Shoes, Books & Cynicism
Kate Stone Matheson
The Wax That Melts Our Wings

I’d say it’s what separates us, not from the beasts, but the bestial. Creating the future, renewing a learned past - these are reasons to strive. Writing for and with love, taking and framing an image, stretching new melodic skins onto old skeletons of song… it’s how we manage to fly. It’s how we stay you and me, not us and them.

The Wax That Melts Our Wings
Shoes, Books & Cynicism
Kate Stone Matheson
The Lady Jellypants Guide to Grace and Poise

Unlike Osk, who seemed to establish his own tactical task force wherever we lived, scooping up neighbourhood feline troublemakers as sidekicks (including the memorable ginger behemoth Watson, with whom he used to scope the street from the safety of the shed roof), Jelly has the intelligence gathering skills of a sponge cake.

The Lady Jellypants Guide to Grace and Poise
Shoes, Books & Cynicism
Kate Stone Matheson
Love Me Tender

Anyway, somewhere in between my 'and then you should've done this' and 'why didn't you say x and y, rather than z', and 'for the love of monkeys and the general public's eyesight, you didn't honestly wear that heinous shirt did you', something he was saying about the dating extravaganza we were picking to pieces finally penetrated my cloud of self-congratulatory cumulo-waffle. 

"Most people don't talk about how dates are progressing as a tender process, do they?" he asked. 

"What?"

"She said I was 'part way through the tender process' and that she was judging me on my submission. I'd like to think there was irony involved, and I think at the time I may have given an admittedly weak "haha, yesssss, quite". Looking back, I'd have to conclude, computer says no on the presence of Fabulon or other aids to achieving crisply pressed linen."

Love Me Tender

Strength

Carpe Jugulum

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”
— Sun Tzu

I wrote something on Facebook yesterday that I firmly believe in - and it definitely seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I didn't write it for any reason other than the need to express what a 'Don't Stop Believing' kind of day I was having, but it was interesting to see the response. Below is what I had to say:

Good things may come to those who wait. They also come to those who seize life by the throat and say 'I'm grabbing this while the opportunity exists'.

I know the importance of patience and forbearance, and realising that not everything can magically occur at once; but I also know from experience that usually the only way things happen for us is if we get off our backsides and make them happen.

Opportunities are just that - opportunities. They are not a gift, nor are they a right. They are a privilege, and they don't come around every day. Sitting back and expecting to have things handed to one on a silver platter, with added lollipops and rainbows, is not just unrealistic, it's lazy in body and mind.

There have been a lot of times over the past decade when my body hasn't wanted to co-operate with my mind in terms of taking up chances. For someone with a busy brain and a lot of ambition, this is possibly the ultimate frustration. So for me, at present, despite a few challenges to face in the short-term, I am determined to throttle the bejeebers out of every chance that comes my way.

And to be enormously grateful for what I am grabbing with both hands and holding onto tightly.

If you are lucky enough to be sound in body and spirit, and there is something out there you want, take a chance. You may well get knocked back. I have been. But you may also succeed beyond your wildest dreams; and if you're anything like me, said dreams will be pretty wild.

Carpe jugulum. Seize the throat. Grab your life and give it a massive shake up. Rattle that brain pan and find out what adventure ride in life you really want to be on - and then hop on board.

And be grateful that you have the energy, strength and ability to purchase a ticket to ride.

Carpe Jugulum

““Opportunities multiply as they are seized””

— Sun Tzu

I wrote something on Facebook yesterday that I firmly believe in - and it definitely seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I didn't write it for any reason other than the need to express what a 'Don't Stop Believing' kind of day I was having, but it was interesting to see the response. Below is what I had to say:

Good things may come to those who wait. They also come to those who seize life by the throat and say 'I'm grabbing this while the opportunity exists'.

I know the importance of patience and forbearance, and realising that not everything can magically occur at once; but I also know from experience that usually the only way things happen for us is if we get off our backsides and make them happen.

Opportunities are just that - opportunities. They are not a gift, nor are they a right. They are a privilege, and they don't come around every day. Sitting back and expecting to have things handed to one on a silver platter, with added lollipops and rainbows, is not just unrealistic, it's lazy in body and mind.

There have been a lot of times over the past decade when my body hasn't wanted to co-operate with my mind in terms of taking up chances. For someone with a busy brain and a lot of ambition, this is possibly the ultimate frustration. So for me, at present, despite a few challenges to face in the short-term, I am determined to throttle the bejeebers out of every chance that comes my way.

And to be enormously grateful for what I am grabbing with both hands and holding onto tightly.

If you are lucky enough to be sound in body and spirit, and there is something out there you want, take a chance. You may well get knocked back. I have been. But you may also succeed beyond your wildest dreams; and if you're anything like me, said dreams will be pretty wild.

Carpe jugulum. Seize the throat. Grab your life and give it a massive shake up. Rattle that brain pan and find out what adventure ride in life you really want to be on - and then hop on board.

And be grateful that you have the energy, strength and ability to purchase a ticket to ride.