Thursday Thirteen #10... Me, Myself and I...

This is my 100th post, and for my 100th post I wanted to do the 100 things about me, but it so happens it's also Thursday 13, so I've fudged a bit (I am nothing, if not creative!) and come up with 13 categories, that include 100 things about me...

ONE: WE ARE FAMILY...
1. I am the middle child of three with a younger sister and an older brother

2. I am 11 months younger than my brother, and 15 months older than my sister

3. Yes, this meant my mother was almost permanently pregnant for 3 years

4. My mother met my father when she was 8 and he was 11, when her sister married his brother, though she doesn't remember him being around much till around her 17th birthday

5. My parents were married at 19 and 22, with a ready made family by the time my mother was 23

6. My parents divorced when I was 23

7. My sister is the only one of us kids to have married, she met her future husband at 17, married him at 20, had 2 children by the time she was 25 and was divorced at 33 - she almost replicated my mother's life...

8. My father died 4 years ago unexpectedly, from the complications from a cold... which is odd, considering he'd survived multiple suicide attempts, tuberculosis, hepatitis, liver and bowel cancer, alcoholism, a broken hip and 3 major surgeries to relieve pressure on his brain.

9. I had divorced him... breaking off all contact with him after he'd asked to be left the f@#k alone, 18 months prior to his death...

TWO: YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY...
10. I was born on a Friday, and Mum chopped a load of firewood, left my brother with a neighbour and took herself off to the hospital in a taxi on her own. She didn't have a visitor until the following afternoon

11. I was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and was taken out of the delivery room and my mother didn't see me again until 5 hours later... she thought I had died!

12. My Dad didn't see me for almost 3 days, as he'd gone on a bender with his mates and didn't come home till Sunday, to an empty house and a note on the door to tell him where Mum was

13. I was allergic to my mother's breast milk... as well as most types of formula

14. At 6 weeks old my mother propped me up in my high chair, surrounded by pillows with pantyhose tied around my waist to hold me in, as I screamed blue murder if they tried to place me in another room... I needed to be where all the action was... nothing much has changed

15. I walked at 10 months, long before my almost 2 year old brother... he only walked because I used to steal his toys from him

16. I never talked baby talk, going from silence to full words... and I haven't stopped talking since

17. I had a mop of blond curls, blue eyes and dimples... and by all accounts was a pretty, happy baby... smiling more often then crying...

THREE: YOUNG AT HEART...
18. I went almost 12 months eating nothing but plain boiled rice and spaghetti and baked beans... I still love all three...

19. Watching a TV program where a man stuffed cotton wool in his cheeks and up his nose to disguise himself, I attempted to do the same... but instead used the beads from a broken necklace of my mothers... and managed to have one bead lodge at the top of my nose, close to my eye, that had to be extracted by a doctor

20. At 3, I dressed up in my mother's hat and gloves and an old handbag, and told her I was off to the doctor. She went along with me, and only realising after an hour of quiet that I had actually learnt how to unlatch the front door and had disappeared. We lived in a street that backed on to Ripponlea Mansion and the back gates and had been left open, so a search party was established, fearing if I'd wondered into the grounds I might be lost for days. Instead, I'd walked up to the main road and had walked across the pedestrian crossing. A driver starting off from what he thought was a clear crossing, felt a slight bump and got out to find me on the ground in front of his wheels.

21. I won the Kindergarten fancy dress competition, dressed as Mavis Bramston, in a black chiffon shirt, a black wig, Jacqui O sunglasses, and a cigarette holder... I won a picture book of The Three Little Pigs.. I was 4

22. I used to wet my pants... not because of some nervous affliction, nor because of any medical condition... I just used to get engrossed in some activity and forget to go to the toilet until it was too late and then I'd have an accident... don't pee my pants anymore, but I often forget to eat and drink because I'm concentrating on some fancy

23. My mother always knew when I had pee'd my pants as I would take them off and put them in the laundry hamper, wherever we happened to be, and go bare-assed for the rest of the day

24. I had an imaginary pony, called Tony! He lived under the kitchen table and ate pretend carrots...

25. An aunt trying to coax us into bed one Christmas Eve took us to the window to tell us if Santa came and we were still awake he wouldn't leave presents. What must have been the tail-lights of a plane had us convinced it was Santa and Rudolf... so we scurried into bed, but I stayed awake peering through my lashes for half the night, not wanting to miss seeing Santa come down the chimney... but we didn't have a chimney...

FOUR: STORY OF A GIRL...
26. I could add, subtract and multiply double digits before starting school, because my uncle set me homework every time he came to visit, but interestingly enough, I couldn't read before I started school

27. I made up for that with a vengeance, by reading the entire 1st year reading material before the end of 1st term, and then the 2nd year material by midway through the year. My teacher encouraged my mother to get me a library card!

28. My mother talks about me coming home from my first day at school most indignant, as only the children who cried got sweets, whereas those of us who were brave were not rewarded at all... my sense of justice was well and truly in force already

29. I was one of those nerdy kids who loved school... I used to cry if I couldn't go.

30. I was a clever clod, but also very friendly, so apart from being pushed down the stairs by a boy in my final year of primary school because I won a student scholarship, I managed to straddle the divide of popular and nerd reasonably well

31. My mother allowed us to be exposed to a variety of religious experiences, we went on Methodist picnics and to Greek Orthodox Sunday School

32. My father, on the other hand, blew a gasket when a note came home from school with suggested dates for my first communion... we were not Catholic

33. The nun who provided Catholic studies at school thought I might have had a vocation, why else would I have passed myself off as Catholic. She was very disappointed to have me tell her it was because the Junior Catholic Bibles had lovely coloured pictures in them

34. I was and still am a clumsy clot... totally unaware of my physical self... so spent most of my childhood covered in bruises and scabs

35. I've never been very sporty... totally uncoordinated, though I have danced on and off for most of my life. At school I was part of a group that used to learn a traditional folk dance, and then we would teach the rest of the school... I love Zorba the Greek to this day...

36. Though I was a mean Wing Defence till a fall, splat, straight on to one knee, ended my netball career, and resulted in my wearing a knee brace and having a walking stick for almost 6 months. The knee is still a bit dodgy... and aches when it's damp...

