Literary Inspirations - Emily Dickinson on Crazy...

A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the King - Emily Dickinson.

Some would argue that Emily Dickinson knows her crazy! Spending most of her adulthood in seclusion, it was not known how prolific a writer she was until her death in 1886. Her works vary from most others written at the time; her unique use of punctuation and lineation make any Emily Dickinson poem almost instantly recognisable. She was also not bound by the standard iambic pentameter styling of the time, instead preferring to structure her lines as to convey the emotion of the line she wished to deliver.

Too often we care so much about what our friends, family and peers think of us. When they say "You're crazy!" you should be able to say "And...?". A little bit of crazy does you good... it blows out the cobwebs of our normal lives and allows us to experience life in unexpected ways. Provided it doesn't hurt anyone, why not let loose your inhibitions and take a walk on the wild side in '09?

2008... a retrospective.

2008 has certainly been one heck of a rollercoaster ride... gasping heights, screaming lows... times where I just gripped onto that metal bar for dear life. Here's a completely honest recap of my year - Scribbles uncensored, if you will.

January-March:

The start of the year saw me leave full-time employment to take the leap into the tertiary education path that will see me fulfilling my passions in 2010. I was still recovering from the blindsider that was Ex-S and I breaking up. I got totalled at a friend's engagement party after seeing my "replacement" for the first time and being felt up by the future groom. I freaked out about what I had done with my life, starting to doubt whether I should have left a fulltime job to be a poor student. I lost about six kgs, purely from not eating (not recommended). I got to a point that I realised I was going through the floor and I started seeing a therapist - I'm grateful that I have parents that brought me up to feel that there is no shame in doing this. I turned 23 and did absolutely nothing to celebrate it.

April - June:

I moved back in with my parents for the first time in five years. I had a rebound relationship, which true to form ended badly. I learnt to stop looking for men to make me whole. I knuckled down with my study and realised that I had possibly made the best decision in my life returning to study. I got annoyed with myself because I still wasn't over what had happened with Ex-S. I worked on building up my friendships outside of the insular group of couples I hung out with in 2007. I started this blog (possibly another one of the best decisions I ever made!). I began my new job at the Arts Centre and soon realised how much I loved it compared to my old job! I started dating again.

July - September:

I went on my first proper holiday in years to Christchurch. I had a session with my cousins, who then proceeded to tell their parents about it *cringe* in the middle of a Thai restaurant *cringe* after which my aunty started complaining that her children never ask her to get stoned with them*oh Lord help me shrink into my chair and die*. My mum got diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. I joined a church (and yes, those things are totally as related as they seem) and made a whole bunch of new friends. I made net friends with the most gorgeous girls I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. God (or the universe, whichever you believe) sent in the largest influx of positive people in my life I think I've ever had. I totally laxed out on my university studies yet still seemed to get passing grades. I spent more time with family, things hitting home that time is precious and life is too short. I lost some friends that didn't understand that.

October - December:

I completed my GradDipArts. I got a new look for the Scribbles website. I joined Lady Bloggers of Australasia and made even more fantastic friends! I grew closer to some unexpected friends who help me on my path to awesomeness. I kissed a boy I shouldn't have but find it difficult to regret it. I took a dating hiatus and spent December just laxing out, taking time for my life and myself without the pressure of "looking". I enrolled in my papers for 2009 and started making solid '09 plans. I stopped caring what other people think - summed up in the song by 3LW "Playas Gon' Play"

Playas, they gonna play

And haters, they gonna hate

Ballers, they gonna ball

Shot callers, they gonna call

That ain't got nothin' to do

With me and you

That's the way it is

That's the way it is

If you're gonna be a hater... see ya later. I don't want to waste my time and precious energy on you. I went on a couple of delicious mini-breaks and got to see more of this beautiful country that I live in. I came to terms with the fact that I am not at a place where "Little Me" always thought I would be, and I'm okay with that.

So there is my 2008 in a nutshell (Ahhh help me, I'm stuck in a nutshell!) - the good, the bad and the extraordinarily ugly. Here's to 2009 and all that it brings!

Goals for 2009

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1. Graduate my GradDip Teaching (Secondary)

If nothing else in this year to come, I want to come out the other end of this year a "provisionally registered teacher" with an awesome position that I can't wait to start.

Plans to achieve this: Work really hard at my assignments this year, don't leave things to the last minute, focus on my time management a little better. Charm the pants off the associated teachers on my practicum experiences, network with heads of department at my chosen schools, show my eagerness early on. Submit registrations of interest to my Top 3 schools by the end of Sept. Don't be afraid to ask the lecturers for help.

2. Go on holiday in July to Sydney

This is going to be a bit more of a stretch goal than I had expected as I'm only going to be able to work half the hours I had expected in the first semester seeing the way that my uni schedule plays out. I'm determined to go, partially because I've never been to Australia at all, partially because I have a few IRL friends in Sydney and partially because I want to meet with Aussie bloggers like Miss Corrine on their home turf.

