Thursday, January 19, 2012

Dancing with your Parents as a Child

I couldn't think of any other way to sum up the above sentiment, without getting into metaphors and wishy-washy statements.

Do you remember that time? You were about 7 years old, and at some kind of function with your parents, be it a wedding, birthday, or quite simply Christmas in the backyard with your family and friends.

Everyone would be dancing, having a great time. And when a slow song came on, linking all the partners together, the dancefloor turning into a sea of slow-moving duos, the kids would come to a stop, just standing and smiling up at everyone.

Your parents would invite you in. You would join their exclusive little circle, and you would dance in amongst them, with Mum and Dad's hands on your shoulders, as you, shy yet happy, looked up to them and tried to sway in tune, as they beamed radiance.

Don't you remember that feeling? The feeling of total security, happiness, comfort. Knowing that you were with the people that loved you most in this world. Everything was right, everything was as it should be, and all was perfectly right with the world. You somehoe mellowed in that short time, got a little less crazy, a little less erratic, and put your loony child behaviours on hold while you danced the most special dance of your life with the two people who would give the world to you.

Sometimes, when I get sad, when I feel lonely..... I think of that time..... and I wish I was 7 again.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Happiness Is.... #9

Happiness Is....

(Like I promised....)

Having a sister like mine. If everyone had a sister like mine, there would be no war in this world. Because she would talk them out of it. Because that's what mine did with me yesterday. She is truly the brightest star there is. :)

And she's MY sister :):):)

Imitation is the sincerest form of Insult

I need to get this out so that I can try to move on. In true OCD form I've been completely obsessing over it, and I can't take it anymore.

Let's play the hypothetical game again, with not so hypothetical people, and a not at all hypothetical situation.

Let's say, I have some really nice kitchen items. To make this game easier, I'll say I have a beautiful fruit bowl, with matching salt and pepper shakers that sit beside it. It took me ages to find something this beautiful, unique and original in the modern style Hubbie and I were going for in the kitchen (remember, hypothetical!) So when we got it and put it in there a couple of months ago, we were like "Ahhhh." Looks good.

Now, about a month ago we had Mouth over with another couple. During the course of the visit, after she had been to my kitchen, she commented to me "oh, I like your fruit bowl, and the salt and pepper shakers. Really nice. Where did you get it?"

I was probably slightly thrown by the fact that she never really notices anything or anyone but herself, and it seemed she was giving me a genuine compliment for my kitchen things. I said quite casually "oh, from blah and blah."

I didn't think much of it. I later heard from Hubbie that the other couple who were over, well the woman expressed how much she really liked my kitchen things, and added "they're from blah and blah, yeah?"

When Hubbie told me this I was like "no! She can't get the same things as us!" But the knowledge that the shopping centre we got it from wasn't exactly local, kept me secure in the fact that she wouldn't go there by herself and get them. She could just safely admire them from a dsitance whenever she was at our house.

So I forgot about it.

Just recently, we found ourselves at this woman's house. Mouth was there also, and some other people. A couple of hours into it, Hubbie whispers to me "have you been to the kitchen?"

He has a weird look on his face. "What?" I ask, confused.

"She bought the things." He's smiling but I can see his expression is really wary, judging me and how I'm going to react. My mouth drops open as I realise what he's talking about. I'm gaping.

"Don't overreact. Don't make a scene."

I get up immediately and march to the kitchen. My heart drops when I get there, when I see MY fruit browl and matching salt and pepper shakers.

I am in absolute shock. She bloody went there. She went to the shopping centre, to the exact same shop and bought the same bloody things as me. And now her kitchen looks like mine.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I am completely deflated. Dismayed, upset, devastated, shocked. Hubbie reads my face as I come and sit back down. "Don't jump, you don't know the full story. Don't be upset, ok?" I'm wondering at his words, wondering what the hell extra there is to know that would make this situation better for me, but I try to push it out of my mind, not wanting to appear obvious.

Not too long after that, I'm talking to Mouth. And somehow, in conversation, she says "so last weekend I went to blah shopping centre with woman, to get those things at blah shop, you know your kitchen things?"

All the pieces are falling into place. But it's actually getting worse for me.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, we went and bought them."

The word we I'm having an especially hard time with. It's sticking out like a sore thumb in a sentence of fingers.

"You went and bought the exact same things?" My tone is dead, expressionless. I'm numb with shock.

"Yeah." Her response is almost questioning. As if she's trying to work out what my take is on all of it.

She goes on and on as my heart sinks deeper.

"They have good priced forks there, you know," she waffles on. (hypothetical forks!)

