My award

Wow I got an award! Thanks so much 'Elements' from http://elementsathome.blogspot.com/. It's so exciting to actually receive an award, you made my day.

Although I've tried very hard to make this blog about everything but me it's still hard to think of 7 things to add here. I'm thinking these things should be very interesting, classy and noble but you might have to stick with reality instead.  And before I give you my 7 I thought you'd like another Teaching Tale which this award has reminded me of.

I recently worked with a corporate group of people who had all known each other for some time. It's always hard with groups like this to challenge their existing points of view and get them out of their comfort zone so I always try to get them to reveal a little something about themselves that their colleagues may not already know. Well I've heard many wonderful answers and people often reveal that they are closet horticulturists or that they have travelled to exotic places. However on this occasion one charming man decided to blurt out the first thing that came into his head. Much to his (and our) embarrassment he revealed that he was in fact circumcised. Just when you think you've heard it all ...

So onto my 7 shall we.

1. The numbers 7 and 5 have occurred in my life way too frequently for my liking. In fact my mobile phone number, tax file number, home phone number and old AGS (government service) number all feature many repeated 7s and 5s.

2. I live in Queensland yet hate the heat. The only time in Summer I will go to the beach is late afternoon and the worst day out I can imagine would involve sitting on the beach or swimming during the heat of the day.

3. I love the smell of coffee yet can't drink it, it makes me sick. Sometimes I slip up and have a cup only to be bitterly disappointed soon after.

4. I don't like talking on the phone and could easily live without ever making a call. If my friends and family don't call me then we don't speak. Luckily we now have Facebook and texting.

5. I only found out last year that my grandfather died from Huntington's Disease and that potentially I could also have it and have passed it on to my kids. I still can't get over that my mother purposely hid this from me and my siblings until I found out.

6. I have three degrees (Bachelors, Post Grad and Masters.) I don't work directly in any of the fields in which I'm qualified though.

7. I have a not-so-secret desire to finish this house and produce a home that people love and admire. I'm constantly moving furniture around because I'm never sure I've explored all the possibilities with our existing furniture.

So there they are, my lucky 7. I'm going to tag my fellow Brisbane house bloggers:
A-M
Fun and VJs
Restoring the Old Girl

And my friend Lauren from http://www.sparklingadventures.com/.

Hey you look just like ....

I've survived my full week at work and most of my organisational plans worked well. I have to fine tune the cooking and freezing process but we're all fed, clean and happy so we made it through the week unscathed. I've even come home with a humorous tale to tell, hope you enjoy it.

So you already know I teach adults. This means that I meet tonnes of different people every year. It one part of my job that I love, the mix of people and the stories they tell are just wonderful. Because I meet so many people it's inevitable that every now and again I take a look at someone and I think 'wow, you really look like xx celebrity or xx business person.'

A few years ago I worked with a lady and each day I would look at her and not be able to put my finger on who she reminded me of. One day I was talking to her and suddenly the resemblance to a certain celebrity burst into my mind. I looked at her and she looked at me and just as I blurted out 'I know who you look like!' she also blurted out 'don't even say what you are about to say.' But it was too late. She knew that I knew, and everyone else was bursting with curiosity to know too. The problem was she looked just like.................

Yep, Bette Midler. Which was far from complimentary for a 30-something woman. Poor thing. I felt so bad.

So this week I delivered a course which lasted three days. On the first day a man walked in, who we'll call Frankfurt. Frankfurt was late and as soon as I saw him my inner voice was saying 'he looks like money' 'no wait, he looks like royalty. That's it, royalty.' Throughout the day I was debating with myself  'who DOES he look like? Why is he so familiar?' 'And why does he always seem like he is talking down his nose to me?'

So Frankfurt, as well as being late the first day, also didn't show up on the second day. Nor did he call or let anyone know. He just didn't arrive. This is a pretty odd occurrence, as most students whose employers have paid x thousands of dollars for them to come are far from happy with no-shows.

Fast forward to today and Frankfurt reappears. Apparently he was 'busy' yesterday. Then he decides that he simply cannot stay until the end of the course and must leave early. And just as he was walking past me to leave it hits me, and I open my mouth to blurt out 'I KNOW WHO YOU LOOK LIKE!' Thank goodness at that moment common-sense prevailed and instead I was bursting with internal laughter knowing that this guy looks exactly like a living, breathing version of .....

Ahh Lord Farquaad I presume. Could it be more apt!