Plans to achieve this: Cracking down on miscellaneous spending. Making gifts rather than purchasing them for special occasions. Creating a list of things I need and not adding to it unless I can justify spending the money against having less for my holiday. Getting recommendations of what I should do whilst over there and working out how much it will all cost/how much time it will take and weighing up how long I can stay and what I can do (you guys in NSW can help me with this one!)

3. Get more professional in my writing career.

Part of my decision in pursuing a career as a teacher is that it is also a career that works in well with chasing another dream of publishing a novel. While I don't feel that I'm in a situation at the moment conducive to writing such lengthy works, I do hope that 2009 will provide me with opportunities to be published in places other than my own blog.

Plans to achieve this: Work on getting Scribbles up to a really high standard of writing, even when it is just posts about my own life. Take up guest posting opportunities (guys?). Use assignments as exercises to develop top notch writing practices. An ideal stretch plan will be to find some paid writing opportunities, but this will be dependant on finding the RIGHT opportunities.

4. Lose 15kg by Sept 2009.

I lost a similar amount over the first half of 2008 but this stagnated midway through the year when mum got diagnosed with cancer - I stopped going to the gym and taking care of myself the way that I should have. I also gave up smoking, a healthy move considering my new family history of cancer, giving my hands and mouth a whole lot of unoccupied time. I'm not any fatter (thank goodness) but I still have a fair way to go before I'm at my goal weight. 15kgs would put me within 5kg coo-ee of my goal weight and is a weight I think I could tolerate myself at.

Plans to achieve this: Start going back to the gym - I pay for it, so I should use it. Walk more. I have deliberately found summer employment that will keep me more active. Get involved with the kids dance class at church. Keep cuddling babies (it's helping tone my bingo lady wings). Choose the healthier or smaller options. Don't upsize. Stop eating when I'm full and get rid of the rest. Tell people so that I'm held to greater accountability.

5. Seize the day!

This is a hard one to measure, but it's all about taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities that come my way, being open to new possibilities and not putting myself down so much. No specific plans for this one, just hoping that 2009 leads me to place and people I can't even conceptualise yet.

Have you guys decided on 2009 goals yet? Tell me your plans, your hopes and your dreams!

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

This afternoon's read is "The Kite Runner" - while this book has been around for a fair while and topped best-seller lists, it seemed so suitable for the faith-based book series. The novel is written by a Muslim author and absorbs the faith into the background texture of the novel. With society having such fears of fundamental Islam these days, it is nice to see the religion treated with respect and appropriate manner. For most religious people, religion is reflected in their everyday life but not consumed by it and I think that Hosseini demonstrates this very well in his novel and the character Amir.

The novel is set in 1970's Afghanistan, an era and place that I must admit I know very little about. My knowledge of Afghanistan is limited to that it is an area somewhere in the Middle East that New Zealand sends peacekeeping troops. Images of it flick on the news and we picture it as a war-torn wilderness... but it wasn't always this way. "The Kite Runner" gives us a glimpse into the nation that it used to be. This in and of itself is a worthwhile reason to read the book.

The book focuses on class distinctions, following that age old adage that seems to fall across all religions - love your neighbour as yourself. What intrigued me was how the author chased a seemingly meaningless decision that Amir makes as a boy, following it all the way out to the distant conclusion, spanning both continents and decades. It really hits home what we discussed a while back about random acts having dramatic consequences.

Amir, as a character with experiences completely different to mine, was still written as a person with whom one could have great empathy. When we think with the minds of children, we don't often realise how cruel we can be and how deep we wound. The novel is well written with no real lulls in action and the author's description of landscapes make the scenes in which the characters exist burst into life. Without ruining it for those that have not read, the action takes many twists and turns but is none of it unrealistic. An involved but worthwhile read for those of you on a holiday break.

4.5 stars out of 5

Change of scenery!

Photo Credit

Hey Scribblettes!

I'm off on a wee holiday... clear over the other side of the town that I live in! I'm housesitting for PP and PW while they are down south and taking some time to breathe and mooch. Will hopefully get my laptop up and running there and continue posts as usual, but just a little heads up that until Jan 01 posting may be a little sporadic.

Enjoy the sun if you're a fellow antipodean, and make snow angels for me if you are not!

Lots of love,

Scribbles

Book Giveaway Drawn! Merry Christmas!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

4 

Timestamp: 2008-12-25 11:43:01 UTC

That means for the fantastic "Republic of Love" book giveaway, Joeygirl is the winner! Joeygirl, email me with your address and I'll get that book in the post to you! Congratulations.

