Daily Prompt: Fear Factor

People are afraid of all kinds of things: spiders, the dark, or being enclosed in small spaces. Tell us about your greatest fear — rational or irrational.

I’m afraid of a number of things. I also feel quite uncomfortable around a number of things.

Predominantly, what scares me are:

heights:

  

spiders:

yeah, that’s spiders ON A FUCKING SPIDER!!! KILL IT NOW!!!

That’s it. I gotta burn the house down.

snakes:

That’s it… *throws hands in the air* I’m out. Nope. Just Nope. I just, I can’t even…

 

Then there’s this:

…!!!!!!

and clowns:

oh …and Kristen Stewart.

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/prompt-fear-factor/

Day 21 – The End??

You’re almost there! Tell us how you feel about endings.

 

Well today is the last day of the NaBloPoMo writing challenge.

I’m somewhat surprised that I managed to make it the whole month, although, admittedly, I didn’t actually post every day as I had a tendency to skip a couple of days, but then I’d catch up on a few posts all at once. I still managed to address all the prompts, it’s just that it wasn’t exactly one per day, like I was supposed to.

Is that wrong? Am I going to receive some kind of interwebs penalty?

I do feel a sense of achievement, however, it’s not really how I thought I would feel. It’s not the standing-on-top-of-a-mountain-after-hiking-for-several-days-and-nearly-losing-a-leg-but-still-surviving kind of achievement,

 

but more of a pat-yourself-on-the-back / good-for-you kind of achievement.

If anything, it’s like an anti-climax. Whether it’s because the month has just passed so quickly (it’s already been a week since my birthday!!) or because NaBloPoMo (Or NaBlahBlahBlah as I call it) was only 21 prompts, because it didn’t include weekends – it’s over.

I’m actually quite pleased with myself in that I managed to challenge myself, and actually stick to that challenge for the whole month. I’ve gotten into the bad habit of writing my posts either whilst I’m at work, or late at night after Hulk goes to bed. It makes it hard because I haven’t told him that I’ve even been writing this blog, and I’m not entirely sure if I will tell him. I’ll have to address that one at a later point.

Going into this, I really didn’t know what to expect. When I first started thinking about writing a blog, I know that I have a lot to say, I just don’t necessarily know what to write and where to start. I’ve found that having prompts has been really helpful for me to just get words flowing out of my brain. Although the frustration comes in the form of such open-ended questions, because my brain starts racing at a million-miles-an-hour thinking of at least a dozen different possible ways that I can respond. I have a tendency to get over-analytical. If anything, that has been more of a challenge – taking a dozen different answers and trying to focus purely on one response.

Evidently, some of those posts have multiple answers, or at least briefly address a few potential responses and the reasons as to why. I think I would find it much easier if the prompts were more specific. Rather than ask me something like “What is your favourite dish?”, instead try something like “What is your favourite dish that your parents used to make when you were a child”, or “what was your favourite dish that you used to eat when you were a poor student living in a share house?” and I’d be like ‘Well that’s easy, microwave cheesy-pepper rice with tinned tuna’.

I’ve reached a point where I don’t actually want this to end. This has been something that I’ve needed just for me. And I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve really missed writing. I’ve missed ranting. I’ve missed getting thoughts out of my head and clearing my mind. Before I met Hulk, I used to write a lot. Whether it was just creative writing, or writing in a journal, it was still something, but soon enough I ran out of time for it, and it was abandoned. Forgotten about. Never to be spoken of again.

Like an abandoned baby. Or an abortion. Ooh, too much.

And please, don’t fucking start with me about abortions and being insensitive. Nobody is forcing you to read this. You made a choice to do so. I’m not going to be held responsible for you finding my words on a screen offensive. I’m entitled to an opinion, just like everybody else. Which means my opinion doesn’t have to be the same as your opinion and vice-versa. So go take you two-cents and your ‘I’VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY’

 

and take it somewhere else.

So although NaBlahBlahBlah has drawn to an end, I think this is merely my beginning. I will be spending the next month looking for another month of prompts to continue my writing. I want to continue my writing habit. I also want to get my other blog idea up and running, but that will take some planning.

