Unconscious Mutterings #292 ...

1. Groceries :: essentials

2. Deodorant :: don't leave home without it.

3. Psychic :: Prove it

4. Cherries :: sweet

5. Spooky :: Casper

6. Yogurt :: yuk

7. Kitchen :: goddess

8. Nothing personal :: but ...

9. Be nice :: it's easier

10. Delivery :: special

The Gilded Cage exhibition by Sharon Finn

Embellishments, jewellery, beautiful, three dimensional constructions, modern baroque describes the work of Sharon Finn.

Sharon, from Auckland New Zealand's first showing in Australia, with a backdrop of Sydney Harbour ... was breathtaking ... be envious for missing the experience!

More photo's soon.

Sydney Morning Herald review here.

SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS ... Somewhere

Somewhere ... over the rainbow ...

Aww c'mon, you all wanted to ...

3 WORD WEDNESDAY C1 ...

Traveled

Desperate

Lapse

I so want to make these three words into a Haiku. Yet no matter which way I position them they don't quite say what I mean ...

Traveled a desperate lapse ... I have for the past 20 weeks ...

A desperate lapse traveled with me ... that too ...

A lapse too traveled became desperate ... Mmmm ...

The traveled, desperate, lapse diminished ...

Resurgance propells me from a well traveled, desperate, lapse!

... if you get what I mean ...

Manic Monday 131

If you could take more control of one aspect of your life, what would it be?
Have more money ...


If you were to name the difference between the male soul and the female soul, what would it be?
Male soul requires more understanding of compassion and difference.


If you had to admit the most selfish thing you do on a regular basis, what would you say it is?
See #1 and spend it!

Unconscious Mutterings 291

I say ... and you think ... ?


... multiple word answers this week ...


1. Cry :: eye bath

2. Stretch :: extra inches

3. Efficient :: efficious too

4. Brunch :: love it

5. Afro :: had a red one

6. Preheat :: warm up

7. Delicious :: dark chocolate

8. Global warming :: more information

9. Actions :: speak louder

10. Ride :: ticket to


Good Fun this week!

Write on Wednesday - MEME

The ever imaginative Bec has, in keeping with kids return to school, suggested a meme. Great idea, I love these. As a lover of lists, questions and answers, thanks Bec I'm on the job ...


1. Do you write fiction or non-fiction? Or both?
Non fiction ... I'm able to write fiction if the need arises.

2. Do you keep a journal or a writing notebook?
Yes to both, a journal as well as an writing ideas notebook.

3. If you write fiction, do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing? Do you find books on plotting useful or harmful?
Having written fiction I knew the basics but this often changed as the story developed. Most books on writing are useful.

4. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?
I'm both.

5. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?
Once I start it's usually impossible to stop. When I do stop I sleep like a baby!

6. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?
Afternoon or night.

7. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?
I prefer quiet and usually the TV is on in the background.

8. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)
Computer.

9. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One? Or do you let the story evolve as you write?
I always have a basic idea - but anything can happen! Especially when things you thought you'd forgotten pop up or research takes you down another road.

10. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?
Presently no influence.

11. Editing/Revision - love it or hate it?
Love it ... knowing when to stop is the hardest.

Manic Monday #130

Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
Dreamt ... travel overseas ... haven't ... no money!


If you could make any fictional character come to life, which one would it be?
Dr Seuss.


If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be and how long would it take you to spend the $10,000?
In an electronic store for a plasma screen, computer, fridge, freezer, washer, dryer ... the lot would be spent in 5 minutes!


Name three things you wanted as a child but never got.
Love, understanding, kindness

How much does your printer ink cost ...

Todays Sydney Morning Herald Column 8 a guy writes "madness abounds". His Canon printer ink cartridges, containing 13ml of ink, cost $23 each, i.e. $17,692.23 per litre ... shite!!!

My Hewlett Packard cartridges cost $31 each ... no way am I about to calculate ...

Unconscious Mutterings 290

I say ... and you think ... ?


1. Signature :: sign

2. Olympics :: exorbitant

3. 100% :: give

4. Damn! :: Drat!

5. Gold :: 100%

6. Fresh and natural :: gorgeous

7. Fraction :: friction

8. Hurry :: up

9. Summer :: love

10. 29th :: why?