Now please excuse me while I go pass out again from turkey coma-age :D

Christmas Eve

If you've been following my twitter stream you'll be aware that things haven't been going exactly as I'd planned running up to Christmas. My mum got unexpectedly admitted to hospital yesterday with an infection (damn chemo and none of those helpful neutrophils) so I've been really busy with Christmas prep with intermittent breaks of gloom that my mum isn't home tonight - we've managed to wangle her a day pass home in between IV drips tomorrow so at least she'll be home for lunch.
Thank you to those who have sent your sparkly vibes or prayers, I've really appreciated it at a time that I know people don't have a lot of extra energy to spare. It's been nice to come back to my computer when I feel like Mr. Pussycat in picture above and read your kind thoughts and comments. Hugs to the lot of you - while I've lost my Christmas spirit somewhat this year, you've kept me from turning into the grinch.
I hope you all have a marvellous Christmas Day tomorrow - I'll be drawing my book giveaway tomorrow night NZ time at around 9 pm so that gives you 24 hours still to enter. Click this link to get through, and leave a comment. Enjoy your time with your families (I know I'll be treasuring the three or so hours I get with my mum) and I'll see you out the other side!

Literary Inspirations: Louisa May Alcott on Knowing Yourself

I am not afraid of storms, for I have learned how to sail my ship - Louisa May Alcott (Photo Credit)

Most famous for her novel "Little Women", Louisa May Alcott was reflected most in her character of Jo, the clear tomboy of the dear family that mirrored her own upbringing very clearly. Prior to her untimely death from mecury poisoning, Miss Alcott was both an abolitionist (as was her father) and an early feminist along with many of the female american authors at the time. Little known is the "blood-and-thunder" novels that she published under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard - the same sensationalist novels that she has Jo reprimanded for as unladylike in her March Family novels. Miss Alcott never married (unlike her "Little Women" counterpart, Jo) and Alcott explained her "spinsterhood" with the retort"... because I have fallen in love with so many pretty girls and never once the least bit with any man". Interesting comment there Louisa... something you want to share with the group?

This quote resounded with me as I take my dating hiatus. This time spent getting to know myself and feel comfortable with myself will allow me to weather the inevitable storms of future relationships so much better. It's given me time to reflect who I am in relationships and what I need to work on moving forward. It extends into other areas of my life too - if I know who I am, if I know what brings me down and builds me back up again then I'll deal so much better with whatever is thrown at me.

She sells sea shells by the sea shore!

No, this isn't a post on tongue twisters, this is part of an awesome meme as seen on Hope Dies Last. The letter Hope gave me was S!

The rules:

You leave a comment on this post, and I’ll assign you a letter. You write about ten things you love that begin with your assigned letter, and post it at your place. When people comment on your list, you give them a letter, and the chain continues on and on.

1. Smoothies from Shakeaway! It's the only place I know in NZ that will make you a vegan smoothie. I've missed thickshakes so much since I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and now I can have them again!

2. Samoa! I've never been but my grandfather was born and raised there (although not a native Samoan) so it holds a special place in my heart. I intend to visit there one day and track down where the plantation he lived on was.

3. Schools - just as well as I'm going to be a teacher :D

4. Satay Sticks from the local bakery. I've had an addiction for so long that I don't even need to ask for it when I go into the bakery now, they just get one out of the cabinet for me.

5. Sarcasm - my humour tends to be rather scathing and dry. Back when FirstLove and I were dating, our group of friends had a really bad habit of sarcastically commenting with the prefix "I wish I..." - say if one of our friends fell over a small child in the mall, we'd say "I wish I could fall over infants in the mall and make a complete ass of myself. This all ceased one day when we were watching TV with FirstLove's parents. There was an insurance ad on that had a young man walk in on his mother-in-law whilst she was bathing. FirstLove pipes up "I wish I could walk in on my girlfriend's mum in the shower..." - his mum cracked up laughing and his dad would not stop giving him shit "Really [FirstLove], do you really wish that? What does [Scribble's Mum] have to say about that? Have you told her how you feel?"... Sarcasm FAIL.

6. Smaggle Style - Lady Smaggle always looks immaculately put together whereas I'm lucky some days if I wear the same shoes on both feet as I head out of the house. I'm in awe of all of you that manage style post and ashamed at my own lack of style - thus there will never be any outfit posts on Scribbles... well, that and also that I blog anonymously - not so anonymous when you can see my face :S

7. Sushi - anyone who thinks that globalisation is a bad thing has to realise how boring and monotonous our diets would be without ethnic foods. St. Pierre's Sushi rocks the schizznit!

8. Shopping - of any kind but it's been particularly nice lately to finally do some "fun shopping" for myself. I got a gorgeous snuggly cardi and a ginormous handbag that already appears to have been nicknamed the "Tardis" by Mr.Rock.

