18 posts tagged “favourite things”

Don't spoilt it for me guys!   If you know more than me, don't blab. 

We just hit a rather nasty cliffhanger and they've of course left it to the next episode.  Meredith flatlining after the ferry disaster.  Hmph people who don't watch the show will be rolling their eyes, but c'mon, that was mean.  They'll end the season there I think.  Just to really bug us all!

So I've been procrastinating. This weekend has meant to be about getting my assignment well under way.  Instead I've watched the following films:

• Failure to Launch (Matthew McCaunnaugy, Sarah Jessica Parker) - would've been better if there werent a heap of scratches in it!  seems like the same formulae as many other romantic comedies with Matthew McCaunnaughy doing his little heart warming good guy "what the f*#) went wrong" goofy guy who realises he's been conned chat, this time not with a chinese crustit, this time with a cute little kid instead.  Too many parallels, been done before.
• The Weeping Camel (Tibet) - georgeous cinematography, not fast paced, I just wanted to give that little camel colt a huge hug!  aww!  a simple movie showing simple lives in a very different place, with a little camel colt starving and crying because it's mother rejected it.  Cute.
• The Beat My Heart Skipped (French) - mm.  Tallfriend and I have a friend from my work which I'll have to think of a nickname for but SHeBean for a female Mister Bean (her facial expresions can be quite rubbery when she is animated) ...well SheBean recommended this flick, and it's bleak.  What a way to demonstrate someone fighting against their father's upbringing to try to realise a more peaceful life, but not being able to ignore the animal inside themselves.  sheesh.
• Big (nothing like an 80's movie for procrastinating, especially with Tom Hanks)
• Beyond Borders (Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen..rrrowrrrlll) I wonder, not being a major star chaser, whether this movie was what started the whole goodwill ambassador thing Angelina has been on.  The ending made me blubber. But I'm a sook.
• Casino Royale (for sheer perve value.. sorry Clivey baby (Clive Owen), I had to cheat momentarily!)  The best Bond EVER.  The torture scene wil make men everywhere wince.
• Kill Me Softly - a very raunchy who dunnit ...Joseph Finnes... I'd rather hop into bed with you than a toilet cubicle at 5000 feet any day with your older brother!  SheBean's selection from my collection to watch.  The ending isn't a huge twist, the book was much better but very bleak.

Next up on the procrastinating list: Apres Vous? (French flick) and hopefully better Tropfest movies than the one I just saw (a gumshoe movie with no real point)  I WANT to get a copy of "The Valet" to add to my collection.  A french flick, totaly funny, a real cracker.   

How cool I'm watching some short 7 minute films done for "Tropfest" Australian short film festival.  So far they've been excellent.  If I find a link I'll share it.  It's fantastic to see independant film makers of varying degrees of experience receiving recognition.  So how many sneezes does it take in a row to imitate an orgasm?  ;)

Which household chores do you most/least enjoy?
Submitted by falcon.kmc.

Least - ironing.  The most futile irritating, HOT pasttime for something which will just re-crinkle.  I tend to lean towards knits and non-creasing clothes.  I sound like a bachelor don't I!

Most enjoy - tossup between gardening, and vaxing the carpets to make them come up smelling nice and looking nice.  I like the grocery shopping too - preplanning the socialising and dinners etc for the week.

My manager called me in to her office on Thursday and told me that she and the MD had put me forward to overseas head office, for a $5k bonus. :)  Could've knocked me over with a feather.  She went on to say that my hard work, dedication, long hours and cheerful positive disposition hadn't gone unnoticed and that MD had not knocked her recommendation but supported it, from the moment she put it forward.  I rather pathetically teared-up at that because it's been a rough year work ways and I'd thought the hard work had been assumed and unappreciated.

I've been with this company 6 years.  I KNOW about this discretionary bonuses though I've never been awarded one before.  The senior management only and maybe one or two line managers, receive them each year. If there's some poor soul who has been working their ASS off, they might get put forward but the figure gets bartered down and pared away to whatever small amount they can finally agree on or in a lot of cases the bonuses are disputed and knocked on the head after a bit of discussion.  I love the job.  Always have done despite the guys sometimes being notoriously thick when it comes to life skills.  Engineers what can I say.  ;)

