Tuesday, February 20, 2007

La Grippe, Graffiti and weird stuff

I have been ill for the past week with flu- real flu [la grippe in French] . I have recovered to the point that it feels like i have a heavy cold but at least the headaches, fevers and chilly bones have ended. I think it explains why I was having the strange headaches and feeling weird for week or so beforehand too.

This stencilled cat is close to my house - it has been carefully renewed when the wall was repainted - probably not by the original artist/stenciller.


I'm not sure why this pile of dog dirt was stencilled on a stone pillar -it wasn't in a very obvious place in day time as it was obscured by a cafe's awning and terrace tables and chairs.

I'd seen it at night and hadn't had the opportunity to photograph it and when i went back a day or so later, I couldn't find the graffiti so I thought it had been removed.

I was challenged by Sue to write about 6 things people probably don't know about me:

1] I can't drive - I was given driving lessons as a 17th birthday present but had absolutely zero interest in driving so it was a complete waste of time and money. Added to this I am not even a good passenger in cars as I cringe because I have difficulties judging distance when things are moving. I also have problems telling my right from left and can't work out how to go round roundabouts properly - so all in all I am absolutely safer as a non driver-and so are other road users!

I did actually sit my driving test twice - on one occasion the driving tester was wrapped in bandages like a mummy - he had just got out of hospital after being injured in a crash. He spent the whole time shaking and graoning -it didn't help my confidence much.

2] I am ambidextrous - for most things I use the closest hand [or foot ]. I can write and paint with my left hand but I generally use my right -everything else is variable.

3] I can't eat cooked vegetables or they come right back up again. My mum used to try and get me to eat them but quickly realised that it was easier just to let me eat them raw. I think its something to do with their chnaged texture when they are cooked.

4] I hate heights and have problems even looking at other people leaning over railings or waving from windows - even complete strangers. Even reading about the proposed walkway over the Grand Canyon makes me feel queasy.
I am ok with hills and mountains but don't like cliffs. When we decided to take an appartment on the 4th floor, i really had to ponder whether I would be able to cope with being up so high.

5] I have a 4 inch scar on my thigh from a jelly fish sting. I'm not sure what kind of jelly fish stung me- but it was excruciatingly painful and felt like an electric shock to my heart. In fact, I thought I had somehow managed to be electricuted in the sea before I saw the large purply-brown streaked jellyfish body. My leg had a 10 inch long wound wrapping round my thigh -which looked like it had been flayed open - but this eventually contracted and faded.

Earlier that day I had snorkelled through an immense swarm of hundreds of small lilac jellyfish without a single sting but this kind only sting like a nettle . It had been indescribably beautiful watching the lilac jellyfish swimming in the underwater sunbeams and I tend to remember this rather than the horrible sting.


6] I am a big sci-fi fan. I have loved Dr Who since I was really small and am currently addicted to watching the new incarnations of the Doctor as well as Captain Jack in the Torchwood spin-off series.
When I was about 15 I went to a Dr Who exhibition . I screamed when a Dalek came towards me shouting "Exterminate, Exterminate!" -much to the amusement of my 3 younger sisters.
I also love the re-imagined Battlestar Gallactica , oh and Firefly among many others sci-fi shows and films.
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Alison, I'm sorry you've been so poorly and I hope you get back to full strength very quickly.
I liked your 'weird' list. So you're another sci-fi aficionado! I think my favourite is Star Wars although I do listen to Dr Who on Radio 7, and Hitchikers.
I wish I'd had the guts years ago not to learn to drive. I felt 'bum-rushed' into it by my job at the time and I'd hoped I'd be ok once I got used to it but I'm rubbish at it. It's scary. I have to do stress-relief techniques every time I get behind the wheel.Sigh!
Anyway, I also liked the cat stencil you have nearby...and that curious dog-poo one! How weird is that? ;-) S x

natural attrill said...

Hello,
I too use both hands, though for different activities. I am left handed for writing and drawing/illustration, but use my right hand for larger painting, and everything else, I am also right footed. Just got a wacom and pen, so dont know how that is going to pan out, obviously I would use my left hand, for drawing small, however I am used to using a mouse with my right hand.

I like the cat stencil.

Hope you are feeling better.

Penny.

Unknown said...

So sorry to hear you've been ill. I do hope you will soon be over it completely and feeling much better.

And so nice to learn a little more about you.

Take care.