Sleeping in places you never thought sleepable

As summer approaches, and our wet, windy (although not snowy) Australian winter slowly slinks away for the tourists to exclaim 'what wonderful weather this country has,' I find my mind wandering to summers past. To the times between school that seemed to hold the very essence of existence, to shady back yard barbecues and air so impregnated with the smell of blooming flowers you just can't seem to inhale enough. It is with this mindset that I start thinking of all the lazy days & accompaniments that travel with summer. There is of course the inevitable 'one too many' drinks at your best friends 'back-yard blitz,' the overstuffed rented cabin by the beach and the moments when you think a hammock should be mandatory. It seems that with with all these summer activities I find myself sleeping in areas and on surfaces that at any other time of year I would likely be declared insane for attempting slumber on/in them. The title of this post isn't a sexual innuendo, so if you were thinking such, I suggest you pull your head out of the gutter, this post is merely a salute to summers versatility when it comes to sleeping. As I start to rattle off a list of all the odd places summer slumber has been possible I wonder if anyone reading this could share with me a similar experience of their own.

There is of course the worthy and more than notable simple cool floor, for the moments when sheets feel like you are sleeping on a stove top, then there's the bath tub at the beach house where there are ten people to a two bedroom cabin, as well as the very convertible and newly constructed mound of cushions on the veranda that started off as somewhere to sit for lunch and turned into a siesta. Some of the odder place include a hole dug in the sand with a towel at a veeerrrrryyy long beach party, the bottom of a set of stairs at a rented house after a music festival (very bottom step served as a cushion) or my friends little brothers tree house. Then there have been the many camping trips where the tent looked so neat and tidy in its nylon wrappings we decided to leave it there and move the sleeping bags to where ever the ground was softest. But I think one of the most memorable 'shut-eye' endeavors of mine has been under a willow tree, the leaves swished and hummed the most beautiful lullaby I've ever heard. When I have a backyard of my own, the first thing I'll do is plant a willow tree.

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xo

If you'd asked.

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Me: "I've kept nearly every tag and price tag from almost all the clothing I've ever bought."

Sister: "Really? What are you going to do with all of them?

Me: "Add them up one day and cry."

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Friend: "I cant remember what I did last weekend."

Me: "That sucks. Hope it wasn't anything to bad."

Friend: "I guess I'll have to wait until I die to find out"

Me: "What! How would that help!?"

Friend: "My whole life will flash before my eyes, fill in all the blanks."

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Fiction is the kinder sister to reality.
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If you'd asked.

If you'd asked, I would have told you.
I'd have answered all your questions.
If you'd asked how much I loved you, I would have tried to tell you, and gone hoarse with the effort.
If you'd asked me what your smile meant to me , I'd have told you I set my day by it, my week by your laugh, and my months by your touch.
If you'd asked me why I loved you, I would have rambled off a list of all your gifts, your quirks, even your bad habits. I would have given you a poem, a song, a thousand kisses to tell you why I loved you; and finished it all with a smile and "just because."
If you'd asked if I thought we were forever, I'd have told you forever wouldn't be long enough for me.
If you'd asked if you could hold me while I cried, danced with me during joy, and lay contentedly next to me during peace, I'd have told you I would want for nothing more.
If you'd asked me what was wrong, I would have told you I wanted to tell you how much I cared for you.
If you'd seen my tears as the door closed, you would have realised all the things you forgot to to ask.
If you'd asked.
I would have told you.

I wish there was a circus in my cereal.

These are some photo's of mine that have had a quick tour of photoshop.
Bon appetite.


Thoughts & memories that fell out of my ear these past few days...

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Sudden strange feeling of love for all mankind, even my enemies. Thought accompanying loving feeling: "I wonder if this is how my puppy dog, or buddah feels?" Next thought: "Or maybe this is why people join religious cults?"
Two hours later. Feeling passes.
"Maybe I should join a religious cult?"

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The best nights sleep I've ever had was when I slept in my tree house. This also was the worst wake up, as there was a spider hanging over my head.

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I learned the other day why it is that babies like to play peekaboo. They don't have what is known as "object permanence" (scientific term, ooh). This means they don't understand that just because they cannot see something it can carry on existing. i.e. I can't see you, therefore you don't exist. Apparently 'I can't see you, but you can still exist' doesn't kick in till about two. Egotistic?

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Questionable reasons as to why my friends tolerate me:

Me: "I saw the best music the other day!"

Friend: "You can't see music."

Me: "Oh, guess not. But I can drink food! When I had a tooth removed and couldn't chew anything I put spaghetti in the blender."

Friend: (sarcastic tone) "Really, how was it?"

Me: "I've had better."

