The Little Things

I feel this month has flown by and very little has happened that is worth mentioning but let's see what we can do...

READ I read on Instagram "Don't match negative energy. Just shut the power off" (@r.h.sin via @tesssssy.b) and I think that's perfect advice. Eventually you have to call quits on people who do not make you feel your best, nor bring out your best. A simple yet good reminder.

WATCHED Boys & Girls at STC. That is a play that you can't get out of your head. I can't talk about it because of spoilers but it's got some disturbing facts and a recent news event really highlighted how factual it was. Justine Clarke is excellent in what must be a very exhausting headspace for her to be in night after night. Also went to Strong is the new pretty (also STC) - the new Suzie Miller. Not a difficult watch like her other two plays. More feel good(ish) history. 

We saw Wild Horse Nine which is excellent - very funny though slightly depressing as the political machinations are despicable yet true. Also saw the new Godzilla, which was my first, and was better than expected - though we saw it at IMAX and were too close - subtitles and Imax only work if you are far back. We also went to History of Concrete - a very odd and kooky film. We'd never seen his tv show so it may not be so weird to people that know his style. It raised a lot of questions that we discussed for days after - to do with the film rather than concrete. It showed New York from a very sad and crumbling decay, which I don't think I've ever seen before. That was an eye opener.

HEARD I went to see Noah Kahan but didn't want to spend the big bucks so was literally in the back row. The woman in the seat in front of me said to her date "Oh, this is great, we can see everything!" which I thought was so charming as I'd just been thinking how terrible my seat was. So high five to such a thoughtful lady changing the mindset of the sulky lady behind you & making your date not feel bad about his tickets. She's a keeper. And obviously I heard this song*.

Also went to Bunt - who is awesome - and I was transformed into my happy old self, feeling so great with the burst of energy infused for 2 hours. So fun! I know I share this song all the time but you need to see the crowd - having been at Anyma, I just don't think you need all that. It's getting the crowd into a joyful frenzy that matters. And Bunt def does that. We didn't have the pyrotechnics in this clip but the crowd energy was the same.

 (These are some of the delicious dishes we had at Don't Tell Aunty which is an easy walk to the Hordern  - and my friend ordered the insane drink! I stuck with my negronis...)

MADE My youngest had friends over and they made these jack-o-lanterns. I thought they were very impressive...

I made a mistake - there seems to be a lot of that at the moment. I discovered I had booked friends to see a gig AND myself at a festival on the same night. I only discovered when I went to organise the pre gig dinner booking. However the festival got cancelled so I was spared the drama. I've no idea how I booked tickets for everyone yet didn't write it in my diary!

WORE I've not been out much this month so it was really nice to get dressed up for a date night to see a band. I had to wear shoes I could walk in because I was making the 6km trek to the venue on foot - takes about an hour if I walk fast, as I've not had time to exercise much this month, so it felt great to be able to do so. I Like this chiffon top as it's floaty and hides a multitude of sins....I guess I shouldn't say that - it makes me less conscious of my normal aging body is a better way to describe it.

MY TOP THREE MOMENTS FROM THE MONTH GONE BY 

Having been house bound and cancelling things with a number of personally dramas, and a very sick dog, it was great to get out and see friends, art and music. Even eat in a restaurant! A reminder of how much that stuff nourishes your soul.

My youngest sat her last school exams, she's left school. We await results and Uni confirmation (she's been accepted and got her college booked, so it should go as plan, marks permitting). It is a strange but very happy time for me. Then I need to start making plans for me next year. I can probably do my current job and look after mum in 3 days, so maybe find 2 days work somewhere or work a bit harder on writing or 'extra' work.

Got everyone together for husband's birthday and Imax, plus went to a gig with my eldest. Family time is rare but so special!

Halloween. The spooky street decorations always make me smile! The one above makes me think of Pamela Allen's Inside Mary Elizabeth House.

That's 4 but I've been so negative in my posts of late, I feel I owe you some cheer. 

Linking with #TheLittleThings (and my Insta is here if you like to follow along in real time...) 

