Superpowers

Blogthis is running their new competition, and it is 'if you woke up with a new superpower, what would it be?' Now, although I know what 'power' I would have... I think I've always known, I thought I'd scout the other blogs and see what their writers have chosen. I'm always on the look out for new blogs, and this would have the added bonus of (maybe) giving me a brand new idea for a superpower that would blow mine out of the water.

Sarah at Just Me wants to have the 'spoonful of sugar' fingersnap. Now, that would be cool. Not having to do anything again, just 'snap!' and make everything a game. But, unfortunately, I would end up being a whale. I don't know that I would ever actually get out of bed again. So, nope, that's out.

Lori at Random Ramblings of a SAHM thinks that having the ability to read other's minds to see what the hell they are thinking would be cool. Ummm... I don't think I'm quite ready to have the blunt truth thrust upon me, thanks very much. And her description of Super What The Hell Were You Thinking Women kinda reminds me of Mr Muscle or the Napisan woman - just arriving in your house and telling you what you're doing wrong. Li-hittle *DR COX VOICE* too creepy for me.

Jenifer has found a superpower already - you can see it at Odyssey - and I joined her in that last year. So, while it's a brilliant power, I've already got it, and it's the imagining of what I could do that makes this challenge interesting. But, great for you Jenifer, I'm glad you had such a breakthrough year.

Jodi over at missea and Jade at She is Jade, have found a brilliant one. Both for self-worth and the world. Healing other people. Such a selfless power though, and I'd be scared that someone I 'hated' needed help and I'd walk past. Too much power for me. :(

The ability to duplicate myself, a la, Kellyansapansa would be pretty cool, but you know what? I'm too ashamed of me to want other people to have twice as much running around in the world. Although the perk of getting everything done would be exciting. So, no, another power I'd have to pass up.
 
Madmother's faith entrusted by her son is my goal for superpowers but at the moment I have no child. My dog kinda has that look, but I don't whether it's trust or her blindness.  But I honour Madmother's contribution to the world through her powers. Good work!
 
Alliecat's power is just as selfless and pure - to protect children. But again I'm just too selfish. There is a reason that I am a teacher and not a social worker. Even as a teacher it's well hard to separate yourself from the horrid lives that these children go through. I know myself and know that I am not a strong enough person to be able to handle the lives that these people endure objectively. I would go insane. So, again, not a power that I could have.

Which brings me to the power I've aways said, since I was about 15. I would have complete control of my brain, without having any negative social impact. You know that concept that we only have access to 10% of our brain and if we could access the whoel thing we could do anything? Like fly, manipulate our appearance, telekinesis, telepathy - you name it? I strongly and whole-heartedly subscribe to this theory. So, that's the power that I would have. But, I must add - I always add that codicil - no negative social impact. The theory comes with supreme mental problems, so I always say that if I had  mental powers, I would have them without the problems.
 
That's my power - what's yours?

Another Merger

It was beautiful... and the rain held off! It was torrential 30 seconds after they got in their limosine to go to their first night in wedded bliss... but for the day it was excellent. Which, *phew* was good 'cause it was in a garden.

I had a great time - I got to catch up with people from high school that I've seen (maybe) twice since then - 1999. It was such a good night. And we've all agreed that we're going to have coffee at some point next month. :) I really hope that eventuates.

D looked resplendent in her white gown - it was absolutely gorgeous. There is nothing else I can say about it, except that it was radiant and probably the best suited wedding dress I've seen recently. (I'm really sorry to those other brides I've seen who, of course, looked gorgeous in their choices as well, but D was just outstanding - it really just matched her and looked like she was born to wear it.)

Home sweet... home

I am home. I am hot. I am crampy (long flights will do that to you!).

I had some great conversations with people today - including someone I probably haven't spoken to since my Dad's wedding! One of the best and most comfortable convos I've ever had. Including ignoring her son telling us 'I'm stuck' for half an hour until we realised he actually was stuck between the couches and couldn't extricate himself. *Ooops* (to stop my sister calling child protection on me, I will say that we had just finished warning him to stop mucking around or he would get stuck and we would have to get the firies out... and he was laughing as he was saying it.)