9. Scents - I'm super-excited about the bottle of Viktor & Rolf "Flowerbomb" I'm getting for Christmas but I also love the scents of freshly cut grass, sheets after you bring them in after drying them on the line and the smell that rain makes on an extremely warm pavement... delicious. Other favourite smells are chocolate chip cookies baking and pork roast - yum!

10. Smiles - wear one plastered on your face whenever you can! It will make people wonder what your secret is...

So long, my good and faithful servant...

My friends, it is with sadness that I announce that at 3pm on Thursday the 19th of December, whilst folding the washing, Scribbles found the body of Monsieur Racer B. Singlet with multiple wounds to his body beyond repair.
This discovery has hit Scribbles hard. Mr Singlet had been a frequent companion of hers for the last four years, ever since meeting at Glassons Westcity. She found him supportive (with built in bust support) and accomodating, stretching to love her no matter what weight she was.
Scribbles had the following to say "He was a great singlet, always there for me when I needed him. When I saw him on the racks, I just knew that we were going to be friends. Still, we've had wonderful experiences together and with a crazy life like ours, I guess a part of me knew that this end was a possibility. Still, what am I meant to do now? I can't just go out and replace him - can I?"
Monsieur Racer Black Singlet is survived by his siblings Racer White, Racer Blue and Racer Maroon. A short memorial service was held in Scribble Kitchen before committal to the council rubbish bag. He will be missed.

Sunday Afternoon Reads: "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers

Dear Scribblettes, this novel is Christian faith-based and is part of a three part series I will be doing that focus on books largely influenced by different religions (I will also be looking at Muslim and Jewish faith-based novels). Should religious discussion offend you or make you feel uncomfortable, I suggest that you return to Sunday Afternoon Reads on 11th of Jan when this series has ended.

This Sunday Afternoon Read is "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. After joining my church I have access to a library full of Christian faith-based books and finally got around to having a search in there to see what the big deal was. The librarian pointed me towards Redeeming Love and said that it was a really great historical romance novel. I tried to contain my "Yeah, Right!" reflex and checked it out of our library. You know what? I actually enjoyed it.

The story is loosely based on the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer. In that story, the Lord speaks to Hosea and tells him to marry a prostitute named Gomer, knowing that she will wound his heart by being unfaithful to him. After several years of marriage, Gomer leaves her husband and children and returns to her previous position of prostitution. God then instructs Hosea to go and find her and bring her home. After searching for Gomer, Hosea finds his wife being sold in a slave auction, and although she is perceived as dirty and broken by sin, Hosea purchases her back with his own money and takes her into his home again.

"Redeeming Love" is set in California during the gold rush period of American history. We learn about the history of Angel, a prostitute in one of the temporary mining towns, through a series of disturbing flashbacks. It has not been an easy life for Angel, sold into 'service' at a young age. She now earns fame and sparse amounts of cash as the prettiest prostitute in Pair-a-Dice. A chance meeting brings Angel and Michael Hosea together and he knows in his heart that he has to save Angel from her circumstances and make her his wife. This is no white knight situation though, Angel fights him tooth and nail every step of the way - believing that she's the scum that she's always been told she is. When Angel is brought back to the farm after their wedding, sets of neighbours have conflicting views of her which just strengthens the war she finds herself fighting and she flees. The real bite of the story is in wondering whether Michael's love for her is strong enough to beat this past that keeps such a grip on her.

While having a knowledge of the biblical story can enhance your understanding of the inner workings of the characters, this story is simply enjoyable as a tale of love without boundaries and forgiveness. It's pleasing to see Ms. Rivers write a fallible character - Angel may be your hooker with a heart of gold but boy it takes some hard work to make it shine. I also liked how she showed Michael Hosea as a Christian man but full of doubt as to whether this was the path expected of him - he's human, not the holier-than-thou superman often depicted. Despite myself, I was so hooked into this story that I even started to cry when... well you'll just have to read the book and see :D I appreciate, however, that as a Christian I got greater satisfaction out of this novel than someone with atheist beliefs (or is that non-beliefs?) and that if you were looking purely for historical fiction without a deeper spiritual element, this would not be the book for you.

3.5 stars out of 5

Skinnydipping!

Photo Credit

I came across one of those survey meme things whilst reading my favourite blogs and one question asked whether you had ever skinny-dipped. I thought no, then remembered an evening in a spa (many years ago now - with FirstLove) where things had got declothed... but it didn't really seem to be skinnydipping to me. Skinnydipping with a lover almost seems to be a form of foreplay ;)
Whilst looking for a suitable pic to illustrate this article (and believe me, what an interesting search LOL) I thought about skinnydipping meant to me. This photograph pretty much epitomises it to me. Skinnydipping is about communing with nature in your most natural form and enjoying the world around you. It doesn't have to be sexual, it just needs to have no barriers between you and enjoying the world around you. When I finally skinnydip (and believe me, I'm amazed I'm almost 24 and I haven't yet) it will be somewhere beautiful and serene where I can just frolic in the beauty around me :)

What does skinnydipping mean to you? Share your skinnydipping stories if you dare :D

Double Entendres... also known as Scribbles has a dirty mind and dirty minded friends...

