I came across this collection of iconic moments from the 21st century.
I was struck by how Americo-centric they are. I know that in each nation, there would be a different set of images. I wonder what a truly global set of images would look like. There's no doubt that many American images would appear, but I wonder how many would not.
I was also struck by the common humanity displayed - the compassion, the suffering, the hope, as well as the cruelty and violence inherent in our species. We are made in the image of God, with his capacity for love and forgiveness and kindness, yet we are marred by our own sin, which twists the good within us towards hatred, fear and narcissism.
As I reflect back on the last 14 years, I am struck by how much I have changed as a person. I like who I am now more than who I was. I am happier now than I was. My personal iconic moments are (in no particular order, although broadly chronological) graduating from varsity, getting married, falling pregnant with my firstborn, each of my children's births or deaths, my father's cancer, my husband's great-aunt's death, my non-selection for ordination... For each of these there is a photo in my head. Some of them I wish I could share with you, some are just too private. Some are pictures of the scene at the time (from my perspective, looking 'out' of my head*), some of them are images of my emotions - patterns of colour that represent my emotions at the time, some are images of something relating to the event.
I am amazed at the picture story book in my head. With our content creation capabilities today, I am stunned by how much I am still unable to share with others (and more than a little grateful). If I were an artist, I think I would try to paint some of the more abstract pictures in my head, but I'm not. So I have to rely on the pictures that others have taken, to represent some of the shared moments in history, to share our common emotions and reactions to events.
Which brings me back to this photo collection. This is one person's attempt at capturing the moments in time that he thinks sum up the highlights and low lights of the last 14 years. I wouldn't call it a failure - in fact, there is so much in there that I had forgotten about! (Time flies when you're wiping bottoms and cleaning up puke!) This is definitely a good start.
I challenge you though - if you have time this holiday - to put your own photo compilation together and share it with me. (I would love to do this, but as I'm on conference, my holiday is already otherwise booked up....) Maybe I will do just that during my next holiday break.
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*because we don't see out of our eyes, we see into them, of course - as any biologist could tell you.
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
Gratitude day #2
My hubbie is sick at the moment. Because of being an asthmatic, any chest infection becomes a major deal. He has now spent one day in bed, and is struggling to breathe. I therefore took him off to the GP this afternoon, before this turns into something much more serious.
Listening to him breathe (or, more correctly, struggle to breathe) this afternoon was quite scary. He couldn't draw breath properly and so was doing this upper respiratory rapid breathing thing in order to get enough oxygen.
When we first got married I was sick continuously for 9 months with respiratory illnesses - 4 'flu's one after the other, bronchitis, pneumonia and finally pleurisy. It wrecked my lungs and caused my childhood asthma to recur. I remember well those nights, sleeping sitting up because if I lay down I started drowning in the fluids present in my lungs. I remember well how exhausting breathing was, and so I empathise with my hubbie.
[I eventually went to see a homeopath who gave me some Chinese herbal thing with a bizarre name (I think it was "Easy Breath" or "Breathe easy"), sent me to bed for 6 weeks (or I could have chosen to go to hospital, in which case my risk of contracting TB or some other nasty would have been sky high), and told me it would take a year to recover fully. (He was right, in the end.) Those were not comfortable years - either the year of illness or the year of recovery.]
I was reminded, this afternoon, of how sick I was back then, and how my scarred lungs have impacted on my life subsequently. Until your ability to breathe is compromised, I don't think you truly appreciate just what a blessing it is. So today I am grateful for my health. I am grateful that when I lie down tonight I will not be exhausted from the effort of trying to draw breath, that I will not have to draw breath through fluids that feel like treacle, and that my asthma is under control again.
Listening to him breathe (or, more correctly, struggle to breathe) this afternoon was quite scary. He couldn't draw breath properly and so was doing this upper respiratory rapid breathing thing in order to get enough oxygen.
When we first got married I was sick continuously for 9 months with respiratory illnesses - 4 'flu's one after the other, bronchitis, pneumonia and finally pleurisy. It wrecked my lungs and caused my childhood asthma to recur. I remember well those nights, sleeping sitting up because if I lay down I started drowning in the fluids present in my lungs. I remember well how exhausting breathing was, and so I empathise with my hubbie.
[I eventually went to see a homeopath who gave me some Chinese herbal thing with a bizarre name (I think it was "Easy Breath" or "Breathe easy"), sent me to bed for 6 weeks (or I could have chosen to go to hospital, in which case my risk of contracting TB or some other nasty would have been sky high), and told me it would take a year to recover fully. (He was right, in the end.) Those were not comfortable years - either the year of illness or the year of recovery.]
I was reminded, this afternoon, of how sick I was back then, and how my scarred lungs have impacted on my life subsequently. Until your ability to breathe is compromised, I don't think you truly appreciate just what a blessing it is. So today I am grateful for my health. I am grateful that when I lie down tonight I will not be exhausted from the effort of trying to draw breath, that I will not have to draw breath through fluids that feel like treacle, and that my asthma is under control again.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
30 days of gratitude
At various points in time in I have followed bloggers who have had a gratitude meme. Memes are useful for helping when you're stuck in a rut, or when you have writer's block. Looking back over the past while I haven't blogged nearly as much as I would like. Partly that's through lack of time, and partly it's from lack of inspiration.
Of late, every time I sit down to write something I find myself thinking that, really, no-one cares about whatever it is I was thinking about. Although this blog has replaced my journal (& so I usually write for myself, to keep track of what is going on in my life), I don't want to go back and read how mundane my life has been. I don't just want this to be a 'here's a photo of what I had for lunch' kind of thing.
What to do? I've been pondering whether to take on a meme, and if so, which one. For the past fortnight or so I've pondered a gratitude meme, mostly because I've been finding myself feeling so grateful for so many things. A blogger I follow is currently finishing up a 100 day gratitude meme. Couple that with a conversation I had with my hubbie after church today, I've decided that, if nothing else, a gratitude meme will get me blogging daily again - without feeling the need to write an essay each time.
