of mine has nothing to do with it. I'm a sucker for an accent, he's a funny bloke and his voice is to die for.

If he's not available, I reckon hanging out with the Pixies might be fun too. Might not be romantic but it would be fun.


6) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

There are a couple of things I don't discuss in this blog - and the few things I'd like to erase come under this gag order. Then again, these crappy experiences make who you are. They aren't regrets, their just things I could do without happening to me.

Of the plentiful things I'm willing to talk about:

The last three months of my working life would be great to get rid of, though I've learned a lot so I can't moan too much.

Glandular fever when I was in my early twenties - could have done without that.

And the dry socket I got after having an impacted wisdom tooth removed - wouldn't want to go through that again.

7) What's your strangest talent?

I have lots of strange talents and abilities - ask my friends. I can diminish pain with a phone call. I know where people are hurting. I'm a dab hand with a pack of tarot cards.

But my strangest talent is my party trick. I can recite the whole of "Jabberwocky", normally using a bedspread for a cloak and a breadknife for the vorpal blade.

Yes, I'm a geek!

8) What would be a question you'd be afraid to tell the truth on?

I think this question might be under the gag order too.

The one that springs to mind would be somebody asking me if I love/loved them. Scares me witless.

9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Don't be daft. No. Not that I'm aware of.

10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?

I don't play air guitar, but I do play air drums a lot. And the last time I did that was in the car a few days ago, doing my best Phil Collins impression at a set of traffic lights drumming along to Vamos by The Pixies.

11) Do you have any strange phobias?

Other that being scared of success and intimacy, and I'm working on those - I'm not fond of huntsman spiders, but as I've slain a couple now I'm less scared of them. I get a bit of claustrophobia, but it's not debilitating and I can manage that. I think all of my minor phobias and foibles are pretty normal - and I'm thankful they don't stop me from doing anything.

On second thought, anybody who's been with me when I've been walking down stairs will know that I have to take a breath before going down stairs or escalators. It's not that I'm scared of them, I just had a seriously bad fall going down a set of stairs as a kid when I was in callipers. Strangely, my Mum and Grandma do/did exactly the same thing.

12) What's your religion?

Gawd, another loaded question. I'm best described as an agnostic wiccan. I believe there's something out there that's bigger than us. I believe in the power of nature. I love the structure that the Kabbalah gives me. I respect the teachings of Christ and the Buddha, but I don't believe in either of them being my personal saviour or prophet. I'm certainly not affiliated with any organised religion - and I'm not an athiest.

Happy to let anybody believe in what they want as long as they don't try to throw it down my throat.

13) What is your current desktop picture?

It alternates between this one:

And this one:

The top one was taken at Castle Urquart on Loch Ness a few years ago, the bottom one is of the front door of the Toledo Cathedral from the lane leading to it. This was taken on my travels last year. I love both photos.

14) When you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Walking or running. I love doing both.

15) What's the last song you listened to?

This was posted on a friend's facebook page today - and I have to repost this clip. I think I prefer this to the original - great song anyway, but this just rocks. And  it's really worth watching the clip. It's cool.

Sure beats the Cat Stevens song I was going to have to mention which is playing in the car at the moment.

16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

Easy. The Pixies. Utterly, utterly brilliant.

Favorite Australian Band - toss up between The Hoodoo Gurus and Hunters and Collectors.

17) What was the last lie you told?

My naturopath asked me how my blood pressure was yesterday. I said fine when in reality I wasn't too sure. I took it a minute ago and it was 130/78 - which is fine - but when she asked me I felt a little guilty about no knowing. A lie by apathy really.

18) Do you believe in karma?

Yes, but not big picture, do something bad and come back as a poor person in Africa type karma. I do believe what goes around comes around.

19) What is a saying you say a lot?

"At the end of the day..." Terrible turn of phrase, at the end of the day.

I like to use Blarney's standard "And thank your mother for the rabbits." It floors people.

"I am the suppository of all useless knowledge" gets a regular bashing too, at the end of the day.

20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

My greatest weakness is ice cream. Followed by getting destructive when bored.

My greatest strength is my ability to persevere and stick with things.

21) Who is your celebrity crush?

Clive Owen. Phwoar! He's been on my Christmas list for years.


22) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word: heart.

Mitral valve. My father was one of the first people in Australia to have his surgically replaced back in the seventies. He used to tick like a clock.

23) How do you vent your anger?

Ranting and stomping.

Not many people have witnessed me in full flight anger - it's freaking scary when I do get like this, really truly awful murderous rages can happen - but I've only been in that state a few times in the last couple of decades. When I get like this I could seriously murder.

Normally, when I'm in a strop I go into a rant, shout at things and stomp about - if it's really bad, I'll hit a pillow or throw an inanimate object against a wall.

Thankfully, I normally just get mildly stroppy every now and then.

24) Do you have a collection of anything?

Other than the 30 or so packs of tarot cards I have in my cupboard, I have a small collection of carved elephants that people have brought back for me. When people go to Africa, India or Asia I always ask for a little elephant. I have four in my collection and hope to have a few more by the end of the year.

25) What is your favorite word?

Serendipity.

If I ever had/have a daughter I'd love to give her Serendipity as a middle name (or hidden second middle name after more sensible Christian names). It rolls of the tongue well. It means happy accident - which if I had a child, other than being a miracle, it would be a  happy accident.

Right, I've done 50 pages of editing - better get back to it.

Hopefully I get some inspiration to write a real blog post soon.

Pandxx