%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
For the avoidance of doubt... Yes... I definitely have an opinion... |
 Welcome to my Blog!! Having an opinion is better than not having a thought of your own. I have many of both.... Pull up a pew and grab a hot, steaming mug of your choice. |
| Prompt: Outer Space - True or false, a whole lot of information is on the web about the outer space these days, by means of Nasa, James Webb telescope, and the Voyager probes. Do you believe in what they tell us about UFOs and/or life on other planets and space? *** I am a firm believer in science and reproducible experiments/investigation. I like that if you do the same actions, under the same variables, you can get the same results – and so can other people. So why wouldn’t the same be true in space or other planets. If I’m not mistaken, bacteria has been found on asteroids in space and on Mars – it actually survives in the vacuum of space. Water, or indications of water, have been found on Mars. The molecular elements that are the basis of life on earth have been found during space expeditions. They have discovered thousands of “goldie locks” planets throughout the galaxy that have the potential to support life - it’s almost naive to suggest that life on other planets isn’t at least possible. And these are not things/evidence from one source, but rather multiple sources. I have no idea if UFOs exist – I mean other than they are flying objections that can’t be identified. I do wonder why they’d bother. Especially the abducting people for experiments – also why are all these people from the US, there is a big wide world but apparently E.T. only visits the Nevada Desert – it’s just rude. Honestly, I don’t think we are that interesting as a species. Or that advanced - in comparison to aliens with spaceships at least, so maybe they are just messing with us; it’s the equivalent of teenagers harassing their neighbours – intergalactic public nuisances. I am obsessed with Sci-fi, especially of the space variety: Star Trek, Star Wars, Farscape, Firefly, Alien(s), even Passengers… It’s one of my favourite genres. If there is a spacecraft on screen, I will happily watch it. And I love the books too; Seeds of Earth is one of my favourite novels. I don’t particularly want to encounter an alien – especially if they look and act like the ones from Independence Day, Predator, or Alien… (have you see a hilarious GIF about Cadbury’s crème eggs and the face huggers – I think it was Elves of the Shelves horror edition). But, Star Trek, Star Wars, Farscape and Firefly looked like a lot of fun – mostly for the space pirates – and I could totally get on board (literally) with that. |
| Prompt: Fishing - Have you ever gone fishing or been on a fishing trip? If so, what was your favorite part of the trip? *** Nope, I have never been fishing and probably never will. I have gutted and cleaned a fish (and octopus - very messy). I will happily eat fish and shellfish. But I don’t like fishing. And not for the common “I don’t like the idea of killing something/animal cruelty” position – which I respect but… I like to eat meat… It’s because I have ichthyophobia – a fear of fish. Or more precisely, encountering them in their natural environment – which is mostly in murky water that I cannot see the bottom of. I am fine with seeing them in fish tanks and aquarium. But the idea of swimming with them… Nope, nope, nope. Now, I could fish from a lake/riverbank, or a boat/kayak I hear you say and yes this might be true, BUT I also have an irrational fear of being pulled into said murky waters by said fish, or having a boat capsized… by the fish. I am aware that this is a completely idiotic fear. But I have seen TOO MANY films (JAWS) and TOO MANY docuseries about giant catfish… I even have a fear of swimming pools if I cannot see the bottom of it because of a film I should not have been watching when I was younger about a woman getting eaten by an alligator that had decided to “lay in wait” at the bottom of it. I am traumatised! I even have a real-life event that feeds into it. When I was about eight and lived in the Middle East with my parents (Saudi Arabia to be exact). We went to a hotel which had a lovely private beach and cove. It had a net across the entrance to the bay/cove thing, to stop big scarry things (like sharks) getting in. In the centre was an anchored Island. There were paddle boats that you could rent to putt about of the waves… But being a stubborn child and a very strong swimmer, I bet my father I could swim to the Island. Which didn’t seem as far from the sandy beach – however took considerably bloody longer when I was in the middle of the swim. Note: the distance was fine – it was probably 150/200m out if that and I’d swum 1500m by the time I was six and had the badge to prove it. No… the problem was that I suddenly became very frecking aware that I could not tell what was around me… in the water… and something, that felt rather large, touched my thigh as I was swimming. Now it was most likely seaweed, and my thigh was very small at the time… however, in my head it was a giant fish that had swum through the net as a baby fish and grew… I swam very, very fast to the island