intertext

ETA I forgot to mention that I saw this at So Many Books

1. Do you remember learning to read? How old were you?
Believe it or not, I remember the moment of learning to read. It was on a bus, and I was able to read one of the signs on it, or the advertisement, or something. I just remember piecing out the words, and suddenly sign and signifier _made sense_! ( Read more... )

Gakked from tree_and_leaf

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gillo (among others) originally posted this, and I couldn't do it then because it was end of term and I was too busy. I was reminded of it today, so now that I do have time, here goes. These things are always fun.

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Now we have widgets, I can do this. gillo reminded me, but I actually spotted it some time ago, when we were still widgetless

And so of course I'm procrastinating again. And what better procrastination device than a good meaty meme?

From chickenfeet2003


Stuff

Shampoo: Body Shop "Honey"

Moisturizer: L'Oreal "Hydrafresh"

Perfume/Aftershave: Don't use it

Razor: some pink plastic disposable jobbies

Toothpaste: Aquafresh Extreme Clean (!!!)

Cell phone: LG something or other, very very boring, doesn't do anything except phone

Computer: Macbook and Toshiba Satellite for backup (and because all my Macromedia software and my work VPN only works on the PC)

Television: 27" Samsung not flatscreen, not HD, just pretty ordinary TV

Stereo: mini component thingy that my ipod will slot into

Sheets: cotton

Coffee-maker: bodem and 1 cup filter

Car: "Orlando" is my gold colored 2004 Suzuki Aerio, very good gas mileage and 2 beardies fit in the back.

Stationery: rarely use it, though I do actually rather like good stuff. Have some rather tacky Arthur Rackham decorated stuff that someone gave me for Christmas that I've never used.

Bottled water: Evian

Coffee: Cafe San Miguel Fair Trade Dark Roast

Vodka: I'm a Gin drinker

Beer: Draft- usually Race Rocks (a local micro brewery) or Spinnaker's India Pale; bottle, can't remember, someone's micro brewery honey ale.

Clothes

Jeans: current faves are from Eddie Bauer

T-shirt: lots; faves include my "Geoffrey Chaucer hath a blog," edward gorey "gardening," a grey beardie t-shirt, also M.E.C. organic cotton ones.

Briefcase or tote: depends on what I'm doing. Have leather thingy I use for work, also camera bag/laptop case for travel, also lots of cloth bags for shopping, books, student papers, etc.

Sneakers: Nike Pegasus for serious walking (although running shoes, these judged best for someone with dicky hips)

Watch: ESQ stainless steel which looks a lot less expensive than it was.

Favorite Places: currently Hornby Island, San Francisco, London, Qufu, but am going to Paris in two week's time, so check back with me in three week's time.

Extravagances: vintage books, really good gin, plants for my garden.

This one comes via Gardner Writes

I am the sonnet, never quickly thrilled; Not prone to overstated gushing praise Nor yet to seething rants and anger, filled With overstretched opinions to rephrase; But on the other hand, not fond of fools, And thus, not fond of people, on the whole; And holding to the sound and useful rules, Not those that seek unjustified control. I'm balanced, measured, sensible (at least, I think I am, and usually I'm right); And when more ostentatious types have ceased, I'm still around, and doing, still, alright. In short, I'm calm and rational and stable - Or, well, I am, as much as I am able. What Poetry Form Are You?

No, not Snape. Snave. This is the Kentish village I have been given by papersky in the most fun meme to come along for donkey's years.

Snave is also known as "The Remote Church." (there is the church lurking behind a tree in the picture, looking rather remote). Indeed, that is pretty much all it consists of: the church and a few houses. The church is one of the most remote on the always remote Romney Marsh, and stands on the end of a - you guessed it - remote grassy track.

There are no services, and the nearest train runs to Appledore.

Interview questions: if you would like five questions, leave me a comment, and I shall oblige.
Here are mine from oursin:

1. If you were a dog, what kind of dog would you be?
I was surprised by how difficult this question was to answer, perhaps because I take dogs very seriously. It also depends on whether I answer what kind of dog I would like to be, or what kind of dog I would probably turn into if I became a dog overnight - ie what kind of dog is closest to me in personality. To answer the first question, ideally, I'd like to be like Ash, the elegant graceful dog you'll see in my Deerskin icon. Robin McKinley never actually identifies her as a breed except as a kind of sighthound, but the cover artist clearly sees her as a kind of Borzoi. Ash is also somewhat of an Ur dog - intelligent, loyal, devoted, perfect in every way. Sometimes I also fancy myself as a kind of jolly, cheerful scruffy mutt type of dog - independent, happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care. In some ways, that's the personality I wish I had. In truth... perhaps I'm not unlike my beardies. I have their herding instinct (maybe that's why I'm a teacher and was a good caregiver!), their basic cheeriness, but with workaholic tendencies, having intense loyalty, but with a slight bent to over-sensitivity, easily hurt. I'm not as decorative as they are, but few creatures are, only cats.

2. What is your ideal garden like?
Like a cross between the Secret Garden and Larkwhistle (Canadian reference) - I tried to find a good photo of Larkwhistle on the net but couldn't. It's a gorgeous 1 acre perennial garden mostly in pastels, a riot of fairly unchecked frothy flowers like roses and peonies and delphiniums and foxgloves. I guess really the classic "English cottage garden." I'd like something enclosed with high walls, with a door into it - that medieval "Roman de la Rose" mystical garden idea. My own garden is quite overlooked and there's not much I can do about it because my house and neighbours at both sides are at the top of a hill and the garden slopes downwards. My really tiresome neighbour is at the bottom, and she looks up the garden to see me doing things up the slope. Aesthetically, it's getting there, but I never have enough time to put into it. Perhaps for about one week in the year, it looks a bit the way I want it if I squint and the light is right.

3. Is there a musical instrument that you don't play, but would like to?
I always rather fancied playing the flute. And I took piano lessons as a child and would like to again. Also, I love guitar music and would like to be able to play just a little.

4. What would you be doing if not teaching?
Without hesitation, I'd be a feature actor in the RSC. And there's my one sincere regret in life and my big "road not taken," too. When I was at school, I was going to be an actor when I grew up, but I lost my nerve. Mostly it was about not being pretty enough. And I realize now that would have been enormously less of a factor in Britain than over here, and if I'd stuck to my guns and tried for RADA, which is what I wanted to do, I might have succeeded. But I had over-protective parents who were not keen for their young daughter to strike out for London on her own, and encouraged me to go to Uni instead, and I didn't think there was much point doing theatre at Uni, so I did Classics... and the rest is history, sort of. But teaching is wonderful; I don't regret that one bit, and it feeds the idealist in me in ways that acting wouldn't have done.

5. Where would you like to visit that you haven't been already?
Well, I'm going to Paris in May, so that partly answers your question, but it would almost be easier to say where I don't want to go! Caregiving has kept me Victoria-bound for so long that I have a lot of travelling to make up for, so I have a lot of trips planned in the future. High on my list, after Paris, are Venice, New Zealand, Japan, Patagonia, New York. I'd also like to see Eastern Canada, as I've never been further than Montreal.

Some of these are slightly surreal (a tintin in a photography?), but I can't resist the twelve moomins drumming. (seen everywhere)

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from ladyofastolat A great set of questions about reading habits, with my answers...
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