"Yeah," I say flatly. "That's why I like it there. I like to get good, different things that arent the same as everyone else."

There's a distinct pause. I can hear her thinking. Then, because she's a fucking tool, she continues unaffected.

Phew. I need to calm down.

Perhaps I need to give you a little back story, so you can understand my strong aversion to copying.

Growing up, I had a friend, let's simply call her copy-cat. Enough said, right? In primary school she would read off my work, and when I'd catch her I'd yell out "stop copying!" She would say back angrily "I'm not copying!" And yet she would still do it, peering over my arm which I tried to protectively cover my work with.

All my friends knew. When she was near them she would try to copy their work too. But because my regular seat was next to her, I got the brunt of it.

Copy-cat and I went to the same high school. Here, I didn't have as many classes with her, but the rest of my friends there soon found out how she was, and again she was accused of copying. The annyoing thing with her was that she would copy you, and then make her work better. That was the aggravating thing. That and obviously denying that she was even plagiarising our work.

It was easier for me in high school, knowing my friends there could see what I could see. But then as I thought I lost her annoying habit, I gained the same habit in someone else. My cousins Legs and Hair.

Now I absolutely love them to pieces, I really do. But there was a time when I was growing up, and them being younger than me and looking up to me of course, that they would imitate me. They liked the things I liked. They dressed like me. And on and on. At one stage one of them confided to me that their own grandmother said to them "You should be more like Miss S." Although I was only 14 at the time, I lost it when I heard this. "Screw her! Don't be like me, or anybody else, be your own person!"

And they did, and I'm so proud of my adopted sisters for what they have grown into.

But what I'm trying to show here is that I had a lot of copying of me over the years, copying that scarred me, and that has made me want to be completely original, different and unlike anybody else. The more people copied me, the more I shied away and tried to be even more original and unique.

So that, on top of the fact that I have to mentally imagine kicking Mouth like a football far off into the distance just to get her annoyingness out of my head, has got me so unbelievably pissed off that you can't imagine.

I can't believe, that she went and bought the exact same things as me. She not only went into the same shop (which is fine) but she bought the exact same things! Has she no shame? Is she not embarrassed, does she not feel pathetic? I would be completely ashamed of buying the exact same thing as someone else, and then have them come into my house and see that I've copied them. How shameful! Shame, shame, shame.

The reason I'm not having a go at the other woman - though I am still upset! - is because Hubbie said to me not to be. She's older, and she looks at other people for home ideas. She doesn't know. I exhaled loudly when I heard this. I'm still exhaling. I wanna do it for him, but it's not easy. I would do anything for him though.

But Mouth. Mouth is younger than the woman. She's older than us. (Another shameful thing, copying people younger than you) She should know better. When the woman called Mouth and said "I want to get the same things as Miss S," Mouth should have said "No, that's embarrassing, we'll go and get something different."

Mouth, the same Mouth who would have a go at someone for copying her. The same mouth who only ever praises or talks about herself. The same mouth who never gives anyone recognition. Do you think when guests comment on her kitchen things that she's going to be honest and say "I copied Miss S' style"? No! No she won't because she is a narcissist!

Argh! I'm so furious. I can't take it. The saying about imitation being flattery, is a load of bullshit. It's not flattery for someone whose suffered the effects of people trying to steal her style for only HER ENTIRE LIFE.

It absolutely boils me to my core. Do not copy me! Especially you, Mouth! I can't stand it, I'm absolutely fuming with anger.

Hubbie and I don't have the biggest house. But with what we have, we try to make the best of it, and put really fine touches to our house to make it unique. We buy quality items, interesting pieces, and all the furnishings show attention to detail and careful planning. Both Mouth and woman have big, new houses. Do they have to take the one thing I have, my style? Do they want that too? What else do they want from me, my life?

Leave me with the one thing I have, please. Leave me that. But no, they had to take it. SHE had to take it.

These obsessive fiery thoughts would not stop going around and around in my head yesterday. I had to talk to Sis. She is awesome, she is so awesome that my next post will be about her, to counteract the angst that is Mouth and everything about her that I despise.

Sis helped me. She tried to get me to see it in a different light. She suggested the conclusions that Hubbie and I had already come to: that we don't tell them where we buy our things in the future - we be vague if ever asked; and that this whole situation was a lesson learnt for the future. She didn't see it in the way I did, because she says she's had a friend copy her thing, and she's even copied another friend for something. But see, it's the way you go about it. My sister is very honest, and would admit to the person how much she loved it and that she was intending to buy one for herself. Mouth however is sneaky. She gives me praise - just enough - but not so much that I thought she really liked it. Then she organised a shopping day with woman, they went off and bought it without a mention of it to Hubbie and I. When it was too late, it was all bought and done.

