Day 5: Love and devotion

Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? 
If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member


Wow, I am not sure about this topic for #blogeverydayinmay. Pick just one blogger I like? Profess love and devotion? There are so many that I love and try to read every post they publish.

But, as this is a challenge, I am going to play along but bend the rules slightly. I'll tell you my two favourite big bloggers at the moment.

Magneto Bold Too is one of my most favourite blogs. Kelley gives a lot of herself to her readers, much like I do. I've never met Kelley in real life but somehow I feel like I know her through her writing. She sometimes struggles with life and she's not ashamed to say it. She is funny and compelling and has a style of writing that is uniquely her own. I like the design of her blog and the fact that she swears. I love that she pretty much always replies to comments. I like that she told the GOMI bitches to fuck of. I just like her and I want her to win.


Woogsworld is my other favourite blog. Mrs Woog has got the lot: easy to read writing style with humour, humility and great giveaways. She does sponsored posts like no other. As a small blogger I look up to Mrs Woog as the benchmark of how to do this gig right. I love that she brings in massive reader numbers yet she doesn't have the glossy photos or an over designed site. The words are what brings me back time after time. I have actually met Mrs Woog several times at blogging events and she has always been lovely. I was completely intimidated by her awesomeness nonetheless which is all on me (read day 3 - what makes you uncomfortable to find out why).

All the other blogs I love are over there on the left hand column in my blog roll. Check them out. There are some awesome women on there with some great stories to tell.

What is your favourite blog right now? Got any recommendations for me?

V.

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Awards season

I had my first Shrink appointment for 2013 last week. I hadn't seen him since last November because I cancelled all my weekly slots leading up to Christmas. Who wants to go over all the shit of the past in what should be the funnest (this is a word!), happiest time of the year?

Not only is December Christmas time, but the kids also have their birthdays (Mala, my niece, on the 21st and Noo the 22nd) during this busy month. Like most grown ups, December is when I think over the year that's been and make plans for the year to come. For me that includes making my therapy plan, as well as my study and work plans. Like a lot of people, I've also made a stack of resolutions.

So I go into my appointment feeling great, with a shitload of plans and ideas for the year ahead, and Shrink asks me why I feel so good, what has happened over the last six months or so. I think about it and reply "my blog happened".

I've been blogging since August 2010 but it was only last year that I allowed myself to write about everything. The good, the bad and the ugly. By doing this I've been able to let a lot of stuff go. The stories of my past have become just that: stories. Writing them out has given them less power over me. Moving away from the lap-band blogging scene to a more general area, I've also found myself becoming a part of a larger Australian blogging community that has been so wonderful, entertaining and supportive.

Now I come to the crux of this post (I had to babble my way here of course). I want to thank the lovely bloggers who have nominated me for either the Liebster or Sunshine blog awards over the last six months.

The first award came on 28 August, when a Liebster was tagged to me by the lovely Salwa at Salz Dummy Spit. I had the pleasure of meeting Salwa in person late last year when she organised a successful blogger meet up lunch out at Parramatta. I was honoured to receive the reward but alas did not carry on the chain of blog love that is required by these blog loving memes.

The months came and went without another nod until that generous of all months December: On the 17th, a blogger with an awesome first name, Vanessa at Ness at Boganville, bestowed me with my very first Sunshine Award. I was chuffed to say the least, but yet again I broke the chain.

Not two days later the double occurred: both a Liebster and a Sunshine Award came from that hilarious mummy of three, Kelly who resides over at Handmade Tears & Triumphs, and it became obvious I needed to acknowledge the love that had been coming my way.

The aforementioned Christmas and BB birthday season came and went and babblingbandit.me received more Sunshine love by a blogger I didn't previously follow, but was very glad to discover, Kim from Falling Face First. In her unique style an interview took place where she answered the required Sunshine questions and enlightened us to some random facts about herself. For example, did you know that Kim's favourite colour is cornflower blue? And that she loves her birthday? (So do I Kim, so do I. A little birthday attention is always appreciated here at BB Headquarters, as long as my age is no longer mentioned.)