So it’s not goodbye, it’s more like ‘It’s been swell, but the swelling’s gone down’.

Daily Prompt: To Boldly Go…

An impending new year gives rise to reflection and goal setting. What will your goals for 2014 be? It’s never to early to start thinking about self improvement!

Oh maaaaannnnn. Goal setting!? Really?!

So. Not. Me.

I guess that probably explains a lot. And let’s be honest here, the year isn’t over yet. It’s not even December. I don’t even have my Christmas tree up!! It’s too early for goal setting.

Goals for self-improvement. Jeebus. I think generally speaking, my list for self improvement would be the following:

• Make more time for my friends: This year I’ll admit to being too neglectful of my friends and not being very social. That needs to change next year.
• Read more books: I keep buying books, but my problem is I don’t actually dedicate time to reading them. That also needs to change next year.
• Start going to the gym: Now, I’m already at the gym quite a lot, but teaching classes isn’t the same as doing a workout for myself. I need to try and find time to do this.
• Get more sleep: going to bed every night at midnight, 1am, and getting up at 7am simply isn’t enough. I need more sleep, and I need to change that too.
• I need to alter my diet / meals: Getting home late and having dinner late needs to change. I think I want to try a couple of weeks of not eating dinner, and instead, having a protein shake or something for dinner. Most nights we’re not eating until 9:30 – 10 – 10:30pm and it’s not right. Something needs to change, but it needs to change and we need to actually stick to it!!

I think that’s more than plenty to focus on right now… However, there’s a huge difference between making goals and actually following through with them. Besides, holidays and Christmas are coming up, so I’ve got a few weeks of extreme laziness to look forward to. I can deal with all of this stuff after that. hehehe.

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/prompt-boldy/

Daily Prompt: Simply Irresistible

Tell us about the favourite dish or food that you simply cannot turn down.

I’m just gonna say it. I love food. I love eating. I love trying different cuisines, and I love cooking baking. In my relationship, Hulk does the savouries and I do the sweets.

So when asked a question like this, it’s quite difficult to answer. How do you pick just one food, above everything else that stands out. How can I compare my favourite sweet, to my favourite savoury. So many categories. So many choices.

But I think I’ve got a winner… well, it’s more like my favourite food of the moment (which changes all the time), but my winner for this present point in time is (**drumroll**):

Fried. Chicken.

Yep. That’s right. Predominantly, fried chicken wings that I pick up from the supermarket around the corner from work. Not that I have them all the time, maybe once or twice a month (because I’m eating tinned tuna every other day at work!), but sometimes I have a craving and just want to eat them by the box-full.

Fried foods, crispy fried foods are perhaps one of my biggest weaknesses. I have a pretty okay diet most of the time. Yes, there are certainly areas that could be fixed up, but generally, I do eat quite healthy. But sometimes, I just wanna eat fried stuff!!

Oh, and look at that, it’s almost lunch time!! However, as much as I would love nothing more than chowing down on half a dozen fried chicken wings, I’ve got soup instead. Well, it’s not even soup. It wonton noodle soup, so it’s more of a broth. Mmmm delicious MSG.

Get in mah belleh!!

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/daily-prompt-irresistible/

Day 20 – The First Post

How do you feel about the first blog post you ever wrote?

Well I went back and had a re-read of my first post. Given that it’s only a couple of weeks old, it still seems like it was aaaages ago that I wrote it. If anything, I need to alter it and put in more tags. It still feels strange that I’m even writing this blog, but I think it’s something that has allowed me to focus. I tell myself everyday ‘I must write in my blog’. Or, more often than not, ‘I need to catch up with my blog’, and then subsequently do three or four posts in a row, because I didn’t get time to write them during the day, or at all.

I remember when I first made that conscious decision to actually start a blog. It was somewhat surreal. It was always something that I had thought about doing, but my problem was not knowing where to begin. This challenge has helped me because it gives me prompts to write about, and I don’t really think too much, I just start typing, and the stream of consciousness just flows through my fingers, and suddenly I’ve written several-hundred words without really noticing.