37. My mother talks about the time I told my brother to get f@#ked... I was probably about 7 at the time, and I was told not to say that word... so asked my favourite question - Why? Cause, you shouldn't say words if you don't know what they mean, to which I replied - but I do know. Mum called my bluff... "ok, smartypants, what does it mean?" she asked, to which I replied "its when a man and a lady get stuck together!"

FIVE: TEENAGE DIRTBAG...
38. I was a bit of a good girl, but had my moments of rebellion... was always getting into trouble for completing my work and then distracting the other kids by talking

39. My high school was very progressive, so instead of being in a class with students my year, at the end of the first year they assessed students and placed them in one of four units... Unit One, being the most relaxed and informal going up to Unit Four, which was predominantly traditional class room style, though Years 7-9 together - guess, which unit I ended up in? Yep, one...

40. Imagine about 100+ kids roaming around a huge open room with half a dozen teachers, and you've got an idea about 3 years of high school for me... we created our own language with it's own written and oral rules in English class, developed our own societies, experimenting with a variety of governing styles, built cubbyhouses, fiercely debated everything that came out of our teachers mouths and generally created chaos... I loved it!

41. Of course, when I got to the equivalent of year 10 and they started prepping us for exams etc. it was a major shock... what do you mean I have to produce written material?

42. Consequently I failed my HSC ... and was so miserable my last two years of high school it took me over 20 years to go back to study... and even now I struggle within the confines and restrictions of formal education

43. I got drunk for the first time at 16 during the lunch break, on Southern Comfort, and then fell asleep in my English Literature class, which was taught by the principal

44. My first trip to a pub at age 17, sitting in the beer garden of the Yarra Hotel in Collingwood, the place was raided by the cops, with underaged girls flying off into the toilets, only to be hauled out and away. An older guy, said to me, "go up to the bar and buy a jug of beer", which I did, and then casually brought it back to our table. My friend and I and he were the only ones not spoken to. And when the cops left and I expressed relief, he floored me, but saying "yeah, me too - I've got a baggie of pot tucked into my underpants"

SIX: I AM WOMAN...
45. From my mid twenties till about 35 I was invisible... I had friends, most of whom are still around, but I would and could be introduced to someone multiple times and they would not remember me

46. I went away on my own on holiday the year I turned 28, and did not speak to another living soul for a week and for the first time discovered my need to go into hibernation in order to survive

47. While away I made a list of things I wanted to achieve before I was 30 - the first and only time I have ever made such a list. I promptly forgot about it, until I found it at around 32 and just mentally adjusted the timeframes to 35, then 40 etc.

48. The list primarily was focused on having a place of my own and a child of my own... but makes no reference to having a partner

49. I'm obviously a late bloomer, or a late rebel... getting a tattoo at 38, around the same time I started tap dancing, and now joining a choir at 46

50. A friend wanted to know what was I going to do next.. and I said.. I don't know - stand up comedy? To which she replied, "actually that wouldn't surprise me at all"

SEVEN: DO YOU THINK I'M SEXY...
51. My first proper french kiss was a guy called Burkey... it was horrible... and worse, he told everyone, and I didn't kiss anyone again for a number of years

52. I had a major crush on a guy in high school who referred to me as Blob... I used to call him Shithead... he once said to me "What are you going to be when you grow up? You can't be an elephant in disguise all your life!" starting me on my path of being fatally attracted to sarcastic, clever bastards!

53. I mooned over a boy through primary and high school and only discovered at my 20 year high school reunion that he'd had a crush on me too...

54. For most of my teens and 20s, I thought I was not attractive as a female... an 'honorary boy' who used to hang with the guys, talk to them, but they rarely tried to grope or kiss me. It is only now looking back that I realise quite a few of them were probably interested in me, but I was totally oblivious and clueless.

55. Flirting is much easier when I'm a bit liquored up... now that I rarely drink, I find it difficult to really flirt... I miss it!

56. Because I am naturally curious about people including all things male, I've often found myself having the weirdest conversations about men and sex... and it confuses men no end, just cause I'm happy to discuss sex doesn't mean I actually want to have it... well, not with you, anyway!

EIGHT: WORKING FOR THE MAN...
57. I started working part-time in gift/record/lotto shop at 14, earning the princely sum of .75c an hour. Within a month, I was doing all the lotto bookwork and continued to work part-time until I left high school

58. I left school and went straight into a full time job, and I've never been unemployed since

59. I have been a mail sorter (specialising in postcodes - almost 30 years later I can still remember most Melbourne suburban codes), receptionist, secretary, reception clerk, book-keeper, payroll officer, office manager, executive assistant, project officer and now, an OH&S advisor

60. I have worked for hotels and motels, a major arts festival, an independent economic research institute, a disability support service, an architectural practice, a major cultural institution, a TAFE college and now a local government

61. I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up...

NINE: A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME...
62. I moved into a share house at 19, my room was a hexagonal room (former dining room) with lime green and yellow flock wallpaper so bright that sometimes I could still see it on my eyelids with my eyes closed.

63. The one guy who lived there (married to one of the women) was caught with his eye to keyhole of one of the other girl's bedrooms (his wife's sister).

64. I was the only person who worked full-time, the others all students with waiting jobs, so I would come home to discover they'd used up all the milk and bread and taken the 'kitty' money to buy fish and chips.

65. I hated it so much, that I started going home on weekends, supposedly so that I could do my washing, that gradually extended in to staying 3 to 4 days a week, and I discovered I'd slowly moved most of my belongings back

66. I moved back temporarily, and agreed to take over the mortgage with my brother when my parents separated so that my Mum didn't lose the house, and ended up staying for almost 20 years

67. I moved out 5 years ago... after agonising over having the conversation that I wanted to live on my own for nearly 12 months, and did the big blurt and was gone in less than a month

68. I live with Gertie and Gracie, two tortoiseshell cats... Gracie spends most of her time hiding under furniture or under the doona sleeping, only appearing briefly to eat, and occasionally when she's really tired, have a cuddle

69. Gertie, on the other hand, is my girl... wherever I am, she is... or at least she makes sure I am in eye contact... she is curled up on a beanbag at my feet as I write this, occasionally stretching out to give my foot a nudge

70. I never realised until I moved out on my own how much I crave silence and my own company

71. I don't think I will ever willingly share my home with someone again...

TEN: WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS...
72. One of my closest friends sat next to me in prep class... apart from family, she's the person I've known the longest in my life and I love her to bits... a single mother of 4, she's off doing a "Shirley Valentine' in Greece - away on her own for the next 3 months, the first time since she was 18... I am so proud of her

73. My friends are my family... and while different people move in and out of my life, I have amassed the most amazing group of friends, who make it possible for me to be me...

