La Regle du Jeu

I have been tagged by the Lovely Elizabeth of Love, Elizabeth fame! 

I have always responded well to structure (that may surprise those of you who have caught me in the throes of an interpretative dance) and have, therefore, enthusiastically embraced this format. It makes me feel like one of those celebrities who get interviewed in magazines and asked questions such as 'How do you react when you see a nun?'

So, fasten your seatbelts ....

Meme Rules:
1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention; add a question of your own.

2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.

What is your current obsession? I like to sing the jingles to furniture ads, but I do find some of the recent jingles on local television a little challenging. In particular, the Beaumont Tiles ad which could be best described as an 'homage' to Donna Summer's 'I feel love'. The tune eludes me, (in a similar fashion to Dear Patient M's favourite tune, 'Sophisticated Lady'). But I persevere, none the less.

Oh, and this:

Winter is coming on, and my thoughts turn to Kate Bush. This is a lovely home made clip set to her song 'An architect's dream'. I love the imagery. It was created by StanRd2005 and posted on Youtube.

What do you see outside your window? A large, round, corrugated iron, rainwater tank, some deep red leaves on the grapeless grape vine, some pink hibiscus. And some refreshingly green weeds. When I first moved in, I foolishly thought the tank was a space-wasting eyesore. That was before the drought.

If you could have any super power what would it be? Invisibility.

Which animal would you be? As much as I would like to say a lion, gazelle or a peacock, the reality is probably closer to a sloth, a tapir or a silly old goat.

Who was the last person you hugged? A friend from University who I have not seen for 10 years. And, before that, I embraced my sweet embraceable, my irreplaceable Dear Patient M.

What is your favorite color? I am partial to mint green, powder blue and baby pink. That said, I like most colours apart from certain shades of yellow and brown. Especially when it comes to cars.

What’s your favorite food in the whole world? I am just nutty about nougat!

What’s the last thing you bought? A pair of old-style grey desert boots. It was only once I got them home that I realised I had just, in fact, bought a pair of grey shoes. And gasped. I would only countenance grey in a desert boot and they work surprisingly well.

What are you listening to right now? I have I-Tunes on random. I do have a number of different playlists with titles such as 'Winter is Blue', 'Autumnal Longing' and, tellingly, 'Hangover music.' But at the moment it is just on random. Currently I am listening to 'Consolation Prize' by that great Glaswegian straight-but-unafraid-to-be-sissies band, Orange Juice. Sample lyric:

I wore my fringe like Roger McGuinn's
I was hoping to impress
So frightfully camp, it made you laugh
Tomorrow I'll buy myself a dress.

I have always found the refrain, 'I'll never be man enough for you' oddly comforting.

If you could buy one object right now, what would it be? It is not exactly an object, but I would not mind purchasing a new stomach.

What’s on your bedside table?  A framed photo of Dear Patient M with a big smile on his face, a book about the Langhornes of Virginia, a lovely collage by Magic Jelly featuring budgerigars, the remote control for the air conditioner, a phone that always becomes unplugged, some little cards with some of my favourite Flickr images on them, and a doyley made by my dear departed Grandmother (she of Ladykillers fame).

If you could have a house totally paid for, and fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would it be? Out of the places I have already been, I am partial to the idea of Berlin. But the States is also calling me.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? Ooh Matron! My retirement carriage clock. Failing that, a martini.

What is your favorite children's book? They are legion. For the pictures: Yellow yellow by Frank Asch and Alan Stamaty. For the kind-of-kitsch but Sentimental Aussie Favourite: Peg's Fairy Book by Peg Maltby. For the pervading sense of melancholy: Moominsummer Madness by Tove Janssen. For the jolly good romp that made me want to live in Victorian times: The story of the Treasure Seekers by E Nesbit. For the vividly remembered colours and atmosphere: Charlie, Charlotte and the Golden Canary by Charles Keeping. For teaching me that life was inherently unfair: The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Edward Gorey. I could go on...

What is your biggest fear/phobia? Having my mind go blank while public speaking. Perversely, I have embarked on a career in which a certain amount of public speaking is unavoidable. And in which my mind often goes blank. A few grasping seconds feels like a lifetime of paralysis.

What's the bravest thing you've done in the past year? I have changed jobs, something which was unthinkable this time a year ago. The bravest thing I have ever done in my life was to chase a man who stole my wallet and make him give it back to me. His lack of manners peeved me immensely and I found a strength and agility I never knew I possessed.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?  It is a toss up between Frederick Von Something or Granville LaCruise.

What did you want to become as a child? A ballerina. Failing that, an author who illustrated his own books. A bit later, I wanted to be a go go dancer, a back up singer or a cactus farmer.