This is above and beyond my pay increase, and a one off thing.  I'm thrilled!  I'll be able to afford airconditioning.  The actual cash in hand figure though by the time the tax man takes his Jaws-like bite out of it, will probably be half of what I'm being given - it sucks totally.  HOPEFULLY I won't fritter it away on frivolity but dammit it's so tempting to spoil myself sometimes.  My wishlist of things I'd like to spend it on depending how far it'll go, includes first and foremost, airconditioning.  I do NOT cope with the hot weather - I end up with migraines from the heat (oh and joy oh joy it's meant to hit 36 degrees this public holiday Monday, and the Tuesday, 39 degrees, after a week of rainy weather and Angel and I throughout the week joking about "Doonah Day" and how it'd be so nice to go home snuggle up under a doonah and watch dvd's (this being the final straw in the Nic's gonna panick and back out of flirting with Angel as she's gonna get hurt by him AGAIN fast packpeddal later in the week).  Dammit.  I'd just been crowing to myself that the cooler weather had arrived, and no more bunch of hot days one after the other turning my home into a furnace and dammit here it comes again, on the next long weekend.  Someone upstairs hates me I swear it.

Anyhoo enough of the self pitying.  Next on the wishlist, lighting.  Approx $400 worth by the time I buy all the new fixtures and then the cost of having them installed.  Worth it as the light fittings here totally suck.  No other way to describe them.  Ugly big black bugs of things perched up on the white ceiling.  WHY would anyone want black light fittings on a white ceiling can I ask?  They're big bulky and hideous. 

SO if there is cash leftover, a new standalone cheapie stove so I won't singe my eyebrows the next time I try to grill something (thank God for George Foreman or I'd be the size of a house..grilling being one of the best low fat ways to cook after all). 

And oh I'd so dearly love to splurge on myself and do all the things that through a lack of having spare cash, I've not spoiled myself with in ages.  A haircut.  Last one was July last year.  I kid you not.  I have VERY long hair.  Just as well I use good product (one of my few self indulgences other than adding to my dvd collection). Otherwise that long hair would be trailer-trash straw in all probability.   So, haircut, maybe a new bottle of perfume - faves being Red Door, Chanel #5 (my fave..the one Marilyn is famous for quoting herself as sleeping nude in), Moschino (the one with the little tricoloured ribbon around the lid), Anna Sui Dreams; but then here's my handbag and lingerie fetishes -neither fed for some time due to mortgage-dom.  mmmm nope I have to sort out the house first.  THAT way if I ever want to sell up and give Max a home that doesn't include psychopathic-towards-cats neighbours so he can roam freely outside, I'll be better equipped to.  As I type this, he's spread out lying like he's human, full length (which is impressive) on my couch beside me quietly snoring with his belly exposed oh-so-innocently like a bear trap.  You stick your hand in there to pat, you might get it back bloodied or gnawed on.  Ironically, it's a rather tight budget this fortnight, and I've got to run now to grocery shop, while dreaming about how much the tax man might oh so kindly leave me to spend next fortnight, once the cash is paid to me.

Welcome to the Spring 2006 edition of getting to know your friends.
>What you are supposed to do with this email...COPY (not forward) the
>entire email, then paste it into a new e-mail that you'll send. Change
>all the  answers so they apply to you, and then send this to the people
>you care about, including the person who sent it to you. The theory is
>that you will  learn a lot of little things about your friends, if you
>did not know them already.
>
*INFO
1. What time did you get up this morning?  Slept in despite orientation morning, so around 6:45 am
2. Diamonds or pearls?   Both I’m not fussy!  I adore pearls though if they’re nice.
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies?   Stranger than Fiction with Will Farrell and Emma Thompson – bit left of centre but interesting.  Marketed incorrectly tho.
4. What is your favourite TV show at the moment?  Too easy – Greys Anatomy and McLeods Daughters in a tie.

5. What did you have for breakfast?   Was running late didn’t have breakfast.  Coffee midway through orientation (very very bad of me)
7. What is your favourite cuisine?    Japanese
8. What foods do you dislike?   Tomatoe (top of the list!), oysters, any kind of offal
10. What is your favourite CD at the moment?   So Frenchy So Chic
11. What type of car do you drive?  My dinky little Ford Festiva Trio (nicknamed the Tardis)
13. What characteristics do you despise?   Intimidation, overbearingness, cruelty, lack of empathy
14. Favourite item of clothing?     My lingerie, without my bras I’d get a black eye if I went running.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?  Canada to see family and my grandmothers resting place
17. Where would you like to retire to?  If I win lotto to my winery in marg river WA with townhouse in the city
18. Favourite time of the day?    dusk
19. What was your most memorable birthday?  Dinner with friends approx my 27^th, at a funky little restaurant, about 15 came everyone got along really well, piddly but fun night.  Otherwise, my 19^th birthday, married, my then husband spoilt me rotten (the following year was a complete opposite by comparison). OR any birthday that dad took my sister and I to the royal show for.
20. Where were you born?   Vernon British Columbia Canada
21. Favourite sport to watch?  J the smaller the shorts, the higher the attention span.  Seriously though, I don’t like to watch sport much unless I’m watching someone I know play it.  Possibly rugby or football if someone was patient enough to explain it to me.
22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?  angel (on email)
23. Who do you expect to send it back first?  Whoever is bored enough to complete it
24. What fabric detergent do you use?   Whatever smells nicest.
25. Coke or Pepsi?   coke
26. Are you a morning person or a night owl?   Night owl big time