The final award came yesterday from a blogger I've been following for many years now. Kathryn, from Project Kathryn is a very interesting woman to say the least: a sole parent to a son (now a man), a published writer of erotic fiction, a japanophile who lived in Tokyo for a year and was there during the devastating tsunami of 2011. Kathryn has very cute taste in clothes and footwear and a love of polka dots. I highly recommend checking out her blog and her sexy fiction.

Now, the rules of these awards state I must answer some questions and pass on the torch to some new bloggers with under 200 followers. As these awards have been doing the rounds for sometime now and pretty much every blog I've ever read has already received them at least once, I am once again going to end the chain. But I will answer the questions.

There's been many, many different questions bandied about so I'm just going to answer them all. Here it goes:

1. What did you want to be when you grew up? I haven't grown up yet and I'm still not sure what I want to be. Actually, I always wanted to be a wife and mother. That's it.

2. Who do you most admire? My sister.

3. Where is your favourite place to be? Sydney Harbour. On it or by it. No so much in it. The sea freaks me out a bit, but I'm working on it.

4. What is your favourite TV show? Break Bad. Hard. Gritty. Intelligent TV.

5. Do you believe in guardian angels? I'm a sceptic and an atheist.  I believe nothing. Unless you can prove it to me.

6. What is your favourite treat? Chocolate. Best ever I've had? Belgian chocolate from Bruges in Bruges.

7. What are your hobbies? Blogging is definitely a hobby. I love it.

8. What is your favourite childhood memory? Crikey! This is a hard one. Too many to choose from. Any time being with my family when we are all happy. BBQs in the backyard in summer when my brother and his wife came down (they lived up the street).

9. If you go to the cinema, what flavour popcorn do you order? This must be a Yankee question because until recently I thought there was one one flavour - lip shrivelling salty. When I went to see Skyfall this week I was surprised that you can get caramel too now.

10. Who or what makes you laugh? Noo makes me laugh. He is hilarious.

11. Who do you want to see live in concert? Gosh! So many! Led Zeppelin, Wilco, Miami Horror, Band of Horses, George Michael in the 1990s, Modest Mouse, Powderfinger, Mumford and Sons, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, Billy Joel, Black Keys, NWA, Public Enemy. These are just bands I haven't seen but there are heaps I've seen before but want to see again!

12. Favourite time of year: Autumn, when the leaves start to fall in the Blue Mountains were my parents live. It is beautiful. I do love my winter wardrobe so much better than my summer!

13. Favourite festive movie: Love Actually. Daggy but true. I was living in London when I saw that at the movies and it filled my heart with joy.

14. What is your passion? I'm passionate about my son, my extended family, my city, my community, my sobriety, my writing, politics, food, coffee, my health, psychology, the interwebs, music, movies, TV shows I love. I am passionate about passion!

15. Favourite colour: Red of course. The colour of passion!

16. Favourite time of day: Surprisingly it is first thing in the morning. 6am is good. The day is fresh. I have not had enough time to do anything to feel guilty about (eg spend money or eat crap).

17. Favourite flower: These beautiful, colourful, smellifull flowers that I always forget the name of.

18. Favourite non-alcoholic beverage: Coffee with a capital C.

19. Favourite physical activity: Sex, of course. Anyone who says anything other is weird in my book. It is the ultimate physical and mental high.

20. Favourite holiday: Exploring a new city and culture. God, it has been way too long!

21. What's the weirdest thing you have in your handbag/wallet? Little boys undies. Try accidentally flinging out a pair of those when you're on a date!

22. Where do you plan to travel this year? Melbourne! Got money for tickets to take Noo and me on a plane ride down south for my birthday last year.

23. Tragedy strikes and you are stranded with your phone. Who is the first person you call?  My dad. He always knows what to do.