Starting tomorrow (Mondays are such good days to start new projects, especially during holidays!) I will be on a 30 Day gratitude meme. Yes, only 30 days. I am conscious of not committing myself to something I might not be able to sustain. Feel free to join me on your own gratitude journey if you want.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Learning to say 'no'
Saying 'no' is often the hardest thing to do. It requires self-control. It also requires self-knowledge not coloured by pride, by fear, by desire, by greed... The discussion about learning to say no is something I return to a lot (most recently here), because it's something I struggle with. It was with some interest, therefore, that I read a blogpost on Buffer about learning to say no to distraction and temptation.
Essentially, the post was about a study done investigating the thought processes that enabled some people to be more effective at saying no. Essentially, it revolves around self-talk: replacing "can't" with "don't". When someone says they "can't" do something, the self-talk indicates they are powerless to do something, so they become powerless. When someone says they "don't" do something, the self-talk indicates they are powerful, choosing not to do something, which further enables them to make the same choice again at a later stage.
As with many truths, when reading that, the wisdom in it seems so self-evident. When I read it, my reaction was "of course!", but it's not something that occurred to me until it was explained to me.
I've been trying to run at least twice a week since the start of the year - with greater and lesser success in different weeks. One thing I've learnt is that on days when it is hardest to get up, the thing that has motivated me has been positive self-talk: You ARE going to get fit; you WILL lose the weight; you CAN do this; you WILL do this. When the self-talk is negative (I don't want to do this; I can't do this; I don't want to do this) it becomes impossible to do it.
Once I'm actually running, and want to give up because it hurts too much, if my self-talk is positive (you CAN make it to that tree/ pole/ bench) I usually make it beyond the goal I've set myself. When it's negative, I stop before I've even realised I'm going to.
So my own experience bears this out.
It's not: I can't eat that chocolate. I can't eat wheat. I can't miss my morning runs.
It is: I don't need that chocolate. I don't eat wheat. I don't miss my morning runs.
I am CHOOSING my behaviour. I am CHOOSING my future.
In a way, it's like any addict. Addicts will tell you that in that moment of craving, they have to make a choice - either to choose to do drugs again, or to choose to walk away. That's the only choice they have. They can't control the cravings, but they can control their response to their cravings.
While I am not an addict, the same truth holds for me. I can't stop the temptation - but I can choose my response to it.
In fact, the same holds true for my walk with God. I can't stop the temptations that would otherwise stop me from spending time with him, or praying. However, I can choose my response. I can choose to give in, or I can choose not to give in. Of course, that makes it sound so easy to do. Sometimes it's anything but easy. That's why Jesus said the road to life was the narrow, rocky one; the one most people wouldn't choose; and the road to hell was the wide, nicely paved one; the one that most people would choose because it was easy to follow.
The power to choose is, I believe, what makes us unique. In the Garden of Eden, God made humans in his image - the ability to choose our behaviour is part of that image. We chose not to obey. We chose to follow the wide road. Jesus chose his behaviour too. He chose to come to earth as a weak human, and to submit to a cruel death, one that should have been mine.
No doubt, the temptations he faced in his life were harder than anything I have, or will, face - ultimate earthly power and glory, to meet his own needs using supernatural power, to know the love found in a marriage, to have children, to save himself from a gruesome death... yet at each point, at each temptation, he chose not to give in. Jesus' choices, as recorded in the Bible, often reveal his self-talk, and interestingly, it was often of the nature of: "I don't do that. I don't want that. I don't need that."
So, my New Year's resolution, my personal challenge, was to get 7 hrs sleep a night and to run twice a week. This term, my challenge will be to change my self-talk. My Easter challenge to myself is to consciously have more positive self-talk - to replace my can'ts with more don'ts. What's yours?
Essentially, the post was about a study done investigating the thought processes that enabled some people to be more effective at saying no. Essentially, it revolves around self-talk: replacing "can't" with "don't". When someone says they "can't" do something, the self-talk indicates they are powerless to do something, so they become powerless. When someone says they "don't" do something, the self-talk indicates they are powerful, choosing not to do something, which further enables them to make the same choice again at a later stage.
As with many truths, when reading that, the wisdom in it seems so self-evident. When I read it, my reaction was "of course!", but it's not something that occurred to me until it was explained to me.
I've been trying to run at least twice a week since the start of the year - with greater and lesser success in different weeks. One thing I've learnt is that on days when it is hardest to get up, the thing that has motivated me has been positive self-talk: You ARE going to get fit; you WILL lose the weight; you CAN do this; you WILL do this. When the self-talk is negative (I don't want to do this; I can't do this; I don't want to do this) it becomes impossible to do it.
Once I'm actually running, and want to give up because it hurts too much, if my self-talk is positive (you CAN make it to that tree/ pole/ bench) I usually make it beyond the goal I've set myself. When it's negative, I stop before I've even realised I'm going to.
So my own experience bears this out.
It's not: I can't eat that chocolate. I can't eat wheat. I can't miss my morning runs.
It is: I don't need that chocolate. I don't eat wheat. I don't miss my morning runs.
I am CHOOSING my behaviour. I am CHOOSING my future.
In a way, it's like any addict. Addicts will tell you that in that moment of craving, they have to make a choice - either to choose to do drugs again, or to choose to walk away. That's the only choice they have. They can't control the cravings, but they can control their response to their cravings.
While I am not an addict, the same truth holds for me. I can't stop the temptation - but I can choose my response to it.
In fact, the same holds true for my walk with God. I can't stop the temptations that would otherwise stop me from spending time with him, or praying. However, I can choose my response. I can choose to give in, or I can choose not to give in. Of course, that makes it sound so easy to do. Sometimes it's anything but easy. That's why Jesus said the road to life was the narrow, rocky one; the one most people wouldn't choose; and the road to hell was the wide, nicely paved one; the one that most people would choose because it was easy to follow.
The power to choose is, I believe, what makes us unique. In the Garden of Eden, God made humans in his image - the ability to choose our behaviour is part of that image. We chose not to obey. We chose to follow the wide road. Jesus chose his behaviour too. He chose to come to earth as a weak human, and to submit to a cruel death, one that should have been mine.