Picture Credit

When helping Ms.Bee cart in a whole load of boxes from her car last weekend, she told me about her morning selling stuff at the markets. She'd forgotten to bring a stool so while on the phone to Mr.Bee tried to perch herself on top of a box. They're chatting away and the box starts to give away underneath her, causing her to exclaim down the phone that her box was breaking. Mr.Bee said that he really hoped not or there would be no buzzing in the beehive tonight (or similar that would put my blog into R status!).
We're having a good old chortle about this as we're on the porch then the box that Ms.Bee is holding starts to give way - "Help my box is breaking! All my precious bits are going to fall out!". At this stage I can barely keep it together and Ms.Bee is seriously worried that the contents of her cardboard box are going to end up on the floor.
"Quickly, grab my flaps and tuck them back up!"

I lost it... laughing so hard that there were tears. I have the humour of a pubescent boy who looks up "sex" in the dictionary. Are there words or double entendres that just set you off, even in really inappropriate settings?

Like burning paper, you can't get it back...

We had a contemplation service at church on Sunday night and the proceedings were so beautiful that I thought that I should share it with you. You wouldn't have to be Christian or even particularly spiritual to experience this... it was just a really amazing time to both reflect and look forward.

The room was set up in several stations, lit really dimly so that you could just see the pictures that hung on the walls and though other people were in the room, you felt like you were relatively alone. Along one wall were pictures of nature, space and other natural wonders, inviting you at Christmas to realise how beautiful this world we live in is - from the majestic splendour of a nebula to the perfectly formed sphere of dew on a bright green leaf.

At the next station, a board lit up with a blacklight asked you in fluoro text about what would you do if you heard the call? In a Christian context, this would be the call of God in your heart but it's not just a Christian thing. We all know the call you feel when you know you have the ability to make change in someone's life, even in just a really small way. Over the Christmas period and in 2009, will you answer that call and make the difference?

The part that helped me the most was getting to the station of candles. Here each person was invited to take a piece of paper and pen and write down all the sadness and disappointment that they had felt in 2008.

And then we set fire to them.

Bet you weren't expecting that (my church is awesome!). In a Christian context, it represented giving all your problems and worries over to God. In a non-religious context, it can be looked at as getting everything out of your system and releasing it into the universe. Like paper burning into smoke and ash, you can't get those disappointments back. They're gone - it's time to start afresh.

Whether you are religious, spiritual or a devout believer that this life is all there is, spend some time before the new year starts getting out all your disappointments out of your system. Find a quiet space to meditate on releasing them and then burn those burdens and cares away. I came home feeling much lighter for having released all my junk and I hope you will too!

Literary Inspirations - Oscar Wilde on Kindness

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. - Oscar Wilde (on the left).

The author of excellent novels (such as "The Portrait of Dorian Gray") and witty plays ("The Importance of Being Earnest"), Wilde is perhaps unfortunately most widely remembered as the author who did time in a labour camp for being found guilty of "gross indecency" with other men.
Historical evidence points to the likelihood of Wilde being a bisexual, scandalous during the Victorian era but neither here nor there when it came to the excellent standard of his work. Wilde was also renowned as the quintessential dandy, with an impeccable style.

You'll never know how much that small thing you do, that little act of kindness you share, may change someone's life forever. An extended hand to someone going through a rough time can have amazing consequences - from small interactions, mighty changes grow. You may never see the fruit of your act of kindness, but putting it out there makes the world a better place. Next time you see an opportunity to act but feel yourself hesitating, remember that a small act of kindness is worth more than all the intentions in the world.

New look for Christmas!

As those of you who visit through the site (rather than use my RSS feed) may have noticed, Scribbles has a new look which is much more me! Sick of those standard templates available through Blogger that didn't really reflect me and what my blog was about, I comissioned the lovely Elizabeth from Rainy Day Templates (see link at base of page) to work up a new concept for me - et voila! I love it, its really made my week and it is a great Christmas present to myself.

Sadly some blogroll links got lost in the transfer and I need to put them back! If you think that you should be on my blogroll and I've missed you out or even if you're hoping to exchange links for the first time, leave a comment! Us girlie bloggers need to stick together :D

I work in a place of many treasures... (for Annie's drooling pleasure)

This is just one of the many magnificent cabinets at my place of work... see, Annie Spandex? Told you LOL. My favourite has to be the butterfly vintage piece, but my IRL friends will not be surprised by that - I like butterflies so much that I have one tattooed on me! Anyway, I'll leave the text short and sweet on this one so that you guys can spend your time oggling my goodies... wait, that sounded dirty. Watevs :D

Music is my boyfriend!