Sadly I went for this song, not realising it's 12 years old!! He didn't do it....:( Where does the time go?? I thought it was his biggest hit! Ha!

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

It is rose season. They are in bloom everywhere, and smell sensational - something the store bought cuttings rarely do these days.

I stop and inhale the aromas as I walk the dog, and the heady flowers hang over the fences.

It is joy in olfactory pleasure.

Even my own rose bush, that for years gave me a single flower each year has given me 12!

I'm not sure who said this, but I will attribute if you can clarify for me. “Where roses rise, hope follows.” 

I do think with everything going on for me personally and in the world at large, when I inhale the rose fragrance, I feel a sense of calm, if only momentarily.

I have a rose tea and I've taken to smelling the buds before I add the hot water as it's divine! Interesting to note that in terms of smells, it is said that Rose offers a gentle floral aroma that uplifts mood while calming the mind, so it's not entirely in my head. It's a quick instant boost. And the tea is delicious - like a sweet treat without the calories.

As I saw the roses this morning, I thought "What a good year for the roses" and then, of course, got the song stuck in my head.

However, this is my preferred Roses song. (Song starts at 1.20 mark - they blanked out the swear word)

Linking with #FloralFridayFoto

And here we are for another week of #Allseasons

#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week. 

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration or event.  Please link relevant posts only.

Make sure you link back to this #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run.

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Street art in Nantes

I went to Nantes for the Green line art trail but there was so much more art than I expected. This town is an absolute delight.

 

There was always something to look at, no matter where you went. 

The unofficial art was as interesting as the official at times. 

Other posts on Nantes are:

Nantes

Make Art

Look again 

The Little Things - July

Shutters, electrical boxes, street signs, there were little embellishments everywhere!

 

Linking with #MuralMondays  #WordlessWednesday

Look again....

I saw this from a distance and thought they were both stencils....then realised the guy on the phone was actually there. Ha!

(In Nantes)

Linking with #WeeklyWonder #WordlessWednesday

 

November Reading

For bookclub we did My Brilliant Friend - this is one of my mum's favourite books, and she's watched the series and read all the others. I don't really get that reaction to it. It didn't really grab me, beyond the curiosity as to why my mum loved it so much. It's not bad, I just felt I was working through it to have it read for bookclub. That said some of my book club have mentioned they are enjoying it the second time so what do I know?? I did get a buzz when she got a prize from the teacher and it was Jerome K. Jerome's Three men in a boat.

I've read a number of books written by climbers on the expedition, plus David Breashears book who was also there on the IMAX expedition. This is basically just explaining events at a children's level. I didn't really understand the point to be honest. I listened to it and I'm guessing there are drawings in the paper format.

Someone had recommended this so I thought I'd give it a go. Her opening rants did make me laugh. It's a bit of fun - it's obvious but enjoyable enough. Fun holiday read for older women.

Rereading this before sticking it into the street library.  Just a little book on how to reduce waste - from packaging to reusing items. I clearly won't become zero waste in 30 days, as I didn't before, but I might be inspired to retry a few alterations in my behaviour....

Halloween reminded me of this play I saw in the 1980s at school. I discovered an audio version online and listened to it. A few attitudes had dated, on class etc but it still is very, very creepy and given the Manosphere, it still seems relevant. You can listen here if interested. I do think our school drama teacher really was smart to pick this play for school kids to perform, and for me to remember it 40+ years later.

This was picked at random - free on audible. It's really interesting looking at a family that is impacted early in the AIDS epidemic, and the fallout that causes, throughout the children's lives, well into adult hood. It's hard to talk about without giving things away. Non fiction, using recordings and interviews as well as journals and memory. I found it engrossing.