Hubbie agrees. He's not so hung up on it as I am, but when I asked him, he admitted "I'm spewing." He didn't have to have someone copy him his whole life to make him want to be original and have different things. It's so annoying.

You know what else? We have this other 'kitchen item' a 'coffee machine' (not really, still hypothetical!) that she's asked us about, and I've said that we've bought it in a far-off region. She also knows that some of our other home furnishings are from that 'far-off region.' Guess where Mouth and her family went a couple of weeks ago? To the far-off region! What, you need another coffee machine? Get your own fucking style you leeches!

Geez, do they want to copy our whole house? The thing that peeves me off, is as I said in reference to my Sis, they're not honest. Admit you like it. Say it out loud and MEAN IT. Unlike them, who often snub their noses at things we've seen, things we've bought, and things we've done (like going to the far-off region) and then they explode with fireworks and expect you to shower them with attention when THEY GO!

I know, I know. Narcissists, in every sense of the word.

We're actually going to find a whole new, different, unique and original fruit bowl with matching salt and pepper shakers. In a couple of months we're going to a similar far-off region, and I'm going to go into as many shops there as I can, and find something bigger and better. (See how we have to buy something different because of other, annoying people?)

And THEN when they say "oh, you have different ones?!"

I'M going to say "yes, I like to have truly original pieces unlike anything anyone else has."

And I hope that that boils her and makes her feel PATHETIC. Copy cat.

What I hope for most? That after this realisation I make her come to (and I will) that she will always see my face in her fruit bowl and salt and pepper shakers. Forever.

And I hope she can live with herself for that. Because denial doesn't ever change the fact.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The 4 rules of train etiquette

1. Ensure that you are clean and fresh before embarking on your journey. Do not expect to be welcomed, smiled at or have any kind of civility directed towards you if you have the strong stench of B.O enveloping and following you wherever you go. That is just not cool man. Have a shower for freak's sake.

2. Do not talk loudly on the train, either to your pretend fun friend on the phone, or to the rest of your posse friends who you think actually like you, but are actually, just, tolerating you. You annoy the people listening to their ipods, as the shrill volume of your voice actually breaks all headphone barriers, (yes it does, you hyena) and for the others trying to read or sleep, well you bug the hell out of them. We don't want to know about how you can't eat salt and vinegar chips (really, I don't care whether they make your eyes water or not; they taste good, you soft, poor excuse for a being!) We want to other read about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in peace, or escape to our fantasy world's and go to the far-away land of slumber, where snacks aren't the be-all and end-all of our existence. Shhh.

3. Do not invade the personal space of others. Do not brush up against them. Do not breathe down their neck as you try to read the book they have open before them. Don't spread out all your crap so that others have to do long jumps to get out of the train. If you don't know the other passengers, don't act like you share the same bed with them, otherwise you will be assumed a stalker, you creepy weirdo.

4. Do not stare. Didn't your mother teach you that? Oh sorry, I forgot you've never seen a women with boobs before. You come from another universe where only men and their penises exist.
And for the women, do not look up and down. Do you not have my bits?
Any starers can be expecting a slap, or a greasy at the least. Really.


By adhering to these rules you will be ensured a safe, happy and comfortable trip to your destination. Thank you for your time passengers. We look forward to you travelling with us next time (except for the dirty, loud, creepy oglers....)

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happiness Is.... #8

Happiness Is....

Reading back your writing, from yesterday, last week, last month or even last year, and smiling in happiness. The smile that means 'contentment' 'satisfaction' 'joy' and 'pleasure' in reviewing your own work.

That, for an aspired writer (never mind aspriring writer, I'm the King of the Jungle in astrology for pete's sake - by the way who is pete??) is absolute gold. So rewarding. The feeling of love just rises up from inside.
:):):)

That's happiness.

WTF?

Ok, this post is completely random and is going to make absolutely no sense, with my whole writing-in-code thing again (I know random, who would have guessed, duh?!)

Ok, so I have all these thoughts going through my head, having just been trawling through the crap of pile that more often than not is the net.

Firstly:

I know that there are ideas and opinions, values and designs out there, that are naturally going to be repeated elsewhere, somewhere in the world, by pure coincidence. All ideas and thoughts, stories and the such are repeated like this. History repeats itself, we get the same boy and girl story over and over again but re-hashed in different ways, told in different languages, themes and contexts.