Was listening to the easy-listening station at work and this song came on the radio:

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Lying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you
In this moment forever, forever and ever
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
Well, I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
'Cause I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep'
Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
I don't wanna miss a thing - Lyrics Credit

All of a sudden I felt sexy and loved and confident... and it was nothing to do with Steve Tyler (my IRL friends will know I like my men tall and lanky LOL). It just brought back a moment in my life when I felt all those things. It was the summer of FirstLove... and everything had that aqua haze that puppy love brings. It made me smile and lifted my spirits because I know that some day I'll find a guy that makes me feel like that forever, rather than just a season. What songs make you feel wonderful? Why?

Sunday Afternoon Reads - "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

In the infamous words of Monty Python (thanks Little Tongan), "and now for something COMPLETELY different..." - I introduce you to my gateway book to science fiction "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?".

"Science Fiction!" I hear some of you shriek... "save me from the trekkies and the ewoks, etc etc!" - it's not all nerd boys and dress-ups... although I do love me some nerd boy, just ask my IRL friends. The best sci-fi writers are those who make you believe that maybe, just maybe, one day this could be true and I think that Philip K. Dick does that successfully in this novel.

More familiar to people as the story behind the movie "Blade Runner", "Do Androids..." takes a step away from the heavy hitting action sequences of the movie and focuses more on the intricacies of human nature - or non-human nature as the case may be. In a post-apocalyptic world, most of the human population has fled to Mars, aided in the pioneering of a new planet by hyper-realistic robots, barely detectable as different from human beings. The remaining humans are segregated by how much the nuclear fall out has degraded them - once you fall below a certain level on the IQ test, you are considered a "special". Androids break away from the colony on Mars and come back to Earth... and what results is a well-written novel on what it truly means to be human.

I enjoyed this book far more than the movie as it delved deep into what it meant to be able to feel empathy, a truly human trait. It looks at how man treats his fellow man and the difference between doing something because you should or because in your heart, you feel that its the right thing to do. PKD writes in such a way that you feel drawn into the stories of Rachael Rosen, Deckard and Isidore, thinking how it must feel to be in their positions. It also makes you realise how much of life n our planet we take for granted - that our sheep are indeed real, not electric.

This is a great sci-fi book to start on if you haven't read a lot of the genre, not overly filled with jargon or warring aliens (although those books can be fantastic too!). I'm glad I bought my copy, but you may want to borrow from your local library before seeing whether it is a book you wish to own.

4 out of 5 stars.

Saturday morning of love!!!

I know, what happened to my afternoon of love? I have no afternoon to give you this weekend, my Scribblettes, I am SO busy. I am taking a friend to lunch for her birthday, rushing home to prepare entrees for a Christmas party I am attending and then I have to dash to my cousin N's 21st birthday party after I've made an appearance and had dinner at the Christmas event. So as much as I will be loving you all and loving life, I will have no time to tell you that!

So what am I loving this week?

• Typos that look like new words: I wrote un-skink-able instead of unsinkable this week and that lead me on a whole thought spiral about what it mean to be un-skink-able... and whether it could be a rascist or derogatory term for or against lizard creatures... for that matter, I also love
• Random thought spirals - quite a common occurance in the Scribbles Snr household. We'll be talking about one subject, everyone will go quiet and then someone will pipe up with something seemingly unrelated. This is allowed, as long as you can provide your thought trail from where you last trailed off. Also fun to do when you're talking with friends and end up on a completely different topic than when you started.
• Almost finished Christmas Shopping - just need to pick up the present for Cowgirl and Flyboy and I won't do that until next week.
• Dinner at Lonestar for my Dad's birthday - we happened to discuss in front of the waitress that it was my Dad's birthday and they put a candle in his dessert and gave him a free t-shirt. Now that's customer service!
• Lollymaking for goody bags (Christmas party tonight) with Ms.Rock on Thursday... I'm not meant to eat most of them (neither's Ms.Rock, but she's naughtier than me!) because they have milk... but I had a wee nibble - HAVE to sample the finished product :D Does it make it any better that it was condensed milk? It just seemed like a real effort to have to whip up vegan condensed milk, it didn't look very easy. And grinding up lactase tablets and spiking the lollies seemed unfair to the people who still have digestive enzymes LOL. Added a bit too much green food colouring and the coconut ice looks a little radioactive!
  
• My boss being super-understanding about the fact that my uni schedule for the Fall/Autumn Semester next year impacts on two of the four nights I should be working. She's going to find cover for those two nights, for that semester. Having Wednesday and Thursday off might actually allow me to commit to another couple of things that I've had to give a miss or a half-arsed effort so far - Thursday evening dance class teaching tweens and smallgroup, here I come!

From the "Woah" files...