27. What is your shoe size?    10.5
28. Do you have any pets?   Max the Cat

30. What did you want to be when you were little?  An author, a psychologist, or a lawyer.
31. When is your birthday?   10^th Oct

**********FAVOURITES****************
>
Summer/Winter?     winter
Favourite Advertisement?   I ignore them.  Anything clever/cheeky

****RIGHT NOW*****************

Wearing?    Work gear still
Eating?    Nothing. 
Drinking?    Nada

Thinking about:   first night of study, damned internet service down, can’t sleep and it’s getting late, head’s buzzing with a million thoughts.
Listening to:    some crap missing show on tv in the background.
Book: have not read anything in ages other than workchoices legislation books, not had time. I miss it I used to adore reading for leisure.  It seems so decadent these days (and lazy).  Meantime, walls to paint, reading material to go over.
>
**********THE LAST 24 HOURS**************

Cried?  Nope – last time I cried was over a soppy movie while pmsing (sheepish)
Met someone new?    yes
Cleaned your room?    Semi- house all needs a clean – not enough time on weekend to get it done. OOPS.   
Drove a car?   Yes – to work so I could get to my class in time and get home after.
How many hours sleep?   Errr.. couldn’t sleep too wound-up last night so midnight through til 6:45. 

*************DO YOU BELIEVE IN* *************

God?   I’m with my friend who sent methis email on this one ..sometimes.  Most of the time. Sometimes during depressed moments, I believe we’re just little specs under someone else’s magnifying glass.  Bleak?  Yup!
Santa Claus?   J I wish.  I love the concept.  Tho I think I’d be getting lots of stockings full of coal ;)
Destiny/Fate?   Yes definitely.  But I always believe we can change our own but not someone else’s for them.
Ghosts?  I’ve lived in haunted places before.  Yes.  Never SEEN seen them but definitely known they’re there.
>
>**********FRIENDS AND LIFE**********
>
Who have you known the longest of your friends?  Mmm Tossup between JNL & CEO Friend.  Oh, sorry guys, Horse Girl – she knew me when I was a tall gangly teenager riding horses til I broke my collar bone.
When do you cry the most?   Sometimes when I get low or when a friend is sad or down.  Otherwise, out of happiness for my friends at their weddings or when they have a baby.  Completely soppy, I hate it but can’t help it. 

Tagged by Pixie

Five Things About Me You Might Not Know.

1. The concept of my mortality sometimes frightens me.  It gets me thinking about faith, life's purpose (or is there one) and whether we're just blips on a microscope to something greater, not necessarily good or bad, just bigger than us.
2. Confession: my libido gets me in a whole lotta hot water.  It's really not something I'm that proud of.
3. I've only ever been in two major relationships in my life, with a significant other.  Worries me sometimes and beginning to think I just stink at relationships with opposite sex, and my friendships with women can sometimes seesaw a bit as well.  Maybe I have to learn just to be a little less intense or needy. 
4. I love jasmine (scent) perfumes (most), men (duh), Max of course, scalp massages, playfighting when it's strictly play & tussle and not scary, gardening (oh what a nanna), 80's music, as well as some 60's and 70's stuff, as well as indy, things like everything but the girl, wicked beat soundsystem, and sing to Kylie in the car (yes indeedy).
5. I have addictions to handbags, lingerie stores (shuddup guys!), and dvds/movies.

Upon Pixie's request...

Christmas here in Oz has always been quite different to the first Christmas I ever remember back in Canada.  For a few years after we got to Oz mum tried to stick to doing a real tree.  But the feeble attempts at christmas trees which they sell in some scalding hot bitchumenised carparks, are really drooping tree branch ends and already wilted by the time that they arrive home. I still adore the smell of pineneedles mixed with tinsel (those who say tinsel doesn't smell, try checking it out the next time you're at the stores).

