Marvellous meme (possible procrastination) June 28, 2008
Posted by Jen in : Writing Bits , trackbackYay, I’ve been tagged by JJ and Karen and, since I’m so boring in the week, have been saving it for a Saturday to be boring.
What were you doing 10 years ago?
Living in Jersey, kids aged 4 and nearly 2. Probably tearing my hair out. Worked very briefly as a school secretary in the most deprived catchment area on the rock (yes, there are people in Jersey who have no money and/or take drugs just like non-tax havens). Went home and cried for half the kids and decided having my own tiddlie crying for me while I was out earning a few pennies wasn’t worth it. Watched Tellytubbies instead which made me who I am today. I knew there was something to blame for it.
Five things on your to-do list for today:
Go into Tunbridge Wells for pampering goodies and lazy M&S food.
Go for run to earn vino & lazy food calories.
Zoom through remaining photography coursework and panic that deadline for end-of-course portfolio is Tuesday week.
Start freewriting again. Even 15 mins a day would make a difference.
Plough through remaining third of The Novel and make notes ready for morning of re-writing tomorrow.
What are three of your bad habits?
Repeating myself like a daffy old dear
Pulling my hair when I’m tired or stressed
Repeating myself like a daffy old dear
What would you do if you were a billionaire?
Buy a house somewhere near where I live already… nothing flashy. Something like this perhaps. A round kitchen and round library would be coolio. And a house in France, around the La Rochelle area because I love their diddy airport. Buy a house in Jersey for Mum (great investment too - the house, not my mother) and give a bit to those I love who would make the most of it. And I’d write and take photographs and open a little gallery so that talented people who haven’t got money/contacts/the opportunity to go to college could have a chance.
What are some snacks you enjoy?
Wine. That’s a snack, right?
Green & Blacks Butterscotch Chocolate
Tyrells salt and vinegar crisps
What were the last five books you read?
Words from a Glass Bubble by Vanessa Gebbie (dipping in and out. Too good for half asleep reading)
Your’re Not the Only One (did I mention that I’m in this?)
Teenagers - What Every Parent Has to Know by Rob Parsons
The Book of Digital Photography by Chris George
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (haven’t decided whether I’m gong to get into this or not. Four sentences a night before I nod off doesn’t help)
What are five jobs you have had?
Chamber maid at hotel for disabled in Jersey. How many wet beds did I change as a 16-year-old?
Dental nurse (top line: “you might feel a bit of a prick”)
Robot type person at merchant bank in Jersey. Boring as anything. Abandoned good job with money to be
Director’s Assistant at Jersey Arts Centre - pretty cool until I got sacked for being pregnant
PA/Secretary type person at chickens/llamas/rural wotsit (current)
Five places that you have lived?
Jersey
Norf of Engerland (too young to remember and no remnant accent)
Jersey again (am a bit boring really)
Crouch End in North London (known as Couch End as full of psychotherapists)
Jersey again (a pattern? You think so?)
Teeny tiny village in East Sussex which I love and where I will stay until I run away to France (when I am a billionaire and respected writer and also not too bad at taking photos)
Who hasn’t done this then? Hullaballooooo? Jumbly? Nez?
Right… it’s nearly lunchtime. Shopping done. Rest of list to tackle. Luckily I didn’t write down any domestic duties so I won’t be able to do those now. The Power of The List cannot be ignored.
Comments»
Oooh fab.I’m loving your modest house - it’s just like the one I’m going to buy when I’m a millionaire.
You’ve had a seriously eventful life - I can’t believe you were fired for being pregnant, that must have been terrible! Evil feckers! I love La Rochelle too, great choice. Do you go back to Jersey much?
You work with llamas? *sigh* reminds me of home and being spat in the eye (not by llamas either)…
Seriously eventful life indeed!
Knitting club book is on sale here (in English) and I can’t bring myself to buy it yet - maybe I’ll wait for you to finish it and see what you think!
Why France! Come to Italy! It’s quaint and cute and has good wine (imported from France) too!
Love your house that you’re going to buy when you’re a billionaire. How disgusting that you were fired for being pregnant, though I’ve heard of that happening to someone else too.
Opps, I forgot to mention reading You’re Not the Only One in my Meme. Slap my hand for that.
JJ - We could be millionaire neighbours. Then we’d never get any writing done!
Yvonne - Being sacked whilst in hospital on a drip is pretty crummy behaviour really. I haven’t been back to Jersey for about 3 years or so. Must get back sometime soon; I haven’t seen either of my parents in that time either
Pacha - Unfortunately I don’t really work with llamas. I just type the occasional random word about them. I am sellotaped to my chair all day long, typing and typing and typing with no spitting in the eye. Hmmm, Italy vs France… hmmmmmm…
Debs - *Slaps Debs’ hand in a playful way but scowls a bit for good measure* Good old Jersey and its fabulous laws. I expect things are a bit better these days. Maybe.
Is the photography course for enjoyment or career purposes? Will you start writing articles with your own photographs? Use it for a job? Sounds good - I could do with improving my photographs. (I could do with improving my writing, come to that.)