(I don't think they knew I wasn't joking, I really did put spaghetti in the blender. Tasted terrible)

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Mission for this week: Make a funny face at a passing motorist from the safety of public transport, preferably the back of the bus.

ex oh

If I could give you the world, I'd gift wrap it in blue.

Bassike shirt, DIY skirt, Marni Socks, Chloe shoes, Cutler And Gross of London sunglasses

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Thoughts that fell out of my ear this week:

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'If I knew the answers to all my questions, I wouldn't bother getting out of bed in the morning'

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'I've never remembered the all the words to any song in my entire life. And if anyone thinks I'm joking, I assure you I'M NOT!'

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'Screw National Anthems, what about a Global Anthem?'

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She wore petals on her eyelids, pollen in her hair.

A few days ago I went to a black tie wedding, which gave me the perfect excuse to 'play' dress up. It was a lovely afternoon tea and crumpets affair, I wish more people I knew were getting married!

Call me crazy. Call me insane. Never call me 'in love.'

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This next story I did not write, I read it in a book & thought it was such a lovely little story I wanted to share:

Two Nickles & Five Pennies

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?"
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it. "How much is a dish of plain ice cream?" He inquired.
Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she said brusquely.
The little boy again counted the coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table, and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickles and five pennies - her tip.

(The Best of Bits & Pieces)

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I said I know. You said you understood.

A few words of wisdom for the road......

I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

Edward E. Hale

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Things don't change. You changer you way of looking, that's all.

Carlos Castanneda

If your house is on fire, warm yourself by it.

Spanish Proverb

Obstacles cannot crush me; every obstacle yields to stern resolve.

Leonardo do Vinci

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The Questionable Side of Blogging

Recently read a slightly 'down in the dumps' toned post of Susie Bubbles (Style Bubble) & then read the some of the story behind it at: http://www.godammit.com/2009/08/04/blog-wars/comment-page-1/#comment-51198

And I have to say: wow, I did not see that coming.

The fashion industry has always reminded me of a junior girls high school, full of silent exclusion, high strung egos and deluded 'it' girls. And as I was tippy tappying away at my computer visiting various blogs and starting my own, I found myself wondering why these prissy Pre-Madona's weren't running a-muck in the virtual world, posting snide comments with seemingly clever double meanings, especially when it came to fashion blogs. I remember thinking 'surely not everyone blogging was sweet and left equally sweet comments on everyone's posts?' Well now I know the ugly truth, you don't know who's checking out whoms blogging until someone is rubbed the wrong way, and out comes the claws.

Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not condemning any one involved in that unfortunate little tiff, for this one I'm staying firmly on the fence, since, in my usual manner I find myself understanding and feeling empathy for both sides, I'm just rather surprised. I've always been a firm believer that people should 'think what you like, and choose to say whatever you think.' However, these days with the phenomena of instant blogging informing the world of every opinion you've ever had, people are forgetting to "choose" which thought to share and which should be kept back. If you have a strong opinion about something, go right ahead and voice it, but maybe before you hit that final 'publish' button just take 5seconds to consider why you are posting whatever you are posting, and then another 5 just to think of the impact of such a post. If your answers to these questions have strange, questionable or even malicious motives, maybe you should reconsider what you are posting.

It has been somewhat disappointing that fashion blogging has come out a bit more battered then most, especially since their are some really great fashion blogs out there, and not all are made by, and for, "bubble heads." Although if I ever start turning into, as they say; 'bubble heads,' I hope someone who genuinely cares about me will take me aside, and in soft tones and gentle words inform me I need to get my head on straight. I really don't ever want to be informed by a complete stranger, who in actuality is really not posting constructive criticism, but merely enjoying systematical and cruel degradation of their fellow human being.

If you are reading this and find you disagree, well that's fine, you have an opinion of your own and you are more than welcome to stop reading. But in my ten seconds before hitting 'publish' I considered why I'm posting this and the impacts of this post. The 'why' here is I needed to personally make peace with some of my own opinions and problems with blogging. The impact I'm hoping to achieve here is to offer readers a written invitation to stop reading my blog if they don't like it, but more importantly that the next time they post or comment on something to just consider their own motivations and impact, and then maybe this whole phenomena of blogging won't go down in a flaming torrent of unfocused and unnecessary cruel words.

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Since I don't want to end on such a depressing note, here's a picture of my puppy dog.

"Waiter, there are clouds in my soup!"