No doubt, the temptations he faced in his life were harder than anything I have, or will, face - ultimate earthly power and glory, to meet his own needs using supernatural power, to know the love found in a marriage, to have children, to save himself from a gruesome death... yet at each point, at each temptation, he chose not to give in. Jesus' choices, as recorded in the Bible, often reveal his self-talk, and interestingly, it was often of the nature of: "I don't do that. I don't want that. I don't need that."
So, my New Year's resolution, my personal challenge, was to get 7 hrs sleep a night and to run twice a week. This term, my challenge will be to change my self-talk. My Easter challenge to myself is to consciously have more positive self-talk - to replace my can'ts with more don'ts. What's yours?
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
At least 'A' is still 'Apple'
Sticking with the theme of kids' stuff, I thought I'd share an email I received with you. I don't know who started the email chain, or whether it started out as someone sharing a blog they had seen, so I decided to do a little detective work. I found the images on a blog called Witness This. Never the less, I thought it worth sharing with you again.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Do ya LOVE me?
(with apologies to Simon & Garfunkel and The Hollies)
I'm sitting at my laptop working,
got a song that's playing through my he-he-head... (hmmmm)
On a tour of blogs and feeds
My tea and biscuits in my hand
And every stop is neatly planned
By the Reader and the time on hand....
"Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?
Do ya love me -
Now that I can dance, dance, dance!
WATCH me now, OH!"
Bed-ward bound
I wish I wa-aas...
bed-ward bound!
Bed - where my thoughts escaping
Bed - where my dreams await me
Bed - where the warmth awaits me
under my duvet....
I'm sitting at my laptop working,
got a song that's playing through my he-he-head... (hmmmm)
On a tour of blogs and feeds
My tea and biscuits in my hand
And every stop is neatly planned
By the Reader and the time on hand....
"Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?
Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?
Do ya LOVE me?Do ya love me -
Now that I can dance, dance, dance!
WATCH me now, OH!"
Bed-ward bound
I wish I wa-aas...
bed-ward bound!
Bed - where my thoughts escaping
Bed - where my dreams await me
Bed - where the warmth awaits me
under my duvet....
"Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?
Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me -
Do ya LOVE me?
Do ya love me?
Now that I can dance, dance, dance!
WATCH me now, OH!
(push, push) Shake it up, baby!
(push push) Why you're driving me crazy!
(push push) C'mon a little closer..."
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Occasionally, just occasionally, something nice happens without requiring that you actually DO anything to earn it... which is nice! I've won a blog award!!! Yes - ME!! Woo hoo!
This award was given to me by Caz. She's a friend I've met through Born Sleeping, but I got to know her better through Twitter. (See - Twitter DOES have uses other than telling people what you ate for breakfast!)
There are some rules that go with it:
1) I have to choose five other people who deserve it and pass the awards along
2) Regale you all with seven random facts about me
3) Let the people that you give the awards to know
4) Thank the person who gave you the award
3) Let the people that you give the awards to know
4) Thank the person who gave you the award
Ok, so here goes... 1) Five others, eh?
Our Sonshine - this blog is the story of a school friend whose first baby was born with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. The story of her struggles to process the lows and the joys of the highs helps to keep me centered as a person.
When the flames go up - this blog is jointly written by divorcees LOD and Moxie, a`bout their experiences of co-parenting following their divorce. It takes a special sort of person to be as open as they are, through the pain of their divorce, and reading their blog reminds me that when life is tough, really tough, I still have a choice about how I choose to live.
Slight cheat on this one... it's not strictly a blog, but I love Sarah Britten's columns for Thought Leader. While I don't always agree with her point of view, I find her writing insightful and thought-provoking, plus she's slightly sarcastic, which I always enjoy.
Bee is another school friend. She's working in Bosnia as a YWAM missionary. While I lived overseas for nearly 8 years, I missed home ALL the time and could never imagine making a foreing country my permanent home. Bee has done that, happily, willingly, because it's what God has called her to. I love her courage to live by her convictions, and the example that she is to me.
Bron is a varsity friend, and another one who has moved her life overseas. What I love about her blog is her honesty - WYSIWYG. When things are good, she blogs the celebrations. When things are rubbish, she blogs the struggle with honesty. What an inspiration to me!
OK - moving on to #2 - 7 random facts about me:
1) I like salted peanuts on vanilla ice-cream.
2) I am happier in jeans than any other type of trousers/ pants - I would rather wear jeans than anything else. (In fact, I hate ordinary trousers. I only wear them because I'm not allowed to wear denim or tracksuits to work, and skirts with stockings are just too darn cold in winter.)
3) I have a blood disorder - APS - that means I feel the cold MUCH more than others, and struggle to exercise, because my blood doesn't pump fast enough (it's "sticky").
4) I saw 25 lengths in the pool this past weekend - I swam lengths for the first time in YEARS.
5) I walked the dogs in the rain today - and hated it.
6) I love medical dramas - ER, House, Grey's...
7) I went to watch a dance performance at the Baxter this past week - also for the first time in YEARS.
And moving on to #3... that's done.
So on to #4. Caz - thank you. I really do appreciate the acknowledgement. There aren't many people who read my blog regularly (not like Tertia's blog... LOL!) so I appreciate each and every person who takes the time to read my ramblings. You're a special person, but you know that already. Big hugs!!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Day 10: Someone you wish you didn't know
I'm one of those people who has never really had heroes, or idolised others - apart from my parents and older siblings, that is. I don't go all weak-kneed at the thought of meeting Bono, for example, or Sting, although I absolutely LOVE their music. I just don't see the point in worshipping them - I mean, they're just people, after all.
Similarly, I don't really have people I wished I didn't know. But I guess there are a few people I wished weren't around, which isn't the same thing. It's not that they're not nice people, but I get the feeling that they don't like me, and that makes me uncomfortable around them. That, or else they strike me as being in competition with me for something, which also makes me uncomfortable.
What I find so awful about the whole situation, though, is the way it affects me. I avoid places, or places at certain times, because i don't like feeling uncomfortable, and I can't see a way to resolve the situation...
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Day 06: something I hope I never have to do
I hope I never have to watch one of my kids die in pain.