24. What is the one thing you plan on doing in 2013 to maintain or get fit? Fucking hell. Commitments! Quit sugar, exercise more, have more sex. Whoops, that's three things.

25. If you had to quit TV and other drama watching apart from one show, what would it be? Well, Breaking Bad only has eight episodes left so I guess I'd quit everything but that.

26. Who was your teenage crush? Johnny Depp, the 21 Jump Street years. Oh, and let us not forget, Private Resort.

27. How do you take your coffee? At home I have Campos Superior Blend, plungered, back with 1.5 Sugarine. Out, I have either a large skim cappuccino with two equal or a skim piccolo with 1 equal or Stevia. I also like flat whites, lattes, espresso. Any or all, as long as the beans are good and the barista knows what they are doing.

28. Best place to go for dinner in your town? Too hard! So much to choose from in Ol' Sydney Town!

29. What's the one thing - clothes or makeup item - you can't live without? My Not Your Daughters Jeans. Since having a kid I go quite a lot without makeup although I do love it.

30. Do you drive to the airport to pick people up or tell them to get a cab? I drive people.

31. What is the one thing that is guaranteed to make you lose your shit? Fuckwits on the road! Especially cabbies cruising for fares, or driving unsafely to get a fare, or generally being selfish fucks on the road. Grrrr! Road rage. I've got it.

I'm done. Liebered and Sunshined out of my head.

Thank you one and all, you gorgeous bloggers who tagged me. You've played a small, but important part, in helping me get to this great place that I'm starting 2013 at!

I love youse all!

V.

All I want for Christmas is...

I've been writing some serious shit lately, like Friday's reflection on my experience as Noo's mum over these last four years, and then I confessed that Santa's Sugar Sleigh has been too hard for me to resist. I was so glad to find myself tagged by the ever-awesome Kylie from A Study In Contradictions in a Santa Wish List meme currently making the rounds on the interwebz. Now I can have a little fun!

Before I get stuck into this list I just wanted to do a little blog loving arse kissing, cos I think Kylez is a legend. Her blog is always such a lovely and positive place to visit. Her Instagram feed is full of joyous pictures of her family, and she leaves the loveliest comments, not just on this blog but all over the Aussie blogging community. And how gorgeous is her daughter, Mia! The photos Kylez takes of her are outstanding. My favourites are the numbered singlets Kylie has dressed Mia in once a month and taken pictures of her to track her physical changes. I am defo copying that if I ever have another bub.

So basically I have a massive girl/blogger crush! Check out her blog if you haven't already: www.kyliepurtell.com

Back to my Christmas wishlist. Here it is:

Santa, this is for you mate. Read it and make it happen. Thank you. 

1. Money, Money, Money

Kylie asked for "a billion dollars" (cue that guy with the pinky finger in the corner of his mouth) but I just want an unlimited supply of cash. I don't want to have to think about how much I need now, next week, month, next year or for my retirement. I am absolutely shit with money. I'm 38 and still I cannot manage my income. I get paid monthly and I live like a king for a week a pauper for the next three.

Shopping is another addiction of mine. I love looking through Pinterest for inspiration for new clothes purchases. I have so many clothes for a chick that doesn't get out much, and sometimes I go through phases where I just want to wear leggings and a t-shirt and gym shoes day after day, but I love my clothes collection. There's even a lot of stuff in my wardrobe that has either only been worn once or twice or still have the labels attached! Eeek.

I also love technology and gadgets which can get pretty expensive, so Santa, I need more cash to indulge in these kind of purchases. I can browse the Apple shop or JB Hi-Fi for hours looking at new headphones or stereos, etc. Wasting hours Googling reviews of gadgets like computer mouses, keyboards, styli, speakers, external hard drives is also a favourite past time. Geek I know!