74. As I get older I find that what male friends I had have, for the most part, drifted away. A lot of them finding it impossible to maintain a friendship with me once they have partnered up or married.

75. MFL is one of the exceptions... I have been in love and now loved him for over 25 years... and while we don't see each other often, I know if I need him he will be there for me, as I will be for him

ELEVEN: DAMN, I WISH I WAS YOUR LOVER...
76. While there have been men through my life that I have been attracted to, there are only 3, possibly 4, that I think of as being important

77. If I like you, then we can be friends, but I need to more than like you to be your lover

78. Boomerang Boy told me that from the beginning, there was nothing casual about me, which is ironic really, as I never placed any expectations on him or a future together, other than I wanted to be with him... for how ever long it seemed right

79. I'd like to think that there is one more 'great love' out there for me...

80. If I can't have one more 'great love' than I guy who makes me feel lust in my panty region on a regular basis would do...

81. Oh, and he has to live within a 10 klm radius, be available to satisfy that lust whenever I want him to, and fete me as the goddess I am...

82. And cook too...

TWELVE: SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS...
83. As previously stated, I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up yet...

84. Though I always dreamed of owning a bookshop and/or being a writer

85. Through this blog I've discovered that maybe I could be a writer, though I've yet to determine in what forum

86. I'd find it difficult to write full time, my style is anecdotal - I am a storyteller... a participator rather than a spectator... in order to write, I need to interact with others

87. It has been suggested, more than once, that I would make a good therapist... as I am interested in what motivates people, and that I am a good listener, this might be a good career choice for me

88. I, of course, scoff at the notion - with echoes of "physician heal thyself" flashing through my mind

89. That's not to say that I wouldn't be interested in doing some study either in transpersonal therapy or psychology

90. I dream of making a difference... even if that difference is just that I've impacted in a positive way on those people I have met and allowed into my life

91. I've also dreamed of accepting an Academy Award - triple award winner - for writing, directing and starring in a fantabulous movie... oh and singing the theme song!

92. Of course, my Oscar date is my friend with benefits... Mr Clooney...

THIRTEEN: THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT I'VE GOT TO WEAR SHADES...
93. I am eternally optimistic... a glass half full, Pollyanna type of girl

94. I have to believe in basic human decency... though I realise that the world is a scary place these days

95. But on a personal level, these days are, for the most part, good...

96. I'm still a 'gunna' - gunna do this and gunna do that... but I'm happy to be that way... for the first time, genuinely happy with my lot.

97. I feel like I am still at the beginning of my life, though my physical self occasionally has to remind me that that is in fact, not so.

98. It is the journey that is important to me, not the destination...

99. And my fervent wish is that many of you will continue to share my journey with me as I bumble along... singing out of tune, dancing like a dork and laughing like a loon...

100. To be continued...

Thursday Thirteen #10... 13 Things about Pluto and Firing the Grid

Today's Thursday 13 is what the Nature Boy would call me and my 'fluffy chakra, airy/fairy stuff'... so ...

One: The Galactic Centre is the centre of the Milky Way, 30,000 light years away, and hidden from optical view by dust clouds, but is said to include a massive black hole. You can see a fantastic photo here. Astrologically, the Galactic Centre is located near the end of the sign of Sagittarius.


Two: Between December 2006 and October 2007, Pluto, the slowest moving planet (I know, I know, it's not technically a planet any more, but) will align or conjunct with the Galactic Centre. The three critical dates were it is in alignment are 29 December 2006, 17th July 2007, 28th October 2007

Three: Pluto was discovered in the early 1930s and has been linked to the rise of fascism, the onset of the Great Depression and the creation of atomic power.

Four: Pluto takes approximately 248 years to orbit the sun, and the last time it was in conjunction with the Galactic Centre was in 1745 on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution.

Five: Astrologically, key words or phrases that represent Pluto are transformation, renewal, death/rebirth, evolution, degeneration and regeneration. This Planet's energy is often focused on the masses and what the collective will do. Asking us to look inward (and to our subconscious) to see what's there.

Six: At 11.11am Greenwich Mean Time on Tuesday 17th July 2007 (the 2nd Pluto conjunction with the Galactic Centre) there is a worldwide plea to Fire The Grid of the earth to send healing energy to the earth's core.

Seven: Its simple... on or around 11.11am GMT (9.11pm here on the east coast of Australia - here is a link to a time clock for you to calculate your own time if you'd like) people of all faiths and beliefs, either alone or in groups, are being asked to pray or meditate for one hour to help to heal the planet and to reflect on our individual inner journeys.

Eight: Shelley Yates has a website Fire the Grid, were she discusses her own personal journey and explains the premise behind firing the grid in more detail.

Nine: Whether or not you believe fully in Shelley's story is immaterial. I think this would be a lovely and worthwhile thing to do anyway, to reinforce a sense of faith in both ourselves as humans, and the planet we live in. It's an hour of our time, that can be nothing other than beneficial, if only to give us a brief respite from what seems to be a world racing ahead of us or to provide some personal insights.

Ten: I know personally, and in conversations with friends I know I am not the only one, that this year has held a sense of change, that I myself have been going through a strong sense of personal transformation, a feeling that I and others are on the cusp of something that has never been experienced before and with that comes both excitement and fear.

Eleven: As I am still not feeling very well, I had already resolved to nourish myself both physically and emotionally a lot more than I have been doing lately. As someone who lives almost exclusively in her head, I am often forgetful of even the most basic human needs like sleep, food, drink... if it wasn't something by body did automatically, I suspect I'd forget to breathe.