I hope I never have to be in a position of choosing which of the people I love will live or die.
I hope I never have to be reliant on someone else to feed me, or wash me, or dress me, or take me to the loo.
I hope I never have to see my children go hungry.
I hope I never have to see my parents with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.
I hope I never have to find out that my husband has had an affair.
I hope I never have to tell my husband that I have had an affair.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Day 05: something you hope to do in your life
Hope is so important in life. It sustains us through many trials and tribulations. It gives us something to work towards. It reminds us that the future is not set in stone, but is determined by us to a large extent.
What do I hope to do?
I hope I'll go skiing again
I hope I'll be a good (and present) mother to my kids
I hope I'll have fun this week
I hope I'll develop sufficiently as a person to be a brilliant leader
I hope I'll make a difference in people's lives
I hope to take my kids to show them all the places in the world that I love
I hope to buy the house that is perfect for us (so I never get the wander lust again)
I hope to read lots of books and enjoy the sunshine and the rain
I hope to watch my children have children of their own
I hope to be useful to God, and to become more like Christ
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Day 04: Something to forgive someone for
I'm not sure whether these meme themes are meant to be for things one currently has to do, or whether telling about a situation in the past is sufficient. I'm assuming that it's meant to be current, which is much harder to do, I think.
There's a man I need to forgive. I don't want to go into details because I know that some of those who read this blog know him, and I don't want to embarrass him. Suffice to say, that his actions forced me to break a promise to a child, and embarrassed me in front of my friends.
Of course, I reacted badly, so I need to be forgiven too. Still, I need to forgive him or else I'll continue to lie awake at night replaying the scenario in my head, alternately "killing" him with the perfect retort, or else finding the perfect way to have handled it in that moment, and by far preferring the former to the latter.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Day 03: Something to forgive yourself for
From easy to impossible in one easy step. Remember back on Day 01's post I told you that I couldn't really talk about the thing I hate about myself. Well, that's a thing I need to forgive myself for too... Not the fact that I hate myself, but the actual thing I hate. It's a character flaw (and I just hate having to reveal my flaws...) and while I'm trying to work on it (and believe me, I have to!) I often still get it wrong. And I have to forgive myself for it. I'm not sure that others do, but that's not really my problem (except that it makes life VERY difficult for all concerned). I somehow need to be able to accept myself, flaws and all, and forgive myself for being human.
Some days, when I consider how I have messed up (in my head, that was a MUCH stronger word...), yet again (I go through phases when it feels like every other week or day I'm messing up), I feel physically ill. I can't sleep. I feel nauseous. I have mild (and thankfully, they are only mild) panic attacks. I am overwhelmed by a desire to run away. Not even crying about it helps - it only makes me feel more desperate. I feel trapped in my own skin with nowhere to run or hide. I feel exposed. I feel guilty and remorseful for the pain I've caused. I feel wretched, actually.
But life goes on, and if I am to go on with it, I have to forgive myself.
"How many times should I forgive my [self]? Seven times or seventy?"
"Seven times seventy."
But how? When I keep making the same errors, when my character fails to show the light of Christ in this area, how do I forgive myself? Surely my continued sin in this area makes a mockery of Jesus' death?
I keep reminding myself that Jesus knew all about my repeating sins, my character flaws and my pathetic attempts to walk in the narrow way, and that his death covers it all. I just need to continue to try.
So - try I will. And pray that at some point my character flaw will become imbued with the character of Christ.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Day 02: Something I love about myself
Oh this one is easy. I love how passionate I am about the things I love. I love that I get so excited I start to bounce, and wave my hands around. I positively BEAM when I talk about the things I love. I love that as I've aged I haven't lost that enthusiasm for life and become jaded. I love that I still have the capacity to be passionate.
There are lots of other things that I love about myself, but I'm only allowed to tell you one, so there it is.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Day 01 of the meme
Day 1 is entitled: something you hate about yourself.
So, no easing into this slowly, then.
What do I hate about myself? .......
No. You know what? I'm not ready to tell you the truth right now. So, I think I'm going to go with a lesser evil; something that's not quite so painful to discuss right now.
Let me tell you about my knees. I know, weird, huh? Usually it's bums, tums or breasts. (I'm not saying I don't have issues with any of those, cos I do, but that's old news.)
Because of my blood condition (at least, that's what I think caused it) I have permanent bruise marks on my knees that I think look very ugly. I've thought seriously about going for laser surgery to have them dealt with, or doing some home skin bleaching.... But between being too much of a coward to try the bleaching, too busy to make the time to go and see a plastic surgeon, and not having the money to cover something this inessential for life, I've done nothing about it.
But doing nothing about it is par for the course for me. Somehow, despite being as self-absorbed as I am, the time I spend on myself is seldom spent on my appearance.
So I continue to hate my knees. Which is rather a bummer when it's summer because I feel self conscious about wearing shorts or skirts that end above the knee.
Isn't it odd to think that EVERY woman, every girl, even the confident ones, have an intense dislike about some part of themselves? I know that this hate of mine affects the way I dress, the activities I take part in (as a result of the way I feel comfortable dressing), where I choose to sit in a room, etc, etc, etc. Even though this is such a minor thing, it really does affect me.
Some days are better than others, and I'm able to accept myself as I am, or (even better in my mind) I am completely unaware of how my knees look. Others are terrible and I don't want to get out of the shower and face the world.
Wouldn't it be nice if nobody spent time and energy noticing what others look like?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
30 day blogging meme
A cyber-friend recently started doing a 30day blogging meme, and I thought that I'd copy her. Apparently, I'm in good company, because she's copying others who are copying yet more others. Seems that everyone who is anyone has either already done it, or is busy doing it. Can't be left out, now can I??
While I can't actually promise to stick to this over 30 exact days (I do have a life and on weekends I don't often get to my laptop), I will cover all the topics. They may also be interspersed with other stuff that catches my thoughts. So, to keep you all abreast, I will try to remember to link back here, so that from this one place you can link to all the posts that are listed here.