and refused to get back in the sea – waiting for a random paddle boater to rescue me… The other event… which was very reminiscent of JAWS…. Also happened in Saudi, or technically the Gulf Sea. I was water skiing (learning) and came off the rope. Thus, I was left floating in the sea, over the shelf so the sea was dark, while I waited for the speedboat to turn and come back for me – the cruel frecking muppets on the boat thought it would be funny to take a very wide turn, which added several minutes (left like hours) to the time I was left vulnerable and shark bait. I had the poster for JAWS in my head the entire time… That was bad enough… however a week later a man was swimming in the same spot and was attacked by a great white shark… (AND DIED). Needless to say – I did not go back in the water… In Summary - Fish are evil, but I will eat them. |
| Prompt: What is your approach to decision making? Do you decide easily, or do you take too long a time? Do you also believe some people can or do make snap decisions? *** I procrastinate. My house is never as clean as when I have to make a decision or actually do something I am not 100% invested in. I blog when I should be writing my novel… (seriously NanoWriMo would be a cake walk if I just had to give my opinions or blog – it’s also what I am doing right this second to avoid writing lol). I vacuum when I should be concentrating on a creative deadline. I get fixated on cleaning the grout in the shower when… well, you get the picture. It’s not that I am easily distracted – because this is a purposeful habit. I am a libra – an excuse I use regularly. “I can’t help it. It’s my nature to be indecisive and weigh every decision in painstaking detail.” I am the Queen of the "What If". Most of the time I have mapped out the consequences and probability to multiples scenarios in my head before I take a step – it’s like tree roots or lightning scorch. Numerous possible pathways. It’s hard to make a decision when you have that in your head – constantly. Which pathway do I choose? Which outcome do I want? I also thrive under pressure. I always have. I am the cliché that stays up until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning on an assignment – which always turns out pretty damn good. I like to overlook the fact it would probably be a masterpiece if I dedicated more time to it. Because where is the fun in that? Where is the thrill? The heart palpitations? My creativity is born from adrenaline. I can almost feel all the neurons popping and crackling in my head and it’s delicious. I sometimes purposefully wait. A test to see how close to the edge I can get before I fail – the “problem” is I haven’t yet. I’ve always passed the finish line. Which makes me want to step closer to that ledge. However, I do have a split personality on this matter when it comes to something I am fully invested in. Something I have a fixation on. Something I can hyperfocus on. Then I can make decisions in a fraction of a heartbeat. Many decisions. In quick successions. So much so, that it will probably give you whiplash. They don’t have to be small events either. If my heart, gut, and mind is fully aligned it will look like a snap decision. That I’ve said to hell with it. BUT. and this is a big but… I have run so many scenarios in my head over the years, analysed the success and failure rates, that I have a back catalogue of options to call on. To help me choose which one most closely lines up. This portfolio of possibilities is in constant use as I navigate the twist and turns of my decisions. Nudging me down different avenues until I get to the destination I want or discover one I am happy with. Is it tiring. YES. Does my brain ever switch off. NO. But I also wouldn’t change it. |
| Prompt: Have fun with these words- talented, adjust, public, nuisance, endorse, strength, strange, stumble and actor. *** My son is a talented actor. He’s seven-years-old and can switch from public nuisance or absolute angel in a heartbeat. He thinks he has everyone fooled. Cheeky smiles and big brown eyes soften most of his teachers. If I hadn’t rocked him to sleep, tucked him in, and caught every stumble – maybe I would be fooled too. I do not endorse his behaviour. I try to steer him in the right direction. Nudge him to adjust course when he gets distracted or tempted by quick rewards and gratification. He is constantly reminded that there are consequences for his actions, but in a strange turn of events he appears to have decided that there are some consequences he’s fine with. That somethings are worth the fall out. Give me strength! |