HOWEVER

If you for example, like one thing, then don't go and copy that thing and try and pass it on as your own. That's plagiarism, that's an invasion of copyright.
That's a freaking pain in the arse.
Seriously though. So I like the Twilight books right? And most of my family and friends KNOW I like the series, have read the books, watched the movies, etc. And then imagine, that this STORY I'm writing, well I come up with an 'original' idea where there is a werewolf, a vampire, and a girl.
And the girl likes the vamp. But the wolf likes the girl.
Sound familiar (DUH!)

It wouldn't be 'original,' because I didn't come up with it! Must I spell the stupidity out? That saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" is complete bullshit. Anyone who has had someone copy them for a portion of their life knows how unbelievably infuriating it can be, having someone pass off your work as their own.

AHHHHH! Please, be original, or piss off!

SECONDLY:

Can everyone please learn how to spell here? Perhaps there are those out in blogger land that need to go back to the basics. Kindergarten A B C.....

Just because it's the net, and you don't have a teacher grading you, it doesn't give you the right to slander poor passers by with your abhorrent disregard for spelling. It's actually there, not their when you're talking about a location. Try putting an apostrophe between the you and the re, when you combine to make out 'you're.' There is an omission there, so you should learn to mark it.
And like, like learn how to write, right because, I didn't know there was going to, and then, now.

Seriously, there are people who think they can write, but they can't. Such soreness to the eyes.....

And last but not least....

Just a thought. If you were really rich and famous, would you feel it within your power, or even believe it to be right to ask certain inappropriate types to not like you? So for example, if I had a complete wanker yelling out "I love Miss S!" so that everyone would hear, do you think it would be right for me to say "Hey, can you not like me? It's doing some serious damage to my rep?" Is that discriminative? Cruel? Who is the disenchanted one in this picture?

And what if you're not rich and famous, and perhaps you need all the friends you can get... would you tell certain people to back away from you, in order to keep your integrity, despite the lack of fans you have?

I'm all for the integrity. I don't care who it pisses off, I think I would somehow subtlety let the person know I didn't like them, or somehow suggest for them to 'move on.... away from me. Forever.'

It's all about the quality, rather than the quantity for me. All the way.

Sigh. Have I made any sense? Probably not.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

2011: The Year In Review

This past year has been interesting. It has been unexpected at times, trying at others, and above all else a great learning experience. In retrospect, with all the new things that came into my life, whether I initially embraced them or tried to shut them out, I now believe it was all for the best.

Yesterday when I was trying to remember what my resolutions for this year had been, there was only one major one that stood out to me: And which I proudly with the widest smile can say I have given my all. That I will get to later:) However I find it hilarious that I had to think of my resolutions and could only remember one of them, having kind of forgotten the rest. Or had I? As I look through the list to see what I had achieved, although some were far from mind, the opportunites to take these things on board were definitely there, lingering.....


To read, HEAPS more.

Yes, yes and yes. Hold on there was only one point. I guess my point is to emphasise that I did take this on board whole-heartedly. I finished reading several self-help and law of attraction books, have started on "The Celestine Prophecy," started and finished "Persuasion," half-way through that got half-addicted to Jane Austen, am now almost finished reading "Pride and Prejudice" and am definitely addicted to Jane Austen. It may not seem like much (and I do feel I am missing a book somewhere) but compared to the NO BOOKS I was previously reading (or not reading if that makes sense, though I don't think it does) it is a lot, as all I used to previously read was mags and catalogues, which is really quite pathetic if you have to count that as literature. So I, am no longer, pathetic!
Ha ha.
Oh, and although I didn't work out the blogger, listing books, ticking them off thing, I've still succeeded with my main point, so there :P


To complete my first book by the end of the year.

Well, although I am not finished with this huge task, I am so proud to say that I am up to writing chapter 12 of my planned 14 chapter book. Last night I was writing and had to go back and check some stuff I'd written (I've written so much I forget what I've created!) and once again, as has happened on several other occassions, I was really pleased on reading back certain passages. I will need to revise and re-word quite a bit once I've finished my first draft, but considering I've had no formal training (other than my informal blogging of course :) ) I think I've done quite well.
AND, considering that I didn't actually start writing my book 'til the very end of Feb, I figure my resolution should be modified to extend to the end of Feb' 12: which is in fact when I plan to have the draft of my first book completed by. All is on track.
:):):)


To get fit.