Here is the list:
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you badly.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
While I can't actually promise to stick to this over 30 exact days (I do have a life and on weekends I don't often get to my laptop), I will cover all the topics. They may also be interspersed with other stuff that catches my thoughts. So, to keep you all abreast, I will try to remember to link back here, so that from this one place you can link to all the posts that are listed here.
Here is the list:
Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you badly.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Gorgeous Blogger Award
In order to qualify for this nomination, I have to tell you 6 things about myself that you don't know. As a blogger, that's a tough thing to achieve, but here goes.
1) I was born with my lower legs twisted inwards (not the whole leg, just the shin bones) so I had to sleep in callipers. I used to scream so much from them (until I fell asleep) that after 6 months my mother decided (against doctor's orders) to stop using them. Instead, she sent me to ballet from a very, very young age (around 2 years old, I think). You won't notice it now unless I'm super tired.
2) I am hyper-flexive. That means that my ligaments are too loose, so my joints are loose. My legs, for example, bend backwards when I stand up 'straight'. While doing ballet I had to learn to judge what straight meant, as it didn't feel normal to me. (My thumbs also bend backwards - nice party trick, that one! But most of you already know about my thumbs...)
3) I've never liked my body. When I was young, I was too tall, or too thin. I'm still too tall, but now I'm fat. (And yes, I am fat. I may hide it well, but when I'm in my costume you'll see it.) My body is also one that has obviuosy given birth to 3 children and nursed 2. At the moment, my dislike is verging on hatred. I really, really don't like the way I look. Thinking about how much I dislike my body consumes far too much of my time every day, but I don't have the willpower to do anything about it at the moment (either stopping thinking about it, or fixing the problem by eating less/ better and getting up earlier to get some exercise. (Quite frankly, as I'm often up at 4am, or other hours, to be with Nathan, I don't think I can sacrifice any more sleep for exercise...) If I had the money, I'd go for surgery.
4) I have 4 children - two in heaven. I never talk about the first, but that doesn't mean I don't think about him.
5) I don't really like spicy food.
6) I bath about once a year. (And before you begin to think my personal hygiene requires a lot more effort, I do shower daily!) That's why you should never give me bubble bath for my birthday.
So now, I get to pass on this lovely accolade... to Jax, Bron, Caz, Cecily, Julia.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Kids of this age...
... drive their parents insane.
I was reading Cecily's blog about her 3.5yr old daughter, and nearly hosed myself. She could have been describing Janel!
1) The endless talking... And it's not just the 'Why?' stuff.
Mommy, look at my story (this while we're driving to nursery) - LOOK Mommy.
I can't, Sweetie. I'm driving.
Look when we stop then.
Mommy, you stopped and didn't look. LOOK Mommy.
OK. At the next stop. (duly examine book for all of one millisecond)
What's happening here, Mommy?
[make up something that seems vaguely correct]
Why?.......
Or the constant repeating of some question. About 10 times. In a row. I've learnt that in order to stop her after the first or second repeat, I have to practice reflective listening: Yes my love, the [use exact words here...] bus was very big and that man had a funny hat on.
Of course, this WILL be followed by a 'Why?', and then another, and another, and another. And although I hate myself for it, eventually I will get to the point where I will simply say: NO MORE QUESTIONS. (Why? Because I said so/ because you're giving me a headache/ just because.) I don't want to stifle her natural inquisitiveness. I want her to remain curious about the world for the rest of her life. I want her to continue asking questions. BUT... OMW! Enough already!
What are you watching, Mommy?
7de Laan (my favourite soapie, in Afrikaans, which she doesn't understand)
What's that man doing?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
Why?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
What did he say?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
Why?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
What...
[mother rudely interrupts] BE QUIET. I'm trying to watch my programme.
Why?
NELLIE!
Sorry Mommy.
[3 secs pass]
Mommy, what's that girl doing?.....
2) Tantrums. We didn't really have the terrible twos. We had some small issues during the terrible (is there a word that starts with 'th' meaning aful??) threes, but we definitely seem headed for the f***ing fours. Ever since our holiday away where it was just Mommy, Nellie and Nathan - no Daddy - she has been acting out/ up. Wanting to be a baby - lying on her back, kicking her legs and crying; or wanting to be rocked while she pretends to cry. Wanting to be carried. All. the. time. Performing when it's time to have supper/ go to bath/ go to bed.
Not just performing, but putting on the performance of her life. Sometimes she screams so much she vomits. And we've started with the hitting, kicking and spitting. The only thing that seems to work with her is threatening to leave her (not as in LEAVE her, but as in leave the room). Take away her audience and suddenly she starts to conform. In the process she tries to play us off one against the other. 'I want Mommy to bath me.' Mommy duly arrives to wash her. 'Go away. I want Daddy.' Whether Daddy arrives, or whether Mommy says no, the crying will begin. If I leave the room, she screams. She really has a fear of abandonment, so I hate having to use that tactic to get her to behave, but it's the only thing she seems to understand. Smacking doesn't work. Taking away treats doesn't work. (I hate to think what she's going to be like as a teenager if she's already this strong-willed. She definitely gets that from me.)
3) The dogs. She gives them conflicting messages, then complains and cries when they get confused.
Baggins! Baggins! Come, boy. NO Alyssa. NOT YOU. NOOOO 'Lyssa. 'Lyssa.. NOOO.
No Baggins! [when he lies down or starts to play with Alyssa]. NOOO.
Mommy, Baggins won't play with me.
[Baggins, getting no joy from Alyssa, who is only interested in the Nellie given that she is only interested in Baggins, turns to play with Nellie, and starts to gently bite her arm/foot/leg]
OW, Baggins! NOOO Baggins.
Mommy, Baggins bit me. Naughty Baggins {hit the dog}.
'Lyssa. 'Lyssa. Come here girl. [Alyssa comes and dutifully lies down]
NO, Baggins, NO. [as Baggins attempts, once more, unsuccessfully, to draw Alyssa into a game]
Mommy, 'Lyssa is playing with Baggins [not really, she isn't. She just can't escape Baggins as she was lying down for you to pat her and now he's jumped on her.]
....