| Prompt - There are people who live socially correct lives but become a shadow of themselves versus the people who sink themselves deeply into all levels of life, exploring their dreams fully regardless of the cost and to attain their goals. Are certain individuals predisposed to take risks and others not?"~ Lene Gammelgaard - Climbing High. What do you think? Have you chased or known someone who has chased a dream regardless of the cost? *** Let me get on my soapbox… There are too many people who tie themselves in knots over conforming to society’s or their community’s standards – standards that change over time and quite frankly need to be tested and pushed against, or obliterated, on occasions. I completely understand how this can and does kill a part of that person as they bend over backwards to be the perfect parent, spouse, child, or employee. To portray who they think they should be. To blend in and not rock the boat. Far too worried, perhaps, of other people's opinions. There is a reason that we often look at those people who throw caution to the wind in the pursuit of their dream with a level of envy. They are called selfish, childish, directionless. Attention seeking adrenaline junkies who need to grow up. Things we, perhaps, wish we could be – if we allowed ourselves to relax the constraints that we bind ourselves with a little. They appear happy... They are all things I have been called at some point in my life. I used to be affected by those labels – slightly – in the silence of my bedroom, flat, or personal sanctuary. I say slightly because I have a stubborn streak a mile long that’s forged in titanium and pure bloody mindedness – a trait passed down by my mother who is equally in awe and vexed by it. But as I grew up those labels turned into badges of honour – to be celebrated. I am stubborn. I do know my worth. I like valid recognition. I have so many opinions and I will stand by them with conviction when needed. And I love those butterflies in my stomach. The ones that come around and let me know I am on the precipice of something life changing and amazing. The ones that make me smile and then jump off the cliff with two feet and a "whoop" and a "yip". Sometimes it really is “nothing ventured, nothing gained”. If I had listened to my mother, I wouldn’t have travelled to Australia and had a two-week, whirlwind romance. The man in question wouldn’t have followed me back to the UK based on said two-week holiday romance. We wouldn’t have fallen in love, got married, and had two gorgeous children. If I hadn’t listened to those butterfly and hadn’t jumped feet first into it – I’d of missed out on the greatest adventure of my life. I would have regretted it. That was how we both knew what to do. Standing at that point where we could have turned and walked away, but instead said fcuk it lets find out… let’s not regret it. I like saying fcuk it. It’s by far my favourite saying since I turned 40… I have always had rebellious tendencies. Subtle ones – nothing major. I like going against the grain. I also have control issues. I will dig my heels in quicker than a mule at the slightest inclination of perceived control. Case in point was MY wedding, where the idea of not wearing white was outrageous… My mother had a fit when I turned up wearing bright red platform pumps, complete with black sequin skulls and navy-blue nails – a pop of colour in a wash of white… I get my eye rolling capabilities from her - how she doesn’t recognise these traits in herself I will never know – and hers were magnificent that day. I took the small victory. My own form of rebellion. I am sure my daughter will pay me back - and I will smile. We are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. We won’t be remembered in a couple of generations. Society in general doesn’t care about us – it cares about the mass, not the individual. We should be enjoying our time beneath the sun while we have it – it doesn’t last forever after all. It’s often gone far too soon. It’s never the “long” in the “long and happy life” that matters in a eulogy, it’s the happy; it’s the living, and not simply existing. |
| Prompt: "I'm not here to be perfect. I am here to be real." Lady Gaga Gaga Write about this in your Blog entry today. *** Ah wise words from the Gaga Gaga… A surprisingly frequent occurrence. It’s also a conversation I have with my kids, especially my daughter. In fact we were having it only yesterday on the way to school. My son (who is seven) announced he wished that he was rich (me too, me too). His rationale is that then he’d have more friends and people would like him. Which is kinda heartbreaking that a seven-year-old thinks that money is the root to happiness and friendship. This sparked a whole conversation on how true friends – the ones that truly mattered – don’t care if you are poor or rich. And that a lot of rich people probably feel lonely, even when they have a lot of people around them, because it's hard to know if people like them or their money. How hard it must be not to know who to trust, or to trust very few, and maybe never really being yourself because of that. We all decided we would rather be poor and have friends, than rich and lonely – thank goodness I must be doing something right! This led on to my daughter announcing that she wanted to be perfect at x, y, z – there was a list - and how frustrating it was when she isn’t. When she cannot do something that her friends can. When she makes a mistake or messes up (especially in front of her peers). She takes it so hard. Part of it is embarrassment and part of it is because she thinks there is a perfect image of who she should be and what she should be able to do. It’s an “image” that her and her friends discuss at length – this person is popular because of this, she has friends because of this – seriously