Keziah Hill

Do you ever have those days when everything goes wrong in the inanimate world? This has been happening to me for a while now. First my television stopped working, then my computer. That was much more of a catastrophe than the TV but thankfully I have a laptop and I’ve managed to link up the internet to it. But it’s so irritating because I don’t have all my links and favourites and other bits and pieces.

Then there’s been the Great Jewlery Disaster. I keep loosing jewlery. I scatter it all over the place as if wanting to leave a trail. Hmm… there might be something in that. First it was earrings which eventually I found in the car, but then tragically it was a beautiful silver spiral medallion that slipped off the chain around my neck. Then I was having my hair cut and managed to drop another earring on the floor to have it swept up among the cut hair. But at least I got it back. And another earring that I’ve only recently bought had a little glittery bit fall off it.

But I’m reading a lot and working my way back to writing after a break. I’ve just finished George P Pelecano’s Right as Rain which is a gritty crime novel set in Washington DC (good depiction of complex race relations) and Keri Arthur’s Tempting Evil (unputdownable - sexy paranormal set in Melbourne). Now finally reading Phillip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint.

But I want to start writing some more short stories again.

Denise Rossetti tagged me. I’m not sure I can beat the flooded wedding!

1. I once played Eliza Doolittle in a school play of Pygmalion
2. I was on the quiz show It’s Academic when I was in high school
3. I was once arrested and spent quite a few hours in the old Darlinghurst police cells with 70 other women
4. I hate block cheese
5. I found out a few years ago I have a Jewish great grandfather
6. I look terrible in yellow
7. I have a picture of The Lady and the Unicorn from the Musee de Cluny above my desk
8. I think I’m coming down with a cold.

Now who to tag, who to tag. Mel Scott, Robyn Enlund, Keri Arthur, Mel Francis, Ember Case, Shelley Munro, Shelli Stevens, Antonia Pearce.

Sadly, the other theme just didn’t do what I wanted it to. So playing with this for a while.

It was one of those nights. Woke up at about 1.30am and that was it. Drifted back to sleep for short periods but on the whole just lay there while my mind went a million miles an hour. Not about anything useful, more about how much I don’t like my work, I’m a crap writer, I should do this, I shouldn’t do that etc, etc, etc. Then it started to rain which is very much needed, but I immediately thought my roof might leak. Instead of just getting up and doing something else, I just lay there hoping I’ll go back to sleep.

But then again I’m in good company. Jenny Crusie recently blogged about insomnia more eloquently than me. Now I have to drag myself through the day. Whine, grumble, curse. At least it’s Friday.

You may see lots of fiddling with the way this web site works over the next while. I like this design but it doesn’t seem to work well with IE6. The sidebar goes all wonky. So since lots of people use IE6 I might have to change it again.

I’m practicing the skill of being more mindful in some of my daily moments. So instead of realising I have to buy two birthday presents for friends of mine and therefore rush out to scan shops and pick up what I think they’ll like, I didn’t panic today and took some time over the task. And it turned into an artist’s date, where I just took pleasure in the sights and sounds of what was around me.

I have a bit of a weakness for zushgie (is that how you spell it?) homewares shops that sell soaps and creams and damask linen and glittery jewelery and silk nightware. There’s one in my local shopping centre which is all over pretty zushgie as well.  

This is what the shop I like looks like inside although it’s much bigger. So I took some time, smelling all the soaps, admiring all the glassware and linen which are all completely out of my price range and ended up buying one friend a note book with old travel stickers on the cover and some Italian soap.

Then I went into another shop that sells picture frames and odds and ends and bought a frame for my sister and a niffty little bridge doova lacky that has a calculator and a pen. My friend plays bridge so I hope she’ll like it.

Then I bought some delicately pink blushed roses and slid my feet through the bright orange leaves all over the foot paths. Leura is noted for it’s pretty main street full of spring blossom trees. This time of year the paths are carpeted with gold and organge and red.

Lots of people were wandering around, getting the Saturday papers, having coffee and breakfast, but one couple and their child had a little white yappy dog with blue and pink dye streak through its hair.  They tied it to a post while they had breaskfast and I watched when another woman walked past it, looked down at it and sneered. She had bright pink streaks through her hair. The dog barked at her as if to say “Not my fault, blame them.”

Then I got in my car and came home with plans to reorganise my writing space. A good morning.

I’ve done my back in. There’s nothing like pain to stop you in your tracks. Too much sitting in front of a computer, not enough exercise and some life stressors. My chiropractor tells me walking is good, the gym and gardening is out so I think a walk among the autumn leaves is needed.

I’ve just read Jo Beverley’s An Unwilling Bride and liked it very much. She writes about the powerlessness of women and their limited choices in what seems to me an accurate way for the early 1800s. The conflicts and dilemmas are certainly much more meaty than some other historical romances I’ve read recently. This is my first Jo Beverely so I like the feeling I have a new author to investigate.

My television has gone on the blink which is not much of a tragedy. I think it has something to do with the aerial.  I’ll get it fixed eventually but it’s no great loss. Reading Nora Roberts Angels Fall then Phillip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint for my reading group. I’ve always wanted to read it but never got round to it.