Twelve: So on Tuesday evening I will be trying to leave work at a normal hour, to come home and have a simple dinner, change into sweats, burn some essential oils, play some calming music, light candles and meditate, and hopefully then sleep.

Thirteen: If you decide to also participate, and you feel comfortable doing so, I'd love to hear how you went. I'll be recording any feelings/ impressions in my meditation journal.

Thursday Thirteen #9... 13 Random Thoughts from a Space Cadet

Well, I'm sorry I've been away... head cold turned into a major dose of flu, still not quite up to scratch, but getting there slowly. Thank you to all of you for lovely messages... nice to know I was missed a little...

So, today's Thursday Thirteen - the week that was for me...

One - learning to sing songs in another language (koori, polynesian and east timorese) is a bit difficult when you feel like you're walking around with a bucket on your head... could barely hear anyone at 2nd choir rehearsal

Two - singing in a group is also a bit of a waste of time in the same circumstances. Miss La De Da was asking me if I was actually singing, to which I replied, yes - loudly from my end - she thought I was miming! Maybe I was practising how I'm going to survive the concerts? Though singing the chorus of Singing in the Rain with my tongue out, knees bent and bum out as part of the warm-up exercise was great fun.

Three - for someone who struggles to sleep, I think I've made up for this year's insomnia in the last week... though fever induced dreams are often less than restful.

Four - I'm going to struggle to look a work colleague in the eye next time I see him considering the fever induced dream I had about him... though I was a bit disappointed on briefly waking that I didn't go back into the dream... hooley dooley... if I didn't already have a fever I sure did after!

Five - Feed the cold, starve the fever they say... pity everything tastes so bloody awful... knew I was really sick when even chocolate couldn't tempt me.

Six - Is it just me, or do other people hate blowing their nose? I hate it, such an inelegant thing to do... particularly when you're full of head cold

Seven - and speaking of noses, why is it that one nostril always gets blocked and the other drips non- stop?

Eight - I am so glad that I kept all my daggy, soft flannel shirts and leggings. I've lived in them for the last week, with big fluffy bedsocks... what with ratty hair, and a red nose and cracked lips I looked a treat... just as well as I live on my own... fancy coming home to that!

Nine - I had a quiet sob to myself at one stage, cause I was on my own... all I wanted was someone to give me a hug... it's hugs and cuddles that I miss more than anything about being single

Ten - Despite being full of snot, I managed to get to my Winter Solstice ceremony, it was lovely, though my meditation was probably temperature induced, had visions of a cavern with a circle of fire rising up to meet a circle of stalactites, which melted and smoked... was told I needed both fire and water, need both to be balanced.

Eleven - If you're going to be a bit spacey, might as well make the most of it, so have been reading Harry Potter - have read the first 3 books pretty much back to back, am now started on number 4.

Twelve - Engaged in even more spaceyness, by spending all of yesterday curled up on the couch watching the first 12 episodes of Heroes... wow, what a fantastic show... perfectly suited my wants and needs...

Thirteen - I've had 12 days of sleepy, dozy, spacey, snotty, achey, shakeydom (only need 1 more and I've got my own version of the seven dwarfs - have you met my friend pukey?)

Thursday Thirteen #8... A Hazy Shade of Winter

Today is the Winter Solstice here in the Southern Hemisphere so I bring you 13 things about the Winter Solstice.

One: Solstice is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still. The winter solstice -- the first day of winter, when it is the shortest day and the longest night. From this point on, each day will progressively lengthen till the summer solstice on December 21st

Two: The Winter Solstice can also be referred as Jul, Yule, Yuletide, Midwinter, Feill Fionnain, Alban Arthan

Three: The earliest recorded Australian Midwinter bonfire was lit in Moonta, the night leading into June 24, 1862 by Cornish immigrants carrying on the European Midsummer tradition. The Midwinter bonfire holiday also began in Burra soon after. Currently, Yulefest is observed by various Australians, often starting on a weekend in late June.

Four: In Ancient Greece, the winter solstice ritual was called Lenaea, the Festival of the Wild Women. In the forest, a man or bull representing the harvest god, Dionysus, was torn to pieces and eaten by Maenads. Later in the ritual, a baby, representing Dionysus reborn, was presented. By Classical Greece, the human sacrifice had been replaced by that of a goat and the women's role had changed to that of funeral mourners and observers of the birth.

Five: In celtic tradition, the solstices and equinoxes all occur at about midpoint in each season. While the Solstices were not as important to the ancient celts as the major fire festivals; Lughnasadh (August 1); Beltane (May Day, May 1); Imbolc (February 1- Bridgit); and Samhain (November 1, Halloween), many believe there was celebration. Of the solstices and equinoxes, the Winter Solstice was the most important, since it marked the rebirth of the sun after the shortest day.

Six: Soyalangwul is the winter solstice ceremony of the Zuni and the Hopitu Shinumu, "The Peaceful Ones", also known as the Hopi Indians. It is held on December 21st, the shortest day of the year. The main purpose of the ritual is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter slumber. It also marks the beginning of another cycle of the Wheel of the Year, and is a time for purification.

Seven: The solstice commemorates the death of the Holly King identified with the wren bird (symbolizing the old year and the shortened sun) at the hands of his son and successor, the robin redbreast Oak King (the new year and the new sun that begins to grow)

Eight: Other deities associated with the solstice are Lucina, Frey, Nerthus, Woden, Herne, Atthar, Sunna, Sul, Amaterasu, Isis, Osiris, Apollo

Nine: In the present day, some see this as a good time to make reflect on the last 12 months and meditate and make affirmations for the coming year

Ten: On Monday night, a group of friends will get together and meditate on the Winter Solstice. We will each bring something from the earth, either food or foliage and a candle/s that symbolises what we would like to bring forth for the coming year.