What posters/pictures do you have on your bedroom wall? The Fellini poster above, a painting by my dear friend Nookabel called 'Tree and birds' (it is inspired by a World Record Club cover), a photo of a Tretchikoff print taken by an estranged friend, a framed fragment of a record cover which in my mind is titled 'Love in Dusseldorf', two reproduction travel posters (one for Chicago - Vacation City, the other for Bill Rose's Aquacades), and two of Dear Patient M's Lomographs. There is also a ceramic Toucan on a perch hanging from the ceiling.

What were you wearing at your 21st birthday? A 70s Photoprint shirt featuring Gustav Klimt ladies, a white scarf that belonged to my father, a powder blue velvet dinner jacket, black velvet flares, and eyeliner. The theme was The Long Frock and Big Hair Affair.

What was your first job?  Working from midnight to 8.30 every Friday and Saturday night pushing pancakes to drunks in a seedy 24 hour dive. I did that for four years and am still recovering.

Say something to the person/s who tagged you: Elizabeth, thanks for the tag - I have enjoyed this! You know you continue to inspire me, care for me, move me and make me laugh as you do with many other of your devoted fans! You're the tops, you're the Colisseum..

Post a favorite childhood photograph of yourself.

 

Here is a photo of me parading about with a potty on my head, wearing a skirt made from an old man's singlet and some leaves. I was having a grand adventure, no doubt. The photo was taken in about 1976 when we lived in Melbourne. The shadow belongs to my big sister, Finn the Poet. My dress sense has only improved marginally since.

What is your plan for tomorrow? To survive.

Now, I am suppose to tag another 8 bloggers. I am not sure if I actually have 8 blogging friends. So I will simply say, if you want it, consider yourself tagged. I would recommend it - it is good fun, bordering on the therapeutic.

Oh, and PS: How DO you react when you see a nun?

Comments

[Ralphie]

Well, Frederick von Furstenburg, my old goat, I thought I couldn't get any madder about you!

[puglyfeet]

I thoroughly enjoyed that YouTube clips with Kate Bush. Thanks.

[a thousand shades of twilight]

Ralphie: Thanks my Dear Patient sweetie! :)
Puglyfeet: Thanks for dropping by! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I love seeing people getting creative on youtube. Those old clips are amazing and nicely put together by StanRD2005. It reminds me of a Terence Davies film. And Kate Bush continues to inspire me.

[Elizabeth]

yay! I'm glad you had fun doing it. Many favorite lines here including (but not limited to):
"The tune eludes me... but I persevere none the less."

"And gasped. I would only countenance grey in a desert boot..."

"It is not exactly an object, but I would not mind purchasing a new stomach."

But my absolutely favorite thing of all is that picture of you marching around with a potty on your head. My twins used to put underpants on their heads and play puppies (they'd pull their hair out the leg holes to make puppy ears), and it just made me grin like a lunatic. As does your potty hat.

[a thousand shades of twilight]

Eliz: Thanks, my darling! I think people putting things on their heads is ALWAYS a winner! We have so many Christmas photos of the family with strange things on their heads. Someone pulls out a camera and we reach for a prop! That's really cute about the puppies - I worry about children who don't see the fun in stuff like that.
Oh, and for the record, the potty was, of course, unused..

[Elizabeth]

Oh, sure.......

[Lizzy]

ugh--love kate bush, and your taste in video imagery! i listen to her when i'm at work and need an escape (which is pretty often).

i've made large-scale prints of Candy! they are super-cool looking; framed in black and totally flush and floating and pixelated! i'm entering them in a show--will let you know how it goes!!!! i'll also take pictures of it as soon as i can find a wall big enough to hold all 5 prints...I'm having trouble with the name of the piece though, but I want to maybe use her "name" in it somewhere.

and, just so you know, i read your blog regularly although i'm usually too bashful to write any comments. either that or haven't got any measure of wit to offer. But i love it, and thank you for it!

[a thousand shades of twilight]

Hi Lizzie! So nice to hear from you. Thanks so much for your lovely comments - please don't be bashful! No reason to be! :)

Kate Bush is excellent - I keep coming back to her as I get older. I just love the way that she has always done her own Kate Bush thing. I love the thought that there was a time when such a maverick could be in the top 10 on a regular basis.

I am so excited about your prints!! Elizabeth tells me that you are a lithographer? I majored in Lithography when I was at art school and it is not every day that I come across someone else who is into it! I can't wait to see your prints. As a failed artist myself (my choice!) nothing gives me greater pleasure than to think that something on my blog might have inspired an artist such as yourself! Hoorah!

I hope we can catch up when Dear Patient M and I head your way in September!

[Lizzy]

Absolutely!
I'm entering the prints today! I can't find anything about Candice Green though, as I've been trying...may have to do some more serious research...

[a thousand shades of twilight]

I can't find anything on Candice G either - the only reference I can find is to the fanclubcountry site which is French - I think it may be from Quebec? Perhaps Candy was also..