4) The falling over... It would seem that the gravity Nellie experiences is about 3 times as great as that which the rest of humanity struggles against. I say that because Nellie seems incapable of standing up on two feet. She is forever leaning against me, or against something else, then losing her balance and falling over, hurting some part of her anatomy in the process, which requires it to be kissed better and a bit of a fuss being made.
It's worst when she's in a funk and sulky. Maybe her mood is like that when the earth is pulling on her most. I could see how that might make one irritable and otherwise. Or maybe the earth is pulling on her most at the times when she is moody and sulky. I certainly feel the earth's pull more strongly when I'm in a funk - I want nothing more than to lie on my bed at those times. Yes, must definitely be the latter I think.
Either way though, it annoys the hell out of me because her extra weight on my legs usually unbalances me. (You would think that, by now, I'd learnt to expect the unexpected lurching from across the room to lean on me. Sadly, not so.) Since I'm often carrying Nathan, or some other equally heavy object, it's a battle to remain upright. When I don't, then some part of my anatomy also suffers, but there's no-one who kisses my owwies better. No sirree. I'm on my own in this one. (Sometimes I hate being an adult.)
But then, there are the things that I absolutely adore about her (in no particular order).
1) How often she tells me that she loves me. (OK, sometimes it's just because she knows she's in trouble and wants to avoid it by distracting me.)
2) The fact that she so desperately wants to spend quality time just with me (no Nathan or Daddy). While I know it's a reaction to Nathan, it still makes me feel special.
3) How incredibly helpful she can be - fetching and carrying things for Nathan, putting his dummy in when he cries, taking her plate to the kitchen after her meal, getting herself some water to drink when she's thirsty... she's definitely growing up.
4) How nicely she plays with the dogs. It's taken the better part of a year for her & them to get comfortable with games, but there are times when we don't have the scene above and they actually play very nicely together. It's wonderful to see.
5) How much she loves Nathan. She is desperate for him to grow up so he can play with her, but even though he can't, she still talks to him and wants to include him in stuff. 'Mommy, tell Nathan what I'm doing. Tell him.' [I tell him.] 'What does he say, Mommy?' [make up something appropriately linked to her activity]. 'And what else, Mommy?' 'Nothing else, my love.' 'NO Mommy, AND WHAT ELSE?' [make up something else] 'Now what's he saying, Mommy?'...
The problem, of course, as I see it, is that she does the things I love while AT THE SAME TIME doing the things I find annoying. Which makes it incredibly hard to focus only on the behaviour one wants to encourage.
But reading Cecily's blog was helpful. It seems that I am not alone in this. It would seem that ALL little kids (you can't call them toddlers anymore, can you?) go through this. It would seem that this is a developmental phase which requires that all kids annoy the hell out of their parents.
That's all fine and well, but I'd quite like to know when this phase will end. I'd quite like to know that she's not going to be miserable from now till teenagerhood, and then turn into the monster from hell when she turns 13, or so. Or worse, turn into Kevin. God forbid!
However, the story of Zagazoo bears no such comfort for me. Nope. It would seem that somewhere in the fine print I missed the bit about annoying behaviours that start during toddlerhood and last until some unspecified time in the future when they have annoying children of their own. Damn! Maybe I should get glasses...
I was reading Cecily's blog about her 3.5yr old daughter, and nearly hosed myself. She could have been describing Janel!
1) The endless talking... And it's not just the 'Why?' stuff.
Mommy, look at my story (this while we're driving to nursery) - LOOK Mommy.
I can't, Sweetie. I'm driving.
Look when we stop then.
Mommy, you stopped and didn't look. LOOK Mommy.
OK. At the next stop. (duly examine book for all of one millisecond)
What's happening here, Mommy?
[make up something that seems vaguely correct]
Why?.......
Or the constant repeating of some question. About 10 times. In a row. I've learnt that in order to stop her after the first or second repeat, I have to practice reflective listening: Yes my love, the [use exact words here...] bus was very big and that man had a funny hat on.
Of course, this WILL be followed by a 'Why?', and then another, and another, and another. And although I hate myself for it, eventually I will get to the point where I will simply say: NO MORE QUESTIONS. (Why? Because I said so/ because you're giving me a headache/ just because.) I don't want to stifle her natural inquisitiveness. I want her to remain curious about the world for the rest of her life. I want her to continue asking questions. BUT... OMW! Enough already!
What are you watching, Mommy?
7de Laan (my favourite soapie, in Afrikaans, which she doesn't understand)
What's that man doing?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
Why?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
What did he say?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
Why?
[brief age-appropriate explanation]
What...
[mother rudely interrupts] BE QUIET. I'm trying to watch my programme.
Why?
NELLIE!
Sorry Mommy.
[3 secs pass]
Mommy, what's that girl doing?.....
2) Tantrums. We didn't really have the terrible twos. We had some small issues during the terrible (is there a word that starts with 'th' meaning aful??) threes, but we definitely seem headed for the f***ing fours. Ever since our holiday away where it was just Mommy, Nellie and Nathan - no Daddy - she has been acting out/ up. Wanting to be a baby - lying on her back, kicking her legs and crying; or wanting to be rocked while she pretends to cry. Wanting to be carried. All. the. time. Performing when it's time to have supper/ go to bath/ go to bed.
Not just performing, but putting on the performance of her life. Sometimes she screams so much she vomits. And we've started with the hitting, kicking and spitting. The only thing that seems to work with her is threatening to leave her (not as in LEAVE her, but as in leave the room). Take away her audience and suddenly she starts to conform. In the process she tries to play us off one against the other. 'I want Mommy to bath me.' Mommy duly arrives to wash her. 'Go away. I want Daddy.' Whether Daddy arrives, or whether Mommy says no, the crying will begin. If I leave the room, she screams. She really has a fear of abandonment, so I hate having to use that tactic to get her to behave, but it's the only thing she seems to understand. Smacking doesn't work. Taking away treats doesn't work. (I hate to think what she's going to be like as a teenager if she's already this strong-willed. She definitely gets that from me.)
3) The dogs. She gives them conflicting messages, then complains and cries when they get confused.
Baggins! Baggins! Come, boy. NO Alyssa. NOT YOU. NOOOO 'Lyssa. 'Lyssa.. NOOO.