I was measured for a bridesmaid dress earlier this week and my waist is a whole 30cm smaller than my bust and hips... I'm the real life Jessica Rabbit! I also have really long legs and a stubby torso... but I sort of knew that already. I have really long skinny hands and feet completely disproportionate to the ahem plump nature of the rest of my body as well. Isn't it funny how completely different each of us is made? Even my friends who are the same size in clothing as me are made in completely different shapes. Yet they are all gorgeous in their own ways!
I'll take my crazy hourglass figure any day of the week... I don't think I'd feel like me without it. Readers, what's your body shape? Do you love it? Why?

Book Giveaway! "The Republic of Love" by Carol Shields

Another book from me to you! The plot is another romantic one, but explores love in a much more philosophical manner. Fay McLeod and Tom Avery are "nice people": kind to their parents, groups of close friends, well-built secondary characters of the novel; dedicated to their professions (she's a folklorist, he's a graveyard shift radio talk show host). Like me (another nice person, I hope) they're both unlucky in love. Fay is the quintessential serial monogamist; Tom has been married and divorced three times. They're sick of being third wheels in a world full of perfectly matched bicycles. They finally meet, and it is love at first sight for both, but Fay is leaving immediately for a month of mermaid research in Europe. On her return, we find the path of true love never did run smooth. Is there a happily ever after? You'll have to enter the competition to win the book :)

Guidelines:

• Comment in the comments of this entry, telling me whether you've ever had love at first sight, to be in the draw to win the book
• You do not have to be in NZ to be eligible - I will post this book to anywhere, even if it has to be sent to you via Somalian Pirate ships.
• Winner, provided there is more than one entry, will be drawn via random number generator on Christmas Day - what a lovely present!

Get commenting Scribblettes!

All I want for Christmas updated...

All I want for Christmas by ScribblesNZ

The lovely Annie Spandex left a note on my previous post telling me that I could enter her giveaway by adjusting my list to include something from AirportGiftList.com - I thought I'd check it out and see whether it was worth it - turns out I am in absolute love with these Prada Butterfly sunglasses (I LOVE butterflies) so I resubmit my list - would be very cool to win!

Literary Inspiration: Poetry!

I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled [poets] to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.
- Socrates

Being the highly strung emotional tweenager that I was, poetry was a way in which I felt I could express myself freely, airing my grievances with no restraint. One poem that was published in the school yearbook (oh joy, my awkward adolescence immortalised forever) reflected the hurt I felt when a friendship that had been very important to me ended.

We were best friends
but she betrayed my trust.
I tried to reignite the friendship
with a monumental gust
of fire-tending oxygen
but she waltzed right out the door;
she blew away seven years of friendship
when she blew away everything I stood for.

I still find that in times of sorrow I write poetry - it seems to help me process things in ways that are perhaps beyond my understanding at the time. A lot of the poetry I wrote at the end of last year - a particularly dark time - I ended up burning, but it's good to have that release... and sound elegantly ugly while doing it.

Do you write poetry? When do you write it? Does it help you?

I passed!

While there were no A+s on my transcript, I passed better than I had expected given that this term was less than perfect in terms of what was going on in my life. A+ for effort for me! I'm getting nervous about my teaching program next year though! Because it's a post-grad diploma, everything gets smushed into one really full on year. I'm going to have to be really on the ball... any tips?

Jealous?

This was the beautiful sunset, as seen from the beach on Friday night. We were staying just across the road from this *sighs with nostalgia*. It was amazing that it was only half eight and the beach was deserted (we stayed a little further on from the main strip) - it was my own little patch of paradise.

The good - Swimming in an incredibly warm ocean, not getting too sunburnt, fish and chips in Tairua that were the perfect sized serving (go the kiddie meal!), stargazing both nights that I was there, tips from my new bikini waxer about the hot spots in town that proved correct, feijoa vodka cruisers (I have a feijoa obsession), complements on my skirt in the bathroom of the bar (a long black and red gypsy skirt) and being out of AKL for a wee while.

The funny - the bartender who kept coming to collect our bottles and yelled "Chug, chug, chug" for me to finish (it was very cute), a girl walking out of her loo cubicle without doing up her fly because the girl next in line was screaming she was going to pee herself, being hit on by a fifty-year old walrus (well no, he was a man but you get the picture), jumping on beds, PCock being peed on by a stray cat and hogging the fake boat at the children's playground.

The not-so-sparkling - Getting stung by some weird sea creature at the beach (I had an allergic reaction the diameter of an orange on my inner thigh - weird!), stargazing both nights alone(feeling a bit like a third wheel at times), a really average spare ribs meal (that should have been fantastic for how much it cost), driving back through to Tairua slightly hungover (but I managed to keep breakfast down) and having to leave to come back to AKL and real life.

