What is it about the comfort of an old book? One that you have read a million times, and where you know exactly what will happen to a beloved hero or heroine.
I find that I go back to my comfort books on alarmingly regular occasions. When I have had too much of the real world, when work gets too hard, when I am feeling sad or a little lonely. I know at these times all my old friends will always be there for me.
From the traditional, Pride and Prejudice and the childish, Harry Potter series. To the thrilling, Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva, and the serious Until I Find You by John Irving. And finally to my trusty collection of romantic novels, The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, anything by Marion Keyes and the hilariously silly The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig.
I wonder sometimes if I should try and find some new friends, and I'm sure in the future more will come along. But for now, I know I'll never be lonely when I have them to keep me company.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Stories from the past, or what can happen to young ladies who talk too much in taxis...
Once upon a time there was a young lady who worked for a reasonably prominent politician. She loved her job very very much, but every so often she got distracted by the frivolities of life. One of these distracted days she decided to go out for a few quiet drinks with a gentleman friend.
It had been a long and hard week that was not yet over, but she felt she deserved some fun and an exciting band was playing at one of her favourite drinking holes. The night was enjoyable, and many tonics were served. She had a wonderful time and when the night drew to an end she was buoyed by the enthusiasm of the evening, and perhaps by the delicious drinks that had passed her lips.
Being a responsible girl, despite the copious drinks and late hour, she arranged for a taxi to deliver her home. (Here we should have a quick aside and mention that our young lady was a terribly chatty girl at the very best of times and was known to spark up a conversation with random people at a moments notice.)
It cannot be said that our young lady woke up feeling particularly chipper the following day. But due to a work ethic that did not allow for frivolous (read: alcohol related) sick days, she rallied and worked hard in her office. Studiously avoiding the prominent politician for the day, for fear of being asked why she was so unusually quiet, she worked away and was enormously relieved at days end.
Many days passed and the young lady returned to her normal existence. Working hard, being chatty, and keeping herself at all times nice.
One day the prominent politician, with a very serious countenance, asked the young lady to follow him into his office as he had something to show her. She was quite bemused, as this was not a usual request. Dutifully, she followed him into his office where he asked her to read an email he had received on a popular social networking site (that it might be added, the young lady had encouraged the prominent politician to join).
The email read as follows...
Dear Prominent Politician,
I am a big supporter of your work and would like you to know that I voted for you at the last election. I have recently returned from overseas and now I am back home I have begun working as a taxi driver. On the (insert date) I happened upon a young lady who I drove home. She had dark hair, was about 25 and I thought she was very attractive. On the way home she happened to tell me that she worked for you and while I do not know her name I would very much like to see her again. I would be most grateful if you could pass on my phone number (insert number) to the young lady, and make her aware of my interest.
Regards,
Loveless Taxi Driver
By the time she had finished reading this, our young lady's eyes had just about popped out of her head, and her mouth was wide open in a very unladylike fashion. To add to this the prominent politician had completely given up trying to hide his amusement and was openly laughing at her. What was she to do?! To ignore the letter would perhaps tarnish the reputation of the prominent politician, but she didn't even remember the taxi driver! Of course she remembered the trip home itself, and of course it was expected that she had been chatty, for that was her nature. But for it to be taken as more than that, she simply did not know what to do!
It was a quandary our young lady had gotten herself into and she struggled valiantly with the decision of how to best remedy the situation. She decided to reply to the taxi driver, so as to ensure he did not think the prominent politician had not passed on his message, but to politely decline the romantic intentions.
The young lady went on to work for the prominent politician for quite some time, despite the stir caused by the aforementioned events. However, he never ever let her forget about the taxi driver, and while he would regularly laugh at her romantic exploits, it was never as heartily as that day.
The End.
It had been a long and hard week that was not yet over, but she felt she deserved some fun and an exciting band was playing at one of her favourite drinking holes. The night was enjoyable, and many tonics were served. She had a wonderful time and when the night drew to an end she was buoyed by the enthusiasm of the evening, and perhaps by the delicious drinks that had passed her lips.
Being a responsible girl, despite the copious drinks and late hour, she arranged for a taxi to deliver her home. (Here we should have a quick aside and mention that our young lady was a terribly chatty girl at the very best of times and was known to spark up a conversation with random people at a moments notice.)