No Baggins! [when he lies down or starts to play with Alyssa]. NOOO.
Mommy, Baggins won't play with me.
[Baggins, getting no joy from Alyssa, who is only interested in the Nellie given that she is only interested in Baggins, turns to play with Nellie, and starts to gently bite her arm/foot/leg]
OW, Baggins! NOOO Baggins.
Mommy, Baggins bit me. Naughty Baggins {hit the dog}.
'Lyssa. 'Lyssa. Come here girl. [Alyssa comes and dutifully lies down]
NO, Baggins, NO. [as Baggins attempts, once more, unsuccessfully, to draw Alyssa into a game]
Mommy, 'Lyssa is playing with Baggins [not really, she isn't. She just can't escape Baggins as she was lying down for you to pat her and now he's jumped on her.]
....
4) The falling over... It would seem that the gravity Nellie experiences is about 3 times as great as that which the rest of humanity struggles against. I say that because Nellie seems incapable of standing up on two feet. She is forever leaning against me, or against something else, then losing her balance and falling over, hurting some part of her anatomy in the process, which requires it to be kissed better and a bit of a fuss being made.
It's worst when she's in a funk and sulky. Maybe her mood is like that when the earth is pulling on her most. I could see how that might make one irritable and otherwise. Or maybe the earth is pulling on her most at the times when she is moody and sulky. I certainly feel the earth's pull more strongly when I'm in a funk - I want nothing more than to lie on my bed at those times. Yes, must definitely be the latter I think.
Either way though, it annoys the hell out of me because her extra weight on my legs usually unbalances me. (You would think that, by now, I'd learnt to expect the unexpected lurching from across the room to lean on me. Sadly, not so.) Since I'm often carrying Nathan, or some other equally heavy object, it's a battle to remain upright. When I don't, then some part of my anatomy also suffers, but there's no-one who kisses my owwies better. No sirree. I'm on my own in this one. (Sometimes I hate being an adult.)
But then, there are the things that I absolutely adore about her (in no particular order).
1) How often she tells me that she loves me. (OK, sometimes it's just because she knows she's in trouble and wants to avoid it by distracting me.)
2) The fact that she so desperately wants to spend quality time just with me (no Nathan or Daddy). While I know it's a reaction to Nathan, it still makes me feel special.
3) How incredibly helpful she can be - fetching and carrying things for Nathan, putting his dummy in when he cries, taking her plate to the kitchen after her meal, getting herself some water to drink when she's thirsty... she's definitely growing up.
4) How nicely she plays with the dogs. It's taken the better part of a year for her & them to get comfortable with games, but there are times when we don't have the scene above and they actually play very nicely together. It's wonderful to see.
5) How much she loves Nathan. She is desperate for him to grow up so he can play with her, but even though he can't, she still talks to him and wants to include him in stuff. 'Mommy, tell Nathan what I'm doing. Tell him.' [I tell him.] 'What does he say, Mommy?' [make up something appropriately linked to her activity]. 'And what else, Mommy?' 'Nothing else, my love.' 'NO Mommy, AND WHAT ELSE?' [make up something else] 'Now what's he saying, Mommy?'...
The problem, of course, as I see it, is that she does the things I love while AT THE SAME TIME doing the things I find annoying. Which makes it incredibly hard to focus only on the behaviour one wants to encourage.
But reading Cecily's blog was helpful. It seems that I am not alone in this. It would seem that ALL little kids (you can't call them toddlers anymore, can you?) go through this. It would seem that this is a developmental phase which requires that all kids annoy the hell out of their parents.
That's all fine and well, but I'd quite like to know when this phase will end. I'd quite like to know that she's not going to be miserable from now till teenagerhood, and then turn into the monster from hell when she turns 13, or so. Or worse, turn into Kevin. God forbid!
However, the story of Zagazoo bears no such comfort for me. Nope. It would seem that somewhere in the fine print I missed the bit about annoying behaviours that start during toddlerhood and last until some unspecified time in the future when they have annoying children of their own. Damn! Maybe I should get glasses...
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Something to remember
This was sent to me via a friend, and I thought we could all use a laugh, so here it is again... 
Here's the note that the teacher received the following day -
Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Monday, July 20, 2009
TBG: The secret (or maybe not-so-secret-anymore) celebrity
I've recently started reading a Cape Town blogger Seth (2Oceansvibe.com). It's a site all about Cape Town stuff. If you're looking for deep, meaningful, insightful stuff, then it's not the site for you. (If you want that, then you should be reading the Mail and Guardian's ThoughtLeader blog. Lots to chew on there!) No, rather, this is typically student culture kind of stuff. But it's local, and as everyone knows - local is lekka.
So anyway, I've just come across the most bizarre thing from the site. Way back in August 2004, Seth commented about an anonymous guy who just appeared in a photo he took*#. Well, what with one thing and another, the guy, nicknamed TBG (Tall Blonde Guy) took on a celebrity life of his own. Or rather, 2oceans readers gave him a life of his own. Since then, whenever someone has spotted him, they snap a quick pic and send it to 2oceans. What's amazing is that there are readers from ALL OVER SOUTH AFRICA who have done this. Yup. TBG (not to be confused with the other TBG - Token Black Guy - also a Capetonian, but he has a name... I did find it on a website during my trawl to discover the identity of 2oceans' TBG.. sorry, can't find the site now. Can you tell that I'm stuck at home today and don't feel like doing anything constructive??) has developed a real cult following.
Apparently, you can see him 'all over [Cape] town'. Hmm... Can't say I've ever seen him, but then I guess that since I live a rather insular life (having kids & pets will do that to you), was out of the country for nearly 8 years and work in a job where you can't really leave the office between 7.45am-3pm, I can't really comment.
So - I will make a plan to get out and about more in the remaining weeks of my maternity leave, and while I'm out and about more, to keep my eyes peeled for TBG. Who knows - maybe I will get my minute of fame by snapping a photo of him with me and sending it in to 2oceans. A girl can dream, right?