she is never going near IG or social media. She is nine – NINE! She has very little idea of who she is yet. She’s only just started that journey. She cannot see how freaking amazing she is. It’s something we, as her parents, constantly remind her of. That it is ok not to be like everyone else. That it’s more important to be herself. To be real. Honest. Genuine. Not take everything so seriously. That mistakes are ok. They are how we learn. And that she never has to hid from us. We are ok if she falls - we'll just help her stand back up and dust herself off. We tell her that she is perfect to us. That we couldn’t and don’t want her any other way - though I do tell her it would be nice if she didn't take the micky out of me for my accent quite so much... I'm British and sound very southern English and I am surrounded by Australian (it happens we live in Melbourne...). She listens. She smiles. She forgets and then needs to be reminded. Especially about laughing at the way I say, "bottle of water" - honestly her impression is decidedly more Cockney than the reality. This is going to be a never-ending circle for the next couple of years. What’s funny is that she can’t see the looks others give her. The admiration from her friends. That fact that they trust her with their secrets. The way people stare at her when she instinctively reaches out to help people – when they fall, or drop things, or knock things over – she doesn’t think twice about it, she just reacts. The stunned silence and reaction from those around us as they watch her like and endangered species, makes me smile - because yep that's my baby and she's amazing. She also cannot see all these 9, 10, 11-year-old boys that pop up around her randomly to say “hi” with puppy and moon eyes… which I am incredibly grateful for. I am glad that there are artists like Lady Gaga Gaga – that help people remember the importance of being honest and true to themselves. |
| Prompt: Use these words in your Blog entry today. Shopping, Lake, Tote, Picnic, Lighthouse, Beach. Have fun with this *** I live by a lake. My garden backs out on to it. I can see it from the dining table, the sofa, and even when I cook dinner in the kitchen. It’s a very pretty view and I often watch the swans, duck, and pelicans glide passed. When the weather is nice, we take the paddleboard and kayak out with the kids. My husband is very competitive and always makes it a race – I always lose. The house itself is on an island that is shaped like a butterfly – we are on one of its wings. Across the road at the front of the house, and over the small bridge that connects us to the rest of the area, is park and beach that we often take the kids to help them burn of some energy, and being Australia it has BBQs units and picnic tables set out under the awning. We probably don’t spend enough time there. The lake is man-made or repurposed saltmarsh. A community built around it. A sanctuary… You can see the Melbourne skyline and Port Philips Bay on the horizon from the back bridge of the lake and the cycle track that connects us to another estate. You can see container ships and yachts. Hear jet skis and speedboats. During covid it was nice to walk out to the edges of the bay for a paddle; tote bag packed with flip-flops, sunnies, sunscreen and towels. It was quiet… no tourists… only locals. This was my introduction to Australia – a 5km limit for shopping… adventuring… living… no socialising. Although, we used to have BBQs in the front yard/driveway. Our neighbours doing the same thing. Making friends. Keeping our sanity. Maintaining social distancing. Melbourne was tough during the pandemic and in many ways our neighbours were our lighthouse during those stormy times. |
| Prompt: Childhood Memories “I feel as if I had opened a book and found roses of yesterday sweet and fragrant, between its leaves.” L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island Write about this quote, which is about the author's childhood, and/or share with us an innocent, possibly fun-loving instances from your childhood that bring a smile to your lips. *** Childhood is a simpler, more innocent time in most people lives (if we are lucky). We don’t fully understand the complication, responsibilities, and hardships of adult life because we don’t have to. My parents and older siblings would often remark that I shouldn’t “wish my childhood way” when I was adamant that I “couldn’t wait to grow up/be an adult”. The very naive idea was mostly driven by not wanting to be told what to do. I wanted control of my life. Ironically now I get fed up with always having to make decisions - especially what is for dinner/tea. Things are also seen in black and white more. Things are good or bad. There is little grey or nuances, or we didn’t understand them. When things are fun – they are amazing. When things are bad – they really suck. But they have to be REALLY bad to still feel crappy 10, 20, 30 years down the line. It’s easy to get caught up in “rose coloured glasses” of the past. Things rarely look or feel as bad or hard when there has been time to put it all into perspective – and that is what I think L.M. Montgomery was doing. Reminiscing. Looking back. Seeing only the good. Seeing a time that was simpler. |