SO my earlier childhood memories post the trip over the pond of course, were of heat, pineneedles sprinkled over the floor, of a cat or two batting at the lower decorations, of waking up early the next morning after attempting to stay up all night to bust santa doing his present drop, and trying to be as noisy as possible without being obviously noisy, to wake up mum and my "hates children" stepfather. 

The Christmas lunches mum has always made have been superb.  She used to spend far more time in the kitchen than she does these days - it took her a while to realise that some traditions (ie a big cooked turkey) suit a colder climate much more than days of up to 43 degrees celcius outside.  Stinking up the kitchen with a long roasting oven is just NUTS.  But she let it go slowly and not without a struggle. 

These days, it's immediate family catching up for lunch - cold meats, possibly pre-cooked or a cold ham, some families over here have seafood, barbq's or a mixture of both.  Those with pools after resting their full bellies end up in the pool to stave off the heat. 

I can't say I'm a huge fan of the really hot weather - ironic really given where I live!  Well, the past week has been rainy and up to only 22 or 23 degrees and I've been in heaven.  Even the sunny days were beautiful and not too hot.  Now, it's heading towards that dreaded hot weather... where every brick in the wall of the house seems to emanate the heat like a wood fired oven.  My overactive imagination I'm sure but I'm not a huge fan.

I've had a pathetically insecure moment (inspired by realising that Gilligan is into trekking, playing the piano, travelling, speaking german.. and the list goes on and thus making me internally write up my own list).  I'm boring! 

I write on a blog (that my friends don't know about or certainly don't read or have the address to), I adore movies, I work my butt off and fret over whether the split side to my manager's personality which I'll see is the lovely nice insecure person with the tough exterior who is utterly likeable, rather than the curling smoke drifting out of each nostril with the stream of vitriolic fire to follow out of her maw when she is on a rampage over something misunderstood or the occasional real mistake after our MD has complained about something else to her.  I digress... hmm where was I.  I used to read a lot - Terry Pratchett novels, Robin Hobb novels, Patricia Cornwall, The Bride Stripped Bare, The Naked Husband, Carnevale, Anne McCaffrey.. but not had time lately.  Used to go to the gym heaps, that habit disappeared I would like to say because of the new job but it was more due to the new financial situation after buying a house.

So what else do I do?  I socialise with friends, I paint my house, I ignore my garden lately (wince) but normally don't mind spending time on it to make it look nice, I go to the occasional outdoor cinema or play, I babysit my nephew and I try not to stuff up my budget so that my next mortgage payment will go through as planned.  Aside from that there is the odd drunken evening out with friends, barbq here.. but meh that's been me this past year (oh and chasing a pissed off Max around the house with a syringe morning and night and a bowl of by-then lukewarm salt water talking in a calm cutesy voice trying to calm him out of the malovent mood he was in, back after he'd been to the vet twice and almost died, this time last year, over the christmas break).

So in the leadup to the christmas break this year, without the need to be around to nurse a less than grateful, at the time very unappreciative moggy back to health from below the 6ft 6 bookcase he was hiding on top of... what will I do with my break this year?  Catch up with friends, watch movies (it's inevitable), spoil my nephew (inevitable), try to exercise more, try to plan some kind of NYE get together for friends, perhaps a group to go and check out Shakespeare in the Park.

I don't climb mountains, I don't travel (to the wine region about 4 hours away every few years *sigh* my fave) but I really have no urge to trek Nepal drinking camel's off yoghurt, or watch cricket on tv (I'd rather watch paint dry - preferably while I'm painting another wall!).  I've never felt the urge to play a musical instrument since my failed attempts with a recorder, and the last time I tried singing it was at home practicing the words to a "Samson & Delilah" musical for school and mum walked in, shook her head (meantime me at age 11 envisaging mum walking in beaming and talking of her child prodigy), and said "oh you poor kid, you've inherited your mum's ability to shatter windows!" 

I've never rally driven (though that could be fun if someone wanted to give me the keys to a car they didn't mind me trashing!).  I've gone fishing before a few times and loved it but I get all squirmy about getting the fish off the hook - I have to ask someone else to do it.  Camping - provided there are public toilets at a camping ground and running water . okeydokey but I'll be the first to bolt squealing to the car at the first sign of a huntsman spider.. and I'd end up a tent hostage until someone removed it from a tent entrance if there was one around. 

And gee I wonder why I'm single.  Scarily, I don't care.  I'm kinda happy with my life, except missing those moments at night when it'd be nice to get cuddled or if I'm low or sick and want to be reassured (ok so I can be a grade A sook this is true).