I have a wedding tomorrow and, oh my God, the drama. Not with the bride. One of the guests. Totally overreacted to a post on FB and I was embroiled in massive controversy and I wasn't even here. A case of, "I procreated and therefore I am much better than you". I know that's a bold statement to make. I know that having children changes your life; of course it does. Your life stops being about you and becomes about the little one. I respect that. I expect you to go home early from parties, I expect you to turn down invites at short notice. I expect that. I honour that your child comes first; I know my child (when they arrive) will be my priority. What I don't expect is to be treated like I am a second-class citizen because I haven't popped something out of my intimate parts.

I don't really understand it - of course I don't - I'm single and childless. Not by choice, mind you, but because of huge mental fuck-ups regarding the ex, that have also made it onto my list of things for 2010 - get some bleeding counselling so I can move the hell on. I can't stand him and I hate how angry I allow myself to get when thinking about him and how scared I get. I hate it. But that was a random tangent...

 I know that I won't understand that pull that the mother is getting. I won't. I'm realistic. I don't get it. I also don't understand why she is being rude to us childless people who don't understand why it takes more than three days to move the carseat from one car to the other.

Mixed emotions

I am in the plane. I am not in a train. I am not in a car in a lane...

Alright, that's enough Theo Leissig. (Although of course, I wrote that. The great 'Dr' would not have made such a lame rhyme. He was much more intelligent than me)

So that's right. This is preset to open up on Wednesday for all you in the blogosphere. I am currently in the plane flying over the Pacific Ocean on my way back to Australia.

I don't want to come home, but it's time. I don't know how long it will be for, but it's time to be there for a bit.

One of my closest friends just announced a pregnancy, another is getting married and the other is, quite literally, like having a piece of myself missing while we aren't in the same place (that's my opinion anyway.)

So I am looking forward to seeing them. And my family. Of course. I'll give it to 2011.

Goodbye to the travelling world until the next time! You are truly my loving friend. I love you and I will return.

LWD

Likes. Wierds. Dislikes. We each have them. I'm going to now write a few things for each of these in relation to Canada.

Likes

1. I am with friends from Marburg. I have met new people who are some of the most welcoming that I have ever met in my life. Opened their houses and arms to us. Lovely. 
2. People don't flip out about the snow and the cold. It's normal here and they don't stop their lives due to a bit of snow. 
3. Eating out. We have been eating out quite a lot, due to wedding thingys and fumigation of houses. There are a plethora of new eating places for me to experience. And they're places I've heard of from TV and books. I feel sad I'm so excited at seeing a Wendy's or a Denny's signpost. *Hanging head in shame*
4. Excellent heating systems. Invaluable when it's minus thirteen or lower. I am sitting inside in a t-shirt and jeans. They're so good that I actually wake up and have to take my blanket off in the middle of the night so that I can cool down.

Weird things

1. A church which has a brilliant and open feeling when inside, but is a shed of corrugated iron-type siding outside.
2. They drive on the 'wrong' side of the road.
3. Heated car seats - it is definitely also in the 'likes' section - warm your butt up. But in doing so, they make you feel like you've peed yourself. 
4. A shopping centre with a mini-golf arena, four submarines in water, a pirate ship, sea lions on display, lemurs, a water park and a myriad of other things. We've only been there for about an hour, we're going back tomorrow for much longer. 

Dislikes

1. The feeling of having an inability to walk. I keep feeling like I am going to fall over. I did on my first day here, but didn't hurt myself. Now I am really scared to go outside - my Docs are not as grippy as they were 5 years ago (shock!) and I am having trouble walking in them. But ballerina flats won't cut it in the deep snow. 
2. The price on things doesn't include the tax. So you have to add an extra 5% on top. But I guess it could be worse - Alberta's the only one without provincial tax. 
3. The lapse in the cars heating up. You go from the warmth inside, to the cold outside and into the even colder car. I've seen cars sitting in the car park at the shopping centres running so that the heat inside doesn't dissipate. 
4. The worth of money. Something that would have cost less than a quid in England is over $2 here. It's such a jolt and you think you're spending so much more. You're not really. But hey, it'd be the same as in Australia, so maybe I'll get my head around it easier when getting back home. 