Eleven: Candle Colours (based on chakras): Violet/Purple - Self knowledge, spiritual awareness, Indigo (deep blue) Intuition, the unconscious, physic powers, Blue - Self Expression, communication, speech, wisdom, Green or Pink - Love/ Self Love, Yellow - Self Worth, Curiosity, connecting the ego and intellect, Orange -Self Respect, the freedom to be yourself, remove inhibitions, social and independence Red - Self Awareness, Connecting to your physical self particularly your sexuality, strong connection with the earth

Twelve: I went shopping for candles today, and found myself buying a pink, a green and a blue candle. Having found before that on the day I suddenly feel a need for a different colour, I'm covering some bases, and will take all three with me, and possible a Purple one as well and decide on the night

Thirteen: I am looking forward to this night... it starts the beginning of another term of meditations, having only met sporadically over the last few months, the group of 6 as a whole decided that we need to meet more regularly. I'm not sure whether it is the meditation itself or the love and support I feel from this group of remarkable women, but it always feels like sanctuary when I walk through the door, and while meditating is often difficult as I struggle to switch my brain off... I always feel profoundly altered, calm and energised at the same time.

"And from that day on, we've honored and celebrated it. It's a time of rebirth for our wishes and our dreams. A time of coming together in joy and peace. It's the shortest day of the year and the longest night. But on this special night a new light, a new chance, is born to us all. So it's a time for miracles and goodwill towards all living creatures. That's why the Winter's Solstice means so much and touches us all so deeply"... Gabrielle, Xena Warrior Princess

Thursday Thirteen #7... the 13 Wants of V...

There are only two tragedies in life:
one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it
Oscar Wilde

Well, I've played the "What Does V... need?" game, as have lots of others... but I was curious to see "What Does V... Want?" To play along, simply type "(your name) wants" into Google's search engine and be amazed, astonished and astounded...so without further ado, Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you the 13 Wants of V...

One: V... wants to be fatally gorgeous... aren't I already?

Two: V... wants to be a duck... been there, done that... and have the feathered arse to prove it... A fatally gorgeous duck I was too... tap dancing on stage to Singing in the Rain... and no, you can't see the photos.

Three: V... wants to do gospel. She is the only person who can sing the telephone book in Swahili and make it sound good! ... um, yeah right, but I'll soon be able to tell you, as I start rehearsals next week for the Melbourne Millennium Chorus, and am fully expecting them to look at me kindly, while they offer me a full refund and show me politely to the door...

Four: V... wants to be great and to receive the love and applause of an adoring audience... singing quietly... I have confidence, in confidence alone... besides which you see, I have confidence in me... oh crap!

Five: V... wants to go out tomorrow night ... yeah, she does, and she is, have been invited to go eat Spanish food with some lovely lads and lassies from work ... (I know that sounds funny, scottish folk eating spanish food.. but I kid you not I am going to a Scots pub famous for its paella and sangria!)

Six: V... wants to write now... well, actually not right now, maybe later... am so tired... (oh, I've used that line before... but it was when someone asked for something else!)

Seven: V... wants to sleep now... see I told you...

Eight: V... wants to spend every day as if there was no tomorrow. Although Vikki may seem immature and childish she in fact is very wise, intelligent and caring... couldn't resist adding the following sentence... see, I iz all grown up, so pfft!

Nine: V... wants some men with big feet... well you know what they say about big feet! All the better to help me with item eleven! Though the plural men has got me worried... truly, just one man would do...

Ten: V... wants a hero to idolize and adore, someone to wholeheartedly admire and be proud of... with really, really big feet!

Eleven: V... wants risky sex... I think that means the sex where her mum says "I'm just going to get some milk" and you have to have REALLY fast sex on the kitchen table before she gets back... I swear, that was the actual following sentence... sex, sex, it all comes down to sex ...

Twelve: V... wants it all - love, sex, art, sex, life, passion, - all that plus the butterflies in the stomach feeling of a new romance! ... who me? Well, if you insist...

And finally... to end on a serious and cultured note:

Thirteen: V... wants her name changed to Tricksy McF@#ckalot ... I am speechless...

Thursday Thirteen #6...It was a dark and stormy night

My 13 Favourite Bulwer-Lytton Contest entries.

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton wrote the following opening paragraph in Paul Clifford, 1830: It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals,when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness."

The annual Bulwer-Lytton Contest, sponsored by the English Department of the San Jose State University first started in 1982 and can attract 10,000 entries each year for composing the opening sentence for the worst possible novel. There is a website where you can find the rules of the contest and some of the past winners and dishonourable mentions. Compiled below are some of my favourites from the 2006 contest.

Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you've had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean. Jim Quigli, Carmichael CA - 2006 Winner

"I know what you're thinking, punk," hissed Wordy Harry to his new editor, "you're thinking, 'Did he use six superfluous adjectives or only five?' - and to tell the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement; but being as this is English, the most powerful language in the world, whose subtle nuances will blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' - well do you, punk?" Stuart Vasepuru, Edinburgh, Scotland - 2006 Runner Up

It was a day, like any other day, in that Linus got up, faced the sunrise, used his inhaler, applied that special cream between his toes, wrote a quick note and put it in a bottle, and wished he'd been stranded on the island with something other than 40 cases each of inhalers, decorative bottles, and special toe cream. Chris Harget, Campbell CA - Dishonourable mention - Adventure, 2006

When Debbie decided that Salt 'n' Pepper Beard was the most attractive pirate on the ship, she realized that choosing him was due to the advice of Sylvia, her new Life Coach, to be realistic about her own age and to open herself up to romance where it lay, unlike the troublesome past where she would have wished that only the younger pirates take advantage of her. Jim Guigli, Carmichael, CA - Dishonourable Mention - Historical Fiction 2006

Lisa moved like a cat, not the kind of cat that moves with a slinky grace but more like the kind that always falls off the book shelf when he's washing himself and then gets all mad at you like it's your fault (which it wasn't although it probably was kind of mean to laugh at him like that), although on the bright side, she hardly ever attacked Ricky's toes in his sleep. Debra Allen, Wichita Falls, TX - Dishonourable Mention, Purple Prose, 2006

Sex with Rachel after she turned fifty was like driving the last-place team on the last day of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, the point no longer the ride but the finish, the difficulty not the speed but keeping all the parts moving in the right direction, not to mention all that irritating barking. Dan Winters, Los Altos Hills, CA - Runner up, Romance, 2006

