I’ve been tagged by David and Ariel to do this random things meme – though one was for five and one was for eight. Since I’ve got another 200 pages of proofreading to do, I will do this meme right now. They are supposed to be a mix of random and weird. I don’t know how to judge either randomness or weirdness, so here’s 5 – 8 things:
1. I really wanted to have three children, and after conceiving two pretty much on-demand I was gobsmacked to find that we could not conceive a third. I was even more gobsmacked to discover that There Are Reasons. The unconceived child has made me deeply sad, although also somewhat grateful that the first two did indeed come along. I know that I am coming to terms with the missing child, because I have taken Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child down from the shelf and intend to read it again. Of which more later.
2. I really want to do a PhD, but I can not justify the expense.
3. Last year, on the day I turned 38 we were all walking on the beach at Kangaroo Island and I was trying to convince myself that I was going in the direction I wanted to go, and the mister said ‘well, what would you need to achieve in order to be happy’ (or words to that effect). I said ‘a novel’.
4. The Scientoligists once told the mister he should be a social worker. He had no idea, as he scoffed at them, that living with me he would become one. This one seems like it’s about the mister, but really it’s about me.
5. I do not let my children watch television during the week. Unless I feel like watching Deal or No Deal.
6. I think that the 1000 people going to the 2020 summit sound like a marvellously interesting bunch. And I don’t know why people are scoffing about Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett and Claudia Karvan as if they can’t be interesting, intelligent and visionary people just because they’re actors.
7. I have been trying to do something, but it is not sitting well with my conscience, and I will not be able to follow through.
8. I know that my children are up in the room with the door closed because they are playing their electronic games without having asked me. I couldn’t be fucked going up there and dealing with it.
You’re supposed to tag people here. Tag.
PS Bonus thing: I know the full evolve of Pikachu
well.
whoda thunk.
ditto the third (and fourth ) child, both of whom changed their minds about entering my world,
the phd (substitute lack of brains for dollars),
the novel,
the telly…AND the pikachu evolve.
wow.
If this was lotto numbers we’d be rich. so matching.
I’d have pictures in my novel.
but you could get a scholarship, surely! have you ever looked into a phd in creative writing at adelaide uni? i didn’t, for snobbish reasons, but now i wonder if it isn’t a good idea… if you get funding for it, that is, and i think there’s funding available. (i think most phd students at adelaide uni are creative writing students now.)
and you have a novel already, don’t you? it’s just the small problem of publishing… (which is rather annoying and depressing, i grant you.)
it bothers me that i know things about pokemons. i will my brain to switch off when oldest boy starts talking about them, but obviously some of it has seeped in
You know your readership consists of mothers of small boys when you get lots of comments in response to a post about Pokemon. I’ve been trying to resist, but we found that the cards make a reasonable incentive for solo-sleeping. I don’t know what Pikachu evloves into. Some of the others, perhaps, but not that one.
Goodness; you’ve published to great renown! I’m sure you could get some funds going to push you through any program you’d want.
Hello all – I think that to get a scholarship you need to be studying full time, and that is way beyond me right now.
And carly, I know exactly what you mean. I didn’t know that I was listening, but apparently it penetrates even when you are actively trying to ignore it.
I’m afraid I have managed to effectively block Pokemon talk lately (and there’s been a lot of it!) … so I don’t know what Pikachu evolves to, or even if he’s a fire or water Pokemon.
Ditto on the novel … secretly … (hey, and you even have a publisher now, so you’ve done it!)
And ditto on the television ban for during the week (computer, too).
yes, but you do know that he could be fire or water…it does get in
I have a daughter, so have thankfully avoided the Pokemon phase, but have instead had to endure Hannah Montana, Tamagotchis and Beanie Kids – there’s hell involved for all parents.
Re 2020 summit. I agree that actors should be involved but there’s a particular South Australian ‘academic’ who resembles a bulldog but likes to get her fat head on telly waffling on about maternity leave and social justice when she displays absolutely none of those to her minions or colleagues. Somehow I don’t think Kevin will be interested in my concerns, so I’ll just have to keep believing in Karma.
How do you get one hundred pikachus on a bus?
Pokemon……
Pokemon makes my neck itch.
This is the most enlightening and true eight thing meme I’ve read. Bravo…
The novel thing? Is so allconsuming (hah!) for me at the moment that it is constricting my heart.
But do you think I have even put pen to paper or typed one word of it?
I am so not going near the pokemon thing, cos tc knows i already hold her responsible for its invasion into my house and psyche. however, as the mother of 3, i say stop at 2, there are 2 of you, 2 hands, 2 eyes, 2 ears etc for very very good reasons!! in my defence, i had twins second so i couldn’t help it..and whilst i wouldn’t swap em, i say don’t regret the lack of a third..
Are you sure about the PhD thing? It’s still worth an ask, actually I seem to recall reading something (this was at Uni of Melbourne mind you, but perhaps Adelaide would have something similar) about a particular scholarship for women whose careers had been interrupted – presumably by kids! – and wanted to go back for post-grad. It was a diversity scholarship or something as I recall, surely if they’re supporting that they might be flexible in the study? Oooh, I’m getting excited for you already. All I’m saying is you should at LEAST chase it up if it’s something your really want to do! Damn I’m sounding bossy. Go girl!
Secondly, wow, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the third child. Very pertinant to me right now. Thank you. 🙂