My first post is still relevant. Crazy Cat Lady and I are still spending our days speaking in gibberish, and annoying everybody else in the office. It’s her birthday next week, and I’ve got her a really cool present. Something that I’ve been meaning to get her for a while now, but keep forgetting to actually do. I’m pretty sure that she’s going to like it.

Perhaps I should look back on this first post in twelve-months time and see how I feel.

Man, imagine what my blog will be like if I keep up this daily posting for the next twelve months?! Now that would be a real challenge!!

Day 19 – Accomplishment

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Thinking back over the years, I really can’t identify any significant achievement I’ve made; goal I’ve reached; award I’ve won that stands out on it’s own. And I haven’t had children, so I can’t be one of those people who harp on about ‘oh the greatest gift I could give to the world is my GREATEST achievement, and that’s my darling children, who just so amazing and talented and good looking – they really do make the world a better place by just existing’.

You know, those people. Ugh.

For me, I would probably say one of the best things I’ve ever achieved was moving out of home when I was 19. Being the ‘sheltered’ country kid moving to the big city and starting a completely new chapter of my life, is probably one of the best things that I have ever done. Social media has allowed me to see what other people I went to school with are doing… and so many of them are still living back in my hometown.

Married.

Kids.  

Grossly overweight.

It’s as though they just accepted whatever life threw at them; as though there wasn’t any desire to go off and explore, or be independent in their lives whatsoever. They are the people who settled. They make me feel quite glad that I got out of there. At the same time it’s a bit saddening that they just accepted that lifestyle, regardless of whether it was warranted or not. 

Day 18 – Hiding

Tell us about the last thing you hid.

The last thing I hid…?? Hmmm… Let’s just say that I’m quite good at hiding things. Keeping secrets. Not being necessarily forthcoming with information. The latest thing I’ve hidden would probably be one of the gifts I’ve gotten Hulk for Christmas. I haven’t even opened the parcel. It’s just sitting under my desk at work.

It’s a novelty gift. Something that he will like, but the reality is, unless we start having friends over, or hosting game nights, then it’s more than likely it wont get used. Not that I mind. It was inexpensive, but hey, even I like it.

Another thing that I’ve hidden is my recent purchase of a card game called Cards Against Humanity. I stumbled across this card game purely by chance, and then instantly fell in love with it’s concept and had another one of those SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY moments (that I seem to have far too regularly!). I got all excited and went to purchase it. 

But no. I live in Australia. Amazon wont ship it to Australia.

So I emailed the company:

Subject: Please take pity on me…

 

…For I come from the land Down Under (and no, not your pants!)

 

 I live in that place far-far away called Australia, or as the locals (ie, bogans) refer to it: ‘Straya, c**t!

 

Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t seem to like us very much, because they are always denying me the ability to purchase from them.

 

Why Amazon? Why?? WHY DON’T YOU WANT MY MONEY!?!?!

 

Perhaps you would like my money??

 

 And in exchange, you could perhaps send me some of your wares, in the form of boxes of Cards Against Humanity?? We don’t have to tell Amazon, it can just be our little secret… like the night your mate made out with his cousin… I promise I won’t tell anybody. 

 

I would be wanting to purchase the original CAH, plus the three expansion packs… do you also sell some kind of fancy box that all of those would fit in??

Cheers

J.

from Melbourne, ‘Straya.

…Let’s just say they took pity on me and allowed me access to a site that shipped to Australia!! HOORAY!! Can’t wait for them to arrive in the mail!

I think the biggest thing that I’ve been hiding is probably this blog. I’ve only told a couple of people about it, because it’s not something that I particularly want to be shouting from the rooftops to everybody I come across, because so far I’ve shared some personal stuff on here, and don’t necessarily feel comfortable with those who know me, knowing that information. Ironically, I have no issue blurting it out for the rest of the world to read.

Why is that?

 

Daily Prompt: Close Call

Tell us about a bullet you’re glad you dodged — when something awful almost happened, but didn’t.

I think one of the situations that stands out the most was when I was still living at home with Mum. I think I was 18 and I had just returned from an emotionally exhausting visit to Sydney.