Herr Professor Doktor Weiss' reputation was made when he conclusively proved the fraudulency of the Mayan codex that claimed to show that that ancient people knew the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter to an exactitude unknown until modern times, in his article, "Bye, Bye, Mesoamerican Pi." John L. Drost, Barboursville, WV - Runner up, Vile Puns, 2006

Cheralynn posed before the unblinking mirror, panting weakly, as her private surgeon hovered around her, tightening the straps on her custom-made girdle, and it dawned on her for the first time in her pampered, overindulged 49 years, that it was only a matter of time before she would succumb to Furniture Disease, and her chest would fall into her drawers. Tracey MacDonald, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Dishonourable Mentions, Vile Puns, 2006

Butch glared balefully across the saloon at Tex, who had been stone dead since the scorpion he had unwittingly sat on had bitten him on the butt some half an hour or so ago, little suspecting that this was going to be his toughest staring contest since the one against old Glass-eyed Juan, during the great sand-storm of '42, at the height of the Arizona conjunctivitis epidemic. Geoff Blackwell, Bundaberg QLD, Australia - Runner Up, Western 2006

Getting the performance rating of highly successful, although clearly nothing to be ashamed of, left Blevins somewhat oddly dissatisfied, like when you realize, upon having the triage nurses greet your ambulance, that your underwear, as far as you can determine, is in pretty decent condition, but you'll, nonetheless, never pull through the surgery. Jim Lubell, Mechanicsville, Maryland - Miscellaneous Dishonourable Mention, 2006

Ah, yes, it was a beautiful face with skin smoother than pumice and breath fresher than a twenty-five-day-old tuna sandwich stored for safe keeping in a Wichita schoolgirl's lunchbox, and I found myself beset, nay, overcome, with twin urges: to ravish her there and then on the cash register, or to slough off the skin of my calloused feet on the stubble of her chin. Cathy Bannister, Kaleen, Canberra, Australia,Miscellaneous Dishonourable Mention, 2006

The day was like any other, except that this was a Wednesday so it was really only like 1/7th of the other days. Randy Wilson, New Albany, IN, Miscellaneous Dishonourable Mention, 2006

Frank took one look at Tina's moderately shapely legs, her adequate waist, her decent bosom, and her not-unattractive face, and said to himself "Well, hello Miss You'll-Do-Until-Something-Better-Comes-Along!" Lawrence Person, Austin, TX, Miscellaneous Dishonourable Mention, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #5...A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul... Phillip Moffat

I rent my home, and it meets my needs more than adequately, but it's not mine! So, I look at the online real estate sites and look at houses and floor plans and imagine my things inside them. Oh, I like that kitchen, yuk that paint colour is awful.

I moved out of home into a share house at 19, and had a miserable experience, and moved back to my parents home, temporarily, 18 months later. And didn't leave again, until 5 years ago... instead, with my brother, I bought the house - it is ours, though it will always be my mother's home - and hence I will always need to live elsewhere. Because I moved out with almost nothing, I had the advantage of money in my pocket and the ability to plan and pick what I wanted, and I surprised a lot of my closest friends when they discovered when it comes to house furnishings I'm fairly old-fashioned. Not sure why they were so surprised, as I've always loved old and kitschy things, trawling trash and treasure markets for bargains... like Bakelite canisters, and funky vegetable shaped crockery... I even have a set of flying ducks on my entry wall...

Anyway, if I were to built the house of dreams, these are the 13 things I would have... in no particularly order of importance...

One: An Attic I prefer houses that have lots of different rooms than big open spaces, while I can admire warehouse style living, it's not for me. And ever since I was a little girl, reading about the March sisters in their attic, I've dreamt of having one... whether as a space to retreat or as a bedroom

Two: Bath I love to play in the bath... and a bath big enough for two is my idea of bliss. I could live out every Cleopatra fantasy I've ever had in this bathroom.... milk bath anyone? Only think missing is a bookshelf... and the odd semi-naked man slave...

Three: Bedroom isn't the open fireplace gorgeous.. and the wing back chairs, and the white bed cover. A big soft bed, with lots of pillows, a fireplace, somewhere to sit while you put your socks on, lots of natural light... perfect!

I have a 1930s era cast iron bed, that sat in the shed at Mum's house for years, but I sanded and painted it cream when I moved. It's got a high head and foot, and stands close to a metre off the ground... everyone laughs at how high it is, asking if I need a footstool to get into it... MLDD calls it my Princess and the Pea bed... I love it.

Four:Conservatory isn't this an amazing space? Of course, during an Australian summer this space would be unbearable, but during autumn and winter it would be well used.

Can easily imagine curling up on the chaise lounge reading a book, or cuddling with a boy, listening to music and talking and fooling around. A glass of wine, a plate of fruit, cheese, crackers... Beulah peel me a grape!

Five: Guest Suite I have a spare room at present, that is also my junk room, ironing, filing cabinets, baskets of quilt fabrics and projects... anything I want to keep out of my living room.

It would be lovely to have a room that could be kept for guests. A nice bed, a comfy couch, a table to write at, a small bookshelf of bedtime reading.

Six:Country Kitchen considering I am a self-confessed undomestic goddess, I'm particular about kitchens... I want a white and timber kitchen, with lots of space to display all that funky and kitschy stuff I've collected. It needs to have lots of natural light, and lots and lots of cupboards... I like the bookshelves too.

I think even I'd cook if I had a kitchen like this.

Seven: A Library this is a must have, a place for all my books. And again, I like light, bright spaces. While I can admire the dark timbered libraries, I'd much prefer something like this.
With a mandatory soft and squishy couch, and preferably an open fireplace and lots of lamps. Bit of a theme being established here... isn't there. To be honest, I'd have bookshelves in every room of the house, if I had my way.

Eight: Breakfast Nook don't ask me why I like these, I just do. MLDD's family used to live in a 1930s era house that has a built in eatery, and I loved it.

Imagine playing footsies with someone here on a Sunday morning while you have a big breakfast and sharing the papers.


Nine: A Wrap Around Verandah warm summer evenings, sitting outside watching the world go by.

An afternoon tea party, with butterfly cakes, and sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and a pot of tea, or homemade lemonade, served on mismatched china covered in rosebuds and violets.