I shuddered to type this, but realised that a few of my 'neighbours' mightn't know me quite as well as the Hooch's and the Pixies, who knew me from my old blog infamy.  So, I doubt any of this will be broadcastworthy, but here's some insider knowledge that doesn't bust the anonymity banks.  Call it a meme and I'll tag the lot of you who feel the urge to splurge the durt on yourselves, to follow suit on any/all topics ..

1. Childhood - as a kid I was the awkward unco geek.  Tall and gawky, shy, socially awkward but with a lousy temper if provoked far enough but generally I was the gentle giant who desperately wanted close friends.  Nope I'm not proud of the picture I'm painting - it's cringeworthy.  If anyone picked on my little sister however, I could be quite vile.  They made her cry, I made them cry.  Simple.
2. Likes - movies, men, loyal friends (I should add Loyal to the men item too), a good book though I've never had time lately (particularly Terry Pratchett, Robin Hobb, Patricia Cornwall, Robert Jordan, but when I was a kid it was Anne McCaffrey after hearing a primary school teacher read out one of her short stories from the collection "Get Off The Unicorn", and "Lord of the Rings" & The Hobbit. Weather - winter autumn or spring - anything that has a cold night as a minimum for doonah-snuggleworthiness, and rainy days in at least occasionally for a 'doonah day' in front of a dvd.  Does this make me a slob?  mmmm *worried face*  Painting the house and other work that I'm capable of around the house. Perfume, the scent of jasmine, candles, my house, my nephew and last but definitely not least, my nephew. 
3. Dislikes beautiful but bad for me men who hurt me (oh sweet temptation but ya think I'd learn!), people who try to lecture at me about what I should be thinking and won't listen to another viewpoint, anyone who hurts animals especially for no reason or spiteful reasons (same should be done to them), childish snipey behaviour in women, deceitfulness, spiders big time, ditto for heights and needles *shudder*.  The Ferals back when they were being spiteful and trying to kill Max.
4. What I do - Human Resrces.
5. Fave Foods - olives, wine, chocolate, sushi, lasagne, roast pumpkin, proper leaf tea (mmm), berry green tea, spicy thai salad, mexican..
6. People who've made me cry... only the ones who've made me laugh and smile and love the most have the biggest ability to do that the most.  SO, family of course, a few ex's - Salty, Angel of course, even someone I'll call ComputerMan for lack of a better name.  My ex husband too.
7. Oh did I forget that?  Yep I was married at 18, divorced by my 21st.  Nope I don't blame it on the age, that would possibly have come later but it was caused by dramas - I had found fantasies he'd written about underdeveloped girls.  I tried to talk him into getting counselling, meantime we moved states, to a place where my dad's family all lived.  I was upset, confided in an aunt about my own issues with my dad's brother, the family all gossiped about it didn't believe me - I even got the stereotyped "let's keep this within the family and not air our dirty laundry in public.. these things are much better left in the closet" etc.  Jeez.  I was LIVID and felt completely betrayed.  Turns out the family have many such skeletons in the closet and I refused to be a part of it all.  I've not spoken to that aunt since.  Meantime my ex was dismissive and not sympathetic, and whining on about wanting to get a street machine style car and put us in debt $40k or more so it could sit on blocks.  Nnnuh uh I snapped and that was it.  I still go by my married name - I'm sure some people would dearly love to debate that one, but I don't want to have anything to do with my father's family (I cut them off around the time they all kicked up and claimed I'd lie about something like my uncle's behaviour).  I also have all my identifying paperwork in my married name.  Has anyone ever thought about how difficult that is to change?  Medicare, superannuation, driver's licence, passport, bank account, insurance, tax.. and the list goes on.  My new surname is much easier to disappear with and in the state which I live now, everyone with my father's surname is related to him.  Much easier this way.  Another explaination for chosing anonymity.  Sorry I'm souding sarcy from re-remembering it.
8. Dog or cat person.  Max .. what can I say I'm a cat person.  I've never had really good experiences with dogs. First time, a dog chased me out of a park, across someone's front lawn (I was 4) it was a dalmation I think or alsation I cant remember I jsut remember being bowled over and pinned down on the ground by it before mum stopped it, shouting at the owners to call it off.  Memories since haven't been any more special really but I still don't hate dogs.  I'm just personally not a fan of living with one but I've gotten past any issues for the most part.  :)  I've grown up around cats.

So tell me your secrets, tell me your pet peeves, pets, what do you do for a living, childhood..were you the sporty popular kid, the shy awkward one, the glamour princess, the brain or the naughty loveable ratbag?