I had gone up there to spend a week or so at my grandmothers place, and whilst I was there, I was spending my week (and all my money) attending multiple dance classes at Brent Street and Sydney Dance Company. After only a couple of days, my (now deceased) grandmother and I had a massive fight this one argument. I don’t really remember what it was over, but I was actually quite shocked and upset over something that she had said. Something about me being a burden, and, oh that’s right, I confronted her about overhearing her conversation with my Uncle the previous day, in which she told him that I was stealing from her and was just using her so I could get money.

I remember when I heard that conversation, I left her place and went for a walk and called mum in absolute tears – upset because of what she had said, but moreso that it was coming from my grandmother!! In saying that though, she was a bit of stubborn ball-busting old lady, who was so set in concrete in her ways, she would refuse to listen to logic and reason… In hindsight, I guess it was also one of the reasons why we clashed so much.

…but that, again, is a whole different story.

So anyway, this one day I get home from the city and we have this big fight. There and then I pack my bag and tell her that I’m done with her, and no longer want anything to do with her. And I walked out the door.

As I’m walking down the driveway to head towards the train station, I’m fighting back this uncontrollable urge to completely break down into tears: I hadn’t actually planned to storm out like that, nor had I planned on exactly what I would do after I stormed out.

So I walked down the driveway, turned the corner and got to the park and had a small emotional breakdown. I didn’t want to call mum. I wanted to sort this out myself. I’m a resourceful person, I could manage something. Then I remembered, a friend of mine was meant to be arriving in Sydney today. I called Georgie and found out where she was staying, and after crying on the phone, she said I was more than welcome to crash with her for the next two nights before I head home.

What she didn’t tell me, was that she had made a friend on the train to Sydney. When I arrived, I met Dileep. He was a gorgeous, tall, dark, Sri Lankan guy with an incredible athletic body, and unbelievably flawless skin. He was beautiful. I’m not surprised Georgie and Dileep were instantly attracted to each other… beautiful people tend to do that. Like attracts like, and all that jazz.

So over the next two days I got to know more about Dileep. Fascinating and down to earth. A real mummy’s boy. Loves his family, and lived in Melbourne earning a pretty penny working at a historic and prestigious hotel.

We had such a great couple of days together. We played tourist with Dileep. Took him to Bondi; took him out clubbing; shopping; he took us out for brunch and dinner, it was such a fantastic time. It wasn’t until I saw him naked in the sauna, and saw him naked, that I realised exactly why Georgie was so fixated on Dileep.

**DISCLAIMER: Just for the record, no, we weren’t naked in the sauna, nor was it *that* kind of sauna. It was the Hotel sauna, and I was wearing my boardies. He was in (well-packed) speedos, and burnt his bum on the actual heater element. We doused him with cold water, but he still had to go to hospital and got quite a severe burn, and subsequently a nasty little scar. The heather melted a small part of the speedos to his skin, and had to have them surgically removed. It was rather terrifying at the time. Poor guy.

So, when it was time for us to leave, Dileep had decided to head back to Melbourne at the same time. Georgie and I were catching the train, and he convinced Dileep to catch the train with us – just so they could spend the last few hours of their ‘relationship’ together. Once we were on the train and halfway into our 8-9hr journey, Georgie convinced Dileep to stay in town with us for a couple of days.

However, Georgie kind of didn’t ask his parents if D could stay with them. He, for some reason was still convinced that they were unaware he was gay.

Girl, Blind Freddy would know you were gay at twenty-paces. He’d hear you swishing as you walk and know instantly. *lol* So, naturally, they asked if D could stay at my place. I called my mum and explained the situation and she was fine with it. It was strange, but she just went with it. (My mum is pretty awesome like that!).

We finally arrived home around 2 – 2:30am, and Georgie’s mum picked us up from the train station and dropped D and I at my place. I introduced him to my mum, then we got organised for bed.

The following night, when we got organised for bed, I went to bed and crashed and left him sitting outside talking to his family on the phone.