Ten:Quilt Studio oh, how lovely it would be to have a dedicated space for playing with needle and thread. Doesn't the wall of colour look amazing... I would be so inspired to create more if I could have a space like this, instead of everything crammed into boxes and baskets stored all over the house.






Eleven: Windowseats something else I'd love to have in every room of the house.

Welcome to Miss Frou Frou's house of laziness, indulgence and sloth...






Twelve: Sadie, the Cleaning Lady Meet Sadie... she's the second most important part of my wishlist (see 13!) If I'm going to have all this room, this is not a nice to have but a necessity. Repeat after me - UNDOMESTIC GODDESS










Thirteen: Seriously, do I need to explain this?

Thursday Thirteen #4...The Wisdom of Pooh and more words from Frou

Winnie-the-Pooh and the creatures of the 100 acre wood are wonderful creations of whimsy, I was never a fan of the disneyised versions, but can remember loving the original A.A. Milne's stories, Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner, and Milne's books of children's poetry, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. In the same way I have discovered the adult wisdom in the works of Dr. Suess, Milne had amazing things to say, both silly and profound...

One: “If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.” ...wouldn't this be a lovely thing to say to your true love...

Two: “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”... short responses rock indeed ...

Three: “You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ... how easy it would be to hide away in my little corner of the Forest...

Four: “Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered. "Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."” ... all together now, sigh... I've done this so many times...

Five: “Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.” ... this isn't something I struggle with at all, my favourite gaze is of the navel variety...

Six: “People who don't think probably don't have brains; rather, they have grey fluff that's blown into their heads by mistake.” ... I wonder if you can get a lint remover for brains?... imagining pushing a bottlebrush through one ear and pulling it out the other...

Seven: “If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms.” ... shall remember this while trying not to make a total arse of myself at Melbourne Millennium Chorus rehearsals... me...singing... in public... in front of thousands... tiddely pom, tiddely pom, tiddely pom, oh crap!

Eight: “When late morning rolls around and you're feeling a bit out of sorts, don't worry; you're probably just a little eleven o'clockish.” ... I'm eleven o'clockish daily...

Nine: “Pooh looked at his two paws. He knew that one of them was the right, and he knew that when you had decided which one of them was the right, then the other was the left, but he never could remember how to begin” ... I couldn't distinguish my left from right until I was a teenager, and even now have to stop and orient myself, though interestingly I also seem to know which way is north!

Ten: "When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you think of Things, you sometimes find that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it" ... probably the best description of the contradiction of the inside of my head and my thoughts and feelings and the outside...

Eleven: "They're funny things, Accidents. You never have them till you're having them" ... wondering if I could use this as part of my health and safety training?

Twelve: “Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon” ... amen...

Thirteen: “A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise” ... double amen...

And just for fun, sing along with Frou...

The more it snows (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
The more it goes (Tiddely pom),
On snowing.
And nobody knows (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
How cold my toes (Tiddely pom),
Are growing.

Thursday Thirteen #3...13 Aussie Songbirds

In last week's Thursday Thirteen, Rhian posted about 13+ Georgia bands/musicians, about the same time I was thinking about doing a TT on Australian music, and then decided to do one on some of my favourite Aussie musical chicks...I realise for my overseas bloggy pals, you won't have heard of some of these, so have linked to sites like YouTube where you'll get a bit of an idea.

One... Divinyls (Chrissie Amphlett) Boys in Town, 1981 - ...I think they're pretty phoney, you're not like the rest, you've heard of matrimony, they've all flunked that test... released on the Monkey Grip soundtrack, based on the Helen Garner novel, the band also featured in the film... great movie, great music.

Two... Pat Wilson - Bop Girl, 1983 - our own answer to Cyndi Lauper! Check out the clip and you'll see a very young, frizzy haired Nicole Kidman...

Three... Eurogliders (Grace Knight) Heaven ( must be there), 1984 - I loved Grace Knight bopping around... she also sings cool 40's torch songs...

Four... Do Re Mi (Deborah Conway) Man Overboard, 1985 ...your pubic hairs are on my pillow, your stubble raids the sink...you talk about penis envy, your friends applaud, what am I expected to do - shout Man Overboard... great lyrics that saw the song banned from some radio playlists at the time.

Five... Kate Ceberano - Bedroom Eyes, 1988 - aarh, Katie is all woman, she started performing at 15 and has covered the gamut of musical genres.

Six... Kylie Minogue - Better the Devil You Know, 1990 - our own Singing Budgie... will admit, I like Kylie... simply, infectious dance songs... why not?

Seven... Frente (Angie Hart) - Bizarre Love Triangle, 1995 - from Marvin the Album. This great, little girl voice...

Eight... Bachelor Girl (Tania Doko) - Buses and Trains, 1998 - ... So I walked under a bus, I got hit by a train, Keep falling in love, Which is kinda the same... 'nuff said...

Nine... Christine Anu - My Island Home, 2000 - I love this song, not a great sound, recorded at the Sydney Olympic Games

Ten... Killing Heidi (Ella Hooper) Weir, 2001 ... for one so young Ella has an amazing musical knowledge, this song was off the band's first album

Eleven... Kasey Chambers - I Not Pretty Enough, 2002 ... am I not pretty enough? is my heart too broken? do I cry too much? Am I too outspoken? Don't I make you laugh? Should I try it harder? Why do you see right through me?... this song has had a huge number of parody songs written about it... at the time it was released I was dealing with the fact that the person I loved was choosing to marry someone else, despite telling me that he loved me... so it got played a lot... recently The Choir of Hard Knocks sang it at their gala concert, and this wonderful group of homeless and disadvantaged people who sing like angels added another layer to the song for me.

Twelve... Amiel - Lovesong, 2003 - ... Thanks you've been fuel for thought, Now I'm more lonely than before, But, thats okay, I've just 'ready made another f**king love song... censored to I've just 'ready made another stupid love song... have to add Addicted to Bass to this list... we used to tap dance to this... it was bloody hard, but fun

Thirteen... Katie Noonan - Time To Begin, 2007 - Katie Noonan sings like an angel... this is her first solo single, previously she was lead singer with the band, George.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Thursday Thirteen #2...13 Things about my name/s

Am posting this Wednesday night as I have to be up and out early tomorrow morning and not sure when I'll get home!