| Prompt: Memorial Day - Waterloo, NY was the town. which first celebrated the Memorial day on May 5, 1866. It was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. What is the picture that comes to your mind when you think of a soldier fighting in the front lines for his country? *** Non-American here, so Memorial Day doesn’t mean much to me in terms of its celebration, but I suspect it is a lot like Anzac Day in Australia, or Remembrance Day in the UK – which I can certainly appreciate. It’s when we take time to remember those that fell in the line of duty and for the freedoms and protection of our country and citizens - and that of our allies. For the lives lost far too soon. Being from the UK, we learn about WWI and WWII in both history and English lessons in the equivalent of middle school (I think, school systems still confuse me – around the age of 12 onwards). They are a significant topic in our teenage years – particular in GCSEs (school leavers diploma/qualification). Sigfred Sasson and Wilfred Owen in particular are poets I remember studying in English – I think they are synonymous with WWI, though I could be wrong. We were challenged to write poems ourselves based on these poets and on these battles. The battle of Le Somme featured in one of mine – “on the fields of Le Somme, their bodies did lie.” I think was the last line of it – it’s the only line I remember writing. I also remember watching Black Adder goes forth (satire based on the first world war with Rowan Atkinson – also known as Mr Bean) where in the final scene/episode they went “over the top”; the poem by Baldrick – BOOM BOOM – also stayed with me for its comedic value. We watched it in history because the adaptation was very good, surprisingly realistic, and perhaps palatable for school children. It’s that imagery I think of when I initially think of a soldier fighting in the front lines – trench war fare, mustard gas, and WWI. Not something that is necessarily true in today’s front lines. And in reality it shouldn’t be. Warfare has evolved. My brother fought in the front lines of the first Gulf war and in Bosnia – neither of which are similar to WWI or WWII in term of battle tactic or environments. I have friends and school mates that have fought in conflicts much more recently – who have lost lives, limbs, and been definitively changed by the experience. Though at the core, I suspect the human experience remains the same for the soldier in question – haunting. Now, with the advancement of technology and media we see the cost of war in a much more brutal manner, from the comfort of our sofas and armchairs. Still diluted from the harsh reality, but much more affronting than the past. Perhaps, I should be picturing those soldiers in Ukraine, the ones I see on the news, when I think of a soldier fighting on the front lines – because that is the reality now. Maybe picturing Wildfred Owen (or the grandfather I never met) in a grey scale photo is my mind’s way of separating/protecting myself from the scary reality that current warfare is on our doorsteps, and not 100 years in the past. |
| Prompt: Roses - “Roses have thorns. Those are like flower fangs. Roses are the vampires of the plant world.” Jarod Kintz, A Memoir of Memories and Memes *** Roses have many meaning in floriography (the language of flowers that I was aware of but am becoming more and more immersed in due to a current writing project). Nearly all of the cryptic message about roses are linked to love, passion, and relationship. Each colour represents a different aspect or type of love. Even the numbers in an arrangement denote different imagery. It’s fascinating. Are roses the Vampire Flower? I don’t think so. They can spill blood, but it’s not usually deadly, it doesn’t drain your blood – which is more in line with the whole vampiric genre. Though some horror movies have created some interesting, modified flowers/roses. Roses don't have fangs - but they have claws or daggers. Maybe that is why I think roses are aligned more to the “beautiful but dangerous” trope. You could make the argument that they are closer linked to werewolves than vampires; claws that could tear skin apart. Or maybe the femme fatale - compelling and beautiful to look at but needs to be handled with care or you can get hurt. A perfect imagery for love, perhaps? But it is the story of evolving, ever changing love that the rose represents/illustrates to me. It’s often the young, innocent girl who pricks her finger on the single stem after all – a broke heart. Or the delicate white petaled roses with slashes of red pigmentation that allude to the loss of life or innocence. It’s interesting that within floriography this evolution in love and passion can be seen through the colour palate of roses as they morph from white, beige, and pale pinks to the deeper reds. There are many other flowers that I associate more with the gothic tones of vampires; usually those with deep burgundy or purple (almost black) hues. Prefect example is the Dragon Lilly – a must at any Halloween party decor. Or the deadly nightshade or black henbane - truly beautiful, but equally deadly. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