Write on Wednesday August 13 ... Writers Groups

This week Becca asks ...
How about you? Have you ever belonged to a writer’s group? Did it work? Why (or why not?) What would be your criteria for the perfect writer’s group?


Oh Becca ... yes, yes, yes, how wonderful you are - are you a mind reader? A writing group, to me, is a blessing. Writers are oft heard bemoaning "a writers life is a lonely one" so for those of us seeking the opportunity to bounce ideas, check grammar, tense, point of view, names, or to have someone listen is a joy!


Finding a good group, as you so bravely discovered, is a challenge. I've belonged to three groups, one a fiasco, two brilliant. The key was the convenor. The dud group became a weekly social, as soon as writing talk began one troublemaker managed to steer the conversation their way, on the inane pretext of a personal association with the writing being discussed. Eventually the group disbanded.


The second, was well run, till someone invited the previous mentioned disrupter along. The convenor was unaware of their MO ... the rest of us conspired to have an agenda, a time frame. A stop watch and small bell were purchased, placed on the table, frequently used ... we flourished, the frustration of the interjector soared, telling us individually ... the reason for the format was them ... my reply was "well quit it!"


We were stymied to understand as to why, when they knew the behaviour was unacceptable to not curb it ... no, no, ... now the behaviour shifted, now it became 'woe is me' ... we stuck to our guns, ran by the agenda, we progressed, achieved so much ... the socialiser stopped attending ... Yay! It worked like a dream, we all excelled, got confident, got published, we invariably ran overtime, we scrapped the agenda, stopped ringing the bell ... life-long friendships remain despite re-location. Writing flourished, life-long friendships remain.


An advertisment in a local paper, by a psychologist / writer, sent me to join ... the outdoor setting with harbour views, stone buildingd, jacaranada trees made us think we were in a writers paradise. There were rules, this leader was experienced, but ... we almost drifted apart due to a disruptive influence. This wise leader told the trouble maker, the group was finishing, like a coven we snuck off to the leader's home ... four of us wrote, excelled, grew and got published ... this group disbanded when our trusty leader found true love and moved house. None of the remainder of us had a suitable venue ... drat!


Yes Becca, I've belonged and yearn to do it again ... until such time as I'm able in person, right here is fabulous. Yes groups do work. A good leader is a must, an agenda, a time frame plus an understanding that whatever is said doesn't leave the room, isn't taken to heart, isn't ever spiteful or hurtful and most importantly we're not a counselling group. Ten minutes prior to start is usually sufficient around the table for a quick personal update. A fifteen minute tea break is time to chat about whatever.


A great writers group is a structured group. The groups I've belonged to have never been same genre groups. We were all different, as we wrote in our individual styles, so we wrote on different topics. What a thrill it was to learn writing similarites and differences.


I adore feedback, the company of like minded people, my mind's like a sponge ready and willing to soak up and learn from every experience. Anne Lamott says it exactly like it is ... so, is there anyone in Sydney, Australia looking to start a writers group ... can I join, I'll bring cup cakes for tea?

Write on Wensday August 5 - still late ...

On August 5 Becca asks ...

Writing for Real.
How about you? Do you consider yourself a writer? Do you think blogging is “real writing?” What does it take to be a “real writer”?

Hey Becca I'm shouting ... snap out of it ... good grief woman why are you so swamped by self doubt ... GggRrrrr ... frustration seeps close to the rim ... "I never say I'm a writer" says Becca ... well why bloody not I ask, you're doing it now, so well, so inspiringly?

I don't say I'm a writer either ... I say "I write."

I've seen people's expression change, their interest alter in who I am, what I do, what I write and more importantly who I write for ...

So I shoot them down with that first question and reply "I write lists" ... well you have them then ... they have no idea whether you're having a lend, you're a nutter, or are deadly serious. Depending on the situation you can stop it there or gain a host of mileage. See, I'm irritated by people who throw that first question, on the pretext of gauging who you are or what you do, within thirty seconds of an introduction ... "So what do you do?"

Does it matter I think, I grimace , am I going to be categorised by this ninkampoop for being someone who will or will not do them some earthly good in their chosen profession ... usually a profession they've not chosen ... nah ... so I aim to have fun!

