Everyone Else Is Doing It...

The Panda took me out on a lovely dinner for two, and as we shared sangria and tapas and chatted he asked me an odd question "Have you ever thought you might just try it?"  He was referring to kissing a woman, and his reasoning was that when you start hanging out with a group of people you begin to be influenced by them.  It got me to thinking about the other ways that being part of the 'derby family' has influenced me.

   I have learned that big cellulitey thighs are fine, even sexy.  That fleshy upper arms, hairy armpits, wobbly boobs, round stomachs, bony shoulders, nobby ankles, red cheeks and sweaty sweaty exertion are all cool, normal, wonderful!

I have considered getting a tattoo, after seeing so many bodies inked with beautiful, humourous, sometimes confronting images.  I have looked at myself and decided not to get a tattoo, that my body tells its own story of  family, struggle, sunshine, breastfeeding and mortality.

I have learned that people are people, and however you try to categorize them, there will always be some that can't be neatly placed in a box.

I am greatly looking forward to the next roller derby bout at the Chillout Festival, where I may be reffing (if I put in enough hard work!), and I will definitely be having a stall selling derby shorts, skirts, and dolls.  (Here's a sneak peek!)

Oh my goodness, no wonder I get tired!  But its all worth it ;)
  

What Are You Aiming For?

What are you aiming for?
Sometimes, I discover I am aiming for something just because I think it is desired or right or correct.
Sometimes, I discover that I'm being really successful, if I just moved the goals.
Sometimes, I'm aiming for a Catherine Zeta-Jones, and ending up with more of a Helena Bonham-Carter.
And then I realize, I LOVE Helena Bonham-Carter, and her freaky dishevelled I-don't-give-a-damn style.
Why aim for perfection, if I don't even LIKE perfection?

The Squeeze Machine

I struggle with my youngest son.  Sometimes I feel like he is a little homeless man living in my house, and I wonder why I don't get that feeling of natural connectedness with him.  He is the littlest, lightest, skinniest, and lowest in the pecking order amongst the children.  When the other two are packing away or putting on their shoes, he is staring at the TV, climbing on the couch, or stomping a piece of cheese into the carpet.  My first reaction is often to yell "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "JUST DO IT NOW"  or "WHY?"
  I do not like it.  I tell my family the most difficult child needs the most understanding, but I have fallen short too often.  But since learning of the weighted blanket therapy, and putting it together with ideas like Temple Grandin's squeeze machine, I have been modifying my behaviour.  Instead of yelling, I have been trying to squeeze him more.
  And that is what I wanted to share with everyone.  I don't know that his behaviour has changed, after all, he is still a normal three year old boy, but mine has.  Simply by squeezing him more, I feel closer to him. It may be in my head, but I feel heaps more positive about him, about myself, and about us as a team.

  So if anyone out there is struggling with a child, give it a go.  It can't hurt ;)

Seadragons

Hi everyone!  I have not been doing much, except more sea creatures.  I went for the Weedy Seadragon (Seymour and Audrey, naturally) over their flambouyant cousin the Leafy Seadragon.  It must be my second-born nature.

I have been appreciating the last quiet few days before Big S begins school, and I have been holding my breath and thinking about his friends in far north Queensland who will have to get through a massive cyclone first. 

T

Thinking about you all.

The Eyes of my Beloved

 As is sometimes the case, I was inspired by something I really didn't like at all.  I saw an art show, which made me frown, and not in a good way.  "If the artist can call that art, then there is nothing to say I cannot create something of interest and meaning, and call it art" I thought to myself.
  So following the current of my recent interest in the depths, I embarked on a piece.

I intended it to be ugly.

 It began as a piece about temptation.  I was going to call it "Take the Bait".
But, it seems, as usual, my hands know the inner workings of my mind before I do, and as I drew, cut, stitched, turned, stuffed and held it, I slowly fell in love. 
His working name is Andy.  He is so ugly, and his bait is unlikely to tempt anyone.  I felt for him.  Then I began thinking, maybe he wouldn't be so ugly to another angler fish...

So meet Angela.

Now it seems I have made a piece about beauty and the eyes of your beloved.  Because being loved for being beautiful is one thing, but I think I would prefer being known for being ugly and loved regardless.

And the Winner Is...

Jacinta!  With an amazing final bid of $75!  E-mail me your postal address and I will get your package in the mail pronto!

  Thankyou to everyone for your wonderful support, thanks to Toni for organizing the whole she-bang. 

The Depths of Imagination

Spurred on by my wonderful friends over at RedBrick Gallery and Emporium, I have looked into the depths of my imagination and found

a prawn

a whale shark

a whale shark funsize, because everyone knows things are MUCH more fun if they're SMALLER

a purse-sized squid, because of all the things in the world that you need to be able to fit into your purse, a squid has to be one of them

and from the darkest depths, the beginnings of an angler fish, fingers crossed!