* That reminds me of another story... about G's brothers who went through a phase of trying to wangle themselves into the background of other people's photos. That would be all well and good, except they did so with their fingers up their noses. Ja, even I have a photo of one of them trying to do that to me. Well, he succeeded, I guess, since he's in the photo, eh? If I can dig it up I might post it for your viewing pleasure. Then again, maybe not.
# If you want to see it you should go to the site, and click on the link in the left hand menu. I tried to get the link for you, but the site seems to have crashed in the last 15 mins. Sorry.
So anyway, I've just come across the most bizarre thing from the site. Way back in August 2004, Seth commented about an anonymous guy who just appeared in a photo he took*#. Well, what with one thing and another, the guy, nicknamed TBG (Tall Blonde Guy) took on a celebrity life of his own. Or rather, 2oceans readers gave him a life of his own. Since then, whenever someone has spotted him, they snap a quick pic and send it to 2oceans. What's amazing is that there are readers from ALL OVER SOUTH AFRICA who have done this. Yup. TBG (not to be confused with the other TBG - Token Black Guy - also a Capetonian, but he has a name... I did find it on a website during my trawl to discover the identity of 2oceans' TBG.. sorry, can't find the site now. Can you tell that I'm stuck at home today and don't feel like doing anything constructive??) has developed a real cult following.
Apparently, you can see him 'all over [Cape] town'. Hmm... Can't say I've ever seen him, but then I guess that since I live a rather insular life (having kids & pets will do that to you), was out of the country for nearly 8 years and work in a job where you can't really leave the office between 7.45am-3pm, I can't really comment.
So - I will make a plan to get out and about more in the remaining weeks of my maternity leave, and while I'm out and about more, to keep my eyes peeled for TBG. Who knows - maybe I will get my minute of fame by snapping a photo of him with me and sending it in to 2oceans. A girl can dream, right?
* That reminds me of another story... about G's brothers who went through a phase of trying to wangle themselves into the background of other people's photos. That would be all well and good, except they did so with their fingers up their noses. Ja, even I have a photo of one of them trying to do that to me. Well, he succeeded, I guess, since he's in the photo, eh? If I can dig it up I might post it for your viewing pleasure. Then again, maybe not.
# If you want to see it you should go to the site, and click on the link in the left hand menu. I tried to get the link for you, but the site seems to have crashed in the last 15 mins. Sorry.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Meme time again
Imagine you've been told you have less than a year to live. What would you do with the remaining time allotted to you?
I ask because tonight G and I watched 'Bucket List'. It's the story of two old guys who wind up in the same cancer ward, and are given the same diagnosis - you have less than a year to live. One starts a 'Bucket List' - a list of things to do before he dies. The other then starts adding to the list. They then embark upon this crazy tour of the world, ticking off their items. The movie is generally very funny, with moments of real poignancy. I think I'll add it to my list of favourites.
The underlying question of the movie though is about how we choose to spend the time we have left, since most of us have no idea how long we have left to live. Of course, the thought of me dying, and leaving Nellie to grow up without her mommy is enough to have me balling my eyes out and leaving snot trails bigger than a slug - so let's not go there. (Graeme's a big boy; I know he'd cope without me. I hope he'd find someone else to love.)
But it got me thinking - what would I do with my life if I knew I only had a year or less left? I've been pondering some of the things on the main characters' bucket list - like to kiss the most beautiful girl in the world (I won't spoil it for you if you haven't seen the movie... how they go about achieving this one is a beautiful miracle! What I will say is that I have already done that one, and I'm not vain enough to think that kissing my own reflection in the mirror as a child qualifies!), see something majestic, skydive.
So I'm going to create my own list... although it will probably take me a few days. When I'm done, I'll post it for you, probably, if I have the guts.
I challenge you to do the same - come up with your list and post it somewhere. Really think about your life & what you would do if you had a year or less left. I don't want pie in the sky stuff - like becoming the first woman president - nor do I want dreams you know will never be fulfilled (like getting to walk your daughter down the aisle - if you were to die in the next year, that probably wouldn't happen unless your daughter is already dating her one true love). I want real stuff, achievable stuff, but stuff that also has real meaning to it. OK, I know we all have to work to earn a living, and that does rather put a damper on the amount of time and resources we would have available to really make the most of the fictional year we have left. Still, give it your best shot. What would be on your list?
I ask because tonight G and I watched 'Bucket List'. It's the story of two old guys who wind up in the same cancer ward, and are given the same diagnosis - you have less than a year to live. One starts a 'Bucket List' - a list of things to do before he dies. The other then starts adding to the list. They then embark upon this crazy tour of the world, ticking off their items. The movie is generally very funny, with moments of real poignancy. I think I'll add it to my list of favourites.
The underlying question of the movie though is about how we choose to spend the time we have left, since most of us have no idea how long we have left to live. Of course, the thought of me dying, and leaving Nellie to grow up without her mommy is enough to have me balling my eyes out and leaving snot trails bigger than a slug - so let's not go there. (Graeme's a big boy; I know he'd cope without me. I hope he'd find someone else to love.)
But it got me thinking - what would I do with my life if I knew I only had a year or less left? I've been pondering some of the things on the main characters' bucket list - like to kiss the most beautiful girl in the world (I won't spoil it for you if you haven't seen the movie... how they go about achieving this one is a beautiful miracle! What I will say is that I have already done that one, and I'm not vain enough to think that kissing my own reflection in the mirror as a child qualifies!), see something majestic, skydive.
So I'm going to create my own list... although it will probably take me a few days. When I'm done, I'll post it for you, probably, if I have the guts.
I challenge you to do the same - come up with your list and post it somewhere. Really think about your life & what you would do if you had a year or less left. I don't want pie in the sky stuff - like becoming the first woman president - nor do I want dreams you know will never be fulfilled (like getting to walk your daughter down the aisle - if you were to die in the next year, that probably wouldn't happen unless your daughter is already dating her one true love). I want real stuff, achievable stuff, but stuff that also has real meaning to it. OK, I know we all have to work to earn a living, and that does rather put a damper on the amount of time and resources we would have available to really make the most of the fictional year we have left. Still, give it your best shot. What would be on your list?
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