Santa, I also need all this cash so I can buy more toys for Noo (and me) to play with. We love toys! We love collecting whatever is the latest thing. It started with Thomas trains and tracks, now superhero action figures and their respective vehicles and corresponding dress ups for Noo to wear. There will defo be more crazes we have to get into so I'll need unlimited funds to feed that habit as well.

2. A boyfriend and sex on tap

When I was a teenager (actually still to this day) we always had a notepad next to the phone where the shopping list is written up. Each member of the family could write what they needed on there. You know like tampons or milk, canned tomatoes, shampoo, whatever we'd run out of... I always wrote on mum's shopping list "a boyfriend". It was done in humour with a tinge of honesty. Not that I wanted my mum to choose my boyfriend, I just wanted one. Still do. I'm just so crap at finding the right one.

When I get that boyfriend, I want sex. Lots of it. (Are you listening Santa? It isn't too much to ask to find a man that wants lots of sex, surely? And I don't mean with you Santa, you dirty old man! Yuck, I can't do it with anyone over about five years older than me. That is just gross.)

I love sex. There I've said it. I want it regularly. With someone I trust and love. Someone I can give myself over to. Not one night stands with random strangers. I've had plenty of that type of sex and it sucks (no pun intended because I never went there on a drunken one-nighter).

When I hear of my married friends who "can't be bothered any more" or are "too tired" or "don't have the time" or are "happy just snuggling on the couch after the kids have gone to bed" it astounds me. Maybe that is because I've wasted a huge amount of my 30s celibate but sex with the right person, hopefully the person you're committed too, is awesome! Or at least it should be! And if it is not, get help. See a professional.

3. A successful blog that entertains as well as educates

I want my blog to be funny, touching, entertaining and a place where I can tell my stories and my posts be the kind of blog posts that people want to read (therefore converting into page hits) and come back to read the next one. A blog so good that everyone wants to subscribe to it (hint, hint reader - sign up now!) And Santa, I'm pretty sure you can deliver this to me, you are magic, right?

I hope that people who have experienced anything similar to what I write about might find my blog as a place to come to help them feel like they are not alone. Or that it could help someone, even just one person, realise that no matter what shitty dirty hole their Rock Bottom looks like there's always a way out, somehow. I also want what I write about to help remove some of the stigma against mental health and addiction.

Santa, I also want to get invited to heaps of cool blogger events and meet more cool people and get free stuff. Is that bad? Oh, actually, Santa if you come through with item number one the free stuff doesn't matter, but I still really want to keep meeting new people through blogging events.

4. The ability to not crave for anything

Santa, listen carefully to this one: I want to not feel the need for anything. I don't want to crave lollies, chocolate, cake, ice cream, cocaine, wine, beer, Valium, cigarettes, weed, new clothes, shoes, sex... I want that hole inside me that sometimes feels so empty and hollow that I stuff it with anything just to feel complete to disappear. Sometimes the wanting is so intense and I don't know what will make it go away. And anyway, anything I do stuff in there is only a temporary fix.

I would like a permanent solution please Santa. Please fill the hole.

A little healthy yearning or ambition is fine, but that dark emptiness I so often feel within me can go to be replaced with a constant sense of satisfaction.

Santa, I'd like inner peace. Please.

5. Good health and happiness for all

Santa, please, the other stuff really doesn't matter, what I'd really like is good health and happiness for me and all my family - fuck it - make it for all the good people I know and the ones who read my blog. I'd like no harm to ever come to anyone of us. I'd like Noo to go through school without ever being bullied. I'd please like my parents to live forever without aging. Fuck, now I am getting a bit fantastical here. I don't want anyone of my family to ever die.


Ok, so I've managed to get deep again! I really shouldn't write late at night.

Now to tag some bloggers to get the list moving on:

Mummy Ate Me

Bachelormum Style

Project Kathryn

The Camera Chronicles

Mum of Adult Kids

Get cracking chicks! There's only 15 sleeps to go!

Thanks to Jess from Essentially Jess for starting this year's wishlist meme.


V.