Overall holiday rating - about a 7 and a half... I really did need the breathing space from real life, and it was nice to do it in such a gorgeous area. PCock and I are already planning a couple of other little get-aways over summer... make the most out of what little NZ has to offer :D

P.S. - funniest moment upon arriving home: when I told mum that I'd been hit on by a walrus, she asked whether he'd used the line that he was looking for his "bukkit" - someone got her mummy addicted to LolCats :D

Sunday Afternoon Reads - "The Mill on the Floss" by George Eliot

Photo Credit

George Eliot wrote Mill on the Floss and the debate has always been as to what extent the novel is autobiographical. Mill on the Floss focuses on a girl (and then woman) that defies expectations of society, shadowing what history we know of a certain Ms Marian Lewes.

The protagonist of the novel is Maggie Tulliver, a dark, gypsy-like child brought up by parents that one would probably consider middle-class. She's contrasted in nature by her cousin Lucy - a perfectly angelic and demure young lady - and by her brother Tom, who lacks the quick wit and intellect that society finds so unbecoming in Maggie.

The earlier part of the story revolves around the relationship of the Tulliver family with another family, the Wakems. It follows a dramatic interplay between the children/adolescents that shows how feuds between families can affect the lives of their children without adults ever being aware of the repercussions. It also seems to confront the varying definitions of what it means to act in a moral way.

A moment I found adorable in the earlier part of the novel is after Maggie gets in trouble at her aunts. She decides to run off and join the gypsies that she is so frequently compared to and strolls into their encampment full of big ideas that she is going to civilise the gypsies and become their queen. The reality doesn't live up to her dream and she is delivered back home to her father who doesn't know what he would do without his "little wench". It seemed relatable to me; the little girl with the big dreams that aren't as wonderful in real life as they were in her head - and I'm my daddy's "little wench" too!

The novel moves on (as life does too) to adult responsibilities and the awkward passion of love. It touches on a subject that interests me, the sexual politics of the time and what it means to be fallen. The storyline wraps up in a rather dramatic fashion that seemed unsatisfactory at the time, but in hindsight was the perfect end to the crafted tale that George Eliot had constructed. While we wish that Prince Charming may come and save the heroine of the day, the reality is that this doesn't always happen.

This novel managed to avoid the downfall of many other books by providing story arcs within the first half of the novel; this provided me with satisfaction that the story was moving forward while also supplying us with important character background information. There were a few minor points in which I felt that the text laboured too heavily on a point, although this may be due to reading the novel now, rather than while bound in a corset in the Victorian era - I'm sure at that time curled fronts would have been of great importance to me. If you are relatively new to reading the classics, I'd suggest this to start you on your journey - it's a great "gateway" book :D

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Crafty!!

It was PW's birthday on Wednesday and I had fixed in my head that I was going to make her a scarf. I was then sick for most of last week and didn't get the wool to knit the scarf. Monday morning I woke up and thought, shoot! The party is on Wednesday! Saner people would have just rethought the present, but no, not Scribbles.

So here is the photographic essay of how to knit a scarf in 48 hours... use your ape like toes to hold the wool... knit until 2 am in the morning and take a photo of your achievements... even knit at work... and you will have a finished product just in time.

All I want for Christmas...

All I want for Christmas! by ScribblesNZ

Aside from my two front teeth (I'd love to get a crown/veneers, but that's a story for another day) my Christmas desires are rather varied this Christmas. I'd like to be more crafty in 2009 - hello hot glue gun and sewing machine! - and also upgrade my little old dinosaur of a laptop... it's four in human years so that makes it REALLY OLD in laptop years. The audio quality on my cell is such that it will definitely need replacing, probably by the time I head back to school at the latest and this little number will do the trick fine. I like unusual jewelley and both this and this tickle my fancy, plus I'm complelely in love with the Waterstone reprints of classic novels - they're so pretty they make me want to cry! To crown off the list, I'm a complete and utter francophile so finding either this or this under the Christmas tree would make my day :D

It's amazing what an insight you can get about a person from their Christmas lists - what's on yours this year?

Just a wee note...

Photo Credit: Kimi353

Hey Scribblettes!

As you'll know if you follow me on Twitter (and if you don't, follow me!) I'm off to Whitianga, a lovely little beach town on the Coromandel in NZ. Hopefully the weather is just as stellar as it has been for the last couple of weeks but should be a fun time even if it's not.

I've scheduled posts to run for the three days that I'm gone and I look forward to reading all your delicious comments when I get back. I'll hopefully get on the net briefly each day to catch up but this weekend is all about tuning out, switching off and going crazy!

Peace out and loving you always,
Scribbles.

"Sushi For Beginners" Winner

As there were only two bidders for the book "Sushi for Beginners" I decided to flip a virtual coin - a Maximinus - Bronze/Silver Tetradrachm - Roman Empire to be precise. I assigned Vixel heads and Well-Heeled Tails and as you can see, Well-Heeled was the winner! Please get in touch with me so that I can get this book in the post for you!

Watch out for next Thursday, when I offer a new book giveaway!