Categorising yourself as a writer is usually equal to other professions.
Unfortunately SOME writers, (often famous ones) see them selves above and better than the plebs ... the ones who're usually buy their writing, keeping them writing. Like medical, legal and most other professions they tend to jargonise - thereby forming a clique an elite and exlusive group ... where usually the only people they're fooling is themselves. To snub blogging is ignorance ... I'll not even start on that topic.

What it takes to be a real writer is a question I defy anyone to answer without prejudice. I've a folder of published works, I blog, I've contributed to one online and one print publication for over five years, I've reems of family history awaiting editing, I've completed a university degree, written some of the most amazing life stories you'll ever hear, I adore lists and diligently compose them ... I write.

Write on Wednesday - July 29 - late

Becca on July 29 5 asked ...
How about you? How do you cultivate creativity in your life? Have you found the things that make you come alive? Are you doing them? Shouldn’t you be?


Creativity encomasses me, is part of my everyday life. The joys of being retired, living alone, Ooops sorry Blossom, make it possible for shelves to buckle, cupboards to groan as I stack fabric, embellishments, found objects and stuff against the doors to stop the contents falling out. It's everywhere.

But ... there in lies my problem. Living with beauty, meaning, desireable and much loved collections makes the choice of what to do next practically impossible.

I'm currently engrossed in Carmel Bird's "Writing the Story of you Life" ... obviously I'm writing a memoir, therefore seeking to cultivate my creativity surrounding the story of my life. For me when I want to create with fabric or stitching I look to books, magazines and the plethora of online inspirations for creative cultivation. Seeking is my ideal for cultivating creativity.

Researching makes me come alive. Curiosity sidetracks me. Information on an an era I go to an historical source, a word then to the dictionary or thesaurus is the answer, having a punt on a Saturday afternoon I read the race form ... Carmel Bird won't give me the winning horses for that days racing ... or will she?

On this day ~ Tess ~ 11 August 1921

Tess arrived in the world on 11 August 1921 ~ beautiful ...



... cancer took Tess away on November 8, 2003 ~ there's so much about her we miss.

Manic Monday

How would your friend describe you to someone who has never seen you?
Funny!



Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
MJ ... loyal, honest, dependable and more no matter what ...



If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
... as above, plus Blossom, D&M, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker and a whole host of Darlings ... but I'm not going anywhere for at least another three score and ten ...

Unconscious Mutterings # 289

I say ... and you think ... ?


1. Month to month :: bills

2. Adjusted :: well

3. Prank :: thoughtless

4. Mop :: top

5. Clarity :: clear

6. Parenting :: hard work

7. Glenn :: Shorrock

8. Fingerprint :: smudge

9. Pineapple :: taste buds

10. Attorney :: licence to print money

Thought for the day ...

"The most dangerous secrets are the ones we're afraid to tell ourselves." John Irving.

Sunday Scribblings #123 ... ASK

Those girls at Sunday Scribblings never cease to flummox and bamboozle me with the prompts they come up with each week. Frequently it's as if they've agreed on a prompt that's so poingnantly directed at me, explicitly me!

The synchronicity surrounding each prompt invariably makes me catch my breath.

Questions like have they been reading my mail, bugging my phone or worse still reading my mind are posed each week ...

Take this weeks for example ...

What question would you like to ask? If you could ask anyone anything, what would it be? What question do you ask yourself? What question fills your mind? What question have you been asked lately? What question have you had problems answering? What is the eternal question? What? Where? Who? When? Why? How? Go ahead and ask!

... OK I have to ask ... how on earth do you girls do it ?

08 - 08 - 08

some say the luckiest day ... me ... I just wanted to see it here ...


Hope it was lucky for YOU.

Unconscious Mutterings 288

I say ... and you think ... ?


1. Crankiness :: Oodles

2. Backpack :: lugging

3. Clone :: graft

4. High ground :: principle

5. Dreams :: nightmares

6. Lovingly :: demonstrative

7. Mistake :: blunder

8. Carson :: kresley

9. Errand :: message

10. Dozen :: cheaper

Sunday Scribblings 122 - Do I have to ?

DO I HAVE TO?



My new best friend sends me a photo of her chidren ... Awwwww

I click on Sunday Scribblings to see if the weekly prompt is up ...

Synchronicity !