Over the years I've there have been a few people who have told me I have 'cloudy eyes.' This is not in reference to the Native American saying of 'cloud eyed children,' describing children who have been emotionally scarred having seen death too young, or anything literal, like cataracts. It is said to me in the sense that I will often carry with me a hazed look, like I'm not actually 'seeing' anything through my own eyes. Please don't mistake this look for deep concentration or a paranormal sixth sense, I am in fact not really seeing anything that clearly. This is due to the fact that I rather rarely wear my glasses, and although I've tried contacts I've found them such a horrible experience it will be years before I go near them again. And while my friends will sometimes get annoyed at having to read a high menu to me, or I wont know what buss is coming until its right at the stop, it is actually a very liberating thing. I've never had to go out of my way to avoid an ex at a party or been obsessed with a dirty mark high on the wall where it can't be cleaned, or even noticed that sleazy cretin across the club trying to get my attention, all these things I simply don't see. I'm left to my own hazed world, like the soft focus cameras of yesterday Hollywood blurring the edges of the young starlets closeups, the worlds a gentler place in soft focus. I'm allowed to focus on the larger picture, I'll always looking at scenery with and then without my glasses, it takes on a whole different slant, it seems like even angles of light shift to give a whole new perspective. It feels like I have two versions of the world to look at, one where I see it as it really is, and the other just a more blurry version where I can simply choose to focus on the lighter and cheerier aspects. And while some may argue semi blindness is a form of ignorance, and ignorance is a twisted sort of bliss, I'd probably have to concede and agree with them.... but I still wont wear my glasses.

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Photos from moving cars, I have to say I end up really liking many of them. What did they do before cars were invented to take photos from... oh wait, camera's in those times were big clunky thing...

I read my tea leaves this morning, they were written in Russian

This week:

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Me: "why worry about things you can't change?"

Friend: "how do you know you can't change it unless you try?"

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Me: "Excuse me, do you have the time?"

Stranger: "11:00"

Me: "Thanks," look at own watch

Stranger: "Did you watch stop?"

Me: "No. It didn't stop, just never started."

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Me: "I feel like watching a dvd while having a bubble bath, can i use your lap top?"

Mother: "Yes, but be very careful, if you drop it in the water my laptop will be ruined & all my files will be lost."

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Looking through key holes

Most prized possession of the moment: great great grandmothers (my name sake) engagement ring

Bookcase: 50% books, 30% paraphernalia, 20% magazines

Stacked silver rings; all vintage, gold & turquoise; CC Skye, Rose ring; bought in Sydney's china town

Mmmm, Dries....

Most recent ring purchase: gold paua shell ring bought in the Blue Mountains (bottom right)

Mini 'Marie Antoinette'

Pebbles & feathers collected backpacking in Africa

The little scotch whisky and other liqueur bottles (bottom right) are nearing the 100yr old mark, strange keep sakes but I love them!

Day dreaming at waters edge...

Water Nymphs

Little wavelets beckon me,
'Come, come play with me,
Come, come beneath the sea,'

And on the surface,
In rippled lines, and shadowed greenery,
I could see their plea,
Sincere calling up to me.

Their eyes hued midnight deep,
Touched only briefly by sunlight stroke,
Which turned their gaze mirror bright
As they chanted;

'Come, come and play with me
Beneath the sea;
Leave your shoes on the shore,
You wont need them anymore,
If you play with me!'

With no hesitation, pause or wait,
Abandoned shoes neat and straight,
Waters edge still beckoning me,
And my feet on sanded surface,
Warmed, suns kindly touch.

The wavelets did start lapping,
Tugging greedily, at my feet,

'There, there' coaxed the waves,
Sweetly, almost needingly,
'Almost ready to play with me'
In murmured tones, did sing as one
'Beside your shoes, on sandy bank,
Your heartaches leave behind,
Your fretted, wounded, dark thoughts must stay,
You wont need them to play
In our azure hideaway!'

And so on the waters verge,
In lines of thrice,
I lay each worrying, shaming vice.
Plain as beach wood they did now appear,
Harmless, wordless simply lying there.

Five steps away, with stifled shudder,
From feared beach wood I did move,
Toward encroaching ocean, eagerness,

And in softened whispers I nearly missed,
'There, there' hummed the waves,
Their rippled surface ever appealing, forever enchanting.

With lilt and laugh they called again;
'Come, come and play beneath the sea,
Come and play with me!'

With unbolted glee unfurling within me,
Rushing forth, plunging,
Joyously beneath the sea!

And tumbling, turning, tossing,
A thousand hands did catch me, and cheer;
'You're here, you're here!
To play forever beneath the sea!'

Their murmured whispers fill my ears,
Eyes, my nose,
Bathed in their cooled hushing glow,
Further, deeper, farther I go,

Edges and boarders blur,
Separate no more,
I joined the lapping at the shore,
In tandem time passes,
Caressing sands,
In moons soft pull, seasons passing.

My voice now echoed theirs,
In tiny ripples calling,
Singing our melody forevermore,
To bathers coming to the foreshore,
We called ever so sweetly;

'Come, come, and play with me,
Come and play beneath the sea!'

(wrote this 25.05.09)
hope you like it!