It cannot be said that our young lady woke up feeling particularly chipper the following day. But due to a work ethic that did not allow for frivolous (read: alcohol related) sick days, she rallied and worked hard in her office. Studiously avoiding the prominent politician for the day, for fear of being asked why she was so unusually quiet, she worked away and was enormously relieved at days end.
Many days passed and the young lady returned to her normal existence. Working hard, being chatty, and keeping herself at all times nice.
One day the prominent politician, with a very serious countenance, asked the young lady to follow him into his office as he had something to show her. She was quite bemused, as this was not a usual request. Dutifully, she followed him into his office where he asked her to read an email he had received on a popular social networking site (that it might be added, the young lady had encouraged the prominent politician to join).
The email read as follows...
Dear Prominent Politician,
I am a big supporter of your work and would like you to know that I voted for you at the last election. I have recently returned from overseas and now I am back home I have begun working as a taxi driver. On the (insert date) I happened upon a young lady who I drove home. She had dark hair, was about 25 and I thought she was very attractive. On the way home she happened to tell me that she worked for you and while I do not know her name I would very much like to see her again. I would be most grateful if you could pass on my phone number (insert number) to the young lady, and make her aware of my interest.
Regards,
Loveless Taxi Driver
By the time she had finished reading this, our young lady's eyes had just about popped out of her head, and her mouth was wide open in a very unladylike fashion. To add to this the prominent politician had completely given up trying to hide his amusement and was openly laughing at her. What was she to do?! To ignore the letter would perhaps tarnish the reputation of the prominent politician, but she didn't even remember the taxi driver! Of course she remembered the trip home itself, and of course it was expected that she had been chatty, for that was her nature. But for it to be taken as more than that, she simply did not know what to do!
It was a quandary our young lady had gotten herself into and she struggled valiantly with the decision of how to best remedy the situation. She decided to reply to the taxi driver, so as to ensure he did not think the prominent politician had not passed on his message, but to politely decline the romantic intentions.
The young lady went on to work for the prominent politician for quite some time, despite the stir caused by the aforementioned events. However, he never ever let her forget about the taxi driver, and while he would regularly laugh at her romantic exploits, it was never as heartily as that day.
The End.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Oh for a simpler time...
I hate text messages, all the wondering of did the message go through? Have they read it yet? I hope my use of texting sarcasm didn't sound bitchy, and so on and so forth.
Oh I wish for a simpler time, where I didn't have to juggle 5 pieces of technology at once and plans once made had to stay in place.
Oh I wish for a simpler time, where I didn't have to juggle 5 pieces of technology at once and plans once made had to stay in place.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
146 Days!
There are 146 days until I turn 30.
Hell, I have no idea how that happened? I certainly don't feel like I should be that old! But cause I definitely can't stop it from happening, I thought I may as well try and figure out a few things before it does.
Like, for example, how to stop running away from the lovely boys and running towards the less than lovely ones. I met someone lovely recently and I have discovered that intimacy scares the bejesus out of me. I realised this about the same time as I was running out of the door straight after being kissed for the first time. Which is really not a good look, let me tell you! He is nice, sweet and everything good that I should be looking for. But the whole idea of it just scares me so much and its completely early days!
So, as part of my aim to grow up before I actually am grown up, I am going to try to not completely freak out but enjoy spending some time with a nice boy who likes me even when I am drunk and talk far too much!
Hell, I have no idea how that happened? I certainly don't feel like I should be that old! But cause I definitely can't stop it from happening, I thought I may as well try and figure out a few things before it does.
Like, for example, how to stop running away from the lovely boys and running towards the less than lovely ones. I met someone lovely recently and I have discovered that intimacy scares the bejesus out of me. I realised this about the same time as I was running out of the door straight after being kissed for the first time. Which is really not a good look, let me tell you! He is nice, sweet and everything good that I should be looking for. But the whole idea of it just scares me so much and its completely early days!
So, as part of my aim to grow up before I actually am grown up, I am going to try to not completely freak out but enjoy spending some time with a nice boy who likes me even when I am drunk and talk far too much!
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