Fail. Ok, well at first I went "fail, massive fail." But then I realised something. Yes I may have started the year off playing basketball with Hubbie a lot, running up and down basketball courts and what-not, with the attempts slowly dwindling to doing NOTHING of the sort. I could use genuine excuses to explain myself. Hubbie's busier schedule and starting a new job; me getting sick at one stage which removed me from all outdoor activities all together with no planned return to them - yes I could use these as an excuse, but I won't (even though I just did). If I had really wanted to do exercise, I would have found a way, no buts about it.
But then I remembered. Due to Hubbie's new job in the last couple of months this year, and the fact that he needs my car to get to and from work, I've been using the train pretty much every single day.
In the morning I walk 10 mins to work from the station. When I finish I walk 10 mins to the station. Then when I get to the station at home, I walk home for 25-30 mins, depending on what shoes I'm wearing.
That's every day of the week I work. Now that's a good effort.
So, I have half-committed to that resolution too, though unintentionally:) I could be lazy and wait 15 mins for the bus to take me home, but I start walking. Procrastination eat your heart out.


To improve all my relationships, full-stop.

This is a tricky one. Grey in some areas, as most relationships are. People who I've in the past been distant with, or who I've been angry with, I've now grown closer to, or have a new-found respect for. Others, who I have struggled with in the past, I still continue to struggle with even now.
Over Christmas I tried to put my extreme dislike of one person behind me, just for the day. It worked, and I managed to see them in a somewhat positive light. But then like today, when I remember the shit petty-ness, insecure mind games and arrogance I've received from them in the past, my anger fuels up again and I feel really mad. It's not black and white. Nothing in life ever really is. But the fact that I'm trying to learn, trying to move on, and trying to accept the fact that in order to solve your relationship problems you need to change yourself, tells me that I've made some progress.
Grrr. Changing myself at the ignorance of others just shits me. I'm not the problem. But often in life you've got to swallow your pride (and let Karma take care of the rest....)


To continue on my path of spiritual growth and self-development.

Yes. Simply put, yes. Through all my reading and thinking and my daily work calendar full of quotes like "First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." - Epictetus.


To enjoy life.

This one I completely forgot I wrote down, yet this is the one that must have stayed subconciously in my mind, because this one I, we, have definitely achieved.
We have stepped it up a gear. One of our motto's is "work hard, play hard." We don't always get a chance to do what we want, what with work, family commitments, and other occasions that take up our weekends. So when we do get spare time, we go all out. It may not be big to some, but to us we take extreme pleasure in it: buying coffee whenever we go shopping; eating big and well at very decent restaurants; spoiling ourselves on quality clothes; buying unique and different furniture to furnish our home. We spend a bit more, because that's the kind of life we want: one consisting of quality. Not in the future, but from NOW. Starting from right now.
And we have been doing it, for about 6 months now. Going out, splurging, exploring the town and just smiling. Life is now. You don't wait for tomorrow to enjoy it. That's what we've been doing. Any spare moment we get we enjoy it to the fullest potential, so that when we return to work the next day we don't feel pity for ourselves in seeing someone sitting and relaxing in the sun, and enjoying a coffee at an exclusive cafe.
(Yesterday we had chocolate drizzled cappuccinos and shared a huge waffle for two, drizzled also with chocolate, with side accompaniments of ice cream, strawberries and banana - and today I'm ok with being back at work :) )


Ok, enough reflecting, now for my 2012 Resolutions!


1. To finish the first draft of my first book by late Feb, and by the end of the year have it published with a reputable publisher, with the intention of writing more books in the series for that publisher. This is my first and foremost resolution, it is direct because I know exactly what I want. I'm more than half way there. It WILL happen!

2. To continue to read more, especially in ways that will help along with my writing, and also to read books that will continue to help me better myself spiritually. This is a two-fold resolution. So we'll go to 4.

4. To do some form of exercise ( I have to sigh at this resolution ) however in particular I want to zone in on my arms and make them more toned. I have a goal in mind, as Red has some arm exercises she has to give me in paper form. As soon as she gives them to me, (hopefully soon!) I start! As for the other general exercise, hopefully I will do Zumba with my at-home DVDs, if I can't make myself apply to yoga classes. Yes, as far as resolutions go, my tone in this one sucks, but hey, I have to try, true?

5. To continue living life with Hubbie to the full in every way, shape and form.

6. To continue thinking, believing and LIVING the law of attraction, both for myself and in unison with Hubbie. Although he says I inspired him, some things he has achieved of late have inspired me so much that I want us to continue on this enlightened path, aware that all that we want and aim for in life, we will have.

These, my friends, are my wishes and hopes for myself, and I wish you, all the same happiness, love, health and success that you so rightly deserve.

"Look, I don't have all the answers. To be honest, in life, I failed as often as I succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you, my kind of success."

- (Best ever end-of-movie quote! 'Jerry Maguire.')