Wednesday, October 14, 2009

the first five random words

It is time for another meme!
I like these kind of free flowing ones where you ask other bloggers to supply you with questions or, in this case, FIVE random words chosen specifically for you. All you have to do is write anything that these words make you think of. These five random words came from mrwriteon of And I Still Think So.

TROPICAL
Everything seems so much bigger in the tropics. Bigger and more intense. The sun is hotter, the rain is more frequent, the flowers are huge, the greenery more lush, the birds more colourful. The humidity more exhausting. The spiders and other bugs way too frightening. So, not quite paradise.
I used to think a holiday on a beach would be the most boring thing. I needed a little more stimulation. I now know better, the sand and sea are so mesmerizing and the heat so draining, I don't want to go anywhere but sit with a cool drink with one of those umbrellas. They are talking about snow and frost on the weather channel at the moment....

MYTHOLOGY
The first time I sent a donation to PBS (public television that relies on funding "from viewers like you") was after seeing the Bill Moyers interviews with Joseph Campbell. I had to have that book. I was devoted to his writings and soon my bookshelves were heavy with all manner of books on mythology and comparative religions. About a year ago, when I needed more space, it was my books on mythology that were redistributed in the laundry room. I kept a few, most definitely Joseph Campbell, and Bullfinch, though I will likely never get around to reading it. But I now have a few more feet of space for other genres. It seemed, at the time and still, a strange passion for someone who tends to take things literally. Maybe it was my creative side that needed to be explored.

SATIN
Seriously overrated. Oh sure it looks so slinky and sexy the way it drapes and flows and shimmers. Until it hugs a bulge. Or snags. And you know that if you wear that gorgeous outfit to a party you will come home with some kind of stain decorating your front that will not come out.
Satin is perfection and who among us can attain that. Who can wear perfection well? Who among us can eat bruschetta without dripping? Yes, it is wonderful to have those sheets floating over your body as you sleep, until you see the wrinkled mess in the morning.
No, satin is annoying.

STREETCARS
When I was very little I wanted to be a streetcar driver when I grew up. I always liked sitting in the very back to watch the cable that attached to the overhead electrical wires. It would swing back and forth when the car turned corners and sometimes, if we were lucky, the driver would have to get out and prod it back into position with a long stick. Then there were the areas where several tracks merged and he (for it was always a he back then, though that never occurred to me as a young girl, I still thought I could grow up to be one of their exalted group) would again need to get out with a different long stick and do something magical with the tracks so we'd be going in the right direction. These things never happened on the bus. Then I grew up and had to take the 504 car every day to work. The novelty soon wore off. Though I still feel a certain nostalgia when I see streetcars and am ambivalent at the newer designs that look like mini futuristic trains.

CITIES
I love cities. I was born in Toronto, although technically it was a suburb and felt very suburban. When I was young, going 'downtown' was a major event. It required getting dressed up in your almost Sunday best. "I am not going to be seen downtown with you wearing that outfit" was often heard in my house. I love the energy that comes in a city. Seeing the streets full of life and restaurants with patios full of people makes me feel happy. The noise and the smells are another story, one that comes with city life that needs to be endured but not enjoyed. I moved a lot while in Toronto and managed to always live within walking distance of the subway each time. That is almost as important as being able to walk to a coffee shop, grocery store and book store. The idea of living out in the country with no neighbours for miles around sends a minor panicked feeling through my bones. Way too much enforced quiet and solitude.

If anyone else wants to play, just let me know and I'll choose five words for you to be creative with.

13 comments:

  1. Did I tell you before? My deepest impression of Toronto was in winter when the park was converted to a skating rink. Such a beautiful sight.

    Re: Buddhist festival, yes, I think there was food. The lady I spoke to brought some pot luck food. I think they are vegetarian food, and I wasn't very keen. Actually I was going to church across the road. I went to take photos for my blog.

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  2. Ann, outdoor skating rinks are such fun if there is no wind!
    I enjoy festivals were I get to try different foods and would hate to pass up the chance.

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  3. Wow, Sanna! I love this post and think it's up there with some of your best writing. It really resonated with me. You should do this more often...the five words thing, that is.

    I'll play. I'm always needing ideas for the ole blog. Hopefully I'll be up to the task.

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  4. I loved the way you talked about your five words. They were very literary pieces. Who would know that a person could say so much about streetcars and be interesting too? I'll play, so go ahead and give me five words. It will be something completely different from what I usually do.

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  5. Interestig answers. I'll play along!

    Satin is probably best reserved for slinky underthings.

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  6. love your descriptions - they painted a picture for each

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  7. Agree about satin! Can't stand it personally. Nothing worse than a pair of satin pj's where you wake up with a heat rash.

    CJ xx

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  8. I went through a HUIGE mythology phase, but it was during elementary school. I read everything our little library had to offer on Greek and Roman mythology. I keep asking Santa for a book on Norse Mythology but he seems to keep forgetting.

    I feel the same as you when out in the middle of nowhere. As beautiful as my parents' place in the mountains was, I kept thinking, what if I broke a bone or something. The closest hospital was probably a good 45 minutes away.

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  9. Susan: glad you enjoyed this -- I have another set to do!

    Nora: and I pared down my treatise on streetcars.

    SAW: at least your outer garments don't stick to the satin underthings, that is one advantage. I'll send you your words.

    Char: thank you

    Crystal: and satin PJs on satin sheets can be rather dangerous!

    Geewits: oh yeah, I also went through that as a kid - and the Norse gods were my favourite.

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  10. Very nicely written post -- as others have pointed out. I love my satin sheets. True, they're not ideal for little kitty claws, but they're so nice to sleep on. Also, when did you go to the tropics? Was it recently? Did I miss this? Where did you go?

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  11. Laughing about satin sheets. Friends bought some with great anticipation for steamy romantic night. They hated them, & said they kept sliding off the bed, onto the floor!
    Please send me some words, I promise to do this.

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  12. XUP: I had a different life (or so it seems) back in the 80s when I travelled a lot, to Australia, Venezuela, Brazil, D.R., Jamaica, Costa Rica, Belize.

    Meggie: and so ruins the mood!
    I'll send you some words.

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  13. Great exploration of the five words I sent. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I agree with you about cities. I grew up in Vancouver and, while I love the countryside, I like the fact that I still live near urban realities in a mid-sized town. I can walk to the supermarket, pharmacy and a couple of good coffee joints.

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