I'm sure there are other things that I will think of, but at the moment, they're the things that spring to mind. I am having a great time and am enjoying it. 1 more full day and then I will be on my way 'home' to Australia. 

We are gathered here today...

to celebrate the joining of Corinthe' and Ian in holy matrimony... although it wasn't necessary holy. It was in a church but they aren't really religious and there was no mention of God at all. It was, like Shantell and Marcus' so them. I really like the way that weddings these days really reflect the participants rather than just the 'legal' and 'religious' aspects of the ceremony.

Lisa turned up even later than we did and, man, that chick can decorate! It was so gorgeous. Really lovely. I was, not unlike the last wedding, worried about the fact that we were decorating and it wasn't 'organised' Again though, I realised half way through the preparation that it would be OK. It was what the bride and groom ((or as the lovely 4 year old attending tonight said, 'The Bride Girl and Bride Boy')) wanted. So what is wrong with that?

Really, why would I want to impose my idea of the traditional and conventional wedding on people that are anything but? Is this my own insecurity? I think so.   I am not engaged. I am single. Hopelessly single. And, you know what? That's OK. So why when I am involved in weddings do I get all 'teacher' and start bossing and stressing out? I know that I frustrated S&M a couple of years ago, and I hope that I didn't frustrate C too much - I know I did 'cause she made comments about my stressing - and for that I am eternally sorry.

The next wedding is next week and I really hope I can change this reaction.

Oh, and next post will be over the weekend with happy pictures of the afore-mentioned decorations (and much much less introspection.)

And a Little Blue Box

Hi! My name is Amy and I have the pleasure of being your guest blogger today. Meg asked me to drop in and bestow upon you some oodles of advice, wisdom and humour around the topic of TRAVEL.

Now, this is where our issue beings. You see, I don't know very much about travel. As in very little. As in I would go so far as saying I HATE travel. All that planning and worry and stress and thinking and converting cash and deeeep breath. Meg's not asking me to travel, just to write about it.

I will have to admit to you that my most extensive experience with travel is repeatedly watching Dr Who episodes.

David Tennant is my favourite Doctor. Look at that smoldering glare. Mmmmm

But, in the interest of somewhat keeping with the topic, I'm going to share with my top 5 travel locations. Note these are not in any particular order, I'm a busy woman and didn't have much time to put together a blog plan, this is all just coming out of my head as I write.

So, NUMBER ONE: ANCIENT ROME

This just looks delicious. Long, relaxing days lounging around and eating grapes. Oh, when I say Ancient Rome, I mean TV Ancient Rome- nice dresses, cleanliness, and handsome men. Don't go lecturing me about the 'real' ancient Rome- I don't care much for your 'reality'.

NUMBER TWO- NEW ZEALAND

The only overseas trip I've ever been on is to New Zealand. My husband & I honeymooned there 2.5 years ago (wow, 2.5 years of marriage. I can't believe we haven't killed each other yet). We stayed for two weeks, and it took me at least a week and a half to get comfortable, to adjust to the timezone, and figure out how much money I was allowed to spend, and oh yeah, it took that long for me to loose all feeling in my fingers, it was just that cold.

NUMBER THREE- US OF A

There are a number of reasons I want to visit the superpower of the modern world, the least not being that my husband was born there, they believe in supersizing foods and they make the most adorable baby boys clothes in the universe. At the moment, the main pull of the USA is to meet my favourite blogger of the moment. Her name is Katie, and her blogs from Confessions of a Young Married Couple have been known to make me shoot water out of my nose. They also have an adorable little boy they've nicknamed The Bean, and he's so cute that I just want to squeeze him and his tiny, cute baby face.

NUMBER FOUR- PETERBOROUGH

Because Meg is here! Except she's not- seven days from now, she'll be home, back in the land of Oz (and back to blogging!).

Okay, so that's four. But I can't think of a fifth, because well, I'm not a traveller. I'd rather eat a massive bowl of ice-cream than visit another nation any time of day.

Oh, and while I have your attention (I still have your attention, right? Or did you give up back at David Tennant?), I'll sign off. If you want more, come visit me here.

Anyway, I hope this was somewhat okay and I'll be asked back for more guest spots later, and well, she's moving back to Australia, and thereby able to track me down. She knows where I live!