Ah, Tellytubbies. I remember them well…
Honeysuckle - the photography course is sort of for both fun but I’d quite like to tie it to writing and/or articles in some way. I do think it has made me stop and look at things in a different way which can only help the old writing, no? And one of my fave pics so far is, um, of honeysuckle! It’s on my desktop at work and always makes me think of you
Nice house! Why can’t you buy it|? You’d still get change from a million:-)
I lived in Crouch End too, just off the high street in the crumbiest flat which must be worth a complete packet now!
I don’t think that house is big enough - where will the telephone seat go?
Jersey sounds lovely and isn’t it quite close to France? Isn’t there a ferry?
Very cruel of you to put that link to Butterscotch chocolate while I’m sitting here sipping my Slimfast highly nutritious soup - and big gin. I do mix it with low cal tonic so I’m very surprised that the pounds aren’t slipping off.
I soooo need wine to count as a snack. Healthy snack might be pushing it a bit though …
Lane - I’m saving my million for anti-wrinkle cream? How funny that you lived in Crouch End too! I lived in Harold Road with the police station at the end. God, that was 15 years ago. Scary.
Fiona - a telephone seat, eh? Now that is swish. Jersey’s nice but terribly expensive. Claustrophobic too. And yes, you can see France which is what I did at dawn of the new millennium… watched the lights come on in France as people woke up. Better than nursing a hangover! Ew, Slimfast is not good. Gin’s good, low fat diet
Helen - Lovely bf just shook his head when I said I’d have my remaining cals of the evening in wine instead of food. And it actually is healthy… made out of grapes, see? If you drink enough, you’ll have managed your five-a-day…
I’m afraid I’ve already made an offer on that house (in my dreams.)
I don’t have an accent left from living Oop North either. Much to my family’s disgust. I have been Down Sarf 20 years though.
Have you noticed Dental Nurses say, “you might feel a little scratch” these days? We all know what they mean!
Hope the coursework is on track :o)
Marvellous, indeed. Now I’ve a yen for a circular kitchen just like that one.
I wanted to work with llamas - I had to turn down llamas. And ponchos. I really wanted a poncho/llama combo job. Ah well.
I’ve been recommened to visit here by Google Reader. Pretty cool eh? I’ve adding you to my reading list. Hope you don’t mind.
Hi Jen
Great blog. For those that are reading the comments, SHE DOESN’T COME BACK OFTEN ENOUGH. I know because last time I had the 2 lovely boys and her and previous BF to stay for a week AND IT WAS FAB. My five places I have lived are Jersey, Jersey, Jersey …you get the drift….10 years ago, Jen and I were great pals and bothe living on Jersey, I was single with no kids, 1 husband and 2 kids now!! not the first husband!! What would I do if I was a billionaire, probably open a very expensive bottle of wine with Jen and get piss……. and that would take us back to 10 years ago…. although now I recall ten years ago I was superfit, doing London marathons and Ironman Triathlons before I saw the light and discovered booze!!! Yippee. I have a sign in my kitchen that says”" I once read that drinking is bad for your health so I’ve given up ………Reading”"” Jen will understand this. By the way, 4 nights last week were dry and I have swum tonightand done 60odd lengths. My halo is back!!!
Lastly, Jen made a better debtal nurse than a bank person!!!!!!!
Karen, we shall simply have to live in the house together? ‘Feel a little scratch’ indeed. Where’s the Carry On fun in that, eh?
Wordtryst - I am truly lusting after round rooms. Round kitchen and round library or music room. Sadly, I have a round tummy and that’s it.
Watching9987 - Ponchos? Now that does sound god as a compulsory aspect of any job. Google Reader recommends things? That’s jolly clever. And I’m very pleased indeed to be on your reading list. Especially if you have more talk of ponchos.
Hayleeeeeeyy - I never did work out how you could do triathlons and whatnot when permanently pickled. My God, we really did pack it away, especially in those banking days. You had four dry nights last week? Hmmm… were those the nights you didn’t go swimming??
I realy was quite rubbish at being a bank person, even with you as my supervisor. It was really just ‘not my bag’ as the manager told me with relief when I handed in my notice! (’Tis a bit weird having a ‘real’ person comment on my blog!!! Eep) X
Memes are sooo handy but you are never boring Oh no.
Breezy - Aw, shucks, thanks very much Missis. Memes are very handy for the empty-headed such a me, ’tis true. Must remember to tag you next time.
Oh, that’s so lovely about the honeysuckle! We have one just outside our front door (blocking the pavement for passers-by) - I think it blooms for about three minutes every year, but when it does, it’s very pretty.
Honeysuckle, it’s a sad fact of life that the things we like best never last quite long enough…
Of course wine is a snack……it’s made of grapes!!!
C x
Carol - I knew it! One of our five-a-day, along the the Jaffa Cakes (due to their smashing orangey bit). Thanks goodness.
You do make me larf!
We used to get the regional TV from the Channel Islands here, I was always amazed how much crime and deprivation and nastiness there seemed to be for a very small rich island. Now we’ve got UK digital for some inexplicable reason we get Norfolk regional TV, which really feels a bit like Southern Comfort…