Went to see Jon Ronson live - he's always so entertaining. It was hilarious, and great to see some of the videos that went with the places and events in the book. (Review of book here)

Not picked it up since last time...so still not started book 3. Will read that before chucking it in the street library but it's not really motivating me to get back to it....(Previous mentions are here and here)



Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday #TuesdayTwirl

 #IMWAYR #Bookdate #MonthlyBookworms #ACupofTeaandaGoodBook #SundayPost  #StackingtheShelves and #SundaySalon

Tell Us About Superstition

I am, more or less, an existentialist. I say more or less as there are some things that I can't help myself  believing that are illogical.

I have a terrible fear of flying. I have since I was about 16. It gets worse and worse each year. I think it started with an emergency landing due to a bomb scare when I was about 12, and then at about 15 I watched Hotel New Hampshire and the scene on the plane got merged into that experience et voila, my next flight was a nightmare for me....and so it goes. So to counter that, I have a St Christopher medallion that I wear when I fly and have done so since 1993 when a friend gave it to me for my first solo overseas trip - I don't wear it when I travel by any other means, and not while I'm overseas - purely when I'm in the air. I am aware St Christopher has been diminished by the church but it's like my lucky charm. I know it's nonsensical but I can't not fly without it. I didn't take it to the Maldives because they have rules about bringing in other religion iconography into the country but it really distressed me and I was agitated for the whole flight, almost to tears. I almost didn't board a plane in Melbourne when I thought I'd left it in the hotel, but fortunately I'd put it in my purse...

In Japan, I was told of this temple in Kyoto, Yasui Konpiragu Shrine - known for cutting off bad relationships, the stone also has the power to cut off growths. As I had a tumour that needed to be removed, I figured it couldn't hurt. I went and wrote the prayer and crawled through the hole and pasted the prayer to the rock. It worked! Well, it made the surgeon successful in complete removal and it hadn't spread. So this is 'do as well as western medicine not instead of' advice. 

I also got the relevant omamori, which I still rub on the site almost daily, but especially before having another 'look & see' gastroscopy. I did get my dog an Omamori for her health too in July but apparently the magic may not be powerful enough (but it can't hurt!)

One of my favourite souvenirs from Japan is Billiken, the God of things as they ought to be. I rub his feet for luck some days, but I like that he watches over us all in the house (note lucky cat too, but I was given that).

I am often given superstistious totems from friends, which make me uneasy, as I feel I may not understand what I'm committing to. I was given this just before an operation and it really stressed me out, given the wording on the back. However, further research made me realise it was ok...

I was given this about 16 years ago and while I was told it was for happy family life or a long marriage or something good, and to keep it in the kitchen, I just have to keep it as I don't know what curse I'll unleash on myself if I discard it. So she watches over us. It came from Mexico and has a gold thing, plus some grain and decorative lady bugs in the back. If anyone knows more on this, let me know!

That's in the back of it 

A lot of superstition is just common sense. I was invited to go into a cave in New Caledonia that was rumoured to be protected by black magic in the 90's. I declined. When the Thai Cave rescue happened, I thought of the New Caledonian cave and thought that was probably why there was the warning to keep people away. Walking under a ladder is obvious why it's bad luck, boots on the table is just hygiene - most superstition is logical dressed as illogical....but for me, don't go asking for unnecessary trouble. So no seances for me!

If I have a run of bad things happen, I do try to fix my karma by doing some good for others - I think what really happens there is you fix your mindset by focusing on helping rather than your own misfortunes.

I have some weird personal ones, like when we used to go on skiing holidays, if you saw three people in the banana boats (stretchers), I had to go home for the day before I saw a fourth one, as I may be it! The first could be a one off, the second probably meant the conditions could be attributing to it, the third meant I probably wasn't a good enough skier to void the statistical chance of an accident. And that is really what superstitions are - trying to control the statistical chance of something. 

May the odds be ever in your favour....

I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one who got this song in their head while writing on this topic!

I have since discovered there is this podcast on Superstitions called Jinxed. I've only listened to the He Huang as I saw her at the Comedy Festival and she was very funny.

Linking with #TellUsAbout, #TalkaboutitTuesday

 #SeniorSalonPitstop and #AwwMondays

Note all the temple photos are in Yasui Konpiragu Shrine in Kyoto.