In setting up this blog I tried hard to ensure that I was relatively anonymous, and pretty much had that blown out of the water the first time someone from RL posted a comment, when they outed me... so... my name is Vikki, and I'm a blogger...

Thirteen Things ABOUT MY NAME/S...
One: Miss Frou Frou is my tap dancing name, given to me by a work colleague cause he used to laugh ever time I came to work moaning and groaning and often limping having kicked myself in the heel with my tap shoe as an Absolute Beginner at Miss Lou Lou's Tap Dancing Academy

Two: My real name is Vicki, but someone years ago, used to regularly send me a telex (I told you it was years ago) with my name miss spelt to VIKKI... and something about the way it looked appealed to me, so I started to use it.

Three: My mother hated the way I spelt my name insisting that my name was spelt Vicki, until we were organising wills etc. and I discovered that she too changed the spelling of her name when she was 18 - she should be a Loris but she spells it Lauris after a book character.

Four: I've been told by a numerologist that I should revert back to my original spelling if I want to have a successful relationship. What does it say about me that I'd rather have my name spelt the way I want than a man!

Five: At work, in my department there are two Vicki's. The head of the department started referring to me as Vikki 2K from the beginning, and it has now spread across the organisation and is occasionally shortened to V2K.

Six: A former work colleague, who jokingly referred to me as Victoria repeatedly, when I protested, started calling me Queensland instead (Victoria is a state in Australia, as is Queensland - get it!). Mind you, this is the same man, that called Romy, 'where for art thou' - certainly confusing visitors by regularly bursting into the office saying 'Queensland, where is where for art thou?' - to which I'd calmly reply - 'at the bank'

Seven: Boomerang Boy rarely called me by name, to the point that I used to often feel I could have been anyone to him. He used to say that saying my name out loud made him feel funny, but couldn't explain why. I stopped using his name in retaliation and he didn't notice....

Eight: So I notice when men freely use my name, it makes me trust them... when maybe sometimes I shouldn't...

Nine: Having a name starting with V often means you get picked last. And thinking about hosting a party with a theme come as something that starts with the first letter of your name can be restrictive: - vase, violin, vamp, vixen, vampire - and always some wag who suggests you come as a vibrat0r.

Ten: It's surprising the way people can miss spell my name - I've had Viki, Vickie, Vicky and my personal favourite when you spell it and say it's a double K - Vickkie - they're just hedging their bets.

Eleven: And people have trouble pronouncing it too... kids kind of lisp it out ... giving it a 'w' sound .... wicki... my cousin used to call me wicki or wicks and then his dad started calling me wickers. And a workmate used to call me 'picki' - completely unable to pronounce the 'v' regardless of coaching.

Twelve: My mother wanted to call me Melissa, cause she liked it. At the time, 1961, it wasn't a particularly popular name, but became much more popular later, one of my closest friends is a Melissa as is my god-sister. My Dad wanted to call me Gwenda or Judith, after old girlfriends.

Thirteen: So were did Vicki come from? I was named after the lawn mower...arguing over a girls name almost up to my birth, my Dad was mowing the lawn and said to my Mum, what do you think of Vicki? She liked it, and I'm thankful, but even more thankful that the lawnmower was a Victa and not a Black and Decker!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Thursday Thirteen #1...

Thirteen Things I'D RATHER BE DOING THAN THIS...

I work as a Safety Adviser and in conversations this week about various hazards, like wrangling cattle to prevent them racing on to a major road in peak hour, a plaque of ants of seven signs of the Apocalypse proportions and shaking my head vehemently when someone offered to take me up on to the roof to demonstrate the fall arrest system, I'm starting to think I really made the wrong career decisions... so, 13 possible career choices that would suit me much better:

One: Secondhand Book Seller - would love to have a funky little shop crammed with books, and a resident cat, and a big red velvet couch for people to sprawl on and read to their hearts content.

Two: Teller of Fortunes - preferably with the gypsies...

Three: Clown - I'm so clumsy most of the time, I should go to clown school to learn how to pratfall properly, without doing myself an injury... another reason being a Safety Adviser is not a smart career move... do as I say and not as I do!

Four: Voice Artist - my one asset, I have a voice that people find appealing, particularly when they can hear me but not see me. Of course, there are those who think it would be best suited to voice overs of the 'Call me, call me, now' variety... but really anything would do. And bonus, I wouldn't have to worry about what I looked like.

Five: Quiz Show Contestant - surely the wealth of completely and utterly useless information accumulated in my head, must be worth something? They don't call me the Trivia Queen for nothing.

Six: Night Patrol Person - with my body clock now almost permanently on the sleeping all day, awake all night mode... this would be a much more logical choice for me

Seven: Vampire - see explanation for six

Eight: Event Planner - while my friend Cheesegirl is the party planner extraordinaire, I'm discovering I'm not too bad at it myself...

Nine: Web Based Quilt Shop Owner - would love to be able to buy and sell quilt supplies, but don't have enough expertise to run a face to face shop, so an online quilt shop would suit me better, and I could still probably sleep all day, up all night... rather than have to be there to open the doors at a particular hour

Ten: Personal Shopper - that would be the coolest job, to spend other people's money!

Eleven: Backing Singer - I'd like to do this, but am in no way suited to it... they'd have to do the Yoko thing and turn the mike off... but I'd love to be behind the band, doing the do wop stuff and Tamla Motown Supremes era dance moves.... oh... forgot... dancing... in sync with others... not a great idea!

Twelve: Millionaire's Kept Woman - (see 10) joking with the Nature Boy this week I did say I need to find a millionaire who will keep me in the style I wish to be accustomed to who would expect nothing in return. He said, well surely you'd give him something... like what says I.... I don't know, cook him the odd meal... and then I laughed till I pee'd... I'd better marry him in that case, cause I'd be a widow all too soon... botulism anyone?

Thirteen: Writer... sigh... is there a market for weird, flying by the seat of my pants, type random musings of the slightly more than strange variety?



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


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