Being the heavy sleeper I am, I’m usually completely unaware of anything that happens whilst I’m asleep. In saying that, when I woke up the next morning, I was missing half my pyjamas, Dileep was spooning me, he was snoring, and the door was open. I kinda freaked out for all different reasons, ‘OMG THERE’S A HOT NAKED GUY SPOONING ME! OMG! GEORGIES BOYFRIEND-SLASH-FLING IS SPOONING ME!! OH GOD, WHAT IF MY MOTHER WALKS IN? OH GOD, WE’LL HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION!! HOW DID MY TOP COME OFF? WHERE IS MY TOP? I NEED TO PEE!! HOW DO I GET OUT OF BED WITHOUT WAKING HIM UP?’

I slithered my way out from under D’s arm, army-rolled out of the bed onto the ground and found my top, put it on and just as I put my top on and walked towards the door, mum appears in the doorway, ‘sorry honey, did I wake you up? I thought you boys might be up sooner and I cooked breaksfast. Eggs, bacon, toast. Ya hungry?’. I wasn’t really paying attention, because I was too fixated on my racing heart wondering if mum had previously seen me in bed with a naked guy.

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!!!

‘So THAT’S what I can smell. Well, I was just getting up to pee, but it smells awesome. I don’t know if I should wake him up?!’. Mum walked off back to the kitchen whilst I went to pee.

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!!!

I walked back into the bedroom, closed the door and sat on the edge of the bed. Behind me I heard some movement and then felt a hand on my back and this smooth Sri Lankan accent, ‘What are you doing? What time is it? Are you coming back to bed?’.

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!!!

Turns out, nothing happened at all. I waited until later on when D was in the shower, and I called Georgie and told him what happened. Or, what didn’t happen to be more precise. He said that’s just what he’s like apparently. He just likes to cuddle.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved when Dileep announced he was returning to Melbourne. Georgie, naturally, was devastated and heart-broken. His whirlwind romance was drawing to an end, and like the good friend I am, I was there to hold his hand and talk some sense into him.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/daily-prompt-close/

Daily Prompt: I Have Confidence In Me

Are you good at what you do? What would you like to be better at.

Sometimes I think you’re asking these open-ended questions just to make me go on and on about all the possible answers I can give you.

Come on, ‘what am I good at??’ Really?? Ask my boyfriend 😉 hehehe.

I’m good at a multitude of things:

• Procrastinating
• Sleeping
• Baking
• Navigating
• Making a mess
• Dancing
• Avoiding confrontation
• Eating all the foods I shouldn’t be eating
• Spending money
• Going off on tangents
• Mind maps (lol)
• Being a bitch
• Holding a grduge
• Keeping secrets (both mine and other people’s)
• Being a dance technique coach
• …should I keep going??

What would I like to be better at??

• Holding conversations
• Winning arguments
• Saving money
• Baking
• Writing
• Time Management
• Making and sticking to goals
• Socialising with friends (see Time Management)
• Flexibility
• Taking care of my body
• Eating better (ie Healthier)

 

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/daily-prompt-confident/

Day 17 – Persuasive Sales / Advertising

Tell us about the last thing a person or advertisement convinced you to buy.

Allow me to just state for the record that I’m rather reckless with my money. Instead of saving it for a rainy day, or putting it towards something important, like an overseas holiday, or a mortgage, or even something as simple as paying off a credit card… I just don’t do it.

I see something and shout out in my head SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!! 

Needless to say I’m quite an impulse shopper. I have a plethora of stuff that I don’t need, but at the time, felt compelled to own it immediately. EB games, Amazon, Ebay and the Apple Store are all quite close friends of mine. Paypal and I have a bit of a love / hate relationship going on.

Strangely enough, I’ve never bought anything from an infomercial. I see them all the time. Sometimes, if there’s nothing on and I’m too lazy to move from the couch, I’ll sit there watching them for a couple of hours, half zoned-out, asking myself how I manage to live my life without this fancy product, or how much better it’s going to make my life.

Conveniently, my phone and my wallet are never within reach, otherwise there would be a few problems.

However, I do still have my eye on the Shark Steam Wand, and the stone cookware. They’re always in the back of my mind…